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Guest Commentary: Can this radio be saved?

Tara Dublin
Tara Dublin

Some months ago, I wrote a little rant about the sad state of radio. It caused a little bit of a stir, mainly because I called the people in charge “Clueless White Guys”. But the essence of what I said then still remains true today:

The wrong people are in charge of radio.

See, when money people are the ones making the big decisions regarding any art form, that art will suffer. Witness the decline in the quality of filmmaking for example; back in the heyday of the 1970s, would anyone have dared release a movie entitled “Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel”? I doubt it. There was an expectation of higher quality back then, when pushing the boundaries of the medium and exploring new and exciting stories was welcomed. And not just by the audience, by the people behind the scenes as well.

But as our society continued to descend into a failure spiral of instant gratification and dumbed-down entertainment, we became a country that began to settle for less. Why fight it, people would say with a shrug. If the majority of the country wants to watch a show meant for IQ levels under 100, the rest of us are shit out of luck. When crap is popular, more crap comes out to compete with it. And in the end, the consumers, the listening and viewing audience, are the ones who lose out.

I say that the best way to compete with something is not by making your own version and trying to sell it; that weakens the product and divides the audience. Instead, you compete by offering something different than anything else that’s out there. People seeking a change from the mediocre will find out, and spread the word. This can happen in any business, whether it’s a bookstore, a restaurant, or, yes, a radio station.

Look around. What’s lacking? What is the consumer not getting? What are we, in Portland, missing out on? Let’s take a look at the current radio dial here in town. With the recent firings of the entire on-air staff of KUFO and the shell game still continuing over at Entercom, there are plenty of out-of-work DJs and on-air personalities.

[And let’s pause there for a second. I don’t know whether people make this distinction, but yes, there’s a difference between the two. I am a DJ: I played music, talked about music, and hosted a music-intensive show; Rick Emerson is a personality. Rick should not have to frontsell shitty nu-metal bands, killing the momentum of his gloriously offbeat material. ]

Now: let’s talk about this whole music thing. Here’s a news flash for all those behind the scenes who are still under the delusion that radio stations need to compete with other resources for music. Guess what, Radio Guys? You can’t compete with them. Everyone has the internet, an iPod or an iPhone, or a CD player in their car. If someone wants music, they can get music nearly anywhere, basically for free, and there is nothing the radio as an entity can do to change this.

(I made that part all big and bold on purpose, in case my point wasn’t coming across. Ahem.)

So. If people don’t need the radio for music, what do they need it for? Technically, they don’t need it, thanks to all the neato technologies we have. They can get everything that they used to get solely from the radio via so many places. In fact, many wouldn’t even be aware the radio existed anymore, if it wasn’t already free in their car and bedside clock.

Wait a second—did I say free? Why, yes, I did! Radio is the last free medium we still have. But because it’s free doesn’t mean it has to be lame. Yes, you can make money from radio, but you have to create radio that people WILL ACTUALLY LISTEN TO.

So what makes people turn on their radios, when they technically don’t need them? Or, asked in another way: how do you make radio the destination medium it once was? I can answer that with another question: What else is missing from Portland radio besides more Portland personalities? Oh, I don’t know…how about LOCAL MUSIC? Portland is held in the highest esteem nationwide, with our music scene being at the forefront of why we’re the cool city we are. Yet, if you turn on any radio station here at any given time, what are the chances you’ll hear a local (read: Pacific NW) band that isn’t Nirvana, Pearl Jam, or Soundgarden? Answer: pretty much nil. Yes, you may catch Modest Mouse, The Shins, Spoon, or The Decemberists on the airwaves, but it’ll be their bigger hits that everyone is already sick of and not the lesser played (and often more beguiling) album tracks. When was the last time you turned on an FM station here and caught The Gossip, The Helio Sequence, The Dimes, Derby, The Thermals, or something off of The Dandy Warhols’ first album? Wouldn’t it be sweet to tune into a station that supports this great community 24/7, and not just when it makes the station look good?

The most successful stations will combine smart, talented DJs who know their stuff with a well-rounded playlist. In Portland, we do not want a bunch of punks on the air yelling at us about winning Puscifer tickets or getting women to describe their undergarments. Maybe 12 year old boys want to hear that, but those 12 year old boys don’t buy Corona or shop at Fantasy for Adults Only. Keep throwing those advertising dollars away!

We also don’t want to hear all that music you’re playing. Know why? IT’S BORING, holy cow. Before I sat down to write this, I went down all the presets on my car radio: KNRK, KGON, Charlie, KINK, The Buzz, and KUFO (no, I haven’t changed my presets since I got fired. What’s the point? What would I change them to, anyway?). I heard the Red Hot Chili Peppers on THREE of those stations. Three. At the same time! See where you’re going wrong here, PDs? One station, KINK, was playing something I actually hadn’t heard before, which is always nice. And I heard STAIND on the last station. Staind, really? Is this 1998?

In a way, yes, it is. The same old philosophies and the same old music from ten years ago are still being put into practice. And you folks wonder why people aren’t tuning in. We’ve evolved; why hasn’t radio? And by evolve, I don’t mean making the audience follow the DJs on Twitter (yes, social media is essential to stay in touch with your audience, but it should be secondary to the live—not voicetracked—shows on the air). What I mean is that radio needs to be the calm in the storm, the escape from the insanity of all the uber-technology we’re confronted with at all times. How comforting it would be to turn on a radio, hear a voice you’ve known and loved for years, playing a great old song from your days in high school, something you haven’t heard in maybe five years.

