Radio songs

American Demographics, Sept, 1996 by John P. Robinson

Despite the glamour associated with new technology, however, the low-tech medium of radio has been serious music's best ambassador. The gain in classical/jazz radio listenership from 20 percent to 30 percent of adults between 1982 and 1992 was the fastest increase recorded among 80 forms of arts participation measured by NEA surveys. The number is a vivid reminder that we may live in a video age, but when it comes to certain kinds of music, visual images are not required. In 1992, less than 5 percent of Americans surveyed said they had used a VCR to view a performance of jazz, classical music, or five other kinds of arts programs.

Radio is not the only way to bring "serious" music to the masses, of course. The 1984 feature film Amadeus made the most of Mozart's admittedly bizarre life story, but it also exposed people who don't frequent "Mostly Mozart" concerts to some of the composer's music. To date, three generations of American children and their parents have had a short course in classical music through a very different feature film, Disney's Fantasia. Others have been exposed to portions of the Rossini opera "The Barber of Seville," performed by Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd in old Warner Brothers cartoons that still get playtime on Saturday morning TV.

But serious music gains an important edge when it is broadcast over the radio. Analysis of the SPPA data shows that radio listeners who attend jazz, classical music, and opera events are far more enthusiastic about these musics than are those who only attend the concerts. Even after the results are controlled for demographic and other differences, radio stands out as an important way to promote the liking of serious music.

Radio has some real advantages over other media. It can quickly adapt to changing audience needs, it has virtually universal reach, and it is often the sole comfort for bored drivers as they grind through the daily commute. Radio is sometimes equated in the public's mind with ribald talk-show hosts or pop music, but the NEA surveys and Use of Time Project reveal something more. Thanks in large part to the efforts of public broadcasters, radio now provides a steady diet of serious entertainment to a growing audience of discerning Americans who like their Hootie and the Blowfish--and Beethoven, too.

TAKING IT FURTHER

For more information on Americans' preferences for different kinds of music and art, see previously published articles in American Demographics: "Name That Tune" (August 1994) and "The Arts Hold Steady in Hard Times" (February 1994). A more complete description of the NEA surveys is available in the book Age and Arts Participation, With a Focus on the Baby Boom Cohort, available for $17.95 postpaid from Seven Locks Press, P.O. Box 25689, Santa Ana, CA 92799; telephone (800) 354-5348. A full description of the findings of the Americans' Use of Time Project will be published in Time For Life by John P. Robinson and Geoffrey Godbey, due from the University of Pennsylvania Press in 1997.