BRING 'EM BACK!!!!

So, it's a numbers game. You got the numbers, you get the program. That's how it's supposed to work. But there is also the biggest major roadblock in the whole system today. And that is multiple ownership of radio stations by greedy corporations. Here in Minneapolis/St. Paul and throughout the Upper Midwest we have such multi-tentacled octopus owners as Cumulous. That is only one of the multiple radio station gorgons. What were independently owned radio stations are now a series of sound-a-like signals. It has become so corrupt that the do-nothing, Federal Communications Commission, which is run by vested-interest lawyers who also own radio stations on the sly; allows the same program to be run on SEVERAL DIFFERENT FREQUENCIES, running only ONE station ID. Hence, KYCR 1570 in Minneapolis simulasts 980 AM's programming and runs the 980 KKMS station ID -- clearly against FCC regulations -- instead oif KYCR station IDs!!!

YOu can thank President Reagan for de-regulation of the broadcast industry for all these ills!

And who cares? Only people like me, a minority. The poor sheep who tune in their radio programs don't care! Why? They can switch the danged radio off and play a CD or a cassette in their car or their home or office stereo.

Radio has become a vast BACKGROUND medium, wheras in the days of network radio shows, it was a FOREGROUND medium.

And you can also thank TV for that! The poor sheep general public will take whatever the program panderers give them -- as long as it is --

* Cheap or Free

* Simpleminded.

Whew! The defense rests. Ah'm tard!

Best,

Jim Stokes

Actually, when Imagination Theater is taped before a live audience, it's actually set up like they had during the Golden Days of Radio. Usually 4 mikes on stands, and chairs for the actors in the background. Although they perform it up on a auditorium type stage, there is no glass that seperates the audience from the Actors. If you listen closely, sometimes you'll here some muffled audience laughter when something humorous happens in a scene. If a mistake happens, the action will stop as Jim (from his station at the mixing board towards the top row of seating in the theater) has the Actors pick up where they need to for final editing. What's great is most of the sound effects are done by a regular Foley Artists, usually two people, some other effects are added by a pre=programed Mini Disc or DAT. Pat French had invited me to go to a rehearsal at their house, but much to my dissapointment, I had to work that day and couldn't make it Doesn't that figure!!!!

Anyway, as far as the sad state of radio drama here in the states, well, what can be said that hasn't been said a million times already. NPR here in Seattle dropped radio drama over the past year, in addition to another non=commercial station in this area. Jim French's show is the only regularly scheduled radio drama no over here, as well as a Christian stations broadcasts of Focus On The Family Radio Theater and Left Behind ongoing series. But you know, ever since I got DSL Internet, and since BBC RADIO 4 upgraded their live radio internet feeds, I've been excited and enjoying a bunch of radio drama and comedies pretty darn close to FM quality. It's a dream come true for me!!! For a matter of fact, as I'm typing this, I'm enjoying a BBC Serial of Les Miserables. Love it...love it....LOVE IT!! So, I really don't feel starved for radio drama like I used to. great stuff.

Joe

In answer to your question about how Jim F. gets the shows aired. Well, when the deal was originally set up to have the show syndicated nationally, the arrangement stated that the commercials that are syndicated with the show remain intact, then the particular radio station would not have to pay to have the show aired on their station. I'll have to check with Pat French the next time I speak to her to see if that's still the arrangement. As far as the BBC, they are still government supported, and there's still no commercials on Radio 4, etc.. Thank heavens!!

Joe