Radio From The Twilight Zone

3

(By Curt Krafft) A radio station that contradicts itself. A station that does one thing but promotes just the opposite. A station that sends out a signal reassuring the listeners that it’s giving them what they want. A station with a tower, a transmitter, and a license to broadcast….from the Twilight Zone.

Sadly these stations can be found in just about every market. You know what I’m talking about. It’s the station that promotes “MORE MUSIC. LESS TALK” “WE PLAY THE ‘MOST’ MUSIC. LESS CHATTER!” Really? Then why have air personalities at all? When you promote more music and less talk, what you are indirectly saying is that your DJ’s don’t count. That could be interpreted as meaning they aren’t very good and that’s why we want them saying very little, if anything. Helluva a message to send to the listener.

Wait! It gets better. These same stations also promote less commercials. Sometimes they even push the concept of “commercial-free hours.” What they are indirectly saying is, commercials are bad. And we’re only going to play them when we absolutely have to. Helluva message to send to the company buying the advertising time. Helluva message to send to your sales department.

My point is this. If the listeners hate DJ chatter and hate commercials and only want to hear more music, it’s because the radio stations have trained them to think this way. They didn’t come to this conclusion on their own. It’s because of the constant bombardment of jingles and promos that emphasize music over talk that the listeners have come to adopt this philosophy. So when they say they want more music and less chatter, it’s because “you” the radio station taught them to think that way.

Wait! It gets better still. Radio has a new competitor. It’s called Pandora. It plays music. That’s it. Just music. Nothing else. Radio constantly promotes itself as being superior to Pandora. “We’re better. Choose us, not Pandora.” Really? How can you knock Pandora when you’re doing everything in your power to sound just like them. Remember? “More music, less talk.” “This is a commercial free hour. More music!” Yeah, now you remember. How ironic is that?

If radio is having problems it’s because it’s sending out conflicting signals. (Pun intended.) It’s telling people in a subliminal manner that air personalities and commercials are bad and that only the music is good. So, as a listener, you should not pay attention to the first two. Just listen to the music. We’ll give you more of that, because that’s what we’ve taught you to want.

As a side note, have you ever noticed how the people who promote radio automation the most, the people who just love to push a button to put on a program from another source, are the same people who lack the talent to do a live, on-air show themselves? I’ve noticed this. They can’t do sales either. But they do love to promote the concept of more music. Anything that doesn’t involve a live microphone. How ironic is that? They are in the communications business but don’t want to have anything to do with communicating.

And so there you have it. Submitted for your approval. A radio station that has trained its listeners to only like one aspect of its programming. And to simply ignore the rest. A station that would frighten even Rod Serling. A station so scary, so illogical, that you would not even find it….in The Twilight Zone.

Curt Krafft is a radio air personality, account executive, and developer of new format ideas. He can be reached at [email protected]

3 COMMENTS

  1. Agreed, Scott. The Jocks and Writers are manacled and chained to their stalls. They, as a result, have no opportunities to learn, experiment or gain any further skills.
    Nobody in ownership, management or Programming will ever release them and say, “You are now free to make a difference.” Ain’t gonna happen – ever.
    Nor would it be prudent to do so – particularly without substantial re-training and education.
    No. Contemporary on-air and creative staffs will die exactly where they are – in their cages.

  2. While there are some, there are not enough smart and reasonable people who have gravitated to radio over the years to make any difference to the status quo – the one that Curt describes.
    While Curt didn’t make the following point, I have no doubt he would be quick to agree: Radio station management and ownership have demonstrated no intentions – none whatsoever – to address the issues that he presents.

    • Ronald, it’s station management and ownership that make the decision to do it that way in the first place. The jocks sure don’t.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here