A THESIS

THESIS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY;

  

MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY ,2};
JOSEPH STEVE JOHNSON ’

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1- LIBRARY _
_Michigan State .,
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This is to certifg that the -

thesis entitled

RADIO MUSIC -- THE GATEKEIEPERS

p eeeee ted by

Joseph Steve Johnson

has been accepted towards fulfillment
of the requirements for

Ph.D. degree mm

'/“"~"“*” (-1 ”W 1

Major professor

 

Date June 23, 1970

 

 

 

 

 

   

ABSTRACT

RADIO MUSIC-“THE GATEKEEPERS

By

Joseph Steve Johnson

Johnson examines the practices of those who program
radio music. He likens their function to that of others
who regulate the flow of information along communications
chains. Someone must make a decision about which informa-
tion among all available information will pass through
these communications chains, whether rumors that pass by
word of mouth, news stories that are passed from the point
of occurrence through the news machinery to the consumer,
or music that is selected and programed for the radio
listener. He obtained data about practices of the radio
music "gatekeepers" by interviewing selected programing
personnel, and by doing case studies of procedures.

Johnson found that programing personnel consider
the music one of their most important program elements.
Program personnel were vague in describing their intended
audience goals and had difficulty in articulating the
limits of musical acceptability for their stations. The
three bases for record selection found to be most common

were record sales, personal taste, and intuition about

 

Joseph Steve Johnson

the audience's preferences. Johnson found that programers
filled their role uneasily in that they expressed many
uncertainties about knowing what their publics really
desired in the way of musical selections. Aided by little
objective data, they tended to rely on subjective data,
or objective data not entirely relevant.

Johnson supplemented the feelings and practices
of the programers with a summary of existing research on
music tastes (not a large amount) and added a music pref-
erence survey done in 1966 in one test market. The survey
included a list of fifteen-second segments of 84 music
selections. A sampling of 607 persons twenty years of age
and over was tested, rating each selection of a ten-point
scale. It was found that peOple generally preferred melodic
ballads over other forms of music. Record sales appeared
to be less important than the type of music--the best sell-
ing 45 rpm records included in the test, primarily rock and
roll in nature, all placed very low on the preference test
while more melodic pieces with ballad-type singers placed
relatively high. There was no clear preference for vocals
or instrumental, soloist or group, fast or slow tunes.
Melodic portions rated higher than non-melodic portions
of the same records. Rock and roll and country and western
music selections were the least preferred. Classical music
and jazz showed moderate acceptance, with melodic themes

preferred over improvisation and dissonant pieces.

, 1.

Joseph Steve Johnson

Johnson points out that the music programers tend
to Operate mostly with subjective data, by intuition, and
limited objective data. He suggests that the more objec-
tive the decision process can be made the more certain
will be their role of serving the public's music tastes
and the more efficient their operations can run internally.
He briefly outlines techniques used in modern business to
aid in decision-making, suggesting their use where possible
in broadcast decision-making. He concedes that many of
the quantitative methods, while usable in other areas of
business decision-making, are difficult to apply to the
decision involving music selection in the individual radio
station. While subjectivity is impossible to eliminate
from music decision-making at present, he suggests it can
be minimized by the following procedure. Each station
needs to establish a clear goal, to decide upon its
intended audience. Since the radio audience is divided
up among many stations in any market of size in the United
States, it is necessary to aim at a piece of that audience.
The segment of the audience chosen should be one that is
a marketable audience, one that will attract Sponsors
trying to reach it to sell the Sponsor's merchandise.
The audience should be one that the station can successfully
attract. It must be an audience that can be reached by
radio, and one that can be reached by the particular

station. For these reasons the market itself and the

’11,,

Joseph Steve Johnson

competition need to be analyzed. The station needs to
seek an audience that is either not served or one that it
can serve and attract better than competition is doing if
it is to be successful. This analysis of the market and
the competition needs to be deeper than just a knowledge
of music preferences, but one important piece of informa-
tion (should the station decide to play music) can be
that obtained through a music preference test similar to
the one reported in Johnson's dissertation. The test
itself will not eliminate judgment or intuition, but will

give a base for music program strategy.

RADIO MUSIC-'THE GATEKEEPERS

by

Joseph Steve Johnson

A THESIS
Submitted to
Michigan State University
in partial fulfillment of the requirements
for the degree of
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY

Department of Speech

1970

 

l ‘ {"7" J 9'
((-33 .14“. 5 “a; 8“} i

/»&Q«vx

Accepted by the faculty of the Department of
Speech, College of Communication Arts, Michigan State
University, in partial fulfillment of the requirements

for the Doctor of Philos0phy degree.
\1

E99 86% 5

 

 

Director of ThesisA/

Guidance Committee: Colby Lewis, Chairman
David Ralph, Chairman
Kenneth Hance

LeRoy Ferguson

TABLE OF CONTENTS

LIST OF TABLES . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Chapter

I. INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . .

Topic Background . . . . . . .

The Gatekeeper Concept . . . .

Method of Study . . . . . . . .

Background on Modern Radio . .

II. INTERVIEWS AND STATION PROFILES .

Interviews . . . . . . . . . .

Station Profiles . . . . . .

III. THE MUSIC SELECTION DECISION: DATA

DISCUSSION . . . . . . . . . . .

Music Preference Surveys .

A Different Approach . . .
Conclusions from the Music Test
Evaluating the Music Tests . .
Evaluation of Station Practices
IV. CONCLUDING COMMENTS . . . . . . .
BIBLIOGRAPHY . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
APPENDIX A. A Music Policy . . . . . .

APPENDIX B. A Music Programing Guide .

APPENDIX C. TOp Ten Radio Stations in America

with Highest Share of Audience

ii

iii

CDNUO

l6
16

34

56
62
68
83
86
9:1
99
103
105

106

1111

 

LIST OF TABLES

Music Preference Test Summary

Primary Reason for Radio Listening .

Choice of Reason(s) for Listening to Radio
Whether ReSpondent Likes Music Programs

Preference for Music Only, or Music Mixed with

Talk and Discussion . . . .

Listening Patterns . . . . . .

Changes in Radio Station Preference within the

Past Twelve Months . . . . .

Reasons for Changes in Radio Station Preference

within the Past Twelve Months

iii

73
76
77
78

79
80

81

82

 

CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION

This dissertation examines a problem in radio
station program decision making. The problem is one of the
most common and difficult in modern radio. It is the
problem of selecting the music the radio station plays.

Who decides what music is played on radio? What are the
criteria for music selection? What is the process? Do
present practices serve the public taste and interest?
Are there better methods than are being used? Answers to

these questions are sought in the pages that follow.
Topic Background

American radio in the 1960's is virtually ignored
by broadcast researchers, who Spend the bulk of their time
on television. The journals, filled with comment and
research on TV, have virtually ignored radio since the
1950's. Less than 2 percent of the broadcast criticism in
l

the print media is radio oriented, the remainder being TV.

In the industry serious radio research is lacking, with the

 

lMaurice E. Shelby, Jr., "Patterns in Thirty Years
of Broadcast Criticism," Journal of Broadcastin , XI, No. 1

(Winter 1966-1967), 30.

2

exception of sales oriented research, and the further
exception of program research from a few enlightened and/or
wealthybroadcasters. Yet there are as many car radios as
total TV sets. In 1966 there were almost 50 million radios
sold, compared with a total of just over 70 million TV sets
in existence, and just over 60 million combined circulation
of all morning and evening neWSpapers. There are now four
radios for every household in the United States, or 260
million total.2 Modern radio is everywhere, except in
research budgets and criticisms. There is a lack of, and
a need for, radio research--eSpecia11y radio program
research.

The most ubiquitous fare on radio today is music.
Music is the staple of programing, if not the most impor-
tant element. 0f radio's music one hears considerable
criticism by the man on the street. Certainly many of
these criticisms are attributable simply to differences in
taste. Still, the listener may wonder who at the radio
station decides what he will hear. And the critic, if not
the listener, may ask how that person at the radio station
decides what the listener would like to (or should) hear.
Further, the decision-maker at the radio station may not
be certain what music he should be playing to serve his

listening public.

 

2National Association of Broadcasters, "Dimensions
of Radio” (Washington, D.C., 1967).

   

The Gatekeeper Concept

There is an old parlor game with which most peOple
are familiar that begins with one person whiSpering a
story to a second person. The second person whispers the
same story to a third person. After several repeats the
version that has evolved through the number of whiSperers
is compared with the original. Usually it has changed in
some way, often very significantly, and peOple are enter-
tained by the eXperience. Jack Paar used to use the idea
on his television program, only with a different twist.

He would use multilingual guests who would have to trans-
late the story into a different language with each telling.
Results were often very funny.

That parlor game, in addition to being fun, is an
idea of a communication chain, in which each link, or each
person, is a kind of gatekeeper. Each person is a gate-
keeper because it is through him that information does or
does not pass to the other links of the chain. Our parlor
game is a very simple example in which the gatekeeper has
a limited choice of information which he can pass along.
In other communication situations the gatekeepers have more
difficult choices and make important decisions about the
form of the message that is passed along.

The simplest communication chain is, of course, a

sender passing a message to a receiver. In social

 

11

communication, however, a large prOportion of the communi-
cation chains is longer than two persons. The chains may
be interpersonal chains, by which a message is passed from
individual to individual, as in the parlor game. Or they
may be mass media chains, in which information comes into
the network of a neWSpaper or broadcasting station, and is
passed into the network of the media audience. The informa-
tion may be simple, or it may be complex, and there may be
cultural, technological, or semantic gaps between the
original source and the message's final receiver. At every
point along the chain are gatekeepers who determine by
their actions whether effective and accurate information
will be relayed.

An excellent example of the gatekeeping process is
what happens when a news event occurs. The first gate-
keeper is the eyewitness. The eyewitness sees the event
selectively, and he reports selectively to the second gate-
keeper, the reporter who talks to this news source. The
reporter must decide what part of the event is newsworthy,
what shape and color to give an event. The news story may
then go to an editor of the reporter's neWSpaper, who
decides how to edit the story. Perhaps the story then goes
to a wire service where someone decides which of the many
hundreds of items are worth passing on to subscribers to
the wire service. If it is a slow news day the story may
get more coverage than it ordinarily would deserve. If it

is the day a president is shot, or the day a savage hurricane

5

hits the American mainland, even a fairly important story
will be pushed aside and get little or no mention. From
the wire service the news story may be passed along to the
local broadcasting station or neWSpaper where another gate‘
keeper decides how much of the story to use, whether or not
to rewrite, where to place it among other stories. Each

of the mentioned gatekeepers, saying "yes" or "no" to the
messages that pass along the chain, has an important role
in social communications.

A number of gatekeeper studies have been done in
recent years based on the idea of Kurt Lewin3 about the
gates that regulate materials passing along channels to a
consumer. Most of these studies have been in journalism
and have focused upon the behavior of neWSpaper editors in
accepting or rejecting news material. White, Gieber, Ward,
Buckalew,LL and others have examined this behavior among
newsmen in the press or in radio and television. Such
studies have been done to further the understanding of
American news and information. The breadth of knowledge

and the critical ability of persons whose Opinions are

 

3Kurt Lewin "Channels of Group Life," Human Rela-
tions, I, No. 2 (19A8), 145.

LLDavid Manning White, "The Gatekeeper: A Case Study
in the Selection of News," Journalism Quarterly, XXVII, No.
4 (Fall 1950), 383-90; Walter Gieber, ”Across the Desk: A
Stud of 16 Telegra h Editors," Journalism Quarterly, XXIII,
(No. X (Fall 1956), 23—32; Walter Ward, "News Values, News
Situations, and News Selection," unpublished Ph.D. disserta-
tion, University of Iowa, February 1967; James Buckalew,
"The Television News Editor as a Gatekeeper," unpublished
Ph.D. dissertation, University of Iowa, August 1967.

 

6
sought and reSpected, and the integrity and the news
standards of wire news agencies and telegraph editors are
important in determining our views of the world. These
gatekeepers are in a sense our own eyes and ears, an exten-
sion of ourselves into areas where we personally do not go.
Our behavior is determined not by what really happens but
by what we think happens. If we think a thing to be true
it may as well be so, as far as we can control our own
behavior. How these gatekeepers perform has an effect upon
how we will perform.

Studies such as the ones mentioned help us to decide
whether, or in what instances, or to what degree, our news
perceptions are influenced by conditions like those in the
parlor game. Are we reacting to reality, or to reality
distorted?

While the news is an excellent example of the gate“
keeping process, and the one most studied, it is not the
only one worth examination. The concept of the gatekeeper
is useful in analyzing and understanding radio music. What
happens in the station's music library is not far different
from what happens in its news room. The communications
channels are fixed. Someone must make decisions about what
occupies those channels. It is not the listener, but the
radio station programer and the other gatekeepers, who
decide what music will pass through radio's transistorized
gates. It has been said that music hath charms to soothe

the savage beast, that the people who write America's ballads

7
are as important an influence as those who write its laws.
While such statements may be using some poetic license,
the radio industry might agree with them, for radio is so
dependent upon music for its survival.

For radio's music there are a number of gatekeepers.
There are the songwriters themselves. There are the A and
R (arrangements and repertoire) men at the record companies
who have the reSponsibilities for deciding what material
with what kind of arrangement will be recorded. There are
record distributors, promoters, trade publications which
review records, as well as others who have some effect on
what the public finally receives. The gatekeepers studied
here, however, are those in the individual station who
decide what records will be played for their station's

segment of the listening public.
Method of Study

In order to come to grips with the problem, and to
attempt to find some answers to those questions found on
page 1, several methods were used, and will be reported in
the pages which follow. The sections of Chapter I of this
dissertation deal with present broadcast practices--who are
the gatekeepers and how is music on radio selected? Part
of the data was obtained through a series of personal inter-
views with station personnel. The other section is a series
of station profiles, individual case studies that attempt

to show the decision-making within the context of the

 

8

individual station's daily Operation.

Following the data on some present practices in
programing music on radio, there is a brief summary of
techniques develOped by modern decision theorists to aid
in decision-making. The techniques apprOpriate to the
decision problem under examination are supplemented by
some research to aid in evaluating present practices.
Included in the research is a review of past research in
music preferences of radio listeners, plus a music prefer-
ence study Of a different type performed in a test market.
The latter test was done partly to see if a different
methodology would show different results from what the
earlier tests showed. There was also a chance that a newer
study would show changes over the earlier ones reported.
(The newer study, as will be seen, reinforced earlier data

from different methods.)

Background on Modern Radio

Before going further, it might be useful to summar-
ize briefly the state Of radio today. It is more than
Obvious to say that radio is grossly different from what it
was fifteen years ago. In the opinion of the author there
are two prime reasons beyond the Obvious one Of general
differences in life style. One major reason is television.
The second is the proliferation of stations. An individual
radio station used to try to serve all of the peOple to a

greater degree than it does today. The radio audience has

 

 

9

become fragmented. Television is the medium that today
tries to reach nearly everyone all of the time. Radio
Operators have begun to think of the public as being
several audiences, not one audience. Today it is generally
true that radio attempts to gain a maximum number of a
Specialized group, rather than a majority of all of the
peOple in its coverage area. This is less true in very
small markets, but it is eSpecially true in large metro-
politan areas where an individual listener with AM and FM
can pick up fifty or more radio signals. Because of the
competition of television, which has taken over many of
the roles that radio used to play, and because Of the
tremendous competition from other radio stations, a radio
station operator finds very often that he can, in the long
run, do better financially and get more listeners by pur-
suing a minority group of limited numbers than by going
after a larger group also sought by ten or fifteen other
stations.