Heed my words: You compete with your competition by being nothing like your competition. When I hear that Larry Wilson at Alpha is considering buying another station in town, I wince; but I also hope that maybe he’ll actually create the local station he’s been promising us for months. Please, I beg of Mr. Wilson and all his contemporaries: before you go barreling off and creating another jukebox on the FM dial, why not bring some of us in to talk to you? Cort Webber, Fatboy Roberts, Rick Emerson, Sarah Dylan, Jolynn Winter, Brian Blair, and I are just some of the unemployed voice talents in town, and if you add up all the years and all the experience we have, you get a ton of potential for a truly great radio station in Portland. We know this city and its people; we know what our audience does and does not want. And most importantly, we know a whole lot of business owners with advertising dollars to spend. Locally.

So let’s recap: Smart, friendly DJ’s who know this town, playing great music. Why is this so hard to grasp?

I have the highest hopes for the future of local radio, mainly because of the efforts being put into KZME. Without corporate greed behind it, we know it can succeed. Because it’s being run by the right people for a change: those of us who have Portland’s best interest, and not the interest of shareholders and CEO’s, in mind.

Tara Dublin is the music director for KZME a contributor to Oregon Music News, and, until earlier this year, the midday host on KNRK. Follow her on Twitter: @taradublinrocks.

Comments

The original rant

is here.

Also, Tara will be at the Media Circus! on Saturday. Will you?

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Good radio in Portland

no, I haven’t changed my presets since I got fired. What’s the point? What would I change them to, anyway?

KMHD and KBOO.

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Mayble KOPB too.

Mayble KOPB too.

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Wow, last time I listened to

Wow, last time I listened to KBOO, it was a mix of crappy "urban rap" and hour after hour of what sounded like industrial grade air conditioning units turning on and off while giant sledge hammers pounded chunks of metal.

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Tara has it right!

Live and local is essential for radio. Live personalities, local bands, local news and information 24/7. One station in Seattle during the heydays of radio had dynamic personalities all day long because the PD said that the audience did not decide not to be entertained between 10AM and 2PM. Be funny and engaging! Also, that same station had one of the best reputations for news coverage even though they didn't have a news car and took almost everything over the phone with only TWO news people from 6AM to midnight. The station, for those who care, was KJR.

Radio is show business and the goal of show business is to engage an audience - preferably the largest audience possible. And this is done by investing in the LOCAL community. This will save radio, if, indeed it deserves to be saved.

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(view hidden comment) ART??? You really think that by OH PLEEEZ SHUT UP (not verified)

QUIT YELLING!! Music is art.

QUIT YELLING!!

Music is art. When corporations are in charge of art, instead of artists, the art suffers, plain and simple.

I am not an artist and I never claimed to be. I am a music fan who loves sharing music with others. And I've been here nearly a decade, which makes me a lot more local than others in town enjoying new employment.

All I'm talking about here is getting Portland the great radio station it deserves. Either get behind that or don't.

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Great music is art. Radio is

Great music is art. Radio is business. The business of selling commercials. The overwhelming majority of music played on radio is about as much art as the caricature guys at Saturday market. You want to share new music with others like you.... get a blog. If you ever find a PD dumb enuf to hire you after your rants, try to remember that you're job is to provide filler in between commercials. Forget sharing the music. Shut up and hit the post.

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Where is KZME on the dial?

I looked at the website but I couldn't find the frequency.

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It's not terrestrial yet, but

It's not terrestrial yet, but hopes to be by the spring. Keep checking the website.

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You still remain out of touch

Tara

So what are you trying to reinvent yourself as some sort of social savior about what is wrong with radio? Ever consider that you yourself were part of the problem when you was on the air?

I want to listen to the music not listen to your life stories, I want to listen to what I liked in music not have you try to force feed me what you thought I should like.

See you always blame others for what is wrong with radio whether it is Portland or anywhere else but you never take a step back and think maybe I too am part of the problem.

Even worse is your writing is such a turn off because instead of trying to foster a discussion you come across as if you are talking down to us. Sorry but I know what is wrong with radio and it starts with more than clueless guys in suits.

It includes DJs who think they are bigger than their audience, who have forgotten that their job is to be entertaining and enjoyable to listen to. No today's DJ has to try to out stupid the next guy with insulting and demeaning acts meant to "shock" us.

All it does is get me to reach for a CD and tune radio out for good

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I don't think you and Tara disagree

I don't think you and Tara disagree as much as you think you do. If you don't want to be force-fed music others think you should like, then don't turn on the radio for music. Use an iPod for music if you just want the songs you already know and love. And it's not like Tara was in favor of the new lineup on KUFO or something (referring to your next-to-last paragraph).

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"I want to listen to the

"I want to listen to the music not listen to your life stories, I want to listen to what I liked in music not have you try to force feed me what you thought I should like."

There is so much wrong with this statement. First of all, why are you wasting your time listening to the radio for your music consumption? Second of all, do you somehow thing that all music on the radio is not being force fed to you and you're not being told what you should like? Why do you think stations are filled with such a lack of variety and all of it crap at that? It has nothing to do with Tara or any other DJ. If you care so much about listening to good music, turn on your ipod.

