Most
radio listeners think that all the tracks
you hear your DJ play are his or her 'own
choice'. This is not the
case. Most radio stations operate on a 'playlist'
system where all the tracks have been selected
by a computer and placed in the
order that the songs are to be played.
During
my time with Dublin's FM104, they operated
a strict playlist system.
The DJ could NOT play his own choice or
move away from the printed list (otherwise
the studio phone would ring
and it would be the Music Director demanding
to know why you are not sticking to the
list).
The
sad part about this, is that so-called 'request'
programmes also used a playlist,
giving the illusion that the songs were
requested, when this was not the
case.
Below
is my 'actual' experience of a typical Playlist
running order for Dublin station FM104for
19th March 1997 between 01.00am and 02.00am:
---------------------------
>>>>>> PLAY YOUR JOCK
ID HERE <<<<<<
---------------------------
C195-06 MANIC MONDAY - BANGLES 3:03
---------------------------
PLAY SWEEPER 8 HERE
---------------------------
O.B. Mini Disc 028 Track 4 SOMETHING HAPPENED
ON THE - PHIL COLLINS 4:30
---------------------------
THIS IS WHERE YOU DO YOUR BIT
---------------------------
C314-15 GET OFF - PRINCE 4:20
---------------------------
PLAY SWEEPER 4
---------------------------
C375-07 WHERE DO YOU GO - NO MERCY 4:16
---------------------------
////// PLAY A JINGLE HERE \\\\\\
---------------------------
C411-20 YOU WIN AGAIN - BEE GEES 3:41
---------------------------
PLAY WINNERS SWEEP HERE !
---------------------------
C427-01
NOBODY
KNOWS
-
THE
TONY
RICH
PROJECT
4:11
---------------------------
THIS IS WHERE YOU DO YOUR BIT
---------------------------
C254-05 ALL I NEED IS A MIRACLE - MIKE &
THE MECHANICS 3:42
---------------------------
FM104 PLAYING ALL OVER .......... NOW!
---------------------------
C259-01 GET OUT OF THIS HOUSE SHAWN COLVIN
4:13
---------------------------
LINK/WEATHER/TIME
---------------------------
C213-01 TUESDAY MORNING - THE POGUES 3:28
----------------------------
THIS IS WHERE YOU DO YOUR BIT
----------------------------
C485-03 SWALLOWED - BUSH 4:47
----------------------------
PLAY SWEEPER 8 HERE
----------------------------
C521-01 AIN'T TALKIN' 'BOUT DUB - APOLLO
FOUR FORTY 4:58
---------------------------
THIS IS WHERE YOU DO YOUR BIT
--------------------------
C247-03 WEST END GIRLS - PET SHOP BOYS 3:44
---------------------------
