All in the past year, both Robert W. Morgan and Bill Meeks have died. I know, there were other radio greats who we’ve lost in the past 12 months, but these two especially influenced me.

But this is not a eulogy for either of these talented men. This is a eulogy for the industry they nurtured.

It hardly makes news anymore when one broadcasting giant merges with another. Such was the case last month when Clear Channel purchased AMFM,inc, (formerly Capstar, formerly… oh, jeez I can’t remember). When that sale closes next spring, Clear Channel will control 830 radio stations around the country. They will become the largest broadcaster in the world. And the "airwaves as a public trust" concept will have died.

That’s too bad, because if you thought the offerings on the broadcast band were sterile before, wait till you hear what’s next. Your favorite liner card-reading "personality" will be even more disconnected, because he or she probably will live hundreds of miles away from where they are being heard. It’s called a Virtual Jock. In most cases, the Jock can do his Tracks in less that 20 minutes, and move on to the next market where he’ll be just as un-compelling.

Of course, there’s really no more time for any kind of worthwhile chatter. If you’ve noticed the commercial load has increased… in some cases back to 1965 levels… that’s almost 20 minutes an hour, folks. All the better to pay the debt service, my dear.

I’m just sad. You should be, too. For what was once an industry where you lived or died by how much the public liked you, is now an industry where you can be gone if the CEO’s lunch repeats on him. A Capstar program director told me, "Radio is run for the stockholders, not the public." I guess that explains the PD in Atlanta who delivered the best ratings in his station’s history, and was promptly canned.

I’ll bet the morning radio listeners in Paradise are laughing their wings off.

Good Morgan!
- Ron Harper

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