Listening to radio for music in 2009 is like still using an ice-box to keep your goods cold, instead of a refrigerator.

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Tara - ignore the haters

I know you are passionate about radio and are trying to keep the discussion open. There's a conversation to be had in here somewhere but I doubt this is the right forum for it. The anonymous posters will always sully the conversation.

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2010

OMG--- the creative types left radio years ago and the bean counters have control. You think they're gonna pay salaries and benefits to DJs? Thinking of doing voicework? I'll bet 20% of the voices do 80% of the work, the way you can e-mail copy and get wavefiles and MP3s back from NATIONAL TALENT overnight.

I know some people long for the days when MTV actually played videos too, but we're not goin there!

The fact is, I've been fired a couple of times and it hurts to see groups of announcers get leveled, but listeners forget and change their routines after a couple of WEEKS. Better have another skill unless you're TOTALLY versatile or you'll have to get the U-Haul ready. Think is competitive now? (podcasting and internet radio is building where every wannabe can do a "show")

Sad part, my 19 year old and his buddies wouldn't DREAM of turning the radio on for a national disaster much less music... They'd go to their hand helds, internet or as a LAST resort, TV. Take a look at the newspaper & print biz...Broadcast towers are going to be dinosaurs.

Be smart and become a travel agent.......whoops!

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This is America and as our

This is America and as our politicians and president and everyone else has already made PERFECTLY CLEAR, the only jobs they care about protecting are service jobs. You should serve whoppers, fold pants at the gap, and change people's oil. America is no longer the place for dreamers or thinkers or knowledge workers or anyone else with any ambition beyond being someone else's helper monkey. All of that work can be farmed out somewhere much cheaper than you could ever dream of living on here.

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Art vs. Business

I don't know if it's fair to paint media of the past as being all about art. I think we can believe that idea because our memories of media from childhood are biased--childhood is a pretty carefree time, and we were experiencing everything for the first time. When we look at media from before our time, it's usually the stuff that is worth preserving, and therefore artistically superior to whatever cheap commercial drivel was being created at the time. H.L. Mencken said, years before any of us were born, that "nobody ever went broke underestimating the taste of the American public."

However, I do agree with Tara that more corners are being cut than ever, and that because of it, radio is less fun to listen to than ever (and also probably less fun to work in, if you can even find a job there anymore). Congress did a great disservice to the American public in 1996 by passing the Telecommunications Act, and allowing large corporations to buy up multiple radio stations. By bringing radio into a corporate business model, it forced the industry to chase after unrealistic profit expectations, and to make bad programming and staffing decisions in order to try and achieve those profits on a quarter-by-quarter basis (rather than long-term success).

I would love to see more radio execs come into the field with a sense of calling. People who would facilitate DJs curating radio, like a gallery owner curates an art gallery. Until that happens, I guess we'll all be listening to our iPods and NPR.

*Oh, and "PLEEEZ," I think your comments tell more far more about your own emotional state than Tara's. Being a jerk is also bad for business.

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Dave, you really get it.

Dave, you really get it. Thank you!

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Art and Business are not incompatible

The people running the radio -- and music -- industry into the ground are not doing it because they value money over art, they are doing it because they have an expensive hobby and the delusion that they are making "good business decisions" regardless of evidence to the contrary.
In other words, we give them too much credit saying they value money over art. They actually don't even value money, or they would be better at business than they are. They are simply very bad at business. It's that simple.

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Well......

This site has now just lost all of its credibility....... Sad, sad, sad......

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Oy vey...

Not all its cred, but quite a chunk. OMC, why not just mention this and link to it (somewhere else) instead of subjecting us to it on your home page? The longest, most tedious "Position Wanted" ad ever, from the self-anointed savior of Portland radio.

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It's a guest commentary

If you want to write your own, better ideas for improving radio, pitch me. And if you don't want to read this one, scroll. This isn't some sort of endorsement. It's a conversation-starter.

And criticizing the writer or the site that let her talk isn't much of a contribution to that conversation. Consider debating the argument, rather than insulting the arguer.

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I just read over my piece,

I just read over my piece, and at no point do I ask for a job. I've been told by many people that radio is dead and that I should give up on it, but fortunately more people tell me they join me in my passion to build a great local radio station here.

Someone has to save radio here. Apathy is contagious. BossJock and the others who are more interested in personal attacks on me are diluting the point, which is that this city deserves an excellent, localized radio station. Whether I'm on it or not is secondary to the issue.

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Zzzzzzzzz.......

Your pandering is entertaining Tara...... But who annoited you the savior of radio....... Subway is always hiring.

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First: I signed my post,

First: I signed my post, rather being one of the anonymous so-called "haters". And I'm not a hater per se - I've just run out of patience with your self-indulgent bleating. If that puts me on your Bad List, so be it.

Second: I've been in and around radio about as long as you've been on this planet. There's NOTHING about the changes in the business on which you can school me, and I stopped being in denial about ten years ago.

Thanks for listening. I shall now return to my burrow until your next manifesto.

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Tara Dublin has lost it. She

Tara Dublin has lost it. She has lost touch with reality. Just look at how much time she spends on twitter. It is insane!

