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Topic: Dr. Demento speaks up about his business
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Started by: Tim P. Ryan
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fjrigjwwe9r2threads:MessageText fiogf49gjkf0d Unfortunatly, I think Talonian sold the show in bulk to someone/some company who would buy all spots on the show, then resell them. Yes, they (Talonian) need a spot salesman so comedy music artists could buy spots on occasion, in addition to your idea there. Getting the radio show back to being supported by national advertisers should mean a return to radio stations not being charged for the show.
-Tim
--- DJ Particle
EDIT: also, has Dr. D tried selling time on the show to companies that make fannish collectibles or companies that specialize in technological gadgets? Thanks to acts like Luke Ski, Possible Oscar/Nick Atoms, Sudden Death and more, a heavy chunk of the dementia audience is made up of geeks and nerds nowadays.
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fjrigjwwe9r2threads:MessageText fiogf49gjkf0d That would be a great idea, as I think it could be a product/advertising program that many artists could afford to buy, as opposed to buying spots on the show.
--- Haul-E-Weird
I would like to purchase banner ads on his site, just name his price.
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fjrigjwwe9r2threads:MessageText fiogf49gjkf0d Well, I for one, approached the Doc via email as well as talking to him directly, in person when he was spinning the spooky hits at the Orange County Fair Grounds the Sunday before Halloween. I said that I would like to purchase banner ads on his site, just name his price.
In both instances, his manage replied saying something vague about their web master being indisposed and that nothing could be done at the moment.
It is truly a shame that they don't have a salesperson, for surely as DJ Particle points out, there would be tons of us who'd want to to purchase ads to support the Doc.
I just think it's that technology has passed him by, and he simply can't grok how the Internet works. I can't tell you how many folks who have done things in the "real world" don't "get" it, alas.
--- DJ Particle
EDIT: also, has Dr. D tried selling time on the show to companies that make fannish collectibles or companies that specialize in technological gadgets? Thanks to acts like Luke Ski, Possible Oscar/Nick Atoms, Sudden Death and more, a heavy chunk of the dementia audience is made up of geeks and nerds nowadays.
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fjrigjwwe9r2threads:MessageText fiogf49gjkf0d This is that other topic thread, were a new thread was started on the ww.drdemento.com hiring of a new webmaster.
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fjrigjwwe9r2threads:MessageText fiogf49gjkf0d
--- pdx-dj1
Getting anything funny played was an uphill battle at best, if for no other reason than the fact that there was always some stick-up-his-woohoo advertiser with no sense of humor who *insisted* that such material detracted from the listenability of the station.
-------
Agreed, and I had a taste of that too.
When I was overseeing overnights at WXTK, one of the programs was a replay of Rush Limbaugh, and as you may or may not know, Rush's production team makes fake commercials that air on the network during time allocated for local spots. Sometimes Rush plays those commercials during his show.
Well we had a collection of them on cart, and I decided to add to it, scavenging the fake ads from the shows, and during the replay, if a local ad spot wasn't fully sold, I'd pop one of those in now and then. I did have permission from the PD to do it, as we figured it would attract listeners to the replay if word got around that Rush comedy spots would occasionally air.
After a few weeks, the GM decided to have the carts bulked. The PD and I never got a real reason for it. Just one day I got in and noticed the carts had been bulked.
So despite that they were produced *by* the EIB *for* Rush's show, someone decided they didn't fit. O.o
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fjrigjwwe9r2threads:MessageText fiogf49gjkf0d Hey DJ1, thanks for the input on what happens at radio stations.
--- pdx-dj1
Shows like Dr. D are given to the lowest salesman in the bullpen and when he or she cannot find adequate advertisers for the show, they lose their job and the show gets the blame. I know this is true because I have watched it happened.
DJ1, over and out.
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fjrigjwwe9r2threads:MessageText fiogf49gjkf0d
--- Ojimy
I Googled Arthyr Chadbourne to see who else he "manages". Apparently, he is best known as an astrologer, not a manager. This is an appearance he made on YouTube;
www.youtube.com/watch?v=2450wrLocKs&eurl=forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=83409
This dude is one goofy s** of a b****
So here we are trying to figure out how to help Dr. Demento, when the problem is obvious...his stars simply aren't in alignment.
*******************
Sounds to me like Dr. D needs to fire him, rehire him as staff astrologer, and hire somebody who knows what they are doing.
