Today's edition  of "b" focuses on Mother's Day (this Sunday by the way in case you hadn't heard) but in a way that leaves a bad taste in one's mouth.  The paper is aimed at young, hip, single men & women, people who, you may think after reading today's edition, are so distant from their real life Mother, that the paper offers up some of the best "make pretend" Mothers.   

Marge Simpson, Peg Bundy, Claire Huxtable, moms who were "with" us every night, on the television screen, probably while the REAL moms were at work, making dinner, or picking up groceries for the family.  These were the moms who, according to the author, gave "unconditional love" as opposed to that conditional love our real moms demanded.

The writer might have easily described REAL young, (or older) hip (or "lame") moms who are finding ways to combine jobs, children, and making a home for their family, instead of falling back on fake TV moms. As easy way to write an article that feels shallow, hollow.  Baltimore is full of moms making ends meet, moms who run errands all week, and run marathons on the weekends. Moms who take care of their own moms, or take care of their daughters who are moms, or who aren't able to become a mom themselves, so adopt others children and make themselves a mom! 

The worst part of the article talks about MILFS, an offensive acronym used by men to describe a hot mom, or "Mothers I'd Like to ****"   Now, people use coarse terms and nasty slang to talk about women in various and assorted ways, and unsavory descriptions come along every day. But is Mother's Day the time for a publication to outline the MILFS in our lives?  Why go there at all?  For the shock value, for a way to get noticed,  for a few minutes of free publicity?

Mothers are sexy, and of course they do have sex, otherwise how did we all end up here?  But the reason we celebrate Mother's Day is to honor and respect those women who pushed us out into the world, without resorting to the current trend toward what I call the "pornographication" of pop culture.  That is, looking at everything thru smut-colored lenses.  It's an easy thing to do, and easy, to some in the publicity game, like "easy". Easy is cheap, easy sells, easy is sleazy.

For this mom, it just leaves a bad taste in my mouth. "b" careful this Sunday, and don't let your mom learn acronyms she doesn't need to know about.  That would "b" an odious way to celebrate a day dedicated to the women who brought us into the world.   

Some days when it rains it pours.  New newspapers are flying off the printing press faster than readers can keep up.  In Baltimore alone, we have seen the launch of "b"  the free Daily tabloid-style paper from the publishers of the Baltimore Sun, (Baltimore Sun Media Group).   May 1st, The Daily Record spin-off, "Exhibit A" a free legal publication. hit the streets. Then there's Baltimore's "Original Freebie" The City Paper.

So we have the a, the b, the c (City Paper) all free. Let's see, what about the E?

The Examiner announced its expanding too, bringing Baltimore an expanded Sunday edition:

People who enjoy reading the Sunday paper will finally now have a second choice in Baltimore. Not only  the Sun but now the Expanded Examiner will be delivered right to your doorstep in just a few weeks (starting in July)

How is your favorite radio station doing in the ratings?

Radio and Records has the breakdown from the recent book  (winter 2008)

Click here and go to "Baltimore" or whatever other market you'd like to know about.

ARBITRON is the company which mails out diaries and measures listeners radio habits.   

Here's where the Baltimore market stacks up compared to the others in the top 25 of the country:

A harsh reality is no longer on the horizon for the local radio and television stations, as a matter of fact the reality already took a bite out of local newspapers within the last couple of years.  The reality is: a drop in the ratings, fewer readers, viewers, listeners which translates into a tighter competition for advertising dollars. 

Media transforms before our eyes. Old media changes to new media, reporters face layoffs, as network- owned radio and television stations wonder where the budget ax will fall. 

Format evolves at a digital pace.  When I started in television news, about 20 years ago, it took at least three people, sometimes more, to hit the streets, record interviews for the story, bring it all back to the station, edit the tapes,  and finally air the story.   Television cameras were cumbersome and carried on the photographer's right shoulder.  Tape decks were carried on the camera-person's other shoulder. Usually the reporter lugged the extra tapes, the old style  VCR tapes about the size of a cigar box.  Not to mention extra batteries, gigantic "portable" phones that were assigned induvidially.  All of this equipment needed for the final product, a story of no more than 2 minutes length on that nights news.

