When the invitation came through inviting me to address this distinguished group, I frankly wasn’t sure what someone who had stopped taking piano lessons in the fourth grade and had literally wrecked his hearing from playing drums in a rock and roll band in high school would have to say. You’ll have to be the judge if whether in fact I have something to say to you. But as I mulled over the invitation and as I talked to friends at PRI, and some who aren’t at PRI, including some in the audience here today, I concluded that if I have qualifications to be with you, they’re really these: 

      First, that I’ve listened to and I’ve enjoyed music my whole life, all kinds of music, and that I have always looked to the radio as a place where I’m exposed to new sounds, new areas of music, which are not always the ones that I naturally gravitate to, as well as had a chance to experience music that appeals to me and resonates at my core.

      Second, I deeply value the contributions that public radio stations make to the lives of listeners and to the broader cultural life of their communities each week, day in and day out. 

      Third, I believe that I see some profound changes coming that I believe, and this is what I’m going to talk about with you today, are going to forever change the role that we play in the lives of our listeners.

      And last, I’m deeply concerned about whether our industry can change fast enough to survive the threats that are at our doorstep.

      Whether or not these are sufficient qualifications, as I say, you’ll be the best judge, but I’m grateful for your interest in hearing me out, and I’m delighted to be here with you.

      I want to share today four ideas that I believe lie at the heart of public radio’s future role in the music and cultural life of listeners and of the communities that we serve. I’ve been told to talk for about twenty minutes or so, and I think this is going to be about that--you can time me and at the appropriate moment, start coughing or something--so I’m going to describe each of these ideas briefly, and then I hope we can elaborate on them after I stop, and some of you can come up to the microphone and tell me what I got wrong or right from your perspective.

      As a starting point, let me state a few assumptions that will let you know clearly where I’m coming from.

      First, I think public radio stations are in much deeper trouble than any of us realize or at least have been willing to admit. I believe that the historic transformation in how audio and video programming is delivered to the home, office, car, beach, and every other location on earth; the shift from analog to digital; and not far behind, from broadcasting to wires, low-orbit satellite, the internet and micro-cellular; and the rapid development of new on-demand and interactive services will significantly diminish public broadcasting’s share of audience attention as a share of total media consumption.

      As a share of attention falls, so will sponsorship revenue and ultimately membership support related to our broadcasting services.

      Now there’s a cheery note to start off the day!

Created 3/29/2000

©1999 2000 Association of Music Personnel in Public Radio