Buggy Whips and AM Radios
I’m starting to see articles about electric vehicles coming through without AM radios. Admittedly, it took me a while to wrap my brain around this development which has been coming for a long time. I think it took me a few years to work through the stages of (relatively low grade) grief. I grew up at a time when AM stations ruled and I worked for several. Now I smile and shake my head. I guess I’ve made it to “acceptance.”
I can imagine the Buggy Whip guys (and women, maybe?) chortling about how motor cars would never replace the good ole’ horse and wagon. Denial is powerful. I’ve certainly been there at times.
From this (relatively late) perspective, I have a suggestion: Ask yourself what you would do if the industry you’re in went away. It’s a good thought experiment. And, it might happen before you’re ready to retire or do something else.
I did not know at the time when I decided to retool by going to graduate school that the radio business was on the cusp of changing dramatically. I did sense that the tectonic plates were shifting. But I could not explain exactly what the deal was. There were some subtle (and not-so-subtle) indicators. Radio programmers were replacing free form announcers and asking us to read liner cards instead. These were short burst announcements often with the purpose of promoting something. We were told to keep our talking to a minimum.
Now, of course, there are several streaming services and you can program what you want to hear on your phone. Heck, I do it myself.
I could not have imagined in the 1970s that we’d see the eventual end of the AM band. So….young fella (or young lady)….take it from me. Big changes can and do occur. As a wise person once said, “Have a plan B and learn to love it as much as you love your plan A.”
Happy Thursday!