Absolute Radio

Listeners programming the music.

You must've read about Absolute Radio's new option that lets its listeners decide which of seven listener-favorited playlists to hear along with their breakfast show. If not, you can see it HERE.

I'll give them an A for effort. At least they're trying something new, and technologically, this is pretty impressive.

But I think it's missing the point.

One thing iPods and digitized music has proven is that each of us has really unique taste. Why would I prefer letting globs of listeners I don't know select my music over the programmer I've come to appreciate well enough to have chosen this station?

I never hear listeners talking about wanting to control the songs they hear on radio stations.

I constantly hear them complaining about song repetition and the interruptions, clutter and over-commercialization on the stations they hear.

Now, if there's a way for me to hear the air talent I love and listen for each day, with no spots, no interruptions and none of the songs I hate, sign me up for that.

But surrendering control of the playlist to a bunch of listeners … uhhh, not so much.

Based on most mass media, the more others seem to influence content, the less I tend to like it.

And I think there are hundreds of millions of people just like me.

As I used to tell my son, "You're special ... just like everyone else."