Today there are few programs on radio. More Often
there are formats. Radio stations attempt to provide a
continuity by presenting a program, or series of compatible
programs, that continue through an entire day, instead of
variety programing presented in half-hour or hour time
blocks the way television does and the way radio used to do.
Station managers reason that when a station has thirty or
forty competitors, and no adequate program log in the news-

paper Or other print media, the station must be readily

   

10
identifiable and consistent so that a listener can readily
gain some image Of what the station is.

Because of this Specialization, stations today can
be rather easily placed into categories, as in the following
pages. The categories are the author's and are meant to be
descriptive of current programing patterns. Stations will
be referred to throughout the rest Of this study as one of

the following types.

Top forty.--SO named because the programing con-
sists mostly Of frequent playing of the forty best selling
45 rpm records. Characterized usually by a frantic pace,
mostly rock and roll music, contests, jingles, limited
number Of musical selections repeated often, young sound,
short headline news often of a sensational nature, slogans.
Examples: WABC in New York, WLS in Chicago, KHJ in Los

Angeles, the Storz stations.

Adult popular music stations.-~Usually featuring

personality disc-jockeys, pOpular music of a non-rock or
easy-rock nature, heavier reliance on standard tunes and
established artists, more mature and easy-going on-air
approach, upbeat middle Of the road approach, sometimes
with considerable news emphasis including perhaps network
news affiliation. Examples: WGN in Chicago, WNEW in New

York, KMPC in Los Angeles, KSFO in San Francisco.

Conservative music stations.--Usually not featuring

 

 

ll
personality disc-jockeys but emphasizing the station and
the music, the ”wall to wall music sound" or'beautiful
music” or "good music,” heavy reliance on standards with
full orchestrations Often played in clusters, ”less talk,

more music,”

some stations with no news at all, others with
extensive news Operations including comment. Examples:

KPOL in Los Angeles, WAIT in Chicago, WPAT in New York.

Country and western music.--The approach may be much

like the TOp Forty or it may come closer to the Adult
POpular, but the key is the music itself, the Nashville
sound, featuring such performers as Buck Owens, JohnnyCash,
Glen Campbell, Minnie Pearl, etc. Most Country and Western
stations emphasize the music more than the news or other
aSpects Of the station. Examples: WJJD in Chicago, KRAK

in Sacramento, KFOX in Los Angeles.

Classical music stations.--Although including works
by such composers as Copeland, Bartok, Stockhausen, and
Partch, many stations of this type rely heavily on Bach,
Beethoven, Brahms, Mozart, Tchaikovsky, The New York Phil-
harmonic, and the Philadelphia Orchestras, such stations as
WQXR in New York and KFAC in Los Angeles or KKHI in San
Francisco play mostly instrumental concert music but include
some Opera with an occasional Operetta or musical comedy.
The approach is usually dignified, low key, mature, with

limited commercials.

 

12

Progressive music stations.--Including both jazz
and ”underground” or "acid-rock" stations, these are more
Often found on the FM dial, characterized by music that is
usually in the avant garde. The one subtype, the jazz
station, would feature such artists as Miles Davis, the
Craig Hundley Trio, Johnny Hartmann, Gabor SzabO, and
others, while the progressive rock subtype would play some
of the Beatles' material, Procol Harum, the Lovin' Spoon-
ful, and Jimi Hendrix. Some blues might be played by both
subtypes. The approach is usually low-key. Sometimes
personalities are promoted heavily. News is not usually
emphasized. Examples of the Progressive Music stations
would include ABC's FM service, "Love", the Metromedia FM

sound; KBCA-FM in Los Angeles.

Conversation stations.--Telephone talk and other

conversation, ”two-way radio,"

strong personalities, usually
with considerable time given to news, eSpecially during
7 to 9 and A to 6 time periods when people are driving to

and from work. Examples: WEEI in Boston, KABC in Los

Angeles, KMOX in St. Louis.

News stations.--Those which broadcast all or nearly
all news, such as WINS in New York, WBBM in Chicago, KFWB

in Los Angeles.

Ethnic stations.--Those which broadcast in a foreign

language, or with Specialized programing that appeals to an

 

 

 

13
ethnic or racial group, such as some of the stations in the
upper Midwest that program all polkas, or the Spanish lan-
guage stations in New York, Los Angeles, and Miami, or the
stations in a large number Of large cities that broadcast
eSpecially to the Negro community. Examples: WVON in

Chicago, KALI in Los Angeles, WLIB in New York.

Varietv stations.--Those which include elements
from the other types. The number Of variety stations is
not large today. Twenty years ago it was the predominant
type. The variety station today is most often in a small
market or is an educational station. Probably the most
successful station of the type is WJR in Detroit, unless
one considers WOR in New York in this category. WOR might
be thought of by some as a conversation station. KFI in
Los Angeles Operated with variety programming until mid-
1968.

A separate category listing might also be the
Educational Station, including both the instructional and

' or cultural, non-commercial station.

”public radio,l

Not all Of these categories mentioned will be dis-
cussed in what follows, but it was felt by the author that
a quick categorization-definition listing such as the
preceding might make more clear some of what is to follow.
The definitions are by no means exhaustive. Certainly

there are stations that are difficult to place in one cate-

gory over another, but it is believed that the categories

 

l4

quite accurately fit with the way stations are.

In addition to being Specialized, radio is today
primarily a local medium. Primarily it is supported by
local advertising dollars as Opposed to national or net-
work buys. Network radio is secondary to local programing.
Fifteen years ago the Opposite was true.

Radio is an information medium. The information is
primarily news, although there is also considerable conver-
sation, telephone talk, Sports, commentary, and other
information. Radio can be eSpecially valuable in the areas
of abstract thought, where the visual element adds little.

Radio serves as an entertainment medium primarily
through playing packaged, already merchandised and marketed
music. Radio originates almost none of its music. It uses
the phonograph industry's product, paying little or nothing
for it. It is possible that the cheap source of music is
the prime reason for the enormous proliferation of radio
stations. Were it not for this easily acquired and cheap
source Of program material, it is doubtful that a fairly
high percentage of American radio stations could even exist.

Like the radio industry, the music industry is
highly fragmented. There is a great variety of music avail-
able for those of varying tastes. Today there are pOpular
records for the various publics, for the Opera fan, the
jazz enthusiast, the teenager (the biggest sales market),
and others. Although some records and performers appear to

have an appeal that encompasses a wide Spectrum of the

 

 

15

American public, they would seem to be exceptions. Be-
cause of this fragmentation radio stations have a great
variety of music from which to choose, but the programer

is Often confused by it, not knowing which to play. There
are many Opinions but not much scientific data. Objective
data on the public taste are lacking, or at least hard tO
interpret, and much Of the subjective data are conflicting.
Those who have the reSponsibility for decision-making about
what music to play have something Of a dilemma.

This dilemma is the focus Of this thesis. The
approach is from the programer's point Of view.

There are a number of limitations to any such study,
some self-imposed, some externally imposed. Approaching
this study from the radio station's management side is one
self-imposed limitation. In addition to the usual limita-
tions Of time and money, an external limitation included
the inability to Obtain privately funded management research
information from radio stations, record companies, and
licensing firms which would have made this study more

complete.

 

CHAPTER II
INTERVIEWS AND STATION PROFILES

This chapter deals with the gatekeepers and the way
they Operate in American radio. Who are they? What are
their criteria for music selection? What is the process?
One Obvious way to Obtain information about the way they
work is to ask them. This was done through a series Of

personal interviews.

Interviews

More than one hundred interviews were conducted in
thirty-six stations in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Salt
Lake City, plus ten additional stations in other parts of
the nation. The list Of ten included the ten ”most
pOpular" stations in the nation as determined by share of
audience according to one rating service (see Appendix C).
The interviews, all conducted by the author, were mostly
ten to sixty minutes long, but one included a two-day visit,
and some included contact over a period of up to two years.
Many of the interviews included additional Observation of
practices described in the interviews. Approximately 60
percent Of the interviews were done in person, the remainder

by telephone. The bulk of the interviews were done with

16

17

program directors, but a number were with the manager,
music director, and air personalities.

The technique used in the interviews was Open ended.
The author made a list Of questions which all reSpondents
answered. The questioning, however, was as informal as
possible. Where the reSpondent was detailed in his answers,
the author listened, allowing the reSpondent to answer
several questions at a time if he would. Where the reSpon-
dent was incomplete or evasive the author probed. Questions
were asked as objectively as the author could phrase them.

The author felt that the methodology chosen was the
most apprOpriate for this part Of the study because of the
nature of the material desired, the experience of the author
as a broadcaster and interviewer, and the limitations of
budget and other methodologies. The technique does not
very well lend itself to statistical analysis. Its objec-
tivity can be questioned. The technique does, however,
give an Opportunity to probe and clarify a reSpondent's
answer. It gives more nuances, more working information
about procedures, more detailed description:L

It will be noted that the call letters and location
of each of the stations and the names Of the reSpondents in

both sections of this chapter are omitted. The reason is

 

1A discussion that further delineates the pros and
cons of the technique can be found in Paul E. Lazarsfeld,
"The Controversy Over Detailed Interviews--An Offer for
Negotiation," Berelson and Janowitz (ed.), Reader in Euplic

Opinion and Communicatign (New York: The Free Press, 1953).

18
simply that much material could not be obtained or used
without the promise of anonymity.

The reasons the data were Obtained from the stations.
used for the survey are partly because those stations were
available. It was not possible because Of financial
resources and time to get a sampling of all stations in the
nation or to get true national geographic coverage. Los
Angeles and San Francisco were chosen also because they are
the leading markets on the West Coast and because they are
trend setters for other stations all over the western United
States. Salt Lake City was chosen because it is a smaller
market, also because it is a strong radio market for a city
of its size in that it is a trend setter for stations all
over the Intermountain Region Of the United States.

Phoenix or Denver could have been substituted for Salt

Lake City, but they were not as readily accessible to the
author. This combination of markets for purposes of the
study, and to accommodate financial limitations, was felt
to be the best possible. The stations chosen were selected
because they happened to be in those three markets, but
there was another factor. Audience ratings of each Of the
three markets were obtained from Pulse Pacific. Only those
stations which averaged more than 2 percent of the total
audience throughout the broadcasting day, and only those
playing music were used. This limitation made the survey
easier in that it held the total down to a more manageable

number (there are sixty-three radio stations licensed to

19
the city of Los Angeles alone), and it also eliminated, for
the most part, the very small, marginal Operations and the
FM's simulcasting the programs of their sister AM stations.
In order to obtain the desired information, ten

questions were decided upon for the interview.

Question 1, ”Which is the most important in your
programing--news, music, or personalities?" was asked to
determine the relative importance of music in the mind Of
the programer. It is Obvious that stations use a lot of
music in programing radio. However, do they think music is

the key ingredient, or filler?

Question 2, "Who selects the music?” is asked for

Obvious reasons, to find out who the gatekeepers are.

Question 3, ”What are your criteria for selection?”

is a key question, the central issue.

Question 4, "DO you have a formal or written music
policy?” was asked to shed more light on the previous ques-
tion. It was an attempt to find out whether the criteria

were explicit, clear-cut.

Question 5, "Does the music vary with time of day?”
was also complementary to number 3, asked to fill in some

of the gaps.

Question 6, ”Does your station have a play list or

 

2O

'formula'?” was another supplemental question, to determine
whether the music is tightly controlled or whether the on-

air peOple have artistic latitude.

Question 7, "DO you personally like the music played
on your station?" was asked to determine whether programers

play what they like or what they think the public likes.

Question 8 (asked only where apprOpriate), "As a
program director, how much initiative in programing are you
allowed? Is your station manager permissive or restrictive?"
was supplemental to the second question, to find out more

about who the gatekeeper really is.

Question 9, "Are you satisfied with the product
provided by the record companies?” was asked because the
relationship between the station and the record company is
a key one. The author was trying to determine if station
programers felt that they were being used by the record
companies as more or less merely a publicist for the record
company's product. Radio stations do not make their own
music, except in very rare instances. They can play only

what is provided by the record companies.

Question 10, ”TO what audience are you appealing?”

was supplemental to key question 3.

Following are brief summaries of the reSponses given

to the interviewer:

21

Question 1. Which Is the Most Important in Your
Programing--News, Music, or Personalities?

Most Of the reSpondents from stations with ratings
among the highest in each market said that a11_were impor-
tant and that none could be overlooked. This was eSpecially
true Of Adult POpular stations. It was less true of
Conservative stations and TOp Forty stations. Also, less
highly rated stations and highly Specialized stations--
Progressive Music, Classical, News--do not value balance so
much as the Adult POpular. The Progressive, Classical, and
Conservative stations emphasize the music more than the
announcers. Some of the three do not do news at all,
feeling that they can not compete in that area with the
likes of the News stations, network affiliates, and other
strong news Operations, of which there are many in most
large cities.

As was mentioned, many reSpondents said they could
not pick the most important ingredient of the three listed
in the question. Of those who did, music was the ingredient
felt to be most important by far. Of those who made a
choice, personalities was second choice, and news third.

It should be noted, however, that many of the strong news
Operations were in stations where the reSpondent said he
could not make a choice. It is interesting to note that not
one Of the respondents from TOp Forty stations said that
news was the most important ingredient.

There seemed to be a feeling on the part of many

22

in all categories Of station that if they could just play

the right music success was assured.

Question 2. Who Selects the Music?

There are a number of systems, ranging all the way
from a complete laissez faire attitude on the part of man-
agement to one situation where the manager of one of the
largest stations stated that he listened to every record
received by the station and approved or disapproved it for
play on air. Generally TOp Forty stations have the tightest
controls and personality oriented stations the least
stringent.

Although five of the ten highest rated stations
allowed the air personality to select his own music with
only a minimum of supervision or none at all, there was no
selection method that was a guarantee Of success or failure.
It is interesting to note that each type Of selection
procedure had its successes and failures, except that Of
those stations in this survey no tOp-rated Operation had
the music completely programed from outside the station,
such as by using a syndicated music service. There were
some successful stations that were using outside consultants.
Generally, they were not eager to talk much about it.

The most widely used system is one that has a
combination of controls by management and freedom of choice
by the on-air personality. In this system the program

director or music director screens all of the new music

23
that is received by the station and weeds out all of the
music that is not acceptable for play. Individual person-
alities then choose what they will play on their programs
from approved music.

In TOp Forty stations the manager more Often gets
directly involved. Either he or the program director
usually makes up the list (which may be thirty selections
or more but is seldom more than sixty) from which the disc
jockeys may play. The disc jockey may play only selections
from the list, although he usually selects the order. Most
TOp Forty stations rely almost entirely on 45 rpm records,
although recently some have begun to include album selec-
tions. Album selections are definitely in the minority.

There are stations in which the music director or
the music staff selects all of the music, and the announcer
programs what is selected. There are some syndications
that consist of lists of musical selections to be played
in a prescribed order, and that provide music tapes for the
Operator to play or to be used on automation gear.

There seemed to be about as many different opinions
as there were reSpondents, but following are some reasons
for the various procedures.

A program director of one of the most successful
stations said that for on-air work he hired only persons
who were capable Of choosing their own music and gave them
reSponsibility for their own shows. He reasoned that if

the program hosts can pick their own music they can better

24

integrate it with their own personalities and other content
Of their programs. In his station the announcers are very
good, and the ratings and billings are healthy. There is
also little turnover in personnel. The man said that
announcers tend to feel happier about their jobs when they
have a say in the content.

Another program director, again one of the most
successful, said that he hired only good peOple and gave
them a lot of latitude. "All of our guys are pros. They
know what we are trying to do, and they are good at it.

We check a guy out very carefully before we hire him to be
sure he is our breed of cat. Then we turn him loose. If
he doesn't perform we get rid of him, but we've almost
never had to do that. The creative peOple reSpond better
under this kind of environment. The ratings show it.”

He also stated that they have few changes in personnel,
noting that when someone leaves it is always for a better
job. He clearly thought, also, that there weren't many
better jobs.

