An Annoying Talk Radio Cliche

[smedge2006]

The use of popular music from the decade before last as bumper music.

Yes, I know, that mimics exactly what stations targeting the same demo (30's, the leading edge of the mainstream right-wing talk audience) would do. Which is exactly the problem.

Talk radio has never really developed its own school of programming -- which is why unique talk radio institutions are so rare -- which in a way is one reason why syndication is so common. Talk just glommed onto music radio hot clocks and tried to shoehorn them around spoken words, developing faulty analogies such as "callers are records." Especially today with consolidation, many if not most talk program directors are actually running several FM music stations and the talker is an afterthought. Thus these music PD's trying to program something they don't understand return to a familiar crutch -- putting bumpers of the same limited playlists that make up their music libraries in rotation.

Do these "PD's" really think people searching for talk radio (who by definition are getting tired of music on radio -- talk's audience is a subset of the radio universe, it's not pulling people in from other media who didn't listen to radio already) are trying to hear "Heart of Rock n Roll", "She Drives Me Crazy", "Master of Puppets", and the other 80's gems that are associated with talk radio -- sometimes heard on SEVERAL shows simultaneously.

[quadraphonic]

The producers are probably just going with songs they, and the general public know.

Do they really give it []that[/i] much thought?

Wouldn't any song become a "cliche" if the same show played it for long enough?

[dustintv]

Currently it's cliche to talk about healthcare. Sure it's a very important issue but the talkers have beat it to death now.

[DToTheJ]

Do these "PD's" really think people searching for talk radio (who by definition are getting tired of music on radio -- talk's audience is a subset of the radio universe, it's not pulling people in from other media who didn't listen to radio already) are trying to hear "Heart of Rock n Roll", "She Drives Me Crazy", "Master of Puppets", and the other 80's gems that are associated with talk radio -- sometimes heard on SEVERAL shows simultaneously.

Let's see... Savage, check... Clark Howard, check... Hmmm, which radio host uses "Heart Of Rock & Roll"?

[smedge2006]

Hmmm, which radio host uses "Heart Of Rock & Roll"?

Two at least... Neal Boortz and an alternative health show whose name escapes me. Which is what is really annoying about using popular songs as show themes. If more than one uses the same theme, a lot of listeners will end up thinking of the other show.

[quadraphonic]

So what should they use for bumpers?

[raccoonradio]

Howie Carr (Boston/New England) uses  a lot of 60s-80s, knowing his listeners may be a bit older than
that. Some Doors tunes; Mississippi Queen; Geo. Thorogood's version of Who Do You Love (his theme);
Creedence; We're An American Band (usually at the end of his show).
Some stuff may be more recent. His backing music for the Chump Line is taken from a Shaquille O'Neill
album

[smedge2006]

So what should they use for bumpers?

Since most stations run syndicated programming in automation, do they need bumpers anymore?
Just do a three count for stations joining late, and start talking. Local shows certainly don't need bumpers, especially with devices that can delay the top of the hour network news by a few seconds if necessary.

If that doesn't work, pick music not likely to be heard on similar shows so that people associate it with YOUR show, not everything else out there. Or pick music that thematically fits the show topic (a lot harder and probably impossible day to day). Or hire a producer and create your own (expensive, I know, but with all the restrictions on licensed music for podcasts and the possibility of artist fees in the USA, it's worth considering on a syndicator's budget). Just please don't buy a package from Company XXX that makes jingle clones that haven't freshened since 1988.