Lost in Transmission

Lost in Transmission By Michael Endelman
http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,1117175,00.html

This is an interesting articing pointing out some of the affects of the numerous commercials and repeated play of songs on the top FM radio stations. In additions to the same song always being on and commercials, there ar other problems not always noticed directly by the audiance, such as payola (pay to play) where labels bride stations to play songs, hence we hear them all the time. Below are a few excerpts for you to check out that i found pertinant.. the article is quite long

Mark Wallace a 23-year-old graphic designer from Quinby, Va., loves music, but he couldn't be less interested in what's available on the airwaves these days. ''I can't even remember the last time I listened to FM radio,'' he says. His complaints? ''The annoying ads and those constant repeats. And if you change the channel, you just hear the same song on another station.''

A typical Top 40 station has a total playlist of fewer than 200 songs — less than halfof what it was a decade ago. the 1996 Telecommunications Act, which led to a huge consolidation of radio holdings. ''Consolidation has led to increased homogenization of what gets played,'' says FCC commissioner Jonathan Adelstein. ''It's harder for local and new artists to get on the air. labels are bribing stations to get records on the radio.