German version: http://www.tokiohotelinternational.com/wp/?p=254
We play, what WE want – or IOW: Why a song wish in a show for song wishes is not really a song wish …
The German radio station NDR2 can be heard everywhere in Germany. Even in Europe, it airs freely via the satellite ASTRA.
The NDR2 is a station regulated by public law and is therefore not a private radio station.
The station has a show for song requests (or “wishes”) called NDR2 Hitmix. This show, where you can wish for a song to be played, airs every weekday, Monday to Friday, usually between 6 and 7 pm.
Since it’s not the 1st time I’ve written to radio stations to find out why they won’t play songs of my favorite band Tokio Hotel, I thought this broadcast would be a perfect place to get one of their songs played on the radio, so that other listeners might take notice of this band – and maybe it might even help fight the teenie-band image Tokio Hotel has been trying to get rid of for some time now.
Well, wishful thinking. It didn’t work out, I failed miserably.
In the following part, I’ll tell you more about what I went through, trying to get Tokio Hotel’s current music into the radio program of NDR2.
So, I often heard the Hitmix show on the radio and finally decided to request Tokio Hotel.
Since I know the usual attitude of the common people in Germany towards Tokio Hotel, I -in the sense of what might most appeal to the common listener- decided on the English versions of the songs “Lass uns laufen” and “Sonnensystem”, which are “World behind my wall” and “Darkside of the sun”.
I didn’t want to call in, so I filled out the web form made for this broadcast on the station’s website.
I did that nearly every weekday for over 2 months; all in all, over 40 times.
And with every request, I wrote a little note as to why I wanted to hear whichever song I requested. Now and then, I altered that text to include some current things about Tokio Hotel.
Here’s an example for my song wish text:
Which fav song do you want to hear on NDR2? World behind my wall / Darkside of the sun
This is your song wish because …
… this is a great song and also because Tokio Hotel are present far too little on the German radio.
Why always play Lena, Black Eyed Peas or Silbermond when you can also play Tokio Hotel? Variation now and then won’t hurt
At most, there is so often news about scandals like the implausible story concerning the Viagra-accident a while ago, instead of mentioning that Tokio Hotel are leading the radio charts in foreign countries (e.g. Singapore and Malaysia) or that their current album got gold status in Taiwan. They also got their 12th Comet award a few weeks ago.
I would really like it if radio stations would play more songs of Germany’s most successful export band, beside Rammstein.
It’s interesting that a lot of listeners actually do like their music … until they find out who is performing it.
Best regards to all listening Tokio Hotel fans, the whole NDR2-team, and also all other listeners
Nik
Team Tokio Hotel International (internat. fanclub)
Lena, by the way, is the winner of 2010′s Eurovision Song Contest in Oslo, and her song was on the radio every day, constantly.
This is what I wrote for my last tries:
Which fav song do you want to hear on NDR2? A current Tokio Hotel song
This is your song wish because …
If you’re actually reading this at all and I wasn’t yet put into a filter: Nearly every weekday for more than 2 months I’ve sent you a Tokio Hotel song request. Today it’s the 36th try – till now, sadly, without any success.
Meanwhile, I’ve heard songs of some artists played 3 or 4 times and now I ask myself if NDR2 is yet another of those stations that boycott one of Germany’s most successful export bands (beside Rammstein).
Tokio Hotel are too little present on German radio stations. At most times, there is news about (wannabe-)scandals like the implausible story concerning the Viagra-accident a while ago, but it’s kept a secret that the band receives awards for their current album in foreign countries and that they are leading the radio charts in South America and Asia.
Maybe out of embarrassment because it’s not like this in their home country?
No, rather, Lena’s songs are played, an artist who’s newsworthy since only a few weeks ago, and can’t look back on 5 years of (woldwide) success. Along with other artists (e.g. Black Eyed Peas), her music isn’t better than Tokio Hotel’s music.
