  Qweek Member Username: Qweek Post Number: 6 Registered: 07-2006 Posted From: 4.229.63.202 |
I enjoy a good laugh in the morning listening to certain area radio stations but the advertising barrage is painful. Maybe 2 minutes of discussion, commercials, back to the show but first one or two ads delivered by the host, another 2 minutes of discussion and back to the damn ads. Does anyone out there listen to the ads? I suppose this is a lame topic I'm just beyond annoyed by it all. | ||
Mallory Member Username: Mallory Post Number: 43 Registered: 05-2006 Posted From: 207.230.140.240 |
Gotta pay for it somehow. I've worked in radio for 24 years. I can empathize with you, but commercials are a necessary evil. I noticed you didn't say anything about the excessive commercials on TV. If you have cable or a dish, you PAY for TV. Radio is free. | ||
Viziondetroit Member Username: Viziondetroit Post Number: 648 Registered: 11-2003 Posted From: 65.42.23.2 |
I would rather listen to the ads instead of the topics that are discussed when I am taking my children to school in the morning and it does not matter what station for the most part. I hate being limited to NPR and V98.7 which are both cool, but I wanna hear regular music too! | ||
Danindc Member Username: Danindc Post Number: 1672 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 67.100.158.10 |
I thought this thread was going to be about the "music" on the radio. What a disappointment. | ||
Mackinaw Member Username: Mackinaw Post Number: 1967 Registered: 02-2005 Posted From: 71.144.117.136 |
The radio sucks, but not as bad as local news. In the course of a few minutes the other day, channel 4 went from showing Carmen Harlan handing out bottles of water to random people, to switching to a reporter doing a test to see how fast a cup of ice cream would melt on a 95 degree day (3 minutes), to showing a live reporter at some West Bloomfield lake telling us about how nobody is swimming--they'd all rather be in the air conditioning. Then after 3 minutes of crappy commercials, they returned and had a "special" report by Steve Garagiola who went around asking construction workers how uncomfortable their job was on that day. They then proceeded to their dumbed-down weather and sports reports after that. Meanwhile...blood was being shed in Israel and Lebanon... How self-centered and sensationalist is local media? | ||
Thejesus Member Username: Thejesus Post Number: 140 Registered: 06-2006 Posted From: 24.169.224.43 |
Ya'll need to check out Satellite Radio...I started subscribing to Sirius in October of '04 and I'm hooked...tons of programming, commercial free music, talk stations for every topic, lots of sports channels, etc. Plus they stream online so I listen to it while I'm at work...listening now in fact... I would definitley recommend it to anyone who's not satisfied with trrestrial radio | ||
Outoftowner Member Username: Outoftowner Post Number: 138 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 69.223.214.2 |
Qweek, try satellite radio. I've never paid for television (simply no time to waste in front of the tube) but would never be without XM now. Sure I have to pay to listen to it, but I'm sick of feeling like I am stuck paying for crappy programing with my valuable time. | ||
Qweek Member Username: Qweek Post Number: 7 Registered: 07-2006 Posted From: 4.229.153.45 |
Danindc, sorry about not mentioning the music or lack there of. Same old songs day after day, that's another subject that steams me about radio. I understand the need for the ads but for the love of God spice them up a bit! Why do the advertisers have to punish us, especially when they rattle off the terms/conditions of a "deal" as fast as their mouths can spit them out, so irritating! Mackinaw, I know what you mean, local news is almost comical. Have you seen the movie Weather Man" with Nicholas Cage? He is pelted with various fast food items throughout the movie, funny stuff. I think if I had a milkshake in hand and happened by Rich Luderman (sp?) I'd be tempted to launch it in his direction. | ||
Susanarosa Member Username: Susanarosa Post Number: 1032 Registered: 11-2003 Posted From: 208.39.170.78 |
The boyfriend has XM radio which is fabulous, especially if you're a baseball fan because you get all the MLB channels. | ||
Outoftowner Member Username: Outoftowner Post Number: 139 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 69.223.214.2 |
Yes! Thejesus, Sirius and XM, either are the best solution to awful terrestrial radio. I'm tuned in to XM at work, too. | ||