Your rating: None Average: 1 (1 vote)

Cute, but clueless

The thing that Tara continues to ignore is how radio makes money. You can't blame the programmers who know how best to maximize the way ratings are achieved for doing what works, and it's the same thing that works with TV, food, politics and just about any other product you can name. It's about being consistent and average. If you're too edgy or too new you lose your moderate consumers/voters. If you want to blame someone, blame Arbitron. I'll agree that it doesn't help that radio is cutting corners and paying less, but that has more to do with other factors. Consider a bad economy, poor evaluations about projected cash flow going into station purchases and the fact that there are so many other places to get music. It's business, pure and simple. Our dear author's passion is admirable, but it comes at the expense of her objectivity. Plenty of people think they can do a better job of programming radio for any number of reasons (that usually have something to do with their favorite band or song not getting airplay), but those reasons have little to do with real programming.

Tara, you don't deserve to make a living at radio if you're unwilling to accept some of the hard realities about how the business works. If it's not about the money and radio truly is your passion, then you should do it like 99% of the artists in any medium and suffer and starve for your art. Your whining is getting tiresome.

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We both agree that Tara is

We both agree that Tara is completely cute, but we fail to meet minds beyond that. You can't simply respond to everything in the world with "it's a business, their job is to make more money even if it means reducing everything to crap!". Yes, in a certain part of reality that is exactly how it is and that is their motivation. And yet, we don't simply accept that in all the other facets of life and business, do we?

Well, gosh, all they have on television is a bunch of pandering blabbering bull****, but that's what they have decided to do to maximize revenue margins, so I guess I'll just sit here and continue to mindlessly consume it!

Or gosh, I sure would like some food that didn't come with a whimsical name, fried in batter, and packed in a happy meal box, but . . . gosh, any more variety or quality would cost money and who am I to demand such things from a company?

Using that argument, as accurate as it certainly is to a degree, is essentially just throwing your hands up in the air and saying "the average person is a f****** fungus and since there's more of them than there are of us, we'll just have to give up and accept mediocrity and crap because that's what the rest of them want".

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You don't have to consume any

You don't have to consume any of it. Seriously. Turn it off. Encourage others to turn it off. If the masses continue to like it, and it continues to make a profit, you're going to have to settle for being smarter than everyone else.

In short, you'll have to settle for being a minority.

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Most radio companies are in

Most radio companies are in debt. They don't exactly have a formula for making a lot of money in radio. I wouldn't be quick to write off other ideas.

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Most people love those

Most people love those garbage happy meals. Good for you if you don't, but don't think for a moment that your tastes represent the great majority of casual dinerss.

Most people love Tv's pandering, blathering bull, AKA reality TV shows like Big Brother and American Idol. Good for you if you don't, but don't think for a moment that your tastes reprement the great majority of TV viewers.

Most people don't have much interest in live, local engaged and engaging radio. They want to know if schools are closed, what the weather will be tomorrow, and if there's a backup in the Terwilliger curves. They love "In the Air Tonight" and "Dancing Queen" and Taylor Swift.

Broadcasting will do anything it can to generate an attractive audience at a reasonable price.

Reality check on aisle 5.

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Last Anonymous poster...

You hit the nail on the head. Radio is a BUSINESS. TV is a BUSINESS. Bookstores are a BUSINESS. Restaurants are a BUSINESS. Movies are a BUSINESS. Which is why you have endless mind-numbing reality shows, a plethora of McDonald's, Transformers 2 and Barnes & Noble. Lots of people - the majority - LIKE them. You and your more educated, more discerning friends may not (neither do I) but in business it is almost always a numbers game, quantity over quality, commerical appeal versus artistic integrity. It has ALWAYS been thus. While I don't disagree with your passion for the industry you love (I share it), it is time to move on.

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As Tara had pointed out,

As Tara had pointed out, there's little benefit to throwing together a "me too" in the line-up when you can contribute something unique. I don't listen to the radio except for certain PEOPLE, because the MUSIC I can already get (and not that atrocious KUFO crap, either). Does Mad Men or Breaking Bad get the same size audience that Everybody Loves Raymond gets? I doubt it. Probably not even close. But they get a sizable dedicated audience, because they offer something you can't get anywhere else. Something that is unique and compelling.

Now, granted, one is essentially a pay-for-content service and the other is a "puke out of our corporate mouth and give it away so we can grab the greatest numbers of ears and sell them to advertisers, because we're in the ear-selling business and not the entertainment business", but some of the best advertising money spent right now is targeted advertising.

Radio constrains itself by being geographically tethered in a global world. If Mad Men or Breaking Bad or similar hows had to rely on finding enough viewers who "get it" and enjoy the content in a single city, they'd never make it beyond the pilot episode. But they don't have to try and sway as many of the people who live in Portland as possible. They don't have to dumb it down so that every drop-out mouth-breather that speaks in mostly grunts can have the content fed to them like a baby bird. They can combine the handful of people in PDX that are into it with the handful from every other city that is into it.

Radio, being geographically bound, is forced to (at least they perceive themselves this way) be "stupid". This is why podcasts are working so well and circumventing radio entirely. They don't have to satisfy 50% of the population in Portland. They can satisfy 0.01% of the population in Portland... and every other location on the planet. Combined, that makes for an enormous (and often dedicated and targeted) audience.

