Recently at the Clonclave NAB vice chairmen David Rehr stated that Two hundred thirty-five million people listen to radio week in and week out. He also stated that with that many listeners there’s no wonder why this is such a good business. That’s fine. Here’s some other related stats.
One hundred one million used the vacuum cleaner last week. Eight hundred and eighty five thousand people used their toaster oven two or more time last week. One hundred twelve million used their dishwasher in the last seven days. Two hundred one million used a computer in the last week. Two hundred thirteen million used a microwave oven daily. Two hundred eighty one million people watched TV in the last 3 days and one hundred ninety million people own a washer dryer.
If someone had bothered to ask me to rank the appliances that gave me the most pleasure last week it would be,
TV number one, computer number two, toaster oven number three, radio number four, followed closely by an electric fan at number five. Toaster oven had a really good week as I found a cool recipe for little pizzas that you make on English muffins. Very tasty, I’ll send you the recipe. Toaster oven does a fine job with stuff like that. Most of the time I just reheat stuff in the toaster oven. Like I said toaster oven had a good week.
Radio is for the most part is status quo much like my toaster oven. It heats or reheats stuff and makes it generally edible. Like I said, I usually use toaster oven to reheat leftovers that I want to come out crispy instead of soggy… like microwave oven. Actually, now that I rethink it…
Number one TV, Number two computer, number three toaster oven, number four microwave oven and number five radio. Sorry radio, your leftovers aren’t as tasty as toaster oven or microwave.
Here’s my point. We radio do a fine job just like a toaster oven. But we’re not exciting enough to move up in the appliance rankings over all. Heck, back in the 60’s banks gave away free toaster ovens with new accounts. In the 70 free radios, in the 80s walkmans, in the 90s cd players and most recently iPods with a new account of $5000 or more. Toaster ovens and radios are still in use but long since passé items.
Both the toaster oven and radio do a fine job reheating leftovers and such. If radio or my toaster oven want me or anybody else to get excited about using them once again, both are going to have to come up something tasty like those little pizzas on the English muffin. I like everybody else want new recipes. I’m tired of leftovers.
I would like think of the radio station I work at as vacuum cleaner… because it sucks!