Demento has never got the respect he deserves by the radio community and that is because programmers think comedy and novelty matrial has only very limited appeal. I speak as someone who spent ten years in the Radio Wars back in the '80s. Getting anything funny played was an uphill battle at best, if for no other reason than the fact that there was always some stick-up-his-woohoo advertiser with no sense of humor who *insisted* that such material detracted from the listenability of the station. Since he who has the gold makes the rules, comedy and novelty material always gets axed. Never mind how many requests the station gets for it. You see, radio does not exist for the listener. Indeed, the station management doesn't give two hoots and a holler what its listeners think, as long as they keep listening...and most do listen not because it is a good station, but because it is the least bad of the available stations. Shows like Dr. D are given to the lowest salesman in the bullpen and when he or she cannot find adequate advertisers for the show, they lose their job and the show gets the blame. I know this is true because I have watched it happened.
I will never forget when the McDonald's/Bloody Diarrhea story broke - a national story! - and our local McD's was one of the ones affected. Our news director was called into the station manager's office and told to drop the story from future newscasts because they were one of our biggest advertisers. When he played the "journalistic integrity" card, he was told "You just don't understand the economic realities of the situation." and was offered his walking papers so he could consider them. Sadly but wisely, he caved.
That is the way radio works, by the New Golden Rule. The one with the gold may be a complete idiot and totally wrong, but he still makes the rules.
DJ1, over and out.
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fjrigjwwe9r2threads:MessageText fiogf49gjkf0d I Googled Arthyr Chadbourne to see who else he "manages". Apparently, he is best known as an astrologer, not a manager. This is an appearance he made on YouTube;
www.youtube.com/watch?v=2450wrLocKs&eurl=forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=83409
This dude is one goofy s** of a b****
So here we are trying to figure out how to help Dr. Demento, when the problem is obvious...his stars simply aren't in alignment.
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fjrigjwwe9r2threads:MessageText fiogf49gjkf0d Here are some pictures of Dr. D. with his manager (06/24/2005) - www.lynnharper.com/demento.html
--- -Dr. Demento:
Talonian is not what some uniformed denouncers have claimed. Talonian Productions is wholly owned by myself. Talonian currently employs a manager, Arthyr Chadbourne, and a webmaster.
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fjrigjwwe9r2threads:MessageText fiogf49gjkf0d Iguanas...hmm....Igneous Iguanas. You could extract a lot of belly button lint with an igneous iguana. Makes a good doorstop, too.
--- fm123
I did a search for "Nano Tail" and came up with this weird page about Adult Iguanas, "Nano the Iguana"
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fjrigjwwe9r2threads:MessageText fiogf49gjkf0d I did a search for "Nano Tail" and came up with this weird page about Adult Iguanas, "Nano the Iguana" - yil.jp/iguana/reproduction/adult.htm
NOTE : There are some images of undressed iguanas and scenes of mating with improper expressions in this page.
--- MarlinsGirl
He did.
Terri M.
--- Sick Puppy
The scary part is that this time you actually made sense.
--- Shmooly
What you didn't guess that Talonian was his?!
Look at the way it's spelled backwards...
NAINOLAT!
Now if we take the NAIN and inverse to NIAN Take the O and put it on the LAT to now be spelled OLAT make a few changes by playing with the order of the letters that we now have we are left with....
NANO TAIL!
GET IT NANO'TAIL! GET IT?!
I got it in a NANO SECOND!
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fjrigjwwe9r2threads:MessageText fiogf49gjkf0d He did.
Terri M.
--- Sick Puppy
The scary part is that this time you actually made sense.
--- Shmooly
What you didn't guess that Talonian was his?!
Look at the way it's spelled backwards...
NAINOLAT!
Now if we take the NAIN and inverse to NIAN Take the O and put it on the LAT to now be spelled OLAT make a few changes by playing with the order of the letters that we now have we are left with....
NANO TAIL!
GET IT NANO'TAIL! GET IT?!
I got it in a NANO SECOND!
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fjrigjwwe9r2threads:MessageText fiogf49gjkf0d The scary part is that this time you actually made sense.
--- Shmooly
What you didn't guess that Talonian was his?!
Look at the way it's spelled backwards...
NAINOLAT!
Now if we take the NAIN and inverse to NIAN Take the O and put it on the LAT to now be spelled OLAT make a few changes by playing with the order of the letters that we now have we are left with....
NANO TAIL!
GET IT NANO'TAIL! GET IT?!
I got it in a NANO SECOND!
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fjrigjwwe9r2threads:MessageText fiogf49gjkf0d I saw this poem about Talonian on another forum - www.groupsrv.com/hobby/post-2794301.html
HOW TO PUT A CURSE ON TALONIAN!