Mackinaw Member Username: Mackinaw Post Number: 1968 Registered: 02-2005 Posted From: 71.144.117.136 |
Yeah I've heard of that movie, Qweek. I could go on forever about how bad our local news is. Satelitte radio is excellent. Tons of music always available...and the traffic and weather reports which are readily available for all major cities are even more helpful that WWJ. I take full advantage of it when I'm in my father's car. | ||
Mikeg Member Username: Mikeg Post Number: 184 Registered: 12-2005 Posted From: 69.136.155.244 |
And then there's the local FM station whose tag line is "we play everything", yet they turn around and repeat the very same half-dozen stupid commercials three times every hour. | ||
Mudflap Member Username: Mudflap Post Number: 169 Registered: 08-2005 Posted From: 75.10.4.241 |
Listening to XM now....It's definitely worth the 10 bucks a month. No bullshit commercials and I can choose what genre of music, news, sports, and talk that I want instead of the limited crap on FM. I have not had to hear a Britney Spears, Paris Hilton, or Fiddy Cent song in 6 months. | ||
Thejesus Member Username: Thejesus Post Number: 141 Registered: 06-2006 Posted From: 24.169.224.43 |
The only thing lacking on Satellite radio is that you don't have stations specific to localities, aside from the trafic and weather... But that's going to change once they get some more subscribers...then well have a Sirius Detroit, Sirius Chicago, etc. Other than that though, SATRAD is the shiznit | ||
Mcp001 Member Username: Mcp001 Post Number: 2281 Registered: 11-2003 Posted From: 69.14.135.95 |
It's interesting that you mention advertising. If no one listens to a station because of the DJ's trying to constantly impress us on how cool & connected they are, or the announcers/commentators inability to come across like they have any brains (WWJ in the morning, especially!) I just turn my radio off. Try burning/DL your own material to listen to (i.e. music and/or books on tape). | ||
Andylinn Member Username: Andylinn Post Number: 168 Registered: 04-2006 Posted From: 64.141.144.2 |
I gave up on radio in highschool. the only good station in Detroit is WDET. The only half decent music stations are 104.3 & 94.7. What they play is old and tired, but at least it's good. Mainstream radio and music sucks. 88.7 & 93.1 are LAUGHABLE. I flip them on for 5 minutes while driving sometimes to remind myself why radio is so bad... /\ | | | | | MCP has it right buy some records and build your own collection. take what you listen to into your own hands... | ||
Qweek Member Username: Qweek Post Number: 9 Registered: 07-2006 Posted From: 4.229.63.12 |
Satellite is the solution I suppose. I do have a collection of my own music, burn my own cds etc. the point is, I want to listen to a local show without the bullshit every two minutes. How about a radio station that allowed anyone to read the ads over the air, even if they are the same breast enhancement, attorney, builder ads we hear every time we tune in, they would be new. The station could post the dialogue online and the listeners could call in and read the crap. At least the ads would be unique and possibly amusing? | ||
Alexei289 Member Username: Alexei289 Post Number: 1203 Registered: 11-2004 Posted From: 68.61.183.223 |
just wait 5 years... they will have ads on satalite radio as well... dont worry... they will ease you into it starting with mentions... and working on up. Just like they did with cable tv in the 80s. | ||
Tayshaun22 Member Username: Tayshaun22 Post Number: 291 Registered: 02-2005 Posted From: 69.14.101.116 |
1130 WDFN | ||
Detroitej72 Member Username: Detroitej72 Post Number: 11 Registered: 05-2006 Posted From: 66.184.3.44 |
Morning drive time and afternoon drive time are the worst. I'll listen to Mitch Albom and there will be about 35 minutes of talk and 25 minutes of commercials. Being in advertising, I understand the need to pay for programming but what sense does it make to have 8 minutes of the program followed by 5 minutes of commercials. On 1270 at least they have 22 minutes of the programming and then 8 minutes at 1/2 past the hour. I can handle that, just listen to a CD for that time. | ||
Wilus1mj Member Username: Wilus1mj Post Number: 95 Registered: 05-2005 Posted From: 216.111.89.3 |
Is unlistenable even a word? I agree...radio is a dying media. | ||
Mallory Member Username: Mallory Post Number: 45 Registered: 05-2006 Posted From: 207.230.140.240 |
