Not demanding anything. Suggestions based on what I've observed in the past as historical interest and applying it today can work in certain situations. It's only suggestions and observations, nothing else.
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KRTH ......and more
- Thread starter krth101
- Start date
Not demanding anything. Suggestions based on what I've observed in the past as historical interest and applying it today can work in certain situations. It's only suggestions and observations, nothing else.
I have made this same point on this board several times, but each time I get shouted down and told that "my preferences" don't matter. This is really ridiculous, because if I had my way, things wouldn't change at all, they would be like they were (you know, back when radio was fun) - thus I am not pointing out what I want to happen, or what is happening in my little sheltered world, I am pointing out what IS happening in the REAL world, and that is, the Milenials as a group use radio, but only as a back-up when their preferred method of choice, such as Iphone/Ipod/Itunes, Spotify, Pandora, and other services are not available to them. A lot of the ones I talked to use Spotify A LOT - By far their favorite method of accessing music/other content, most of whom were Iphone people who I would have expected to use Itunes and other Apple content. Who knew? I wouldn't have unless I asked.
I have done informal surveys (with not nearly the sample to make it scientific, just a lot of anecdotal data from here and there) and a lot of Millennials I talk to would not even care if that thing in the dash with an AM/FM radio were not present in a new car. (They would rather have a more convenient place to charge and set their Iphones, really) and in their bedrooms, they either have an AM/FM device and rarely use it, or are a bit confused as to why anyone would want such a device. When asked what stations they listen to, many of them can barely name them (Typical response: I think its called AMP? No, I am not sure where it is (on the dial), I just scan for something I like). I could only find one person who uses AM radio, and that was my niece who occasionally listens to KSPN for Laker talk only.
The usual pushback on this from the industry folks is always about how radio usage hasn't fallen off, just look at the numbers of people who say they have used radio for at least five minutes in the last week. To which I say, by that definition then I used Univision last week because my TV was accidentally left on channel 34 and it stayed there until I found something else to watch with my remote. Did I mention I don't speak Spanish? In short, a useless statistic. How about quoting the trend of how many people use radio for five hours a week? Then stratify them into the most commonly used demos? That would be much more revealing. And I mean actually listening to it, not just hearing KBIG in the background at the local Subway shop. (See, that's a half an hour right there!). That would be much more relevant.
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If you ask me if I cared about my toaster, I'd say the same thing. Radio is an appliance. It's one of many things people use for music. That's just how it is. I will tell you that a lot of people still buy and use toasters, and a lot of new married couples get them at weddings, but they can't tell you what brand it is. As for time used, it doesn't matter if people listen for five minutes or all day. We just want them to listen. That's it. And they do.
Look...here's the thing...if radio focuses only on the generation that grew up with transistors, we're simply building our own obsolescence. Because we know the life expectancy. But if we keep aiming at the next generation, we might survive. It's not easy, but no one ever said it was easy. When I got in this business, I was told I was crazy because radio was going to be replaced by lots of other things. Somehow I've managed to enjoy a nice career, and never had to do anything else. Radio is very good to me, and I continue to be employed because I don't get stuck in one genre, in one kind of job, in one approach to doing that job, and continue to be adaptable. That's the lesson I would teach any college kid who's looking at a career in "audio," as it's being called now. Adapt to whatever change comes along. You'll be surprised who you'll reach. One thing I notice about Gen Y: They don't complain as much as the boomers.
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That is so true. Unless of course, you are on a college campus.
Maybe I should say they don't complain ABOUT RADIO as much as boomers.
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Thomps2525
Guest
I was going to start a new discussion about KRTH because I don't think there are nearly enough of them on this site.....but then I saw this thread. Since you asked, here are my brief answers:
"What percentage of former KRTH listeners stuck with the station and comprise their audience?" No idea---but I am not among them. I would listen to a mostly 1980s format if I wasn't hearing the same few songs over and over and over and over and over.
"Where did you go? What stations, what other outlets?" I got an XM Satellite Radio receiver in 2003. I can hear music from the 1920s to today. I can hear any format and almost any artist. I can hear thousands of low-charting songs and non-charting songs. And I do not hear the same few songs over and over and over and over and over. I still listen to terrestrial radio, but only for news and talk and sports.....and Wait, Wait...Don't Tell Me.
"Do you foresee a time when the music from the '60s and early '70s may return in some form to terrestrial radio?" I am sad to say this: No. I'm afraid we will never again hear Elvis, Chuck, Chubby, Jerry Lee, Dion, Petula, Brenda, Dean, Barbra, Lesley, Connie, Dionne, Neil D., Neil S., Bobby Vee, Bobby Vinton, Monkees, Shirelles, Ronettes, Association, Grass Roots and Paul Revere & the Raiders on terrestrial radio.
"What percentage of former KRTH listeners stuck with the station and comprise their audience?" No idea---but I am not among them. I would listen to a mostly 1980s format if I wasn't hearing the same few songs over and over and over and over and over.
"Where did you go? What stations, what other outlets?" I got an XM Satellite Radio receiver in 2003. I can hear music from the 1920s to today. I can hear any format and almost any artist. I can hear thousands of low-charting songs and non-charting songs. And I do not hear the same few songs over and over and over and over and over. I still listen to terrestrial radio, but only for news and talk and sports.....and Wait, Wait...Don't Tell Me.
"Do you foresee a time when the music from the '60s and early '70s may return in some form to terrestrial radio?" I am sad to say this: No. I'm afraid we will never again hear Elvis, Chuck, Chubby, Jerry Lee, Dion, Petula, Brenda, Dean, Barbra, Lesley, Connie, Dionne, Neil D., Neil S., Bobby Vee, Bobby Vinton, Monkees, Shirelles, Ronettes, Association, Grass Roots and Paul Revere & the Raiders on terrestrial radio.
