The end all be All of radio blogs.

Throughout the course of this semester, I have had a predilection for the episodes of Escape. This last week of listening gave me the chance to listen to a ton more of them. And thats what I did. I know I probably should have listened to a greater variety of shows, but I didn't. What I like so much about these Escape shows is the ease and interest of listening. These shows are not serials, so the episodes don't play off of one another. Each show is a self contatined story, thats what makes it so easy to listen to. You only have to invest a half hour, tops. Even with these simple aspects, these storys on average are very interesting, or at least amusing. The music is cheesily effective in creating suspense. Also, the narration of these episodes has always proved effective. Casting the runes was the episode from this week that I enjoyed especially.

The Earth Abides with Bogart

Iv'e read the Earth Abides a couple time and its one of the most interesting books I've read in a long time. What I like most about it is that it was the first book to predict a massive disease striking the human race. This book isn't as well known as it should be because people like Stephen King ripped-off his idea in books like the Stand. This story is so much more realistic than any of its spinoffs, that's why I like it so much. All of its rip offs have to add stuf and it just cheapens the story in my opinion. The book is methodical and matter of fact in its descriptions of a post apocalyptic world. The dramatization leaves a lot to be desired, but that was only because I was already very familiar with the book. But I definitely think that this condensed version would be very interesting to someone who had no knowledge of the novel and its characters like Ish and Charlie. A part of the book that I always found particularly interesting was only briefly mentioned in the drama. It was the idea that the point at which Ish, Emma, and Ira solidified their community as a state run body was when they unanimously voted to execute Charlie for the good of the many. This was always a very interesting way of thinking about government and I can understand why it was glossed over considering the time period in which it was aired. All in all, I liked this dramatization very much. It is always interesting to here a different rendition of a story that you are already familiar with, even if it is super condensed.

The Queen of Africa is a Great Movie, but the dramatization just seemed rushed. Maybe if they had an extra half hour to develop the story like in the movie it would be more convincing. A lot of what makes Humphrey Bogart a great actor is expression, or more appropriately, his lack of expression. The story works and there are plenty of out dated stereotypes that are amusing, but I just like the movie better. Sorry, I'[m just being a big winer about the listenings this week.

Dorian Gray

These modern radio shows are awesome. They sound almost like books on tape, or audio movies, rather than radio shows. THe quality is so much better and the storylines are less obviously developed. Granted, I've already read the book and am familiar with the story, but even so, the drama and action is less spelled out. In the older shows the characters would talk to themselves and be like, "I better open the closet door," but in these they just use the sounds. That brings me to antother point, the sound effects are a lot more developed than in the older shows. Everything kind of sounds like it is all in the same context rather than varying in intensity and volume depending on how close the person doing the effects is to the micropohone. It seems radio drama is alot easier to pull off with computers and modern recording technology. The music was excellent. It combined the the eerie ghost sounds that are used throughout the drama with a 3/4 tune that created a kind of satanic waltz. It was most effective in setting the mood for someone who sells his soul on account of a painting.

As far as characters go, I thought they were handled pretty well. Basil was meek and a pushover as I remember, Dorian was vain and naive until he met Harry (Sir Henry), who turned him into a morally corrupt and twisted individual. Harry's lines were great in this dramatization. Everything he said was was viciously callous and indifferent to everything and everybody. Like in the book, nothing is sacred to him and he comes off as a huge jerk. I especially liked his slams on America. However, sometimes I thought they took Harry's character a little over the top by having absolutely everthing that comes out of his mouth be some sort of horribly jaded comment.

Dorian Gray

These modern radio shows are awesome. They sound almost like books on tape, or audio movies, rather than radio shows. THe quality is so much better and the storylines are less obviously developed. Granted, I've already read the book and am familiar with the story, but even so, the drama and action is less spelled out. In the older shows the characters would talk to themselves and be like, "I better open the closet door," but in these they just use the sounds. That brings me to antother point, the sound effects are a lot more developed than in the older shows. Everything kind of sounds like it is all in the same context rather than varying in intensity and volume depending on how close the person doing the effects is to the micropohone. It seems radio drama is alot easier to pull off with computers and modern recording technology. The music was excellent. It combined the the eerie ghost sounds that are used throughout the drama with a 3/4 tune that created a kind of satanic waltz. It was most effective in setting the mood for someone who sells his soul on account of a painting.

