Some things just sound better on the radio

Growing up in Central Indiana, the Indianapolis 500 provided a sense of identity to Hoosiers each year. If you were in the middle part of the state, there was a pretty good chance you knew someone working on a team, or had an insider story about the brickyard. The sounds of the speedway were a part of the soundtrack of Memorial Day each year. Actually, growing up in the 1970s and 80s, it was the soundtrack of the entire month of May, with festivities throughout the month from the mini-marathon to the driver’s banquet. And while things have changed dramatically at the Indy 500, somethings haven’t changed.

I spent a big chunk of time in Central Indiana on qualification day this year. Qualification day is the day that race teams try to post one of the top speeds, securing a spot in “the greatest spectacle in racing.” Driving around Indianapolis, my radio dial was tuned right in on 1070 on the AM dial. Growing up, that station was WIBC - today it is WFIN the fan.

Listening to qualifications for an automotive race doesn’t seem to lend itself to great radio broadcasting. Yet it is as I found the stories being told and the drama taking place on the track and in the pits to be mesmerizing. I think the reason for that is the skill that the broadcasters that make up the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network provide as they paint the picture and relay the excitement of the day’s events.

The voices that have graced the airwaves for their broadcast stand as some of the greatest voices in Indiana broadcast history. Some of the greatest broadcasters of all time, in Indiana and around the country can trace their roots to the month of May in Indianapolis. National names like Sid Collins, Bob Jenkins and Paul Page are racing broadcast legends on a national level. Even David Letterman had a stint as a race day reporter back in the early 1970s. Jerry Baker, Donald Davidson, Lou Palmer, Tom Carnegie and Jim Phillippee are more local names, but are equal to those nationally recognized names and are deeply respected for their abilities and skill they demonstrated behind the mic.

I will concede that some of my appreciation for listening to this event on the radio is nostalgia. In my 54 years, I believe only twice has the Indy 500 race been broadcast live on Indianapolis TV. IMS announced this week that the 2021 edition will once again be broadcast live in Indianapolis, due to reduced crowds as a result of the pandemic. For the vast majority of my life, listening to the radio and the IMS Radio Network, the largest radio network in the world, was the only way to enjoy the race live. Even now that I live beyond the black out radius for the race, I still prefer listening to the race on the radio over the live TV broadcast.

Painting the picture of the action before you is a combination of basic broadcasting, sports fandom and drama class. Weaving in interviews from a pool of skilled reporters positioned throughout the two and a half mile oval is an expert level demonstration of story telling. That is the recipe of success for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network.

With all the upheaval of all media channels in the recent past, radio continues to be a beacon of success for all types of media outlets on how to be successful in the midst of the digital revolution. Local radio, and local sports especially connect with audiences that still want to be a part of community, with unique content that cannot be found elsewhere in a digital world.

In many towns and cities, the one thing that brings people together is high school sports. No where else has that played out more than in Indiana. As a former radio play by play announcer for high school football and basketball in the Hoosier state, I was lucky enough to witness first hand this sense of community. If you have ever watched the movie Hoosiers, you got a peek on how the fictional town of Hickory came together for their team. While that was fictional, it was a reality throughout the state in small towns like Alexandria, Daleville, Lapel and so many other small towns including Milan, the town that fictional Hickory was based. Local radio stations still make that connection, with the high school football or basketball game on air, the coaches show on Saturday morning and so much more. There are still radio stations that broadcast pep sessions from the local high school before the big game. By contrast, the local newspaper has cut coverage, and what little they still do resides in either a newspaper that fewer and fewer people are buying, or stuck behind a pay wall where people don’t get to see it.

Instead of locking up good coverage behind a pay wall, radio stations are making the transfer from broadcast to online. Radio stations are using online to broadcast multiple games - one on the radio and others via their website. The proliferation of Alexa and other home streaming devices could be considered an enemy to broadcasters. Instead, many stations have embraced it. Alexa is their friend, delivering a new way to reach people with their content and advertiser’s messages. In the 1920s and 1930s, radio was that new friend that was welcomed into people’s living room and helped comfort them throughout the Great Depression. For the past 15 months, radio has once again been welcomed back into people’s home in the form of a streaming device from Google, Amazon or Apple.

Covid has been difficult for all media outlets. I don’t have researched data to back this up, but based on conversations I’ve had, radio has recovered faster and better than other outlets. The post-Covid bounce has been good for broadcasters, their audiences and content, as well as for advertising. Since its introduction in the early 20th century, Radio has always been the place people turn to in a crisis. Bad weather, traffic hassles, pandemic updates - and radio was there to help information and entertain.

According to the Nielsen 2019 Audio Today Report, AM/FM radio’s reach is superior to any other medium, connecting with 92 percent of Americans every week — more than any other platform measured by Nielsen. Radio reaches more people every week than television, digital or mobile.

While I have a chance to watch the Indy 500 on TV live this weekend, I won’t. I’ll sit down and enjoy pre-race festivities, but when the green flag drops I’ll click on the radio and start my summer the way I have for over 50 years. Listening to “The Greatest Spectacle In Racing” on my radio.