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pheloniusfriarAn odd sort of thing is happening right now. I'm studying for my Modern Physics II exam on Monday and I'm using some old playlists I sort of randomly saved (it was not not consistent) as I put my radio show together over the past year and a bit. I am really enjoying my mixes. This comes as something of a surprise to me, believe it or not, because when I'm putting the shows together I am pulling from such an insanely diverse pool of musical genres and styles and sounds. I do my best to make an engaging show that holds together musically (whether through common themes or by bouncing/clashing songs off each other), but at times it seems a fairly desperate effort. However, listening to these mixes I have found myself thinking, "this is the sort of radio I've loved to hear", and that makes me feel really good.
The show is fundamentally problematic in that it is built around musical diversity (the only theme is that I found what I play for sale in a retail establishment for $3 or less, everything else is anarchy... most of the time I've never heard of the artist(s) and have no idea what to expect when I finally listen to it). All the shows I know that are very successful and have dedicated listeners are narrowly focused on a particular type of music or some identifiable community. As the saying goes "jack of all trades, master of none". That's me (in general... and I might add, is a deliberate decision on my part on how to lead my life) and my show right there. I have often wondered who would want to listen to a show that is industrial themed one week and disco the next? (Heh, just listened to a playlist that ended with Primus' whacked-out "De Anza Jig" from their album "Tales From The Punchbowl" followed immediately by Sarah Brightman's musical/operatic retelling of the Spanish folk tale "Hijo De La Luna" off her album "La Luna"... lol, I still think I'm going to radio hell for that one, but it still somehow managed to work, go figure). Well, I had my answer to that question when I invited two listeners who contributed to CKCU's funding drive to join us as co-hosts on the show for a day. The first one to come, Derek, says he had been listening to my show pretty much for the entire time it has been on the air... it blew me away. To be honest, I'm told that there are always listeners, but other than a few people that I know personally commenting on the interactive web site during the show (which I really, really appreciate, fyi), I have no indication that there is anyone out there to hear. Well, Derek said that he happened to be in his car at the time my show runs and loved tuning in to find out what I'd be doing that day. He, in fact, said he tuned in because he loved the diversity... it was never the same thing twice and it was as much of an adventure for him to listen to the show as it always is for me to put the show together each week based on the new and old "dollar bin" stuff I have picked up.
I need to decide whether I want to invest any more effort in building a more tangible audience and maybe trying to pick up a sponsor or something (surely some record store would be willing to let me announce that "The Dollar Bin has been brought to you by ..."). If so, I really want to "up my game" with regard to the way the non music parts of the show are presented. I have been told I do okay with my banter (especially since I've had a regular co-host), but I am not personally satisfied with the show's presentation (I find it a little more haphazard than I think it should be, but only a little... I had the opposite problem before in that it was far too scripted... I really need to find a professional sounding balance: a mix of the fun/improvised and the informational). One thing that would probably help is to get off my ass and get my show's blog running (I have the domain name already, I just need to implement the site on my server). I probably also need to have Twitter and Facebook presences for it as well (I've never had Twitter and I deleted my personal Facebook account and took the show's page with it... this is the only social media I'm still running at the moment). I also know that to reach any more of an audience, I would have to get out into the community and run some live remotes... preferably from record stores or music related events (e.g. places where people go to buy music, maybe even neighbourhood garage sales, some of which are huge when it comes to finding music). But... do I want to invest the time and effort to become a really good radio host? That is the question. Philosophically I do, but I need to be practical as well because I need to focus on my studies first and foremost. If I think the show is going to run for a few more years, it's probably worth it, so I'm going to go talk to our new Program Director and maybe chat with him about the direction I should take and whether there is any support for me if I decide to go further.
As a note, all the shows for the last year are available "on demand" via the above link if you want to listen to some great music (your mileage many vary with regard to the banter). If you do listen, do feel free to comment here (anonymous comments are enabled I believe even). I know what I do is far from top knotch, but I need to know if I'm bottom drawer as well (is that even a thing that can be said? lol).
The show is fundamentally problematic in that it is built around musical diversity (the only theme is that I found what I play for sale in a retail establishment for $3 or less, everything else is anarchy... most of the time I've never heard of the artist(s) and have no idea what to expect when I finally listen to it). All the shows I know that are very successful and have dedicated listeners are narrowly focused on a particular type of music or some identifiable community. As the saying goes "jack of all trades, master of none". That's me (in general... and I might add, is a deliberate decision on my part on how to lead my life) and my show right there. I have often wondered who would want to listen to a show that is industrial themed one week and disco the next? (Heh, just listened to a playlist that ended with Primus' whacked-out "De Anza Jig" from their album "Tales From The Punchbowl" followed immediately by Sarah Brightman's musical/operatic retelling of the Spanish folk tale "Hijo De La Luna" off her album "La Luna"... lol, I still think I'm going to radio hell for that one, but it still somehow managed to work, go figure). Well, I had my answer to that question when I invited two listeners who contributed to CKCU's funding drive to join us as co-hosts on the show for a day. The first one to come, Derek, says he had been listening to my show pretty much for the entire time it has been on the air... it blew me away. To be honest, I'm told that there are always listeners, but other than a few people that I know personally commenting on the interactive web site during the show (which I really, really appreciate, fyi), I have no indication that there is anyone out there to hear. Well, Derek said that he happened to be in his car at the time my show runs and loved tuning in to find out what I'd be doing that day. He, in fact, said he tuned in because he loved the diversity... it was never the same thing twice and it was as much of an adventure for him to listen to the show as it always is for me to put the show together each week based on the new and old "dollar bin" stuff I have picked up.
I need to decide whether I want to invest any more effort in building a more tangible audience and maybe trying to pick up a sponsor or something (surely some record store would be willing to let me announce that "The Dollar Bin has been brought to you by ..."). If so, I really want to "up my game" with regard to the way the non music parts of the show are presented. I have been told I do okay with my banter (especially since I've had a regular co-host), but I am not personally satisfied with the show's presentation (I find it a little more haphazard than I think it should be, but only a little... I had the opposite problem before in that it was far too scripted... I really need to find a professional sounding balance: a mix of the fun/improvised and the informational). One thing that would probably help is to get off my ass and get my show's blog running (I have the domain name already, I just need to implement the site on my server). I probably also need to have Twitter and Facebook presences for it as well (I've never had Twitter and I deleted my personal Facebook account and took the show's page with it... this is the only social media I'm still running at the moment). I also know that to reach any more of an audience, I would have to get out into the community and run some live remotes... preferably from record stores or music related events (e.g. places where people go to buy music, maybe even neighbourhood garage sales, some of which are huge when it comes to finding music). But... do I want to invest the time and effort to become a really good radio host? That is the question. Philosophically I do, but I need to be practical as well because I need to focus on my studies first and foremost. If I think the show is going to run for a few more years, it's probably worth it, so I'm going to go talk to our new Program Director and maybe chat with him about the direction I should take and whether there is any support for me if I decide to go further.
As a note, all the shows for the last year are available "on demand" via the above link if you want to listen to some great music (your mileage many vary with regard to the banter). If you do listen, do feel free to comment here (anonymous comments are enabled I believe even). I know what I do is far from top knotch, but I need to know if I'm bottom drawer as well (is that even a thing that can be said? lol).
no subject
Date: 2014-04-14 05:22 pm (UTC)sigh stoopid phone
Date: 2014-04-15 06:00 am (UTC)I enjoy listening to your shows live but am ever so grateful for the 'on demand' feature!
Exciting that there may be a sponsor, I think that CD Warehouse would be perfect as you get so many from their dollar bin :)