An Advertising Conundrum

Advertising used to be so simple. You get to tell an audience of a platform about your business or whatever you want (within reason) in exchange for a few bucks. Now it got weird. Terrestrial radio kind of screwed that up, frankly.

They stiffed advertisers simply by chasing the dollar and sold out those dedicated to advertising their wares only to be left holding the bag. Now the internet is sucking up that revenue in all sorts of strange ways. One involves the useless short term gain of social media advertising. In this episode, Ric takes a critical look at what is going on out there in one form of this business and how advertisers are still getting screwed.



NEXT WEEK: If You're Happy And You Know It...

Talking Tech with Dianna Fryer

For several years now, companies have found new and inventive ways of removing people from various industries, even in the world of broadcast. Which is sad. It's as if technology was sucking the fun right out of the business.

But what happens when you put people back into the mix? In the new format of From Radioland, I sat down with Dianna Fryer, General Manager of Pirate Radio Studios, Inc. to discuss this very thing.

Also, a new element has been added to the show, Playing Favorites.



NEXT WEEK: Talking about the weather with Austen Onek.

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It Is Radio, Damnit & The Daddy Mack Blues Band

I suppose you could call it a pet peeve. The Lord knows we all have them. I may have more than others, at least it would appear as such. However, I'm a little over calling this a podcast. It's a sad term. About as sad as internet radio.

It's radio, damnit.

Plus, Jeff and I sat down with The Daddy Mack Blues band for a great time. Lots of laughs, a great conversation and some fantastic tunes.



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NEXT WEEK: Under the spell of The Memphis Snake Doctors.

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Broadcasting in Memphis with Bill Bannister

There is a name you know. Especially if you have spent any time in Memphis and happened to have turned on an FM radio. Bill has been on the air in this city for 30 years. He stopped by the Radio Memphis studios for a little talk.

Bill has a really cool thing in the works involving his love of Memphis and all the cool things in this city you may not have heard of.  We also got to talking about how corporate driven radio did the things they did.

Plus music from Mojo Medicine Machine.

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NEXT WEEK: Sitting in the front row of the madness show. Plus music from Butch Mudbone.

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Literally Playing With A Radio

You know, I have not spent any significant time listening to AM/FM radio for over 6 years? Turns out, I haven't missed a damn thing. What was once a magnificent and wonderful industry has now been destroyed.

I predicted this many years ago. I said that, "... those corporate bastards will rape this industry and take everything good from it and after they do that, someday they will leave it's mangled corpse on the side of the road as remnant of something that happened."

But hey, I did manage to encounter The Pet Shop Boys... on AM.

Plus music from Booker Brown.



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NEXT WEEK: The special Facebook Live show is happening at 8:00PM CT on my Facebook page on 20 July, 2017. You can be a part of a special taping of From Radioland. Hope to see you then.

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Strange Things & The Existence of Them

The studio of this show is going through an upgrade process. Not by choice, mind you. More of a necessary thing. I explain in the show. Also in this episode, Dianna Fryer sat down with me to have a chat about some late night programming coming to Radio Memphis and some of the other things we are getting into around Pirate Radio Studios.

Also, Dianna picks the song for this week and it comes to us from Ghoultown.



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NEXT WEEK: A matter of quality control.

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Mistakes Were Made

Part of my experience in this business was spent at Clear Channel Communications. That is now known as I Heart Media. Apparently, it is about to be known as Out of Business. To be fair, we saw this coming more recently. Farther back in time we suspected if the company didn't do anything more smart than what they were doing, the end was inevitable.

That apparently has come. The end is near. Like, the end of this month near.

Plus music from Her Majesty's Buzz.



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NEXT WEEK: Morons. Plus music from The Bluff City Backsliders.

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FM Sucks

Pretty blatant statement that I think most of you agree with. At least those I talk to seem to be repeating at every conversation. In what has become a series of episodes examining the impact of the internet on all things in our society, media is certainly one of those things.

The problem here is the corporate stiffs have no clue how to adapt to this brave new media world.

Plus music from Davis Coen.



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NEXT WEEK: It's like a Shakespearean tragedy. Plus music from Al Kapone.

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Bad Commercials

Last week, I was laid up with some sort of illness and confined myself to the couch and TV for some quality time. Keep in mind, I typically don't watch much broadcast network TV. Jesus. How do you people watch this garbage?

Specifically, the state of commercials these days. They are bad. Really bad.

Plus music from Trash The Brand.



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By the way, car dealer dude, quit yelling at me.

NEXT WEEK: Bad commercials are one thing, but the content they are running in? Brutal.

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Your Ad here

Advertising is an interesting thing. It blends some science with some art and you get commercials. I know it is kind of strange to think of it this way. But, there is some validity to this idea.

In this episode, I'll take a look at what works and what doesn't work for what ever reasons.

Plus, music from Ransom.



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NOTE: I am in the midst of battling a cold, so if I sound stuffy to you, it is because I am stuffy.

NEXT WEEK: Releasing a show for Christmas. Plus music from, Special Shoes.

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The Numbers Game

Over the years of being a professional broadcaster, I have learned a great many things about how the business is run and how it should be run. One such thing regards the much ballyhooed "numbers". You hear about that all the time. But, just what do they mean?

To put it in an interesting parameter, a TV show nowadays can be considered a success when it pulls in around 10 million viewers. Shit, at that number you would have a hit on your hand. Meanwhile, a video could easily pull twice that number and no one in the business bothers to question the success of such a thing.

Plus music from Loveland Duren.



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NEXT WEEK: Some possibly incoherent ramblings along with music from The Fast Mothers.