So what is radio's role? I don't know anyone who listens to the radio for music and without good talent on the air that you want to listen to (either as DJs or talk show hosts), the only other reason to listen is gone. When is all the talent going to move to podcasting and the owners of these stations forced to sell the licenses back to the government so they can reallocate those airwaves to something that can actually make a buck?

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"If someone wants music, they

"If someone wants music, they can get music nearly anywhere, basically for free, and there is nothing the radio as an entity can do to change this...So what makes people turn on their radios, when they technically don’t need them? Or, asked in another way: how do you make radio the destination medium it once was? I can answer that with another question: What else is missing from Portland radio besides more Portland personalities? Oh, I don’t know…how about LOCAL MUSIC?" Wait I thought with all those neato new gadgets I no longer listen to radio for music, even local music?

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Tara Dublin : Portland ::

Tara Dublin : Portland :: Lisa Wood : Seattle (when Lisa was relegated to "traffic girl")

You two are insufferable. Radio isn't about you. Don't you get it? It's about the cume. If the cume likes Stains and RHCP, they get Staind and RCHP. So what if you don't think it's "good" music. The radio station isn't your personal, ideal jukebox, you attention-starved zilch.

I truly hope you can be insufferable together somewhere I can avoid. Ugh.

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Wow, another lesson in

Wow, another lesson in totally missing the point.

This was not about ME, this was about PORTLAND needing a great LOCALIZED radio station. We don't have one and we need one.

Debate that. Without getting personal. Can anyone do that?

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Tara... you are the one who

Tara... you are the one who is missing the point.....

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Fine, why when you say that

Fine, why when you say that

"[n]ow: let’s talk about this whole music thing. Here’s a news flash for all those behind the scenes who are still under the delusion that radio stations need to compete with other resources for music. Guess what, Radio Guys? You can’t compete with them. Everyone has the internet, an iPod or an iPhone, or a CD player in their car. If someone wants music, they can get music nearly anywhere, basically for free, and there is nothing the radio as an entity can do to change this."

that people will tune into your notion of a radio station for music?

Additionally, your writing does come off as personalized, and I cannot untangle your "points" from your persona when reading your essays. For OMC, the rating function is not working for me since none of my votes are captured.

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It's an op-ed piece bordering

It's an op-ed piece bordering on 'gonzo'; of course there's some personalization there. Big deal.

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The personalization comment

The personalization comment was referencing Tara's "[t]his was not about ME" line and does not represent a "Big deal".

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Can we call a spade a spade

Can we call a spade a spade here for one second?

Local music? Like, unsigned bands-style local music?

You want to know why local bands don't get much airplay except for the popular ones? Because most of them SUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK and no one wants to hear them.

Just because it's local doesn't mean it needs to be heard. Be good enough to earn a big company a lot of money, and then get played. Otherwise, who gives a sweet christ?

That's what non-comm radio is for: a chance to play crappy local bands for an audience of devout music snobs and hipsters without feeling bad about a 0.2 share because you don't have to sell ads.

This is how it is. Sorry to burst any bubbles.

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So instead of great local

So instead of great local bands, you want to hear more Kings of Leon, Linkin Park, and Three Days Grace? Sad.

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"So instead of great local

"So instead of great local bands, you want to hear more Kings of Leon, Linkin Park, and Three Days Grace? Sad."

You mean, bands that sell out major venues and sell millions of records? Yeah, I'm pretty sure people want to hear them, and not some no-name band that can't fill 1/2 of the Crystal Ballroom.

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You are an idiot and don't

You are an idiot and don't have a clue what you're talking about. The recent mass layoffs on Portland Airwaves had nothing to do with the quality or audience of those laid off. They were axed because of massive sweeping changes to adhere to a more stereotypical cookie-cutter format that the new ownership wanted.

Second, if you don't want to hear DJs or talk show hosts, why are you listening to the radio? I listen to radio because it's the only place I can hear a Rick Emerson or a Cort and Fatboy. Why in the hell would I turn on the radio to listen to music when I have iTunes with 240gb (that's about 58,000 songs) of music that I can play in any order at any time I like rather than chosen by someone else and interrupted with commercials?

The on-air talent is the only reason to bother tuning in and if your bag of cakes is listening to middle aged men pretending they're frat boys and talking about banging prostitutes and calling each other "bro-ski" every twelve seconds, then you're part of the destructive problem that is reducing all forms of... *everything* in this world to a soft bland paste.

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Tara..LOL

Tara .. your opinion means nothing.. you are a female ... shut up... You are a nobody in radio.. well used to be in radio.. Try getting a C.B. radio...

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You sound like the morning or

You sound like the morning or afternoon guy on KUFO. Spending some time at OMC, huh?

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It's too bad that OMC is

It's too bad that OMC is pandering to Tara and giving her a platform to beg for a job.....

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Actually, what I'm doing is

Actually, what I'm doing is accepting guest commentaries and watching the ballooning comment count. If anyone else thinks they have their own guest commentary in them, pitch me.

And, while there's no request for a job here, I don't see the bad aspect of giving unemployed local people some attention on OMC, just as I did with people fired from KUFO.

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making it different.. REALLY

My push has been through personalization in an on-demand format, with open interactivity via audio.

Anyone want to help me make local radio REALLY different and push it out over mobile phones?

