The one thing I notice at SUCCESSFUL small market stations, ie, the ones getting good ratings, is they have national consultants who advise them on the music. There are some classic hits specialists who focus on local station playlists, and some who even provide the music libraries and do the music scheduling from out of town. But those consultants cost money, so the 1-share stations with 1000 song playlists can't afford them. If they could, they'd cut their playlists down, and you'd be complaining about out of town consultants.
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Krth 101 personality changes - weekends purged?
- Thread starter krth101
- Start date
The one thing I notice at SUCCESSFUL small market stations, ie, the ones getting good ratings, is they have national consultants who advise them on the music. There are some classic hits specialists who focus on local station playlists, and some who even provide the music libraries and do the music scheduling from out of town. But those consultants cost money, so the 1-share stations with 1000 song playlists can't afford them. If they could, they'd cut their playlists down, and you'd be complaining about out of town consultants.
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Thomps2525
Guest
K.M. and Michael and BigA have little patience with those of us who complain about dinky playlists and mind-numbing repetition. That is understandable---some of us have belabored the issue, but the music fans and the "radio professionals" are probably always going to be at odds and nobody on either side should expect otherwise. But is anyone justified in asking for a moderator to investigate and/or censor certain posts and posters? The RadioDiscussions Terms of Service forbids us to "upload, post or otherwise transmit any content that is unlawful, harmful, threatening, abusive, harassing, tortuous, defamatory, vulgar, obscene, libelous, invasive of another's privacy, hateful, or racially, ethnically or otherwise objectionable." Has anyone on this thread posted any comments that are any of those things? Anyone on either side of the debate? I'll leave you guys to think about that while I go hear I Melt With You for the 117th time this month.
K
K.M. Richards
Guest
I hope they do. Perhaps a few people being told to stop taking every KRTH thread into a discussion about its music will keep things more on-topic around here.
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Thomps2525
Guest
Some of us---on both sides of the debate---have become argumentative with other posters and we've expressed frustration and exasperation with each other rather than sticking to the main topic. Speaking just for myself, I know I complain a lot but I don't want others getting upset with me for sharing my opinions. Okay, maybe for sharing them a little too frequently, but.....well, anyway, I'm willing to stop posting comments about KRTH's playlist. I can always bitch on the XM website. 
With so many alternatives avaiable for either low cost (Sirius/XM, Spotify Pandora, new CDs, iTunes downloads) or free (Pandora and Spotify basic service, pirated downloads, your own CDs and old vinyl you bought years ago), why would you subject yourself to such torture?
I have never heard "Melt with You" even once, much less 117 times. I accidentally heard a few seconds of Hotel California when I entered a coworker's office a few weeks ago, but I quickly backed out in horror ; )
I'm an old radio nerd - used to love it - but these days I only listen on the occasions that I want to hear songs that I know I'll hear, usually because I haven't heard them in awhile, and because there are some songs I like, but feel aren't worth the $1.29 I'd have to pay to download them.
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No, you won't, Steve. No one has. And that's the entire point.
Once again: No one hears all the plays. No one hears most of the plays. Most of the audience never even hears one play in less than three weeks.
And no one gives the backside of a rat how many times a radio station plays a song when they're not listening. Except you and Oldies76.
Two years non-stop of explaining how this works in the real world constitutes little patience? Seriously?
He worked with the Post Office, you are an absolute professional even though not good at returning certain emails? I remember when I caught your Arizona TV Car show and wrote you, no reply? Most contributor's here are what we called Radio groupies. Its a shame that soon this thread about KRTH Talent will be in the dead section and soon after deleted.
They don't. They just like to complain. Oldies76 doesn't even live in LA any more.
MadMan:
My apologies about the e-mail. I usually try to respond to everyone. But that would have been between six and 12 years ago and I honestly don't remember getting one from you.
My apologies about the e-mail. I usually try to respond to everyone. But that would have been between six and 12 years ago and I honestly don't remember getting one from you.
