ENTERTAINMENT
University Daily Kansan, November 7, 1984
Page 5
Muzak going strong at 50
By SUSAN WORTMAN Entertainment Editor
George Squire is a real music man or rather, the Muzak man.
Muzak, better known to many a "elevator music," is taped, commercial-free music that often is piped into dentists' offices, banks and telephones. And this year, Muzak is 50 years old.
Tinkering — that's how Muzak was born.
"It began as a home entertainment service," said Charles Furlong, communications director of Muzak.
Squire, a retired Army major, liked to experiment with electronics. He figured out a way to take a telephone line and split the channels so that the线 could carry a phone signal and another service.
Squire decided to try sending music over the second channel, and that was Muzak.
But it really wasn't Muzak yet. Squire wanted a name that would imply music, but he was in love with the name Kodak. Furlong said. He thought it had a very modern ring to it. So, to solve his dilemma, he mixed the two and came up with Muzak.
That was in Cleveland, back in 1934. Muzak is now owned by Westinghouse Broadcasting and Cable Co. And now, more than 8 million people listen to Muzak music every day. The company owns 1,000 businesses subscribe to Muzak.
As much as people laugh, though, Furlong says that Muzak has a positive effect on people, and that they have the studies to prove it.
The first place for Muzak's positive effects was the business office. Bosses began to notice that product managers were driven when Muzak music was piped in.
That was during World War II.
"After the war, they did more research and found that productivity increased," Furlong said. "It de-creased the cost, but decreased the amount of dead air."
they have been working to refine their programs, he said. According to stimulus reports, people get bored and productivity decreases. Muzak programs divide the hour into 15 minute blocks. The music at the events is carefully easy-listening and becomes progressively more stimulating by the end of the section. That way, Furlong said, people don't become bored.
Also, the programs work against fatigue and monotony, he said. "With the typical 9 to 5 job, people let down around mid-morning and mid-afternoon," he said. "During that time, the music gets more lively."
The company records about 1,000 new songs every year, most of it being new chart music. Muzak has spent about $3 million during the last two and a half years updating its music library, Furlong said.
How do musicians and composers feel about having their music recorded? They love it. Furlong says.
Muzak is one of the largest employers of studio musicians. It hires more than 1,500 musicians to record its music.
And musicians like Muzak for another reason — royalties Muzak is the largest buyer of royalties in the world. Furlong said.
"We have excellent relations with musicians. We use only first-call musicians — they are the best studio musicians around.
"It's like Andre Previn said. 'You know you've arrived when your music has been recorded for Muzak.' "
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