TALONIAN, TALONIAN I WISH TO YOU
A TUMBLE IN A SMOKING STEW
BLACK SNAKE SHOULD CATCH YOU BY THE HEEL
AND HORNETS GET YOU WHEN YOU KNEEL
BEDBUGS EAT AT YOU AT NIGHT
ALL GOES WRONG NOTHING RIGHT
OR GET A BLACK VOTIF CANDLE OR BLACK CANDLE
STICK. WRITE TALONIAN ON THE FOUR SIDES OF
THE CANDLE THEN LIGHT THE WICKE AND LET IT BURN.
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fjrigjwwe9r2threads:MessageText fiogf49gjkf0d What you didn't guess that Talonian was his?!
Look at the way it's spelled backwards...
NAINOLAT!
Now if we take the NAIN and inverse to NIAN Take the O and put it on the LAT to now be spelled OLAT make a few changes by playing with the order of the letters that we now have we are left with....
NANO TAIL!
GET IT NANO'TAIL! GET IT?!
I got it in a NANO SECOND!
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fjrigjwwe9r2threads:MessageText fiogf49gjkf0d I saw the message that Dr.Demento posted regarding the future of his program-I'm glad that he came clean & admitted that Talonian was his own production company-I agree wholeheatedly with what he said-I recently became a member of the DOC (Demento Online Club)-Granted,it's a bit pricey,but I live in the NYC metro area-We don't have the good Doctor on in these parts-Need I say more?
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fjrigjwwe9r2threads:MessageText fiogf49gjkf0d One thing that I have noticed about my Muvo mp3 player is that it will play files in alpha-numeric order. - read on...
The file names of The Mad Music Show, and MANY other podcast type shows are in the format of:
TheMadMusicShow92-1_128K.mp3
TheMadMusicShow92-2_128K.mp3
TheMadMusicShow92-3_128K.mp3
The underscore part doesn't seem to mess up the sequence, but what DOES seem to mess it up is the dash before the number. My player seems to read this a -3, -2, -1 etc. -negative numbers- so it starts with -6, and goes "up" in order from there.
I find that if I just rename the files, and remove the dashes, then the files play in order from 1 to 6.
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fjrigjwwe9r2threads:MessageText fiogf49gjkf0d I've noticed that too.... But having used more than one MP3 player over the years, I've noticed that the problem can also be in the MP3 player.
My current player will actually play files in alphabetical/numerical order, no matter what order they were transferred. (And I mess this up by setting my playback mode to random.) Therefore, I don't currently have a problem, but I did notice some things in my old hardware that might make a difference.
Remember how things were in the days of DOS, when we seemed more concerned about how the hard drive saved files. If things got messed up we simply reformatted the drive.
My guess is that the new technology has more similarities to the old technology than we are aware of. Most MP3 players I've seen have a utility/function to reformat the media. My guess is there may be old information messing up the way the media is working. Reformatting may not only solve some of the playback order problems, but it may also recover some lost space.... making room for more mad music.
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fjrigjwwe9r2threads:MessageText fiogf49gjkf0d I have this problem with my mp3 players also, but it is not restricted to TMMS.
This is a windows problem, and affects most of the software transferring files to what ever media player you use.
If I use Win Explorer to copy a bunch of files, the last file is always copied first.
This also translates to the other software I use, for my Sony & Creative media players.
The last file in the list is always copied first.
Alex.
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fjrigjwwe9r2threads:MessageText fiogf49gjkf0d I originally did that. Then I started using Smart Playlists to manage my podcasts, but they were problematic. The default Podcasts playlist with the synching is the best option, but TMMS always seems to come in in reverse order.
I can set up its own playlist for it, but I shouldn't have to. It's just one more thing I have to do when I'm rushing out the door, late for work in the morning. :)
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fjrigjwwe9r2threads:MessageText fiogf49gjkf0d It is never a problem providing that you take good care of your prostate.
They say that Belly Button Lint is good for that"
Hm, I wonder......
"There is still one point that bothers me..... That is the question of streaming."
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fjrigjwwe9r2threads:MessageText fiogf49gjkf0d Why don't you set the shows up on a playlist so you can set the order they play in?? I put the last 5 MM shows and the last 7 Manic Mondays on my Ipod on a playlist for my trip to the States. Glad I did as Delta Airlines like to charge you to watch movies and I'm such a cheapskate that I just listened to the ipod instead of putting more money in their pockets!
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fjrigjwwe9r2threads:MessageText fiogf49gjkf0d > ( I just wish that they would play sequentially so I
> dont have to take the iPod out of my pocket every 20 minutes, )
Good, so I'm not the only person having this problem.
->Later.....Spice
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fjrigjwwe9r2threads:MessageText fiogf49gjkf0d Wayne,
Don't do yourself down! Your show is every bit as professional as the good Doctor's, your knowledge and prep for each show is as good as any professional DJ and let's face it free doesn't always mean cheap. I have "dabbled" on the fringes of "pro" radio here in the UK for a few years and have seen people paid good money for basically show and go - no prep required! and I for one am glad that someone is doing this for the love of the genre and not for how much they can get for it (and for letting me get involved as well).