It’s odd enough that a lot of listeners like the songs of the 4 boys until they find out who’s performing it …
What do radio stations fear? That listeners will switch of their radios? Let’s be honest, that’s bullshit.
I’d really like it if radio stations would play more songs of these boys and finally start to focus on this band and their music instead of answering queries with standard replies or -as quite often- don’t reply at all.
Why not just try it – I’ll bet NDR2 will still be around in a few years
Well, here’s my song request, one of these 2 songs:
Darkside of the sun
World behind my wall
Best regards to all listening Tokio Hotel fans, the whole NDR2-team and also all other listeners
Nik
Team Tokio Hotel International (internat. fanclub)
Nothing happened. I recorded the broadcast every day to be able to present my successful try to other Tokio Hotel fans.
But during all Hitmix shows, they continued airing the same songs the NDR2 plays the whole day, anyway.
Again and again the Black Eyed Peas, “our” Oslo-Lena, etc.
In a forum concerning radio stations and their schedules/programs, I was told by other listeners that the shows on the radio are just fake, anyway. Most of the time it’s all about determining which moderator/host is currently responsible, or to have pseudo-variety in their schedules. The aired music is set from the beginning. There’s a song archive with something like 200 songs which are repeated over and over. Depending on the station it’s more or less than these 200 different songs.
Well, alright.
July 20th, 2010, I was surprised to have an eMail in my inbox which came from the NDR2.
Of course, I immediately thought, something good is happening! I imagined that maybe they were finally going to react to my song requests, maybe they had even noticed that I had signed my requests as a team member of a fanclub and maybe I had provoked their curiosity …
… until I opened the eMail and read the following text (original quote, translated):
Reply: song request
Hello!
Unfortunately, we can not play your song request at NDR2 as Tokio Hotel are valued outstandingly poor in our music researches.
Therefore I also ask you to remove us from your mailing list.
Many thanks!
M. N. [Author's note: Name concealed.]
NDR2
music program management
Okay, I was speechless. Please … WHAT? I sat there and shook my head, read this eMail at least 10 more times.
How impolite. A quickly scribbled line just to tell me that my song request isn’t worth shit and that my favorite band’s music is outstandingly crappy.
The day was done and I felt like I ran into a wall that proceeded to collapse on me.
But I replied to this eMail the same day. A little snappy.
Hello!
Many thanks for your detailed and also very nice and friendly reply!
Well, now I feel like a 2nd class person, my request isn’t worth anything.
Why do you indicate the Hitmix show is a show for song requests if this doesn’t even apply?
I’ll keep my ears open about this.
As far as I know, in these music researches people are called and have to listen to about 50 songs, without them being told anything about the title or the artist. People, who regularly take part in these researches, told me that they didn’t hear a Tokio Hotel song even once.
But okay, somehow you’ll surely know how to justify this “outstandingly poor rating” of Tokio Hotel’s music.
As I already wrote, tests have shown that listeners like the band’s music as long as they aren’t told who’s performing it.
And since title and artist usually aren’t mentioned (in these researches) … ok. Pure media manipulation.
Apart from this, you’re on no mailing list. I always fill out the form on the NDR2 website by hand, I didn’t even know that this is also possible via eMail.
At least now I know that my GEZ fees are well spent. [Author's note: In Germany, everyone with a radio, tv or internet-ready PC has to pay GEZ fees to finance stations regulated by public law.]
I, in any case, will end this eMail with best regards,
Nik
Team Tokio Hotel International
Consequently -as expected- I didn’t get any reply to that.
But I didn’t want to drop this case, I wanted answers to my questions. Tokio Hotel still weren’t played on the radio.
So I waited a few weeks to see if they might still send a belated reply, but since this didn’t happen, I wrote this eMail to the headquarter’s office of the NDR, to the Broadcasting Council itself:
Dear Sir or Madam!
I hope I’ve arrived at the right place with my request.