Sorry, but even though I, too, enjoy XM, the stations that DON'T have commercials play the same promos over and over again. What's the difference? Even though terrestrial radio is not as good as it used to be, I'll tke the localism over XM any day. I live in Florida now and would LOVE to be listening to the post-game talk and calls on local Detroit radio. | ||
Chitaku Member Username: Chitaku Post Number: 615 Registered: 03-2006 Posted From: 69.136.147.97 |
Andylinn I totaly agree, the only time i listen to 104.3 is when i forget to bring my ipod in the car. When I was 12 radio was sweet because all the music was something new to me, but growing up in Mt. Clemens (town owned by WRIF) I got sick of the same 5 songs really fast. Now radio is just one big commercial owned by 3 big companies, Viacom, Clear Channel and Greater Media, if it's not a commercial for an object or place on the air then it is a commercial for an artist who's music obviously isn't that good because it has to be forced down your throat to get you to buy it. | ||
Wash_man Member Username: Wash_man Post Number: 52 Registered: 05-2006 Posted From: 69.221.80.238 |
Have you checked the website of the Detroit stations? Many are advertising that you can listen live on the web. You might be able to hear some post game stuff there. | ||
Patrick Member Username: Patrick Post Number: 3524 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 65.222.10.3 |
Ads dont piss me off. It's the bad playlists.96.3 used to be cool too. But then they started playing Def Leppard every other sobng. Guess they are trying to target those foklks in their early to mid 30's who want to be 15 again. | ||
Hagglerock Member Username: Hagglerock Post Number: 287 Registered: 03-2005 Posted From: 12.214.243.66 |
Mallory, I'm the the exact same boat, cept I gotta hear about U of M football, which is rarely on cable TV down here in NW Florida. Sirius is my new best friend, now that they will offer Michigan broadcasts. Anyone remember the great swing from AM to FM? (Didn't it start out in the 60's) I seem to remember my old man telling me how he got so sick of all the same old shit that AM played that it eventually brought everyone around to FM. Can you compare that to whats happening today with SATRAD. I have no idea as this was way before my time.  | ||
Ray1936 Member Username: Ray1936 Post Number: 728 Registered: 01-2005 Posted From: 207.200.116.139 |
Going back to the forties, all radio was AM, and there were perhaps a dozen stations in Detroit. The main ones were WWJ (NBC), WXYZ (ABC), and WJR (CBS). They broadcast, in those pre-TV days, a mish-mash of music, news, and some soaps during the day; serials like Captain Midnight and Superman in the early evening; and prime-time radio shows in the evening, from Fibber McGee and Molly to Gangbusters to Inner Sanctum. It was great listening to those shows. You closed your eyes and let your imagination draw the picture for you. Whatever was broadcast during the midnight shift, I have no idea; was too young. Some even signed off the air, I think, like the TV stations did in their Genesis years. Radio programs were all sponsored by one sponsor. The Lux Radio Theatre, for example, which put on radio plays of current movies, was sponsored by Lux Soap. It was an hour long show, and Lux got a one-minute plug at the start, at 15 after the hour, on the half hour, on the 45 minute mark, and again at closing. And that was it. Baby Snooks, played by Fanny Brice, was sponsored by Jell-O. Can't remember any of the others. You young 'uns missed a great time. | ||
Spitcoff Member Username: Spitcoff Post Number: 71 Registered: 03-2004 Posted From: 70.212.106.167 |
I have hah xm and now I have sirius and listening to normal radio is painfull. Sirius is way better than XM and I heard that Xm started playing comercials on the musid sations. Plus with Sirus you get Howerd Stern | ||
Mikeg Member Username: Mikeg Post Number: 188 Registered: 12-2005 Posted From: 69.136.155.244 |