As far as characters go, I thought they were handled pretty well. Basil was meek and a pushover as I remember, Dorian was vain and naive until he met Harry (Sir Henry), who turned him into a morally corrupt and twisted individual. Harry's lines were great in this dramatization. Everything he said was was viciously callous and indifferent to everything and everybody. Like in the book, nothing is sacred to him and he comes off as a huge jerk. I especially liked his slams on America. However, sometimes I thought they took Harry's character a little over the top by having absolutely everthing that comes out of his mouth be some sort of horribly jaded comment.

Nero Wolfe

First off, i definitely liked the OLD Nero Wolfes that we listened to earlier this year alot better. The voices on these ones seemed real forced and too cheesy. Well maybe not cheesy enough, either way they just didn't sound right for the gumshoe scenario they were trying to portray. I also didn't like how there was a different voice actor playing Archie in each show

What I did like about the new Wolfe episodes were the complete and unreserved deliverance of "fat" jokes. it was flaburghasted the first time I heard the announcer paint the picture of the laziest, fattest, most pompous, eccentirc, and best detective in the world. I love the lines like, "I simply detisted the art of labor" and stuf to that affect. It cracked me up how every episode began with him not being able to pay for food, so he had to take on a case. It makes me wonder how many murders go unsolved in this fantasy world because Nero is eating a sandwich.

These episodes didn't really get me hooked. If this was a serial show today, I don't think I would be that into it. Sure, I would stop and listen to it if I hapened accross it and had time, but I would never make time to listen to it. The episodes are self contained. They never extend beyond the scope of one half hour show. There is no major development of anything other than cliches. Granted these are cliches now and they weren't then, but it still leaves something to be desired. you could tune in to this show and having never heard it before understand the characters and their traits. Nothing rely develops between episodes. All that happens is Nero gets hungry so Archie finds a murder case that involves a pretty lady. There are no cliff hangers, no motivation that makes it important to have heard the previous or hear the following show. It is stagnant.

On the flip side, this self contained episode format makes it easier for the listener to follow the show because it doesn't matter if they miss something, it will all start over a little different next episode.

Overall I liked these shows, but they just never got me excited about what I was hearing. The unfolding of the plot lost interest, and that to me seems like a huge problem in any sort of drama.

Cinamon Bear

I hope you don't think less of me because of it, but I really liked the music for Cinnamon bear. It sounded like a slow Irish folk song on strings to me it was my favorite part of the whole show. athe rest of the show was superbly cheesy and childish. Naturally, and as usual, i rather enjoyed it. Especially the idea of soda pop power aeroplanes. With current gas prices, I'd much rather buy a Fanta to fuel my car than spending a fortune on gas. Also, I must say that i was a little confused by the bear's threat to molt the stork in a place he wouldn't expect.

The Billy goats gruff ws pretty good, I don't think I have every heard or read the Three Billy Goats Gruff. I like how they all sold each other out at the drop of a hat. It turned out to be planned at the end, but i still think they sold out. The music for this one was terrible.

Review Questions

219 - By 1954, what percentage of American households owned a television?

56%

220 - What happened to sales of radio advertising and radio sets in the 1950s and 60s?

Continuingly increased

220 - What happened to the number of AM radio stations between 1948 and 1960.

more than doubled

220 - Douglas says "Radio structured people's days." Is that still true? If not, has some other mass medium or external force taken the place of radio in this respect?

yes, judging by how many people i see a day with an ipod or playing their cd player in their car. Now that people can choose their music, they do

221 - How did the programming of individual radio stations change in the mid 1950s?

they focused their programming on one demographic and genre

221 - How did the invention of the transistor affect radio listening habits?

increased portability and amount of daily listening (out of home listening)

221/222 - What is Segmentation? Breakout listening?

segmentation: markets within markets (American youth in American Market)
breakout listening: concentration on lyrics and music while turning way from societal and older norms of pop culture

225/226 - When were transistors invented? At what point did transistor radios become commonly affordable and what was one factor in driving the price of these units down?

