Why is it that in a medium that used to be called "the theater of the mind," commercials for radio stations are all pretty much the same . . . just playing lame music from a lame station in a most uncreative way? Is it a function of being cheap or, alternatively, of a lack of creativity that you see a lot of the same commercials in different markets, with just the station name changed to indict the guilty?
What's up with that?
ON THE OTHER HAND, you hear a lot of the same stations in different markets, with just the call letters changed to convict the corporate consolidators.
The first video is from my hometown, Baton Rouge, La.
The year: 1980.
I was in college.
Sandwiched between a couple of vintage station IDs for Channel 9, we find a commercial for WAFB television's then-sister station, Stereo 98, WAFB-FM. Snazzy animation for 28 years ago, but the format -- a music sweep of represenative artists -- was hoary then and is worse now.
Yes, now. Because you'll see the same old knockoff ads more than a quarter-century later -- note the second video, which is a commercial for Omaha's hip-hop station. The only thing that's different is the pervasiveness of music videos to rip off for video . . . thus saving you the expense of snazzy animation.
Well, that and that, in 1980, "hip-hop" was what you did when you hurt your foot . . . or were dancing the Hokey Pokey.
IS IT ANY WONDER that radio is in the toilet, running on creative fumes that were stinking up the joint 28 years ago?
Nevertheless, it was nice to see a snippet of vintage Channel 9. And, with that last "legal ID" on the video, it sure was nice to hear Sid Crocker do a station break one more time.
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