The respected newsman's valedictory address, posted on Missouri Radio Forums, is something everyone who is involved in making radio programming decisions should read:
I have retired from radio after 38 years. It's been a great ride, with a few bumps here and there, and I wouldn't have traded my experiences for anything (except a one-million dollar a year executive job).
As we all know, radio has changed and will keep changing. We can all argue whether it's for the better. I've said in previous posts that radio will be obscure in another 10 to 20 years. We will still be able to hear it, but with all the new and developing platforms out there (some we don't even know about yet), the power radio once had won't be there.
I also believe H.D. radio, used with present thinking, will not generate more ratings, and in the end, with divide the listener and revenue pies even more.
As a newsman, I would like to believe radio could be so much more if more emphasis was put on news. In reality, it seems any attempts at a revival may be too little, too late. The stations which have the news image will continue.
When radio went through the ownership rules changed and the fairness doctrine went out the door, radio news changed forever. People began listening or watching news on t-v in the mornings and
turning off their radios (except when in the car). They did this because very little or no money was being spent on radio news.
Some people may view my comments as "down on radio." I will always be a radio fan, but in all fairness about radio news---I can get just about anything I need from other media sources.
For the young people out there, encourage your station owners to
re-invent radio. Dare to be different rather than just part of the pack.
There are two customers in radio....the listener and the advertiser.
If you try to serve one over the other you will fail miserably in listenership and revenues. You must serve each faithfully and equally. One can't exist very long without the other.
No comments:
Post a Comment