Non-Commercial Radio

Later this week, I will be driving up to Philadelphia, PA to attend the Triple A Radio Non-Comm Convention hosted by WXPN.

 For some of you, this brings up the question of, "What do you mean by Non-Comm?"

     Well, radio stations are either privately owned and put money into the pockets of their owners/shareholders, or they have a nonprofit status and all of the money that a station makes is reinvested back into the radio station.

     Not that you care very much, but most non-commercial radio stations are located between 88 and 92 MHz on your FM dial. (for those 3 people left in America who still have radios with dials on them)

Okay, so we know what it is, but why should we care?

*(Damn, I love it when people ask why they should care!)

    Non-Commercial radio is best known as the home of Jesus and NPR... but that's really just a bad stereotype.

     Non-commercial radio is also where we keep most of the good stuff.
It's like America's private music stash.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not dissing commercial radio... after all, I work for a commercial station.

     It's the way that these stations pay their bills that determines what they play and how they play it.

Your typical Hot 97 or Rock 103 station needs to have relationships with McDonald's and Miller to keep the lights on. So they play music that will make them popular with the McDonald's and Miller crowd.
There's nothing in the world wrong with that.

     Your typical Non-Comm is funded by underwriting, grants, and donations from their listening audience.
As it happens, the people who give out that kind of money have profoundly open minds and a more discriminating level of taste.

     Miles Davis is great, but you aren't going to get a 7 share (12+) in the ratings if you play him on your station. Jazz, Bluegrass, Classical, Indie etc., all need a place where they can be played and enjoyed by the public. It's just a simple truth that quality and quantity are never in the exact same place, at the exact same time, in the exact same amount.
So you have to pick more of one and less of the other depending on which way it's going to work best for you.

     Non-Comm radio stations can be any format they choose. Some are talk, others are contemporary christian, and so on and so forth.
     This Wednesday thru Saturday in Philly, the Non-Comm Triple As are having their annual convention and I'm going to tag along.

But why am I going to the Non-Comm convention if I work for a Commercial station?

     I'm going so that I can expand my ideas about radio programming, enjoy some great live music, and have a little face time with some of my favorite people on this planet.

Here are some of my personal picks for AAA Non-Comm Radio if you'd like to do some listening online:

KXT   Dallas, TX

WNRN   Charlottesville/Richmond, VA


WFUV   New York, NY


WXPN   Philadelphia, PA

KCSN  Los Angles, CA

KUT   Austin, TX