In a rare public comment about personnel, Entercom CEO David Field tells Rolling Stone the recent firing of the KROQ Los Angeles morning show was about ratings and had nothing to do with Coronavirus layoffs or furloughs. The Field interview was part of a lengthy piece about the radio industry, which the magazine entitled “In a Crisis, Radio Should Be Bigger Than Ever — So Why Isn’t It?
Field tells Rolling Stone that local decisions are made by local management depending on how programs perform. “The ratings on the show post-Bean (Gene Baxter) were not where they needed to be, so the decision was made locally that it was time for change, and time to rebuild a new show that would hopefully garner higher ratings.”
Aside from the Field comments the magazine article was more about how radio is less significant today that it has been in the past – or should be today. ” In trying to compete with streaming services, satellite radio, and podcasts, terrestrial radio seems to have lost something of its original mission: Familiarity, flexibility, localization, and interactivity.”
Nearly every radio CEO would debate that last point. While the article claims a lot of the Nielsen 90% listening numbers come from background listening, the radio industry clearly believes, that despite the layoffs and furloughs (which are taking place in every industry by the way), radio personalities are the companionship listeners are turning to. Not to mention the community fundraising events (see next 4 stories) taking place all over the country, every day.
Connoisseur Media. VP of Programming Keith Dakin represented the radio industry very well in the article. “You can hear your songs everywhere, but these personalities that you listen to and grow up with can be the calming, soothing voice to help you feel better, escape, or give you information and news. These people become your friends. We do perceptual studies and research studies, and people say, ‘Oh, they’re like my family. They’re like my co-workers.’ Making changes now is bad for your brand, because your listeners are used to these DJs and they’re looking for the DJs they love.”
Read the entire Rolling Stone article HERE
It all started when they fired Lisa May. To make matters worse I remember Ralph told listeners if they didn’t like it then stop listening. That was the beginning of the end. However, Management is 100% to blame with all the changes that were made after that. . After over 20 years of listening I tuned out, and so did a lot of L.A.
Radio hasn’t been relevant for at least 20 years. What’s different now is that we have more options. Why listen to Imagine Dragons and Billie Eilish every song when we can listen to real music. Radio is out of touch. Kids won’t listen to it, because there is so many options. People in their 30s and 40s won’t listen, because their music just isn’t relevant anymore. They are relying on pushing a audience that just isn’t there.
Lots of stations ARE relevant…just not this one. That’s why they fired the morning show. Too old, to out of touch. Time to get young people on the radio. When you give them a chance, they love it and do well.
Bring back Romondo and Blade along with Poor man !
Only two of them are still alive.
I listened during my drive and dow loaded the show via podcast. I loved it. Granted jensen wasn’t for everyone but he was basically an uber bean and Allie is a treasure. She was just the dirtiest joke teller ever. Kevin on his own is an institution in LA and if KROQ can’t see his relevance, I hope someone else does. Cause I’ve heard the show they have now and you couldn’t pay me to listen to the shit music they’re calling alternative rock. There is no rock in the Alternative rock, it’s all digital beats and long winded crap. I’d 100% rather listen to the interviews and the crew do their stick. It’s funny and interesting… and Kroq really screwed up cause the rating now are horrible.
I’m just sickened that the only constant that remains is the inconsistency of loyalty to great personalities like kevin ryder. kevin and bean took a hit when bean left this is true but to see how terribly the corporate kroq now did him dirty is just scandalous I dont even live in LA but would catch up on the podcast on stitcher and was able to still feel happiness to hear kevin still plugging along it’s so true his voice was like the friend that never left you even when the bad came around now it’s gone.
This article assumed that radio still has compelling personalities and local relevance. Please…let’s call out that illusion. Here in Los Angeles for example, for the iHeart stations:
KFI their talk station is live 62% of the time Mon-Sun all hours. Just look at their program schedule.
And if you examine iHearts remaining stations- KLAC plus the FM’s…KIIS, KBIG, KOST, KYSR, and KRRL…those stations are live collectively only 30% of the total week!!! So 70% of the time, the programming is voice-tracked or syndicated !! 70% !!
How in God’s name can that be considered as compelling personalities or “local relevance” ??
Well before Covid-19, unfortunately the likes of iHeart and Cumulus were the Covid-18 to radio’s relevance.
“Here in Los Angeles for example, for the iHeart stations”
To me the word “local relevance” relates to popularity, and iHeart’s LA stations are among the most popular stations in town. They have three stations in the Top 5. That’s pretty relevant. They were beating the station mentioned in this article, KROQ, so obviously they were more relevant to the local community than a station with stronger heritage. Unfortunately KROQ had become less relevant as their morning team aged.
All I can say is that I so miss Kevin & Bean! (Including the recent Kevin & friends show) Morning commutes will never be the same! With Radio.com streaming their shows and Podcasts, they were able to grow their audience and increase their fan base. XOX
Radio IS bigger than ever. Just not alternative rock. Radio stations that provide news and information are growing. Stations that play alternative rock aren’t. The problem is the music. Localism and interaction can’t fix bad music.
Not true. Not true. Internal studies show radio has lost very few listeners during these “stay at home” orders.
People are BUYING radios again…from retailers such as WalMart and Amazon.
And, again…it is simply the out of work radio guys who predict all the gloom and doom.
We can’t ignore the most obvious issue that is impacting radio during this lock down/melt down.
An overwhelming majority of our radio audience is mobile, driving from place to place, listening in their automobiles.
When the lock down began, untold millions of radio listeners drove home, cut off their cars and their radios, locked their cars and went inside their homes. Once inside, they turned on cable news or started binge watching their favorite series on Netflix. Others are spending time watching YouTube.
Let’s face it. Radio has lost millions of listeners who won’t return until the lock down is over.
One can holler, bang and clatter all they want.
These comments are falling on deaf ears and dead minds.
“When will they ever learn?”
They aren’t about to learn.
They will go down with their ships.
That is, unless they have a secret lifeboat hidden under the stern.