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This is a long wonky radio thread, but if you want to know some basic information about why the broadcast radio landscape sounds the way it sounds (or why it's increasingly difficult to get radio airplay)... here goes:
iHeartMedia, the owner of the largest number of radio stations in the US (850+ stations), has spent the last three weeks doing a "reduction in force" aka firing people. https://www.allaccess.com/net-news/archive/story/201930/the-rif-at-iheartmedia-continues-as-more-changes-t
Besides the obvious fact that we're in a global pandemic/heading into the holidays and it's devastating for anyone to lose their gig, this has major consequences for the music industry and the services that broadcast stations are supposed to provide to the communities they serve.
iHeart went bankrupt in 2018, having accumulated nearly 30 BILLION dollars in debt. Why so much debt? They went on a buying spree after station ownership was deregulated in 1996. Other corporate station owners did the same thing and have recently been making massive cuts, too.
Do I have a detailed understanding of how companies emerge from bankruptcy or what happens when a corporation is owned by Bain Capital? Umm, no. But I do understand this and you should too:
Radio probably sucks in your town outside of your public radio stations because only a handful of corporations control most of the radio stations and their programming. Those owners have to get out of debt from buying up too many stations in the 90's/aughts.
But they're not selling their stations to local and/or independent owners, they're firing people. This is very bad for those people, who might never get the opportunity to work in radio again because there are few jobs left.
It's also bad for the people who get to keep their jobs, because now they're absorbing the responsibilities of the many people who were let go and are not going to be returning. Running a radio station is a ton of work, and it's really stressful with a reduced/nonexistent staff.
It's also bad for diverse voices on the air. iHeart put out a diversity, equity and inclusion statement in the middle of the ongoing RIF. Seems to me it's kind of hard to execute that when you're clearing out all the humans that work for you and not rehiring.
It's also bad for musicians, for obvious reasons. Homogenized playlists and top down corporate programming doesn't allow for many new artists, independent artists, or (CAN YOU IMAGINE?) local artists to get any significant airplay. That's bad for concert venues in your town too.
Most of all, it's bad for listeners. How can a handful of broadcasters, no matter how smart/talented they are, successfully program stations all over the country when they're doing 20 people's jobs? Less local journalism, air talent, and decision-making = very generic programming
Broadcast licenses are distributed by the government. They're technically owned by the American people. Noncommercial stations shouldn't be the only ones that make market-specific, quality programming a part of their business plan. But that's where we're at right now.
Anyway, media literacy is fun and remember to support your favorite public radio station if you have the means this holiday season. We're fighting the good fight even if other broadcasters can't anymore. Don't forget to support your favorite local artists and venues too.
