Relevant yes, aggressive no…

Tuesday, April, 15, 2008 by Mel Phillips.

In addition to the obvious - sight and sound vs. sound, the real difference between Radio and the Electronic media is speed.  Speed in delivery and more importantly speed in decision making.  The electronic media is quick to act, radio is “slow and steady wins the race.”  Substitute ”wins” with “loses” and you get the current state of radio, despite David K. Rehr’s “radio is relevant” rhetoric delivered in the NAB keynote address yesterday…

For years CBS Radio resisted the audio streaming of its radio stations, even under the Mel Karmazin administration, much to the chagrin of those of us employed at the mothership.   By the time the streaming started it wasn’t new and exciting, it was commonplace because everyone else was doing it.  It had lost it’s immediacy and excitement…

There are dozens of other examples of how radio is reluctant to act quickly in an era where speed is everything.  Does anyone think that HD Radio will be relevant by the time it even qualifies for relevance?  With Internet Radio, iPods and MP3’s already relevant?  I don’t think so…

Radio is relevant but not as relevant as the electronic media.  I will always be a fan of radio.  My radio is on all day but the difference is this - my radio listening is confined to providing background for music.  Google, Yahoo, YouTube, my most used electronic friends are paid more attention than my radio…

10 Timeline Memories:

1. 1865]  This I Swear:  Andrew Johnson becomes the 17th president of the United States after the assassination of Abraham Lincoln who dies from his gunshot wounds…
2. 1947]  Breaking the barrier:  Jackie Robinson becomes major league baseball’s first black player, making his debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers.  Playing first base, Jackie goes hitless in 3 at-bats…
3. 1955]  Mickey D. arrives:   Ray Kroc opens the first McDonald’s.  The first ad campaign features Ronald McDonald…
4. 1959]  Fidelito:  Cuban leader Fidel Castro begins what he calls “a good will tour” of the U.S.  He’s treated like a rock star…
5. 1965]  Making the Most of Havlicek’s steal:  In a call made famous by Johnny Most,  John Havlicek steals an in-bound pass by Philadelphia, giving the Celtics the Eastern Division Championship…
6. 1968]  And the Mets still lose:   The longest 1-0 game in baseball history is a 24-inning game between Houston and the Mets with the Astros winning in 6 hours and 6 minutes…
7. 1982]  Rock and Roll wreck:  Billy Joel is seriously hurt in a motorcycle accident on the Long Island Expressway.  Yussell will be hospitalized for a month…
8. 1985]  It’s Marvelous:  Marvelous Marvin Hagler retains his world middleweight crown in a great battle with Thomas “Hitman” Hearns that ends in a 3rd round TKO.  Our late friend Curt Gowdy  did the blow-by-blow…
9. 1990]  ‘Happy Trails’:  Legendary screen star Greta Garbo  dies from renal disease and pneumonia at 84…2001]   Punk rocker Joey Ramone a.k.a. Jeffrey Ross Hyman dies from lymphoma at 49…
10. 2003]  Kill the ump takes on a new meaning:  Umpire Laz Diaz is attacked by a fan during a Kansas City-Chicago game.  The fan is later sentenced to 6 months in jail and forced to watch the rest of the Royal’s baseball season…

Music Memories:

• 1966]  Debuted on this date:  The Buffalo Springfield performs for the first time as the opening act for the Byrds in San Bernadino (CA).  Here’s a clip, for what it’s worth, of the group being introduced by the Monkees‘ Peter Tork at the 1967 Monterey Music Festival…

Commentary:

Sad news for Columbia-Epic Records alumnae everywhere with the passing of two friends and former colleagues, Ron Piccolo, who for many years was New York branch manager of CBS Records and Dr. George Butler, former A&R executive for Columbia Records.   A memorial for Ron will be held in Naples, Florida on Thursday, April 17th.  For more information, call 239-592-1911.  A memorial tribute for Dr. George will be held at Lincoln Center sometime later this year.  Both men were well-liked and contributed greatly to the success of CBS Records during their tenure.  They will be sorely missed…Former Mets director of amateur baseball relations and coach, Tommy Holmes, passed away at 91.  Tommy owned the National League record for consecutive game hits (37) until Pete Rose broke the record in 1978 with 44…In commemoration of the 61st anniversary of Jackie Robinson’s first game, the player scoring the winning run and winning pitcher will be number 42  in the Mets-National’s, Dodgers-Angels games.  All the players on those 4 teams will wear uniform number 42.  A total of 330 players in all, will wear the same number.  A fitting tribute to the player who broke the color barrier…

“Happy Birthday…happy birthday”:

Danny (‘Cold Case’) Pino (33), Samantha Fox (42), Emma Thompson (49), Lois Chiles (61), Dave Edmunds (64), Roy Clark  (75) and Michael Ansara (86)…

Timeline Countdown:  4 days until Passover, 18 days until the Kentucky Derby and 25 days until Mother’s Day… 

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