Meaningless Radio Words; #1. "Local"

Run on over to InsideRadio.com and read blogger Brian Maloney's first column for the trade, headlined, "If local is so important, why are radio companies going with syndication?" IR calls it a "special report," but it's a commentary (Come on, Tom, call it what it is).

"Could more local programming quickly contain increasing threats to traditional, land-based radio from satellite radio, podcasting and the Internet? If so, why is this relentlessly cost-cutting industry still dumping in-house air talent for little-known syndicated shows?"

I'll tell you why, Brian. For decades, even before the consolidation stock-play and heavy leverage of the 90s, even on stations that didn't contain a single syndicated program, "local" has meant time-and-temp. Well, maybe the new Research Brian's writing about will give the radio blockheads a reason to redefine the word.

Is radio ready to hear (shudder!) criticism somewhere besides AllAccess.com's** Net Talk message boards? God, I hope so.

By the way--you didn't hear it here, but I believe Inside Radio is still owned by Clear Channel. Yet, Tom Taylor still turns out the best radio reportage. Go figure.

** Warning! Slow, ad-heavy, site. Lots of animated GIFs and Flash.