Some managers and program directors do not trust
the on-air personnel to select their own music. They say
that they do not get sufficient quality control that way.
This is eSpecially true among those who have a high turn-
over in personnel and those who can not afford to be choosy
in their hiring practices. Also some stations hire on

voice or personality alone and do not feel it important

25
that an announcer also be a skilled programer. There are
also apprehensions on the part of some managers about
payola.2 They maintain tight controls on the music to
eliminate the possibility of the on-air people accepting
money for playing a particular record or favoring one
company's product.

Some stations have a board of acceptance, composed
of the program director, music director, and some announcers
(often one or two or sometimes on a rotating basis) who
screen the music played. This makes the choice a bit more
democratic than giving one person the sole reSponsibility
and also gives management an out since no single person

is to blame.

Question 31 What Are Your Criteria for Selection?

The basic criteria cited by reSpondents are: taste,
a perception of what the audience wants'to hear, record
sales, ratings, the trade press reviews, what other sta-
tions are playing, and what the management wants.

This was a question that many had difficulty in

answering. Many went into long dissertations attempting to

describe the process. This kind of thing may be easier to

 

2Payola is the illegal practice of paying someone
for Special considerations or of playing a record. There
was a large scandal in the 1950's in which a number of
leading air personalities and programers were found guilty
Of taking such bribes in the form Of money, cars, girls,
merchandise, yacht trips, etc., for pushing a record so
that it would get popular and sell a large number of
COpleS.

26
do than it is to talk about, and it is not easy to describe
the limits of musical acceptability verbally. Many said
simply that they were looking for a sound. If a record is
judged to have a particular sound it is played, if not, it
is not. But the author felt that many simply were not sure
what their criteria for selecting really were.

The one thing mentioned by more peOple than any
other was record sales. Nearly all said that if a record
sells in great number that one thing should make it a con-
tender for play on their stations. Not all will play every
big seller. Many play some records that are not big sellers,
but all play records that are big sellers, and many will
not play a record if it does not sell.

TOp Forty stations rely primarily on record sales.
They will play virtually anything as long as it sells in
bulk. Bulk may be 300,000 COpieS among 200,000,000 peOple.
These stations' managers say that by doing so they are
giving the people what they want. What people want, they
say, is what is selling. Their reasoning is suSpect,
since these stations play almost entirely 45's, although
the lion's share Of sales today is albums. Some of these
stations use listener requests as a.gauge of pOpularity.
Such tabulating of telephone calls is certainly not random
sampling, and probably not representative of the total
audience.

One station (actually an AM-FM combination) has a

very elaborate telephone survey system in which listeners

27
are asked their reSponse to new songs. PeOple call in and
give their reactions. Every seventy-fifth caller wins a
prize. Also FM Operators make phone calls during slow
periods of work asking those telephoned to name one of
their favorite songs or recording artists.

Some said their criteria were primarily qualita-
tive. They said that they play only selections that are
well arranged and well performed. They said that current
pOpularity was secondary.

Some stated the case negatively, saying that they
play only music that does not Offend. They seemed to have
less regard for what peOple like than what they do not like.
Many said that one can avoid playing a record that is good
without damage to the station, but a bad record can hurt.
Many said simply that they do not play "extremes” (their
word) in music.

Some stations look to their competitors to see what
is being played. Virtually everyone monitors the competi-
tion, as well as stations that are successful in other
markets, looking for tips and ideas. Highly rated stations
are always COpied. Certain key stations in Los Angeles and
New York are watched very closely, and are trend setters by
virtue of their success in those two entertainment capitals.

There is considerable second-guessing the public,
trying to ride the coattails of a pOpular movie or television
show, and reading the reviews in Billboard, Cashbox, and

Variety magazines.

28

Some program directors and on-air personalities
play what they like, or what the manager of the station
likes. Or they play what they think the public likes,
based upon their own experience.

The three bases for judgment which dominate are:

(1) record sales, (2) intuition, and (3) taste.

Question 4. DO You Have a Formal or Written Music Policv?
Almost none has a written policy. Several have
rather formalized policies. Others have less formal poli-
cies. Some policies are understood rather than stated
policies, with informal but Often effective controls. One
program director said that all personnel were on their own
after "being brainwashed.” Some have a sort of generalized
list of do's and don'ts with the finer points controlled
by day-tO-day supervision. Some have a policy that varies
from program host to program host. Some have no policy
but are doing what they are doing because the station has
evolved a certain way and as long as things are successful
see no need to change. Two of the written policies are
reproduced in the Appendix, and others are mentioned in

more detail in the later pages of this chapter.

Question 5. Does the Music Varv with Time of Dav?

In almost all stations there is little change in
type of music played, with tempo being the major exception.
Almost all program directors stated a need for consistency

Of the overall sound. Some said there were some slight

29
changes because of different personalities being on air.
Some said they found they could sell Specialized programs
better at night, and because Of that would change the
music. Most, however, stated that consistency was a
necessary ingredient for establishing and maintaining the
station's image in the public mind. Many said they play
brighter, faster music from 6 to 9 a.m. and 4 to 6 p.m.
and distinctly slower music after about 7 p.m., but

generally the same kind of music.

Question 6. Does Your Station Have a Plav List or "Formula"?

TOp Forty stations all had a list. Some others did
also. Only those selections on the list may be played.

TOp Forty stations tend to have the smallest variety of
musical selections played in a given period of time, and
the shortest play lists.

Some stations had what are called formulas, such as
Specifying that the first number after the news should
always be an up-tempo instrumental, the second selection a
current big seller, the third selection a big seller in
the past, etc. While some are very Specific, most were a
rather informal series of suggestions or do's and don'ts.
Question 7. DO You Personallv Like the Music
Plaved on Your Station?

This was difficult for the author to analyze.
Virtually all of the respondents said yes. It seemed,

however, that a great many replies were rather defensive.

 

3O
3

In pretesting the question, it was noted that there were
not any up answers, so the author began to ask a follow-up
question, ”Is it your favorite type of music?" There were
many evasive replies.

The most common reply of all was something like,
"Well, I like several kinds Of music. My favorite in some
circumstances may not be my favorite in others. The kind
Of music we play is one of my favorite kinds."

Common among Adult Popular music programers was the
comment that when they got home at night they often listened
to jazz or, slightly less often, the classics.

TOp Forty programers usually Spent more time tell-

ing why they liked the kind Of music played on their stations.

Question 8. (Asked only where appropriate.) As A Program
Director, How Much Initiative in Programing Are You Allowed?
Is Your Station Manager Permissive or Restrictive?

The question was also a hard one to squeeze more
than some impressions out of. The question was not readily
understood and usually needed amplification before getting
a satisfactory answer. Most program directors said their
managers were quite permissive, allowing them considerable
latitude in decision making. (The author wondered what the

managers of some Of these same stations would have said.)

Some stated that their station managers came up through

 

3The pretesting involved asking the questions of
colleagues to see if the questions would be understood and
if they would get results.

 

 

31
sales, knew little about programing, admitted it, and gave
them a job with the reSponsibility to carry it out. Two
stated that most station managers are their own program
directors. A few others stated that the program director
title was a title only and felt that they were really more
like chief announcers. One station, one Of the country's

largest, did not have a program director.

Question 9. Are You Satisfied with the Product
Provided by The Record Companies?

Almost all had positive attitudes toward the music
being put out by the record companies. Many said that most
of what was put out was trash, but that so much music was
available they had no problem getting suitable programing
material. Some said they did not agree with the emphasis
on teen-age music by most companies, but allowed that much
other good material was also pressed. Most also said that
the product had improved in recent years. Some noted that
there was much good music that they could not play on their
stations because of limitations in format Specialization.

TOp Forty stations were unanimous in their praise,
except that some criticized double entendre lyrics and
subject matter. There was concern over masked references
to Obscenity and narcotics in some records.

There was also generally a positive reaction to the
service provided to stations in the large markets. These
stations get most Of the records free from companies or

promoters. In the smaller areas there is not the same

32

satisfaction with service, since the smaller stations and
those larger stations in smaller cities are not wooed as
much by promoters and record companies. These stations
purchase most of their records from subscription services.
Also they do not get distribution nearly so soon as their
big city counterparts and may have to wait until a record
is an established seller in a metropolitan area before

they ever get it.

uestion 10. To What Audience Are You A ealin ?

There were two pat answers. Beyond this, any
reSponses to probes gave an impression of vagueness. Vir-
tually all had difficulty articulating in terms other than
”everybody,” or ”the 20 to 40 age group.” Some gave the
age limit as 18 to 35; one reSpondent put the upper limit
at 50. One Of the stations had an audience that, according
to Pulse rating data, was very strongly prOportioned of
Older peOple, mostly over 50. Others had audiences, accord-
ing to Pulse data, composed Of more than 50 percent Of the
people being under 18. In each Of these mentioned cases
the program director gave the stock answer, the 20 to 40 age
group. Whether they were this naive is doubtful. They
answered as they did because it is the 20 to 40 age group
that the American advertising business emphasizes SO heavily.
It is not, interestingly, the group with the largest per
capita income, but it is the target group of a large segment

Of the purveyors of mass produced products like soap,

 

33

cereal, and Chevrolets. It is the group that is raising
young families and acquiring essentials. It is the group
to which the reSpondents to this question said they were
aiming their programing.

Beyond the reSponses cited to the various questions,
there were some additional impressions gained. One is a
feeling by many that TOp Forty stations are invariably
rated number one. Although such sentiments were expressed
by TOp Forty personnel most often, personnel at other kinds
of stations agreed. Many said things like, ”Rock and roll
stations are always tops in ratings,” or ”We are number
one, after the rockers.”

The author Specifically asked a large number of
reSpondentS if the station undertook any research to find
out what their audiences wanted. The usual answer was

I!

"We buy Pulse (or ARB or Hooper). The impression the
author got was that most did not think of research except
in terms of subscribing to these ratings services. Not

one station referred to a station image study, or a music
preference survey Of the listeners or potential listeners,
or other type Of research. This does not mean, of course,
that no stations had ever had any such research done--it
may mean that they wanted to keep such material secret and
out of the hands of competitors. But stations did Often
show the author copies of their ratings, or Of their record

sales data. They mentioned tabulations of telephone record

requests. While there may be other research, the impression

34
gained from the interviews and conversations is that there
is very little.

There is also the impression given by programers
that there is considerable insecurity in serving the public
taste. There is the difficulty of knowing what the public
will accept. If one does find a niche, changes in strategy
by the competition or changes in public taste, or in

available personnel, may vitiate a concept or strategy.

Station Profiles

Since the questions reveal only what program
directors and other reSpondents said happens, and equally
important, because of the desire to Show more about the
process Of choosing the music, the author has included a
more detailed and in-depth look at actual programing prac-
tices and influences. These are presented in the following
pages in the form of station profiles, or individual case
studies. Certainly the limited number of cases reported
here do not represent the universe of radio Operations, but
they Show more graphically the way stations actually
Operate. These case studies were constructed on the basis
of a number Of conversations and interviews with employees,
former employees, competitors, advertising agency personnel,
and in some cases, work eXperience by the author inside the
station. Because of their nature they are not entirely

objective, but there is an attempt on the part Of the author

 

35

to describe rather than to make value judgments. They
include a very small station, a medium small station, a
station of moderate Size, and a large station with million

dollar billings.

Profile 1

A small station in a one station market, it is one
of a group of five under common ownership. The owners are
absentee. The manager has considerable local autonomy,
except that all stations in the group have the same basic
format--"TOp Forty" music, personality disc jockeys (Often
very young beginners), "rip and read" news (no newsman per
se--the disc jockey rips a summary off the news wire during
the final record before the newscast without even reading
it in advance and announces it as being from "Action Central").
The station plays only those records shown to be big sellers
in Billboard and Cashbox magazines; there is no attempt to
find out what records are selling locally. Approximately
100 selections are played, almost entirely 45's, and the
tOp 40 selections according to Billboard are played more
Often than the bottom 60. The only other records that are
played are approximately one Oldie each hour (a big seller
within the past five years, never Older) and four records
chosen one to a disc jockey each week that are anticipated
to become big sellers. (The chief criteria for selection
Of those four are the write-ups in the trade publications.

The four pick hits are almost invariably the same ones that

36
Billboard picks.) Some of the 100 selections that remain
on Billboard's list for a long time are drOpped from the
play list since it is felt by the manager that they are no
longer popular because Of the delay in Billboard's reporting.
Management feels that there is about a two-week delay due
to assembling of data and processing and distributing it.
The decision to drOp selections from the list is arbitrary
and is the manager's, although he may be influenced by the
individual disc jockeys. The controls are informal and
appear to work with a minimum Of tension and friction. The
whole atmOSphere is rather low key. The station has no
competition. It is not a big money maker, but it slides
along comfortably, with little pressure from the parent
organization to increase profits. At times in the past
before it began to make money it was used as a tax write-
Off. A 1,000 watt daytime Operation, it is the only radio
station in a town of approximately 8,000. Residents of the
town also can receive two other stations from towns approxi-
mately twenty-five miles away. The station has no program

director, a total staff of seven.

Profile 2

This station is one of four in a city Of 40,000.
It operates from 6 a.m. to 12 midnight with 250 watts of
power. Audience rating services have shown the station
with an average of 50 to 55 percent Of the total listening

audience during the broadcast day. Staff size is twelve

37

peOple. The format Of the station is a combination of
Adult POpular and TOp Forty music, five minutes of news
hourly, and play-by-play college football and basketball.

Ownership Of the station is corporate with some
local stockholders but with control in another city. The
station is one Of four owned by the corporation. The presi-
dent of the corporation is a former local time salesman
(without prior management or programing experience) who
borrowed money from his father-in-law to purchase a strug-
gling station in the Midwest. He quickly made the station
a tOp-rated one and a successful moneymaker. Within three
years he had acquired three additional stations, two in the
Mountain West and one in the Pacific Northwest. All sta-
tions but this one are located in metrOpOlitan areas of
over 500,000. Policies for all stations are set at cor-
porate headquarters with the president deciding on all
matters of policy and most lesser matters. Engineering,
programing, and sales policies and systems are the same for
all stations and are patterned after those Of the first
station. Station jingles are OOpies of the flagship sta-
tion's. Turntables are all made by corporate engineering
from component parts and in the station's woodworking shop.
When new stations were acquired new personnel were trained
by key personnel from the flagship station SO that the new
stations would be carbon COpieS of the Old, even though
they are located in different markets with different compe-

tition and different personnel with their own particular

 

 

38
strengths and weaknesses.

Although the station manager has done some announc-
ing and programing, he has experience primarily as a time
salesman. He became station manager after serving as sales
manager. In his present role he continues to keep the best
accounts and Spends a good part Of his time selling.

The program director's prime reSponsibilities are
as a disc jockey and newsman. The duties of program director
are carried out primarily during the news shift.

There is no news staff as such. Each announcer
serves as disc jockey four hours a day and newsman four
hours a day. Very little time is Spent in the preparation
Of news other than reading the news over before broadcast,
and perhaps crossing out a few lines of the longer stories
since it is station policy to air only headline news. The
corporation president suggested nineteen stories as a good
number of stories for a five-minute newscast (actually
three and a half minutes after the Open and close and com-
mercial in the news). There had been one full-time newsman
hired by the manager but the corporation president ordered
him fired, even though he was a very good man, because he
believes newsmen to be luxuries the station does not need,
merely adding costs and cutting into profits. A newswire
machine is the source of most news, although the station
manager or program director will occasionally write a story
he runs into. The station has one car equipped with remote

broadcast equipment that is driven by the station manager

39

and can be used to cover local disasters or other stories
from the scene. The manager is a native of the town, is
knowledgeable and has a good nose for news, but is limited
by numerous other duties. ‘ I

The station also Offers money for the best news tip
of the week called in by a listener. Some mileage is made
of this tool, but since the disc jockeys are intent on
preparing tomorrow's programs while they are also working
news, they are not eager to do much digging into tips.
Also, they have to be around to do the next hourly newscast
and will not go out on a story except in rare instances.

