tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2639893053950014759.post6997611710865659392..comments2023-11-02T04:44:59.171-04:00Comments on John Gorman's Media Blog: Radio and the labels: Outlandish accusations and propositionsJohn Gormanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15246404080972884401noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2639893053950014759.post-54852495865754883172008-01-29T18:08:00.000-05:002008-01-29T18:08:00.000-05:00I really enjoy your blog I found it on a link from...I really enjoy your blog I found it on a link from another blog. I was reading I would love to ask you some questions on what media companies have there finger on the pulse. I worked in radio 15 years and you seen what has happened to the bussiness im seeking direction.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15473354718507878300noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2639893053950014759.post-44570175542328944472007-08-25T15:31:00.000-04:002007-08-25T15:31:00.000-04:00One sector of radio that has not been considered h...One sector of radio that has not been considered here is the small market. Most smaller markets (say from 20,000 to 150,000 people) have at least some stations are still owned by individual broadcasters who compete with stations owned by the big guys like Clear Channel. The smallest markets that dot our nation are almost exclusively owned by mom-and-pop companies. In many cases, these private stations are owned by very talented broadcasters or operators whose primary goal is to cater to their local community, and, as a result operate very successful radio stations. <BR/> While we small operators may not have the clout or cash to lobby congress on this royalty issue, it is we who will be hurt the most if this plan comes to fruition. NAB tells us that the RIAA proposes to take anywhere from 10% to 35% of our gross income. (not profit - INCOME) Taking that amount of money before expenses (and taxes) will seriously cripple, and more likely, destroy small market operators. For a radio operation that bills $1M annually, that means the RIAA would collect anywhere from $100,000 to $350,000. (This is more than the government takes.)<BR/> I don't pretend to know all the statistics on the percentage of profit that average small operators make, but based on personal experience, I estimate it ranges anywhere from 15% to 30% of gross income. <BR/> Simple math dictates that the operators who are already operating as lean as possible will immediately fold. For those who operate with a few expendable expenses, this will, at best, seriously compromise the quality of programming. The first thing to be cut when facing such an enormous loss is salaries. A loss of real live airstaff (it's the only way we program here) means going back to satellite programming. Satellite programming means a loss of listenership, and a loss of listenership means a loss of advertising dollars. Eventually the small market operator can't pay the bills and, then what?<BR/> Oh, and the "black hats" of radio you're referring to only exist in the top hundred or so markets that are monitored by R&R or Billboard. The rest of us just program based on their charts. The whole radio industry isn't corrupt, it's just the few at the top. The rest of us are just trying to make an honest buck.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2639893053950014759.post-63773303395093466882007-08-21T08:21:00.000-04:002007-08-21T08:21:00.000-04:00To correct a previous post here. It was Dave that ...To correct a previous post here. It was Dave that teamed up with a phony Sam. I have heard a few stories about Sam and Dave wanting coming close to blows and death threats. <BR/><BR/>You are right about Sam Moore. He should blame his labels not radio. In fact he should be pleased that his music still gets airplay after all these years.<BR/><BR/>I also bought a Sam and Dave album once that was a collection of hit songs but they were not the originals and it sounded terrible.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2639893053950014759.post-53922251354233983252007-08-19T20:08:00.000-04:002007-08-19T20:08:00.000-04:00John Gorman; I enjoy your blog. I agree with the c...John Gorman; I enjoy your blog. I agree with the comments about Judy Collins and Sam Moore. I will wager that both were paid for their performance by the RIAA. <BR/><BR/>Do you remember when Sam Moore went on the road with a phony Dan a few years back? No wonder the RIAA considers him a credible source.<BR/><BR/>Judy Collins semi retired? Hah.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2639893053950014759.post-49263743767101062872007-08-18T17:18:00.000-04:002007-08-18T17:18:00.000-04:00Okay, so how can radio airplay HURT sales? What......Okay, so how can radio airplay HURT sales? What...? If anything, it should show that payola to get crappy songs on the radio is a bad idea. Although I haven't read the report, I know a thing or two about reading into results. Sure, maybe some songs that are being played on the radio aren't getting expected sales, but is it the radio airplay that's hurting the sales? In this case, I think not. That's like blaming the referigerator for a drop in food consumption when all it holds is moldy food.