The reason for this contact is a reply that I got from radio station NDR2.
But at first, a quick backstory:
I’ve been a fan of the band Tokio Hotel for about 4 years now, and I’m also a team member of an international fanclub. Since I’ve become a fan, I frequently try to support my favority band and make them more known. For example, on the radio.
I’ve noticed that radio stations play the band’s music only in very rare cases (beside their break-through hit “Durch den Monsun”, which was aired back then for a short time).
So I write to radio stations and try to find out why they won’t play music of one of the most successful German bands, especially now that they have a kinda new album with music that’s quite fitting for being aired on the radio, and which also is very successful abroad.
This isn’t just proven by a lot of music awards these 4 boys from the Magdeburg region have earned there – they have even achieved gold status in Taiwan for their current album, and it’s also clear by their songs leading the radio chart lists in South America and Singapore. Their music has also played in sport stadiums around the USA.
That makes me wonder why, in Germany, media only (and if at all) reports about minor wannabe-scandals, instead of successes. Why a band like this is boycotted like that in their home country.
Usually, a response on my queries is not forthcoming or I’ll get a standard reply along the lines of “If enough of our listeners want to hear songs of that band, then of course we’ll play it.”
Of course Tokio Hotel are polarizing, which is mostly based on outer appearances. Frontman Bill Kaulitz isn’t a vanilla/bog-standard/dull type at all, but whether slowpoke or eyecatcher – the music, in fact, should have priority.
So for me, that’s not a reason, especially when music of other artists is being played who polarize just as much. Just consider Mark Medlock [Author's note: German casting show winner who's openly homosexual], or a casting show winner from the US, Adam Lambert. Besides his polarizing appearance, he’s openly gay. The media suspects this to be also true about Bill Kaulitz, which virtually neutralizes the argument of polarization already.
Well, alright. The NDR2 runs a daily song request show called “NDR2 Hitmix”. It’s aired from Monday to Friday, always between 6pm and 7pm. The NDR2 invites listeners to send them eMails with song requests to the studio, to call in, or use the form on the NDR2 website.
I’ve done the latter. For a little more than 2 months, I’ve filled out the form nearly weekdaily, requesting a current Tokio Hotel song (purposely the English versions), wrote some text about my song request and then I’ve sent it – all in all about 40 times!
Not one single time was my request aired, but I’ve heard the same music that runs every day on NDR2, in some cases even more than just once a day. Some songs I’ve heard up to 5 times in 40 Hitmix shows.
Finally, I got a very short and, in my opinion, unfriendly reply from NDR2, which I here quote word for word:
Hello!
Unfortunately we can not play your song request at NDR2 as Tokio Hotel are valued outstandingly poor in our music researches.
Therefore I also ask you to remove us from your mailing list.
Many thanks!
M. N. [Author's note: Name concealed.]
NDR2
music program management
After I read that, I was fed up; this reply was like a hit in the face.
I wasn’t just told that the music of one of the most successful German export bands is outstandingly, bad but also that my request is worth nothing. I get the feeling that I’m a 2nd class listener.
Why call it a song request show and ask listeners to send in song requests, if these are worth nothing, or they will just continue to play songs that are played already by default on the regular program schedule?
An acquaintance of mine has taken part in radio music researches and often gets called for them. She told me it works like this:
You receive a call from the radio station and have to listen to around 50 songs which have to be rated. You have to say if you want to hear them on the radio or not. At the same time, neither title nor artist are revealed, so in the normal case (for the station) the interviewee won’t know who’s been played in the survey, and can only evaluate what was heard.
Tests have shown that people like the current music of Tokio Hotel as long as they don’t know who’s performing it. If these researches are carried out like my acquaintance described them, the result shouldn’t be any outstandingly poor evaluation.
My acquaintance also said that not even once did she hear a Tokio Hotel song during these researches.
Therefore, I doubt the statement of N. [Author's note: Name concealed.], among other things, especially because of this.
