Radio suffering from ‘blandification’ and needs new ideas: Kate Langbroek
The media has become obsessed with diversity of appearance, but still languishes when it comes to providing consumers with a diversity of ideas, the Hit Network’s drive-time host Kate Langbroek has argued.
Langbroek (far right) says “the tide is coming”
Soon, she said, consumers will start demanding more from their media outlets.
“People seem to be obsessed with diversity, but not of ideas – so diversity of apperance, but not of ideas,” she said. “I just think that the tide is coming where people will want to hear something different and fresh and fearless.”
This, she said, will inform who the ‘next big thing’ in radio will be.
“If it’s [the next big talent line-up] going to be great, it will be unexpected. I think a watched pot never boils. I think there’s a tendency to rip people from the womb a little too early and plonk them somewhere and then wonder why it doesn’t work,” she said at the Radio Alive conference in Melbourne.
“So who’s fearless? That’s who it will be.”
Community radio is also suffering from the “blandification of ideas and voices”, she said.
Australian Radio Network’s Kiis FM drive host Will McMahon agreed, and said radio execs can place too much emphasis on trying to understand, dissect and direct what makes “good” content.
“There can also be far too many rules and regulations put around what is good and how that thing is good. I mean sort of sitting in a big room listening to people talk about how something is good at a conference over a weekend can make you feel [exhausted]… I think it’s really good to look inside how things are working, but I also think that in terms of trying to tell people how it’s kind of becoming good and prescribe to them why it will be good, is not the way forward,” he said.
“I think that people are really, genuinely addicted to authenticity and seeing people talk about something they they care about in their own way. I don’t think I gave two shits about a crocodile until I saw Steve Irwin talk about one.”
For at least breakfast, while they are all using the boy-girl-boy format that is supposed to be “hilarious”, “fun” and “whacky” , usually with hosts with stupid names such as “Stevo”, “Fuzz”, and whatever variation of girl’s name the producer can pull out of the hat, of course it is going to be samey, samey and boring as bit shit. Just more of the same, day after, day, week after week, month after month and year after year.
Drive also hasn’t really changed since I originally moved to Sydney in 1995 for goodness sake when there was Martin Molloy. Well one member has changed I suppose …
With the occasional “secret sound” thrown in to keep it “fresh”.
Bah! Bring back Denton, Mulray, or better (and here’s a throw back) Bob Stuart on 96fm# in Perth. In fact, bring back the whole original 96fm# format. It worked a treat then and will work again.
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Love it when people come in and say creativity is dying. We need better ideas. Need to be more creative. Think different and shake things up. Thanks Kate. Look forward to seeing what you come back with.
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Yep… just like Sam Wood talking about the murky world of digital.
Stay in your lane, pretty boy!
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Who will win the big battle of radio?
Fozzy and Jo – Playing the same as everyone else
Arse and Lady – Playing the same as everyone else
Jojo and Macca – Playing the same as everyone else
New ideas? Yes please.
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