17 The following appeared in a memorandum from the manager of WWAC radio station."To reverse a decline in listener numbers, our owners have decided that WWAC must change from its current rock-music format. The decline has occurred despite population growt

In this memo, the manager decides to change format of WWAC to attract more listeners for the reasons of more retiring people have immigrated in the area as well as the reducing sales of recorded music. The manager plans to switch music format to the tastes of retired people and to news and talk format. Although the propose seems plausible, a close scrutiny reveals its untenability.

On the first place, the author mistakenly equals more retired people to more potential listeners. The less popular of current rock-music format, which is welcomed among young people, explains that there are less people willing to listen to radio station with the constant number of young people. Even though there are more retired people immigrating in the area, maybe only a pretty small proportion of them would like to listen to music. Thus the manager cannot guarantee the switch towards new residents would be successful.

Secondly, the manager thinks the news and talk format is increasingly popular because the sales of recorded music is decreasing, which means less interest in music. The author makes a logically unconvincing assumption that the decreasing sales of recorded music show the decreasing interest in music. Except buying recorded music, there are many channels people can purchase music such as purchasing music online or purchasing concert tickets. Therefore, the author cannot conclude that people lose interest in music according to the less sales of recorded music.

Finally, there may be other reasons cause the decline of listeners except for more retired people and less interest in music. Perhaps the competitors of WWAC have become more attractive and process some preponderant advantages so that many listeners choose the radio station of their competitors rather than WWAC. Without ruling out the factors of competitors, WWAC would hardly reverse the decline of number of listeners. Furthermore, having a survey of about the need of listeners and advantages of competitors is helpful for WWAC to decide whether it is worthy switching format.

In conclusion, the author fails to prove switching format would reverse the decline of the number of listeners. The argument would have been better substantiated had here been enough evidence about the proclivity of radio stations of local people. More information about the competitors of WWAC, online sale of music and sales of concerts tickets would also be appreciated.