Programming philosophies and the rationalization of music radio

Deregulation and ownership concentration have been accompanied by increased rationalization of programming strategies in commercial music radio in man y industrial nations. However, understanding of the impact of these trends on music programming is incomplete because little research has examined mus ic radio's 'culture of production'. This article addresses this deficit by exploring the knowledge frameworks that radio programmers draw on to transf orm records into music programming. Interviews with music programmers worki ng at radio stations in the USA reveal fundamental variation in how culture production is managed in this industry. I account for this variation by di stinguishing four programming philosophies that guide and legitimate progra mmers' choice of programming strategies. Finally, I describe the integratio n of these philosophies into programmers' knowledge frameworks by consideri ng their impact on music programming, and the structural factors that accom modate and constrain each philosophy.