It is station policy to interrupt the program to bulletin
hot stories that happen during the time between newscasts.
Commercials are never interrupted, but records always are.
Policy is always to let a record get established, then
break in with the bulletin announcement, fading the record
while the bulletin is read, allowing the record to run
during the bulletin, and fading it back in after. The
bulletin is thought to have more impact that way, seeming
more important because it has interrupted the music rather
than being casually dropped in.

The music was at first taken strictly from the
best Selling records in Billboard magazine. The policy set
by the corporate president was to play only the seventy
most popular 45's as listed by Billboard plus five picks
for future popularity to be selected by the local program

director with the help of the other deejays, plus one

4O
million-seller from the past each hour. The records on the
top seventy list could be played in any order by the disc
jockey but not repeated Oftener than every two hours. Each
disc jockey could refuse to play a particular record that
he did not like or did not fit his show (such as a very
slow ballad early in the morning). Such avoidance of
certain recordings was not forbidden by policy, but certainly
not encouraged as each deejay was expected to play all of
the records during the week. The first record after the
news each hour should be one from the tOp twelve. The
"Oldies" were scheduled at approximately fifteen minutes
past the hour. The first record after the half hour was to
be one of the picks for future pOpularity. The Oldies
could be selected from a library of million-sellers at the
sole discretion of the disc jockey. There were many
records (perhaps as many as 20 percent) on the Billboard
list that were not received from distributors or record
companies or available in record stores in the city. These
records were sent from the parent station upon notification
of the deficiency.

Such was corporate policy, but after a brief period
of getting adjusted to it and feeling the pulse Of business
associates and friends and getting a sampling of reactions
from the program director and disc jockeys and their friends
and relatives, the manager Of the station ameliorated the
policy to eliminate some of the tOp seventy records (as

many as one third) considered by management to be

41

objectionable to adult listeners. In addition, since there
was no provision under the policy for playing songs from
albums, the manager gave the program director permission to
include in the usable library currently pOpular albums, to
be programed by the individual disc jockey approximately
every third record. This was intended to give the listener
the impression of greater musical variety and to lessen

the feeling that the listener had not heard it all before.
It also was done to de-emphasize the teen-age music and
increase emphasis on adult music.

The modifications can be called a success, Since
ratings went up to make the station a dominant number one,
and sales and profits increased tremendously.

The announce staff, in the Opinion of the author,
was the best Of any Of the stations in town, with good
voices and a mature, fresh, enthusiastic approach. The
announcers were quite versatile with at least two being
also good newsmen.

The policy was in effect for approximately a year
and a half. The only variations occurred when the corpor-
ate book was followed more closely when corporate visitors
were in town. Visits became less frequent with the healthy
ratings and increased profits. It was rumored that the
station manager would be elevated to managership of one of
the larger stations in the chain.

Things changed when the corporate president an-

nounced that he would come to town for a week for a complete

42

review of the station's Operation, a sort of routine proce-
dure for all stations. The station manager, deciding that
his success would Speak well for the modifications, decided
to lay everything out in the Open during the visit.
Immediately, on orders from the president, all of the
"improvements” were taken out. Starting the following week
the station play list was reduced to forty records (a move
which had been contemplated by the president for all his
stations for some time) all chosen from corporate head-
quarters. The list became a combination of Billboard and
record sales in music stores in the flagship city. The
single criterion for playing a record was whether or not
it was selling and only 45's were played. The reason given
for using the same records on both the flagship station
and this station was that what was successful in the larger
station with its tougher competition would certainly be
successful in the smaller station.

The future is unknown. That is the policy at the
time Of the study. How the new policy will affect ratings

and advertising is unknown.

Profile 3

A 5,000 watt station located in a metrOpOlitan area
of 500,000, this station has a staff of twenty-five. The
station owner established the station, built its first
transmitter, and has served as its manager. The station

has been a solid moneymaker. For the past three years it

43
has been a tOp-rated station among the dozen in the city.
The format is adult popular music and news, with emphasis
on album music and personalities. There has been no program
director as such. The station manager, primarily an engi-
neer, has exerted very little influence over program con-
tent, preferring to hire peOple capable of doing a program
well and giving them the freedom to produce. The content
of an individual show has been left up to the program host.
The station has featured five full-time air personalities
plus one part timer. By what was probably a string of good
luck, the station manager acquired a staff that was not
only capable of doing an effective on-air job, but of pro-
graming each show in a manner consistent with the overall
sound of the station. Each individual retained his identity
but fit in well with the overall format.

The range in age of staff members was twenty-five
to forty. The mike men took pride in their programs and
the station. Each announcer had had varied eXperience in
broadcasting with news, personality work, and television
experience. Each had what is considered a good radio voice,
pleasing air manner, an interest in all the elements of the
station, and similar musical tastes.

The staff seems to have come together by chance,
with the determining factor two capable announcers who were
to make their influence felt with increased ratings and a

philOSOphy of broadcasting that caught on with the public.

When there were Openings at the station these jobs became

44

filled with similar types who thought and felt much the same
way about broadcasting until all the slots were filled and
a period of stability was established. In time, the mana-
ger began to assign many of the administrative duties to
one air personality who, unofficially, became a sort of
assistant manager. The system is probably unique in that
very few station managers give the station so little
direction or have such good luck in getting such a compe-
tent staff. There are dangers Of payola and other deals,
possible lack of consistency and adherence to station
goals, but in this case the system worked well for approxi-
mately three years. That the staff was of high quality can
probably be shown by the fact that when they left two mem-
bers became air personalities in Los Angeles, two became
program directors of other local stations, and one became
news director Of a large TV station.

The manager did exert some influence, but only in
the outer fringes of station policy. Most Of what became
station policy came about by conference of the on-air
peOple and by informal pressures by them. The on-air
people were a kind of peer group with its own system Of
positive and negative sanctions. If one person played a
record that the other peOple did not approve of, they told
him about it. There was considerable feedback in the
announcer's lounge, the library and recording studio. Each
person felt a pride in his show and constantly attempted to

increase his ratings and pOpularity. There was considerable

45
camaraderie among the personalities. They Often made
client calls with salesmen, kept rapport with at least two
music stores and all of the record distributors, made
numerous personal appearances, and promoted themselves and
the station heavily without the aid of a promotion director
and very little aid or contact with the station.

The music could be classed as adult pOpular with a
heavy emphasis on albums. There was strong emphasis on
Broadway and Show tunes, from singers currently in vogue,
and those best selling records that fit the image the pro-
gram hosts felt was the station's. Teen-oriented music and
most rock and roll was excluded. All would not play a
record, even if supposedly very popular, if they felt the
performance was inferior musically. The personalities
were on the lookout at all times for new and promising
performers and records so that one got the impression from
listening to the station that it was current with the
times, but in an adult manner. Each personality felt pride
and enthusiasm for his program and the station. The
attempt was to give the station a freshness, a friendli-
ness, an excitement.

News was less heavily emphasized than the personali-
ties and the music, but there was definite emphasis on
presenting an informative, adult news approach. National
news was almost entirely "rip and read” but the station was
not averse to calling Moscow if there was a story that

could be gotten. Local story coverage included some

 

46

original writing and coverage. Stories of regional interest
might be accented with a telephone beeper report from news-
men at out-Of-town stations who covered the story. NO
personality did newscasts while hosting a music program,

but two also acted as newsmen at other times. With both
announcers the news was not just an additional time for
readying program material but they worked at it.

The system worked very effectively for approximately
three years, as the station maintained high ratings and was
almost entirely sold out of advertising time. However, it
is probably inevitable that in any such loosely structured
system some bugs are bound to develop after a period Of
time. The bloom seemed to begin its fade when two of the
best peOple moved up to better jobs in larger markets.
Replacements were hired who performed adequately but were
perhaps lacking in the stature of the men they replaced.
When the station image centers so strongly around strong
personalities, when most of the programing and promotion
center around them, changes can be disrupting. Names are
not built up overnight.

The ratings began to slip about the same time the
manager felt that he was getting old and working too hard
and should enjoy himself more. While retaining the title
Of General Manager, he gave the duties and reSponsibilities
Of running the station to a new man given the title of
Operations Manager. The new manager had previously worked

with two of the members of the staff, both of whom

47
immediately resigned. They possibly were upset at being
passed over in selection of the managership. Also, they
did not like the new manager and had not worked well with
him in their previous jobs. In addition, they did not even
know Of the upcoming developments until they read about
them in the morning neWSpaper.

Immediately, the new manager began to place strict
controls over the heretofore free wheeling efforts of the
on-air personalities. The new controls were not popular.
The format underwent rather abrupt change. The new manager
literally began to remake the station in his own image. He
had little affinity or sympathy for prima donnas, which he
felt the announcers were. A Spirit of cooperation was not
in evidence.

Through a barrage Of memos he set a new direction
for the music. His own taste was substituted for everyone
else's. The first record in each program segment (follow-
ing newscasts each hour) was always to be an ”Opener,” an
up-tempo instrumental. The second record should always be
from a bin which he personally selected. These were 57 in
number and were nothing more than what he perceived the
best 57 current single records to be. The third record
was always to be from a current album, followed by another
"best 57," a million seller, and another "best 57." The
music became less Frank Sinatra and more John Gary, less
Count Basie and more Guy Lombardo, less Brazil '66 and

more Carmen Cavallero, less Peggy Lee and more Patti Page,

 

 

 

 

48

less "When the World Was Young" and more ”Inka Dinka DOO."
The music sound became less modern and more middle aged,
less SOphisticated and more square. Music became less
varied by type and artist. It became more conservative in
that artists never could be played until they became well
known. The policies became very strict. One personality
was criticized for playing three Negro performers in forty
minutes. An edict was put forth that there would be no
more than one female vocalist played in an hour. (When
one announcer tried to sneak a second female vocal in at
five minutes before midnight and forty-five minutes after
the last one, he received a phone call immediately telling
him that if he were to do that again he would be fired on
the Spot.) The music was no longer the program hosts',
but the operations manager's. The personalities accused
him Of programing to middle-aged businessmen. He replied
that he was pretty average, that if he liked a piece of
music a lot of people in the audience would like it too;
if he did not like it a lot of people "out there" would
not like it either. He liked to make the analogy, ”We're
running a hamburger stand. The whole world likes hamburg-
ers. We'll leave the exotic foods to others. We'll just
serve musical hamburgers." The Operations manager had
constant trouble getting the announcers to play the music
that suited his taste, so he began to personally audition
every record in the library and mark out the selections

with a knife that he did not want played. The music became

49
purely a reflection Of the taste Of one man.

Personnel became a serious problem. Where before
the station had almost no turnover, it could now keep no
one, it seemed. Where before the announcers were always
considered to be among the very best in the city, and the
station was the place where almost every announcer in the
area wanted to work--the station to which other broad-
casters listened, it became a jumping off place where one
worked until he could find a better job. Ratings faltered.
Business decreased. The manager began to experiment with
other formats. The station started to run numerous con-
tests trying to buy listeners. They began to play rock
and roll music, then requests. The station faltered and
Sputtered for a period of time until the manager began to
drOp the idea of personalities altogether and began to
emphasize what is called ”sweet” music, "conservative"
music, or "wall to wall" music, to use some of the labels
used in the trade. The station began to cluster and limit
its commercials, and cluster the music emphasizing melodic,
stringy, mostly instrumental music.

The sound began to achieve some consistency. It
became established and began to show higher in the ratings.
Business improved slowly but steadily. Personnel problems
remained, but did not affect the station Since its person-
ality and image were the key factor rather than the indi-
viduals' personalities. The manager handpicks the music.

Anonymous announcers give commercials and news and

   

5O
nondescript announcements. The station has a consistency
of sound in spite of its high turnover in personnel. It
has found its new audience and brought ratings up almost
to the earlier level with sales at the limit due to the
self-limitation in number of commercials. It has raised
its advertising rates. It also has lower overhead. It is

once again successful, but in a different way.

Profile 4

A 50,000 watt station, it is located in the same
city as Number 3. A CBS affiliate, part Of a radio-FM-TV
complex under common ownership, it is the flagship station
Of the six under corporate ownership. The TV and radio
stations Operate separately except for news and some book-
keeping functions. Staff size, not counting news and
corporate personnel who work radio part time, is about
forty. The station is a long-established power in the
community and has always been one of the highest rated
stations, with by far the highest advertising rate. It has
the largest news staff, strongest news image, and richest
tradition. The organization is highly structured, bureau-
cratic, and cumbersome. Decisions are not made lightly.
The organization is almost a total Opposite to that Of
Profile 1. Much work and decision-making is done by
committee.

The corporation president has a sales background,

no background in programing, but he knows what he likes--

 

51
yet on many points he tends to vacillate. One staff member
said that he could usually predict the new direction the
corporate president was going and new ideas he would come
up with by reading Variety, Broadcasting, and The New York
Timgg, because Opinions would Often be parroted in memos to
managers within a few days. If a rating comes out showing
a rock and roll competitor strong, the president usually
sends down a memo suggesting more rock and roll songs be
played. If the next rating shows the conservative, lush
music station strong, the memo says to play lots Of
Mantovani.

The station manager is more knowledgeable and more
consistent, and more original. A former program announcer
and program director, he is more aware of the problems and
strategy Of programing than the corporation president. He
moved from programing to sales before becoming general
manager. His idea of the music that Should be played is
generally conservative, pretty music that will not offend
any group in the listening audience. The station does not
cater to teenagers. There is concern, however, that the
station's audience is composed tOO heavily of Older peOple.

The music is basically adult popular, except that
on Saturday night there is a jazz show which the corporation
president has never liked and has asked to have removed but
which has stayed because it has sold better than any other
program ever scheduled in the time Slot. Week nights there

used to be a late hour Of classical music, but it was

52
removed at the insistence of the corporation president.

The announcers on the station have consistently
been the highest paid and among the best quality in the
area. It is a good place from which to move on to a larger
market, and numerous graduates of the station have been on
the networks and large metrOpOlitan stations. Turnover
has been very light until recent years when a combination
Of circumstances and a toughening attitude by the station
manager have caused turnover. The station has always
heavily emphasized personalities of program hosts and
newsmen.

The corporation president and the station manager
find it difficult to delegate authority and like to
eventually make all important decisions affecting the
station, many Of which their department heads think should
be delegated. Both are somewhat removed from the program-
ing and tend to make programing decisions not on programing
considerations but on sales considerations. They also
insist on making all key programing decisions allowing the
program director latitude on lesser matters, and Often they
allow personnel with suggestions or gripes to disregard
the channels Of authority which are set up. There is
also considerable dissention between the president and
the manager. Program decisions and other matters Of
station policy Often reflect this, becoming a tug of war
for the two in their jockeying for power. The president has

tried to fire the manager but allies of the manager on the

 

53

board of directors have prevented this. The manager in
recent years has been pressing very hard for increased
profits and ratings to shore up his own strength. Program
decisions are definitely affected by this struggle.

Until the past year the air personalities, with
careful supervision by the manager, program director, and
president, have selected their own music. In the past
year five key peOple have been lost to the staff, including
a program director. The new program director and new staff
members caused changes in the music sound of the station,
precipitating the manager to request tighter controls,
Since the consistency of sound and quality of some of the
music were not to the liking Of the corporate president.
In addition, the loss of established personalities and
changes in the music had combined with increased competi-
tion to make the rating race tighter than in recent years.
(One of the best peOple had moved into sales, since his
goal was management and no manager of the station had ever
achieved the position except by going through sales.
Another had committed suicide. A third had taken a job in
a larger market. A fourth had taken another job within
the corporation where he would be a producer Of television
documentaries. The fifth had Opened his own agency for
commercial production. The reasons were not strictly dis-
satisfaction with station, but they had nevertheless had
caused voids that needed filling.)

