Actually, there has been less direct payola. It is done now in the form of advertising revenues which are the legitimate resources for radio. They have actually cut a lot of the live DJ's in local markets, so there is nobody to pay anymore like that. And since they are programmed from about five central locations around the country, the Station manager actually has no say on what is played.

It is beginning this month that more classic music will be played and less new music in many formats. The reason is due to the cutbacks in advertising revenue due to the car companies cutting back. That is half the advertising revenue in radio. Stations will be switching formats to correspond with the declining economic fortunes.

XM and Sirrius have had to merge to try to be solvent (neither are) and there will be more stations actually closing up or merging with other stations, which is why you are finding more and more stations housed in central locations. It is also rumored that Clear Channel will declare bankruptcy soon and that will change all the dynamics.

Look for less stations overall and for less opportunties for music. Much of new programming will be through the Internet.

MAB

Last edited by Marc Barnette; 10/03/09 03:14 PM.