Just go back to the first few shows you hosted and then listen to the current shows to see how much the show has both improved and evolved.
As ever, keep up the great work.
Nigel
--- Captain Wayne
My show, while some consider a direct competition to Dr. Demento, is just a free alternative - nothing more. For those who can't afford to (or whose spouse won't let them) subscribe, I fill the void. I'm no Dr. Demento - he's much more entertaining and has so much more knowledge that I'm in awe. However, I want to promote the genre and the artists to help them too.
This is fun (although a bit demanding) and I'll keep doing it as long as it is still fun - but I'll ALWAYS support Dr. Demento in my own way.
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fjrigjwwe9r2threads:MessageText fiogf49gjkf0d First off, I never really have been a lover of Dr Demento, namely because his show never was available here, and I always felt that his Cd's while a necesary evil were overpriced for what they were,
I personally Like Wayne better, he is approachable wheras Demento reminds me of the Wizard always hiding behind that curtain and putting on the pyrotechnic shows,
anywho, I understand his point, he needs to make a living, and sure his show is family friendly, but it does have a demographic, he is popular with the 12 to 99 geek range. he should use that,
as for pricing, I too understand the idea of a fee, but Im not gonna pay for something I have to be at home and listning at teh right time to hear it,
I download my MMS feeds to the iPod and listen to them at work ( I just wish that they would play sequentially so I dont have to take the iPod out of my pocket every 20 minutes, )
what he needs to do is make it downloadable for a fee, or put comercials on it, and make it free to download I dont mind comercials, in fact I love classic comercials.
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fjrigjwwe9r2threads:MessageText fiogf49gjkf0d There is still one point that bothers me..... That is the question of streaming.
I understand that there are two sources of revenue involved here. Dr. Demento's advertisers and the local station's advertisers.
If Dr. Demento sold his advertising based on the fact that his sponsors would likely gain a wider audience through streaming, he wouldn't have to worry about the fact that he isn't getting a piece of the revenue that obviously belongs to the radio station streaming the show.
For the radio station's point of view, perhaps I should bring up again the recent cancellation of the show by KRDE.
www.krde.com/newspage.php
-----
A note from Dr. Demento...
Several of the show's radio affiliates stream their own programming, free of charge (the expense is defrayed by advertising). Since we don't share in the stations' ad revenue, we have asked them to discontinue their streams while our show is on. Most stations have been very understanding about this.
-Dr. Demento
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fjrigjwwe9r2threads:MessageText fiogf49gjkf0d Ola!
Seniors, senoritas and all my leetle friends!
Deese eese a classic problemo of mismanagement.
Doctor Demento could have sold belly lint on the web site in order to support his crazy addiction to collecting fans.
But he chose not to because of he doesn't want us to have any.
So I do NOT LOVE him anymore!
So I must to say...
VIVA L'WAYNE! - VIVA L' DEMENTIA
VIVA L'Belly Button Leent!
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fjrigjwwe9r2threads:MessageText fiogf49gjkf0d What's funny about this conversation is that we wouldn't be having it about any other musical genre (or collection of genres, if you like). Would we be talking about this if Dr Demento and Mad Music Show were both Rock shows or Jazz shows? Dementia is a genre that can produce big hits and kick start careers, but radio's gotten so watered-down and lowest-common-denominator, playing a funny song, even while in-genre, has become nearly unheard of. Radio's in dire need of a revolution, and I think that's where the REAL issue lies.
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fjrigjwwe9r2threads:MessageText fiogf49gjkf0d I would pay $2.00 for a downloadable 128kbps mp3, or for a restartable srream that could also be paused, fast-forwarded, rewinded and replayed over a specified time period.
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fjrigjwwe9r2threads:MessageText fiogf49gjkf0d Now that some of our members have returned to work and internet access, what do you say?
Read doc's letter at the bottom of responses.
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fjrigjwwe9r2threads:MessageText fiogf49gjkf0d The probem is the "Hobbiest" vs. "Professional" as mentioned earlier. My ASCAP, BMI and SESAC fees are ALL calculated as a percentage of profit with an annual minimum. Since I receive NO compensation for the show, I just pay the minimums (still a chunk of change), which I chalk up as a 'cost of making others happy' and is the least I can do for my freinds.
If I sold any advertising, or sold the show itself to stations than I would also have the same cashflow problem the Doctor has. Since he is making a living off of the show he needs the income - I have a job that pays my bills - but believe me, I'd love to do this full-time - I just can't afford to.
