What Today's Radio Personalities Can Learn From Wolfman Jack
Wolfman Jack played the quintessential DJ in "American Graffiti," an ode to radio.
jacobsmedia.com
What radio can learn from The Wolfman
- Thread starter Jeff Romard
- Start date
jacobsmedia.com
I think the potential for personality to save radio is long gone.
If we do any kind of teen or young events today we find a striking lack of cohesion. What's missing is a common experience. When broadcasting was the delivery vehicle - we all shared a common experience. We might interpret it in unique ways but we each experienced the same content the same way. As DJs - we referred to this as the mainstream, or current hit radio. That no longer exists. Everything in this time is about what's trending and these trends are typically measured only in days if not by mere hours.
Today, people are in their own little self-chosen bubbles. The society itself lacks cohesion, and entertainment has largely been replaced by "messaging." We used to have a thing we identified as advertising; but in today's society everything people do, say, eat, wear, and think is a promotion. It's a brand, message, cause, mission, position, appeal, proposal, rejection, abstention, protest, or narcissistic self-absorption. Despite all of the methods and immediacy of ways to connect - society at every level - macro and micro, internationally, regionally, or locally is more disconnected than at anytime in human history.
This is why haters now share equal time and prominence with fans. In the heyday of music radio bands developed a following of loyal fans, and those with a different taste congregated around other styles. In today's world there are actual detractors, some dangerously out of control people who persist to attack and destroy anything that outpaces their own - often manufactured, self image. The object of people's affection, indeed their reality, has become their own refelction, and we live in a dangerous and deadly world of narcissism.
If we do any kind of teen or young events today we find a striking lack of cohesion. What's missing is a common experience. When broadcasting was the delivery vehicle - we all shared a common experience. We might interpret it in unique ways but we each experienced the same content the same way. As DJs - we referred to this as the mainstream, or current hit radio. That no longer exists. Everything in this time is about what's trending and these trends are typically measured only in days if not by mere hours.
Today, people are in their own little self-chosen bubbles. The society itself lacks cohesion, and entertainment has largely been replaced by "messaging." We used to have a thing we identified as advertising; but in today's society everything people do, say, eat, wear, and think is a promotion. It's a brand, message, cause, mission, position, appeal, proposal, rejection, abstention, protest, or narcissistic self-absorption. Despite all of the methods and immediacy of ways to connect - society at every level - macro and micro, internationally, regionally, or locally is more disconnected than at anytime in human history.
This is why haters now share equal time and prominence with fans. In the heyday of music radio bands developed a following of loyal fans, and those with a different taste congregated around other styles. In today's world there are actual detractors, some dangerously out of control people who persist to attack and destroy anything that outpaces their own - often manufactured, self image. The object of people's affection, indeed their reality, has become their own refelction, and we live in a dangerous and deadly world of narcissism.
Bob nailed it.
Long gone are the days where DJs depended on the Top 40 to know what to play, because that is what clients were listening to.
At this point, corporate radio can't learn anything.
They've already convinced themselves that the PRODUCT doesn't matter.
(and they may be right)
Long gone are the days where DJs depended on the Top 40 to know what to play, because that is what clients were listening to.
At this point, corporate radio can't learn anything.
They've already convinced themselves that the PRODUCT doesn't matter.
(and they may be right)