The Democratic Primary as Classical Radio Metaphor

I’ve never been a news junkie before, but all of a sudden the drama of the primaries has grabbed me by throat and won’t let go. It’s an opera in the making.

The arguments in classical music radio are amazingly similar to the conflicts between the two Democratic candidates. Should we keep the old tried and true conservative model, or should we break out and take a chance (some say “risk”) with something unknown and exciting, and in the process reach a whole different demographic?

The Candidates
Barack Obama could be called the Peter Gelb of Election ‘08. Peter Gelb, General Manager of the Metropolitan Opera, hired director Julie Taymor to spin Mozart. He took the opera to the people, airing it in our own local movie theaters. He launched a 24-hour Metropolitan Opera channel on satellite radio, put live streaming performances on the web, broadcast opening night on huge screens in Times Square and Lincoln Center Plaza, and offered $20 weekday tickets.

Gelb didn’t let fear of change or shrill criticisms stop him. Mary Jo Heath, who produces the Met Opera radio broadcasts, told me you can’t believe the volume of nasty emails and calls they got at first from people who didn’t want change. I’ll bet $2,300 (the maximum legal political donation) that those same “whiners” are the ones mobbing the movie theaters now.

On the other hand (full disclosure), I work for the Hillary Clinton of radio. The Chicago Symphony Orchestra is a powerful legacy orchestra, a grande dame of orchestras, and we distribute our broadcasts through the WFMT network, which is an old-fashioned legacy service. They are willing to consider new ideas, but they are not risk-takers. Every idea has to be vetted before it makes the air. Not a bad policy when you have such an important legacy. They take themselves and their reputation very seriously.

The Hillary Clinton model of classical music radio has its contradictions. Clinton talked about getting us out of Iraq at the same time she threatened to obliterate Iran. Many classical radio program directors keep saying they want “fresh” programming and “innovative” ideas; yet when you ask them what they mean, they say they want interviews with artists and great live performances. Same old, same old. Then they play the Holberg Suite and Espana again.

The Constituents
And of course, there are the constituencies. Clinton wants to hang on to the older audience, the regulars. She doesn’t want to do anything that will chase them away. In that she is EXACTLY like classical radio program directors. Classical music has a stable, older audience that doesn’t seek change.

Then there’s the old boy network. Radio board members call up the program directors and throw their weight around by asking why they allow announcers to play offbeat pieces. Does that remind you of a letter that Clinton’s supporters sent to Nancy Pelosi?

The politics of fear. 3 a.m. phone calls, and pictures of disasters are Clinton images. Don’t believe for a moment that classical music stations are not programmed out of fear. THEY. ARE. (Thanks, Huffington Post!) One of these days, Mike and I will write about how stations decide what NOT to play.

Obama wants to reach across gender, age, race, and ideological barriers and find common ground with other constituencies, especially young people. Can you imagine a classical radio station wooing world music listeners, or worse — young people???

As the producer of a show for kids, I can tell you firsthand that classical stations do not seek new young audience. The stations pay lip service to teenagers by promoting the local youth symphony and by airing “From the Top,” but I have to tell you frankly, my kids refused to listen to that show when they were teenagers. They said it was for adults, not kids.

A pair of Obama counterparts in radio are Limor Tomer and Terrance McKnight of WNYC (Evening Music), ready to lead the listeners (non-traditional listeners, maybe?) into fresh sounds. They try to be inclusive, non-elitist (no, I don’t think Obama is elitist), and they don’t pander. They present honest but unusual choices without apology.

According to Jacob Weisberg of Slate, Hillary Clinton has classic rock, Motown, soul, and classical music on her Ipod. On Oc.t 1, 2007 Tyra Banks asked the same question of Barack Obama, and the answer was Jay-Z, Miles Davis, and classical music, including some Bach…oh, and a little salsa, too

But even if neither candidate knows a thing about classical music, they can and will ultimately impact our listening lives down the road, with their power over the media.

You have to read William Eddins’ post from Super Tuesday about working with Obama and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra on a performance of Copland’s A Lincoln Portrait. I found his tale fascinating. I’m just going to quote one paragraph from it here:

Despite the fact that the Senator doesn’t read music he’s not about to show up anywhere unprepared. He has taken the time to work up the narration, listen to several recordings, and go over it a couple of times with a pianist, all to get a serious handle on what he’s about to do. I have to admit I’m impressed. The guy knows the gig. A short while later we’re in front of the CSO. I’ve seen a lot of people walk onstage for a CSO rehearsal – frankly, some of the biggest names in the business – but I’ve never seen that most jaded of bands react like they did when Obama came onstage. You would have thought that the Beatles had gotten back together. Rehearsal is as smooth as can be. I discover that the Senator is very quick on his feet. If he’s a little ahead of me with his narration all I had to do was one very subtle gesture and he gently taps the brakes. If he was a little behind – another small gesture – and suddenly, but with great panache, he has moved ahead. After the rehearsal he’s mobbed by folks wanting a picture with him. No problem, he’s happy to oblige. The concert later that evening is the same thing – a rock star comes on stage, he pulls off something he’s never done before with aplomb, and we are left dazzled.

Eddins’ conclusion:

He’s smart, he’s likable, he applies himself to problems that he has never faced with a vengeance.

Both candidates are dynamic and full of personality. There my metaphor falters. I would love to be able to say the same about classical music radio.