I used to work for Radio One - The chitlin' circuit. This article is truth. I cannot believe that the CEO, the dumbass that bought Black Planet last year in attempts to grab the Internet niche, gave himself a 10 million dollar bonus - oops, forgot that he's the founder's son - read on....


*Black Radio Speaks with Fork Tongue *

It is time that broadcasters start telling the truth. The recent flood
of one sided information by radio on the pending "HR 848 - Performance
Rights Act" is uncovering a much larger problem. The First Amendment
calls for "Freedom of Speech", but unfortunately broadcasters continue
to feed misinformation to millions of Americans, without a murmur of
opposing opinion.

Radio One, Founder Cathy Hughes has rediscovered her microphone after a
ten year hiatus. While shaping the Performance Rights Act as an end to
Black Radio, Hughes and her staff have done a great job of concealing
the facts.
In a series of PSA annoucements, Hughes has framed HR 848 as the end of
Black radio. Broadcasters, in this difficult economy have not allowed
advertising dollars to be spent by denying air time to supporters of
this Bill.

In Detroit, on Tuesday, Congressman John Conyers held a hearing on HR
848 at Wayne State University. While Joyner, Baisden and Hughes have
continued to deliver blatant lies on air, the forum was the perfect
situation to finally hear both sides.

Although invitations were extended to the entire broadcast community,
only one representative stepped up to the mic. Rev. Al Sharpton, who's
syndicated Radio One show airs nationwide, presented his side and left
without listening to the audience that pays his check.

Sharpton, on his show later that day only mentioned the forum as
"one-sided" and failed to mention any of the stories shared by a short
list of living legends, Dionne Warwick, Mary Wilson of the Supremes, Sam
Moore, Duke Fakir, George Clinton and writer performer Rhymefest
informed those in attendance of the simple facts on why performers
should be paid for radio airplay.

Maybe if Sharpton, Baisden, Hughes or Joyner stop talking they might
take the time to listen to some alarming facts.

*Performers are paid in over 30 countries, for radio airplay. Only the
U.S., China, Iran and North Korea do not pay performers for radio airplay.

*Performers are paid for television, satellite radio, cable stations
and Internet radio but not paid for terrestial (AM & FM) radio airplay.
*An additional $70 to $100 million will be paid to American artists for
airplay from foreign countries.

What Black Radio is not telling you:

*Urban radio continues to be the most syndicated music format. While
limiting voices and local issues, Black adults are 25 times more likely
to hear syndication than Whites. Eliminating the messengers, by limiting
the voices.

*Radio One, the nation's largest African American broadcaster, has cut
staff and 401k benefits for staffers, while awarding CEO Alfred Liggins
a 10 million dollar bonus.

*Radio consistently makes millions from the recording industry,
requiring Free promotions, Free product and Free performances that get
charged back to the artist bottom line.

No matter what the color of radio ownership -- serving local audiences
with better music, information and content is the key to thriving
business model. American radio must finally catch up with the rest of
the free world and pay performers their just do.

It is time that radio broadcasters allow audiences to hear both sides of
this important issue.

Paul Porter
www.IndustryEars.com

I normally would say that the artists need to be glad they are getting airplay and should be thankful that the stations are playing them and getting their names out there which gets them sales. However, in this day and age of both monopolized record labels and radio stations, I really don't care which side wins because it's going to drive a wedge between both groups no matter what the outcome is and hopefully contribute to the downfall both of them, which would be what they deserve. And as for the artists involved, the ones that are getting airplay these days, they don't deserve the airplay they are getting or the record deal that they have because they are a bunch of no-playing dull ass shit hoppers that can't get past midtempo and I'd love to see them fail also.

It's just a win win situation all the way around. I can't believe it, we may finally see the death of shit hop's domination after all these years. I feel like Gilligan finally getting off the island.

I'm pretty much willing to bet that if the radio industry is forced to get in step with most of the world and pay performers, the sky won't fall as the HR 848 opponents would like to have you believe.

But if so, maybe it's time for them (along with the record companies)...



...to cave in and have some other music delivery system take its place.


*Better graphic edit.


tA

Tribal Disorder

http://www.soundclick.com...dID=182431
[Edited 6/10/09 13:24pm]

Radio has been dead in my house since 1982.

Amen dammitt!

I had a professor that always touted that the advent of electronic media will mean the death of the traditional record business.

KatSkrizzle said:

He was only partially correct. I think the real death came when it no longer required TALENT 2 make or produce records.

Graycap23 said:

Talent is relative. I agree, but take the Supremes (a HUGE model of the business was developed from Motown) would the other members have the same success as Diana if they were light, fine, and tiny like her? Not a lot of unattractive women performers/artists.

