Marc Fisher is a columnist and blogger for The Washington Post. He spoke with Coy Barefoot of Charlottesville–Right Now! about his new book, Something in the Air: Radio, Rock, and the Revolution That Shaped a Generation. Radio may be seen as “old school,” but what’s interesting to Fisher is how media change once they’re considered out of style. He talks about the effects that television had on radio, and he tells the stories of a few disk jockeys that pushed the envelope on radio innovation, including Hunter Hancock, Wolfman Jack, and Cousin Brucie.
Fisher takes us on a guided tour through the history of radio, from the end of live-only musical performances in the 1930s through the “payola” scandals of the ’50s and ’60s to the FM shock jocks and AM right-wing shows of today.
And what does Fisher think of the future of radioGuv,!vDjkjwith podcasts, iPods, and digital streaming now becoming so pervasive? Listen to the podcast and find out. Fisher also keeps his readers up to date on what’s going on in Washington’s radio scene.
Man, Coy gets some good guests!