Programmers are now afraid to take chances on things.
The other panelists agreed, saying that a promoter today must be more creative in shaping a unique image behind his act to catch a programmer's attention. If it's getting played in the streets and kids like it, it's going to be a hit. Another effect of the consolidation at radio has been the necessity of creating a multi-format hit, noted Murphy. The panelists agreed with statements from the audience that efficient identification of songs being played on the air remains inconsistent at best. They said that listener surveys consistently show that to be one of the major complaints leveled at radio stations, noting that, paradoxically, another frequently heard objection is that disc jockeys talk too much.