Urban Radio is on LIFE SUPPORT

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Editor’s Note: ALL urban stations in the country should listen to V-103 in Atlanta, Reggie Rouse is doing an excellent programming job and that station GETS IT. Many other urban outlets are falling short…)
Have you listened to urban radio lately? I have, and I’m sad to report, its slow death. The sound is dated, the announcers are not excited and have no personalities and the corporations have taken over, serving listeners a plate of microwaved, frozen, thawed then frozen again dookey. The airwaves are filled with rappers and singers who are doing more than they intended. They are the entertainers but they need a host, not a robot, who is void of personality and candor reminiscent of the robot that you are forced to talk to when you call your utility company. Is there anything more annoying? No, you want to talk to a live real person and you want a live real person talking to you. The same applies with radio. What song are they playing and how am I supposed to know who that artist is? Why do I have to listen to a music sweeps to find out who that is you just played? Why is your request line either always busy or never answered? Perhaps, we are wasting our time…. us listeners…. The most successful hosts today didn‘t come from radio Steve Harvey, Michael Baisden, Big Boy, Keith Sweat and others didn‘t have radio experience, just a concept. They refused to be what we call “average yuckersYuckers are announcers who almost TOTALLY focus no the sound of their voice. “Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii, Thiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiis iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiis yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyoooooooooooooooooooor booooooooooooooooooooooooooooy” you know what I mean. they also sound like they are about to throw up. Here in Atlanta, Frank and Wanda are HUGE, neither would be considered “announcers”by a long shot and Wanda Smith is a former comedian. There is also a drag queen on the show called Ms. Sophia. This is something COMPLETELY unheard of in the black radio arena, a drag queen?

Perhaps this is part of the reason urban radio is DEAD, lack of innovation and creative ideas. No drive and no excitement. Programmers who are under the impression that “the music is the star.”I’ve actually heard programmers say that and those who do say that and believe that are NOT real programmers. That’s like saying the guests are the star of the Jay Leno show.

The internet has taken over and urban radio is scared, but urban radio is not doing anything. Just standing on the track as the internet train blows its horn screaming “get out of the way” but urban radio stands there waiting for disaster to strike. Urban radio is dying or at least on life support, what is it going to take to save it or can it be saved?