Who among us works in radio?

Yeah, “millennials” seems to be used as just an all-purpose headline hook.

Hm, is this working differently in Canada (or Ottawa)? Fall 2016 ratings for Ottawa seem to show CBC1 (news, talk) way out front, followed by a Top 40 station, an AM talk radio station, the classic rock station, and then an adult contemporary station, just ahead of CBC2 (a few classical programmes and a mix of mid-tempo bland music of all kinds the rest of the day) and an alternative/modern rock station, which is not very different than what I would have expected and not really showing much evidence of a new prominence of Hot AC. I just checked the Fall 2017 numbers and they show the same thing.

not really showing much evidence of a new prominence of Hot AC

or zero mainstream currency for rock (esp given that CBC2 plays a lot of triple A-type stuff).

OK, looking at radio ratings for Boston makes the article make more sense.

Four AC-related stations ahead of the "alternative" station!

Interesting, though: the closest analogue to CBC is NPR, which doesn't even rate.

Here in the L.A. area, the NPR affiliates are KCRW & KPCC, both of which do make the rankings: https://ratings.radio-online.com/cgi-bin/rol.exe/arb003

(It's actually interesting to me that KPCC rates higher than KCRW, I would have expected the reverse.)

Anyway, the L.A. chart also seems to illustrate this phenomenon well -- KIIS (the market's big Top 40 station) is #4, and look at #1-3...!

I think there were some affiliates on the Boston list too. They just seem a lot lower, compared to the dominant place of CBC. OMG, though, three AC stations in your top 4! 2xp

which I guess I knew re NPR; just striking to see it documented. Tbh, I had no idea so many people listen to CBC2. It's practically a station designed by music critics.

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/ariana-grande-revolutionizing-pop-radio-803279/

(It’s not just about Ariana, btw, lol)

Poor pop radio....such an issue

If each of those marquee artists start pushing four or five singles at once, that would make it difficult for anyone new to get major radio play. This can be especially dangerous at Top 40 radio, further decreasing variety in a format that’s already struggling with what one former promoter calls “lack of diversity.” “It’s hard to make room for other artists,” Graham acknowledges. “I have talks with labels all the time: I would love to get to your song, but when Ari is dropping something [or three somethings], or Bruno and Cardi are coming out, those take the place of other new songs.”

I guess the algorithms tell them they can’t play other people

The thrust of the article is that they actually do want to play other artists, and traditionally try to maintain diversity. What’s not spelled out (b/c it doesn’t need to be) is that no PD wants to turn down a new single from an established superstar.

No pd wants to limit airtime each hour for star’s multiple hits

Well, they want to strike a balance, that’s what makes it a challenge when suddenly the big artists are releasing singles on top of singles.

yeah yeah yeah

https://i.imgur.com/Ghyv9yr.jpg

Between writing, interviewing and radio, the latter was the most fun. God I miss it tons. :-(

headed into my 25th (!!) year volunteering at the local college station, I am on now for another hour-plus

www.kwvaradio.org

coming up on my 32nd anniversary of being on real FM (various Oregon stations), and my 39th of being on cable FM (various Indiana stations). Amazingly I still love it.

Congrats

sweet

39th anniversary! incredible!!

Thanks all!

The cable FM stations didn't really "count" as the signal only available in houses/businesses with cable TV, otoh it was a great place to learn because you could do anything.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cable_radio

Eventually the Indiana station (WQAX) morphed into a full FM community station but it was in the 90's after I left. When I finally got on a real microphone at a real station in 1991, I was nervous as hell!

Went to a DJ meeting tonight and the current group of student staff are, I think, the sharpest and most together and most committed staff I've seen in my whole time there. Super inspiring, the DJ director, music dept, sports, marketing, and news all seem really plugged in and engaged. The station's 30th anniversary is later this month. Go team.