It’s No Longer About If iHeartMedia Will Fail, But When
iHeartMedia is the biggest radio station owner in America, and continues to paint a very bleak picture of its ability to do business moving forward, calling into question the legitimacy of the entire radio industry in an ever-changing media market. Known for years as ClearChannel, the company first warned investors about its impending financial doom in April, spelling out the dubious words in business about having doubt they would continue to be “a going concern” in 12 months.
Last week, iHeartMedia updated their financials again, posting a $248 million-dollar loss for Q3. This is compared to a $35 million loss the company posted in the same quarter of 2016—an increase in loss of over 600%. Previously, the biggest issue looming for iHeartMedia was its massive debt, which now totals over $8.4 billion. But revenue remained somewhat promising. However in the last quarter, revenue dropped from $1.57 billion in 2016, to $1.54 billion in 2017.
“There is substantial doubt as to the company’s ability to continue as a going concern for a period of 12 months following November 8, 2017,” the company said in a statement, again uttering that dubious “going concern” phrase.
The company also says it has concerns, “the impact of our substantial indebtedness, including the effect of our leverage on our financial position and earnings [and] our ability to generate sufficient cash from operations and liquidity-generating transactions and our need to allocate significant amounts of our cash to make payments on our indebtedness . . . could reduce our financial flexibility and ability to fund other activities.”
This means that not only is iHeartMedia hemorrhaging money, it doesn’t have the financial flexibility to do anything about it by launching new initiatives or advertising campaigns, or otherwise restructuring a way out of its fate. iHeartMedia has been weighing heavily on its iHeartMedia app as a way for the company to move forward, and using their iHeartMedia festivals with huge names in pop and country to help promote the app. However this strategy has not helped convert the company from a terrestrial model to a technology company in any substantial way. Even though the iHeartMedia app remains popular, like all streaming companies, how to monetize it remains an issue.
The company disclosed that it has $285.4 million in cash, but with over $8 billion due in debt in the coming months and years, this is a penance for what the company would need to sustain moving forward. Their stock value, which dropped by 54% after the recent earnings news and went under the crucial $1.00 range, is now trading at $0.90, making it eligible for delisting on the exchange. It’s not a question of “if” iHeartMedia will fail, but “when.” And what American radio will look like afterwards.
Meanwhile America’s other major radio station owners are not looking good either. Announced on Friday, Entercom and CBS Radio have merged, making up a new radio group controlling 244 radio stations in 23 of the Top 25 U.S. markets. However it comes after a period where CBS Radio found it hard to find a dance partner due to the declining outlook for radio.
Cumulus Media, which is the 2nd-largest radio station owner in the U.S., also reported quarterly earnings recently, posting Q3 revenue of $841.8 million, which was up 12.7% from the previous year. However due to debt and expenses, it still resulted in a net loss of $0.4 million. Similar to iHeartMedia, revenue is not the biggest issue with the company, it is insurmountable debt. However Cumulus is currently painting a brighter outlook.
“We are also focused on addressing our excessive debt load on a parallel track to our operational turnaround plan,” said Cumulus. “As previously disclosed, we are working with our advisors to proactively explore a range of alternatives to restructure our balance sheet, and we are continuing productive discussions with our creditors. Our goal remains to reduce our debt so we can focus our time and resources on investments in our people, key technologies and initiatives that will ultimately drive sustainable, long-term growth.”
But debt still remains the biggest obstacle for American radio to either continue on as currently structured, or secure the flexibility to adapt to the changing market. With all the uncertainty, it remains prudent advice that the music industry envision a world where radio is no longer king, which would be one where big radio executives don’t choose the trends, but consumers do through the data they log via direct digital servicing of music through smart devices.
November 17, 2017 @ 10:39 am
I use the iHeart media app daily to stream JT the Brick and Colin Cowherd and the local ESPN. Just sports; never anything music related.
November 17, 2017 @ 1:16 pm
cowboys +5
uga -21.5
uab +10.5
November 17, 2017 @ 10:46 am
Radio is not obsolete, and it really isn’t a money-loser. The problem is that prior rounds of industry consolidation left a handful of conglomerates with massive loads of debt (as you mention). That industry consolidation was not carried out in the name of listeners or any real function of radio; it was carried out so that rich investors could get richer. They walked away with tons of profit and left the debt.