Before the invention of music videos, most R&B acts whether they were male or female, group or solo, attractive or unattractive, were only seen on their album cover or if they did an occasional appearance on "Soul Train". Their record sales were made because they actually sounded good and appearance came last.

Graycap23 said:

. True.

Its been a long time coming for radio, and the music industry as we know it to change, I'm not sure what the future holds, but they are long overdue for an overhaul. The record industry still wants $15 bucks for a cd with only ten songs, and only 2 of the ten are good. And radio just plays the exact same playlist over and over all day long, so maybe this little 'lovers quarrel' between them will initiate a change that will be beneficial to 'we, the consumers'.

vainandy said:

True, and age is another factor, it seems like you could start a successful career as an artist at age 30+ back in the day. The Staples Singers pop in my mind first (for whatever reason), do you see a group like that having any form of success today, with their elderly daddy playing guitar , and they weren't exactly spring chickens in the 70's. Even my favorite, Rick James, didn't get start his career until he was 30, I believe 'Street Songs' was released when he was 33, if memory serves me. So the industry has become extremely superficial, especially over the last 15 years.

And since they insist on playing only a handful of artists repeatedly (the ones that they want to make successful) then why shouldn't they pay them? I agree that artists should get paid and it's not fair that they release songs and people download them for free but hey, these artists will still get paid if radio has to pay to play them.

I mean, what's the problem here? Radio insisted on wanting only a handful of artists to be successful and kept everyone else out that might threaten to overthrow the labels' cheaply made genre. I mean, they helped keep cheaply made music in style for damn near 20 years at all costs by cutting out everyone else. Well, here's their chance to continue keeping their cheap ass artists successful so what's the fucking problem here? The problem is, this time it will be radio fitting the bill instead of the consumer. They wanted a cheap product and now they've raised a generation that wants to pay an even cheaper cost than it costs the label to make it. They want it for free. They layed in the bed with the labels for years and now the labels want to fuck them without giving them a kiss first. They created this monster and it's only fair that it has come back to bite them in the ass.
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[Edited 6/10/09 14:23pm]

And just look at The Chi-Lites in the 1980s. That group had been successful in the 1970s and had long been out of style. In the 1980s, they released "Hot On A Thing" and "Bottoms Up" which got much airplay in my area. I don't think either of the songs sold too well but it certainly wasn't from lack of airplay. At least they were given a chance to be successful by being given airplay. Smokey Robinson was long past his heyday also and had big hits during the 1980s because he was given a chance and Diana Ross had some big hits in that decade also.

And speaking of The Staple Singers, even as late as the mid 1980s, "Slippery People" was getting lots of airplay. Older groups were given a chance back then.

I can't say the same thing about the 1990s though. War, Cameo, and The Barkays all had an album out in that decade that had some funk on it. They got little to no airplay. In fact, The Barkays got absolutely no airplay and the only reason I even knew they had an album is because I saw it in the record store and bought it.
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[Edited 6/10/09 14:31pm]

The thing that gets me is Cathy Hughes is trying to stage this campaign herself to save her own dollars. The thing that pisses me off more is that she has enough stations and syndicated shows to make a statement. She is co-owner of the Tom Joyner show, she syndicates the Ricky Smiley Show, Russ Parr and Yolanda Adams (if she's still on). So, Cathy doesn't want to have to dish out the big bucks to cover all of these shows.

You don't hear Citidale (formerly ABC), Clear Channel or CBS bitching. Those guys syndicate just as much programming to black stations as she does. As a matter of fact probably more. Come one, Steve Harvey, Michael Baisden, and more are huge money makers in black radio.

No wonder Radio One stock is 5 cents a share. You have people like Cathy and her son running things. They pocket the money and screw everyone else. I've heard so many horror stories about R1 not paying people and/or their paychecks bouncing. It's not even funny.

One of the Clear Channel oldies channels in my area has been playing a commercial that radio stations shouldn't have to pay a performance fee to play music, so yeah, they are bitching too.

vainandy said:

You STILL can't tell me folks didn't sell records cause they looked good even back then. I agree but don't agree with you.

All media is kept alive by advertising dollars. The higher they score in the ratings, the more corporate advertising money they make. The music is REALLY secondary. Folks that actually fill out the Arbitron surveys are what really determine where the stations rank in each market.

In the advent of Internet media, traditional sources have seen a significant decrease in ad dollars. Print is almost dead.

