It is interesting to note that the WPRO and WICE
battle took place in an environment where there were only a half dozen viable
signals in the market, long before FMs were generally accepted and listened to.
What did you have, 630, 790, 1290 and then little Pawtucket rimshot 550 and a bunch of
daytimers.
Today, the market has 36 stations, including 11 viable
FMs and the same number of viable AMs… five times the number of
competitive signals, dividing the same amount of indexed, inflation adjusted
dollars as there were in the early 60’s. No wonder there is less news
gathering!
I am curious how you ascertain “Listeners
increasing. Demographics changing from Gen-G.I. to our group.” You do not
cite the market or the station, so your claim is without substantiation.
Finally, as high a percentage of 12-24’s listen
to radio today as they did 20 or 30 years ago. Yes, they listen to less total
weekly hours than before, but that is a given with the vast array of
alternative entertainment media out there. The amusing thing is that, by age
25, radio has as good a total hour usage as it ever did.
I am detecting, from your references, that you once
were in radio. Could you describe for us why you hate it so much today?
David Gleason
From:
Milspec390@xxxxxxx [mailto:Milspec390@xxxxxxx]
Sent: Monday, September 19, 2005
7:31 AM
To: irca@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx; david@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [IRCA] IBOC DX'ing
Hi Mark -
Beautifully put, enjoy point re noise on personal gear. Recall well Providence radio Battle
of '60's. Friend Tom Black ran 'PRO news. Eight cars, ten correspondents,
two-way radios, flashing lights, vivid reports tabloid style glued young
audience during music breaks.
WBRU and WPRO FM changed all as you note.
'BRU didn't penetrate well but young audience flocked to it, put up with
weak sig, intermittent stereo, to hear what they wanted, not what others said
they must hear. Fidelity irrelevant, content grabbed their attention and
held it. IBOC promoters lack insight. Their 'IBOC or silence' diktat doesn't
play well with today's informed audience.
As you point out, younger audience has found non-radio means, leaving
IBOC back in irrelevant dungheap of the 90's.
Splattering spectrum with insolent noise seems a curious way to save
radio.
Interestingly, local AM independent spent well on vacuum-tube mic pre-amps, new
antler, ground, processors, etc. Audio excellent. Listeners increasing.
Demographics changing from Gen-G.I. to our group. Station targeting 35+,
emphasis on lower number, lowering still. Digital not in plans. Content.
Compelling programming. Hi-quality analog.
Well familiar with IBOC claims and counterclaims, they can only laugh.
=Z.=
PVZ
MNSVT KY, FL
BT