The first step taken to tighten the music controls

 

54
was to have one of the on-air personalities choose all of
the music. It proved to be too big a job in conjunction
with his other duties. Another person was hired to choose
the music, but there was a rough transition period. This
person had so much trouble pleasing management and the
on-air people that a new attempt was made to have the on-
air peOple pick the music—-after it had been carefully
screened and marked Yes or NO by the program director. Only
approved music could be played. A written music policy and
guide was placed in the hands of each announcer to aid him
in his selection. This policy was followed with relative
success, except for one announcer. He just could not
follow policy. After a stormy period of trying to work out
differences with management he resigned. The president
continued to write stormy memos about a particular record
he did not like, or ask why the station was not featuring
a selection from ”Sound Of Music" every hour (a year and
a half after the movie had come out). There was a running
feud between the president of the corporation with his
philOSOphy, the station manager with his philosophy, the
program director with his philOSOphy, interSpersed with
eXpressions from a half dozen on-air peOple. Air checks
were constantly supplied the national advertising represen-
tatives who would contribute comments and further muddy the
waters. In the process Of appeasing all, the music became
"safe" and sanitary. With the constant worry of diSpleasing

any of the three superkns the on-air people played nothing

 

 

55

that would offend anybody, unless it was the program
director who objected to the blandness Of it all. NO one
played a record just because he thought it would be liked
by his public. He played a record first Of all because

he thought it would Offend none of his superiors, and then
its positive attributes were considered. Anything that
came along that was different, or slightly exotic, or
highly stylized was carefully avoided until it had become

popular somewhere else and was considered safe to play.

 

CHAPTER III

THE MUSIC SELECTION DECISION:

DATA AND DISCUSSION

The previous chapter tries to Show the way stations
select their music. It tries to show some of the practices
and feelings of those who program music on radio. ESpe-
cially in the case studies one gets a feeling for the
dynamics Of the problem, the dayrtO-day realities that
affect what comes through on our home receivers. It
became clear to the author that presenting music for the
public is, really, a struggle for the broadcasters. It is
a competitive struggle in that one is constantly trying to
please the public better than the competition so that one
can attract more listeners and more advertising revenue.
There is also the struggle that goes on within the station
itself among personnel who have their own ideas about how
best to do this.

Playing music on radio is like buying presents for
other peOple. It is easy to buy presents and select music
for one's self. TO do SO for other peOple successfully
takes a finely tuned sensitivity. When men have difficulty
buying presents for their wives of twenty-five years, it

is not surprising that radio programers feel uncertain or

56

 

57

have differing Opinions about serving an audience largely
unseen, heterogeneous, with many alternatives available
for attention.

Since it appears to the author that the previous
chapter covers a problem in decision-making, that Of
deciding how the individual radio station will most effec-
tively choose music to play for the listener, let us at
this point examine some of the techniques used by manage-
ment experts to assist them in making decisions. By doing
this perhaps we can better evaluate the techniques Observed
in broadcasting stations. In recent years much analysis
and research have been directed toward decision-making.
The military, the corporation, and the university have all
scrutinized the process and have tried to develOp new
knowledge and new techniques about decision-making. The
physiologist, the psychologist, the philosopher, the
mathematician and statistician, the economist, the politi-
cal scientist, the psychiatrist, the engineer, and the
lawyer, to name some, have contributed to our knowledge
about decision-making. The management theorist has
attempted to incorporate the findings of other disciplines
into applied, Operational schema.

Speculation, scientific investigation, and opera-
tional testing have been used to refine techniques that
will help man make better and faster decisions. There has
been an attempt to make the process more Objective and

more efficient. Much of the eXperimentation in this

 

 

L1 ‘1:
A“. ,a...|’1.p.. - _. Ivy—”qr

 

58

regard has dealt with quantitative tools.

Terry lists the bases for decision-making as the
following: (1) intuition, (2) facts, (3) experience,
(4) considered Opinions, (5) Operations research, (6)
linear programing, (7) simulation, (8) Monte Carlo,
(9) queueing, and (10) gaming.1 The first four are non-
quantitative, the last six are quantitative. All are
used, but since about 1950, the develOpmentS of the quan-
titative techniques have been rapid and their use has
increased greatly because of their Objectivity. Let us
assume for the moment that our problem, which music to
play on radio, is important enough that we should use
every means available to help us to make our decision.
Using Terry as our guide to the strengths and weaknesses
of each Of the ten bases, let us analyze them with regard

to possible use in music programing.

Intuition.--This entirely subjective element can
be successfully used by the perceptive individual who has
the prOper feel for a given situation, but because the
person is relying on instinct, other bases for reaching
decisions may be minimized or neglected, the means Of sub-
stantiating the decision to compeers of the decider are
difficult to translate, and the organization is at the

mercy Of the whims or prejudices Of the decider.

 

1George R. Terry Princi les of Mana ement
a._____JL__________£L____.
(5th ed., Homewood, Illinois: Richard D. Irwin, Inc.,

1968).

  

59

Eapts,--Such materials as sales accomplishments,
cost analyses, and production data are widely used in
business as bases for decision-making. The steadily
increasing use Of computers makes much of these data more
readily available. The benefits of the use of facts are
Obvious, it is hoped. Terry points out, however, that
adequate facts are not always available for decision-
making. "To secure them may cost too much, present too
difficult a task, or require too much time. Complete
factual information is an ideal to be sought, but perhaps

seldom achieved.”2

Experience.--Such decisions are based on practical
knowledge. A person sees and understands things in terms
of concepts with which he is familiar. Where his eXperi-
ence is applicable, this can be very effective. By
contrast, his decisions may be made upon outmoded concepts.
There can be a tendency to stick with the status quo when

something else is called for.

Considered Opinions.--These are Opinions based
upon logic--logic which is based upon careful analysis of
Opinions and statistics. At their best considered Opinions
are arrived at by impartial and thorough examination of
pertinent data with allowance for uncertainties. At their

worst, they are a rationalization of prejudices.

 

2Terry, p. 86.

 

60

Operations research.--

Operations research consists Of bringing together
data on a Specific problem, processing these data,
and from them resolving quantitative reports on the
relative merits of various potential courses of
action. The concepts of Optimization, input-output,
and mathematical model are utilized. . . . Problems
best suited for Operations research are those involv-
ing recurring decisions. Generally the problem
concerns time, cost, or amount of profits which are
to be Optimized.

Linear programing.--Usually either matrix algebra
or linear mathematical equations are used. For the tech-
nique to be applicable the following three conditions must
be satisfied. Either a maximum or minimum value is sought
and eXpressed in terms of money, none Of the independent
variables have eXponents greater than one, and obstacles

or restrictions on the relationships Of the variables

exist.

Monte CarlO.--Random sampling is used to simulate
natural events in order to determine the nature of the
probability Of events under study. A table Of random
numbers is used to obtain a random sample. Monte Carlo
predicts what will probably happen in actual events without
analyzing comparable existing events. The technique is
useful in answering such questions as, "What is the current
chance of a breakdown of a given machine?" or ”What is the
Optimum manpower level that will balance overtime cost

with excess manning costs?"

 

3Terry, pp. 110-111.

   

61

Queueing.--There is lost time, unused labor, and
excessive cost caused by waiting lines, or queues. The

Objective Of the technique is to minimize these losses.

Gami g.--Although Often used as a training device,
games are also used as a decision-making device. The tech-
nique is most useful in dealing with the actions of
competitors. The person attempts to analyze the course to
follow in his company that will lead to the minimum amount
Of trouble if the competitors do the smartest action pos-
sible for them to do. What is decided is ordinarily

11

eXpressed in quantitative terms.

Of the techniques mentioned, we must eliminate some
from consideration at this point, because they do not apply
to the problem at hand. As far as deciding what music to
play is concerned, queueing is not a problem. Likewise,
linear programing and Monte Carlo do not directly relate
to the type of problem we are examining. Operations
research works best with problems that do not have subjec-
tive inputs. If used, it would be more effective in
planning overall strategy than in solving the day-tO-day
problems. Simulation might be a technique used by manage-
ment to smooth out studio Operations or automation gear

prior to a change in format or establishing a new station,

 

uFor a more complete description of the various
techniques, see Terry, pp. 66-128. Additional source
material is found in the bibliography.

 

62

but again, is not germane to the situation here. Gaming
might be used by a program strategist in a Specific situa-
tion to maximize his competitive advantage, so it would
have relevance, as would the remaining techniques:
considered Opinion, facts, experience, and intuition.

If we can assume at this point that maximum
rationality is the goal of the decision-maker, or at least
preferred over irrational alternatives, we can assume that
facts and considered Opinions are preferred to experience
alone, and that intuition by itself is the least preferred.
In other words, judgment based upon Objective data is
preferred to that based entirely upon subjective data. As
Terry says,

Important in management is judgment, which is

a part Of all decision making. When values are
clear, information is adequate, and risks are rea-
sonably predictive, the decision making may appear

to be void of any judgment. . . . Under [Opposite]
conditions, judgment becomes the medium by which
conflicting values are resolved, risks assessed,

and alternatives evaluated.5

Our questions and station profiles suggest that currently

judgment plays a greater part in radio than it would in

many other businesses dealing with more tangible goods.
Music Preference Survevs

In the area Of facts and materials upon which to
base some considered Opinions we need to look to research

reports. We can also check advertising rate, audience

 

5Terry, p. 71.

 

63

ratings, record sales, and other data which seem pertinent.

Not much research information is available in the
area Of music on radio, or music preferences of the Ameri-
can people. There are some data, however, and they will
be summarized in the pages that follow.

A number Of sources document the desire Of the
peOple for music on radio. The Night Call study done for
the Television, Radio, and Film Commission of the Methodist

6 and the 1962 CBS7 study agree in principle if not

Church
in percentages. In the Night Call study 85 percent Of the
reSpondents said they listen to music regularly. The
figure for news was slightly less. No other category of
program had percentages nearly so high. Further, when
peOple were asked their preferences, the figures show
similar results. ReSponding to another question about the

primary reason for listening to the radio, over 50 percent

said music. (Not all prefer the same kind of music, to be

 

sure.) Thirty-one percent Of the reSpondents gave news
their vote. All other categories received the small
remaining percentage.

Radio plays a lot of music. The peOple Show a

preference for music. But what kind Of music do they want?

 

6Audience Analysts, Inc., ”Night Call Survey,
March-April 1966,” Bala-Cynwyd, Pennsylvania. (Unpublished
research report.)

7CBS, ”A Study of Listener Attitudes Toward Radio
Programing." (Unpublished research report of a 1962 study.
Pages not numbered.)

 

64

To answer this question let us further examine the research.

A 1957 Iowa survey8 interviewed more than 9,000
adults. In addition, an identical survey was mailed to
753 high school boys and girls in forty Iowa high schools
chosen at random. Each person was asked two questions:
(1) ”Of the fourteen types Of MUSIC programs on RADIO
listed below, which FOUR types do you like best?" and
(2) "DO you DISLIKE or hate ANY of these types ENOUGH
that when you hear them on radio you want to either tune
in another program or turn the radio off? If so, which
ones?" The fourteen music types listed are: classical,
concert, show tunes and musical comedy, barbershOp quar-
tettes, hymns and Spirituals, waltzes and sweet music, Old
familiar songs, band music, Hawaiian, Latin-American,
western and country, current pOpular music, swing or jazz,
and rock and roll or rhythm and blues. The Iowa survey
found the following results:

1. There was little general tendency to tune out
music programs. The average adult questioned named only
one type Of program as disliked so much that it would be
tuned out. However, teen-aged high school students aver-
aged approximately three and a half program types each.
Nearly all teens named one or more program types as dis-
liked enough tO be tuned out, whereas one-fourth Of adult

women and nearly one-third Of adult men said no type of

 

8F. L. Whan "Attitude of Iowans Towards Radio
Music,” Journal of Eroadcastin , 2:1 (Winter 1957-58), 44-54.

 

la ‘4 11. llll III II 4|! ll‘lll Il‘l

 

65

music was disliked enough to make them want to retune the
set.

2. Place Of residence (urban, farm) had less
influence on liking or disliking radio music than did age
Of reSpondent. However, there were small differences in
percentages naming show tunes, hymns, western, classical
and concert music.

3. Formal schooling appeared to have some effect
on liking for or dislike of some kinds of music.

4. No single type of music was liked or disliked
equally by all age groups.

5. Rock and roll and classical music were the
two types that most adults would tune out, but classical,
concert, country and western, and barbershop quartettes
were the ones most disliked by teenagers.

6. Adults preferred waltzes and sweet music and
current popular music, while teenagers preferred current
pOpular music and rock and roll.

J. Walter Thompson did a study in 1960 using a
mail survey of 3,200 housewives using the same fourteen
categories of music.9 They found that taste varied some
according to age and education, that housewives reSponding
preferred music and news over other kinds of radio program-
ing, and that if they could improve programing they would

have less rock and roll and more "good music” (the words

 

9"Radio-"'An Individual's Medium," mediaéésgns, IV
(June 1960), 86, 90‘91-

66

Of the Thompson study). They found some differences
according to geographic area--women in the South showed
less preference for Show tunes, a greater preference for
country and western and rock and roll, less preference
for Latin-American music, a much greater preference for
hymns. Northeastern women Showed a greater liking for
show tunes and a lesser liking for hymns than the other
women. The overall totals of those liking each type of
music were as follows: waltzes and sweet music 54.4,
current pOpular 38.7, Show tunes 33.4, old familiar 30.4,
hymns 28.7, concert 22.9, classical 18.0, band 16.0,
Hawaiian 12.2, country and western 11.7, rock and roll
9.7, barbershop 7.8, swing or jazz 5.8, and Latin-American
5.1.

A poll by Lou Harris printed in neWSpaperS of

September 3, 1966,10

stated that American adults preferred
Show tunes, mood music, symphony and classical music, while
teenagers preferred almost exclusively rock and roll.
Adults liked rock and roll and Operatic music least among
all types of music. The report also stated that 50 percent
of the adult public reported it bought records in the
course Of a year while 83 percent Of the teenagers pur-
chased discs. Adult music tastes spanned a rather wide

variety of musical types, while teenagers were concentrated

on rock and roll.

 

. 10The report of the Harris Poll used by the author
was printed in the Salt Lake City, Utah Deseret News.

 

67
The CBS study mentioned previously made the follow-
ing summarization about musical tastes:

Show, pOpular and semi-classical music are almost
universally liked by all types of listeners. These
types of music are considered relaxing, melodic,
beautiful, make peOple feel good, and can also be
nostalgic in that they bring back pleasant memories.
Some peOple also like Show music because they enjoy
the lyrics, the story, can sing to them, and, if
they have seen the Show, they can relive it. POpular
music has the additional appeal of being lively, and
Often with lyrics that can be enjoyed for themselves
or sung to.

In the total pOpulation, classical and religious
music have a moderate appeal. These figures may be
somewhat inflated because peOple are ”supposed" to
like such music.

Those who like classical music also find it
relaxing; they consider it the deepest kind of
music, of the most lasting quality; a cultural
activity; and they can enjoy good performances.
Those who do not care for this music are frank to
admit that they do not understand it; it is tOO
”highbrow"; heavy, slow draggy. Similar differences
Of Opinion exist with religious music. Those who
like it find it inSpiring and relaxing; they eSpe-
cially like hymns, the holiday music, and choirs.
Those who do not like religious music either find it
too somber, or are not religious, or feel that it is
being cheapened by being played on radio--a commer-
cial vehicle.

Jazz and Opera are controversial forms of music.
There is an approximately equal controversy about
jazz among all listener types.

