Re: [IRCA] A tirade about a harsh dead radio reality

[Patrick Martin <mwdxer@xxxxxxxxx>]

John,

I always enjoy your walks down memory lane in radio. I only go back to
1962 when I started listening, QSLing in 1965. But I do remember the
tail end of the radio programs. Back in the mid 60s, KIBH Seward AK, A
CBS station. They did run some old dramas at night and the Gary Moore
Show, Dear Abby, and Art Linkletter,midday. Then we got into the Top 40
Rock & C&W in the 60s & 70s.  and still live programming and fun to
listen too. But in the past couple of decades radio has really gone down
the tubes as far as programming. Too much satellite programming where
each little town runs the same stuff. Little live programming left on
radio. KVAS Astoria I wored for in the 70s is back to C&W, satellite,
but when I worked there we had tons of ads. Not so now. I hear few
commercials on the station. A change of the times?, or since there are
no local DJs, mostly non-stop back to back old C&W tunes, there is no
connection with the community like there once was. KVAS ran local rel.
programs on Sunday morning, The Scaninavian hour, live remotes, and even
local news on sports and city council meetings, back in the 70s when I
worked there.   Except for a few older people, I know of few that listen
to AM Radio. More on FM, but not nearly like there was even 20 years
ago. There are the rare "local" station. KBRV 800 Soda Springs ID seems
like one, per what I have heard with their promos and ads. But it is
getting harder and harder to find those.   At one time the FCC opened up
the band so there could be the "local" station in anytown USA that
served that communiity. I liked being on the air serving
Astoria/Warrenton, even if it was helping someone find that lost dog, or
announcing the bake sale. Hokey? Maybe. But still a service to the
community. Radio still has that edge that TV doesn't. Radio is there no
matter where a person is. Everyone does not have TV, but there is
generally radio almost in any town. But so much of it, is just run the
station as cheap and lean as possible. No matter what the outcome is. 

Patrick

Patrick Martin
Seaside OR
KGED QSL Manager


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