[JPL] Airplay Ethics

[MFA - Jazz Radio Promotion, Publicity & Consulting]

Hello group - greetings from Sardinia, Italy, where I have been  
following posts via the digest.

Regarding the airplay ethics question:  I earn my living in part as a  
jazz radio promoter.  I also produce 2 radio shows.

Despite my having realized that, e.g., Bruce Lundvall used to host a  
weekly satellite radio program devoted to Blue Note Records, I have  
always made it a point never to play a client's CD after the promo  
mailing date or after it has been activated at MediaGuide (even though  
airplay on my radios shows are not tracked there).  I have in the past  
played a client's CD before the promotion starts and have way after  
the promotion has ended but never when I am "on the clock" actively  
soliciting airplay from others.

What I don't understand, however, is an attitude I have encountered by  
the occasional jazz radio promoter (including an award-winning one),  
NOT to service me because they, as I was bluntly told, "have problems  
with the idea of a radio promoter hosting a radio show." There is also  
the occasional radio promoter I don't get CDs from because I compete  
with them in the marketplace.

I find both these points of view not only petty but also a disservice  
to the very artists these promoters are getting paid to promote.

The goal is to get the music out to as many people as possible, no?   
Principles before personalities should be the determining factor IMHO.

Mitchell

PS - If and when I do play a client's CD there is no risk of promoting  
it at the expense of others as over-hyping is not my style in  
general.  I figure listeners are intelligent enough to conclude that  
if I am playing a track on my program a) I like it and b) it is  
quality music.  No need to pontificate about the music's merits or  
those of the artist(s) playing it or how much I like it or how  
"important" an artist is.  Some on-air hosts can sound really  
condescending and patronizing on mike, implying that if someone  
doesn't know or like a certain artist then there's something wrong  
with them.  As far as I am concerned basic info like artist, song and  
CD titles, label, year of issue and any other interesting info (i.e.  
"...this is one of the rare tracks on which Bird plays tenor sax" or  
something similar) is plenty.

____________________________________
mfa - mitchell feldman associates
...radio promotion, publicity & consulting for the international jazz  
community

2059 Heckle Street
Augusta, GA 30904 / USA
Phone:	(+1) 706.550.0263
MitchellFeldmanAssociates at Comcast.net
www.MitchellFeldmanAssociates.com
www.JazzRadioPromotionAndPublicity.com
SKYPE = birdmonk

Finalist - 2008 JazzWeek Indie Jazz Radio Promoter of The Year

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