Cpt. Z
Joined: 22 Apr 2004
Posts: 87
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| "Neo Radio" - Cool Commercial FM |
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I heard an interesting segment, today (30 June), on All Things Considered, on NPR. It dealt with the 'Neo Radio' movement. Basically, Neo Radio is commercial FM radio going back to its roots, somewhat, in order to attract people who are turned off by what commercial FM has devolved into. Focus was given to KQMT in Denver, where they do not talk over the begining or end of the music, they let tunes play out (A Day in the Life?) before segueing into the next, dead air is not a crime, they have a 5000 song playlist, advertising (no screaming allowed) is cut way back per hour, no contests, etc., etc. It was a well done, informative segment.
The segment is available to listen to at today's All Things Considered webpage, within the NPR.org. website. Click on "Neo Radio Cuts the Chatter". There are other links there in regards to Neo Radio, too.
I remember the late 70s when 'cool' commercial FM stations started dropping like flies. The last station to go down around here (1977 or 7 , was WPLR. One night I tuned them in and was surprised to hear slickly produced commercials for national sized companies, etc. It wasn't long until I realized that the playlist (and the DJ's on air 'presence') was being managed (strangled), by someone besides the DJs. Poor Stoneman (RIP), he must have been P.O.ed.
Northampton / Greenfield, MA. had a free wheeling/Neo Radio station (95.3) up until a few years ago. It's now a slick country outlet. Springfield, Ma. has W??? (100.9) that kind of freestyles a bit, but I don't think rates a Neo Radio tag. Up in Vermont they have WNCS (104.7) (and its repeater stations) which has changed a bit over the past few years, but is still light years beyond anything commercial in our area. Let's hear it for the left end of the dial!
Phil Siena
P.S. - I have no idea how the sunglassed smiley face showed up where '78' should have been. |