This is how business works in America. Whatever happens to radio, don’t pay too much attention to think pieces claiming its because of changes in the digital music landscape – those are real, but they don’t necessitate the collapse of radio. It’s all because of the modern-day equivalent of robber barons.
November 17, 2017 @ 7:33 pm
Exactly right. Radio is still a major part of the music industry and in surveys still cited as the primary place people find new music, even if the readers here don’t want to admit it. The path forward is going to be to eventually break up the big corporate monsters and shift back toward local programming.
November 17, 2017 @ 8:54 pm
Very true. The balance sheets of some of the big guys need to be cleaned up through bankruptcy, but radio is still a profitable business that will be around as long as any of us.
November 17, 2017 @ 9:53 pm
I won’t admit to finding new music on the radio,because,speaking for myself,that is not where I find out about 99.9 percent of new music.The majority of new music I find out about is on line, on TV,etc. Plus,I only listen to stations that play Loretta’s songs,and the music I want to hear anyway.I won’t listen to stations that won’t play Loretta’s songs,or the music I want to hear.
November 18, 2017 @ 8:16 am
Readers of this site are not a representative sample though. Nielsen just recently released a study showing 49% of people find new music through the radio compared to just 27% through online music services. It also showed that the number of people listening to terrestrial radio on a weekly basis has stayed basically steady since 1970.
November 18, 2017 @ 11:35 am
When I say find out about new music on line Andrew,I don’t mean on this site only.I also mean people can also find out about the stars new music by visiting the stars web site,as well as other country web sites too,in addition to This site,TV.,etc. As for what Nielsen says,You have the right to believe them if you choose to do so,and I respect that right.I just choose not to believe Neilson on that.Just my opinion.
November 17, 2017 @ 10:55 am
“With all the uncertainty, it remains prudent advice that the music industry envision a world where radio is no longer king, which would be one where big radio executives don’t choose the trends, but consumers”
that’s a good thing.
corporate pushers making hits and making stars is the reason we have trashy white dudes like Dallas Davidson on radio in the first place. eliminating that provider would then vacate the primary streaming spot.
the primary streamed/digital music is music from radio.
provide a vacancy where instead of using the internet to hear the radio music like flg and sham hunt people don’t have their choices provided by a skynet style corporation who pushes music upon them and they are forced to find music.
most likely the vacancy will be filled with people playing music they are familiar with but it prevents the other artists from being shafted simply because they don’t get radio play. it levels the playing field a bit to remove the radio-sponsored celebrities
so sit back, grab some popcorn and watch Scott Borchetta’s castle crumble, then if you see a guy dancing amid the rubble, that’s me
November 17, 2017 @ 11:08 am
His castle will crumble because Taylor just made her last album for him
November 17, 2017 @ 10:58 am
This is going to cause some pain in the interim, but long term it will be a positive. These local stations will continue to exist, they’ll just be controlled by smaller companies, often local owners who don’t need to make millions to keep the stock market happy.
And more regionalized control will scramble the current decision-making process on what music to play.
The small radio station in the tiny town I grew up in has always been locally owned and one of the “DJs” liked to sprinkle some Eagles in among the country music. I count him among the influences for what music I like all these years later.
November 18, 2017 @ 9:03 am
And how hard then, to make the leap from The Eagles to The Byrds to Gram Parsons to George Jones and Merle Haggard.
November 17, 2017 @ 12:03 pm
It isn’t a matter of if they will survive…it’s a matter of if the lenders will get hosed in bankruptcy proceedings. The answer to that is they likely will if they are unable to accept restructuring terms with Iheartmedia.
But, the operating assets of the big radio stations will survive, although not with the same owners if there is a a forced bankruptcy sale. Their issue is primarily one of indebtedness, not one of radio itself being an unsustainable business model. Most of the big radio players have attractive operating income margins and will continue to do so once they get out from underneath all their debt…..but there will be fallout when it comes to the lenders.
