What's up with the long annoying periods of repetetive music on AAR?

[drm604]

At least that's what happening during the webcasts. I don't know if it's happening on the satellite and radio broadcasts, they may be playing ads during those time periods. Anyone know what the deal is? Can't they fill that time with some kind of public service announcements or something, maybe calls for activists to contact their senators or gather for a protest or something. They need something constructive in that time instead of that annoying music.

[teenagebambam]

1. Yeah, it has to do with the ads....

....they can't play the ads on the webcasts, so they just fill the time with music. It IS annoying, isn't it?

[htuttle]

2. It goes on for so long, I keep thinking they are having tech problems

It's probably because they are playing all instrumentals, but the little music breaks feel like they're almost 10 min long sometimes (though I'm sure they're less than 5 minutes in reality).

[mwb970]

3. Same thing on the radio - 1230 in Columbus.

They play these LONG segments of ersatz "rock" music that sounds like stuff I make up in my home studio when I can't think of a real song. To be honest, I'd rather listen to commercials (can't believe I'm saying this) - at least there is someone talking!

[Gman]

4. It happens with the station here too

in San Antonio. I'm beginning to worry that it's because the local station isn't selling local advertising which would mean AAR isn't long for our area. If it's being heard elsewhere, I don't know what that means for AAR.

[bullimiami]

5. yes. the aar stream, the webcast and the radio feed, has that horrible

faux rock instead of commercials now. I think AARs stream used to be a webcast of the new york station including its commercials, but no longer.

The local affiliates, and ours screws up all of the time, play their own commercials and possibly newsfeed (ours plays cbs radio news - horrible).

I think when they first switched over it was just silence between, I 'guess' this is better.
Sure seems like they could figure out a more productive way to fill the gaps.

[bunkerbuster1]

7. Just guessing--and it wouldn't be bad news...

I suspect this is a trial run for when they start charging for streaming, at which point they won't be (I'd assume) running ads during the breaks.

Not that I really want to have to pay for something I get free, on a certain level, but it does speak to a more financially healthy enterprise if they can turn this into a revenue generator.

[drm604]

9. They're going to charge for streaming?

Is that just a rumor or do you know for sure? At present I download Randi's and Al's shows from archive sites in the evening so I can listen to them as MP3s on the train during my commute the next day. I wonder how it would affect the archive sites?

[NYCGirl]

15. No. There will be no charge for streaming. But the archives will be

part of the premium site. You can read more about it on Air America Place here:

http://www.airamericaplace.com/boards/index.php?s=7642892c961827042aa979279aa3b9d5&showtopic=14443

[mwb970]

11. Um, how about additional programming? (n/t)

[BigMcLargehuge]

6. I've pretty much stopped listening to AAR because of it

even the Mike Malloy podcast because at the end of three hours all I can remember is the elevator music.

[Coexist]

8. Would you prefer to listen to ads for Hoodia and

that hypnotist?!

[bunkerbuster1]

10. god, not the hypnotist!

I wonder how many $$ she scams from AA listeners alone.

[Armstead]

12. They could easily solve the problem by playing good music

One AAR station I was listening to actually played good relevant music during the breaks, like Bob Dylan, etc.

if they programmed ome worthwhile music instead of elevator music it would be like parrt f the programming for us web listeners.

[NYCGirl]

14. They play Grateful Dead during Franken's commercials (I guess Al might

have secured the rights to them from the band.)

[drbtg1]

13. I wonder if the XM AAR station is doing this.

Rosco T? You around?