My recollection about the transition from AM to FM in the late 1960's is that it was a gradual one (from about 1966 to 1970), but one that was enabled by the surging popularity of the portable transistor radio. The transistor pocket radios had both AM & FM bands, but kids were buying them mainly so they could take their AM music with them, despite the tinny sound they provided. Top-40 on the AM stations was the place for hearing the latest pop and rock singles (45 RPM releases) in the 1963 to 1969 time frame: CKLW - the Big 8, Keener-13, WXYZ and Lee Alan, etc. The early FM rock stations took advantage of the fact that the LP album (33 1/3 RPM) format provided a ton of released rock and roll content that was not getting any airplay, plus they could broadcast it in stereo. FM DJ's were not restricted to playing just what was selling that week in the record stores and it made for a very different listening experience. So if you got tired of hearing the same Top-40 records, WABX and WRIF were the place to go and hear the B-side of an artist's 45 RPM release plus the rest of their album. All you had to do was flip the slider switch on your transistor radio or punch a button on the new AM-FM radios which were starting to become standard equipment on cars in the late 1960's. Mickey Shore made a fortune selling under-dash AM/FM/8-track radios to kids like me who had old beaters with only AM radios. | ||
Ordinary Member Username: Ordinary Post Number: 23 Registered: 06-2006 Posted From: 68.79.114.155 |
CBC radio one 1550 AM and CBC radio two 89.9 FM are bearable. WDET is great and it's also nice if you can get the public radio station WUOM 91.7 from U-M Ann Arbor. Most of the rest is a barren wasteland. | ||
Ray Member Username: Ray Post Number: 760 Registered: 06-2004 Posted From: 12.108.190.1 |
I don't even mine the ads if the DJs would just play music and shut up. | ||
Jerome81 Member Username: Jerome81 Post Number: 1058 Registered: 11-2003 Posted From: 64.142.86.133 |
Sirius baby. Sirius | ||
Jelk Member Username: Jelk Post Number: 3918 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 68.249.237.207 |
It is hard to get in Detroit but I think WEMU is an amazing voice in the wilderness. I don't believe radio needs to be a dying medium but saving it does require some radical thinking. First thing they need to do is kill all programming consultants. Treat them like Rome treated Carthage...burn the bridges, salt the fields, whatever. In fact, anyone who drops clichés from Tony Robbins and the like should be shot on site if they ever try to venture into a radio station's programming department. Make sure the consultants take the focus group tested play lists with them. Musical radio is a vibrant medium when disc jockeys who know a thing or two about music decide for themselves what they will play during their air times. No one cares when WOMC plays Louie Louie for the eight billionth time but I'm sure people remember the first time WKNR played the Beatles or Mojo played, I don't know, Kraftwork? Develop new talent. J.P. McCarthy passed away over a decade ago and WJR hasn't been the same. Their star was gone, their listeners were growing older, and they were left with a Xerox copy of J.P. (i.e. Paul W. Smith) to replace him. They have cornered the market on the Greatest Generation...I wish them a lot of luck with it. News isn't a waste of money, it attracts listeners. Good news programming is expensive and labor intensive but one needs to look at the success of National Public Radio over the last 30 years to know that listeners are looking for good news programming. Radio needs more, better news stations especially covering local issues. XM can't cover city hall like a local over-the-air station. Contrary to what the douchebag programming consultant says listeners want more from radio news than just traffic and weather. Come clean. Now this is a topic I know a thing or two about but radio needs to clean itself up. Payola, corporate "synergy" between concert promotion departments and radio stations, etc needs to stop. Broadcasting outlets require the use of airwaves owned by the public and as such, the people that run them should behave in a manner above reproach. Radio would do well to create an industry-wide "zero tolerance" ethics policy...if someone uses their position with a radio station for unethical or illegal personal profit they should be blackballed from the industry. Public airwaves are a public trust and if you want to abuse that trust...go sell time-shares. Period no exceptions. And yes, that includes that asshole running WDET. But that should be no surprise coming from me. Radio is in a position similar to one Hollywood faced when television came along. Hollywood adapted and not only can compete but that industry has thrived. Radio can do the same thing if the industry thinks with its head instead of its ass. It is that simple. | ||
Imperfectly Member Username: Imperfectly Post Number: 122 Registered: 06-2004 Posted From: 24.192.186.228 |
