Really Bad Public Radio

Remember way back when? 

We were encouraged to ditch the checkerboard schedule in public radio? There used to be quizzes about what our stations had on the air at a particular times. Many program directors had difficulty answering the question.

The next step was to run programming in strips so they would be on the same time everyday to take advantage of listening habits. It was the first step toward professional radio formatting and developing a sense of listener focus. The final step was consistency in programming over the entire schedule.

Well...I've been listening to a station that is moving away from a reliable schedule toward checkerboard programming. I guess they want to make it difficult for the listener. Or...they aren't really thinking about their listeners. Or...they love retro public radio and long for the bad old days of the 70's when public radio had few listeners and little public support.

Not having a PD or content director in place can lead to bad decisions. But then...if nobody is paying attention...if nobody is in charge...you might not be able to fix the problem before it is too late. It happens more than anybody cares to admit.

Does It Matter?

I'm afraid so. I have some apps on my phone. So do many other listeners. If I don't get what I want on the station above, I can get it elsewhere. The less time I spend with the station...the less likely I am to support it. A significant drop in listener support should be a wake up call. If management is looking in the right place, they might be able to reverse the trend. Unfortunately, with so much competition from so many platforms, the margin for error is much smaller.