ABSTRACT
This chapter looks at the relationship between public service radio and commercial radio programming as relates to music documentaries. It explores past investigations in the field of radio production by considering how commercial and public service broadcasting has been represented in academia. The chapter explains how the presence of music documentary content has been shaped by shifting broadcasting legislation and show how the radio sector has lobbied for the ongoing deregulation of the industry. Prevailing political and economic ideologies continue to have an impact on the output of both public service and commercial radio. Public service radio is traditionally associated with European models of broadcasting, whereas commercial radio has dominated the US market since the twenties. The provision of creative music documentaries, with high production values, is valued for their ability to attract new listeners, increase the loyalty of existing listeners, and generally enhance a radio station's overall brand.