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Talk about missing the point

As an objective observer and a former radio person I am amazed at how few of the responders got the point of Tara's post. I was in radio before I retired at a time when management invested in the local community - and had to in order to keep their licenses. I agree with Tara that things have changed in the broadcasting BUSINESS and not for the better.

Corporate investment in radio is about automating stations and going to the bottom line and not investing in the local community with content that is hard or difficult to find anyplace else like: strong, involved personalities that related to the local market and programming that meets the needs of the local community.

While its possible to get music nearly anywhere, there are still things that local radio can provide that can't be found anyplace else (news, information, and community involvement in the music and local culture. ). The perception that the radio station is part of the local community builds an audience and ratings.

It has always been a very simple formula for success, which I've seen used in Seattle, Los Angeles and San Francisco time and time again: Relate to the people who buy your product!

Before corporations got involved broadcasters had to prove that they were serving the needs of the local community before their licenses were renewed. Now its just a cookie cutter arrangement with no real push to make management responsible for their choices. That may change if the FCC decides to tighten up on their renewal requirements - and I honestly hope they do.

Radio has always been a business, but its show business with the goal of building an audience. I don't think Tara is looking for a job, just a way to get management to be more responsible and responsive to the community they serve.

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I wish people would stop the

I wish people would stop the personal attacks and just discuss the issues here.
It's SO easy to be an a**h*** when you're anonymous. Stop it! Grow up!
These are issues that we feel passionate about, so let's discuss this like adults.
That said, I would have appreciated Tara's comments more if she had started the discussion by making it clear that she's involved with KZME. Maybe a bit of a conflict of interest here....?

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Bio line

Actually, I should have just added a bio line, which I've done now.

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I understand her.

As a regular listener and lover of music I fully agree with Tara. And no, local music does not mean crappy unsigned bands. Menomena was nominated for a Grammy for Pete's sake and get no airplay. Helio Sequence spent last year touring with Keane and in the last year had their sonds on United States of Tara, The Hills and the last Zac Effron movie. StarF***er currently has a song on a Target commercial and was in the finale of Weeds. All these Portland bands are on reputable record labels, make great music and yet you're still hearing the Chili Peppers 18 times a day. I may not be on the inner circle of radio but I miss the days of hearing new interesting things in my car instead of hunting on the internet...

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reality

All for passion about local content, but blaming corporate radio is a bit out of line. Please give an example of a station that Tara is describing and let us know how they are financially successful.

None come to mind, but I would like to hear about such stations. If you are passionate, do a podcast and spread your talent and taste. It could be great.

If you would like to face reality, put all your ideas together, write a business plan and visit a banker or investor. Tell them you can make them money in radio...bring plenty of Kleenex.

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Show me the $$

I agree, the song rotations have gotten ridiculously repetitive on all the rock stations.

However, the art is in the music, not the jock. The job of the jock, PD, and most everyone else involved is to keep listeners tuned in to drive ratings and increase ad sales.

Let's face it, people may say they love local and variety, but their listening habits(ratings) don't show it. That may change with the PPM and if it does we'll know, but I wouldn't bet on it.

In the words of Don Draper, 'You are not an artist, you are a problem solver'.

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The whole point of writing

The whole point of writing this was to air a plea for a localized radio station, on a frequency that will reach as many people in the Portland metro area as possible. I can't even get KBOO where I live. Anyone with the right equipment can make a podcast. I'm still an advocate for terrestrial radio and how vital it is at the local level and I always will be.

Allow me to clarify the local music thing. I'm not talking about playing your brother's band because he's a friend of the DJ's. I'm talking about great local bands who aren't represented on the local airwaves. Here's a few that don't "SUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK": The Dimes, Derby, Stars of Track & Field, The Thermals, Blue Giant/Viva Voce, Blind Pilot, The Lonely Forest, Blitzen Trapper, Menomena....and that's just scraping the surface of the talent pool we have here.

I spent an entire day out and about in town today, and every person I talked with agreed that they would love a station that played Pacific NW bands on a regular basis.

Thanks to all the people who posted who actually got the point. Frankly, I don't care if people don't like me or didn't like my radio show. What I don't get is how people can be so apathetic and lazy and would just rather accept mediocrity than try to do something about it.

Well, instead of wasting time flaming strangers and complaining, I'm trying to do something about it. I don't want the medium to die out, and I want it to be the best it possibly can. I'm volunteering (read: not being paid) for KZME because I believe in what they're doing. Their signal may not reach as far as any of the stations Alpha owns, but no corporate spreadsheet is going to dictate how they run their (100% REAL live and local) radio.

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Wow...

Wow Tara, color me completely offended.

The quote "Anyone with the right equipment can make a podcast."? Seriously? That's like saying anyone with a word processor should write for a newspaper or anyone with a microphone and completely self-rightous taste in music should be a DJ. So being a podcaster just comes down to having the right gear then huh? Cool. I'll keep that in mind. While I've been quite an advocate of yours to this point I now see that what I've chosen to do for a living has, in your mind, been demeaned to the lowest possible low.

Thanks. I'll keep that in mind.

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Robert, check your email

Robert, check your email soon. I'm not doing something this personal in a public forum.

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Received.

I just DM'd you a reply to this but because we live where we live and this pond we work in continues to be so small at times I thought it best to say at least this publicly:

We're all good Tara.

There, no gossip or drama for anyone - not today anyway ;)

Now go forth dear people and enjoy the Media Circus. (which sounds kind of weird in a sentence, perhaps that was by design)

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No Hiding it Now!

