On June 20, the FMC released a portion of the results of a public opinion
survey that we commissioned regarding citizens’ satisfaction with commercial
radio. The survey found strong public support for policies to counteract
the effects of radio consolidation.
The survey is part of a larger research study we’re doing looking at
the effects of radio consolidation on musicians and the public that
we’re working on in partnership with Media Access Project and the Rockefeller Foundation.
The telephone survey, conducted May 13-20, 2002, asked respondents a
wide variety of questions about radio; from basic listening habits,
to opinions about programming and available content, to opinions about
the role of Congress in addressing issues such as radio station ownership
consolidation and "pay-for-play" issues.
Here are some specific highlights:
- Consolidation of radio station ownership is not popular. Eight of
ten favor congressional action to protect or expand the number of independently
owned local stations
- By a better than ten to one ratio – 76 percent to 7 percent –
radio listeners believe that DJs should be given more air time for songs
they think will be of interest to their audiences rather than be required
to mostly play songs of artists backed by recording companies
- If it can be substantiated that radio stations are paid to give air
time preference to the music artists supported by record companies,
the public approves by a 68 to 24 percent ratio for Congress to consider
passing laws to ensure that all artists have a more reasonable chance
of having their songs heard
- Half of the respondents – 52 percent – say radio would be
more appealing to them if it offered more new music, less repetition
and more music of local bands and artists
- By a ratio of six to one, radio listeners prefer a long, rather than
a short, playlist that provides them a greater variety of songs and
less repetition during the week
- Seventy-five percent would like to see low power FM (LPFM) stations
expanded in their communities, especially if they offer (a) the music
of local bands and artists, (b) talk shows on issues of local interest
and (c) health, science or fitness programming. Additionally, 74 percent
favor legislation to expand the number of LPFM stations in the United States.
You can read the survey results that we released here.
And a few of the stories in the press about it:
Will Congress tackle pay-for-play?
Radio-station owners are shocked — shocked! — as the music industry’s
payola scandal widens. Record-label execs aren’t buying it (and neither
should you).
By Eric Boehlert
Salon.com,
June 25, 2002
Survey Shows Opposition to Radio Consolidation
Radio listeners want local disc jockeys to have more control over programming,
and they oppose federal laws that encourage more consolidation among
radio conglomerates, according to a recent survey conducted by the Future
of Music Coalition, an artists rights group based in Washington.
By Laura Holson
New
York Times, June 20, 2002
Survey shows radio listeners turned off by payola, playlists
Denouncing everything from the shrinking number of independent stations
to music playlists influenced by payola-like practices, a survey of
radio listeners across America was released Wednesday that adds to the
growing list of voices expressing dissatisfaction with the state of
commercial radio.
By Greg Kot
Chicago
Tribune, June 20, 2002
As noted, this survey is just one component in our larger study of the
impacts of radio consolidation on musicians and the public that we expect
to release in September 2002. Stay tuned for more!