Jim Walsh's Big Hairy Weblog Thingy

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

The Medium Ain't Always The Message

In the fifties, young people listened for hours on end to barely audible, far-away AM stations to hear exciting new sounds from folks like Elvis Presley and Chuck Berry...

In the sixties, listeners tolerated the drifting and multi-path problems (a serious issue in hilly areas like, say, San Francisco) to embrace a newer, hipper, more politically aware brand of rock and roll radio on small-signal FMs...

In the eighties, listeners willingly sat through ten-minute spot breaks to hear what "How-weird" and his motley gang would say next...

In the nineties, listeners turned back to AM, crackly, staticky AM, to hear a guy with a funny Dutch name give voice to their frustrations...

Radio ain't nothing but a means of conveying the message. Give 'em a message they want and they'll go through hell to hear it.

It's that simple.

3 Comments:

  • OMG, I have never heard you speak more succinctly or poetically. You should forward this blurb to Talkers Magazine, opinions. You have spoken the truth with wisdom and beauty.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 11:36 PM  

  • Jim Walsh is awesome!!!!
    Fan from Delaware!

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 7:01 PM  

  • I STILL listen to barely audible, far away AM stations. I STILL love it!!
    Still in Delaware...
    I've passed this way before...

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 7:09 PM  

Post a Comment

<< Home