<BR/><BR/>Once again, the music industry shows it's true colors.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2639893053950014759.post-74175892133447223492007-08-18T00:16:00.000-04:002007-08-18T00:16:00.000-04:00Radio, CDs, and even record labels themselves are ...Radio, CDs, and even record labels themselves are on their way out thanks to the internet. It's what the record/radio companies deserve, and it's just a matter of time in my opinion, the labels are just putting off the inevitable. <BR/>That said, re: the U2 example: <BR/>C'mon, Beautiful Day and Vertigo are simply much better songs than Ground Beneath Her Feet and Electrical Storm. They at least deserve a discount ;-)Wattshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10066903827715381593noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2639893053950014759.post-25098171938609564632007-08-17T08:00:00.000-04:002007-08-17T08:00:00.000-04:00I have a question to ask you (and the music-radio ...I have a question to ask you (and the music-radio industry). How many independent record promoters are now Washington D.C. lobbyists. It is the logic progression. You should also alert your readers to Fredrick Dammen's The Hit Men that covers payola in the 1980s. If you Google Randy Michaels and other Clear Channel related names you will get the complete rundown on how Michaels set up the payola deals of the 1990s.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2639893053950014759.post-77375206557425923562007-08-17T07:57:00.000-04:002007-08-17T07:57:00.000-04:00you didnt mention it so i will. when stanley liebo...you didnt mention it so i will. when stanley liebowitz released his study on radio ineffectiveness to record sales the biggest screamer was little steven van zandt. he was the biggest idiot of all since all he was doing was trying to save his sorry radio show. it used to be okay. its run its course. his sirius channel just plain sucks. i know from your history that you know steven and maybe that is why you didnt acknowledge him yet he was right in the middle of the firestorm that<BR/>liebowicz ignited. and why does that garage channel studio always smell like stale vodka?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2639893053950014759.post-19772082925823368472007-08-16T14:21:00.000-04:002007-08-16T14:21:00.000-04:00You bring up some interesting points and I side wi...You bring up some interesting points and I side with you on the labels creating payola to make their work easier. It's only when it gets out of control that the labels complain about it. The labels and the RIAA should be investigated by congress on many levels but they won't because they can buy their way out of the mess just like Clear Channel got away with owning more stations than the legal limit in many markets. What both the labels and radio fail to comprehend is consumer behavior. The consumer will go elsewhere if over manipulated and that appears to be what is happening in both industries. Fewer people listen to radio and fewer people buy music. It's not that difficult to figure out why.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2639893053950014759.post-69101667158474784162007-08-16T13:58:00.000-04:002007-08-16T13:58:00.000-04:00Gorman, The question you should ask is if U2 are v...Gorman, The question you should ask is if U2 are victims or guilty of buying into the mess. U2 don't need radio airplay. you mentioned in an earlier post how u2 allowed "Vertigo" to be used in an iPod spot for free. I hope U2 ignore payola on their next album release and show the industry that music does not need radio anymore to sell product. Oh, I forgot. The FCC did away with payola. It will probably be back by the time Mr. Bono and his group release their next album.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2639893053950014759.post-69823083882350103612007-08-16T13:37:00.000-04:002007-08-16T13:37:00.000-04:00hi john. love your blog. i grew up listening to yo...hi john. love your blog. i grew up listening to your stations in cleveland. wmms, wmji, wncx, whk and i also followed what you did as a consultant at waaf, wphd, wrqk, khk and wshe. i am in radio now. its the borg. i brought up to our consultant {whose name i wont mention but he bad raps you all the time so you may figure it out} about how you would run seasonal ids, spring, summer {reaches the beaches} and do appropriate music and contests for the season. he tore me a new a****** and claimed that it did nothing but confuse the audience and that you had too many slogans and your playlists were too long and the only reason you had ratings was marketing. i want to stay employed so i said no more. i think your programming won as much as promotion. there were as many m105 and g98 bumper stickers on cars and most had two. you had the better station so they listened to you most. you also had the best jocks too. your promotion and marketing complemented what you did on the air. you were the google of radio back then.