No, we don't just like to complain. Obviously, if more than one person is mentioning a deficiency and the same one at that, then it's justified. There are others as well that notice things, you don't. Btw, I lived in Southern California from 1978 to 2005, so I do know KRTH's background very well....and it was much better then. That's were the complaints and comments arise. A rich KRTH with enormous presentations and music then, to run of the mill (if that)...today.
And once again, it's the music and programming, not the station itself.
It's the music and the programming that has made it one of the most listened-to stations in LA. That's why we do what we do.
If what we do works, and gets top ratings, then we continue to do it. That's all there is to say.
K
K.M. Richards
Guest
Which still takes this thread off of its original topic, which you have done at every opportunity. It's as if the call letters KRTH or the phrase "K-Earth 101" is interpreted by you as an invitation to haul out that laundry list of complaints and post them all over again, as if we hadn't heard them before.
Again, I hope the moderators do read this thread, and all the others you have hijacked, and make you stop turning every KRTH thread into a series of your rants.
Now being someone who is out of the KRTH demo, let me use an old 60s expression and say that you guys "crack me up". No matter what the KRTH topic may be it inevitably returns to the same argument between the professionals and the one time loyal listeners. But there lies the beauty of this forum - open expression and sharing of ones opinion. It would be my hope to continue to do so without the personal attacks.
With that said, my level of curiosity still exists and maybe the pros can shed some light. Why does KRTH generate so much interest? Not only on this board but as well as the other - *which I felt made a poor choice in closing the topic there. Are there any threads or any other stations that generate this much discussion. And if so, why do you think that is?
Heres my take. KRTH was a well programmed radio station that touched many lives and a wide demo for many years. They were a natural extension of KHJ. Then there's the longevity piece. I think this station meant a great deal of things to many people. And when the change came so abruptly it was as if many of us lost an old friend. We were forced to look elsewhere to find a station or stations that did all the things KRTH did. For some, it's been a tough transition and *sad to watch. Let me ask the professionals from your own personal standpoint. Ratings, numbers and reasons aside - have you ever lost a station you loved? Have you ever felt somewhat betrayed? Strong but you get the point. A radio station you felt was special. One that was more than just a dial position or a set of call letters? Mine was losing KSFO and KFRC in the 80s. And all the legitimate reasons in the world won't take the emotion away.
The old KRTH and it's memories will fade in time. It had a very loyal listener base. But radio - and the public were different then. Now there are more choices more destinations to hear ones favorite music. Will this new audience remain as loyal as it's previous one? Or do people simply tune their dials aimlessly searching for a favorite song or 2 - and not the station itself? My guess is that's why KRTH programs as it does.
I find it amusing that this so called endless repetition seems to be*precisely what jay Coffey did - and was criticized for it. The only difference now is that it's 80s classic rock rather than 60s oldies. Thanks for listening
With that said, my level of curiosity still exists and maybe the pros can shed some light. Why does KRTH generate so much interest? Not only on this board but as well as the other - *which I felt made a poor choice in closing the topic there. Are there any threads or any other stations that generate this much discussion. And if so, why do you think that is?
Heres my take. KRTH was a well programmed radio station that touched many lives and a wide demo for many years. They were a natural extension of KHJ. Then there's the longevity piece. I think this station meant a great deal of things to many people. And when the change came so abruptly it was as if many of us lost an old friend. We were forced to look elsewhere to find a station or stations that did all the things KRTH did. For some, it's been a tough transition and *sad to watch. Let me ask the professionals from your own personal standpoint. Ratings, numbers and reasons aside - have you ever lost a station you loved? Have you ever felt somewhat betrayed? Strong but you get the point. A radio station you felt was special. One that was more than just a dial position or a set of call letters? Mine was losing KSFO and KFRC in the 80s. And all the legitimate reasons in the world won't take the emotion away.
