The Basics of Radio

NOTE:  The views and opinions contained herein are strictly that of the author.

In my line of work, the bare essence of it often invites criticism.
From the turkey at where I buy my coffee each morning telling me why he chooses to listen to Sirius XM instead of our one AM station to the person who can't fathom why we don't play country on our FM station notwithstanding an oversaturated country music market in Pittsburgh.
Time for Radio 101.
Commercial radio programming is, for the most part, not dictated by listener feedback, contrary to popular belief and what's been marketed to suggest otherwise.  It never has been and it never will be.
Ultimately, programming is decided by thorough research into the market that it serves.  Things like listener race, age, gender, occupation and even marital status are factored in when it comes to deciding what gets on the air and what doesn't.
Also considered is the economic base of said market.  Virtually all revenue generated on any broadcast entity is without exception, from the support of small retail business.  A very small percentage comes from national or regional advertising often placed through third-party advertising agencies.
To make your radio station palatable to those businesses that support your station, you program your station to satisfy answers to some very important questions those businesses may have.
Who listens to your station?  What do you have to offer that I can't get from another radio station?  What can your station do for me that direct mail, the internet, newspaper or TV station can't?  How do you support the local community?  How do I know your product will make me money?
Until the 1960s, there was a time when a radio station could be all things to all people.  Then one day, a group of renegade program directors branding themselves as 'consultants' decided "hey, let's try playing ONE kind of music form full-time!"
Thus the term "format" was born. 
You could have a Top 40 station, a country station, a rock and roll station, a black station, whatever.  Then years later, fragmentation was born as other music choices became available.  You could have an Adult Top 40 station, a mainstream Top 40 station, an urban Top 40 (called "churban") station, a hit country station, a classic country station, a classic rock station, etc.
Even so-called 'we play everything' stations don't truly live by this philosophy.  Though they're starting to say 'no polka' in their marketing, try calling the request line and ask if they'll play all 25 minutes of the "Alice's Restaurant" masacree by Arlo Guthrie.  It ain't gonna happen.  Unless they divide the song into five parts so they can play commercials.
But that's the essence of radio.  Stations that often change formats start with a broad playlist, just for the sake of inviting listeners to tune in.  Over time, the playlist begins to shrink as consultants continue to test audiences.  They learn which songs played in that auditorium are strong and which ones are weak.
That said, it's not unusual to start with a list of anywhere between 500 and 700 titles, and then after a year, trim that list down to 300.
If you're lucky.
And forget requests.
"Sure, I'll get that on for you," I've said this familiar lie many times myself.
That's not to say this is the case everywhere.
Small market radio, where I've spent the majority of my career, has a degree of more flexibility.
If you're a radio station in a small town, here's what people expect of you:
What happened at last night's city council meeting where they were to vote on the new budget?  Did the high school football team make the playoffs after last night's game?  Why did the fire truck race down main street with its lights and sirens going nuts?  Should I be worried about what looked like a funnel cloud a couple miles north of town?
Despite all the advances we have in technology, people still call my own station, wanting to know answers to these questions.  And we'd better have answers if we want to stay in business.
This is why it's important to not just support your local radio station, but the advertisers that support it as well.  You'll see them all up and down Main Street.
And ask yourself this, at today's gas prices, is it worth driving ten miles down the road to save five bucks on something the local store can sell to you?


NEXT WEEK:  Get Your Fash On!