Radio Column Demise A Bad Sign…

Thursday, June, 5, 2008 by Mel Phillips.

The Washington Post’s dropping of its “The Listener” radio column does not bode well for radio’s relevance at a time when the medium needs all the exposure it can get in order to survive.  Marc Fisher wrote his last column  on Sunday after a 13-year run.  Fisher reminisces about some of his favorite bygone radio moments created by the likes of Long John Nebel, the early Don Imus, National Public Radio and even more contemporary radio voices like the Greaseman and Don Geronimo.  He also touches on the transition from those names to Intenet and satellite radio, Pandora.com, Last.fm and Slacker.com but his view of the future of radio is all too truthful and painful…

Fisher, author of a book about radio and what happens to old media when new technologies come along (”Something in the Air“) adds this:  “the old delivery systems will either die off or change functions, just as the arrival of TV changed radio’s role from the main stage of popular culture to a utility providing headlines, traffic reports, temperature and the latest pop hits.  The next decade or more will be a transitional time, as radio, like newspapers and television networks, forswears allegiance to any one means of distribution and declares itself platform-agnostic.  Those media that, like the record industry, cling to old technology and a collapsed business model will see their futures crumble before their eyes.”  …

Fisher does have hope for radio, “but only if it invests in creating compelling reasons to be there, only if it grabs hold of us the way the voices of past decades connected to the loves, pains and dreams of young listeners.  As always, the future lies in the past.”   To which, I add this:  What he said…

10 Timeline Memories:

1. 1851]  A literary classic:  Harriet Beecher Stowe  publishes the first installment of “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” or “Life Among The Lowly” in the National Era abolitionist newspaper.  It will run in the magazine in installments for 10 months…
2. 1954]  Curtains:  “Your Show Of Shows“, a comedy classic, makes its farewell performance.  Sid Caesar and cast (Imogene Coca,Carl Reiner and Howard Morris) depart with 5 Emmy’s won over their 4-year run.  Comedy writers on the show included Woody Allen, Mel Brooks, Neil Simon and Larry Gelbart.  Here’s one of the funnier skits performed on the show…
3. 1967]  Guilty as charged:  Mass murderer Richard Speck  is sentenced to death in the electric chair for his murder rampage.  The sentence is reduced to a life term.  Speck dies of a heart attack in prison in 1991, one day short of his 50th birthday…
4. 1967]  On the seventh day they rested:  The 6-day war  between Israel and Egypt, Syria and Jordan begins…
5. 1968]  Another Kennedy is cut down:  Senator Robert F. Kennedy is shot and mortally wounded after claiming victory in the California Democratic Primary.  Gunman Sirhan B. Sirhan is immediately captured.  Kennedy will die from his wounds on June 6…
6. 1974]  Wedding Bells:  Sly Stone  and Kathy Silva rock down the Madison Square Garden aisle prior to a concert.  The marriage will last all of 5 months…1993]  Mariah Carey  and SONY CEO Tommy Mottola  marry at a Fifth Avenue church.  They will separate in 1997 and divorce…
7. 1981]  The birth of AIDS:  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that 5 men have come down with a rare form of pneumonia.  These are the first reported cases of what will become AIDS…
8. 1989]  The last of a breed:  The last original New York Islander, goalie Billy Smith  retires…
9. 1993]  ‘Happy Trails’:  Conway Twitty  ruptures a stomach vessel after collapsing on his tour bus.  Twitty who had 39 Country chart toppers, passes away at 59…1999]  Mel Torme  a.k.a. “The Velvet Fog” dies from complications of a stroke suffered in 1996.  Torme was 73…2004]  Ronald Wilson Reagan, our 40th president dies in Los Angeles at 93 after a long struggle with Alzheimer’s…
10. 2002]  Kidnapped:  14-year old Elizabeth Smart is kidnapped from her parents’ home in Salt Lake City…

Music Memories:

• 1956]  The King and The Uncle:  Elvis Presley makes an appearance on Milton Berle’s “Texaco Star Theatre“…
• 1957]  Released on this date:  “Be-Bop-A-Lula” - Gene Vincent…1957]  “Suzie Q” - Dale Hawkins…
• 1984]  Number One on this date:  “Time After Time” - Cyndi Lauper (Cyndi’s mother and boyfriend are in this video and Nipper too)…

Commentary:

On this the 40th anniversary of Robert F. Kennedy’s shooting, the New York State Assembly has given final legislative approval to rename the Triborough Bridge, connecting Manhattan, Queens and The Bronx, Robert F. Kennedy Bridge.  The bridge opened in 1936 and contains 3 bridges, a viaduct and 14 miles of usually unapproachable approach roads.  Although I’m not a big fan of renaming buildings or bridges, this is appropriate given the anniversary.  And many people for sure will still refer to it as the Triborough, an aptly and descriptively named bridge…

“Happy Birthday…happy birthday”:

Mark Wahlberg (37), Kenny G (52) Suze Orman (57), Laurie Anderson (61), Ken Follett (59), Robert Kraft (67) and Bill Moyers (74)…

Timeline Countdown:  2 days until the Belmont Stakes, 10 days until Father’s Day, 17 days until summer and 30 days until July 4th…

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