I still love Dr. Demento and listen weekly. I'm a fan club member and subscribe to his streaming service. Not just to hear the show, but as a Thank You for all the years he's spent entertaining me.
My show, while some consider a direct competition to Dr. Demento, is just a free alternative - nothing more. For those who can't afford to (or whose spouse won't let them) subscribe, I fill the void. I'm no Dr. Demento - he's much more entertaining and has so much more knowledge that I'm in awe. However, I want to promote the genre and the artists to help them too.
This is fun (although a bit demanding) and I'll keep doing it as long as it is still fun - but I'll ALWAYS support Dr. Demento in my own way.
--- devospice
Supposedly Wayne is "a member of ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC" as he says on his weekly show, which allows him to legally play anything he wants on his podcast. Why can't the Doctor go that route as well?
->Later.....Spice
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fjrigjwwe9r2threads:MessageText fiogf49gjkf0d Supposedly Wayne is "a member of ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC" as he says on his weekly show, which allows him to legally play anything he wants on his podcast. Why can't the Doctor go that route as well?
->Later.....Spice
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fjrigjwwe9r2threads:MessageText fiogf49gjkf0d Hey, I was just as surprised as you were! I thought for sure that it was an error. I cashed it IMMEDIATELY!
--- Tim P. Ryan
This is the first report I have ever seen of someone saying they got a significant amount of royalities from almost only being played on The Dr. Demento Show.
-Tim
--- ToasterBoy
Hi. Grant from Throwing Toasters/Dr. Floyd here.
I'd love for Dr. Demento's show to be free but I also like the $4000 I got in music royalties from when Nursery Rhyme Lawyer was #1 on the show back in 2001.
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fjrigjwwe9r2threads:MessageText fiogf49gjkf0d I am not up to date on how the RIAA looks at the difference between streaming and podcasting, and I can see the reason for them to assume that podcasting is a form of file sharing.
Do they look at streaming in the same light?
Reading all the posts & threads about the Dr D show, most would be happy with higher bitrate streaming.
Alex.
--- ToasterBoy
Hi. Grant from Throwing Toasters/Dr. Floyd here. As you may or may not know I'm kind of one of the podcasting grandfathers. I started the Dr. Floyd podcast in November of 2004 (back in the old days).
For the past year or so I've had a few meetings with Dr. D about the possibility of moving his show to podcast and the main reason he cannot do it is because of the RIAA and Music Royalties.
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fjrigjwwe9r2threads:MessageText fiogf49gjkf0d This is the first report I have ever seen of someone saying they got a significant amount of royalities from almost only being played on The Dr. Demento Show.
-Tim
--- ToasterBoy
Hi. Grant from Throwing Toasters/Dr. Floyd here.
I'd love for Dr. Demento's show to be free but I also like the $4000 I got in music royalties from when Nursery Rhyme Lawyer was #1 on the show back in 2001.
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fjrigjwwe9r2threads:MessageText fiogf49gjkf0d
--- ToasterBoy
If he put out a podcast of his show he would not be able to play people like "Weird Al" or Stan Freberg because the rights to these songs are owned by labels. I mentioned he could do a show just with 'indie' artists who gave him permission as I'm sure most would, but his response was that if he couldn't play the biggies, Al, Freberg, it wouldn't really be "The Dr. Demento Show".
-----
Well that's more the fault of the RIAA and similar associations, and why I would never join a consortium like that no matter how popular I may or may not get. I don't want someone who only cares about the bottom line to speak for me. If the Doc were to play one of my songs, I wouldn't even think about charging him for it -- I'd be too flattered, for one thing *heh* seriously, the main reason is because I don't make music to make money. I make music because I like making music.
And I can see his point about playing the "biggies", but at the same time, many of these artists who are now "biggies" were still "indies" until the Doc gave them exposure (like Weird Al). And a few current dementia "biggies" are still indies (Luke Ski, Sudden Death), and the reason why people like Weird Al got the big contracts is because (a) they got famous when record companies were still willing to take a chance on novelty and (b) back then you NEEDED to join a label to get studio access, distribution facilities, etc.
In the case of (a), conglomeration of companies mean that only people who fit the status quo get through nowadays. You could say that "Weird Al" has become grandfathered into the mainstream. If Al had been 20 years younger, there is no way he'd have gotten approached by a label this decade. He's doesn't fit any of the cookie-cutter "insta-popular" Top-40 sounds which are what the record companies want nowadays. That was not the case in 1980.
In the case of (b), the current level of home computing and the Internet have allowed countless people to basically become their own labels (like Luke and Sudden Death) and still hit big with their intended audiences.
