From Behind the Mic

By John Szpara

Until Exposure is on the air, this column will be commenting on our efforts to get our show on AOR (Album-Oriented Rock) stations around the country. Some of you may know radio from the inside, some may know nothing more about radio than how to find the On-Off button. Most prog fans probably just reach for the off button. I will therefore try to make this interesting to as many of you as possible. I will be giving a behind-the-scenes look at how radio works, at least from the perspective of someone trying to break in from the outside. With a prog show as the product, we’re talking WAY outside. An uphill battle, you say? That much is certain. Why am I doing it? I am a prog fan, just like you. If successful, it will be worth all the effort. The bands and fans deserve it. You (and I) are some of the longest-suffering people in music.

It may be obvious to you, but here is the bottom line on radio: if you sell advertising time, you make money. If you don’t, you’re out of the radio business. Like any other business in a capitalistic society, you live or die by supply and demand. Radio stations play music. It costs money. So, they look for advertisers. The people who buy the ads have businesses, and want to make money themselves. Some turn to radio. They want to know if anyone is listening. In order for the station to sell the airtime, they need as many listeners as possible. They play music that the widest cross-section of listeners will tune in for. It works the same way in television. Now, I don’t mean to insult your intelligence; I doubt any of you didn’t already know everything I just told you. I also do not want to sound like an apologist for the narrow-visioned radio industry. However, I bring it up for a reason - the next time you turn on the radio and say “why do they PLAY that CRAP?!?”, look at it from the station’s perspective. The more people that are listening, the more money they make. Money makes the world go round, right? Well, like it or lump it, that’s the way it is.

I must admit I understand WHY things are the way they are. I neither like it nor support it. I simply realize the importance of knowing and coming to grips with how the system works, because I have to work with the system. It’s also important that you, the prog fan, know it too.

We have a passion for a type of music that doesn’t appeal to the masses. Therefore, it gets no airplay. So prog fans meet, swap tapes, read reviews and hope to heck that the new CD they paid $30 for and waited 6-8 weeks to get doesn’t turn out to be crap. Yes, we’re surviving, but it could be better. Enter radio.

I hope to get Exposure on the air for several reasons. First, I am undeniably a fan of this music. I have my personal favorites, such as Ozric, Anglagard, Eloy, Floyd, Finch, FM, and so forth. Second, I love sharing this music with others. I don’t know how many times I’ve sat a friend or family member down and said, “HEY, check THIS out!” Sometimes they like it. Sometimes they don’t. Sometimes they give you a blank stare. (Many thanks to my ever-patient wife!). Sound familiar? Good. Now you’re in my shoes.

Trying to get prog on the radio is a lot like cramming a square peg in a round hole. With thorough research, preparation and hard work, and the support of prog fans, we might just make that unwieldy peg fit. It’ll take a lot of elbow grease on my part and lots of support from the prog fans. The show will neither get on the air, nor stay there, if it has to rest on the regular radio audience. We hope to pick up some new listeners; it would be very satisfying to know that we introduced a whole new flock of people to prog. But, the burden will rest on the shoulders of the die-hard fans.

It may seem to be a pipe dream to try to get a prog show on the air, that prog has too many strikes against it, too many weaknesses to appeal to a mainstream station. I learned something some years ago; weaknesses can be turned into strengths. Prog is different - so sell it as something different. It only appeals to a narrow audience - find out who that audience is, rally them to the cause, and you can start with an informed, regular listenership. Who’s gonna advertise on a show like this? People who have an interest in the same things that the fans do. Prog fans buy lots of albums/CDs - get with the record stores, mail order houses, rare record dealers. A lot of musicians listen to stations and say, “Hey, look, I’ve pre-sold 6 months of advertising for you...I’ve got 2000 fans in Metro Podunk who know about this, and say they’ll tune in. See...here’ the list...” That’s about what it’ll take. That’s where I need your help.

So far, as of June 12th, out of the 600 or so response cards I handed out at Progfest, I’ve seen about a dozen come back. On Internet, out of the 500 estimated readers of (the electronic bulletin board) alt.music.progressive, another dozen or so replied. I appreciate those who wrote in, but these numbers are hardly convincing. Add all that to the dismal turnout at Progfest, and it’s obvious my work is cut out for me. I do know that the prog fans are out there, but we need to reach them and we will literally need everyone to respond.

I’d like to walk into the stations with a nice, long list of people who are the built-in, core listenership. The more names, the better. If you’re receiving this newsletter, you may have already written. If not, drop me a line. If you know anyone else that is into prog, get them to write to us. The more numbers the better. Numbers are about the only way the stations will take notice.

Oh, one more thing...wish me luck!