Those who like jazz enjoy the lively rhythm; its
modernity, and they eSpecially enjoy the musician-
ship in the improvisations. Those who dislike it
find it loud, noisy, repetitious, even wild and
savage, and state that it is not relaxing and makes
them nervous. Those who like Opera enjoy the beauti-
ful music, eSpecially the arias, the voices, and the
fact that it tells a story. Those who dislike it
either do not understand it and consider it "high-
brow," or that it requires too much concentration,
or dislike the voices (eSpecially the high ones).

68

Rock and roll and hillbilly music are the most
disliked. Those who like rock and roll music enjoy
the rhythm, its modernity, and often state that they
like it because their children like it. Those who
dislike rock and roll feel that it is not music-~it
is noisy, wild, even savage; repetitious, with silly
lyrics; not relaxing, makes them nervous, and for
kids. Those who enjoy hillbilly music like it as a
change Of pace; music with a story; peppy; and makes
them feel good. Those who dislike it do not think
it is real music; repetitious loud, silly, corny,
and dislike the nasal twang.li

A Different Approach

The findings of the surveys mentioned are all rela-
tively consistent. Yet the author was suSpicious Of the
findings because of two reasons. One is that some of them
were done long enough ago that public tastes may have
changed. The other is that all used verbal descriptions
of music. The author questioned whether verbal descriptions
of the music were sufficiently well understood or universal
to accurately reflect public taste. What one person calls
classical music may not be classical music to someone else.
What a teenager thinks is an Old familiar song may be quite
different from what his grandfather thinks of. The author
felt a need for a test which did not use verbal descrip-
tions but musical examples, that only by listening to
examples of various types of music could valid reSponses be
gotten regarding music preferences.

One such test had been used in a Master's thesis

 

llCBS study. (Pages not numbered.)

69
by Arthur Bartfay92 Also, the author found out about and
obtained a copy Of an unpublished study done in late 1964
by a researcher Operating out of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Dr.
Frank Magid. A Similar method was used by each--adminis-
tering a music test to a sample Of reSpondents. The music
tests consisted of having each reSpondent listen to a tape
Of musical selections and scoring his like or dislike of
each selection on a ten-point scale. Bartfay used fewer
selections and used longer segments Of each selection.
Magid, through pretesting, eliminated some of the more
esoteric and less preferred types of music to focus on the
more pOpular forms of music and attempted to evaluate
relative pOpularity of various types of artists and styles
within this more limited context. Bartfay's selection of
music ran more heavily to classical selections, had a
broad cross section of types Of music, but was limited in
variety in the area Of pOpular music.

The author analyzed both studies at length. While
both used similar techniques, the author determined Magid's
approach to be more nearly perfected. For instance, the
greater number of selections on the Magid survey could
deal with more examples Of various types Of music. In
pretesting, the author found that people did not need as

much time to make up their minds as Bartfay gave them.

 

l2Arthur Allan Bartfay, ”A Factor Analysis of
Classical and POpular Music in the Lansing, Michigan,
Area (unpublished Master's thesis, Michigan State Univer-
sity, 1966).

 

 

70
Therefore, the greater number of selections had an advan-
tage with no accompanying disadvantage. Also, the author
believed Magid's musical selections to be a more accurate
cross section of American music (in the limited manner
mentioned) than Bartfay's, even though the author felt
that both contained oversights.

Upon further examination, pretesting of prototype
music tests, and conference with other eXpertS, the author
conferred with Dr. Magid. Financing was arranged to do a
music study. For reasons too complicated tO be detailed
here, the following arrangements were made. The basic
Magid technique, with some changes as requested by the
author, was used. An employee of Dr. Magid's selected the
sample from census tract data. Local persons were hired
as interviewers (most of whom had previous interviewing
eXperience), trained, and supervised by the Magid employee.
All interviews were conducted in homes. Six hundred and
seven interviews were conducted, all with persons twenty
years of age and over on a one-per-household basis. The
reSpondent scored his own answers. The interviewer was
instructed to take the Opposite Side of the room and to
read or knit or something similar, showing no interest in
the test as it was being taken.

The musical selections were chosen by musicologists
and radio broadcasting program personnel to be representa-
tive of types Of music commonly heard on radio. There are

no Swahili chants, bousouki solos, lieder, or other more

 

71
esoteric forms. It is a test aimed at the mass audience.

Since the music test involves a large number Of
selections (84), there was a question about fatigue. It
is possible for selections toward the end of the test to
get higher or lower scores just because of their being
toward the end of a long test. The total sample was
divided into two groups, each of which would reflect the
pOpulation of the total area surveyed. While one tape was
sequenced one through 84, the other consisted Of the same
selections randomized. The length of the test did not
seem to be a factor since the correlation coefficient of
the two groups was .96.

The survey was conducted in clusters with the
sample Obtained from census tract data. Only persons
twenty years of age or over were used since broadcast
advertisers are more interested in this group, also to
make the survey more consistent with the others reported
on earlier in this thesis.

The score for each musical selection was computed
for each of several different classifications such as sex,
age, etc. Each selection was scored on a ten-point scale.
A score above 5.5 indicates a liking or favorable reaction
to a particular musical selection, scores below 5.5 indi-
cate a negative diSposition.

The like-dislike index is merely the scores Of
those who rated a given selection under 5.5 subtracted

from those who gave the selection over 5.5. It turned out

 

72
that the reSpondents were positively diSposed toward
62 percent of the music on the test.

Rather than use income, education, and occupation
separately, in some Of the charts a single category
combining the three is used. It is used simply for sim-
plicity's sake and is labeled socioeconomic status. All
reSpondents were placed in one Of three categories--low,
medium, or high.

The following correlation coefficients show that,
while there are some differences between persons of low
socioeconomic status and high, and between younger and
older age groups, there is remarkable consistency in
musical taste between the varying groups Of peOple twenty

years of age and over, at least in the test market.

Male vs. female .98
Protestant vs. Catholic .89
20-34 vs. 35-54 years .85
20-34 vs. over 54 years .80
35-54 vs. over 54 years .94
Low socioeconomic vs. mid .91
Low socioeconomic vs. high .84
Mid socioeconomic vs. high .92

A summary Of scores is shown in Table 1.

In addition to the music test, some questions
about programing were asked. The questions and the results
are shown in Tables 2 through 8. As can be seen, music is

the biggest reason for listening to radio.

 

 

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74
TABLE 1 (continued)
Manner/Pre— Socioeconomic
sentation Area Status Sex Age
33 :3 ,1 re 23 2? ex ex :3
0" (D H G) F N .3 A A H O\ N
H O\ N m .M .3 m ('1 O H m H M ll
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#1 m s .2 .5 h H xx e1 r4 .3 4:
:2 .5 a a a 2 :1 5 .5 9 3 3 s e. :3 a “a ‘1‘ 8
Selection Performed by E3 g {:3 5‘3 61: R 82 :3 g 8 3 ‘2 E g 13.) 8 Lfir‘x 5
"I'm Beginning to See The Light" Doris Day 6.69 6.68 6.88 10.9 66.l 63.1 32.2 6.56 6.88 6.33 6.75 6.73 6.56 6.83 6.66 7.08 6.13
"Happy Days Are Here Again" Mitch Miller 6.65 6.91 6.61 12.6 65.2 62.6 30.6 6.62 6.69 6.97 6.76 6.36 6.80 6.52 6.07 6.72 7.39
"Georgia On My Mind" New ClassicSingers 6.60 6.70 6.51 11.7 67.9 60.6 28.7 6.83 6.29 5.73 6.96 6.36 6.57 6.63 6.97 6.55 6.15
"I Can't Stop Loving You" John Gary 6.56 6.69 6.58 15.2 66.2 60.6 25.6 6.71 6.30 6.69 6.86 5.95 6.68 6.58 6.79 6.65 5.98
”Boulevard of Broken Dreams" Jan Garber 6.66 6.35 6.55 15.5 63.6 61.1 25.5 6.l6 6.88 6.23 6.56 6.37 6.37 6.53 5.86 6.89 6.69
"Beethoven's Symphony #6” O.L.S.R. 6.66 6.59 6.30 22.9 31.2 65.9 23.0 6.18 6.80 5.99 6.26 7.03 6.16 6.71 5.79 6.83 6.78
"Blowin‘ In The Wind" Peter Paul & Mary 6.62 6.58 6.28 19.6 37 6 63.1 23 7 6.66 6.10 6.66 6.88 5.66 6.56 6.30 7.52 5.71 5.93
"Dreamsville” Anita Kerr Quartet 6.38 6.35 6.6l 16.9 67 6 37.7 22.9 6 26 6.58 5.67 6.52 6.52 6.28 6.67 .66 6.70 5.79
"Time" Pozo Seco Singers 6.38 6.52 6.25 17.7 61 6 60.7 23.0 6 68 6.26 6.76 6.9l 5.22 6.61 6.36 7.06 5.76 6.38
"Jupiter Symphony"——‘1ozart V. Slate 6.38 6.25 6.50 20.2 36 2 63.6 23.6 5.85 7.10 5.96 6.19 6.93 6.12 6.60 5.87 6.71 6.61
"Little Girl" Living Voices 6.37 6.68 6.27 11.7 53.8 36.6 22.9 6.16 6.65 6.26 6.50 6.18 6.60 6.35 6.08 6.80 6.12
“Too Late Now" Joanie Summers 6.36 6.91 6.68 16.2 50.3 35.6 21.6 6.22 6.55 6.00 6.56 6.12 6.25 6.65 6.52 6.60 5.76
"Green Up Time" Les Elgart 6.33 6.53 6.15 13.7 69.1 37.2 23.5 6.31 6.35 5.56 6.5l 6.33 6.25 6.61 6.33 6.61 5.89
"I'm In A Dancin‘ Mood" Three Suns 6.31 6.67 6.16 16.2 68.9 36.9 22.7 6.07 6.63 5.53 6.50 6.29 6.38 6.25 5.99 6.69 6.50
"Supercalifragilisticexpfiiudocious" Conniff Singers 6.13 6.23 6.03 16.7 51.6 31.9 15.2 6.28 5.92 5.97 6.30 5.87 5.79 6.62 6.68 5.88 5.72
"Sound of Music" Woody Herman 6.27 5.99 6.53 18.2 66.7 37.1 18.9 6.15 6.66 6.38 6.36 6.09 6.23 6.30 5.88 6.56 6.62
"Together Wherever We Go" Hi-Los 6.13 6.02 6.23 13.6 55.6 31.2 17.9 6.09 6.19 5.82 6.23 6.08 6.03 6.22 6.08 6.66 5.72
"You've Got Possibilities" Peggy Lee 6.03 6.18 5.88 18.2 69.8 32.1 13.9 6.26 5.72 5.09 6.37 5.78 5.96 6.11 6.87 5.92 6.96
"There To Remind Me" Percy Faith" 5.92 5.86 5.98 17.6 56.3 28.6 11.0 5.79 6.10 5.27 6.26 5.57 5.88 5.97 6.18 5.85 5.66
"Tnn;CoukiBe Start of Something" Carmen Cavallero 5.86 5.73 5.99 21.9 65.2 32.9 11.0 6.18 5.62 5.61 5.97 5.87 5.78 5.96 6.17 5.98 5.22
"Skirts" Jan Garber 5.83 5.99 5.68 21.0 51.6 27.6 6.5 5.62 6.60 5.63 5.86 5.98 5.79 5.87 5.16 8.23 6.19 \\
"Summertime" (non-melodic port.) Les Brown 5.76 5.57 5.89 26 7 62.7 32.6 7.8 5.66 5.86 6.67 5.88 5.96 5.60 5.86 6.11 5.97 6.82
"Holes In My Pockets" Frankie Fanelli- 5.76 .56 5 91 22.9 50.1 27.1 6.2 5.51 6.06 5.26 6.16 5.18 5.60 5.86 6.08 5.6 5.36
"I Only Miss Him" Peggy Lee 5.73 5.63 6 00 20.7 53.1 26.2 5.5 5.68 5.79 5.68 6.01 5.31 5.62 5.82 5.67 6.06 5.32
"Get Me To The Church On Time"

(Melodic) Woody Herman 5.71 5.86 5.59 26.5 67.1 28.6 3.8 5.66 5.79 5.18 5.75 5.88 5.66 5.78 5.66 6 13 5.18
"Weeping Willow" Kingston Trio 5.62 5.77 5.67 25.9 66.9 29.2 3.3 5.80 5.38 5.63 6.08 6.75 5.71 5.56 6.63 5.28 6.95
"You're the Cream in My Coffee" Ernie Hecksher 5.60 5.85 5.36 21.0 56.6 26.6 3.3 5.50 5.73 5.22 5.59 5.78 5.66 5.56 5.30 5.67 5.93
"Shadow or Your Smile" Nancy Wilson 5.68 5.27 5.68 26.6 67.6 26.0 — .3 5.59 5.36 5.72 5.66 5.06 5.66 5.53 5.60 5.69 5.31
"Great Day" Oscar Peterson 5.67 5.15 5.76 26.2 68.3 25.5 — .7 5.61 5.28 5.22 5.66 5.61 5.66 5.67 5.55 5.51 5.28
"Mahler Symphon " N.Y.Philharmonic 5.62 5.38 5.66 28.7 60.9 30.6 1.7 5.25 5-66 6.75 5.13 6-18 5-25 5.58 5.18 5-59 5-52

 

 

 

 

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TABLE 1 (continued)

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TABLE 8

REASONS FOR CHANGES IN RADIO STATION PREFERENCE WITHIN THE PAST TWELVE MONTHS

 

 

Age

Sex

Male Female 20~3h 35-Sh

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Total
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This table is based only on those who stated that their overall preference had changed within the

past twelve months.

83
Tables 6 and 7, pages 80 and 81, show that
listening patterns among the age group surveyed, the over
twenty-year-old group, is reasonably consistent. PeOple

apparently like to find a favorite station and stick to it.
Conclusions from the Music Test

Record sales appear to be less important as a
basis for radio selection than type of music.--In order to
reflect "currently popular music" several selections which
appeared in the top ten of Billboard magazine's ”Hot 100"
five days prior to field interviewing were included in the
test tape. The four bottom selections in the music test
ranking were all from this group, records which were among
the best selling 45 rpm discs. Of the bottom eleven
records, seven are rock and roll or other teen-oriented
pieces--all big sellers. This music was most strongly
disliked by the upper income group, the upper socioeconomic
group, and the older peOple.

On the other hand, there were records that were
big sellers that ranked high in the preference scores.
"Daydreamer" was in an album that was in Billboard's list
of tOp lOO sellers. So was ”Lara's Theme" from the popular

' and "Climb Every Mountain”

motion picture ”Dr. Zhivago,’
from "Sound of Music." The latter three were in the top
seven most popular records according to the test ranking.

In addition, Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass, probably

the biggest attraction on records at the time of the test,

84

ranked highly. The two pieces by Alpert rated number 4
and 17, even though neither selection was one of his

better known selections.

There is a strong preference for ballads.--Nine of

the tOp ten selections were ballads. Only one of the
bottom ten selections on the test ranking is a ballad. Of

the tOp 25 selections, 21 are ballads.

There is a strong preference for melodic music.--

The melodic portions of some records were included, along
with non-melodic portions of the same record as a separate
selection. The melodic portion of Les Brown's recording
of ”Summertime” ranked 23 positions higher on the test
than did the non-melodic portion. Woody Herman's melodic
portion of "Get Me to the Church on Time” ranked 23 posi-
tions higher than did the non-melodic portion. The non-
melodic portion of Les Brown's ”Liza” was 10 positions
lower than was the melodic portion.

Familiar portions of several jazz-oriented selec-
tions (commercial jazz and standard tunes in each case)
appear in the tOp 25 (selections by Oscar Peterson, Art
Van Damme, and the Howard Roberts Quartet), while four
non-melodic portions of jazz-oriented selections, all
unrecognizable as to tune in the short fifteen-second
segments, rank in the lowest 25. Apparently the reSpon-
dents do not mind embellishment of familiar themes, but

prefer basically melodic music and seem Opposed to

 

 

85
wholesale improvisation. What happens when an entire
selection with basically positive elements has an impro-
visational section that is non-melodic is uncertain.
The classical excerpts show moderate acceptance.
The more melodic pieces seem to be favored over the less

melodic.