Fast forward another 20 years or so....The Demento Show of the future (which I would assume Will would take over if/when the good Doctor becomes physically unable to continue) will eventually be a good 90-95 percent indie artists, with the occasional older tune thrown in.
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fjrigjwwe9r2threads:MessageText fiogf49gjkf0d The reason why some people can podcast major artists is because they are considered non-commercial "hobbyists" Dr. Demento is a commercial enterprise.
--- ToasterBoy
If he put out a podcast of his show he would not be able to play people like "Weird Al" or Stan Freberg because the rights to these songs are owned by labels. I mentioned he could do a show just with 'indie' artists who gave him permission as I'm sure most would, but his response was that if he couldn't play the biggies, Al, Freberg, it wouldn't really be "The Dr. Demento Show".
Now I know there are other podcasts out there that play Al and Freberg, but, and this is not a slam against any of them (heck I did it on my Dementia Radio Show) they are not in the same league as Dr. Demento. If Dr. Demento announced a podcast on his site the record companies would be all over him instantly. Why? Because Podcast is basically file sharing. He'd be sending out an MP3 with Al on it and you'd be downloading it. Yes, it's in a whole show, but still you're getting an mp3 of it.
I want to see his show survive as much as anyone and I'm still working on ideas to make it work. I'm in a weird position because I'm a fan but also a musician. I'd love for Dr. Demento's show to be free but I also like the $4000 I got in music royalties from when Nursery Rhyme Lawyer was #1 on the show back in 2001.
A middle ground has to be found one that works for the artists, the fans and Dr. D.
--- czwrefsteven
Someone please let me know why it was that his show didn't work out ... or take his show to podcast.
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fjrigjwwe9r2threads:MessageText fiogf49gjkf0d --- keemo
i sent one of these emails to dr d. about 3 days ago........i explained talonian needed to focus more on sales to new stations instead of running stations off by asking to blackout his show during streaming.
this said i dont think dr. demento has any salesperson.
how do you sell a show if nobody is out selling it??????
------
Very good point!
Then there is the way it is being sold....
The first thing he needs to do is allow his affiliates to stream again (which will attract stations that are leery about blacking out their streams). Once that's done, the next step is to sell the show to advertisers as a show with a "potentially worldwide audience". Granted, yes advertisers want to reach certain demographics, but they also want to reach AS MANY OF THAT DEMOGRAPHIC AS POSSIBLE, which means that if the show does not allow streaming, and it's losing affiliates because of it, advertisers won't want to buy time on the show! If the advertisers realize they'd be beamed and streamed even into places where there is no local affiliate, they'll jump at that chance!
EDIT: also, has Dr. D tried selling time on the show to companies that make fannish collectibles or companies that specialize in technological gadgets? Thanks to acts like Luke Ski, Possible Oscar/Nick Atoms, Sudden Death and more, a heavy chunk of the dementia audience is made up of geeks and nerds nowadays.
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fjrigjwwe9r2threads:MessageText fiogf49gjkf0d Hi. Grant from Throwing Toasters/Dr. Floyd here. As you may or may not know I'm kind of one of the podcasting grandfathers. I started the Dr. Floyd podcast in November of 2004 (back in the old days).
For the past year or so I've had a few meetings with Dr. D about the possibility of moving his show to podcast and the main reason he cannot do it is because of the RIAA and Music Royalties.
If he put out a podcast of his show he would not be able to play people like "Weird Al" or Stan Freberg because the rights to these songs are owned by labels. I mentioned he could do a show just with 'indie' artists who gave him permission as I'm sure most would, but his response was that if he couldn't play the biggies, Al, Freberg, it wouldn't really be "The Dr. Demento Show".
Now I know there are other podcasts out there that play Al and Freberg, but, and this is not a slam against any of them (heck I did it on my Dementia Radio Show) they are not in the same league as Dr. Demento. If Dr. Demento announced a podcast on his site the record companies would be all over him instantly. Why? Because Podcast is basically file sharing. He'd be sending out an MP3 with Al on it and you'd be downloading it. Yes, it's in a whole show, but still you're getting an mp3 of it.
I want to see his show survive as much as anyone and I'm still working on ideas to make it work. I'm in a weird position because I'm a fan but also a musician. I'd love for Dr. Demento's show to be free but I also like the $4000 I got in music royalties from when Nursery Rhyme Lawyer was #1 on the show back in 2001.
A middle ground has to be found one that works for the artists, the fans and Dr. D.
When the online thing was announced I joined immediately. I've been a member for two years. How many shows have I listened to? Maybe three in that time. Stupid, I know. A waste of money, probably. But I want to see the show continue and I believe the artists on the show (including me) should be paid for their work.