its been heaven since we got XM at work... favorite station Hear 75. once in a while someone puts on a weird station and i have to endure an irish jig or maniacal flutes for the duration of a haircut. | ||
Livernoisyard Member Username: Livernoisyard Post Number: 1199 Registered: 10-2004 Posted From: 69.242.223.42 |
"Whatever was broadcast during the midnight shift, I have no idea; was too young. Some even signed off the air, I think, like the TV stations did in their Genesis years." 24/7 broadcasting didn't take hold until the 1960s for much of the industry, except for a few urban markets. I can remember AM stations routinely playing the National Anthem around 11PM or midnight on the majority of unlimited stations throughout the 1960s. My commercial AM/FM/TV broadcasting experience dated from 1965 through 1977. Having an FCC 1st Class license back in high school, I didn't bother to enter the broadcasting field until age 22, when I jocked or did some production. After a year, I became the chief engineer at one of Wisconsin's three 10 KW AMs. It was very common where I worked in the early 1970s to have abbreviated schedules, usually ending around midnight or a bit later at the Channel 3 TV station where I was a master controller (same as being a switcher or technical director when the local content is over--after the late news, for example). Sometimes, I would get off an hour or two before sign/off, and after loading up all the projector islands with film or slides and the VCRs, I would take home a log copy and play tricks on any occasional late-night visitors at home who didn't know where I worked. I would predict to the second what was about to appear on the screen (commercial spots, slides, etc.) until they eventually realized that they were had when I tossed the log at them. (Message edited by LivernoisYard on August 03, 2006) | ||
Kilgore_south Member Username: Kilgore_south Post Number: 137 Registered: 05-2005 Posted From: 12.165.160.2 |
Actually, you can now stream 1270 WXYT all day online. So start listening to all that wonderful post-game bitchin and moanin. Hey Spitcoff - Howard Stern is a washed-up old man who no longer enjoys his job. XM on the other hand has Opie and Anthony, simply the best raunchy morning radio around. I know you can hear them on WXYT now, but they do 2 more hours exclusively on XM where they get to be pottymouths. Good stuff. | ||
Citylover Member Username: Citylover Post Number: 1680 Registered: 07-2004 Posted From: 4.229.123.37 |
Jelk, damn good post, but then I have come to expect that from you. I would disagree on one benign point,Paul W is no J.P., not even close.J.P. was a fairly light hearted cat that did not prattle a conservative agenda the way Smith does.And he(J.P.) was certainly a better interviewer.Many years ago when he was at WXYT David Newman came and did a talk at Borders on State st in A2.He said that when J.P died WJR lost it's franchise player and boy aint that the truth. I hope you get a satisfying job in radio if that is your wish. | ||
Smogboy Member Username: Smogboy Post Number: 3596 Registered: 11-2004 Posted From: 69.47.100.44 |
It's times like this that I miss shows like The Electrifying Mojo's. I remember in my youth how he would break new acts like Prince, the B-52's, Kraftwerk, Art of Noise, Funkadelic and somehow combine them to make it interesting. Not that he was the sole originator of cool music back in the day but you listened to radio to hear what an INFORMED voice (the DJ) would have to bring to the table. Disc jockeys back then were voices of authority in the sense they broke new ground for you because they had access to new and interesting music. If a DJ left one station back then, his listenership would follow. And DJs back then had some clout. Sadly today we don't listen to the radio for new and innovative sounds anymore. We don't listen to a voice with a vision anymore. Even with the advent of things like XM & Sirius, people tune in for a particular genre and stay locked into it for the long haul. That's why I still lament the passing of true free form radio (or as free form as one particular DJ can get- obviously they have their faves too) not just in the Detroit market but all over. I like being exposed to new jazz. I like hearing new funk. I like new new rock. I like new electronica. I like all forms of music and what's better than having someone knowledgable that can stitch all of those forms of music together and still make all of those genres listenable? | ||
Angry_dad Member Username: Angry_dad Post Number: 84 Registered: 02-2006 Posted From: 71.227.48.51 |
