Country Radio Seminar to Offer Free Hearing Checks for Country DJ’s
Hearing loss is a serious matter people, especially when it comes to those enshrined with the responsibility of selecting what songs the teeming masses will be subjected to through the instrument of corporate radio. That is why the massive Country Radio Seminar (or CRS), which happens every February in Nashville, has teamed up with Starkey Hearing Technologies to administer free hearing tests for DJ’s and radio professionals at CRS 2017.
Starkey Hearing Technologies develops, manufactures and distributes hearing aids, and will be fully staffed with hearing audiologists for the event, Music Row reports. They will be stationed in the center of the Broadway pre-function exhibit space at the Omni Hotel where attendees can sign up to have their hearing tested. Results of the tests, and consultations will be provided right on site.
“Working in an industry where music is our life and livelihood, the ability to hear is crucial,” says Bill Mayne, CRS Executive Director. “CRS is proud to offer these tests free to our registrants, as the average costs for these tests are between $250-$450, depending on provider. We need to hear ALL the music! We are so proud to partner with the great folks at Starkey to make this possible!”
Karen Spaeth, Director of PR & Customer Experience for Starkey Hearing Technologies adds, “We are proud to join Country Radio Seminar in this opportunity to help educate attendees on their hearing and help identify hearing loss. We know first-hand how hearing loss can impact how music is heard and enjoyed.”
Hopefully the corporate DJ’s and other radio professionals who suffer from hearing problems can have those issues rectified so they can finally hear what they’re missing.
January 11, 2017 @ 11:03 am
It doesn’t take any hearing to be a DJ – just computer skills, a good mousing hand, and the ability to do what you’re told without question… It’s the programming directors that need their damn ears checked! …well…them and the idiots telling THEM what to do!
January 11, 2017 @ 11:59 am
I don’t think the problem for corporate DJs is that they can’t hear what’s in a song; the problem is they can’t hear what’s missing from the songs they foist on the listening public.
January 11, 2017 @ 5:16 pm
Actually, to me, the problem is not their seemingly being unable to hear what is in a song or what is missing from a song. It’s that they just don’t seem to give a damn anymore.
January 11, 2017 @ 12:18 pm
They didn’t exactly touch on this exact article but I had actually run across something that NBC News was doing last night about kids listening to ear buds so much that they’re going deaf at an early age.
January 11, 2017 @ 12:28 pm
Doctor: OK, can you hear anything out of your left ear? (Plays Sam Hunt song into patient’s left ear)
Patient: Yes, I hear country music.
Doctor: (Slowly shakes his head) I’m sorry, but you’re legally deaf.
January 11, 2017 @ 12:34 pm
Hey Sam,
This is the third time I’m trying to think of how to respond and really it all boils down to this…unless you are a radio DJ in 2017 (not a radio DJ wishing it was still 1979) you really can’t appreciate how hard we actually work while trying to make it look like we aren’t working at all. It’s a hard industry that is constantly getting harder.
January 11, 2017 @ 12:40 pm
Do they realize that tone deaf is not the same thing as deaf?
January 11, 2017 @ 12:42 pm
Jokes aside, hearing loss is a big problem in the radio industry. Big studio headphones on your ears all day every day, usually turned up louder than they should be can deteriorate your hearing very quickly. Throw in some loud feedback or other issues that are an inevitability now and and again and most radio DJ’s are fairly hard of hearing by the time they’ve been in the business for 10 or so years. Then, to compensate, they turn the headphones up louder, making the problem worse. Therefore, speaking as a former radio DJ, I’m glad to see this type of thing taking place. Hearing tests like this should be done more often in my opinion.
January 11, 2017 @ 2:12 pm
They’re such a bunch of assholes. They think they know what the people want to hear. Just like label execs. They don’t. DJs, producers, label execs,,,,You’re all a bunch of assholes.
January 11, 2017 @ 2:48 pm
Man, I’d probably go deaf too if I had to listen to FGL, Luke Bryan, and Thomas Rhett all day.
January 11, 2017 @ 4:01 pm
LOL…..never let a crisis go to waste, even a manufactured one.
January 11, 2017 @ 5:24 pm
if all I hear is bro country, going deaf would be a blessing
January 11, 2017 @ 8:45 pm
Totally surreal, Trigger . SCM has just taken its crusade to a whole new level . And its as funny as hell .
January 12, 2017 @ 7:39 am
Some easy jokes here for sure.
Case in point though, Rush Limbaugh has been in radio for over 30 years and is practically deaf. He relies on transcription devices and other technology to interact with callers. Thats 30 years in mostly talk radio, imagine 30 years in music radio.
January 12, 2017 @ 12:47 pm
hey…here’s a crazy thought …how ’bout they just turn things DOWN ..?
I stood on front of amps on 11 for nearly 40 years but I can still tell that keith urban isn’t playing a country song