God bless them. Harry Caray, Jack Brickhouse and Lou Boudreau just rolled over in their graves. WGN Radio will no longer broadcast the Chicago Cubs. This is big. I speak from experience few people in the radio industry have. I am one of the few who has managed and programmed a station that is a…
“It’s from a man in Cincinnati, Ohio and here’s what he writes.” – Casey Kasem Just when you thought the freak show during Michael Jackson’s last years was grotesque, two western states now bring us the battling “Kasem Clans.” It’s a battle so large no one state can contain it. The Monday, June 2nd edition…
Historically, record companies, its labels and performers have had a pretty good deal with radio. Radio gives the labels free advertising for their songs, while the labels give radio the tunes to play free of charge, excluded music licensing fees that pay composers. A quid pro quo as they say in Latin. Or as they…
Each Memorial Day weekend downtown Cincinnati is home to a HUGE gathering of people. It’s our community’s way of saying adios to winter and kicking off a summer filled with festivals, socializing with friends and neighbors, eating and drinking beer. Lots of beer. This past weekend “Taste of Cincinnati” celebrated its 36th annual party on…
I am one of the last believers in AM radio. I love the medium. It kills me to see the shape it’s in today. It didn’t have to be this way. A number of months ago I wrote a blog that received a lot of positive and negative reaction within the radio industry. The FCC…
“If you’re worth more dead than alive, watch the hell out.” – Darryl Parks Legendary radio personality and the only true host of “American Top 40” (sorry Ryan) Casey Kasem has gone missing. He might be in Canada, some other foreign country or on an Indian Reservation. No one seems to know for sure. Casey,…
Rule #1: “Ratings and Revenue.” You may have heard me say this. It’s something I really believe. Over the years listeners and special interest groups have accused me of various sins like programming to a certain political bias or producing programs that appeal to the lowest common denominator. Both very true. The political bias (or…
I haven’t even gotten around to podcasting yet and I may be silenced before I start. Will no one let my voice be heard? “Attica! Attica! Attica!” (Look it up. It’s from a famous Pacino movie.) I plan to podcast and distribute my thoughts via regularly scheduled “production of serialized or episodic content that can…
It was a Saturday morning a number of years ago and the radio station I programmed, WTVN in Columbus, had this talk show called “Saturday Morning Open Phones.” Basically, conspiracy nuts called up to spew their seditious opinions to a disinterested host. One weekend a caller suggested President Clinton should take a head shot. Within…
The future viability of AM stations won’t be helped by FM translators for a simple reason. They’re on FM.
– Darryl Parks
darrylparks.com 