Guess it fits this thread, there is a rumor being circulated that Drew and Mike are working without a contract. Yeah they probally aren't huge in all areas of Detroit. But the powers that be seem to have misread the significance of their program. Think back to how certain radio and TV personalities have become anchors to an area. How is it that all there is is these two? It's not that they are best at anything, it's just that everybody else except the oldtimers with their heritage, suck so bad. | ||
Mallory Member Username: Mallory Post Number: 48 Registered: 05-2006 Posted From: 207.230.140.240 |
There are two things that EVERYONE thinks they can do. Run a radio station and run a restaurant. And I work for Clear Channel. Pray for me. | ||
Qweek Member Username: Qweek Post Number: 12 Registered: 07-2006 Posted From: 4.229.39.241 |
The radio heavy hitters make a pretty decent living, I can imagine Drew and Mike rake in hefty salaries for giving us 4 1/2 hrs. of penis jokes in the morning. (make that 2 1/4 hrs. of penis jokes & 2 1/4 hrs. of commercials). If WRIF is struggling maybe they should consider making their programming after the morning show appealing, for now it is pure garbage. Remember the "Bruiser"? Area funny man with Jim Johnson? He split and moved north in the 90's at a time when the duo were still pretty hot on the air. I know for a fact that he lived in a million dollar home in the burbs, very well paid for what he did. Drew and Mike have probably reached their limit just like the Bruiser and are expecting more than their worth. Too Bad!!!! I'll miss my morning penis jokes. | ||
Funkycarrie Member Username: Funkycarrie Post Number: 342 Registered: 02-2004 Posted From: 69.209.159.249 |
This thread reminds me why I'm thrilled with Sirius. Its such a worthy investment if you ask me. | ||
Jelk Member Username: Jelk Post Number: 3923 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 68.249.237.207 |
No disagreement CL... my Xerox copy was meant to imply a lesser version of the original. I guess with all this new fangled digital technology the metaphor isn't as dead nuts obvious as it once was in the past. Smogboy is right on about music programming. Radio stations need to trust their creative people to produce a quality program. The 150 song focus grouped play list doesn't make much sense to me anymore. For a second assume the consultants are right and that's what most people want. For about $75, one can buy a 1 gig .mp3 player and (assuming said person doesn't own one scrap of music) they can go to iTunes and spend $150 on their own customized 150 song play list. So for less than $250 anyone can create, with a focus group of one, the equivalent of a play listed radio station. More and more new cars are coming with .mp3 adapters on their stereos but after market I think that's about $100. Now if that's really what I want why wouldn't I spend $325 to have it exactly how I want it without commercials, promos, songs I don't like, on-air chatter, etc or a monthly fee? Now if over-the-air radio offered an alternative to that kind of banality then I think it can have a chance. I mean 5% listenership is considered extremely successful. So it isn't as if radio stations need to appeal to the unwashed masses of monster truck and Cheesy Poof fans to be successful. | ||
Ravine Member Username: Ravine Post Number: 309 Registered: 01-2006 Posted From: 70.141.180.183 |
Nearly all of the "entertainment" industry is really just working with a simple plan. They decide what "group" they are trying to reach, spend a ridiculous amount of money on "consultants" who tell them what that group will like, and package a product designed to please that group. Naturally, the effort is paid for by advertisers who are trying to reach that same group. These days, it is frequently true that the "middleman" has been cut out, and the entertainment source and the advertiser are one and the same... Either way, it's all about commerce, and anywhere you find commerce, you will find art fleeing, screaming for dear life. Under these circumstances, any flair for uniqueness, any sense of individuality, any impulse toward spontaneity will have no oxygen to breathe. | ||
Dsmith Member Username: Dsmith Post Number: 105 Registered: 07-2005 Posted From: 68.41.202.23 |
Shade45 on Sirius is the best station available for Detroit hip hop. All Out Show M-F 4-8PM Detroiter Jude Angelini (Rude Jude-Jenny Jones) and Lord Sear. AOA3001 (Message edited by dsmith on August 03, 2006) | ||