1947, in 1961 Japanese competition brought the cost and size down

226 - Roughly when did it become more common than not for a car to have a radio? What useful feature did car radios usually have that home units did not?

1963, they had push button channel selection rather than a dial

227 - Douglas mentions that Top 40 stations were partially driven by a "baby sitting" mentality -- catering to teen and pre-teen audiences. The segregation of the audience strikes me as one of the truly important threads in the chapter. No longer are families gathering to listen as a collected unit; the proliferation of radio sets means each family member can tune in to his or her favored brand of programming. Listening becomes more of a private experience, or at least on shared with a peer group rather than a family group. What are your thoughts on this? How extreme has this trend become? Is this trend as true of television as it is of radio?

I think radio listening is much more private now, people are way more defensive of their music than their tv shows. you can sit and watch a tv show that you don't like, but sometimes it is almost unbearable to listen to music that you don't like

232 - Douglas notes that while listeners did not have to sustain dimensional listening in the same way that they did while listening to baseball or radio dramas, the music they listened to often told stories or painted pictures of exotic places. What percentage of today's music do you think reaches for this same effect? If today's music is not occupied with telling stories or describing locations/events, then what is a common goal that you have observed?

much of today's has told the same story so many times over that many artists have turned to writing about nothing, which was effective, until everyone did that too. now musicians that can do a combination of the two in a creative way are popping up. but for the most part it's just the same crap over and over again.

234 - Were you surprised by the restrictions on African American radio drama performances mentioned by Douglas as still being in effect in 1943? Why (not)?

Nope. It was Black encroachment on white bussiness during avery racist time, go figure.

239~ - Why does Douglas suppose so many white DJs wanted to sound "black?" What did these impersonations accomplish?

this was spurned on by breakout listening and a desire from the young to separate from the old? these impersonations fused cultures and somewhat lightened racism.

243 - How does Douglas characterize the notion of "soul?"

she paints it as a huge ethos, but i think it it is more like other words, "cool,hip, or groovy" , unless you're talking about James Brown, cause he's got soul


250 - Why did ASCAP essentially align itself against rock music, R&B, and blues?

t limit the popularity of black culture

* - The Top 40 format has been almost universally villified, yet it still has many devotees -- people who like to watch music climb and fall on the charts. How much is the spirit of Top 40 still alive in today's radio market? Do you see "indie" music as an antithesis to Top 40? (If so, explain.)

nope, now it is hip to like different music. these indie groups are just as popular as the radio pop stuff and the don't have to be on the radio to do it, and now with ipods and satellite radio, you don't need to rely on any set number of stations. i don't know who still listenes to the pop stations, everyone i know doesn't, and most are proud of it. eventually advertisers will realize that and pull their money out, and that will truly be it.

Sports

I don't know how I feel about the anouncer for the Lewis/Baer boxing match. What i do know is that there is no way what he was saying would fly today. It seemed very odd to me that the announcer of a boxing match would openly criticize the principles of the event and the people attending. The anouncer viewed the whoole event with such disdain and condescension that I wouldn't be surprised if he got in some big trouble with Buick afterwards. I especially liked his analysis of our civilized society that flocks in droves to watch one guy beat the piss out of another guy. his comments about cavemen and women were priceless. I sat here and laughed because I couldn't believe that this guy was saying all this crazy stuff. I especially liked his analysis of the 15,000 women in the audience as cavewomen watching there men fight over them with rocks. Then he started refering to Joe Lewis as the Jungleman, was that necessary. And then, as if this announcer hadn't completely destroyed anyones excitment and interest in the fight, he brought the forshadowing of World War II. He very harshly mentions that Americans are more interested in a boxing match than the chances of a great war in Europe. What surprised me most about this radio clip is that the sponsor allowed him to make all these comments. I was expecting the announcer of a boxing match to be pro boxing and talk up the event. This guy sounded like he dind't care at all about the fight. He even mentioned the depression and how things in the US were better under Calvin Coolidge. "Two chickens in every garage."

