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Military Radio May Go Hip Hop
U.S. military stations around the world could soon be playing more hip-hop and rock and cutting back on country music, sports and talk shows. The consulting group Lund Media Research recommended those changes after an analysis of American Forces Radio, and officials will meet this week to discuss the proposals. | Disclaimer: I did 4 tours in AFRTS on the maintenance side. Every few years one of these surveys pops up claiming to know "what the troops want". Troops response is "Huh? No one asked me!" |
The most significant change would be creating two music stations for worldwide broadcast. One would feature mostly hip-hop, rap and pop music, and the other would play classic rock, alternative bands and a mix of Top 40 selections. | AFRTS stations have gone automated, satellite feeds from broadcast center are played direct most of the day. Local spots inserted as needed, manned outlets normally do a morning and afternoon "drive-time" show. Bases with cable systems may carry multiple radio channels, locations with transmitters can select which feed they broadcast during different hours. |
Popular talk shows, such as Rush Limbaughs program and those from National Public Radio, would be relegated to a third station broadcast only in a few select areas, according to the military publication Stars and Stripes. | Since when has NPR ever been "popular"? Rush is hugely popular, except by HQ AFRTS staff. They've tried several times to kill his show since it was forced on them. I heard this disscussion first hand. |
Lund also recommended abandoning play-by-play broadcasts of American sports events, which attract few listeners. Those games would instead be available via the cable and satellite systems of American Forces Radio and Television Services (AFRTS).
Lund found that talk radio isnt popular among troops under age 34, and country music, while it does have an audience, is very unpopular among many military personnel. "They said when we play country, we pull in the country fans but lose everyone else, said Warren Lee, operations and plans officer for AFRTS.
| And when you play rap and hip hop you lose everyone who doesn't like them either. Plus, the biggest hip hop records tend to be so vulgar, the AFRTS outlets can't play them. |
The report also recommends removing the Tom Joyner show from over-the-air broadcasts as well, despite its popularity among minority troops. Several white respondents complained about the show, and Lund officials deemed it too controversial for AFRs attempts to broaden its listening audience. | "Several white respondents" which included several Wing Commanders |
The rationale behind the proposed changes is simple, according to Andy Friedrich, deputy director for AFRTS: To attract the largest possible audience. | I think Andy has been there since the earth cooled |
If officials decide to accept the Lund recommendations, the changes could be implemented by January 2007 at the earliest.
More info at Stars and Gripes
Posted by: Steve 2006-06-05 |
