Question about radio broadcasting rules
 

I just called a radio station here to request a new song. The DJ told me that they aren't allowed to play new songs in the afternoons, only in the mornings. Once they hit the top 20 then they will be played in the afternoons. Is that just a rule that this particular radio station has or is this how it works? All I know is that I am a bit upset about that. Ugh!

That's possibly the dumbest thing I've ever heard. This is not a "rule" but a ridiculous decision made by the PD at that station, or whatever conglomerate owns them (smells like Clear Channel - ew).

wouldn't surprise me. Not like anything new these days is worth listening to on my drive home. Than god for in car cd players.

Yep that's definately a rule made by the Program Director of the radio station.

I am tired of listening to CD's here at work and I'm tired of listening to the radio. They play old school country that isn't even good! Ugh, maybe I should go and DJ. :p

hehehe DJ'ing at a radio station is a LOT of FUN! I'm actually trying to pick it up again, but I don't know if anyone in this area would want to hire a college student :p

I worked for CC for a year and it was HORRIBLE! Such strict rules and we couldn't even mention songs that weren't on our playlist during on air discussions. Corporate owned radio stations are so homogonized and cookie cutter it's disgusting.

I have heard horror stories... One of my brothers DJ's at a CC top 40 station here in town. Pay is crap, hours are awful, music is awful.. But I guess there is always that appeal of being on the air. He actually enjoys it. I couln't put up with it.

Pretty dumb rule -- or could it be that the jock just didn't want to bother with you?

Glad I was on the air back in the 60's when jocks were real men!

Right.

One of my former students' families are big at Clear Channel. One day I just told him how much I thought it stunk and he agreed. Almost every single one of the radio stations here is run by them.

I second the thank God for CDs sentiment.

Just out of my own curiousity, does anyone know the original significance of the term "Clear Channel" as it relates to radio?

If I remember correctly, clear channel originally referred to an AM station that could be heard across the country, or at least in many states, especially at nighttime. Such stations are WSM in Nashville that reached over 30 states and KMOX in St. Louis that can be heard in Canada on a clear night.

Very Good -- you're pretty close.

In the very early days of radio, there was no regulation, and all stations basically operated on the same frequency with whatever power they could manage. The result was huge amounts of interference.

When the Communications Act of 1934 was passed, it assigned frequencies and allowed power for each US AM radio station.

There were a number of them designated "clear channel" stations, with a maximum of 50,000 watts of power, 24/7. In the beginning, there were no other stations anywhere else in the country on those frequencies. Later, some lower powered stations were allowed to share the frequency, but at a much lower power. Some of those other stations had to reduce power even further at night, or sign off all together at sundown because the AM signal travels much farther at night.

As of the 70's or 80's, only WLW in Cincinnati was a TRUE clear channel station (700 KHz). Other 50KW stations included the ones you mentioned, plus stations like WABC, NY; WLS, Chicago; WBZ, Boston; KDKA, Pittsburgh; KOA, Denver; WOWO, Ft. Wayne; WKYC (Now WWWE, I think), Cleveland, KOMA, Oklahoma City; KABC and KRLA, Los Angeles; WJBK, Detroit; CKLW, Windsor/Detroit.

There were quite a few others, as well.

Speaking of CKLW, there were a number of "Canadian Clear Channels" which tended to be toward the top of the AM band, and that's the reason that a lot of higher frequency US AM stations still have to sign off at night.

More than you wanted to know, I'm sure.

I think that WWL in New Orleans is one of those clear channel stations, too. I remember listening to it at night as a kid while on car rides, and people would call in from all across the country.

Clear Channel communications has screwed with one of my all-time favorite morning shows, Walton and Johnson. (www.waltonandjohnson.com) They were based in New Orleans for many years. They recently moved to Houston when they went with Clear Channel. They're available all over the Gulf south - they are damn funny.

What has CC done to screw them up? They've required them to play music, usually the same 3 songs, cutting down on the talk time. The reason is to get rid of audience members that aren't members of their key demographic, and who (in the minds of Clear Channel execs) should be listening to one of CC's other shows. If I hear "Walk this Way" one more time in the morning, I'm going to scream. But, I stay with the show because I don't want their games to work on me. Plus, the actual content of the show is awesome enough to sit through "Dude looks like a lady" for the 9th time in 2 weeks...

I work for Cox radio currently (part time) and I worked for CC last year. They suck, pretty much sums them up.

As for requests-
DJs will say they take them, but unless it is already scheduled to air in that time slot or the PD made the hour short- they really don't care. There is a complete broadcast day printed out, from the liners, to the commercials, the songs, the plugs, etc. EVERYTHING! There is no room to change it, there are no, I will take this song out and play this one instead- it just doesn't happen.

So, in all honesty, unless it is a family owned station, DJs will not actually play your requests.

AND- that PD is actually making a decent move, most top 40 stations have a turn around time on a song of around 90 Minutes, TOPS!- so that is why you ALWAYs here Britney or N Sync