November 17, 2017 @ 12:07 pm
The future of radio is the podcast.
November 17, 2017 @ 12:55 pm
Just an FYI. IHeartRadio was a leveraged buy-out of ClearChannel in 2007 by Bain Capital and TH Lee. Since that was the top of the market at the time, they overpaid and used a lot of leverage. Obviously after 10 years, if they have not been able to amortize the debt at all, there is a problem. Given the current operating performance and the debt load, it is almost certain to file for bankruptcy. Bain Capital and TH Lee will not loose any money, it will be the limited partner investors in their funds – public pension funds, university endowments, etc… So before you go dancing on the graves of the “Robber Barons”, it is more likely that your local municipality took the hit since their pension lost money.
Now the business is still profitable, albeit in decline. So the company will file for Chapter 11. The equity holders will loose their investment. The bondholder’s will exchange their existing debt for new debt and equity, depending where they sit in the capital structure. The company will either be sold, or taken public in a few months where the boldholders/new equity owners will start to sell their position. There is a chance that the outdoor business is sold separately to provide some cash.
In the end, the radio stations will remain owned by a conglomerate, because the underlying economics favor a nationwide format. It will mostly become what is known as a cigarette butt investment. i.e. you will try to take the last few drags off of it, until there is nothing left.
The biggest asset of the radio companies is their spectrum, which will end up being sold off to cellular carriers and radio will cease to exist.
November 17, 2017 @ 1:13 pm
Great points. I would only disagree in that I think there is still a market for radio station clusters, and many of them will be sold and operated for many years to come. Despite all the talk of doom for radio as a format, it continues to be a profitable business model when you have an appropriate balance sheet.
November 17, 2017 @ 1:00 pm
“radio will cease to exist.”
can I get a hallelujah?
November 17, 2017 @ 1:39 pm
a qualified one, yes
to the extent radio is live, it’s good
RF was/is “streaming” content, and it could still serve that role. and there’s something attractive about being able to dip your toe (ear) into a river of Sonic Now
it’s just that we’ve ceased to believe the river is real
November 17, 2017 @ 6:02 pm
Ok and this is just a question…..We have 2 Country stations here in Chicago. The iHeart “95.5 Chicago’s New Country” and the CBS owned US*99 “Chicago’s Hottest Country” which both play the same exact songs but not at the same time. Although sometimes they do…lol So if iHeart goes nothing will really change here in Chicago except they’ll be one less station to have an 80% bad play list. I don’t think anyone here would even care. I know some markets just have one so a local would have to pick up the slack right? They’ll still all play the same songs the 5 Billboard Country singles charts have on them.
November 17, 2017 @ 7:30 pm
Don’t lump the entire industry I work in with iHeart. Locally owned and operated radio is doing just fine.
November 19, 2017 @ 2:37 pm
No it’s not.
November 17, 2017 @ 8:13 pm
I’ll be first in line to buy a few stations once they start auctioning them off for $3.45 each. Radio ain’t going anywhere. Will be good to see it start leaking back into independent hands again!
These big-ass corps should have known better than to think they were going to scoop up every station and make money. Most anyone with a clue knew better.
Don’t let the door hit ‘cha where the good lord split ‘cha fuckers! Yee Haw!
November 17, 2017 @ 8:57 pm
The stations will be sold for multiples of their cash flows, which are pretty darn attractive at 20%-ish of revenue typically. I wouldn’t hold your breath on that $3.45.
November 18, 2017 @ 7:48 am
You are not gonna get a radio station for $3. Stick value is worth more than that. I know you were probably exaggerating for effect, but let’s not lose hold of reality here. If the radio station still owns it’s tower, the tower alone, depending on location, could be worth half a million dollars.
November 17, 2017 @ 11:22 pm
I’d be more concerned about this ‘imminent plight of radio ‘ if it hadn’t merely become an easy way to pander and peddle to the non-discerning , uncaring and easily manipulated with inferior music and the air pollution caused by the ever more relentless advertising. There are just far too many smarter , more informative , inspiring and INTERESTING options available to us when we care enough to embrace them .
November 18, 2017 @ 7:41 am
Didn’t the Feds just de-regulate the airwaves even more? Perhaps things could get even less local and more consolidated?