I also don’t understand the request to remove the NDR2 from my (non-existent) mailing list.
I’ve filled out the song request form by hand every single time, there’s no mailing list and no automation.
I don’t want to get started about the GEZ fees, even though I pay them and every station regulated by public law gets a part of it. (If the money goes to stations in the respective region where the fees are paid, that is irrelevant for now.)
What’s upsetting me is the manner of how the NDR2 has replied. Of course, I replied to above quoted eMail from the station, but until now (about 1 month later) I’ve received no answer, as expected.
In my opinion, radio stations don’t have the task just to play music, but also to promote the artists. I don’t know at what terms stations regulated by public law are bound (as opposed to private stations), but I at least thought one of these tasks is to elaborate more on what is being aired.
If I like a song that I hear on the radio, then I try to find out more about it and its artist. This indeed can lead to a purchase of their music, which isn’t just good for the music industry but also helps the artists.
Tokio Hotel have been trying to get away from their teenie-band image and to be respected as real musicians for their more than 5 years of (worldwide) success. How often has their downfall been predicted, and yet they are still around.
But why don’t they get even the smallest support from their home country? Why are songs of contest show winners from the USA played in a loop but established artists are getting ignored?
Maybe you have some answers to my questions, I would really appreciate them!
Maybe this eMail could also help you otherwise, perhaps to improve the service and kindness of the radio stations more.
Many thanks for your time, with best regards and I’d really appreciate a reply!
Nik Archer
Team Tokio Hotel International
I also didn’t want to just send a complaint; no, I tried to get answers to all my questions. Therefore, I tried to consider potential reasons for not playing Tokio Hotel myself beforehand, including the always recurring rumor about Bill’s sexual preferences. Something that technically shouldn’t be an issue to begin with.
On August 31st, 2010, I got a response (notice of arrival) in the name of the chairwoman of the NDR Broadcasting Council, Mrs. Countess Kerssenbrock, written by an employee of the office.
It said that I would get a reply as soon as possible.
I got it, same day, 6 hours later.
I have to say, the promptness of action was very professional. The eMail reply contained a PDF-file with the scan of the interim report about my complaint, singned by the chairwoman:
Your complaint via Mail from Aug. 17 2010
Dear Mr. Archer,
I confirm the arrival of your above named complaint.
In line with §7 of the NDR Broadcasting Council’s agenda I forwarded your complaint to the director of the NDR along with the request to send you a response within four weeks.
If you aren’t satisfied with this response you can contact the Broadcasting Council again who then will deal with your complaint.
With best regards,
Countess Kerssenbrock
Okay, so I’ll wait for the director’s response. I was really looking forward to this.
It arrived on September the 23rd, 2010:
Dear Mr. Archer,
I thank you for your mail sent to the headquarters’ office on Aug. 08, 2010. The chairwoman of the NDR Broadcasting Council, Countess Kerssenbrock, asked me to answer you.
You’re angry about the reply you got from NDR2, and justifiably so. This eMail certainly wasn’t meant to be impolite, but could be understood this way beyond question. The NDR2′s editorial team wants to apologize about that to you.
I really appreciate that you are trying to support a German band in a fanclub. But at the same time I ask for your understanding that this kind of dedication can’t lead to requests being particularly regarded in shows like NDR2 Hitmix.
The NDR2 tries to fulfill many expectations in this broadcast, and also to fulfill song requests that outreach the music program of other daytimes. At the same time, the NDR2 music editorial team tries to be careful that the musical spectrum in these kinds of request shows is suitable for the majority of the NDR2 listeners.
Here the editorial team indeed has to rely on regular empirical researches. Toward “Tokio Hotel”, the results are -at least due to our experiences- clear.
Their music is valued rather not positively by a majority of NDR2 listeners. This is the reason for not fulfilling your requests by the NDR2 – not because of the alleged or actual sexual preferences of singer Bill Kaulitz.