Now, anyone with a cell phone equipped with a video camera can become the story teller.  If you are at the scene of a fire, shooting, or traffic accident, aim your cellphone and hit record.  YouTube and other video sharing websites devour images and regurgitates information all day and all night.

The information industry is at a crossroads, as outlined in this series of articles:

http://usinfo.state.gov/journals/itgic/1207/ijge/vaina.htm

And local continues to be home for most readers, viewers, or listeners, who want their news and information from right around the corner, news that matters to them:

http://usinfo.state.gov/journals/itgic/1207/ijge/local.htm

Newspapers lay off writers, but bloggers pick up their laptops.  TV stations compress newsroom staff, but add more newscasts with the same content, as if the viewers aren't smart enough to catch their short-cuts.  People who consume news are savvy.  Now they are the ones reporting stories that once took teams to produce.

But where is the  coverage of The Baltimore Blast?  Baltimore's Major Indoor Soccer League Team has won the equivalent of the SUPERBOWL for the 4th time in 6 years. Saturday night the Baltimore Blast beat the Monterray LaRaza  14-11 but for example, WBAL TV gives the story just four sentences:

From the WBAL TV website:

MILWAUKEE -- The Baltimore Blast defeated the Monterrey La Raza, 14-11, to win the 2008 MISL Championship Game at Milwaukee’s U.S. Cellular Arena.

Denison Cabral led Baltimore with three goals and was named MVP of the Championship Series.

The Blast, who won the MISL Title in 2003, 2004 and 2006 swept the New Jersey Ironmen in the Quarterfinals and the Milwaukee Wave in the Semifinals to advance to their fourth Championship in six years. The Blast went 2-2 against La Raza this season, with both teams winning on their home field.

From the WJZ TV website gives the story five sentences:

Blast Win MISL Title

BALTIMORE (WJZ) ? In Milwaukee, the Baltimore Blast defeated Monterrey La Raza 14-11 for the major Indoor Soccer League Championship.

It is the Blast's fourth championship in the last six years.

The game was tied 6-6 at the half. The Blast then took the lead in the third quarter and never trailed after that.

Dennison Cabral scored three goals and was named the game's MVP.

The Blast won all five of their playoff games in route to the championship.

(© MMVIII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

 From WMAR TV website,

There is no update on the Blast win and after searching Sunday night for any information pertaining to the MISL was MIA.

As  a sports fan attending indoor soccer games, Ravens games, and Orioles games, I can tell you the Blast fans are vocal and ethusiastic, screaming support every time a goal is scored.  The last game between the Milwaukee Wave and the Blast saw Denison Cabral leap onto the plexiglass after scoring!  The players acknowledging the fans, the fans showing their love and support for the home town team. 

Too bad this love doesn't always get the coverage it deserves.  Give the Blast a break,(next year) they deserve more television coverage of the induvidual players in the days and weeks leading up to the finals, and follow them to the Championship.  Hey Baltimore, you have another teams to cheer for, in between wins (?) by the other two Major League Teams.

 Bob Turk

 Baltimore's Sunshine Kid for 35 years! 

He's spent 35 years at the same job, the same station, and done it with class and professionalism. 

The ever youthful Bob Turk, the Original "Sunshine Kid" on WJZ TV for 35 years, celebrates his anniversary with  Channel 13.

Here's the famous station promo which left all of Baltimore knowing different lyrics to the song by" The Temptations"

          www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fuf_GDTBsI

Happy Anniversary Bob Turk!

I've got sunshine

on a cloudy day

when it's cold outside

I've got the month of May

Well I guess you'd say

"what could make me feel this way?"

BOB TURK....(Bob Turk, Bob Turk...)

Talking bout

Bob Turk!

       EXTRA !!    EXTRA!      READ ALL ABOUT IT!!      

 MARC STEINER LAUNCHES NEW WEBSITE -

WITH SOMETHING FOR  EVERYONE!

BREAKING NEWS FROM THE BALTIMORE MEDIA EXAMINER

                  Dateline: Baltimore Md.  April 21, 2008

The Center for Emerging Media has launched a new website, filled with blogs, links, podcasts, but wait there's more!  Streaming programs, downloads, create your own profile, and even chat with fellow listeners!  Check it out:

                            www.centerforemergingmedia.com

You like news at your fingertips, so check out the new CEM site!