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2639893053950014759.post-90937206950378204462007-08-16T12:20:00.000-04:002007-08-16T12:20:00.000-04:00You brought it home with your comments about U2. E...You brought it home with your comments about U2. Even they had to pay to get played? I'm not a U2 fantatic but I enjoy their music and have through the years. You would think an established group like them would not have to bow down to the payola gatekeepers.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2639893053950014759.post-33083613405128544962007-08-16T11:58:00.000-04:002007-08-16T11:58:00.000-04:00At least in the westerns there were the bad guys i...At least in the westerns there were the bad guys in the black hats and the good guys wearing white. Both the radio and the record industry are black hats. There are no good guys on either side. It is for that very reason that listeners have shunned radio and consumers no longer buy music at record stores.<BR/>I learn about new music from friends and the internet. I am also a legitimate downloader and buy my selections on iTunes.<BR/>I would still listen to radio if they played what I and everyone else I know really wanted to hear. BTW, satellite radio has become a musical wasteland too. I had both XM and Sirius. I am not renewing either one.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2639893053950014759.post-10213178372071524452007-08-16T11:38:00.000-04:002007-08-16T11:38:00.000-04:00Your story on U2 explains makes it all clear to me...Your story on U2 explains makes it all clear to me. I heard both U2 songs you mention on the radio in Europe and Canada and always wondered why they were not played in the states? If radio stations want to know why we don't listen to them anymore and record companies want to know why we don't buy their product they should read your blog. You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2639893053950014759.post-69618796532665444742007-08-16T11:20:00.000-04:002007-08-16T11:20:00.000-04:00Please excuse the above typing errors. The secreta...Please excuse the above typing errors. The secretary is off today.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2639893053950014759.post-48180663187577749172007-08-16T11:19:00.000-04:002007-08-16T11:19:00.000-04:00Radio hurts records sales? Internet radio hurts re...Radio hurts records sales? Internet radio hurts recod sales? It is apparent that the recording industry is out of touch with, well everything. I am a child of the 70's when disco was king. We heard Chic on the radio and we ran down to Record Theater to buy the SINGLE. If it weren't for radio, I'd have been listening to my dad's Elvis records. What is hurting record sales dates back 20 years. As CD's and cassettes replaced vinyl so we could play our own music in cars, the single vanished. Sure they tried Single CD's and cassettes or CD's and cassettes with 3 or 4 songs on them, but they charged $2 or $3, which was a lot more than the 60 cents you would pay for a single. Then those vanished and you were forced to buy a full album to get the one sone you heard. Do the math. A teenagers allowance only goes so far, so instead of buying 3 or 4 singles on Friday, they had to choose which one album they could afford. Fast forward to the digital age, MP3 files had and have the potential to be the new single, in fact they are. But are you going to pay $0.99 to buy a song you've never heard? I would not. And remember when you could trade records with your friends and share you favorites with others(word of mouth marketing). try that now and they trow you in jail. Hard to buy music when you're in jail. Furthermore, if radio kills record sales, then why are the labels PAYING radio for airplay? These folks must have rode the shortbus. How does one hear the new Fergie music if it isn't on the radio? Maybe the Business major frat boys should have studied instead of taking the test out the the filing cabinet at the frat house and cheating their way through college.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2639893053950014759.post-38691005031367621772007-08-16T08:47:00.000-04:002007-08-16T08:47:00.000-04:00I really don't see an end to payloa in some form o...I really don't see an end to payloa in some form or another...ever. The only thing that will make it less effective is the empowerment of the people through the internet. The more sources one can be exposed to music the better. <BR/>Sure, gatekeepers will come along and will be bribed, but I believe the net savvy youth of today are too smart to fall for it. Maybe that's naive of me but I'll stand by it.Radio Hannibalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16088092237770878576noreply@blogger.com