Chapter Seven - Sound

Radio Stations
My 99.5 FM:
This is a radio station that has a unique characteristics, there is no DJ. If you don't like to listen to DJ's talk about different topics and want to hear more music this station is for you. Another cool thing about this station is that you can call the station and leave messages that could be played on the station. I also like this station because it gives you the title and the artist for each song after the song is over. The only interruptions from the music is for advertisements and the messages people leave. Lots of the advertisements are for seasonal things like haunted houses and costumes. This station has a website where you can listen online and lists the last couple of songs played as well. I think the target audience is high school age and up. This station is so successful because some people want to listen to more music on the radio. In addition I think that the phone messages are another appeal. They are fun to listen to and record. Some people use the messages to advertise for things and others use it to say something that bothers them.

101.5 The Eagle (FM):
This is the station for all you country lovers. I like to listen to this station to hear Rascal Flatts songs. The DJ's on this station talk about different events in the country music world in between music sets. There are lots of contests you can enter. They advertise for different artists with upcoming concerts in Utah. They also have a traffic report and brief weather reports. I think this station is successful because it is specifically for those who like country, it has a very specific target audience.

FM 100:
This station is aimed more toward the adult population. It plays soft hits during the day and has a feature called "Love Songs after Dark" that plays weeknights from 7pm -midnight. Every Sunday the station changes to "Soft Sunday Sounds" and plays Christen music until 12:01 am Monday. Lots of the advertising is for seasonal things because of the upcoming holidays. There are also lots of advertisements for family things, grocery stores, auto, and for different features on their radio station. I think this station is successful because the different features on the station. Soft Sunday Sounds is very popular in Utah county due to large about of Latter Day Saints in the area. The format and type of music played also appeals to this audience.

1160 AM:
This station is the KSL news radio station. This station gives reports on current events and weather reports. During the morning and evening rush hour, they talk about the driving conditions. They give traffic reports on accidents, slow downs, street closures, and road conditions (whether the road is icy or slick, etc.). In addition they offer suggestions on alternate routes to take. There are also different shows on this station like the Sean Hannity show where people can listen to and participate in discussions about current topics facing our country, for example, the upcoming presidential election. BYU sport fans can also listen to the games on this station. They advertise for different shows and concerts coming up along with seasonal advertisements. This station is successful because it gives valuable information. The current driving conditions is a very helpful feature. People can stay caught up in current events while driving to or from work. It also has different talk shows that engage the listeners. This station is aimed more toward adults.

107.9 The Mix (103.9 in Utah County)
This station plays music from the 90's till today. The target audience is would be college students and up. There are several different features they have. Every week they have the "Mix Pick of the Week" where they pick an album by an artist that they sell at Gray Well stores for ten dollars. They also have the "My Pick at Six" where a listener has the chance at 6pm to play three songs of their choice. The listener is able to be an active participant in the station. This is one reason why this station is successful. Like other radio stations they also have several different contests to enter. They advertise for different concerts and different features of their station like becoming a "Mix Insider". Another reason I think this station is successful is because of the music it plays. This station is one of my favorites to listen to, I like music I hear on it.



Why is radio the most personal type of media?
I think that radio is the most personal type of media because of the wide variety of stations, there is something for everyone. There are stations like 101.5 for people who love country. Or there is 99.5 which plays more music with less interruptions. There are also stations that discuss politics or other current events where listeners can call in and give their opinions. Everyone can find a radio station that they like. And the listeners can also be more actively involved in the radio. 107.9 has a feature called "My Pick at 6" where one lucky listener gets the opportunity to select three songs they like to play at six o'clock in the evening.
Music is a huge part of the radio because music is the main source of entertainment. When I turn on the radio, I use it to listen to music while I'm driving to work or while I'm doing my homework or something. While people do like to listen to the radio particularly for the talk radio, the majority of people listen to the radio in order to hear music. In addition, I like listening to the radio to hear new songs. On my iTunes I just listen to songs I already have, I usually don't go to the iTunes Store and search for new music. Most of the new music I get is from what I hear on the radio. This is similar for my friends as well. The majority of the new songs we like and purchase are those we hear on the radio. The radio plays a big role in the music I choose to buy and listen to.
Like I mentioned above, listeners also like to tune into talk radio. I think that talk radio is popular because it gives people a chance to get involved in a discussion about politics or other current events. Listeners have the opportunity to call in and give their view and listen to other's opinions as well from all over the country. An example of this would be The Sean Hannity Show.