Radio Killed the Video Star?

Though movies, music videos, and graphic art have been dominant forces in musicology and how people are affected by music, people must also take into account the work put behind a radio show. Kidd Kraddick is a major example of this. His show is broadcast to several stations in the Southern United States (In New Orleans, I believe it's 97.1 - WEZB) and, though there are very few musical interruptions, he is very successful as a radio talk show host. His show is extremely layered: there's a layer of humor, a layer of serious issues, and a layer of problem solving. His co-hosts--Big Al, Kellie, J-Si, and Shanon--all create a dialogue that is insanely hilarious. He does talk about national news and, unlike most radio shows, doesn't tend to give a straightforward bias (Right, Rush Limbaugh?). His biggest feat, however, is his humanitarian work. In the many years of his show, Kidd has created his own charity called "Kidd's Kids." This is sort of like the "Make-a-Wish Foundation," except his cause donates to cancer research and sends several cancer victims to Disney World to rid them of their troubles, if even for a few days. He's not a musician, but the style of his show attracts viewers of all different backgrounds and it definitely makes a difference in the community.

Though my show wouldn't have the same impact, I do intend on co-hosting a radio show on Loyola's campus with my good friend Khiry. "G-Nikes and Strobe Lites" will air every Tuesday from 1-4 pm on Crescentcityradio.com. We do intend to talk about some good stuff, good music, good thoughts, and whatever else pops up. He and I have frequently had embarrassingly funny conversations. Hopefully our humor will bring a larger audience to CCR (as we don't have too many listeners, really...) and perhaps the music can attract an audience as well. Music is the universal language. If we bring good music to the show, people will understand where we come from. Maybe people will listen. If music is a language, and we have the power to persuade people with our words, perhaps music has the same impact. It can be used as a marketing tool.