Ray Benson to the FCC about radio

Janice Brooks · From: Pleasant Gap Pa

< on localism in San Antonio. Benson said radio consolidation
contributed to the homogenization of music.

"Just as strip malls with national brand name retailers have
homogenized the look and regional flavors of large and small towns
across America, so has radio done much the same thing to music in
numerous formats, genres and regions. I recognize that the desires
of the American consumer are partially to blame for this change, but
ultimately it seems unfortunate that in an era when so much great
music is being recorded by talented artists, none of it gets a shot
on the airwaves, even in its own hometown."

Benson said radio "access has been limited to the four major record
labels and a small handful of consultants and independent promoters.
The price of entry into this marketplace has become staggering. A
ballpark figure for production and promotion of a single song today
is 6 to 7 figures depending on the genre."

Benson also bashed voicetracking in his speech. "The practice of
DJ's and newspersons broadcasting from one city and pretending to be
in another, and music directors and program directors living in
cities other than the home cities of their broadcast shows, are
other factors in the diminishing of access for local music. When an
on-air personality is not in the town he or she broadcasts from,
when the decisions on what is played take place centrally instead of
locally these decision makers have no knowledge of the local
available music."

Benson suggested "the FCC develop incentives for local music
broadcasting so that stations can `make their numbers' . . . during
the time it takes to re-build local interest in local programming.">>

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Janice "Busgal" Brooks
ICQ 44729047

Fred Glave · From: McHenry, Illinois, USA

I agree with Ray Benson. I just don't know what the solution is. It makes me sick to see the Ma and Pa stores, restaurants, gas stations, as well as radio stations disapear.
We live in a free country, so it would be hypocritical to stop people from franchising. I also see alot of empty space on the radio dial. I think there's room for locally owned stations. One would think that it's possible to provide what people want. But these mega stations have got people wanting to hear on the radio what they see on MTV, and CMT(Blah). Alternatives have a tough row to hoe.

[This message was edited by Fred Glave on 30 January 2004 at 05:19 AM.]

Tom Callahan · From: Dunlap, Tennessee, USA

In our small little tennessee town, we have a small am radio station. All of the professional people do the majority of their advertising on it. We support it because of its dedication to the area and their featuring of local musicans and events.
It was really wierd to move from atlanta to this small town and learn to change to the climate of the people and fit into the slower pace life. But I love it.
How many people living in the big radio coverage areas can say that the have had lunch with the one and only dj on the radio station.
I like the station because they play COUNTRY MUSIC. Sure is nice to hear Bob Wills and Don Williams played as if they are in the top 20 this week.

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T.C.
Emmons S-10

[This message was edited by Tom Callahan on 30 January 2004 at 07:16 AM.]

Randy Pettit · From: North Texas USA

Doug Brumley · From: Nashville, Tennessee, USA

Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

Sheesh! Now, the recording companies are saying the radio stations are to blame.

Why doesn't some big recording company start buying radio stations and TV channels so they can have an outlet for their stuff without forking out huge sums of backdoor "payola" to the radio networks?

United Artists Film Productions had a similar problem getting their movies placed in theaters across the country, so they just started their own theater chain. Come on "record guys", it's business...not rocket science.

Eric West · From: Portland, Oregon, USA, R.I.P.

I'm beginning to think that there's too much whining going on.

If I want to hear the "latest" top 40 "country" songs, I turn on the syndicated FM stations. Whaddya expect for free?

If I want to hear the kind of music I like, I pop in a CD or turn on my computer and hear anything from Stoney Cooper and Wilma Lee, to Albert, or even Alvin Lee. Spend a coupla bucks more and get a satellite radio wit jillions of songs...

Steel Guitar Radio is about MY favorite.

Maybe we could get a cut of the recently posted "Worlds Smallest Guitar" playing " You don't have to be a baby to cry".

The Steel Players I talked to in his bands weren't overjoyed at the amount of money he was paying them.

I'm more interested in the plights of construction workers, cops, firemen and teachers....

So Sh.....

EJL

Ron Randall · From: Dallas, Texas, USA

I love my XM satellite radio. Lots of everything to listen to, including new artists, new sounds, bands with no "handlers".
Also plenty of old country that most have not heard, bluegrass...

