I know someone who was in on one of these. The old staff refused to leave the building, which made things....err.....awkward.
They had to wait in the hotel for hours while the old staff's departure was negotiated.
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Telltale signs of an imminent format change?
- Thread starter tall_guy1
- Start date
I know someone who was in on one of these. The old staff refused to leave the building, which made things....err.....awkward.
They had to wait in the hotel for hours while the old staff's departure was negotiated.
I have heard stories about old air staff being given the heave-ho and refusing to leave/locking themselves in the studio. The most famous one I can think of is the staff of (what was then) WDBO-FM in Orlando. In late 82 they were flipping from beautiful music to country, and some air staff locked themselves in the studio while managers negotiated their exit (and by the same token, allowing them to introduce the new country music WWKA).
Makes me wonder two things: Why would refusing to leave a station who just fired you make any difference in regards to employment or benefits unless there was a major contractual issue? In addition, how many of these "lock-ins" were legitimate protests vs. a scripted stunt permitted by management to get publicity for a new format?
Those lock-ins, with some rare exceptions (Pacifica Radio), are things of the past in American corporate radio. When you see a security guard outside your impromptu 10am air staff meeting, you probably have a good idea that the format will be changed and you'll be out the door and "on the beach" in time for lunch! Not to mention that even in the event of a studio "emergency" most stations these days have the ability to easily switch broadcast studios to the production studio or another clustermate's studio.
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I know of a station that mysteriously burned to the ground right after a format change back in the early '80s. No arrests were ever made (that I was aware of), but arson was highly suspected.
Had been a 24-7 station under previous format, but reduced to 18-hour day afterwards. Fire happened during overnight hours of a Sunday morning. Previous studio was in a rural area, so not likely that anyone ever saw anything (until it was too late!).
Had been a 24-7 station under previous format, but reduced to 18-hour day afterwards. Fire happened during overnight hours of a Sunday morning. Previous studio was in a rural area, so not likely that anyone ever saw anything (until it was too late!).
Actually, since the flip was WSRA(FM) to WZNT(FM) in San Juan, what we got was economic elitism. "The people who listen to that music can't afford to buy anything..."
And there still were three other Beautiful Music stations in the market, so they got to split the 4 share we left behind; by our 5th month, we had hit a 42.1 share so we didn't look back.
Since new format usually have new names, the old social media account is closed and a new one, under the new name, is opened.
From someone who worked in the unemployment office roughly 15 years ago (for about 3 years), refusing to leave makes it harder for the station to say you quit. In order to be eligible for unemployment, you have to be out of work due to no fault of your own (plus able, available and actively seeking to work). A quit means you’re not out of work due to no fault of your own.
Of course, I would think the employer would be able to argue misconduct if you didn’t leave when told, and misconduct is also a disqualifier.
Just for the record, I worked with employers. So, if I got a call from someone asking about an employee who refused to leave and filed an unemployment claim, I would explain the basic requirements to draw unemployment and hand the call off to a claims deputy.
When I was at KIUL they went from Full service AC to Oldies while I was on vacation. We all knew the station was for sale. But I was surprised they would make any changes until the sale was final. I worked there for four more months. They eventually went a form of pre Elvis oldies from one of the satellite services after I left.
Sometimes it has to do with who pays the severance. The new owner doesn't want to be saddled with that expense, plus the blame for the change.
I've heard of pre-Beatles oldies but pre-Elvis would have to be standards.
Not exactly. Pre-Elvis would be Bill Haley, Fats Domino, The Platters, Bo Diddley, Chuck Berry, Little Richard, and people like that. Yes, the pop charts also had artists you'd call standards, such as Mitch Miller, Nat King Cole, and Pat Boone. But there was rock & roll before Elvis. Heartbreak Hotel was 1956.
Actually, based on how ABC Stardust did it, the first three would be standards too. Anyway, I don't recall any satellite format that had only pre-Elvis music.
A back cover of Billboard Magazine years ago ran an ad, complete with picture:
"If you think Rock & Roll began with Elvis.......
You don't know Diddley!!!"
>>(spots) were still being played when the station switched
Spoofed in WKRP in Cincinnati.Changed from elevator music to rock but they still had to run some of the old spots.
