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I am American, and when I was the Content Director at the old Mix 106.5 in Sydney, we made it a priority to favor Australian music. Over 70% of our currents were Aussie. Probably 60% or more of our "gold" was Aussie. Australia has amazing music. It should be celebrated.
Of course radio should be playing more homegrown content. It should be running at 50%. No one can really say that there is not enough out there, nor can the MD's that program the music get caught up with playing the same 4-6 tracks for a group or artist. "Oh we can't do that as it will scare the listener". Bull. MD's are just too chicken to program the music, working on directives from all-too-chicken CD/PDs.
Not that I listen to it but I'll bet the only one that goes against the trend in the big radio world is JJJ. I know I throw a whole load of homegrown music on my show that would never make the commercial sphere because again the MD's/CD's/PD's are too chicken to do it.
Prove me wrong.....
I agree with "Radioman" that "...the MD's/CD's/PD's are too chicken.." to put more Australian music to air.
For several months in 1970, during the record ban of overseas artists, the MDs, CDs and PDs were not too chicken to broadcast Australian artists doing either original songs and covers.
That record ban certainly gave the opportunity to air Australian talent and they topped the charts. It was also an opportunity for Mr Ron Tudor's 'Fable Records' to record Australian artists. One of Mr Tudor's records illustrating Australian talent was "20 Fable Chartbusters". I have made a lawful digitised backup of the the album for private use only, pursuant to section 109A of the Copyright Act. Sounds better than the original 33RPM LP.
I digressed, but suffice to say, you don't need to have a boycott of overseas talent to air Australian talent.
One way to increase the proportion of Australian content would be to broaden the variety of genres in which there are fine Australian performers in opera, jazz, dance, rock and country to name a few.
Then that is subject to 'supposed' market research into whether people would like to hear a wider genre music format.
On the other hand, with IP streaming services such as Spotify don't have to have a quota of Australian content as per terrestrial radio. Spotify would have a database of listeners' tastes broken down by country and source of talent.
Moreover, if Australians are listening to Spotify, what proportion of listened music is Australian in content?
You then ask the question, does the Australian marketplace want to listen to their own artists? A corrolary is that Australians want to view Hollywood movies more than Australian movies.
Note that a Hollywood movie may well be made at Fox Studios Moore Park or WB Movie World in Queensland using the technical skills of Australians. But that is not necessarily an Australian movie projecting Australia to the world.
So the questions are will Australians be willing to listen to more Australian content and will increasing the quota of Australian content translate to more record sales?
Radio stations aren't the only facilitator of content. Youtube and Spotify are platforms to launch music. Pubs used to be venues for bands such as "Mental As Anything", "Midnight Oil" and "INXS" to name a few. Poker machines have replaced bands.
Then one can't force a pub to host bands.
Thank you,
Anthony of compare and contrast Belfield