It is NOT. ALL. ABOUT. THE. MUSIC. It's about Pepsi's, (insert any corporation) marketing dollars. If the stations take a risk, that usually means dips in ratings and fewer dollars. In any media source's defense, they are stuck between a rock and a hard place. In my opinion, radio is WAY too expensive to advertise with anyway. TV is WAY cheaper...locally

I'm glad Baisden got some vocal coaching, cause that dude screamed into the microphone all day. I could never understand his appeal. He is a very sanctamonious (spelling?) and self righteous man. But now he doesn't sound like he pukes when he speaks, so I guess that's a good thing.

KatSkrizzle said:

Diana Ross...light skinned? Flo, yup, but hardly Diana. Funniest thing is back then it was usually Mary Wilson who was considered the most attractive of the 3.

Motown could have had just as much success w/ Martha and the Vandellas or w/ the Marvelettes, IMHO.

vainandy said:

Yeah, I heard it on one of our Clear Channel stations also. Clear Channel is still nothing like Radio One.

KatSkrizzle said:

I cannot stand Baisden either. He is such an ass. I still can't get what made someone want to offer him a show. I know the guy did radio before he did his show, but being a self-proclaimed "relationship expert" and doing the same topics day in and day out is very boring to me.

I've met him a few times and he is a total ass. He really thinks he's a celebrity. The dude carries himself like he's Prince or something. I actually saw this idiot at the grocery store about 4 months ago. He had been to the gym and was buying all kinds of nuts and dried fruit. I thought to myself "nuts for a nut" and snickered. He then recognized me and we shook hands and spoke. It was funny though.

- Glad I'm not the only one who can't stand Michael Baisden

Mstrustme said:

It amazes me how many market his show does well in. Whereas, a show like Wendy Williams' doesn't survive. They pretty much do the same type of show.

vainandy said:

You make it sound like it was like a pinky and the brain scenario. They just had this master plan to shove it down. Like it was the big Wizard of Oz at the end. This battle is very personal for you, huh?

Like, you are really mad, huh? So these "shit hop" rappers blowing up on the internet were master minded by radio too?

daPrettyman said:

- Some people really think this man is the shyt (including himself); some of his favorite topics are swinging and "pimps in the pulpit" and every lunar eclipse or so he'll do a really decent show

When I want real black talk radio I go to libradio
[Edited 6/10/09 17:14pm]

In 2002 Jody Williams of Radio One initiated a program that required all labels to pay R.O. corporate a fee to get their records played. The labels balked, then after an awful 3 months of NO NEW MUSIC (work SUCKED then) they finally started cutting checks. So I find it funny that they come back with this and Cathy on her high horse cries foul.

Not sure if that is still in place, there is a new man in that position. But programming is way more streamlined. Because radio is not a growth industry and it is costing too much to pay individual staff in each city.

And radio is still too expensive to advertise with, and I worked in radio sales. Perhaps that's why I lasted a year in that position.

Michael Baisden is cool. He's been a new voice for radio. I
dig a lot of his topics. He gives youngsters and adults a chance to
get on radio and let their voice be heard. Without shows like his
and Warren Ballentine, we wouldn't get to know some of the
deeper issues going on in the black community. Also Michael
Baisden's show gives under the radar artists like Rashaan
Patterson, Lalah Hathaway, and Mint Condition exposure. To
each his own but if we didn't have the Michael Baisden's,
the Warren Ballentine's, and the Steve Harvey's we'd be
bitching about not having enough black radio shows.

Just my

phunkdaddy said:

Everyone has an opinion of him.

My friends say I'm not "black enough" to relate to him. I guess not.

daPrettyman said:

Don't tell me you got a lil bryant gumbel in ya.
Seriously it's not a matter of being "black enough" , it's about
being in the know about issues that affect the black community.
I pick up a lot of info from listening to Baisden's show and Warren
Ballentine. Not saying that these guys are 100% right all the time
but they keep you informed about issues ranging from health, wealth,
politics, education, etc. that you won't get listening to the today
show, fox news, or bryant gumbel himself. And yes baisden can be a
goofball at times but i think the brotha has done a good job with his
show.

phunkdaddy said:

CVS Education.

You damn right I'm mad. Music has always been my number one source or entertainment and when it becomes stripped down to nothing but a weak sounding beat and some talking or singing and never gets faster than a damn waltz tempo, that makes me extremely bored and when I get bored, I get angry.

And no, the radio didn't mastermind this shit, the labels did because shit hop was the cheapest form of music to make. The radio was a big part in helping them by keeping anything that might threaten it out. And as for the shit hoppers making it big on the internet, yeah, of course that's going to happen. They were raised on bullshit their entire lifetime thanks to these labels and radio and they have an entire audience that was raised on nothing but bullshit. However, if both radio and labels were to fall and there was nothing but the internet, then eventually people would finally get bored with it and something else would finally take over and styles would finally change since no one would be around making sure that the styles don't change.
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[Edited 6/11/09 6:39am]