Programming philosophies and the rationalization of music radio

Abstract

Deregulation and ownership concentration have been accompanied by increased rationalization of programming strategies in commercial music radio in many industrial nations. However, understanding of the impact of these trends on music programming is incomplete because little research has examined music radio's `culture of production'. This article addresses this deficit by exploring the knowledge frameworks that radio programmers draw on to transform records into music programming. Interviews with music programmers working at radio stations in the USA reveal fundamental variation in how culture production is managed in this industry. I account for this variation by distinguishing four programming philosophies that guide and legitimate programmers' choice of programming strategies. Finally, I describe the integration of these philosophies into programmers' knowledge frameworks by considering their impact on music programming, and the structural factors that accommodate and constrain each philosophy.