Not exactly true. If you listen to only one Sirius station all the time, the rotation isn't much different from a typical classic hits station. What really freaks me out is when I hear the exact same SEQUENCE of songs, in the exact order. That's something you rarely hear on broadcast radio.
It sounds to me like to are willing to change stations on Sirius. If so, why don't you change stations on broadcast? The additive playlists of all of the radio stations in LA is over 4000 songs. You may not be able to hear 20s thru 40s, but you'll hear more depth in the last 35 years than you'd hear on any single channel, regardless of platform.
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Thomps2525
Guest
In the past few years, the only Los Angeles music station I could enjoy listening to for more than 30 minutes at a time was Hot 92.3 KHHT.....and that station is no longer around. As for "depth," KSWD had depth for a while...until they decided to become a clone of KLOS. I fantasize about Cumulus Media giving Art Laboe control of KABC and letting him play all those classic 1950s-60s hits on AM radio again, but we know that will never happen. By the way, if you go to that other site and search for all the playlists I've compiled for around 50 Sirius XM channels, you'll see, for example, that the '70s Channel plays around 1100 songs and the '60s channel plays close to 3300. Yes, certain songs are played more frequently than others but that is to be expected. At least I don't hear any particular songs five or six times a day!
And what have you got against music of the 1920s? Are you telling me you wouldn't want to hear Isham Jones, Al Jolson and Paul Whiteman on KOST or KTWV?
And what have you got against music of the 1920s? Are you telling me you wouldn't want to hear Isham Jones, Al Jolson and Paul Whiteman on KOST or KTWV?
You are correct that some of the channels are very tightly programmed. I had to carpool with a colleague for a few days this week, well over two hours each way, and instead of constantly "ChannelFlipping" as is the norm, out of politeness, I picked a station from a genre that I knew we both liked, "Classic Rewind" and just left it there. I was amazed that some artists are played as soon as the subsequent hour and exact songs were on a 24 - 36 hour cycle. That is embarrassingly tight. It usually is not that big of an issue for me because I use over a dozen XM channels including virtually all of the decades channels, which takes you from the 40s through the 90s. BUT if I only used three or four channels I would quickly notice and cancel. I don't need to pay to hear the same songs over and over again, that is what.... (wait for it)...terrestrial radio is for.
Really? Because they just took 40s on 4 out behind the barn last month and shot it. It's been replaced by "Pitbull's Globalization".
And went from 22nd to 6th in the ratings.
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Thomps2525
Guest
ChannelFlipper, have you listened to the Little Steven's Underground Garage channel? They play Chuck Berry and Sam Cooke, Bill Haley and Elvis Presley, Del Shannon and Little Milton, Beatles and Beach Boys, Skins and Hellacopters, Woggles and Mooney Suzuki, Ramones and Lords Of Altamont.....I have a sample playlist at http://xmfan.com/viewtopic.php?t=124391
If only an FM station could be this daring! Of course David and K.M. will point out that such a station would fail. *Sigh*
If only an FM station could be this daring! Of course David and K.M. will point out that such a station would fail. *Sigh*
they did not kill it, they just moved it to channel 73. I don't like the move because I want all my decade channels together, but at least this time the rationale is reasonable from a genre grouping perspective.
Now if you are thinking that they WANT to kill it and soon will, you are probably right.
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Thomps2525
Guest
Michael, the Sirius XM '40s Channel was renamed '40s Junction and is now on Channel 73. And yes, I've worked on a list for that channel too. The list has 1383 songs so far and is posted at http://xmfan.com/viewtopic.php?t=124328&start=0
Yes. Love the station and Little Steven's approach. He plays all that stuff you mentioned plus great new garage bands that I would otherwise not know of, such as the Doughboys. Also love Tom Petty's Buried Treasure show on Deep Tracks.
Speaking of Deep Tracks, Ladd is on there in the late afternoons and I tune in every time I want to get my Doors fix. The sun never changes and neither does Ladd (Lord Have Mercy). Tune in. "Peace Frog" is probably playing even as we speak.
We'll see how many 50s and 60s songs they play if they lose the Turtles lawsuit.
Once again, if you're willing to switch stations there, why not on broadcast?
T
Thomps2525
Guest
The answer is simple: On XM, I don't have to hear the twice-an-hour ten-minute-long commercial breaks which I would hear if I listened to KRTH or other stations. Of course I no longer listen to KRTH anyway, but.....
But you pay $15 a month for Sirius, right?
You understand the reason why you pay is so you don't have to hear commercials, and so you can get that variety. That's why you pay. Meanwhile, no one sends you a bill for KRTH. No one auto-deducts from your checking account. Everything has a price. You're willing to pay for radio. Good for you. You're in a small group. There are some who post here who aren't. You get what you pay for. I have no interest in providing the same content for free that others pay for.
And radio used to give us what many wanted, for free. You changed, we didn't. And many other smaller stations provide what we want, for free today, you and KRTH don't. There is absolutely no reason why anyone with half a brain should ever pay for a terrestrial radio broadcast. I sure wouldn't and neither would you.
Where there's a will, there's a way. Radio changed.
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The WORLD changed, you didn't. Did you have a computer in 1985? Don't blame me or radio for computers, satellites, and smartphones.
And yet KRTH gets better ratings than those smaller stations. In a market where there's far more competition than those little stations will ever know.
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