“Radio is an Analog Dinosaur in a Digital World”

Michael Hedges April 6, 2006

Everybody in “new media” relishes this meme of “old media” sinking slowly, or not so slowly, into history’s swamp, heaving, moaning and perishing. Rarely do “old media” executives risk life, limb and their jobs uttering – in public - any suggestion of heat rising and nourishment – audience – disappearing, Rupert Murdoch exceptionally noted. So this little reported headline from a small venue speech by US radio executive of the year Harvey Nagler caught the attention – and ire – of more than a few US broadcasters.

Speaking at his alma mater Rutgers University, CBS Radio News Vice President Harvey Nagler breeched accepted protocol and talked briefly about dinosaurs, extinction, young people and adapting to changes in how those young people get their news. If fact, Nagler only repeated the “new media” narrative “change or die,” blah, blah, blah.

Earlier this year he was named radio news executive of 2006 by the US radio trade sheet Radio & Records. The scant coverage of Nagler’s pronouncement by US radio trade press is hardly a surprise where “never is heard a discouraging word.”

Nagler’s words, however, reached the US radio heartland where the Dallas Media Inveterates, an anonymous collective of broadcast executives, creatives and pontificators, pounced. ftm, quivering in our Swiss gated community, monitored the exchange:

“I’d fire his ass,” the debate began, in obvious reference to the relationship between job security and responsibility to an analog-heavy employer.

“Maybe he’s got a golden parachute he’s wanting to be shoved into,” ripped another.

Passing quickly from Nagler’s retirement plan to the state-of–the art, the creative one - named for the old CBS TV logo - sang a verse of “The Way We Were:”

“Since radio has been lowering their local vision and becoming more of a jukebox playing "safe" music, there is less need for people (especially young people who want new product) to go there.  There are too many other sources for a wider variety of music with fewer commercials. Internet, telephone, satellite, iPods, file sharing. Back in the 1970's, for instance, stations played a lot more new songs, and the spot loads were about 8 – 10 minutes. Seems like the amount of commercial time has doubled.”

Then a new question was posed:

“The real question should be "Why would anyone WANT To listen to regular radio?" It's boring, predictable, the fidelity is poor, with few engaging personalities or ties to the local community. Other than that it’s really great.”

Awakened and starting to growl, the Professor rused, “I also think it's easy to dance to, I'll give it  a 98 but no, I won't buy it.”

Then he mused, “In the last two years, Clear Channel and CBS have written down their broadcasting assets to the tune of over 9 BILLION dollars. I rest my case.”

The case being rested, the conversation degenerated into the appropriate fee for this sage wisdom.