There is no clear preference shown for either
instrumental or vocal, soloist or group, fast or slow tunes.
There is almost no difference between the mean scores of
male and female vocalists. The mean score for all male
singers is 5.7. For all female singers, it is 5.6. How-
ever, a closer look shows something interesting. Three
records by male vocalists rate in the tOp 10, but the
highest a female vocal selection places is 31. There are
also three male singers in the bottom 10, but no female
singers rank nearly so low. It is interesting to note
that all male singers who ranked in the tOp lO were ballad
singers, but all who placed in the bottom 10 were rock and
roll singers. No male ballad singer rates lower than 34
of the total 84. That selection which rates 34 is a
country and western-oriented selection, a type which over-
all does not rank high. With that one exception, then, no
female vocalist places as high as the lowest rated male

ballad singer.

86

Rock and roll and countrv and western selections
wpr§_amppg_phe_Ipa§t_likpd,--All of the country and western
selections were in the minus area of the like/dislike
index. Other types that ranked low were the already men-
tioned non-melodic improvised portions of band and jazz
selections, the more esoteric classics, and dixieland.

Modern music seems to be preferred over that which
sounds older and dated. Many old songs with modern arrange-
ments did well. The more modern string and band arrange-
ments rated higher than the older ones, even among peOple
who were in their dating years at the time when the older
selections were supposedly ”pOpular." (In retrOSpect it
seems that there is no modern big band of the nature of
Buddy Rich, Oliver Nelson, or Count Basie included.

There probably should have been.) In Speaking of modern
arrangements, rock and roll selections should not be con-
sidered, because they run counter to the statement earlier

in the paragraph.

Evaluating the Music Tests

A test of this type would be helpful to any broad-
caster who could afford it, should he have a research firm
do one for him. It would be valuable because it would
give him some objective data to use as input with any
other data available. It would be done for his market,
with data that would be particularly apprOpriate for his

needs. It might give him an insight into his market that

87
was not available any other way. It might merely reinforce
existing beliefs and notions, or it might put him on the
right track when he had been pursuing a course not so
effective. It would be helpful in uniting superiors and
subordinates alike around a common goal and a common set
of notions, cut the time Spent on second-guessing, and add
focus to station procedures.

The author believes the music test is an effective
device when used properly, but some limitations should be
mentioned. The test does indicate roughly the types of
music that persons over twenty want to hear. This test
was performed in one market area and particular market
conditions in another area might be reflected in slightly
or even greatly different musical tastes. In addition,
these test results were uninfluenced by several factors
that might be present in radio listening, such as the
station, the setting, the personality involved with the
program, the number and nature of commercials, whether the
music is given a buildup as being what the public wants to
hear or not, whether the artist is currently in vogue,
whether the artist is pretty or not, and many other
variables. Also, there are so many performers in show
business who are not types, or are so sharply defined,
controversial, or in vogue at a given time that other
factors become distorted. From the music test, how does
one decide about a Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, the

Beatles, Barbra Streisand, Rod McKuen, or Ray Charles?

 

 

88
How can one decide whether or not to play ”Winchester
Cathedral" on his station as a result of the test? The
test can only give indications to which someone must add
his judgment. The author also has reservations about what
the test says about the acceptance of longer selections as
evidenced by fifteen-second segments. Where a fifteen-
second excerpt may give one a good idea of what some of
the reactions are to popular songs, it may give a less
valid picture of a suite, show, symphony, or night club
performance of a longer work.

Given such limitations, however, the test does
work, and probably better than tests which use verbal
descriptions for the types of music. It does not do away
with the need for using judgment, but it gives one some-
thing other than judgment to work on. It gives a base
upon which to build and improvise. It also (as always
seems to be said in research) points up a need for further
studies in the area if one is to test the finer points.

A music test such as the one administered here
might be done in other markets to see if there are regional
differences of a significant nature. Also, since the trend
in radio is toward Specialization, appealing to segments
of the total audience, these Specialized audiences might
be more closely examined.

A series of experimental studies or surveys
analyzing the various music factors or characteristics,

such as thematic materials of lyrics, instrumentation,

89
beat, vocal qualities and styles, timeliness or fad appeal,
artist appeal, influences of television and movies, and the
like, might prove revealing.

A full-blown study exploring the relationships
between radio and the recording industry would be of value.
A profile of the record-buying public would be enlightening
to the broadcaster.

Those are just some areas that might be explored
in further research along this line.

An overview of the available music research as
reported in this thesis, shows that all studies point in
the same direction. They point out that American adults
prefer pOpular, melodic music, and that as a group they
most dislike rock and roll. They suggest that a person
operating a radio station would achieve maximum adult
audience by emphasizing the former and avoiding the latter.
They also suggest that record sales are an extremely poor
indicator in themselves of the type of music to play to
maximize audience. They indicate that the type of station
which is most apt to achieve the largest possible audiences
among adult listeners is either the Adult POpular or Con-
servative Music station. They suggest that a station which
programs jazz, classical, rock and roll, country and
western music, barbershOp quartettes, Hawaiian music, etc.,
is not likely to achieve as large an audience. They also
suggest that news is an important factor in attracting an

audience.

90

The author decided to perform a pair of quick
examinations of "the real world” to see if the results of
the studies were consistent with conditions existing in
the industry. In other words, are successful stations
playing the kind of music the studies suggest they should?
The author took two separate lists of stations considered
to be highly successful to see what type of music they
played. The first list was the one previously mentioned
which named the ten stations in the nation with the
highest share of audience in their markets (see Appendix C).
Six of the top ten played music relatively consistent with
what the research studies said they should be playing.
Three, Top 40 stations, played mostly rock and roll. One
was about halfway between Top 40 and Adult Popular.

The other list was of the stations in the nation's
ten largest markets with the highest advertising rate in
each market. The advertising rate was chosen because it
is closely related to long-term ratings success. Stations
must be competitive in cost-per-thousand listeners deliv-
ered, and advertising rates are probably less reflective
of the vagaries of an individual audience survey and.more
reflective of long-term success. In nine of the tOp ten
markets the station with the highest ad rate plays music
relatively consistent with the research findings. The
one station that is an exception plays some of this music,
but includes some TOp 40 music also. One additional station

plays very little music, being mostly conversation, but the

   

91
13

music that is played fits with the research findings.

Evaluation of Station Practices

Among the decision techniques mentioned earlier in
this chapter was gaming. The author mentioned that there
appeared to be possibilities for use of the technique in
music program decision-making, but deferred further comment.
Gaming is brought up again here because the competitive
aSpect of radio is a most important one to consider. The
music strategist in a given market needs to know something
more than what his audience prefers. He also needs to
consider how well his competition is serving those needs.
The author does not intend to examine gaming technique
exhaustively here, since there is abundant material avail-
able on its use. Also, gaming is a technique that needs
the inputs of a given situation with given competitive
factors. However, the subject is brought up again because
its use Should be considered by the programer who must
compete. It was earlier mentioned that gaming is a tech-
nique of trying to determine the most effective strategy
for a given situation if the competition does the most
rational thing available. In radio, this strategy must
take into account among other things the musical formats
of the competitors, since, as has been mentioned, both

the listening public and the music industry are:highly

 

l3Data taken from Spot Radio Rates and Data.
49:11 (November I, 1967), 29.

92
fragmented and Specialized. In recent years there have
been a number of success stories of radio stations that
have Specialized, seeking a minority audience of classical
or country and western music, or some other type, rather
than fighting tough competitors in the popular, commercial,
melodic, middle of the road area.

Certainly there are additional factors to music and
news that account for the success of a radio station. The
author would list the success factors:

1. The type, quality, and amount of music.

2 The quality and amount of news.

3. The type and amount of other types of talk.

4. The blending of various program elements.

5. Continuity, stability, and consistency of

programing.

6. The quality and use of announcers.

7. Power and quality of the station's signal.

8. The amount and type of promotion.

9. Capacity to relate to the lppal audience.

10. Quality of the sales effort.
11. Competition.14
Gaming certainly involves all of these. It involves the
manipulation of all of the variables to come up with the
strongest competitive posture. It must relate to what

the competition is or is not doing.

 

14

For further information regarding the success
factors, see either the Reinsch and Ellis, Quaal and
Martin, or Hoffer book listed in the Bibliography.

93

Closely allied to a discussion of gaming, but also
referring back to some other things mentioned, are some
observations about TOp 40 stations. The author noted the
frequent mention of broadcasting peOple to the effect that
"TOp 40 stations are always number one.” Certainly the
examination of the small number of stations with highest
ratings and highest ad rates would not bear this out. But
it is also true that there are probably more stations of
this type on the list than could be warranted by an exami-
nation of the music preference data. (It must be remem-
bered that the test included only peOple twenty years old
and above.) It is also true that there are a large number
of highly rated Top 40 stations across the country. The
author asked some representatives of rating services
why TOp 40 stations would get diSproportionately high
ratings. ReSponses, plus analysis of rating books and
Standard Rate and Data, suggest the following is a plausi-
ble explanation. Total ratings of Top 40 stations are
frequently better than the demographic breakouts. In
other words, total numbers of listeners may be high, but
the numbers in the twenty to forty age group frequently
trail stations that get smaller total numbers. Since
advertisers want to reach an effective buying public, many
advertisers reject these stations because the demographic
breakout is not to the advertiser's liking. There is an
axiom heard often around agencies and broadcast circles

to the effect that "nobody buys a third rated rocker."

94

Advertising agencies frequently Spread their dollars around
because in radio the fragmented audience precludes reaching
everybody with one radio station. The advertiser will buy
time on the tOp rated TOp 4O station and sometimes the
number two rated station of that type as well as a number
of other types of stations. Adult POpular and Conservative
Music stations are frequently bought three or four deep,
or even more, because their demographics are good from an
advertiser's point of view. The number of TOp 40 stations
is limited economically and the peOple who like the type
of music and style of radio concentrate their listening
to the two available stations. Also, as the Iowa survey
and the Harris poll pointed out, the peOple who like
TOp 40 music most, the young, have a narrower music pref-
erence and probably do not Spread their listening out over
as large a number of station types as do other listeners.
Whether new trends develOp in the future remains to be seen.

In addition to the research that we have examined,
what other "facts” or materials upon which to build "con-
sidered opinions” about music selection do we have? We
have seen that radio programers rely upon ratings, record
sales, and success stories of other stations in the same
market and other markets. These would seem to have some
strong points as well as some weak ones. We have already
seen that record sales may be a very poor indicator of
audience pOpularity among adult listeners. Radio stations

would be wiser to pick by type of music rather than sales.

95
However, sales might be a very good indicator for the
station which is trying to appeal to the same people who
are buying the records. For a Top 40 station it would
Seem to make very good sense. Probably such data should
not be ignored by other types of stations either, but
record sales should be used as an indicator only where
the data do not conflict with other knowledge.

Audience ratings would seem to be valuable also
when tempered with other information. High ratings are
dependent upon the type, quality, and amount of music
played, but these are not the only factors. It is possible
that a given station can have excellent ratings and not be
doing an outstanding job of music programing. It may be
that a station, given certain competitive factors, may be
gaining large ratings because of the news it programs, or
some other area of programing. If one decides that his
station is going to emulate the highly rated station only
in the area of music, he may be making a bad decision. It
is also possible that a station is getting good ratings,
not because its music is particularly well chosen, but
because the competition is weak. Singling out the factors
which are really responsible may be difficult.

The station also has the option of calling in
programing consultants to help make decisions. In recent
years quite a number of successful programers have gone
into the consulting business. Their methods are varied.

Some operate on pure intuition while others do expensive

96
and exhaustive studies to help with the analysis of a
market and a station.

Beyond the mentioned methods, one can rely on
experience and intuition. These are personal and sometimes
given to brilliant perception and to brain flukes.
Experience and intuition can be valuable or worthless
inputs according to who makes the decision.

It is the finding of the author that too many
programers rely too heavily on the potentially valuable
tools of experience and intuition. They also rely too
heavily on record sales as a reflection of public taste.
It is questionable whether ratings are used wisely to aid
in program decision-making. It is a belief of the author
founded on personal experience that ratings are used
primarily as a selling device, a tool of the advertising
agency and better understood by advertising people than
by broadcasters. Also, the author uncovered almost no
research done by the stations to find out what their pub-
lics preferred. The number of stations that have under-
written music preference studies of the types mentioned
in earlier chapters is certainly very small. While such
research is expensive, it could certainly be a big help
to intuition and experience and might be worth the cost
in the long run. It could be refined and directed toward
answering some of the more specific questions as well as
giving the overview of the public taste. It would be

especially interesting to do some follow-up studies on

97
panels of teenagers five and ten years later to see how
their tastes have changed. It would be interesting to
perform studies that put music into different broadcast
settings to see the effects. Also, the music tests per-
formed have done nothing with the thematic content of
lyrics to see what effects they have on preferences.

A question that arises as the result of these
investigations is the relationship of the radio industry
to the recording industry. This relationship is one which
has possible ramifications upon both, but eSpecially on
radio. The amount of music broadcast on radio that is
Specifically produced for broadcast use is very small.

The broadcasting industry uses the product of the phono-
graph record industry by paying nothing or a minimum sum.
Radio pays fees to Broadcast Music, Incorporated, and to
the American Society of Authors, Composers, and Publishers
which are given to the music publishing firms and the
composers. Such fees are not paid to record companies or
to performers. Radio and the recording industry are trying
to do two different things. Radio is trying to attract a
large audience for the purpose of selling advertising time
and making a profit. The recording industry is trying to
sell records and make a profit. The recording industry's
biggest consumer segment is different from the group most
radio stations want to reach. What kinds of compromises
with what kinds of results would be interesting to know

for certain.

98

Whose intuition and experience are used in the
decision-making with regard to actual choice of music is
another problem of the radio station. Whether responsi-
bility is centralized or dispersed affects the station
internally and externally because what music is chosen
does have an effect on the audience, and the dynamics of
office politics and personal sensibilities can affect
station morale. Resolution of this problem depends upon
the particular abilities and personalities of the princi-

pals involved.

CHAPTER IV
CONCLUDING COMMENTS

This dissertation has attempted to describe and
evaluate practices of those who are selectors of the music
played on American radio stations. These ”gatekeepers"
Operate informally for the most part, work in an atmos-
phere where there is pressure from without and within,
operate by feel more than scientific principle, and are
dependent upon another industry over which they have
little control for their prime product. They are caught
up in a medium that is part art, part Show business, and
to a large degree only business.

These gatekeepers make so many of their decisions
without intellectualizing the process. They consult the
trade papers and read the reviews and note what records
are selling. They listen to the competition and certain
big city stations which they use as weathervanes. They
talk to their friends and acquaintances and watch television
programs for hints. They listen to hundreds of records a
week. They read the rating books. They work hard to
reflect and start trends in music. Mostly they Operate by
feel, by sound. Possibly some of these instincts make

more sense than a verbal analysis of them would indicate.

99

 

 

 

100

It is possible that many nonverbal clues, reasons, and
subtle sensations are more sensitive and refined than our
language which describes and defines them, for the human
being is a tremendously SOphisticated and sensitive
instrument.

On the other hand, there are certain problems with
relying on these instincts. For one, it is possible that
some Of the assumptions commonly held are not valid ones.
For instance, in this dissertation it was shown that one
widely held notion, that record sales are a good indicator
Of pOpularity of a song (at least as far as peOple over
twenty is concerned), is very questionable. Another widely
held assumption, that TOp 40 stations are usually number
one rated in audience surveys, is questionable. A cursory
examination of the nation's largest markets, and the
stations with highest shares of audience in the nation,
indicates the assumption is not true. Perhaps an even
more important rating, the advertising rate, suggests that
the way to achieve the highest revenues is to do something
other than play TOp 40 music. The research also indicates
that many of the commonly held assumptions are valid ones,
however.