Smogboy Member Username: Smogboy Post Number: 3597 Registered: 11-2004 Posted From: 69.47.100.44 |
Jelk, it's not the fact we can buy oodles & oodles of music for our libraries that's saddening. Even before iTunes & MP3s we bought albums, 45s and cassettes (I never bought an 8 track though) but a lot of those purchases were based off of what I heard on the radio or what I had heard at a club. We no longer have innovative and daring programming that will introduce us to a variety of music. I'm sure if I listened to an all country station, they'd break out new country songs eventually but what I really miss were the days when a trusted radio personality would introduce us to something new and completely original regardless of format. I thought that was about the only way some local or small label acts would even get a chance to be heard. Not only does less innovative radio affect its listenership I'm sure it affects local musicians and their chances to be heard as well. What ever happened to bands "being discovered"?? | ||
Paulj Member Username: Paulj Post Number: 458 Registered: 12-2003 Posted From: 68.248.75.129 |
listening to sirius now... including the ones I've given as gifts, I have 4 recievers subscribed to my account. I have one reciever that goes where I go, between my work van and my motorcycle. The one my g/f uses in her car doubles as the one for the home stereo. Step-dad and g/f's brother got them for birthdays. I'm a true convert and thinking of even buying tinto the stock now that it's down from its speculatively astronomical levels of 6 months ago. I'd rather pay out of pocket myself and avoid not only the mind-numbing commercials, but what I liek to refer to as 'talking idiot' morning shows. When I'm grumpy, groggy, and coffee-less in the morning, the last thing I want to hear is the radio station CEO's idea of whats funny. I have 4 preset radio stations in my van: 101.9, 91.7, 91.5, and my Sirius's broadcast frequency. I'd rather turn the damn radio off than listen to the commercial garbage, both music and "personalities". And when a song I dont like comes on Sirius, I flip to one of the other bazillion. | ||
Smogboy Member Username: Smogboy Post Number: 3598 Registered: 11-2004 Posted From: 69.47.100.44 |
"I'd rather turn the damn radio off than listen to the commercial garbage, both music and "personalities"." I agree but then the magic of a good personality is that they can play music, talk a little, be informative and still be entertaining. I know this might sound like an oxymoron but I sure do miss informative entertainment. | ||
Paulj Member Username: Paulj Post Number: 459 Registered: 12-2003 Posted From: 68.248.75.129 |
added this to say I used to be one tyhat carried 50 CD's in the car so I could always listen to my music, which was frequently things you would never in a million years hear on any radio station. When I was 16 and I had nothing better to do with my time than sample hours & hours of new music in hopes of discovering a new artist every month this was fine. My current lifestyle involves driving around to my jobs all day, and when on vacation travelling on the motorcycle for a week or more at a time. I have enough things to worry about that it's nice to hand the details of music decision to someone else. with hundreds of stations, when something I dont like comes on I just have to press a button. How do you cover 500+ miles a day on a bike while stopping to change CD's every hour? Give me 35 presets that cover a wide range of music and I'll just hit the up & down buttons, thanks. And I'm also not caught in my own musical 'bubble' and sometimes hear music that I like or at least entertains me (cheesy 80's crap, for instance). This type of stuff I would never in a million years have burned to a cd or iPod to take with me, but I am now exposed to it because someone else is takign care of the details. Sirius is worth it's weight in gold. | ||
Paulj Member Username: Paulj Post Number: 460 Registered: 12-2003 Posted From: 68.248.75.129 |
Smogboy, you're right. I wish the big commercial radio stations could figure this out. Everyone needs a Liz Copeland or Ed Love. My favorite Sirius DJ is Dusty Streets (Live from the Rock & Roll HOF in Cleveland, Daily). She was there in the formative years and has the entertaining stories to prove it. Talks just enough to be entertaining but is there to play music. IMO, you can take your Drew & Mike's & stuff 'em. | ||
Smogboy Member Username: Smogboy Post Number: 3602 Registered: 11-2004 Posted From: 69.47.100.44 |