Venus: (cool voice)So let's get down, pretty brothers and sisters.Together we will growl, and howl! (Switches to less flashy) Right after this message from Shady Hills Rest Home.
Announcer on spot: Many of us ask this age-old question--what happens when I can no longer feed myself?
(Earlier in the episode Johnny Caravella later to become Dr Johnny Fever runs the ad.Bailey Quarters enters the booth and Johnny says,"Bailey! You've come to feed me!")
Spoofed in WKRP in Cincinnati.Changed from elevator music to rock but they still had to run some of the old spots.
Venus: (cool voice)So let's get down, pretty brothers and sisters.Together we will growl, and howl! (Switches to less flashy) Right after this message from Shady Hills Rest Home.
Announcer on spot: Many of us ask this age-old question--what happens when I can no longer feed myself?
(Earlier in the episode Johnny Caravella later to become Dr Johnny Fever runs the ad.Bailey Quarters enters the booth and Johnny says,"Bailey! You've come to feed me!")
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:WTKKPower969.png
The new format is, no wait it's...
WBQT 96.9 Boston did a wheel of formats in switching its talk station to Rhythmic AC.For a few days new nicknames and formats rolled each day, including Variety Hits and hard rock, were introduced.Link to logos above.
The new format is, no wait it's...
WBQT 96.9 Boston did a wheel of formats in switching its talk station to Rhythmic AC.For a few days new nicknames and formats rolled each day, including Variety Hits and hard rock, were introduced.Link to logos above.
I don't know if I ever posted it here but on 95.1 FM in Charlotte, they started trying different formats, asking people to vote. Most were SMN formats such as Real Country and Stardust (both of which I liked). I think one was the pre-Beatles oldies format they later put on their co-owned AM. That one was pretty good too. The AM had played Z-Rock at one point and that might also have been one of the choices. Another choice was talk radio, which was a simulcast of the market's one all-talk station, in the days before anyone aired Rush Limbaugh. The big topic that week was Clarence Thomas' nomination to the Supreme Court.
CHR was one of the choices, but after an all-comedy weekend that I remember included Abbott and Costello's "Who's on First", a voice resembling Ted Koppel came on the air to announce we had selected "none of the above" and wondered just what that was. It turned out to be CHR, with more alternative rock than most CHR stations, whatever that meant.
CHR was one of the choices, but after an all-comedy weekend that I remember included Abbott and Costello's "Who's on First", a voice resembling Ted Koppel came on the air to announce we had selected "none of the above" and wondered just what that was. It turned out to be CHR, with more alternative rock than most CHR stations, whatever that meant.
KOOL Gold in the late 80's/early 90’s was the SMN format that ran pre-Beatles oldies. Adams Radio ran it on many of its AM's, and it originated out of KOOL 960 in Phoenix, which was an Adams property. KOOL Gold, though, was pre-Beatles, not pre-Elvis. I seem to remember it actually played a lot of Elvis.
At the time, Music of Your Life focused on the 30’s, 40’s, and 50’s, but it did play some later songs. Plus, Elvis had hits in the 50’s.
At the time, Music of Your Life focused on the 30’s, 40’s, and 50’s, but it did play some later songs. Plus, Elvis had hits in the 50’s.
They did that with wplj only new as in religious garbage new and fresh.
Let's keep our personal taste from making offensive statements.
Many people who love the K-love format think classic rock or hip hop or reggaeton or CHR are "horrible" and they simply don't listen without the need to offend those who do like that kind of music or the formats that play them.
Some would say that Elvis didn't have any hits AFTER the 50s!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elvis_Presley_singles_discography#1960s
There are some absolutely huge hits in the 60's, including 6 #1 songs and 16 top 10 songs.
In the 50's, he had 15 top 10 songs, although he had more #1 songs.
I think the "some" Semoochie was referring to, tongue firmly in cheek, are the Elvis "purists" who maintain that he never recorded anything worth listening to after his stint in the Army. But you, of course, are right. From "Return to Sender" to "Can't Help Falling in Love" to "Kentucky Rain," the '60s were an excellent decade for the King, and those songs and many more were legitimate hits.
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