From the MCRFB.COM NEWS archive: 1964
From the Desk of Bill Gavin Billboard Contributing Editor
M O R E B A D P R O G R A M M I N G is done in the name of “good music” than in any other form of radio. This opinion is not only my own but is also held by many broadcasters. It does not, of course, rule out the excellent programming being done by a number of “good music” stations in the U. S. and Canada. But by and large the exponents of the so-called “better music” or “non-rock” policies display an abysmal indifference to the basic nature of commercial radio.
“You can’t please all of the people all of the time,” said a disk jockey recently to his program director, in defense of the music he was selecting for his show. The PD’s reply is worth noting: “No, probably not. But let’s try.”
Within its policy limits, whether r &b, country, or whatever, a radio station aims to please as many listeners as possible. At least, this is generally conceded to be radio’s prime objective. In view of such a fundamental guideline, it is amazing how many “good music” stations ignore it.
Ask a “good music” station manager about his music policy. Chances are he’ll say, “We don’t play rock and roll.” Or he might even say, “We don’t play any top 40 records.” He’s also apt to tell you that his station doesn’t program kids’ music. It’s “strictly for adults.” So far, the good music man has told you what kind of music his station doesn’t play. When you finally pin him down to what he does play, it usually turns out that this is left to the discretion of the individual disk jockeys. As long as they avoid the forbidden area of rock ‘n’ roll (whatever that is) they play just about anything they like.
A C O M M E N T O F T E N H E A R D in the realm of “good music radio” is that each disk jockey’s selection of music is an “expression of his personality.” This is probably true. And if we analyze the personalities thus musically expressed on the air, we are forced to classify a good many of them variously as smug, condescending, biased, snobbish, conceited, archaic, uninformed, careless. indifferent and/or incompetent.
A friend of mine once remarked of such a station in his city that “the DJ’s treat the station as if it were their own 50-kilowatt hi-fi set on which they play records strictly for their own personal entertainment.” This may sound like a pretty serious indictment with which to charge a considerable number of stations, yet it is highly probable that each of our readers knows at least one station in his community to which the indictment would apply.
It might be observed, parenthetically, that a tendency to program personal favorites can also be detected in fields of radio other than “good music.” There are not a few pop format stations where disk jockeys place personal preference ahead of an objective and informed awareness of community tastes in music.
In the area of “good music” programming, it is not quite fair to place all the blame on the disk jockeys for ignoring objectivity and programming their music to please themselves. Lacking any positive direction from the program department, it is probably better that they use their own taste rather than no taste at all. The common error made by so many “good music” operators is the assumption that by ruling out what they consider “bad” music they automatically achieve effective programming in the non-rock field.
It would be helpful to inquire just why it is that some good music stations enjoy high ratings and comfortable incomes, while others struggle on the brink of oblivion. The answer is to be found, I believe, in the fact that some few items of “good music” are greatly preferred by its followers. As in all kinds of music, there are always a comparatively few selections that stand out in their proved appeal to a large number of listeners, rising impressively above a surrounding environment of drab mediocrity.
S U C H A C O N C E P T A P P E A L obviously involves the classification of “popular” music, and perhaps a semanticist would find this term to be the obstacle that confuses so much of the prevailing thinking about “good music” programming. The idea of popular music implies mass appeal, and there are unfortunately too many programmers who feel that music with mass appeal cannot also have class.
The successful good music stations devote just as much attention to what is popular in their field as do the pop format stations to theirs. All disk jockeys are required to play a certain number of the strongest proven singles. The DJ’s are urged to concentrate on certain LP tracks that have been most effective in attracting listener comments. The music director makes a regular check of the retail stores and distributors to learn of any sales response to new singles and LP’s that are being programmed.
Regardless of his public disapproval of pop format competition, the successful “good music” operator acknowledges in private the practical value of much that his competitor does. Such techniques as short newscasts, tight cueing, bright pacing, frequent time -temp -weather, and minimum 1-1k are usually to be found in the most successful good music operations. The most important characteristic that the happier “good music stations” have in common with their pop format brethren is a rigorous objectivity in the selection of the music. Their DJ’s are encouraged to be good showmen and not permitted to be their own best audience.
Programming of music for radio has certain aspects of effective democracy. Successful music, like a successful candidate, depends on the people’s choice. END
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(Information and news source: Billboard; December 19, 1964)