The old KRTH and it's memories will fade in time. It had a very loyal listener base. But radio - and the public were different then. Now there are more choices more destinations to hear ones favorite music. Will this new audience remain as loyal as it's previous one? Or do people simply tune their dials aimlessly searching for a favorite song or 2 - and not the station itself? My guess is that's why KRTH programs as it does.
I find it amusing that this so called endless repetition seems to be*precisely what jay Coffey did - and was criticized for it. The only difference now is that it's 80s classic rock rather than 60s oldies. Thanks for listening
To a listener, the only thing as station is is its programming.
Stations are not museums. They do not honor what they did two decades ago. They program for today's listeners in real time.
You are in a time warp.
Because for the most part only boomers post on radio boards. That's why we don't pay attention to any of these threads. Boomers lived their entire lives having everything cater to them. Now they're out of the demo, and they're not used to being ignored. Everything was so much better 30 years ago. That's what my grandpop used to say. It happens to every generation. But this is the first generation that has message boards to say the exact same thing their parents said when they got over 50.
The other possible reason is that KRTH is so popular now. When you're the big dog, there's always someone who wants to knock you down. It's the American way. There are many worse broadcasters than Clear Channel. But CC is the biggest, so they get the most attacks. Same with KRTH. If they were #23 in LA, no one would care. To me it makes no sense, since this station isn't broke, so there's no need to fix it. The success of what they're doing now guarantees that no one there will consider changing.
The only other station that gets this much attention is KFI, and it's once again mainly from boomers. And since it's no longer top rated, the comments here have dropped. As I said earlier in this thread, no one posts about KLOS. That's a station that really needs help, and is really worthy of criticism. But no one who'd have an interest in that station posts here. Every now and then you see a post about KTWV, which is another station in search of a format. But since it's fallen out of the Top 10, no one cares.
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T
Thomps2525
Guest
BigA, I'm sure that the main reason KRTH's programming elicits so many complaints and criticisms is because the station has had the same format for four decades. Yeah, they played a few currents in 1983-84 but it was mostly oldies. Of the legendary music stations of the '60s and '70s, including KHJ, KFWB, KRLA, KDAY, KGFJ, KGBS, KMET, KPPC, KIQQ, KBLA, KKDJ, KTNQ, KNX-FM and KROQ-AM, almost all have disappeared or changed formats. KIIS, KLOS and KJLH are still around but KJLH has gone from r&b to urban AC and KLOS is a dinosaur. David might be able to find out what percentage of KRTH listeners have listened for more than 30 years, compared to the percentage of KIIS/KLOS/KJLH listeners who have been loyal for 30 years. I'm guessing the KRTH number will be fairly large. And thus, the number of complaints about KRTH's changes will also be very large.
As for KTWV, do you really want me to start complaining about how often they play September, Fallin', Breathe Again, Tears In Heaven, I'll Be Around, Mercy Mercy Me and Midnight Train To Georgia? Yeah, I didn't think so.
As for KTWV, do you really want me to start complaining about how often they play September, Fallin', Breathe Again, Tears In Heaven, I'll Be Around, Mercy Mercy Me and Midnight Train To Georgia? Yeah, I didn't think so.
That's why I compared it to KLOS. If the fans of KRTH had their way, that station would be in the same situation now that KLOS finds itself: a dinosaur, as you put it. The fact that it has stayed with its core demo focus as the boomers have aged out is why the station is the success it is now, while KLOS is in trouble. The move has angered the boomers, but was critical for the success of the station. KIIS has done the exact same thing. The complaints have nothing to do with the station, but the boomers, who can't accept change.
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Thomps2525
Guest
Around 1992-93 KLOS added a lot of modern-rock artists to the playlist and the "core demo" had a fit! In 2014, KLOS still plays the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, My Generation, White Room, Light My Fire and Led Zeppelin's Stairway To Heaven but they also play some 1990s-2000s artists such as U2, 3 Doors Down and the Goo Goo Dolls and the core demo doesn't seem to object. Do you think KLOS will ever drop all the '60s music and add more '90s? In our lifetime? Even a dinosaur can't live forever.
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