Of course, some people may say, “Why don’t they make some radio programmes, instead of talking about some radio programmes” but that may be a little churlish. Let’s take this opportunity to tell these decision makers what they should do.
In fact, they really do need us to give them a few hints, because the conclusion that will be reached at the end of several seminars, workshops, podcasts and interview sessions will be... that nobody knows what the future holds for radio, (and television, and publishing, for that matter).
Last Tuesday, in the company of chirpy Matt Wells from the Guardian, I attended a discussion about the future of television news, but it ballooned outwards to encompass thoughts on the future of all sorts of media.
Peter Horrocks, BBC director of global news; Ben Cohen, from Channel 4 News; Greg Beitchman, global editor of Reuters, and Simon Bucks, from Sky News, all gave thoughtful and insightful views. None of them knew where we’re headed with any form of media.
In terms of radio, we may have a greater clue of direction. In fact if anyone heading for the festival at Salford is reading this, I should advise – look away now.
Music radio as we have come to know it in the United Kingdom, from the pirate radio ships of the 1960s, through to the Magic, Smooth and Radio Two of the 2010s, is dying.
It’s still with us, and has a few short years of life left, but dying it is.
As I write this, I’m not choosing to listen to the cavalcade of radio stations available to me here, within reach of the London selection box. I don’t want someone else picking out a series of records for me. Not any more. I’m listening to my own choice through Spotify. Eighteen months on now since the Swedish revolution and the drum roll announcing the burial of traditional radio is becoming too loud to ignore.
Only a short number of years ago, I might have switched the radio on, because it would have been just a bit too fussy to have to sort out a CD, listen to a track or two, change my mind, find another one, do a bit of opening and closing of drawers, and pile up jewel cases around me.
Now, I just go clickety click, and my choices are playing before I’ve clicked back to this Word document. If I don’t have Spotify, or LastFM, I can head for iTunes and enjoy a similar though more limited experience. Why should I endure an impossible ‘mystery voice’ competition on Magic, before they finally play some music, which will almost certainly be “Wherever I Lay My Hat” or “Back For Good”?
Music radio is just not good for anything, anymore. It isn’t even ‘radio’ in 2010. If I did find an unlikely urge to listen, I will ‘tune in’ on line, or through my iPhone and the many varied Apps that will supply me radio from anywhere in the world. That’s not radio, that’s audio streaming.
So why is music radio dying but not dead? Because there is just about enough station loyalty, and regard for some presenters, to keep hold of a pocket of listeners; because not everyone ‘gets’ Spotify or other providers yet; because like record companies, music radio people can’t bear to face the future and so keep giving the corpse the kiss of life.
We were going to give them some tips. We misled them. There aren’t any to give.
There’s a haunting voice around the corridors of The Lowry Arts and Entertainment Centre in Salford this weekend. It whispers, but the voice grows louder with every mention of demographics, psychographics, branding, reach and q on q shares.
It says, “Enjoy your P Squared, your Myriad and your voice tracking while you can, because, ladies and gentlemen of music radio, the future belongs elsewhere...”
Terence Dackombe, October 2010
This week I have been:
Struggling on with Stewart Copeland’s memoir “Strange Things Happen”. I haven’t reached the Police reunion yet, so I’m hoping it will pick up a bit then.
Watching the second half of the England v Montenegro match on my iPhone, on a train from Paddington to Slough, and wondering if I had left this world and arrived in Purgatory.
Reading the new copy of Word Magazine, in which I appear in some depth from page 108 onwards. It’s all about me, John Peel and Yootha Joyce. Word Magazine is available in stores throughout the land, or you could even subscribe and get free things http://www.wordmagazine.co.uk/buy
Chatting with Tom Fenton a correspondent for CBS News for thirty four years, and listening to his gentlemanly, yet forthright, views on the quality of news production and broadcasts of today.