There truly is no hiding it now; radio is in absolute decline as a popular medium. Right along side the antiquated Newspapers, radio suffers from a glaring problem, something that I have never heard addressed - User Interface and Expectations! Before I start that thought I would like to say that I am a DJ at KPSU, I have worked at KBOO, I am involved with several radio stations here in Portland and I have good friends in this traditional format. That said, there is something almost nostalgic about radio for me, something that beckons me to a simpler, less interactive time in the world of information.

This brings me to my main point, radio is an analog broadcasting tool which, due to the innovations of customization, will ultimately be laid at the feet of amateur broadcasters and government run emergency signals. I say this for reasons that I assume are obvious to everyone, you simply cannot achieve the same level of interface with your radio as you can with newer formats, the Internet and MP3 Players being examples. As the audience or consumers began to migrate more and more into the world of digital customization, radio began and ever-increasingly serves as a source for traditional viewing and a sense of nostalgia.

One of the reasons, Tara, why music dating back to the 1990's is still played on the radio is simply becuase of the acute association people have with the radio, its heyday or it's last hurrah, was during this time period. I again come back to expectations, a sense of nostalgia and tradition. People who listen to the radio, an ever decreasing number, want to hear the same Garbage and the same No Doubt that they were listenign to 15 years ago. There truly is nothing you can do to change this. New music and engaging talk is now accessible 24/7 on iTunes or through websites such as www.pdx.fm.

It is a shame to see people trying to hold onto this outmoded medium, it really is. Is there a deeply rooted collective need to be talked at instead of engaging your content in a way that allows you to address your needs? Also, new music and life stories should be part of the radio, but they should, for the issue of profit, be reruns of the Morning Zoo and Howard Stern. And yes, Nelson's career went downhill after he left that program, poor Nelson.

So if I say one thing I will say it like this, "Radio is doomed to become the bedfellow of aging tycoons, amateur broadcasters and the government's emergency response system." The airwaves will become silent except to the few who sit in their 2nd story adult son's room, who has left the nest, as they nurse a glass of Scotch and think to themselves, "Where has all laughter gone?"

I would love to see some discussion around this comment as I feel this is the glaring truth of a medium that only recently was accepted as being deathly ill.

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5%

Is there anything in radio similar to cable television's http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1984_Cable_Franchise_Policy_and_Communications_Act that sets aside profits/bandwidth for communities? Pardon my ignorance, I'm not in the industry, but I am curious. Thanks.

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Your name:?

Don't ya just love how people hide behind "anonymous"? Come on people! Grow some and stop hiding.

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Local bands:

"The Dimes, Derby, Stars of Track & Field, The Thermals, Blue Giant/Viva Voce, Blind Pilot, The Lonely Forest, Blitzen Trapper, Menomena"

...Who?

And of course you can ask people if they would like a station that played local bands 24/7. Of course they'll say yes. "No, we don't want variety or locality!" No one is going to say that.

Also, when push comes to shove, no one is going to listen either.

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Our local music is much better than mainstream alt

I could not disagree more.
The Dimes, Derby, Stars of Track & Field, The Thermals, Blue Giant/Viva Voce, Blind Pilot, The Lonely Forest, Blitzen Trapper, and Menomena are far better musicians and entertainers than most of the acts that get played on mainstream pop or even alternative radio stations.
I cannot wait for KZME to get up and running! In the meantime, I tune in to opbmusic.org in my office. I can't be the only one.

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I am surprised that no

I am surprised that no mention has been made about the Portland Radio Authority which as been a great promoter for local artists. Have you checked them out?

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I've heard of and listened to

I've heard of and listened to every single one of those bands listed. Just because some people don't doesn't mean they're not well known, because most of them are. (Thermals, Blitzen Trapper and Menomena especially...Derby and The Dimes, not so much, though they are great bands.)

Some of us actually have good taste and seek out good music. Not our fault that so many of you are lemmings.

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This mass apathy towards our

This mass apathy towards our local radio is astonishing to me. Someday, you'll turn on the radio and find dead air, because not enough people cared to try to save it. And to the poster who replied "WHO?" to the list of great local bands I named: I suggest you get out a little more. Those bands are putting out new and exciting music that deserves to be heard.

I'd also like to publicly apologize to Robert and anyone else who does a podcast. I meant no disrespect when I say "anyone can do a podcast". No, not just anyone can. Everyone on Error.fm and PDX.fm are great talents in their own right, and I should have their backs the way they've always had mine.

It's just frustrating to me when I say this city deserves great localized radio and everyone comes back with "do a podcast". That's not the solution I'm aiming for.

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"Some of us actually have

"Some of us actually have good taste and seek out good music. Not our fault that so many of you are lemmings."

LOL ELITISM

Elitism isn't going to win the radio war. I like Red Hot Chili Peppers, I like Shinedown, I like Metallica. Does that make me a less-important media consumer? Doesn't my opinion about radio and music count, too?

No one who matters gives a crap about local bands, because the cream always rises to the top, and most will wait for that. I have no need to gloat about liking Band X before Band X was cool.

Seriously, Tara, do a podcast, or put your all into KZME, or something. Portland radio is just fine without you and your self-righteous stance on obscure music.