It also is no quality rating of Tokio Hotel’s music, but it’s solely the recognition that their music doesn’t meet the NDR2 listeners’ taste in most cases.
I am really sorry that you had the impression that you are a “2nd class listener”. We take all our listeners seriously and try to offer the best possible program. I hope I was able to convince you that the NDR2 didn’t fulfill your wishes because of factual considerations, and I would be really happy if you stay with the NDR2 and its programs.
With best regards,
Lutz Marmor
North German Broadcasting (NDR)
Director
I’m really happy that I got an individual answer. But I still don’t understand why they won’t play just ONE SINGLE Tokio Hotel song. I don’t demand that they play Tokio Hotel songs every day like they do with other songs up and down. I don’t want other listeners to be annoyed in the same manner, I just want to hear ONE SONG by my favorite band on the radio.
Or maybe a report about their successes and not about wannabe-scandals.
Also I don’t have anything against the Black Eyed Peas, Adam Lambert, Lena, etc. I, on one hand, just don’t like some of their songs or rather got tired of hearing them because of all their repetitions. On the other hand, I just used them as examples for arguments.
The NDR2 is only one of many stations. Basically they all are the same. (Outstandingly) Poor. Cowardly. Nothing special.
Different names for the same silly music program.
You could muse about the Viagra accident story. Maybe it even was made up by the band itself on Tom’s costs just to get mentioned in the press/media. During a time where they reaped successes in Asia, while at home, nobody cared despite what an accomplishment it was for the band.
And not only Tokio Hotel have this problem, other bands also suffer due to this.
In Germany, everyone rather likes to complain and everyone only shows interest in unimportant scandals. Who was seen with whom, who might be homosexual and needs a coming out, who beats the crap out of whom … but never they talk about what a band like Tokio Hotel achieves. It’s never about music. And if so, they’ll report exaggerated negativity about it.
A short example: Tokio Hotel had to rent bigger venues/locations during their Humanoid-City tour to be able to install their extravagantly stage. This seems to be only known by fans, and the press/media simply is unable to figure this out. Instead, they would rather report that Tokio Hotel weren’t able to fill these venues, that they played in half-empty locations and this apparently means the end of their career as a band.
Of course, half-crowded big venues do give less impressive impressions opposed to overly crowded smaller venues. But if you know the reason for the half-crowded big venues, then it suddenly is a completely different thing, isn’t it?
But the media never mentions things like that, which is the reason why the common spectator gets a bad impression about the band.
Another example of the failure of the press is Tom’s alleged punch to the face of a female fan. Big, bad headlines in the BILD magazine burnt into the common BILD reader’s brain. So it comes that some people just remember this when they hear the names “Tom” and “Tokio Hotel”; they think “Oh right, that’s the one who hits women …”
That the band had a lot of troubles with stalkers, that information came out days after that.
You can try to take back a newspaper report as much as you want to, but if it’s already printed, it’s useless.
As long as the German press/media won’t change these practices, and as long as the things that really matter coutinue to go unrecognized, I don’t see any betterment …
In most cases, new TV reports (e.g. RTL exclusiv) only show old pictures or video footage of the band, although there are tons of new footage! Exceptions are only reports about events that require new footage. So they still put the band into the teenie-band box, which makes the common spectator think that they still haven’t grown up or haven’t really changed.
The British press can be pretty evil, but as long as I know, they mention and praise even small, unknown bands who’ve won some contest. Why doesn’t any of this happen here?
When will Germany finally wake up and support what it can, and should be, proud of?
Finally, a salute to Tokio Hotel: Guys, don’t give up and just continue with what you’re doing. Walk your way – but do it!
If you fall, stand up and look forward. As “die Ärzte” have already sang: “… as long as the people talk they do nothing worse …”
Nik
Tokio Hotel International
PS: If you want to leave a comment, feel free to do so. I would appreciate it!