Hhow many folks here called AND wrote to their government reps to protest the internet radio hikes? I did. I got friends to call too. I'm hoping you did as well. It's because of these fees that Dr. has to charge for streaming in the first place.
I'd like to do an informal poll so please everyone answer this question in this thread...
www.themadmusicarchive.com/thread.aspx?TopicID=2488
I look forward to your answers.
--- czwrefsteven
Someone please let me know why it was that his show didn't work out ... or take his show to podcast.
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fjrigjwwe9r2threads:MessageText fiogf49gjkf0d His arguments seem sound, but that's working from a business model that was designed for a time long past. Today, the internet is as much a medium for broadcasting a show as television and radio.
Sadly, if his show was to cease operation completely, a huge portion of the Dementia market would be left without the music they love so much. (Not to mention the artists who would lose much needed exposure.)) I'm talking about those who have not yet discovered Captain Wayne and others who have created new shows that are gaining ground almost daily on the internet.
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fjrigjwwe9r2threads:MessageText fiogf49gjkf0d It will be the end of an era, the retirement of a true radio pioneer, not unlike the recent retirement of Bob Barker from television.
The concept of a nation-wide radio show consisting of "novelty" records came at a time when the country could use a laugh as a release from the Cold War, energy crisis, Vietnam, etc. The oddity aspect of the show appealed to me and a select group of friends who would listen to Dr. D over a beer, after work.
Then, as now"novelty" or "comedy" records didn't appeal to everyone. For example, I would find it hard to justify, to my wife, why I needed 8-12 dollars a month to listen to a radio show on the internet.
--- fm123
I knew about this a year ago when I mentioned in this previous thread - www.themadmusicarchive.com/thread.aspx?TopicID=1324 that I heard Dr. D. was going to retire in a year or so. Not a bit surprised at all about what he mentioned below.
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A note from Dr. Demento...
I have loved doing this show for 37 years, and have felt incredibly lucky to have made a living from something I love. However, unless the show's financial situation changes soon I will be unable to continue the show much longer.
Thank you for your understanding and support!
-Dr. Demento
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fjrigjwwe9r2threads:MessageText fiogf49gjkf0d I knew about this a year ago when I mentioned in this previous thread - www.themadmusicarchive.com/thread.aspx?TopicID=1324 that I heard Dr. D. was going to retire in a year or so. Not a bit surprised at all about what he mentioned below.
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A note from Dr. Demento...
I have loved doing this show for 37 years, and have felt incredibly lucky to have made a living from something I love. However, unless the show's financial situation changes soon I will be unable to continue the show much longer.
Thank you for your understanding and support!
-Dr. Demento
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fjrigjwwe9r2threads:MessageText fiogf49gjkf0d Someone please let me know why it was that his show didn't work out on XM Radio again. Also why doesn't he try Sirus (sp) or take his show to podcast. He has been doing this for 37 years and he's been in the music biz even longer than that. I just would hate to see this for the reason he might retire. I kinna figured things might have been going bad a couple of years ago when there was no talk of a 35th compulation cd and then all the trouble that's been going on the last couple of years. Things were so much better in his Westwood One days. It's a shame they can't be like that again. It's truely a sad day in Dememntia!
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fjrigjwwe9r2threads:MessageText fiogf49gjkf0d If he wanted to provide a good website for streaming, he should have partnered with Captain Wayne. :-)
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fjrigjwwe9r2threads:MessageText fiogf49gjkf0d i sent one of these emails to dr d. about 3 days ago........i explained talonian needed to focus more on sales to new stations instead of running stations off by asking to blackout his show during streaming.
this said i dont think dr. demento has any salesperson.
how do you sell a show if nobody is out selling it??????
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fjrigjwwe9r2threads:MessageText fiogf49gjkf0d Seems like he looks in on this site from time to time. And I'm glad that he confirmed my assertion that Talonian is, indeed, his corporate self, taking a bit of 'mystery' out of it all.
As a 'informed denouncer', few understand better than me the concept of getting older and then having the revenue that fed one's livelihood vanish for explainable but no less nasty reasons. As 'Talonian', he has a manager and a webmaster. Didn't they tell him the net was a way to bring his show to everybody who couldn't hear it on radio- a vast new market that should be seen as an opportunity to find new fans and reestablish contact with old ones (like me) who lost the show because of greedy corporate station owners?
There were piles of cash to be made if it was done correctly. If he had a well designed and user friendly site, hordes of new 'dementoids' would descend on it and buy all the products he could possibly think of selling- including a reliable high quality stream of the show. This would solve the problem of revenue loss elsewhere. How difficult would it have been to set up such a site if he already had qualified people to do it? Not very, I expect. Since it was done so badly, it may have been his people and not us who were 'uninformed'.
