One of the reasons I started this blog page is so I can keep in touch with Stuck in the Psychedelic Era listeners when the show goes into syndication. I guess I should back up a step and explain what’s going on with that first.
As regular WEOS listeners know, Finger Lakes Public Radio is in the process of building a new full-power station in Ithaca, to be known as WITH. The plan is for WITH to eventually have an entirely different program schedule than WEOS, although there may be some simultaneous broadcasts in the beginning.
The technical reality of broadcast radio in the 21st century is that when it comes to running a program on more than one station, it is far easier to pre-record that program and make it available to stations via the web than to attempt to synch up those stations for a live broadcast. Since WITH will be eventually running a separate schedule from WEOS, I knew I would need to start pre-recording Stuck in the Psychedelic Era in order for it to run on WITH.
For the past couple of years I’ve been considering the possibility of making Stuck in the Psychedelic Era available to stations other than WEOS, a process known in the broadcasting world as syndication. Since I will soon have to start pre-recording the show anyway, I figure now is the time to start the process. Besides, the idea of Stuck in the Psychedelic Era someday being heard over the air outside the Finger Lakes area is a real ego boost. How could I resist that?
Still, there is one main drawback to pre-recording the show. I enjoy getting feedback from listeners (even if I sometimes seem a bit distracted when talking on the phone during a live broadcast). Obviously, if I’m going to be pre-recording the show I won’t be taking phone calls anymore. So I found myself faced with the question of how to maintain the dialog with listeners. The best answer I could come up with is to establish a presence on the internet; thus, The Hermit Rambles!
Within a few weeks I expect to have a brand new web page for Stuck in the Psychedelic Era. The page will include a contact link for requests and the like, as well as a link to this blog. As soon as it’s officially up and running, I’ll give you the URL. In the meantime, feel free to post a comment here.
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Oh, what a double edged sword! This is a huge break for the Hermit being able to be heard by a much larger audience but I will be sad not to be able to call up and request the mumphrey's!
ReplyDeleteThere is something magical about live radio. Specially in your car late at light, tuned into the local radio DJ, rain drops on your window, the sound of the wipers and the glare and shadows alternating across the highway. On nights like that the DJ is like your fellow traveler, and there is a sense of adventure in where he might take you next.
Ahh, now I am the one Rambling...
You bring up a good point about live radio. I've met some of the most important people in my life while doing late night live local radio. It is indeed a magical time, and I am sad about having to leave it behind.
ReplyDeleteThe bottom line, though, is that I want to expose as many people as possible to some really great music and I think that at this point in space and time syndication is the best way to do that.
Still, if life teaches us anything, it's that nothing is permanent. If at some point in the future I can find a way to do both you can be sure I'll jump on it.