Randy Michaels Does George Carlin 112 Better
George Carlin only ever identified seven words you couldn’t say on the radio. Tribune CEO Randy Michaels–formerly of Clear Channel–has identified a full 119 of ’em that he recently banned from being used on the company’s flagship news/talk station in Chicago WGN-AM. None of these words or phrases would get a station in trouble with […]
Let the Music and Radio Conference Frenzy Begin: First Up- SXSW
Last week’s Intercollegiate Broadcasting System conference (IBS for short) kicked off the music and radio convention season and there appears to be no end in sight for broadcasters and music lovers over the course of the next few weeks. If you’re hoping to immerse yourself in music, bond with broadcasters, or geek out about the […]
14,420 Radio Stations in the US
At the end of last month the FCC released its tallies for the total number of broadcast stations in the US as of Sept. 31, 2009 and Dec. 31, 2009. When you see the big number of 14,420 full-service radio stations it’s a big reminder that radio is still an enormous media presence in this […]
Rough notes: What does the FCC's National Broadband Plan mean for radio?
Next Tuesday the Federal Communications Commission will reveal the entirety of its National Broadband Plan, over a year in the making. Required by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which authorized $7.2 billion in broadband stimulus spending, The Plan will weigh in on about a thousand broadband related subjects—how to help more people get it, […]
College Radio's Hidden History
Amazon.com Widgets In light of the 70th anniversary of the Intercollegiate Broadcasting System’s (IBS) annual conference last weekend, it’s a good time to reflect on the college radio pioneers who rarely get mentioned in radio history discussions. My fascination with the early days of college radio began when I started diving into the history of […]
Songs about Radio, part deux
Even with kids hearing new music from blogs and TV commercials, rock ‘n roll and radio are still inextricably linked. Last July Matthew ran down some of his favorite songs about radio, including The Ramones’ “Do You Remember Rock and Roll Radio,” and The Clash’s “Radio Clash.” This week the guys at one of my […]
Yamamoto's audio picks: On Patsy Cline, Lady Gaga, and Death
Each week I’m going to post a few songs, music videos and websites that have caught my eye at some point. I should mention that many of the links to “songs” will probably be on youtube (aka they may include videos that I don’t consider to be particularly good) and that I’ve chosen the “music […]
Sirius XM "extremely disturbed" by FCC wireless non-interference proposals
Sirius XM satellite radio CEO Mel Karmazin warned the Federal Communications Commission on Thursday that the FCC’s proposed non-interference rules with a nearby wireless band won’t do. “We are extremely disturbed by the proposal,” Karmazin confided in a letter sent to the agency’s Chair, Julius Genachowski. “The proposed rules seem to bear little resemblance to […]
70th Annual IBS College Radio Conference Hits NYC
It seems that most folks have short-term memory when it comes to college radio, as there’s much nostalgia for the supposed college radio “heyday” in the 1980s. Many would be surprised (and even shocked) to know that student radio has a tradition going back for more than 70 years. In fact, some of the earliest […]
New Pew Internet and American Life Study's Take on Radio News Consumers
A study released this week from the Pew Internet and American Life Project reveals some interesting tidbits about how people in the United States are increasingly turning to the Internet as a major source for news. However, the report, “Understanding the Participatory News Consumer” (PDF) also highlights the fact that people continue to seek information […]