What has been suggested in this thesis is the
notion so commonly held in the sciences that instinct
should be eliminated by objective research wherever possi-
ble. While objective data in the sciences are relatively

easy to find and use, the greater number of uncontrolled

lOl
variables in the social sciences, and even greater lack of
control in the arts, makes the process of being Objective
more difficult. There has been an attempt to point out
some ways in which programers might find Objective aid in
programing radio music. Minimizing the instinct or intui-
tion increases the chance for success, for explaining
chosen actions to superiors and subordinates and thereby
focusing efforts toward a common goal. Instincts can be
left to operate only where research and objective data
are not available.

In the case Of the radio station, the following
procedures are suggested as a strategy for maximizing the
chances for success. The first step is for the station
to establish its goal, its intended audience. The author
noted that programers had very great difficulty in
articulating their intended audiences. Perhaps some of
their other decision problems arise from the ambiguity
felt about the audience served. Most helpful in establish-
ing this goal is an analysis of the market and the existing
media. The market characteristics: age, income, educa-
tion level, habits, and the like are useful inputs. The
way other media serve this public or combination of publics
must be included. With these data in mind the station then
selects a target audience that is realistic. This target
audience then should be researched to find its peculiari-
ties, habits, and tastes. A music preference test such as

described in this thesis would be useful. From this

102

knowledge the program format should be formed. Then, most
important, the people who can execute the station plan
should be hired. These should be persons who are capable,
talented, and preferably peOple who are actually a part of
or strongly identify with the target audience for they are
most likely to communicate well with that audience. Their
instincts, to be used as an aid in filling in the research
gaps, are more likely to be correct than those of someone
who does not identify with the target audience. Once all
of this is done, constant two-way communication with the
target audience is necessary in order to keep on target.
Some stations do Operate in such a manner as just
described. If more were to do so, radio would be improved.

The investigation has caused the author to conclude
that the broadcasting industry as a whole needs to rethink
its relationship with the phonograph record industry. The
broadcasters use a product made for a target audience
different from what most broadcasters are seeking. The
radio stations have a reSponsibility to please their
listeners, not to sell records. The author does not know
what data the recording industry uses in making its deci—
sions about which records to release or how much consul-
tation there is with the radio industry. It appears,
however, that the recording people are the leaders and
radio people are the followers. That relationship may not
be entirely in radio's best interests. Its effect on public
taste and its effect on radio, if someone could measure it,

would be interesting to know.

 

 

BIBLIOGRAPHY

 

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Books

Dachs, David. Anything Gpes. New York: Bobbs-Merrill,
1964

Hoffer, Jay. Managing Today‘s Radio Station. Blue Ridge
Summit, Pennsylvania: Tab Books, 1968.

King, William R. Probability for Managgment Decisions.
New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1968.

Odiorne, George S. Management Decisions by Objectives.
Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall,
Inc., 1969.

Quaal, Ward and Martin, Leo. Broadcast Management. New
York: Hastings House, 1968.

Raiffa, Howard. Decision Analysis. Reading, Massachu-
setts: Addison-Wesley, 1968.

Reinsch, Leonard, and Ellis, Elmo. Radio Station Manage-
ment. Second Revised Edition. New York: Harper
& Row, 1960.

 

Shemel, Sidney and Krasilovsky, M. William. More About
This Business of Music. New York: Billboard
Publishing Co., 1967.

and . This Business of Music. New York:
Billboard Publishing Co., 1964.

Terry, George R. Principles of Management. Fifth Edition.

Homewood, Illinois: Richard D. Irwin, Inc., 1968.

Articles, Theses, and Unpublished Reports

”At Last a Reliable Music Survey,” Broadcastin , 63:12
(September 12, 1959).

Audience Agglysts, Inc. ”Night Call Survey, March—April
9 3

Bala-Cynwyd, Pennsylvania. Unpublished
Research Report.

103

 

 

104

Bartfay, Arthur Allan. ”A Factor Analysis of Classical
and Popular Music in the Lansing, Michigan,
Area." Unpublished Master's thesis, Michigan
State University, 1966.

Buckalew, James. "The Television News Editor as a Gate-
keeper." Unpublished Ph.D. Dissertation,
University of Iowa, August 1967.

CBS. "A Study of Listener Attitudes Toward Radio Pro-
graming.” Unpublished research report of a 1962
study.

Gieber, Walter. "Across the Desk; A Study of 16 Telegraph

Editors.” Journalism Quarterly, 33:4 (Fall 1956),
423-432.

Lew Harris Poll, Salt Lake City, Utah. Deseret News,
September 3, 1966, p. B-7.

Lazarsfeld, Paul F. ”The Controversy over Detailed
Interviews-“An Offer for Negotiation.” Berelson
and Janowitz (eds.), Reader in Public Opinion
and Communication. New York: The Free Press,

1953-

Lewin, Kurt. ”Channels of Group Life.” Human Relations,

1:2 (1945), 145.

"Market Survey," series in Sponsor beginning in 1967 and
running until the magazine's demise.

National Association of Broadcasters. ”Dimensions of
Radio." Washington, D.C., 1967.

”Radio-—An Individual's Medium," Media48cope, IV (June
1960), 86, 90-91.

Shelby, Maurice E., Jr. "Patterns in Thirty Years of
Broadcast Criticism.” Journal of Broadcastin ,
11:1 (Winter 1966-67).

Spot Radip Rates and Data. Skokie, Illinois, Nov. 1, 1967.

Ward, Walter. ”News Values, News Situations, and News
Selection.” Unpublished Ph.D. dissertation,
University of Iowa, February 1967.

Whan, F. L. "Attitude of Iowans Towards Radio Music,"
Journal of Broadcasting, 2:1 (Winter 1957-58).

White, David Manning. ”The Gatekeeper: A Case Study in

the Selection of News." Journalism Quarterly,
33:4 (Fall 1956), 423-432.

 

APPENDIX A
A MUSIC POLICY

XXXX selections are made by the record librarian
and program director. General policy is to select music
which is in current distribution, avoiding specialized
fields such as rock and roll, western, religious, etc.
General policy involves playing that music which is in
current release and is artistically well performed.

In that we are being general rather than specific
it would be safe to say that XXXX policy regarding music
is to play that which we feel appeals to most of the
people over eighteen years of age. A general outline of
the music within a given hour would be as follows: the
first tune following the news will always be an up-tempo
selection. This will be followed in order by ballad,
medium tempo, up tempo, etc., with variations between
male, female, group and instrumental selections. Basic
rules involve no two instrumental selections back to
back, no boy or girl vocals back to back. Variation
between album and 45 rpm Singles, approximately 50-50

in any given hour.

105

APPENDIX B
A MUSIC PROGRAMING GUIDE

Our music segments between 6:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m.
Monday through Saturday and 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. on
Sunday Should be consistently programed to reflect the
tastes of the twenty-forty age group of active, alert and
aware citizens. Our own day-to-day cognizance of what is,
as well as what has been, popular and our ability to
translate this into a balanced, compactly packaged,
briskly produced program is what will set us apart from
the bland, middle-road Operation on the one hand, and the
device-laden pop format on the other.

Always program your music and decide on your
ad-libs, on the basis of keeping the pace lively and
bright; keep it moving SO that the listeners' time seems
to pass swiftly and pleasantly. However, do not let
yourself get into the rut Of assuming that the way to

”pace”

is to select all up-tempo numbers.

A change Of pace is the only way to avoid a monot-
onous, unrelieved, and unwelcome tension. The pace that
flows through a variety Of tempos and styles without
abrupt or clashing switches from one extreme to another
is the pace that attracts the largest number, alienates

the fewest of our hard-won public.

How wide the variety Of music-types we consider

106

 

107

within our poliCy is indicated by the music play Sheets
provided by the record librarian, but the sequencing of
the records within a segment by the deejay is the final
product and that is what actually determines the enter-
tainment-quotient of our broadcast time. (The word
”segment" refers to any period of continuous music between
newscasts.)

The freedom to program selections which do not
appear on the day's active LP and 45 play lists is re-
stricted to those new records which have been approved for
play and those which are included on the ”master” list
maintained by the librarian.

The percentage of your daily records which appear
on the ”best-seller” charts will vary according to the
acceptability of ”contemporary” records under station music
policy, but you are expected to be talent scouts to the
extent that records which may be excluded or which may
never have been received by the station be brought to the
attention of the librarian and program manager for review,
if you feel they should be played on our station.

Rely on well-known artists unless you are playing
a very promising new talent. Play the performers who have
proven themselves over a period Of years instead of the
one-shot wonders of several years ago or the over-promoted
youngster who will never make it. Unless a "new talent”
is on a record that is selling, he Should only be played

doing a straight arrangement of a standard song and, even

108

then, it is preferable to have the standard song done by
an artist with whom it is already identified.

Whenever you select a record that clearly falls
into the category of: country and western, rock and roll,
rhythm and blues, folk, stringy production or jazz, be
sure to program a record that represents familiar mid-road
pop before you move to another Selection in one Of the
above categories.

We will play records in those categories because
they are, or were, popular, but never in a proportion that
outweighs the pOp-standard staple of our Operation.

Novelties may be programed, brief comedy tracks
are acceptable too, but both should be selected for the
real contribution they make to the segment.

Avoid the long, loud, repetitive, brassy choruses.
Forget drum solos. Audition instrumental tracks carefully
for irritant factors because many of the vocal accompani-
ment arrangements today include rather strong, jazz-oriented
choruses and tags. Instrumentals Should never comprise
more than one-third of any segment of programing. Instru-
mentals should not be programed back-to-back unless only
portion of one is to be used for fill. Ordinarily, do not
use more than three vocals back-to-back. Make sure the
Open and close records for every segment are full, repre-
sentative arrangements Of up-tempo or moderate up-tempo,
whether instrumental or vocal, to serve as a good curtain

raiser. By ”representative” selections we mean to avoid

 

109
opening with a heavily stylized vocal or novelty that is
not a fair example of the ”mainstream" of our music.

Avoid back-to-back sequencing of heavily stylized
performers. Avoid back-to-back programing of Latin rhythm
numbers. In other words, avoid the sameness that becomes
a rut after two or three Similar or lackluster records.

Always remember that we are focusing on a group of
people who are active, on the move; they tune in for an
average listening Span Of from twenty to forty minutes if
we are to believe recent research on listening habits.

But you may have less time than that to make your impres-
sion on someone who is ”dialing around.” Your careful
choice Of music, of what you say, and your concentration
on the identification Of the station and yourself is
therefore indispensable. At least once each hour program
a big selling oldie or standard, but do not become trite
or over-showcase them; let them speak for themselves. You
may be enthusiastic about a performance you think is great,
or a new release that looks like a sure bet for success,
but your overuse Of this tactic robs it of all effective-
ness.

Play recent releases by established talent rather
than an older recording by the same artist. Sound up to
date.

Neither you nor your music should be nonchalant or
haphazard. What you say and what you play, every element

of every segment, must be there with meaning and purpose.

 

 

110

If that listener is with you only ten minutes, make sure
you give him something that will bring him back.

Be aware Of the fact that television creates ready
acceptance quickly for musical performers. This awareness
can work to your advantage in programing records. But be
mindful, too, of the fact that the TV viewer has greater
tolerance for extremes in audio because of the visual
distraction and many TV sound track or choreography
arrangements are too raucous or non-melodic for our air.

In the area of jazz, program only the commercial
arrangements and styles. Do not select that which will
appeal to musicians or fellow deejays, many of your lis-
teners do not know a bongo from a bassoon. By the same
token, do not program a series of "neutral” arrangements
of the background-music style. These should only be used
on rare occasion, as a change of pace element, and always
be a familiar tune.

We are in the business of broadcasting music to
which we are convinced a large number of peOple want to
listen. We want them to listen actively. They should
reSpond to both the music and to you. What you say should
always be meaningful, interesting, pertinent, brief and
Spoken with enthusiasm to convey the feeling you are
enjoying yourself. (If it's apparent you are not really
enjoying what you are doing, how do you expect anyone else
tO enjoy it.)

Be ever watchful to avoid the pitfall of the pat

 

111

phrase, the trite, over-used expression, the Speech pattern
that will creep into ad-lib work if you fail to prepare
yourself every single day with the fresh turn of phrase,
compelling description, humorous twist.

Yours is the difficult job of communicating and
entertaining, at the same time. You should have in mind
exactly to whom you are talking, what he or she is doing,
how best to relate to the listener. Ponder not only what
will interest him but how it can most effectively be said.
Verbal rambling, grOping, rustling of papers, self-conscious
titters will soon exhaust the patience Of even the most
tolerant listener. If we expect the music programing to
Sparkle with vitality, it has to be matched with the same
feeling conveyed by every word you Speak. Remember to:

1. Have your music sheets (legibly written and
dated) prepared well in advance.

2. Take loose albums and 45s to the control room
stacked in sequence--and return them to the library after
use.

3. Check the music sheet from the program prior
to yours before you go on the air to eliminate a too-close
repeat.

4. When you program a strong seller on successive
days, slot in into different time segments rather than
airing it between, say, 10:15 and 10:30 twice in three days.

5. Refer regularly to the trades and audition new

records before you air them.

 

112

6. When programing current best sellers which
have been approved under our policy, concentrate most on
those coming up and reduce air-play on those which have
already crested.

7. Keep production tight. Talk over intros
prOperly so that you take advantage of the instrumental
lead-in (a slick job of this makes it sound as though the
music was written for just this use by the announcer when
he adapts his words to the accents and phrases of the
music) and do not sit idly by on a long fade-out at the
end of the record, come in over it. But do not talk over
a vocal ever--and this includes the I.D. jingles.

8. Talk to record suppliers but never let them
decide for you how to select or showcase the records for
your Show. We wish to maintain the pleasant relationship
we enjoy with them, but we will lose their reSpect and
our own if we permit ourselves to be "used."

9. When perusing album best seller lists, remember
that some of them have been on the list for over 200 weeks.
These are fine for occasional programing, but the frequent
use should be Of the recent LPs by established talent.

10. Program no more than 10 percent of your records
from basic library, at least 10 percent from those records
in the control room.

11. Talk to (not at) just one person, not a group.

Communicate effectively with one individual and you've got

 

113
it made. Do not be coy, cute or resort to dialects
which might Offend.

12. Make it a habit to listen to our station
often. Know what your colleagues are doing. Be interested
in all aspects of the Operation. Seize Opportunities to
promote yourself and the station. Be eager to make client

calls with salesmen.

Your air-time represents the major part of our
product. Do everything you can to improve it, and to
describe it to one and all in glowing terms when discuss-
ing the station with "outsiders.” We will successfully
compete with rock music stations, background music sta-
tions, middle of the road music stations, good music
stations, et al., if we continue to sound like the best

station.

1111A.J HI.

\‘FLI.

APPENDIX C

TOP TEN RADIO STATIONS IN AMERICA WITH HIGHEST
SHARE OF AUDIENCE
Here are the top ten radio stations in America
based on average share of audience per half hour, 6:00
a.m. to midnight, seven days a week, as reported for
thirty major markets by Mediastat. The surveys were
conducted between October 1965 and February 1966. The

figures are based on Mediastat estimates, total survey

area, share of all ”listed” stations in each market.

1. WCCO Minneapolis-St. Paul 54.6%
2. WTIC Hartford 51.5
. WSB Atlanta 35.9
4. WGY Schenectady, Albany, 31.8

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5. WBZ Boston 31.4
6. WKRC Cincinnati 30.4
7. WSYR Syracuse 29.2
8. WKBW Buffalo 28.3
9. WHB Kansas City 28.0
10. KXOK St. Louis 24.7

114

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