To me that was always what I liked about listening to WDET back when they had some free-form radio. I never really listened INTENTLY but because I was generally working but if a song came on that was worth noting I'd generally would write down the time it was played and look up the song lists later. Worst case scenario is I'd put down what I was doing and hope that their DJ would tell me some info about the song. I literally expanded my entire music library this way. And it was never one genre of music, although like most people I would have favorite tunes here & there. I bought so many untried albums and later CDs this way based upon one (or several songs if I was lucky) song heard on the radio. I'd like to think of myself as being somewhat musically cultured to lots of things due to those days. Don't get me wrong, I love my iTunes, internet and satellite radio stations but very few of them have a personality playing songs they tried. Most of those places are genre driven or so homogenized it's boring beyond tears. I think the best thing that I've likened so far has been podcasts of certain talk shows but that's an entirely different beast unto itself. I find myself musically devoid and less exposed to new stuff now because of the radio market now. | ||
Irish_mafia Member Username: Irish_mafia Post Number: 585 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 70.227.219.108 |
90.9 Great Music No commercials Thoughtful banter. Lock it in! | ||
Jelk Member Username: Jelk Post Number: 3928 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 141.217.63.166 |
I know Smogboy won't believe this but he came Judy Adams and Martin "Payola" Bandyke for ruining free-form radio on WDET. Anyone that dared to play something beyond their narrowly formated AAA vison was yanked off the air or exiled to the graveyard. Perhaps if those two shmucks had gotten over themselves John Moshier or Lix Copeland or Raplh Valdex or Chuck Horn would be hosting mid-day music on WDET right now and we'd have all been sparred the Michael "Embezzler" Coleman reign of terror. Oh yeah and Detroit wouldn't have been stuck with a Sam Bernstein commercial actor instead of Larry McDaniel and Matt Wabtroba on Saturdays for 14 months. | ||
Erikto Member Username: Erikto Post Number: 405 Registered: 11-2003 Posted From: 64.228.108.186 |
I'm not sure how things are for fm stations'profits in the USA but I recently read commercial fm radio in Canada is as lucrative as ever. Each station seems to use a 5 disc changer for their library. I find it depressing, but I know people like it. I host a weekly radio show on community radio- we don'tet paid but we can play anything. Last week, I played everyone from Robbie Rox to the MC 5, The Gaturs, Lt Stitchie, Aswad, along with stuff no commercial radio station would touch with a barge pole- lo fi live stuff, cuts from great but obscure collections- "Thai Beat A Go Go", "Ft Worth Teen Scene", "Live AT The Rat"... I don't think anyone could make money playing that range, but people I've met who have a wide range of musical tastes really dig the idea... | ||
Goat Member Username: Goat Post Number: 8685 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 70.53.96.174 |
I read an article in Upfront Magazine about John Moshier and he echoes Jelk's statements about the treatment of those let go by WDET and the fools now running the station. Not that I doubted Jelk's posts but at least it isn't about sour grapes and more about the current reign of terror's attitude towards the station. Sadly, WDET is no better than 96.3, 101.1, 88.7 (please insert almost all stations on the dial here). | ||
Smogboy Member Username: Smogboy Post Number: 3624 Registered: 11-2004 Posted From: 69.47.100.44 |
I was hoping not to incur Jelk's ire by mentioning WDET by mentioning free-form radio. It's not like he hasn't spoken endlessly about it already. | ||
Msamericana Member Username: Msamericana Post Number: 51 Registered: 05-2004 Posted From: 68.43.147.129 |
Detroit radio makes me sad. =( All of the morning shows suck. I dislike Drew & Mike... every time I try to listen I hear their annoying laughter. WDET's ecclectic mix that got me interested in little-known artists and songs was ruined in the shakeup. 104.3 no longer plays the "older" oldies, resorting to the commonly overplayed songs I'm tired of hearing. 89x can be OK but they repeat too much. DOUG FM is so hit and miss. In my car and at work, it's either my iPod, WWJ (so I can at least catch up on the news) and iTunes radio stations. |