November 18, 2017 @ 7:45 am
I would caution people not to lump the big consolidators like Clear Channel and Cumulus in with the rest of us small owners and operators that are still out serving our listeners and advertisers. These big conglomerates are not a bellwether for the industry. The big companies were ruled by greed for a very long time, and now it’s starting to catch up with them. Small operators like myself are keeping the spirit of radio alive.
November 18, 2017 @ 8:18 am
Agreed. The station I work at went from satellite programming to all local about a year and a half ago and our ratings have more than doubled since. Localized radio is doing just fine.
November 18, 2017 @ 8:32 am
The business of music transfer from people of the night, to the marketers and ad. men was completed by the late 1970’s. The people from the “Big Boxes” of music, big recording, big radio, big marketing and big retailing don’t do things that were customarily done from the first recording of popular music until this transfer occurred They don’t go to the smaller clubs and venues to hear new music. They don’t go to the independent record stores to question the owner about whats selling, or to the community of patrons that know the vibe in their circles. They don’t go to the independent radio stations and ask about what their listeners are asking to be played or what is happening with the local music scene. They don’t do these things, but there are still other people that do. Go to a Sony Music office and ask the first person at the first desk you see, ” What’s new on the local scene?”. They will most likely call security. Do the same at Yep Roc, Compass, Bloodshot, Alligator and I would be willing to bet the person on the front desk would engage with you in a lengthy and knowledgeable conversation. Go to event organizers that put on arena or stadium shows. Security!! Go to a small club that presents music every night and ask the owner, or better yet, the guy that runs the sound board what’s happening. If they have some time they are usually willing to let you know what’s drawing, what’s not, and why. If you consume big box radio, big box recording, big box retailing, big box live events, you learn nothing about music. Eventually you may come to a realization like Ralphie in the Christmas Story did when he got his Orphan Annie Secret Society decoder pin in the mail. After decoding his first message he concluded it was all just a crummy commercial. Most all people I have known that listen to music eventually reach a point in life where they choose between two paths. The casual listener will view music as some kind of background noise track to their lives. Amounting to not much more than what is played while they are shopping or driving to do errands. Other people come to find what is commercial mostly leaves them empty. They are looking for music to replenish the blood and fill their soul. They search for music from that deeper well. There are people and vehicles out there that can help find that deeper well if you are willing to get off the path that most people follow.
What did it for me as an early teen in the early 60’s was the liner notes on the first couple of Stones lp’s. Writer credits to people with the names of Dixon, Morganfield , Jacobs and Burnett. This led me straight to the Chicago blues of the 50’s. From there it became a total immersion of connect the dots. Chicago Blues to Delta and Piedmont Blues to Appalachian and early Country roots to Bluegrass to Western Swing to Cajun and Zydeco to Alt. Country. If you want to lump all this into Roots or Americana labels go ahead, but I think arguing over genre labels doesn’t amount for much other than to drop music into neat little bins for people that want to be told what to listen to. Music tribalism doesn’t hold much weight with the artists I have had the pleasure of seeing and talking to over my lifetime.
I buy totally into the quote by Townes Van Zandt. “There’s only two kinds of music: the blues and zippety doo-dah.” Hope no one needs an interpretation of the “Blues” in this context.
November 18, 2017 @ 10:11 am
outstanding post
November 18, 2017 @ 9:10 am
Humans sure do cry a lot about the things they can’t be.
November 18, 2017 @ 9:11 am
But if it makes you happy….why the hell you so…
November 18, 2017 @ 10:14 am
too much sugar , alcohol, drugs, food , sunshine, time off , …all this stuff will make you happy -til the hangover hits .ultimately we cry cuz we’re pacified with too much of the wrong things when all your soul really craves is nourishment ……
November 18, 2017 @ 10:34 am
I was just about to apologize for my hangover post, until I read this crap from, Albert.
