Rambling Editorial

10/15/93

Am I so unfocused that I couldn’t pick one single topic for this week’s Editorial? Are there so many important issues that I couldn’t concentrate on one? Or is the opposite true?

Anyhow, I share with you some of the thoughts from the black hole that occupies the majority of my mind.

How bad was the hotel in New York City where the Hitmakers convention took place this past weekend? To avoid the real possibility of infection, Publisher Barry Fiedel was forced to wear socks rather than do his normal “come to Jesus” talk in bare feet. It just wasn’t the same.

What about R&R? It’s now mid-October. That’s one month after the latest deadline for their vaunted on-line system to be on-line. I heard that they’ve finally got the bugs out of the tic-tac-toe game, but the connect-the-dots program is giving them fits. By the way, Bernie, my bookie, had put the odds of a September delivery at 8-to-5, but after paying off my rather substantial wager, the odds are now off the boards.

With the Spring Arbitron ratings showing substantial gains for many Top 40 stations (see Page 6), what’s going to happen to those who were singing the format’s death knell just a few months ago? (They’ll probably apply for jobs at R&R.) Ain’t it amazing what a few superstar releases will do for the format? For Top 40 to prosper, Mainstream artists have to release records. Well, they’re back. Billy Joel, Mariah Carey, Janet Jackson, Rod Stewart, Aerosmith, En Vogue, Madonna, Tears For Fears and Duran Duran are just a few with formidable track records who are currently on the charts. Add to those dependables like Blind Melon, Toni Braxton, Haddaway, Lisa Keith, Ace of Base, Taylor Dayne and some of the others and you have the basis of the “resurrection.” The return of Meat Loaf, Earth, Wind & Fire and the Bee Gees are icing on the cake. Top 40 always grows when radio just plays the hits. It’s nice to have hits to play.

Has anyone ever seen the head of Arbitron and Don King in the same room at the same time? With the recent problems of the WBC sanctioned title fights that mysteriously ended in draws followed by weak explanations, it’s more than a little reminiscent of the continuing problems between R and R…radio and ratings. When will radio stop letting the tail wag the dog as far as ratings are concerned? Arbitron’s methodology is worse than R&R’s…and that’s really out of line. Sooner or later, radio must take control of its own destiny and demand a better ratings tool or our industry will continue to fall behind in the race for the advertising dollars.

Is it my imagination or is our industry, both on the radio and record sides, becoming more fun lately? Increased advertising dollars and better ratings are probably the reason in radio. And the success of carefully planned projects like Meat Loaf, U2, Mariah Carey, Billy Joel, Earth, Wind & Fire, Toni Braxton, Janet Jackson, John Mellencamp, Blind Melon and some others put smiles on the faces of most of those in the record business. Damned if it doesn’t seem like we know what we’re doing! It probably is a product of my highly colored imagination, but it seems like everyone’s enjoying themselves more in the latter part of the year than in the earlier part. R&R is, of course, the obvious exception.

Is Scott Shannon the funniest programmer in radio or do I just share his sense of humor? I’m sure it’s me because I also laugh at Bruce Tenenbaum and Michael Plen. That’s like saving whales, but killing porpoises.

This month’s edition of The Network Forty CD sampler contains air checks and promos of the famous “Last Contest.” This promotion was run on Top 40 KCBQ in San Diego in the mid-1970s. Although somewhat dated, it still is the perfect example of how to create excitement and set up a promotion that will make your radio station stand out from others. Conceived and produced by Jack McCoy, “The Last Contest” is something you should share with those in your programming and promotion departments.

Since R&R canceled its convention plans for 1994, the big rumor is that The Network Forty will step in with an unusual concept next year. (Editor’s note: It’s more than a rumor. Bernie has it at even money.)

With more listeners using “strange” pressures to request their favorite songs (see Page 6), are record companies now considering special “Strike Forces” to insure airplay?

It wasn’t so long ago that radio was about the only way to expose new record product. Today there are many others: MTV, VH1, The BOX, etc. Now, from out of left field, it’s Beavis And Butt-Head. Check out this week’s special feature on how these latest immortals are breaking records.

Am I the only person who doesn’t get Beavis And Butt-Head?

An ominous sign for R&R this week was the local Los Angeles weather “forecasts” of a bright sunny day on Sunday. An unexpected thunderstorm ripped through Southern California in the afternoon. And the weather center even has its computer system on-line.

Was I the only one who didn’t know they found the Mars orbiter?

And did you hear they found Jimmy Hoffa? He was on Savage Records.

So I’m playing golf with Bill Pfordresher and Les Garland. On the 10th hole, we come upon a pig that got stuck halfway through a fence, with the business end being our way. Pfordordresher says, “I wish that was Michelle Pfeifer.” I cast my vote for Demi Moore. Garland looks around and says, “Hell, I just wish it was dark!”

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