A couple of weeks ago we posted “5 Inside reasons why Radio Sucks” The post was immensly popular. Now we posts the 5 things that are preventable but that are killing black radio
Eliminate Morning Syndication
Tom Joyner just had hip surgery…. I could literally end right there. I was trying to think of a current rap artist who has had hip surgery. …. hold on…. it’s coming…. OK I can’t think of anyone… can you? Call me when you do… An old man’s wisdom may be enlightening at times but it’s rarely entertaining for too long. People like to laugh (really laugh) and not worry about the person entertaining them having their teeth falling out, alternative bowel movements habits or swollen ankles. Open the door for NEW talent and get out of the way of industry progression or at LEAST help it. Listeners getting up early to go to work are NOT retired so why should they listen to someone in the morning who is reTIRED? Predictable and BORING morning shows with feigned laughter and jokes that are about as funny as a decapitated corpse on the freeway should be against the law of entertainment. As a matter of fact, I am creating that law right now. How many times can you eat Oatmeal for breakfast everyday? Give us some fried eggs and crispy bacon sometimes. I can’t imagine how much revenue urban stations are missing out on in the mornings by completely ignoring younger demos. It’s going to come back to haunt urban radio mark my words.
format
Good article and I agree with much of what you are saying. I would also encourage you to check out internet radio. It’s a new and growing media that has it “right” when it comes to radio programming. I own a station that I would like you to check out as an example it’s called 1067thebridge.com. I worked for Radio One and WHUR in DC among other stations and I have over 15 years on the air. I got tired of the restrictions in corporate radio, so I decided to start my own online radio station. We employ many of the concepts that you mentioned in this article. I hope you’ll check it out and you’ll see that internet radio is a viable option that should only grow in time. It levels the playing field and allows “radio people” to again do good radio without having their creativity stifled by corprorate control freaks who are hell bent on producing “cookie cutter” formats that are boring, predictable and primarily designed more by the sales departments rather then the programming department! Please stop by my online station and get a sample of what I’ll talking about: http://www.1067thebridge.com Thanks!!
John Hairston, Owner/Program Director – 1067thebridge.com
Hotep Kevin…All I can say is PREACH! Tell it up high on the mountain! This is exactly what my peers and I, both in radio and records have been screaming! Many of us have been displaced by miss-micro-managing by the so-called experts of old who in today’s ever growing industry are completely out of place guiding a music culture in-which they are three generations removed! How they can hope to reverse the decline in music sales and loss of revenue in radio using the same old methodology is by definition – insanity! There are WAY too many lawyers posing as music executives and WAY too many analysts posing as programmers heading up record company monopolies corporately run radio conglomerates…But I guess therein lies the problem. All of these corporately run companies have turned what was once art into financial science. I completely agree with you in that the industry as a whole is in desperate need of a transfusion of new blood. The old guard wants to stay in charge – fine…But they need to stay in their lane and utilize their many years of industry knowledge to mentor the next generation and cultivate the creative genius of the youth to develop a revolutionary new business model wherein records and radio exist harmoniously with the goal of exposing the world to soul moving music – Rock, R.A.P., Pop, R&B, Reggae, Country, Jazz… ALL MUSIC!!! HOTEP.