The AI music is an interesting concept, but I'm more interested in what we can do with radio other than music. Because that's what everyone does. Sure, changing genres may make you more unique, but I believe radio can be more than that.
Back in the golden age of radio, there were radio dramatizations. Still are today (i.e., Imagination Theatre, the BBC, even the CBC) but they are few and far between. There was a show sponsored by Readers Digest that featured summaries of books. There were even book readings. Shakespeare adaptions. Mixed musical genres on the same station (gasp!). Quiz shows, some on the level, some played for laughs. Critical discussion of current books, current events. The list goes on and on.
There are advantages over video with audio. The ability to do other things. Portability. Relative simplicity. Why can't we take advantage of that? The big stations certainly aren't. They seem to want to continue on the same path to the very end, when they're no longer relevant.
Ideas?
Agree with your thoughts here @artisan-radio, even if I'm all game for more experimental music on the radio.
For me, it comes down to access and audience — who is able to broadcast, and who is listening? The more open and accessible it is to get a stream or station up, the more creative uses we'll start to see. The more creative streams, the more folks might get interested in tuning in.
Unfortunately, it takes a lot of know-how and engineering to get a signal up and running beyond your yard.
Well, with AM and BETS FM in Canada it's not hard to get a signal past your yard, unless your yard is a few acres, and I agree with Artisan that we can do more than just music. That's why I do OTR dramas. Also I love listening to these and prefer it to TV. You use your brain to create the picture and the people.
Even with music we can do what you won't hear on commercial stations, more obscure material. Why do what you can hear on any station? But you have to like what you are programming as you are the prime listener. Whether over the air radio or streaming.
The majority of my playlist is "hits" that are more mainstream as I want listeners and they want to hear what they know and would remember(so do I) but even still what no commercial stations will do. I also include lots of other stuff too. Unlike streaming, over the air I am different then any other commercial station and not lost in the crowd of thousands doing the same as you are. I also like free over the air radio as I am "old" and want to keep what I grew up with. I love the programs I got from Artisan that features more obscure stuff that airs daily.
Also music formats are very strict on commercial radio and you can't vary very far but us, I can have a Frank Sinatra song back to back with Loretta Lynn, followed by the Rolling Stones and then Doris Day and so on. Formats don't have to be so rigid just to use that as an example. The Chum charts in the 60s, a Toronto radio station that was a rock and roll top 50 station, and a flagship station in Canada, wasn't strictly rock and roll as all kinds of songs were on the charts and played. But that was when radio was in it's prime still and you had independently ma and pa owned local stations that had their own record libraries, program directors, and did their own programming.
..Back in the golden age of radio, there were radio dramatizations. Still are today (i.e., Imagination Theatre, the BBC, even the CBC) but they are few and far between. There was a show sponsored by Readers Digest that featured summaries of books. There were even book readings. Shakespeare adaptions. Mixed musical genres on the same station (gasp!). Quiz shows, some on the level, some played for laughs. Critical discussion of current books, current events. The list goes on and on...
Yep, that back when TV was a luxury and movies required going to a specific gathering location to watch. The primary way to experience such variety of dramas and game shows and so forth in the golden age was radio, today its TV and internet. Radio dramas dont really draw a crowd anymore, it can not even begin to compete, which is why such airings on radio are so rare today.
..For me, it comes down to access and audience — who is able to broadcast, and who is listening? The more open and accessible it is to get a stream or station up, the more creative uses we'll start to see. The more creative streams, the more folks might get interested in tuning in...
Exactly, who's listening, the audience. They are who needs to be catered to with not music or whatever, but ample information/entertainment content specific to the limited range of your broadcast.. garage sales, city council meeting highlights, special event coverings and announcements. whatever.. something to make your station more than a constant jukebox, area information should be incorporated as a staple into the programming - That can go a long way in attracting local listeners.
..Even with music we can do what you won't hear on commercial stations, more obscure material. Why do what you can hear on any station? But you have to like what you are programming as you are the prime listener. Whether over the air radio or streaming...
... Unlike streaming, over the air I am different then any other commercial station and not lost in the crowd of thousands doing the same as you are. .... ..Formats don't have to be so rigid ..
What we chose to broadcast generally begins with our own personal taste, naturally, but it's important to expand on that if you want to attract listeners.. I think all ot takes is to add regularly updated location specific content to your programing - That might be more valueable in drawing regular listeners than your format, be it music or OTR dramas.
But I don't know.. I've never really accomplished more than dreams and ideas with my own Part 15 AM station. I enjoy it, for reasons I cant quiet explain, but I've never accomplished much with it really.... So take my input on the matter with a grain of salt!
Right now I have a variety format, Alt Country, Folk, Americana music, Mixed with several hours of talk/news/affairs programming. Local and National from Pacifica Network. Slowly moving format into more of a spoken word direction and less music. Building out a community station, that's receiving good reponse from listerner's. Plan on adding 1 if not 2 more transmitters to cover most of the town.