For $10 a month and no advertising...

Eric West · From: Portland, Oregon, USA, R.I.P.

Here's a take on it.

Take the local "public venue" here in Portland.

When a Regular Band, more than capable of playing it or any large venue plays, and they get paid say 500 bucks a night, they each make a hundred bucks, including the sound man. Damn nice PA.

A Travis Tritt show came in to play a year ago, same place, and was paid $20,000 dollars. Basically same PA.

Suppose the steel player made $4,000?

even $400?

EJL

Bob Hoffnar · From: Austin, Tx

Randy,

NPR info:

quote:
How is NPR Supported?

NPR (National Public Radio) is a private, self-supporting nonprofit media company with hundreds of independent radio stations as members. NPR receives no direct federal funding for general support. NPR supports its operations through a combination of membership dues and programming fees from stations, contributions from private foundations and corporations, and revenue from the sales of transcripts, books, CDs, and merchandise. A very small percentage - between 1-2 percent of NPR's annual budget - comes from competitive grants sought by NPR from federally funded organizations, such as the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, National Science Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts. At present, NPR's annual operating budget is approximately $100 million a year (2002 NPR Annual Report).

Bob

Eric West · From: Portland, Oregon, USA, R.I.P.

Well, like a senator from Illinois once said...

Bobby Lee · From: Cloverdale, California, USA

XM Satellite Radio is the opposite of local radio. You might like the selection of music, but it still doesn't give local artists a chance in their hometown.

Here in Sonoma County, there are exactly two radio stations that allow local music. First and foremost is The Crush (KRSH), a rock station. The DJ's are right here and they know the local scene. They mix classic and modern rock with local artists who fit their format. They have 3 blocks of commercials every hour, on the 20-minute marks, so you hear about 18 minutes of music without interruption.

The other station is KRCB, an NPR station. During the day they have NPR programming (classical music and news), but in the evening and on weekends they have local folks spinning records. Some of my musician friends have regular time slots on KRCB, and there is no limitation of what they are allowed to play.

I wish there were more stations like these two. There's a "smooth jazz" station that's locally programmed (KJAZ), but I never hear any local artists on it. I really long for the days of real local programming. Live music on the radio was so wonderful, and it's become so rare. Such a loss!

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Bobby Lee - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs, Open Hearts
Sierra Session 12 (E9), Williams 400X (Emaj9, D6), Sierra Olympic 12 (C6add9),
Sierra Laptop 8 (E6add9), Fender Stringmaster (E13, A6),
Roland Handsonic, Line 6 Variax

Kevin Macneil Brown · From: Montpelier, VT, USA

Radio is a subject dear to my heart. Growing up in New Hampshire, I tuned in late nights to WWVA in Wheeling, West Virginia, and got at least some of my education in great country music that way.
Now, here in Vermont, we are fortunate to have a commercial AM station, WDEV, with a commitment to local news, local culture--lots of high school sports, locally-oriented talk shows, AND they find room for local artists of just about any genre in their musical programming, too. It's a template for how radio can truly serve a community, without pushing any particular political agenda.
Oh, and every Saturday they present a few minutes of old-time country music with a "live" performance by their very own Radio Rangers...

[This message was edited by Kevin Macneil Brown on 02 February 2004 at 11:47 AM.]

Fred Glave · From: McHenry, Illinois, USA

It seems that in the past....And I hate to think that I may be living in the past, radio stations were more niche oriented. Rock, Country, Jazz, Classical, Oldies, Blues, Underground(WHAT?), etc. Music has evolved so much, one would think it to be impossible to make everyone happy. And that is exactly the case. There just isn't enough stations to satisfy all of the preferences. Also there aren't enough people to make up a specialized audience to make it profitable. At least in the big cities. And that's the shame, because there seems to be plenty of space on the dial between stations. I think country music has blended the sound of Rock (bad 80's rock,that is) with country in order to broaden it's base. Theory: Dwindling rock listeners + dwindling country listeners = Big audience. How long this can last is a guess. But this is just my opinion.

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