Blow Up (radio)
Encyclopedia
A blow up in the radio context refers to a final broadcast (or set of broadcasts) prior to a change in radio station ownership or format
.
Not every station change is accompanied by a blow up. If the format of a station stays the same, or if there's no warning about a change. In addition, sometimes a broadcaster may deliberately not want a blow up; for example, in the film A Prairie Home Companion
, the directory pointedly does not want to have any kind of traditional final broadcast.
However, with sufficient notice, former and current on-air talent gathers at the radio station and, essentially, celebrate the station's history.
Blow ups can include a short period before the change. Usually, this time period is connected with a looser playlist
, and fewer restrictions on songs permitted by management. Commercial time is usual reduced, and occasionally eliminated.
The term is connected with the concept of blowing up the radio's transmitter or antenna, a dramatic image of a radio station going off-air.
Radio format
A radio format or programming format not to be confused with broadcast programming describes the overall content broadcast on a radio station. Radio formats are frequently employed as a marketing tool, and constantly evolve...
.
Not every station change is accompanied by a blow up. If the format of a station stays the same, or if there's no warning about a change. In addition, sometimes a broadcaster may deliberately not want a blow up; for example, in the film A Prairie Home Companion
A Prairie Home Companion (film)
A Prairie Home Companion is a 2006 ensemble comedy elegy directed by Robert Altman, and was his final film, released just five months before his death...
, the directory pointedly does not want to have any kind of traditional final broadcast.
However, with sufficient notice, former and current on-air talent gathers at the radio station and, essentially, celebrate the station's history.
Blow ups can include a short period before the change. Usually, this time period is connected with a looser playlist
Playlist
In its most general form, a playlist is simply a list of songs. They can be played in sequential or shuffled order. The term has several specialized meanings in the realms of radio broadcasting and personal computers.-In radio:...
, and fewer restrictions on songs permitted by management. Commercial time is usual reduced, and occasionally eliminated.
The term is connected with the concept of blowing up the radio's transmitter or antenna, a dramatic image of a radio station going off-air.