| NOSTALGIC OLD-TIME RADIO (OTR) |
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| "Video killed the radio star..." There was a popular song by that title, performed by the Buggles in 1979, which featured those same words as the haunting lyrics of the chorus. When I first heard the song, I thought it was referring to the advent and ever increasing popularity of music videos, such as those which were constantly featured on MTV and VH1. Even in the early years of music video productions, it was clear that musical artists would have to produce music videos if they wished to maintain their popularity on the radio. However, nearly twenty years later, as I became interested in Old-Time Radio productions, my impression of the song evolved. Now, whenever I hear the lyrics, I am compelled to think that the song is referring to the gone but not forgotten veteran radio stars of yesteryear. Long before the introduction of personal computers, before the onslaught of music videos, before the invention of television, there was a form of entertainment which is now known simply as OTR, or Old-Time Radio productions. These productions were of various genres...adventure, comedy, drama, horror, romance, science fiction, suspense...but they all had one thing in common. They were all heard, rather than seen, and because of that fact, the listener was forced to use his or her imagination, and form the pictures in their mind, instead of viewing them on a screen. As I have noted in other essays, it is my firm belief that no million-dollar video production could ever match in excellence the mind movies that one may self-produce while listening to OTR, and doing so on a regular basis promotes a fertile and creative imagination. I truly regret that I was born too late to enjoy the pleasures of OTR while it was airing every day and every night on most every American radio station as new radio productions. However, I am extremely happy that I eventually discovered this ageless form of entertainment, and that I may now enjoy listening to the many recordings of it which have survived, thanks to all of the OTR collectors and preservationists who have kept it alive for the last fifty or more years. "Video killed the radio star"? Perhaps. However, in my opinion, now is the perfect time for the radio star's ressurection. I invite you to listen for yourself to those nostalgic echoes of the past. You might discover, as I did, that there truly is more to good entertainment than meets the eye. The Pumamouse (MaryAnne) 1 January 2005 |