The New Normal: Why are we here?

•  In this economy, big companies can’t afford to take the chances we’re taking. The way we see it, The New Normal has no choice but to be different.

• In short, The New Normal is about new and daring content guided by the input of people like you, presented on every possible device and medium there is.

•  We will not be “playing what we want.” We will be playing (and doing) what YOU want. The revolution won’t be televised, and it certainly won’t be heard on radio stations with “a bigger mix and a better variety.”

•  With your help, it just might be heard right here.

 The New Normal is the creation of controversial Los Angeles radio personality Tom Leykis that sees audio content differently.

 While we love radio and have enjoyed amazing careers in this historic medium, it is clear that radio has become just one of many distribution systems for audio content. Look at it another way: when the Rolling Stones owned the world of audio content on vinyl, no one asked Mick Jagger “Will you be appearing on 8-track tape?” Of course, the Stones went on to 8-track…then cassettes…then CDs…then mp3s. People know instinctively that music is a concept that transcends delivery systems. The same is true of spoken word content.

 We want radio to be healthy financially, and we believe that the key to the future for traditional radio is to produce more innovative and technologically advanced and localized content. In the meantime, while the economy slowly recovers, we at The New Normal just can’t afford to make radio the epicenter of our audio entertainment world as we once did. What worked in the past hasn’t worked so well in the last few years and it may never work well that way again. Maybe what is needed is to do things in a new and dramatically different way. This is The New Normal.

 We see audio content as more than just “radio shows.” The way we see audio content is that it may be produced for traditional terrestrial or satellite radio, for live streaming, for podcasting or for on-demand listening. Some of it will cross platforms (like “The Tasting Room with Tom Leykis”). Some of it might cross platforms. Some of it will not. Some content will be produced for every existing delivery system. Some of our content will be spoken-word programs. Some will feature music presentations and formats you can’t hear anywhere else. Some will be streamed live. We will be partnering with familiar names who hunger to try something different as well as complete unknowns who are producing amazing content you haven’t ever heard…yet.

 We want to partner with traditional terrestrial radio stations whenever it makes sense, but we are not waiting for the consent or approval of conglomerates or certain opinionated or dictatorial local management types. How many times have you had your favorite radio show or format taken away from you?  Have you ever wondered why the choices  of traditional radio content are so limited? No longer will some guy in New York or San Antonio or anywhere else keep you from hearing exactly what you want to hear.  If radio isn’t ready for what we’re doing, we’ll bring it to you right here anyway. We offer reasonably priced advertising for those businesses big and small who want to test the reach of the exciting new media into which we’re delving.

 Most radio stations and broadcasting conglomerates consider the Internet to be nothing more than a minor irritant. You know that their entire knowledge of and interest in the online world consists of simply saying “Follow us on Twitter!” or “You can hear us at www…” We will be creating the content that big companies are afraid of, not because it is vulgar or tasteless necessarily, but because it is new and different. We know the excitement of hearing exciting music and spoken word content. We know the excitement of creating it because all of us have been doing it for years. We understand the impact that social networks have had on new music, politics, and our culture in general.

 We know that you want your audio content wherever, whenever and however you can get it. The New Normal has made a significant investment in developing technology that is making that possible, utilizing our years of experience producing some of America’s most popular audio content. We want to be on your iPad or iPhone, in your computer speakers, on your boat, in your car, and anywhere else we can get. We are interested in talking to software developers and content providers alike who have amazing ideas….maybe even YOU. We want your input, your suggestions, and we want you tell your friends about us. If you don’t like what we’re doing today, keep checking back because we will be adding to our content regularly.