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Opinion

Free radio ... of fluff 

Fabian Sifuentes
Opinion Columnist

I am a big fan of public service announcements. They are a great way to educate an audience about how to participate in community issues; however, when agenda-pushing stations abuse this medium, it undermines the entire PSA system.

The campaign in question concerns a plea by 13,000 independent local radio stations who believe radio should be free. Normally, I am a proponent of anything free. If you want me to show up to anything, offer me a free T-shirt, free food or, better yet, free beer, and I will be first in line. However, the announcement was made by a Clear Channel radio station to convince listeners not to subscribe to satellite radio.

If Clear Channel is so concerned about my radio listening habits, it should concentrate on airing quality material instead of airing a fake PSA.

Rather than airing commercials most of the time, stations should air music. On the rare occasion I get lucky and do hear music on Clear Channel's stations, it should try not to play the same 10-year-old song once every four hours. I know that would require some work to insert six extra songs a day into the rotation, but that responsibility should be embraced by Clear Channel radio stations, since it seems there are no other radio station choices.

Annoying, idiotic banter needs to be reduced as well. In other words, shut up and play music. If I don't want to listen to 30 minutes of commercials or the same 10-year-old song every four hours, what makes Clear Channel think I want to listen to their DJs embarrass themselves regularly? If I wanted to be entertained by someone who tells crude jokes or makes funny voices, I would listen to a talented comedian who gets paid well to act in that manner.

The Federal Communications Commission's deregulations intended to aid the radio industry have, in a twist of irony, killed it. Corporations such as Clear Channel bought out their competitors, leaving listeners with no other stations for listeners to turn to. Clear Channel has used this position to push an awful product on its consumers with no fear of reprisal.

Thankfully, satellite radio offers a refuge from the clutter that has ruined radio stations -- limited banter, and no commercials. No wonder commercial radio must resort to PSAs in an attempt to curb the growing numbers of satellite radio subscribers. All the satellite subscribers I've talked to roll their eyes and swear they will never listen to commercial radio again. If Clear Channel did not jump the shark when it introduced us to Creed, it did when it tried to generate sympathy for its radio stations through this campaign.

The people have spoken. They want more content, less banter and fewer commercials. It is up to Clear Channel to give its audience what it wants, or that audience will continue to flock to satellite radio's open arms.

Sifuentes, an opinion columnist for The Daily Cougar, 
can be reached at fabian.sifuentes@gmail.com.