Is the Jack phenomenon ushering in a new era of “eclecticism” in radio? I don’t think so.

When Jack first launched, many thought it couldn’t succeed because it seemingly ran counter to the established “rules” of successful radio — Play The Hits and Stay Focused.

But did it really? Not that much.

Let’s look at a recent hour of Doug FM in Detroit…which claims: “We Play…Everything” …

GOT MY MIND SET ON YOU — GEORGE HARRISON
WHO ARE YOU — WHO
TROUBLE ME — 10,000 MANIACS
YOU’RE THE FIRST, THE LAST, MY EVERYTHING — BARRY WHITE
JUST LIKE PARADISE — DAVID LEE ROTH
SATURDAY IN THE PARK — CHICAGO
YOU GOT LUCKY — TOM PETTY
I HATE MYSELF FOR LOVING YOU — JOAN JETT & THE BLACKHEARTS
I’LL BE AROUND — SPINNERS
I GOT YOU — SPLIT ENZ
ADDICTED TO LOVE — ROBERT PALMER
TIME — HOOTIE & THE BLOWFISH

Everything? Hardly. What we have here is a Classic Hits station that plays a lot of ’80s, is willing to play R&B (it is Detroit, after all) and the occasion marginal cut — in this hour, I Got You. Yes, it has some “car crash segues” — for example, I Hate Myself for Loving You into I’ll Be Around. But they’re just “fender benders”…nothing you wouldn’t have heard on CHR back in the day.

Jack succeeds (when it does, that is) because its attitude — “Playing What We Want,” “Playing Everything,” etc. — appeals to listeners tired of the safe predictability of most stations. But Jack isn’t much of a rebel, really…he’s The Fonz, not James Dean!

The established “rules” of successful radio — Play The Hits and Stay Focused — can rest easy.

In its focus on “prime demos,” radio has pretty much ignored young listeners — the future prime demos. I can’t blame stations for this…they’re just trying to give their customers (i.e., advertisers) what they want. But a lack of enthusiasm for radio among teens and preteens doesn’t bode well for the future of the medium.

Think back to when you discovered radio. I remember hearing kids talk about Dick Biondi at grade school, checking him out on WLS and feeling part of a special, “in group” that adults couldn’t possibly understand. Later, as an older teen, I got into the “underground” FM and groups that most people didn’t even know about.

Radio and the music it played was a huge part of my connection to my generation and personal identity. I suspect it’s the same for you too.

One could rightly argue that you and I aren’t typical….we are “radio guys,” moved so much by the medium that we made it our work. But I know plenty of non-radio guys (including women) who have the same feelings and connections. Radio’s role in their lives and what they listen to may have changed, but it’s still important to them.

But what about the kids? I am concerned about their connection to radio, but I got a little ray of hope from AM 910 WFDF — Radio Disney.

I don’t have any inside knowledge of Radio Disney. But I do have some insight into the mind of a nine year old — my daughter! She’s into Radio Disney just like I was into ‘LS and ‘CFL as a kid. She knows most of the songs, she loves the Disney stars on radio, and she especially loves hearing listeners her own age call in and talk on the air.

What most interesting to me is that she’s never commented on sound quality that’s clearly inferior to the FMs we listen to. Unique programming trumps even the limitations of AM.

What I like about it is that I don’t have to worry about content that’s inappropriate for a nine year old…something I’m constantly on guard for when we’re listening to other stations. (What I don’t like about it is that “Crazy Frog” song…Ugh!)

Now, I wonder about the business model for Radio Disney. It seems targeted to a very narrow age group. And as preteens become teens, they tend to reject things they once loved…it’s a rite of passage. Even if a 14 year old enjoyed Radio Disney, it might not be cool to admit it!

But for now, I want to thank Radio Disney for sparking a nine year old’s love of radio, just as mine was sparked by the “Wild I-tralian” Dick Biondi so many years ago.

Satellite radio has come to Canada. XM launched there in late November, Sirius about a week later. And I’m heard to tell ya….satellite radio will make a bigger impact there than in the U.S. Here’s why…

CANADA’S POPULATION IS S P R E A D O U T . Canada is a bit bigger than the U.S., and its population is a lot less — 32 million, versus our 297+ million. Most of Canada consists of wide-open, sparsely-populated areas. If you’re going on a long drive, you’ll have little AM or FM to choose from. But as an XM Canada press release stated: “You can drive from Newfoundland to B.C., and up to the Yukon, and you’ll get XM Canada in crystal-clear digital-quality sound.”

CANADA IS UNDER-RADIOED by U.S. standards. For example, the Kelowna, BC area has seven stations competing for around 150,000 people. The Bangor, Maine metro has similar population, but 22 stations competing for it! Toronto, with a metro of nearly five million , is the only Canadian market with that many stations.

Canadian listeners don’t have a lot of choices compared to their American counterparts…the prospect of 100 channels will be even more appealing to them.

ON SATELLITE, CANADIAN CONTENT IS “GHETTO-IZED.” Thirty-five percent of the music on Canadian stations must be written or performed by a Canadian. Canadian P.D.’s work diligently to program this “Cancon,” and it ain’t easy. Not that there’s anything wrong with Canadian music, but it just doesn’t represent 35% of what you would play given the choice.

On XM and Sirius, it wouldn’t be feasible to integrate Cancon in the mostly U.S.-sourced channels. Instead, the satellite services offer separate Cancon channels, like Sirius’s 10 “Made in Canada” channels. A Canadian listener can seek out Cancon or avoid it entirely.

So XM’s Top Tracks channel can play “All the killer cuts from the supergroups of the 60s, 70s and 80s.” And sure, that includes some B.T.O., Rush, Neil Young, Guess Who and other Canadian rockers! But on a Classic Rock FM in Canada, you’ll get disproportionately heavy doses of those artists.

In short, Canadian radio broadcasters face a significant challenge from the “space invaders.”