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Viva La Revolucion

It's happening. Everyday, there is some change in the media landscape. Television programming moving toward streaming technology. Radio stations are going off the air and their content becoming increasingly irrelevant as a flood of streaming radio stations, podcasters and broadcasters are making their presence known.

So, what does one do while this revolution is happening? Sit on the sidelines and watch... cat videos.

Plus, music from The Subteens.



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NEXT WEEK: Bill Lusk & Rick Malchow

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The So-Called "Media Conspiracy"

When of the things that comes with being in this business for the better part of 30 plus years, is you get to hear all about "the media conspiracy". It is this ridiculous notion that all of us in this industry are working together to manipulate everything from the political races to all the crime statistics.

This could not be further from the truth.

It's as if those of us in this business are actually interested in such matters.

The reason is pretty simple. Those of us in the broadcast business are the absolute worst at communicating. Seems reasonable.

Plus music from Super Witch.



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NEXT WEEK: Your reality is not my reality... TV. Plus music from Cary Hudson.

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Everyone, Out Of The Pool

There is no argument the broadcast industry is messed up. Terrestrial radio is on the ropes. It would appear no one is listening. They aren't able to make the money they used to and this has created a void.

This void is being filled by people who think they are broadcasters. The problem is, they aren't. And this is causing all sorts of issues within the industry.

It isn't pretty, but here is the truth.


Plus, music from Anthony Anthamatten & The Talented F'n Maniacs.



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Here's the video version.

NEXT WEEK: The Scourge of The Internet Famous and music from Every Mother's Nightmare.

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Five Years In

Yup, it has been five years. Five years ago Radio Memphis hit the air... or the web... or the fan... however you would want to describe it's debut. It was a rough start. Since then, we learned a lot. We've had our setbacks and our gains. We grew a bunch and have reached into new territory. In short, it's been a hell of a ride so far and it only gets better.

Also, 125 weeks ago, this show debuted. Frankly it was originally designed to simply promote the radio station. It has certainly done that. However it has taken on a life of its own. This is a good thing and it is quite the joy (for me at least) to produce and release to everyone who has subscribed to this show.

In this episode I take a look back over those years and talk a bit about what lies ahead. Plus, music from La Pistola from the album Los Federales de Rock and Roll.



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NEXT WEEK: How to act like an adult. Plus Cheez Kees.

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Joel Martin Is The Roswell Incident

Joel has been a part of Radio Memphis for a year. He came on board as the station announcer and the announcer of From Radioland. He's a great guy with a great voice.

In this episode, he'll tell you some funny stories from his early days in the radio business where small market broadcasting tends to yield some hilarious incidents. Also, since he's from Roswell, New Mexico, we had to talk about the obvious topic when one hails from the UFO crash site.

Musical guests on this episode are The Southern Heavyweight Champions of Rock and Roll - The Fast Mothers.

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Stay tuned...

 

Lessons In Show Business with Dianna Fryer

If you have any notion to get into the business of show business, it would be a good thing for you to pay particular attention to what Dianna Fryer says about this crazy industry. In the midst of all the new technological changes we have been making at Radio Memphis in the name of improvement, Dianna and I got to talking about all the other things happening in the industry.

One thing for sure, Dianna knows a lot about how the industry is changing and in what direction the music industry is going. Add to that how those changes are impacting the world of broadcast media. This is a good chat and I think you'll enjoy what direction this conversation went.

Plus, music from The Heavy Eyes from their brand new album.



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NEXT WEEK: Brother Sun, Sister Moon Dave Lambert and Donna Dahl

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Holiday Madness and It's Absurd Soundtrack

I have been in the broadcast business for pretty much my entire adult life. There are a lot of theories behind what it takes to program a radio station. One such idea which exists in many cities (markets) is this ridiculous notion that people want to hear Christmas music 24 hours a day from Thanksgiving to New Year's Day.

Ever get trapped in a place where you are forced to listen to this shit for several hours? It can drive one to complete madness. Especially for someone who loathes that type of music.

What sadistic bastard thought this was a good idea?



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NEXT WEEK: People who believe in mythical things... like FEMA camps.

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The Impact of a Podcast

Don't be mistaken, I don't think From Radioland has that much of an impact. Having said that, there is a definite impact the medium has had on the broadcasting industry. That is what this episode is all about. Consider it another peek behind the curtain.

Corporate radio (for the most part) has turned its back on the world of podcasting. Even though they may offer "on demand" programming, it isn't specific to the medium of podcasting, if that makes any sense. What does make sense to me, at least, is these companies continue to ignore the impact of podcasting on the level it exists now, they are going to get bit in the ass.



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A little note on the production is warranted here. For the past 89 episodes, we have been blessed to have the work of Jaeci King as the show announcer. Jaeci is now living in Los Angeles, California and is involved in some pretty exciting projects. Jaeci will always be a member of the Pirate Radio Studios family and if he finds his way back in Memphis, he will always have a home in some capacity.

The new announcer for this show is Joel Martin. He is voice guy here Memphis and is doing some great stuff for Radio Memphis and we are glad to have him step into this very important role.

NEXT WEEK: The Queens of The Nile

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Putting The Music Business On Trial

Over the years, we have all seen massive upheaval in the music industry. From LPs to tapes to CDs and finally digital media. The industry has managed to survive, up until now.

Thanks to the above mentioned digital media, the industry is facing its largest challenge. How to survive in a world where being a large label is not worth the trouble. Especially in a world where the playing field has become level.

What does this mean?

Dianna Fryer sat down with me in Studio C to have a conversation about this very thing. Along the way, I'll tell you about a conversation I had with someone (not in the radio business) who proceeded to tell me how I have done the absolute wrong thing with Radio Memphis.



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NEXT WEEK: People say incredible things.

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