The fight itself was pretty cool. I found myself Imagining the whole thing. And lewis really beat the hell out of Baer.

199 - Which two sports does Douglas most clearly associate with radio in the early days of sports broadcasting?

Baseball and Boxing

201 - In what year did the first broadcast of a baseball game take place? What eagerly awaited boxing match that took place in New York was broadcast the same year?

1921,the Dempsey-Carpentier fight

203 - What was skillful about the way McNamee handled baseball announcing?

He put emotion and excitment into his play-by-play that kept the listener interested and involved in the game that they were imagining in there heads

204 - In the 20s and 30s what was unusual (at least to modern thinking) about where the radio personalities broadcast from in the baseball parks of America? What was one advantage of their unconventional placement?

THey sat in the box seats. Rather than hearing the wash of crowd noise that we know, you could hear the individual fans, the players and the vendors.

204 - Douglas notes that the sounds of the public event were intertwined with the linstener's immediate environment to forever cement the public and the private worlds into one associative memory. Do you think television ever accomplishes this form of bonded memory?

Not nearly the way radio had. The only thing I can think of that Television kind of does that with is the Superbowl, or maybe the NCAA final four.

204/205 - How were broadcasts of boxing matches different from broadcasts of baseball games?

They were more in volved in advertising

WWII Broadcasting

What I found most interesting about the reading was censorship. During the war journalists had to report on the war that supposedly everyone wanted to know everything about, but they couldn't really say anything about the war, unless it was cleared by someone first. This is a really tuff subject. I understand that they couldn't report on military stategy or reveal in depth detail due to security reasons, but what could they really say?
I agree with government censorship for security in the field, but not to shape the opinions of its citizens. In the news I don't think that advertising should play a role censorship, but at the same time people aren't going to pay for what they don't agree with. (unless they're making some fat cash)
I like Fly's suggestion to eliminate sponsorship in news casts, but that will never happen.

I do not think that news reporting should be filled with the reporter's opinions. I feel that the news should be reported as facts and interpretation left to the listener. It is for that reason that i don't feel that Brown was a victim of censordhip. However, I do feel that Brown had every right to voice his opinions, but they should be voiced on an independent show that is seperate from the dry, factual reporting of the news. All I'm saying is that before you can throw in your opinion, there has to be the option of getting the news without the commentary. If it is understood from the beginning that you are hearing either fact or opinion, then I'm fine with that, but it is ideal for the listener to hear the facts first. I don't think news should be censored or opinionated, just facvtual, whether or not that's possible, who knows?
OH, THE HUMANITY!!!!

I really liked the listenings this week. I've been a big WWII buff for a bit so I found them very interesting. The news bulletins were great and it was awesome to hear how they reported on D-Day. Had I been sitting in restaurant in 1944 and heard that, I would have been captivated with interest, as I'm sure people were.

London after dark was cool because it was live. You kept listening and expecting at any moment to hear planes, and bombs, and hoping that Murrow wouldn't be hit, but they din't really deliver. It was an excellent portrayal of the suspense there must have been in London. But it also showed the people of London tried to forget the war by dancing and eating at fancy restaurants with famous French cooks. Kind of bizarre.

The FDR speches were very well done. I've nver really sat and listened to anything like those before. He seemed to be an excellent speaker and I understand how people thought him to be such a great president. He almost sounds like a father explaining things to children when he talks. I don't know how I feel about his national service act, sounds kind of like forced labor. People should be free to not support the war if they don't want to. However, it was interesting to hear how the entire country was involved in one cause (or expected to be). I wonder if anything will umite the country like that again?