Music as Product

Reader Stephen Propes complains that KRTH-FM’s oldies format is too safe and narrow for his personal taste (Saturday Letters, June 12). He seems to forget that radio stations, like any other business, try to appeal to as many customers as possible in a cost-effective way. I doubt he believes McDonald’s or Wal-Mart should start selling a lot of items that few of their visitors want.

Not only should KRTH have the right to “maximize profits” by “avoiding the dreaded possibility of listener tune-out,” they have a responsibility to do so for the shareholders of parent company CBS. It should be added that KRTH has been one of the 10 most successful and profitable radio stations in the entire country for many years. (In the interest of full disclosure, I work for another of CBS Radio’s Los Angeles radio affiliates, KROQ-FM. As “Bean” on the “Kevin & Bean” show, I have co-hosted the morning show for nearly 10 years.)

I love music too, and there is no station that comes close to satisfying my cravings, but on the other side of the radio dial those songs are really just product, no more or less than a hamburger or a bicycle.

GENE BAXTER, Burbank