It’s been said all the way back since the advent of television that radio — good old fashioned terrestrial radio, not satellite or Internet — is in its final death rattle. If that’s true, it’s been an unbearably long, gruesome and cruel death… and it’s still going on! Or could it be that radio plays to all of our better media instincts, absorbing personalities, demographics, and the best and worst traits of either, and therfore could survive infinitely? We don’t have the answer to that, but this summer, Philebrity intern Dan Pierson will be listening to a different Philly-area station for a full hour once a week, blogging what he finds, and then publishing those findings here. After the jump, Dan reflects on Philly’s Interactive Hip-Hop and R&B, WPHI 100.3FM The Beat.

Station: WPHI 100.3
Format: Hip-Hop and R&B
Target Demographic: Listeners who can’t take Q102’s ADD riddled playlist or Power 99’s predictable song selection. Billing themselves as “Interactive Hip-Hop and R&B”, The Beat encourages listeners to call, email, or instant message their song choices, trying to lure the iPod Generation with instant song gratification. Even though their web page, like most other radio stations, resembles a 1997 AOL Members’ Home Page, their DJ blogs and song trackers at least feign an attempt to connect to listeners. This isn’t your mothers’ Hip-Hop station.

1:00pm
Love In This Club II - Usher with Lil Wayne and Beyonce
Can’t Believe It - T-Pain with Lil Wayne
Lookin Boy’ - Hot Stylz with Yung Joc
Already the first two songs feature Lil Wayne. We’re starting an office pool how many songs will include Lil Wayne in the hour. I’m calling 4.
We have DJ Michael Shawn subbing for DJ Laiya. Personally, I’d rather be listening to Sixx (pictured). Looks like he has quite a sense of fashion, reminiscent of From G’s to Gents’ Fonzworth Bentley.
Station Promotion for Sweet 16 Party sponsored by The Beat. Even better, one must send in a YouTube video for their application. We’ll be watching for that channel on YouTube.
“That Sweet 16 Show is a hot mess…that is why people hate us in the world.” - Michael Shawn.

1:15pm
Ads: Computer Funding, Cherry Hill Triplex, Register To Vote, ShopRite, Camp Rock: Extended RockStar Edition. On a related note, who else is going to the Susquehanna Center next week and seeing the Jonas brood?
Miss Independent- Ne-Yo
Heaven Sent - Keyshia Cole
Put On - Young Jeezy with Kanye West
Strong threepack there. The Beat does a solid job of actually playing R&B hits to control the balance between T-Pain and Kanye Songs. Heaven Sent may be a little generic, but I’d rather have The Beat’s female artists be in the vein of Keyshia Cole than The Pussycat Dolls.

1:30pm
Slow Down - Bobby Valentino

Music News: According to Forbes, 50 Cent made the most money of all hip-hop stars. Those Vitamin Water Ads pay well. Ice Cube has a new cd coming out. Robin Thicke has drawn inspiration from Barack Obama. “Let the black people pimp Obama first”. Shawn then goes on to list all oppressed ethnicities who deserve a greater share of Obama. Also, Ike Turner was arrested today in 1987. You can’t make this stuff up folks.

Commercial Break: Toyota Dealers, 40/40 Club, Cherry Hill Triplex, Jeep Vehicles, 40/40 club. Is the HOVA’s club struggling enough to need two commercials this break? Guess people aren’t sharing in his boycott against Cristal.

1:45pm
Moving Mountains - Usher
A Millie - Lil Wayne . “We pop em like Orville Redenbacher.” Prolific and Poetic.
Teenage Love Affair - Alicia Keys
The Business - Yung Berg with Casha

In one hour, 100.3 The Beat played a strong variety of songs while also keeping a humorous DJ vibe during breaks. If Lil Wayne is the savior of hip-hop, and hip-hop can keep the Recording Industry afloat, can a station like 100.3 last in the era of internet radio and iPods? The Answer: Who Cares? If The Beat can keep a varied playlist and avoid falling into the black hole of Rhianna-only-songs, then I’ll gladly listen. If Philadelphia Radio is burning, why not enjoy the Lil Wayne in the background?

Previously: Radio Crimes, WMMR, 93.3
Radio Crimes, WMGK, 102.9
Radio Crimes, WIOQ, 102.1
Radio Crimes, WIP, 610

This entry was posted on Tuesday, August 19th, 2008 at 4:03 pm.