# I want to hear the song, I do NOT want to LISTEN to you babble! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 24, 2001, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-hear-the-song-i-do-not-want-to-listen-to-you-babble/77899 "2001-08-24T13:48:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2001, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-hear-the-song-i-do-not-want-to-listen-to-you-babble/77899/21 "2001-08-27T15:17:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Spritle \* > I was once told that the DJs were told to talk over intros (starting in the early 70s) and stop when the singing started so people couldn’t/wouldn’t tape the songs off the radio. There was a bit of concern that, as personal tape recorders/players were becoming widely available, people would just tape the songs and never listen to the radio again. It also allows the DJ to get in their contracted amount of talk-time while still guaranteeing the station’s advertised amount of X minutes of music per Y length of time. ---
**Author:** ![rushtopher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e47774/32.png) [@rushtopher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rushtopher)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2001, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-hear-the-song-i-do-not-want-to-listen-to-you-babble/77899/22 "2001-08-27T18:28:54Z")
> [@](#): > > originally posted by tavalla > Ohmigod, what a stupid thing! I have been caught out air-guitaring round the studio, singing at the top of my voice…but with an open mic?! FYI, this was not an accident, but a completely deliberate attempt to be funny. Emphasis on attempt. ---
**Author:** ![MrVisible](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/46a35a/32.png) [@MrVisible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrVisible)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2001, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-hear-the-song-i-do-not-want-to-listen-to-you-babble/77899/23 "2001-08-27T19:14:41Z")
Thank god for community radio. Back when I was the late-night, depressing-music DJ, I used to do whole hours with only one or two brief breaks for announcements. Read a PSA, back-announce the set, and back to the music. Quick subtle station IDs at the top of the hour. And hours of music. I’d love to do it again, but from what I’m told the suicide rate has plummeted since I quit, so it’s probably for the best. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2001, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-hear-the-song-i-do-not-want-to-listen-to-you-babble/77899/24 "2001-08-27T21:22:56Z")
My complaint – It’s not a 20 song marathon or rock block if you interrupt to _tell us_ it’s a 20 song marathon. Back when that “uninterrupted block of music” originated, they did exactly that - they turned on the first song and you didn’t hear a DJ or radio blurb till the block was over. Now they have to tell you “We’re in the middle of a 20 song rock block.” That rock block tag has become meaningless. It now means “We probably won’t run a commercial for some other product, but we’re sure going to remind you what station you’re listening to and maybe even the DJ’s name.” And I totally agree on the “morning show” crap. I want to hear music, not blathering chatter. We had one station that started up new and for a few months that’s what they did - I loved it. Then they hired a morning personality crew and screwed it up. ---
**Author:** ![NothingMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b77776/32.png) [@NothingMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NothingMan)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2001, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-hear-the-song-i-do-not-want-to-listen-to-you-babble/77899/25 "2001-08-27T23:49:57Z")
\*As a five year radio vet in the U.S. , and still currently a DJ in Knoxville . . . \* I welcome all questions about my business. Thats what it is ya know - a business. Yes I have to play commercials or we don’t exist. Yes we have to run promotions or the guys across the street are going to kill us in the ratings. No ratings, no sales. No sales, no station and thus no job for me. Yeppers, I sure do have to go on the air and talk about our promotions or no one will know about them and they will fail. Which would hurt our ratings (see above). Seeing as how I am on the air talking about artist and song names, as well as our promotions . . . people seem to want to know more about who is talking to them. In this business its called “personality” (despite whether those on the air have one or not). So sure, sometimes I do my take on current events or odd news. I try to be funny - more often than not listeners seem to think I succeed. I don’t talk every song, but I do talk about six times an hour. Sorry if that gets on your nerves, but well, according to most of the research we do people tend to associate this radio station with the DJs on it. If they like me and they tune in and hear me, they start to feel as if I am their friend. They are more likely to come back to my frequency again. It may seem hard to believe, but trust me tons of research back this theory up. Stations have tried to exist without any “personalities” on the air, playing music only. To this point it just does not work - the stations inevitably fail. Even your satellite radio stations currently trying to make a go of it have DJs on them. I do not EVER talk over someone singing. Thats called “walking all over your post” and most consider to be very unprofessional. Any other question which I may be able to shed some light upon ? - **NM** [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-hear-the-song-i-do-not-want-to-listen-to-you-babble/77899.md?page=1)