Quit trying to ruin my fun! Here’s some more dessert. It’s better for you than your
“nourishment for the soul”, double douche bag. I’m not buying it, in clear language you can interpret easily. I only have so many dimes to give out to the poor, sad, beggars. They just need to hear the clink in their hands and sounds of glee. I used to think they had heart and souls too, then I grew up and learned they are just plain, different. – don’t say that out loud. Everything is nice and calm, good to keep it that way.
November 18, 2017 @ 10:44 am
I was using the word beggars as a metaphor for troubadours and poets who would sell their sad tales of what people in the world were going through, trying to convince everyone that things had to change. Fast forward to the future, change the scheme, give them hope, give them income, they sing the same song but they don’t know what they are talking about. It’s worth $1.29 if you like it.
November 18, 2017 @ 11:22 am
there’s no capital ” A” in albert
November 18, 2017 @ 2:08 pm
apologies Bert.
November 18, 2017 @ 10:23 am
Wouldn’t mind if radio effed off. All the songs still sound the same. Let’s make a list of songs that have the same exact drumbeat on the radio right now! I’ll start:
All on Me by Devin Dawson
November 18, 2017 @ 10:38 am
On the radio?
November 18, 2017 @ 10:41 am
While all the musical talk is worthy, and laudable, you need to understand this:
Radio is, and has always been, a business. Since live radio went away when the stars of Hollywood went to TV and the “disc jockey” was invented as, yes, a cost cutting move, it has existed to gain a mass audience and get the revenue that audience brings.
To do that, you have to be able to get not just a lot of people listening, but a lot of people in the age group advertisers want to reach with their ads.
It does not exist to teach people “what good music is”. It’s exists to reflect the tastes of the mass audience.
Now, before you beat me over the head, I have been in and around country radio since 1975. I talked NASCAR racing with Marty Robbins, spoke to George Jones, met the incomparable Minnie Pearl. I am still in country radio today.
There is really little difference in what radio plays today and crossover country has been around since the 60’s. In the 70’s, people gave us crap for playing Linda Ronstadt, The Eagles “Lyin’ Eyes” (most definitely a country song), and Marshall Tucker’s “Heard In A Love Song”. In the 80’s, we caught hell for playing Alabama. Yes, Alabama. (“You know they’re a rock group, don’t you?”)
We now have artists 2 or 3 generations removed from Hank and Lefty, so it doesn’t surprise this 60 year old DJ that some more modern influences are in the music.
I don’t like it all. But, I do like a lot of it. I like some of the newer sounds of people like Chris Stapleton and others, too.
Over the years, I have discovered that country swings back and forth to modern, to traditional and back again.
I expect to see it happen some more, too. And I have no doubt, 20 years from now, traditionalists will still complain. For the very same reasons. This argument has been going on since the 1950’s. It gets old.
November 18, 2017 @ 11:40 am
great overview Kevin and appreciated …much insight , I’m sure .
here’s the one thing I have to disagree with :
….” It’s exists to reflect the tastes of the mass audience. ”
I’d argue that radio doesn’t ‘ reflect’ as much as it ‘dictates’ the tastes of the mass audience. I think most listeners want and would support better music than radio peddles today but don’t have the time or inclination to be active in this regard . I think many listener’s are waiting for a reason to listen to ‘country’ radio again …a reason which never comes as the stations cater to a younger and younger demograpic .
As a DJ , would you agree that songs like The Gambler or Lucille , Galveston , Three Wooden Crosses , I Hope You Dance , He Stopped Loving Her Today ,Mama Tried , anything by Don Williams , ….songs of substance that didn’t cater to a particularly young demographic but more to the emotions , experience and intelligence of a listener of any age – were far more prevalent in years past ? Yes there’s always been inferior fluff out there …no matter the genre ….but the fluff and mindless , generic nature of radio fare today seems overwhelming in comparison does it not ?
I believe , from my own experience as a writer and performer , the bar has been dramatically lowered in terms of the target demographic and the material offered to them by radio . You will indeed attract the market you cater to -large or small- but as with any business I believe the quality of your product will ultimately be your saving grace or your undoing .
November 18, 2017 @ 2:11 pm
I think the entire window has shifted so to speak. The very best is no longer as good and the very worst is far worse as in the past. That 80s, 90s country channel on Sirius does a top 30 from a select week from the 80s or 90s every week and occasionally I’ll catch it and it’s kind of interesting how much lousy music there was. But invariably there are also 5-10 good to great songs also where as now it’s nowhere near that quality.
