Riffs on Radio

People often refer to Jazz 88.3 as a “radio station.”  Forty years ago, when we started playing Jazz and Blues, that was a perfect description of the services we provided to the community.  Today, however, we are much more than an entertainment-service-formerly-known-as-a-radio-station.

 Sure, we present endlessly varied, interesting music al statements of time, space and being, seen through the lens of the American experience to San Diego and Southern California via our traditional terrestrial broadcast.  But we also offer the same insight to listeners across the country and around the world via our online stream, and our mobile apps.  And it doesn’t stop there.  (I know I’m preaching to the choir, but there’s a reason for this.)

 We present 14 live concerts in the acoustically perfect Lyman Saville Theatre at San Diego City College.  We host eleven Happy Hours a year where people gather to enjoy one another’s company accompanied by terrific local artists’ performances, as well as roof-top gatherings during the summer at the Westgate, and other incidental events around the county. 

Besides all this, we support the interest of new people in Jazz and the Blues, and by “new” I mean newly hatched humans.  Kids, of all ages.  That is the purpose of this long intro. We have four on-going, long term music education programs that connect this music to children today.  And connect it does.  You know the toe-tapping, mood changing power of these sounds.  The syncopations, melodies and improvisations that never grow old, and always bring a smile.  We believe that kids need to know that there are musical alternatives to the thumping bass line or the electronically enhanced vocal.  And that those alternatives can be very spiritually satisfying.  (Okay, so the kids don’t realize that it’s emotional satisfaction that they crave, but we can talk about it when they’re not here.)

 All this being said, I present a letter we received in response to our sponsorship of Jazz: An American Art Form, for Title I schools.  JAAAF is a 45-minute enrichment program, based on the spontaneous evolution of this music, presented by four of San Diego’s most outstanding musicians.  Title I schools rarely have the budget for enrichment programs, so, working with our private donors, we have arranged funding for these presentations for more than 18,000 area students in the past 3 years.  Why bother?  What’s the big deal?  The note from a Title I parent below tells you.

So, am I the only one who didn't pay much attention to the stunt when the guy broke the sound barrier?  I guess 8 million people watched it live, but when I saw the story on the web, I thought, "Ho hum."  It's not that it wasn't a feat, and must have been incredibly frightening and cool at the same time, but I was hardly overwhelmed with excitement.  And, here's the kicker, I didn't even read the writing all over the guy's suit.  There.  I said it.  I didn't even notice it.  Sponosors' logos on sportswear have become ubiquitous.  Like graffiti, they make people's eyes glaze over.  

And yet, marketing people are all abuzz about the marketing genius of Red Bull Stratos further blurring the lines of differentiation between advertising, cause marketing and blatant self-promotion. 

Was this a brilliant was to sell more product?  Probably.  As a non-user of energy drinks in general, my loss is no big deal to them.  Besides, I'm hardly in the demo.  

But from another point of view, I can't think of much that would make me less likely to ever consider the purchase of a Red Bull can.  I find this stunt environmentally offensive.  The author of the post says, "The beauty of Red Bull Stratos is that it's not just a sensational stunt, but a business move that could translate into estimated sales of tens of millions of dollars, according to Ben Sturner, founder and CEO of Leverage Agency, a New York City-based sports, entertainment and media marketing company."  Ick. 

Last night, Candidate Romney had no trouble at all promising to eliminate all Federal funding for public broadcasting.  He didn't even blink as he looked at the debate moderator, whose paycheck comes from a public entity.    Here's a link  to the television side's response to Romney's comments.  But this post is not intended to be political.  I'm not trying to direct votes.

One of the pillars of our mission, at San Diego's Jazz 88.3, the support of the Arts.  Not just Jazz and Blues.  In fact, not even "just" music.  We see our role as an important vehicle for information about all the arts; as enjoyed through theatre, museums, performance and exhibition.  There is a perception  that the arts are, well, stuffy.  Or high-browed.  Or unimportant in today's world. 

Well, as it turns out, everyone knew that the arts are fun.  The art critic from the Guardian in the UK is merely verbalizing something that we've all known,  at least subconsciously, all our lives.  We listen to music because it's fun.  It makes us feel good.  Sometimes it makes us want to dance.  Or cry.  Or sing along.  Music is part of our soul. Music makes our bodies fluid, our hearts light.

I don't mean to give away professional secrets, but San Diego radio stations get together periodically to ascertain the "State of the Radio Business" in the market.  It's not like we're conspiring, or anything, but we just talk about Best Practices and stuff.  The organization has undertaken a formal study of the perception of the radio business, through the point of view of some large, local advertisers.

[SIDENOTE:  Of course, Jazz 88.3 does not carry advertising, but we do seek and enjoy the financial support of local businesses who appreciate the value of the service we provide. From that standpoint, the thoughts of the "advertising community" are important to us, too.  We are, after all, players.]

Anyway, without sounding like we're patting ourselves on the back, at least according to these advertisers, Radio, as a medium, is doing just fine, thankyouverymuch!  With the advent of mp3 players, streaming music services, and "Internet radio," the profession has struggled with the fear that radio, as we have all grown up, knowing it, is going the way of the newspaper.  Well, if these advertisers are any indication of the public' perception  at large, that's just not the case.  One advertiser said, "The listener relationship with radio is the strongest of any medium."  Another one said, “The connection with the listener differentiates it.” Finally, probably my favorite quote is, “Listeners are passionate about radio.”