FOR THE LOVE OF PUBLIC RADIO: REMEBERING CARL NELSON • NIELSON HEADPHONE PROBLEM • ‘MASS DELUSION’ AT WBAI

Carl Nelson

Public Media lost one of its future leaders on October 17, 2019, when Carl Nelson, 35, died unexpectedly. 

Nelson was the host and producer of Sessions from Studio A at Northern Public Radio (WNIJ/WNIU) in DeKalb, Illinois. 

(He is not related to a person with the same name who works at RRC.)

Whenever we loose a person who personifies the love of public radio we all feel a sense of loss. But the death of Carl Nelson was more than that. Nelson was multi-talented MVP on the air and behind the scenes at Northern Public Radio.

In addition to being a voice that listeners enjoyed and trusted, Nelson was the Chief Operator of the stations and a technical wizard. In a tribute on Northern Public Radio’s website [link] GM Stacy Hoste said: 

“He used his technical and creative skills to help his coworkers do their jobs better, faster, and more simply. We were also lucky to be on the receiving end of many of his culinary projects, from smoked brisket to a superior cup of coffee.”

“Carl’s talent was rivaled only by his determination. From dreaming up Studio A and launching a local music showcase to overseeing technical operations and driving across the country with a mobile studio in tow, Carl gave his all to making WNIJ a better station to listen to, to support, and to work at.”

Nelson spent 15-years of his short career at Northern Public Radio. His passion was music. Known as a “hot-shot” drummer, Nelson started Sessions from Studio A [link] as a way to showcase the local music scene. Sessions evolved into a weekly program airing Thursday evenings and Saturday at Noon on WNIJ. 

Colin & Miles

Source: Facebook

A tribute to Nelson will air this coming Thursday (10/24) on Studio A.

He leaves behind two sons Colin and Miles who were the loves of his life. 

Friends have establise a fund for Nelson’s sons. More info is available at 815-756-1022.

MORE ABOUT NIELSEN’S ‘HEADPHONE PROBLEM’

Yesterday we reported on Nielsen Audio’s difficulty in capturing listening by folks uses headphones and earbuds.  We new we were in good company when we saw that Fred Jacobs published a story on his blog [link].

On the right is a chart that shows 12% of headphone listening in the UK was to audio streams for radio stations. 

Jacobs' post had the sly headline: Will Radio’s Headphone Conundrum Finally Come To A Head?

He commented:

“While technology has made it possible to listen to radio on smartphones, tablets, laptops, and smart speakers, there's been that one rub in the digital ointment: Headphone listening.”

THE ‘PACIFICA DREAM’ IS FADING

Image from KPFT Houston Program Guide in the 1970s

 

Inside Radio reports [link] that a lawsuit by local WBAI folks has been kicked up the New York Supreme Court. 

This likely means things will remain the same until larger forces prevail.

Earlier, Radio INK reported [link] that WBAI
“defenders are "delusional."

 Radio INK continued:

Radio Ink has been told that WBAI staff and supporters seem to “suffer from a mass delusion that WBAI belongs to them, and that Pacifica officers stole it from them.  But all the capital assets of WBAI, including the local offices and studios, belong to Pacifica.

[Radio Ink’s]  WBAI source goes on to say the staff refuses to acknowledge what’s really happening. They refuse to admit what Pacifica audits have shown for years: that WBAI has run up deficits of millions of dollars.