November 18, 2017 @ 2:23 pm
I’d argue that radio doesn’t ‘ reflect’ as much as it ‘dictates’ the tastes of the mass audience.
Like Radio stations are controlling people now? Or that the music that is being played on the country music radio station, is actually catering to the advertisers’ expectations of what their target market listens to?
Get to know the advertisers on the radio, might be the owner of the furniture store, it might be the marketing director of an insurance company or hospital. Seduce them with wine and chocolates, then complain that your music isn’t getting played on the radio station and see if it doesn’t get played.
November 19, 2017 @ 1:33 am
” I’d argue that radio doesn’t ‘ reflect’ as much as it ‘dictates’ the tastes of the mass audience.”
yes , hugh …exactly ….
to clarify : there’s an impressionable youthful demographic that is , I’d argue , not as discerning as the same demographic was a generation back for lots of reasons . in targeting that non-discretionary market , radio ignores a more mature market . the more mature market ends up just accepting the inferior music options and in turn they are ‘ conditioned’ to this music . hence , radio has decided what EVERYONE will have to listen to unless they choose to turn it off and actively seek out the ‘ good stuff ‘ . of course , this hasn’t happened on the scale it needs to in order to inform and impact radio’s programming ( Isbell , Sturgil , Stapleton , Musgraves are getting insignificant airplay at best ) so we keep getting generic , watered-down fluff . ‘ safe ‘ product to spoon feed the very young demographic who are not steeped in the traditions of the genre and , consequently , are none the wiser about options .
November 19, 2017 @ 6:14 am
A lot may have to also have to do with peer group habits. I don’t know the research, but I’d bet that one of the keys to listening habits in later life is what one’s peers are listening to when you are in the pre-teen and teen years. Kids have plenty of identity issues to cope with. Anything one can do to emulate what the other kids are doing, or are into, helps them to fit in with the pack. Most kids are lemmings at this age as a way of self preservation. If their friends and peers are listening to crap, most likely they will listen to crap. I feel if you have kids, you need to have good music played around the house, in the car, wherever it’s appropriate. My kids are all in their mid to late 30’s and music was always played at home. They grew up with everything from Hank to Merle, from Hazel Dickens to Emmylou. They heard bluegrass, new grass, soul of the Memphis and Muscle Shoals variety and many other types of American roots music. They all still listen to this music and their kids are growing up exposed to the same. Don’t get me wrong, they and I don’t just listen to the old stuff. We listen to all the modern day extensions of this music. Long story short, especially if you have children. Don’t expect they will be exposed to the good stuff by the majority of their peers. Their peers will tell them what’s cool to listen to. If they don’t get the real stuff at home while growing up, you may lose the best opportunity to shape their listening choices for later in life.
November 21, 2017 @ 12:12 am
Could not agree more Bill . Young people need to be accepted and feel they are part of something . If music isn’t really something you are passionate about , its very easy to be swept up into the popularity of something with your peer group . POPULARITY being the key word . Popular does not mean GOOD . But , understandably ,as I said , a lot of young people aren’t concerned with ‘good ‘….only ” popular ” . Its always been thus .
As a professional player and writer myself , my son grew up with tons of influence and inspiration musically . His mother was a wonderful singer/player also and our house was exposed to EVERYTHING you can imagine from classical to funk …..Bela Fleck to Alan Jackson , Steely Dan , Merle , Tony Rice Lightfoot , James Taylor and yes …even top 40 country radio as that’s how I made my living …writing and playing mostly country …., and…well …you get the idea.. Today my son is an up and coming producer and bringing all of that inspiration to bear on his passion for great music He has NO time whatsoever for most of today’s ” country radio ” but will remind me of a George Jones classic he discovered on You Tube
Today more than ever , and not just where music is concerned , I think we need to remind kids of the greats that radio ignores …or great movies that have stood the test of time . Its too easy for them to be caught up in just ‘popularity’ and ‘celebrity’ with so much more attention being paid to those things by the media now ( Kardashian Kulture ) . We have to be a bit more vigilant in ensuring young folks get a taste of the tried , true and timeless ‘good stuff’ …the authentic alongside the hip , trendy and yes even some fresh and adventurous substance-driven newer art .