Instead of seeing the internet as an opportunity for more revenue, he saw it as a threat to the revenue that remained, turned on his fanbase by attacking sites like this one, which began as a 'tribute' site and eliminating the streams of his show either with threatened legal action or by conveniently 'forgetting' to provide new shows to stations that streamed it. A rather unethical business practice, if ever there was one. All this bad faith he was generating combined with what many see as poor service on his site has brought about the mess he's in now.
The Doctor Demento Show need not end. A few gestures of good will such as making peace with sites like this, allowing streaming again so a whole lot of fans like me can hear it and a reworking of his site- including the sale of a high quality stream or better yet, a podcast of the show (192kbps or more) could make it all commercially viable for years to come. He need only listen to his fans instead of...whoever he's listening to now, make a few adjustments and things will be fine again.
It's something any good 'corporation' would do.
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A note from Dr. Demento...
Recently a few people have written scathing online denunciations of Talonian Productions, the company that produces and distributes the Dr. Demento Show.
Talonian is not what some uniformed denouncers have claimed. Talonian Productions is wholly owned by myself. Talonian currently employs a manager, Arthyr Chadbourne, and a webmaster...
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fjrigjwwe9r2threads:MessageText fiogf49gjkf0d I don't mind paying for Dr. Demento. My issue is portability. I need to be able to download the show and play it on my iPod when I want to hear it, as I have said numerous times.........Pete
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fjrigjwwe9r2threads:MessageText fiogf49gjkf0d Well it does make sense, and I dont think that alot of people realize that the good Doctor does need to make a living. The radio stations pay him to broadcast their show, which until a few years ago meant a ceratin radius. Well now it means the entire world, and he isnt getting paid for that. Detroit pays him for Detroit. Why should Detroit pay for Philadelphia? Althought there may be 5 people in Philadelphia that listen to him, it still isnt fair that we are essentially getting the show for free. Not that we pay anyway, but he isnt being paid to broadcast in Philly.
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fjrigjwwe9r2threads:MessageText fiogf49gjkf0d The first thing that I will say is that this *does* indeed look like Barry's writing. Other letters posted on his website in the past, had, in my opion, looked like they may have been written by his manager for him to sign.
-Tim
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fjrigjwwe9r2threads:MessageText fiogf49gjkf0d This is now on the front page of www.DrDemento.com.
It is being presented here as newsworthy and of interest to our members. If you have a demento on-line membership and access to his forum, you may want to also post about this in that forum. This is also being posted in rec.music.dementia.
-Tim
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A note from Dr. Demento...
Recently a few people have written scathing online denunciations of Talonian Productions, the company that produces and distributes the Dr. Demento Show.
Talonian is not what some uniformed denouncers have claimed. Talonian Productions is wholly owned by myself. Talonian currently employs a manager, Arthyr Chadbourne, and a webmaster.
For many years the show was supported by national advertisers. The fees they paid supported the entire budget of the show and enabled me to make a living. That's the way radio is supposed to work.
In the past few years advertiser support for the show has evaporated. I've heard various explanations of this, but the most sensible one seems to be that our listenership is spread too thinly among various demographic groups. Advertisers prefer programming that appeals to particular segments (such as women aged 18-34 or men 30-45) so that they can reach listeners prepared to buy their products in a more efficient manner. I was always proud that the show appealed to entire families, but that is starting to look like more of a curse than a blessing.
Therefore, though we still have some fine stations carrying the show, we are not making enough from radio to support it.
For that reason, we decided to launch a fee-based Internet service. We felt this offered a chance for the show to become self-supporting once again, and in addition made it possible for people in areas not served by one of our radio affiliates (which is most of the country, alas) to hear the show.
Many listeners have been happy with this service. Others have complained, mostly to such forums as rec.music.dementia. Most often, they are unhappy that our Internet streams are not free of charge. It may be true, as the old song said, that "the best things in life are free"...but we do have to pay royalties to the creators of the songs we play, and we also have to pay for the website's own operation...and I do have to make a living somehow. Therefore, we charge *a very modest fee for the streaming -- a rate we feel is fair to ourselves and our audience.
Several of the show's radio affiliates stream their own programming, free of charge (the expense is defrayed by advertising). Since we don't share in the stations' ad revenue, we have asked them to discontinue their streams while our show is on. Most stations have been very understanding about this.
I have loved doing this show for 37 years, and have felt incredibly lucky to have made a living from something I love. However, unless the show's financial situation changes soon I will be unable to continue the show much longer.
Thank you for your understanding and support!
-Dr. Demento
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