Marc Steiner, formerly of Baltimore's Public Radio Station, WYPR,  was abruptly removed from his seat behind the microphone in March by the station management.  Now you can get all the Marc Steiner you want, whenever you want, and join the community of listeners who share your views of the world, or, maybe NOT!

A sample from the website, its Mission Statement:

The Center for Emerging Media (CEM) was founded in 2000 as a 501(c)(3) private non-profit corporation by Marc Steiner, long-time community leader and talk show host on a local National Public Radio Station. The mission of CEM is to employ all forms of media – including radio, television and Internet – to produce groundbreaking new programs that address issues affecting our world. CEM is dedicated to introducing and giving airtime to voices that might otherwise go unheard.

CEM strives to introduce voices from all sides of key issues, with the conviction that providing a balanced forum not only expands public understanding but also deepens our democracy. CEM’s goal is to educate listeners regarding the complexity and depth of issues, and thus allow them to draw their own conclusions.

CEM is committed to giving airtime to voices that are not commonly heard on the radio. In addition to the usual scholars and intellectuals, listeners will hear individuals directly affected by the topics represented. From low wage workers to ex-convicts to Vietnam veterans, those who have not often been given a forum will be afforded that opportunity.

 

From the school of "when one door closes, another one opens....." we invite you to walk into the new Center for Emerging Media and visit with Marc, producers Jessica Phillips, and Justin Levy.  Stay and chat, or browse the galleries.  Just click, and enjoy....

 

  

 

---

Thinking about the show I realize radio, as we know it, could also be going the way of the Dinosaurs.  Years from now, our descendants may wonder what AM & FM were all about, what terrestrial  radio was like in the olden days, and what a transistor radio was used for.

Radio ruled not so long ago.  AM radio in the car, FM radio in stereo in the home.  But things changed after deregulation of radio in the 1990's, the arrival of satellite radio in the early part of this century, and the endless choices consumers now have, to get what only radio once provided.   MP3's and iPods plus cell phones bring what people want to hear, into their ear.

Music on AM radio?  Are you kidding?  In the 1960's and 1970's that's where you would find Casey Kasem, with American Top 40 played on WCAO Sunday afternoons.  The former music stations are now mostly news, talk, & sports.

Advertising on AM radio?  Sixty years ago radio was in it's prime with 94% of all households owning an AM radio.    

Although most homes have probably 5 or more radios around (go ahead count them) how big a part do radio ads play in consumer choices?  People are bombarded by not just radio ads, but television ads, digital ads online, and newspaper & magazines.  Back in the day, people bought what they heard about on the radio.

News on AM radio?  Still fills the niche, but with computers putting the Internet at your fingertips who needs to turn on another machine when LIVE AUDIO feeds are available from your PC? I like simplifying things and if I hear my AM news, get my nightly TV news fix, and read "the paper" all from my computer  that's where I'll do it.  Hopefully AM news will always have the front seat in the car. (I call shotgun)

Look ahead 20, 30, 50 years.  Digital technology has already hit radio, like the meteor that wiped out the dinosaurs.  Smashing the old fashioned wires and tapes, the antiquated machinery,  the outdated mindset, which will all be buried beneath layers of fall out from the digital explosion, unearthed a million years from now like fossils.  Radio needs to be relevant, it needs to move into the next era by partnering with, instead of trying to compete with, the Internet.  No more debate over which is best, digital or analog.  The debate needs to be how fast and how far can radio gousing digital technology to keep up the pace?  Or will radio as we know it even survive til end of this century? 

Ironic, isn't it, that the "Walking with Dinosaurs" show relies on remote controlled radios to operate the beasts? Radio in some form will always be needed. Maybe not in the way we are used "needing" it for Music, Information, and Advertising. 

Adapt, or die, Radiosaurus. The large lumbering prehistoric reptiles whose skeltons show they had strong legs to support their massive size but relatively small brains.... provide an obvious analogy.

Radio  can survive ...but as Darwin points out:“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change.”