November 19, 2017 @ 11:11 pm
You know what gets old, Kev? That same old rebuttle from radio. Business. Business has no business in radio. You should have no say or judgement in what gets played. No one in radio ever should have. Radio doesn’t know what it’s audience wants. That’s why it’s RADIO people who say things like “if he (Chris Stapleton) only looked like Ryan Gosling then we could play him.” Then all of a sudden radio is gonna try to tell us the backstory on Chris? Here’s the deal radio: shut up. The artists will send you the music, you play it and sell your ads. The artists make the music, you play it. End of discussion.
November 18, 2017 @ 11:03 am
I would say people don’t like live programming, it’s get too weird and personal. Alcoholic and rich people acting in obnoxious ways. The audience is forced to plan their lives around them. Why the radio didn’t learn that if people aren’t listening it’s because they didn’t like the radio jockey’s banter is because nobody wants to hurt anybodies feelings. If you mention a song with an artists name, you think about the person singing it and that they have a life. What wasn’t known is that radio jockeys were the problem, turn off the station when the talk and the commercials get too annoying. I took my hands off the dial a while ago and the world just went to hell.
November 18, 2017 @ 11:18 am
How many times I’ve had to listen to an artist cater to the radio jockey or interviewers ego and special feelings, that they are in control of the artist’s lives is insurmountable in numbers. The radio talk can burn the brain cells of the listeners. Just play the music, we have Siri to tell us who it is and we press one button to buy it if we like it. A skip button would be nice if they’re not getting it right, when you got a hangover.
November 18, 2017 @ 11:28 am
It’s not insurmountable, I exaggerated. I’m the one that flips the station when others are weirdly content. I’ll leave a building or a store, if I’m forced to listen to it. Make the taxi driver change the station. It freaks me out to watch them sit there like what’s on the radio isn’t affecting them emotionally. Like it’s not talking directly to them, even though it just said their name and mentioned what they had for breakfast, and the last book they ordered online. I just don’t get it. People are weird.
November 18, 2017 @ 1:36 pm
After 50 years in media, mostly radio, I’m involved in an. Internet company.. Clear channel really messed up 20 years ago. Paying double what stations were worth. I watched consultants kill. Fm rock, the bean counters are as guilty as the internet in the industry demise.
November 18, 2017 @ 2:00 pm
Today they are $27Billion in the black including the 8Billion in debt they paid back. It would not have been a mess up if they overpaid for stations with the limited amount of licenses. Even individuals get renown for playing good music. If I were an internet company I would focus on that, like a ham radio operator. Playing the game, selling ice cubes to eskimos is a wonderful endeavor, being able to discriminate seems to be a lost or never acquired ability.
November 19, 2017 @ 2:41 pm
dear radio, it’s all over now, baby blue.
November 19, 2017 @ 3:25 pm
I am 53 years old,and I love Loretta,and she has been my favorite singer since I was five years old.She will forever be my favorite.My family,while they liked Loretta,are not the fans that I am.It took seeing Loretta’s beautiful face,and hearing her beautiful voice,and I was hooked on Country music.What my parents listened to,and age has nothing to do with it.My opinion is Loretta Lynn has the most beautiful voice of anybody in music.And I am no exception to that rule.JMO.
November 19, 2017 @ 3:36 pm
Also,let me add,I don’t buy the consultants notion that people don’t want to hear the legends new music on the radio.Common sense tells me,if the fans did not want to hear these stars new and old songs on the radio,they would not pay to see them in concert either.Yet,a lot of these stars are still touring and selling out venues.So, if they are paying to see them in concert,it’s just common sense to believe the fans want to hear them on the radio too.
November 21, 2017 @ 5:32 am
I’ll always say that Clear Channel changing it’s name to iHeart is the musical equivalent of United Fruit Company changing their name to Chiquita. The name might sound cuter and less threatening, but the stench of their past transgressions remain.