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Lately it's the crap rising

Lately it's the crap rising to the top because it's palatable, uninteresting, and mind-numbingly marketable.

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"I like Red Hot Chili

"I like Red Hot Chili Peppers, I like Shinedown, I like Metallica. Does that make me a less-important media consumer?"

Not really. Just means you have really, really horrible taste in music.

"Doesn't my opinion about radio and music count, too?"

Given what you've revealed above? No.

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It's only obscure to those

It's only obscure to those who admit they listen to SHINEDOWN. Admitting that basically removes all validity to your argument.

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That, and saying you're a Foo

That, and saying you're a Foo Fighter's fan.

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Also bad with punctuation.

Also bad with punctuation. Duly noted.

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From a business standpoint...

From a business standpoint, the first principle of almost all businesses, or in this case most radio stations, is to make money. With that, you have to program accordingly, whether I like what's being programmed or not. It's purely a business decision.

I personally love the idea of more local flavor. But I’m skeptical that a station could make any money using a programming model which emphasized music that skews to a very limited audience, regardless if the company that owns it is local or based outside the region.

Unless it were funded by contributions from the public or a wealthy benefactor with no interest in the costs or both, I don’t see how it could work.

Altruism is nice, but you can't always pay the bills with it.

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The talent level isn't there

The talent level isn't there anymore Tara and none is being developed. I enjoyed your show at KNRK but you have to come to terms that you were competent and likable but not compelling. Few are. What music radio has done over the years is at least develop decent personalities who associate with the format. The better ones could tell a good story or joke. Stations like KJR-AM in the 60's or WNEW-FM in the 70's offered compelling personalities, for the most part, 24/7/365. KGW-AM was pretty good at that in the 70's too. But take the mid day chick at KGON for example. She's likable and competent but how that voice got on the air for so long in this market is beyond me. You need that too, good pipes. Throw in a slightly bent, compelling personality and you get Allison "The Nightbird" Steele reading poetry on WNEW in New York.

The corporations and stockholders won't develop even competent talent anymore. Great radio is very rare and was largely consigned to the biggest markets even back in the day. Get a composite of WLS-AM in Chicago from anytime in the 70's and you'll realize what I mean.

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Are you serious, Tara?

Tara's never ever airchecked herself. It's obvious. Every break is exactly the same. Every day, every "show", every time she opens the mic...no variation, no creativity, no originality, no personality. Trust me, I know firsthand, because I've yelled at my radio countless times for Hamilton to pull his head out of his ass so he can help her pull hers out. Here's Tara's signature break...and it sing-songs to a crescendo with "I'm Tara" EVERY TIME:

"94/7 with (insert artist) and (insert song); (read liner card); I'm Tara, coming up next (insert artist/song)."

That's it. Without fail.

Sure, we can all agree that we need to bring back live local radio, it's what every town needs...but if that's the case, let's bring back all the TALENTED, engaging, and creative displaced jocks.

Getting a lucky break because you're cute and being on the airwaves for however long for God knows what reason does not amount to entitlement. It's fun to play radio and have all the boys think you're neat, but it doesn't mean you deserve a job. Especially in Market #23!! You're lucky if you should be cracking the Top 200. Case in point, when you're good you don't have to tell everyone...why must we know that "up until earlier this year" you were the midday host at NRK? Should we also draw a correlation that NRK's numbers have increased significantly in the past two books?

Squawking like an injured goose because you've suffered the same fate as some truly great broadcasters is like William Hung being angry because he doesn't have a recording contract. Be thankful for what you had, now go take some classes and get your degree from Apollo College so you can be a medical assistant like your talent level warrants.

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Point missed yet again. I

Point missed yet again.

I never boasted about my talents...clearly I had something to offer or else I wouldn't have been hired in the first place. Ever stop to think that maybe the creativity I wanted to express on the air was curtailed because we were told to keep our breaks to 30 - 45 seconds? You think I had any control over what music was played? Nope. I would have loved more input, more chances to 'be compelling'. How many creative ways can a person backsell Nirvana? A DJ/Personality can only do so much when the material isn't there. Example: Nelson & Terry are known for being funny and entertaining personalities, and now they're being reduced to glorified DJs. The funny bits that made people tune in are now being cut to almost nil so that yet another Black Eyed Peas song can be played. Why? Take a wild guess.

I'm not asking anyone to hire me. I'm asking someone to get behind the local music scene here and make it a priority to play local music on our city's airwaves. Either get behind that or don't.

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I vote don't. If it was any

I vote don't. If it was any good, it would be played already.

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I did college radio In New

I did college radio In New York back in the early 80's. I made a choice. It's 49% about the music and 51% about being a jock. When I made that choice I started getting hired and spent 20 years behind the mike.

I'd do exactly what you're doing with KZME. The next "compelling" talent will come off the net. Find your voice.

I'll continue to drive a truck. Good Luck.

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You cannot condemn the radio

You cannot condemn the radio business for the fact that you and local music are not getting the exposure you feel is deserved. The corporate radio model is far from perfect, but great talent and content are still heard every day. If you fault the current state of radio, beat them with a podcast or another distribution channel. If you are truly talented and can uncover great music, you will win. If have have niether, you will get buried and will, hopefully, face reality.

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Great radio died at the end

Great radio died at the end of the 70's. Everyone knows that!

Homer Simpson 1997. BTO rules.

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