100.3 The Sound goes Deep; 86s "World Class Rock"

[ChannelFlipper]

Tuned into the station today and apparently they are having "Album Madness" to go along with the March Madness theme. They play two cuts off stale old albums ( I heard Jimi Hendrix "Are you Experienced" and Van Morrison's "Moondance" today - both albums burned to a crispy crisp and both over 40 years old, and then I guess you are supposed to vote to see which album "wins". Are they going to do this to the end when they eventually have the Beatles White Album vs. The Rolling Stones "Sticky Fingers" for the greatest album of all time? Oooohh I can hardly contain myself as the anxiety builds with each album that much more classic then the last. Who knows, maybe the Who will come in and upset the top ranked teams, er albums, or U2's "The Joshua Tree" could be the sleeper album everyone is looking past this year. Give me a break.

For a station that is obviously targeting the 35-59 market, this so Jr. High lame and smacks of pure desperation by a desperate station. I agree with the idea expressed by others that this station has way too many cooks tending the stew because this is the most unfocused, poorly marketed station to come down the pike in a long time (and that is saying something with Movin still around). And as I have said, I am in the target demo, do like the format (either AAA or classic rock) and would really like to be able to get on board with the station, but man they are making it hard.

 

[SuperRadioFan]

"Exile on Main St" is the only Stones nominee and "War" is the U2 entry.

Selections of 64 LPs (like the NCAA amount) was done by the DJs .... They're only picking one album per artist/band. Why that makes sense is anyone's guess. Truly legendary artists like The Beatles, The Stones, Bob Dylan, The Who, Bruce Springsteen, U2, Elton John, etc are allowed the same number of nominated LPs (1) as bands such as Red Hot Chili Peppers, Black Crowes, and (!!!) Jane's Addiction (!!!!). That is absurd.

Then the voting process is clunky. 1) you access their home page and click on the "Album Madness" link; 2) then you see a page with details about the promotion and underneath that are the 'brackets' with album titles and artists. 3) Next you click on the "vote" tab of your entry... but that directs you to another page where you 4) "sign in" with your e-mail address in order to vote. Next 5) the 'ballot' appears with the two 'candidates' , you mark your vote and you are finally done.

Not that I or anyone would want to repeat this process but if you wanted to 'stuff the ballot box' for the same LP there would be nothing stopping you. Why all the steps if by keying in an e-mail addy that could be programmed to allow you only one vote at a time?

Channel Flipper, you've always made some great points, what specifically would you do if Bonneville tapped you on the shoulder and said: "Mr ChannelFlipper, you're our new PD of 100.3 The Sound, go to it!" ?

 

[LA_Guy]

I know what I would do...

Channel Flipper, you've always made some great points, what specifically would you do if Bonneville tapped you on the shoulder and said: "Mr ChannelFlipper, you're our new PD of 100.3 The Sound, go to it!" ?

I would flip that station to a news/talk/lifestyle variant. Frequent news and traffic-but quick in and out-the 2010 version of Boss Radio's 20/20 news. Talk that touches on the news of the day, but not in a ranting way like on AM. Perhaps the midday and or evening shows doing some kind of lifestyle news and talk (after all we are in L A where style frequently rules over substance). Maybe even a sex talk show after ten at night in the Safe Harbor (I know, I know, Bonneville would never do this-but it still could work). Pre produced lifestyle vignettes tossed in at various times of the day (possibly even sponsored) - but quick in and quick out-keep the sound flowing and moving, but without having it sound busy or cluttered. Promote the format over the personalities...

Also have a KILLER interactive web site...

Call it 100.3 The Center (as in the center of the FM dial)-the only station you'll ever need.

This would lilkely attract 25-54 year olds-primaily women.

 

[AM FM listener]

Channel Flipper, you've always made some great points, what specifically would you do if Bonneville tapped you on the shoulder and said: "Mr ChannelFlipper, you're our new PD of 100.3 The Sound, go to it!" ?

I like this question. However, for the sake of a challenge, I will assume that we have to keep the format AAA or something reasonably close to it. No flipping to Talk, AC, Spanish language, etc. Again, for the sake of a challenge...

First, I would make the music more current. According to R&R's playlists, The Sound's top currents are played only up to 10 times a week. KFOG and KBCO play them up to 20 times a week; KINK and KMTT up to 30 times a week.

Second, I would incorporate some of the less-edgier currents from the Alternative/Modern Rock hits. I would not want to take KROQ and KYSR head on but I do want some of their 30-something listeners, which probably includes more Hispanics than The Sound attracts now. This would put The Sound about half way between a typical Alt/Modern Rocker and AAA when it comes to new music.

Finally, my "oldies" would go back to about the mid-70's and feature familiar, melodic tracks from well-known rock artists like Dire Straits, Steely Dan, Sting and REM. However, not so much the usual Classic Rock superstars -- Beatles, Stones, Zeppelin, Doors, Who, etc. This way, I avoid taking KLOS and JACK head on and I keep some of that "alternative" feel to our older music, despite actually being quite familiar.

 

[ChannelFlipper]

Channel Flipper, you've always made some great points, what specifically would you do if Bonneville tapped you on the shoulder and said: "Mr ChannelFlipper, you're our new PD of 100.3 The Sound, go to it!" ?

Thanks for the compliment. The question is fair but yet loaded - because as I mentioned the other day, the station's overall success is actually not related to the quality of the programming. That is, the best programmed AAA station simply cannot generate sufficient ratings based on the demographics of the MSA they are servicing. The best they could hope for is to do something compelling yet mainstream enough to at least generate some ratings that would keep it in existence for as long as possible (knowing that even in the best case scenario, you are probably just looking at a few years at best before management wises up and changes format or sells the signal). It is a narrow range to work in.

I've shared in the past that the best station ever was KMPC-FM/KEDG-FM in 1988-1989. Artistically/styalistically speaking they would be the model. They had DJs with distinct personalities, and allowed their personalities to show through without getting in the way of the format, even allowing them to pick a few of their own cuts per shift. It was clear they all enjoyed working there for JJ and the station was really upbeat and fun. The music was about as wide-ranging as the format would allow. Lots of new artists exposed while also throwing in enough classic rock to keep it familiar enough to stay tuned in through the unfamiliar stuff and the classic rock tracks were not burned over and over as the Sound does.

However a copy of KMPC/KEDG would not work either (much to my chagrin!). In order to have any success with the AAA format, the new songs and artists have to be tightly controlled in much the same way a top 40 station is. Actually, I thought KSCA did a pretty good job of that when they were on the air. They introduced new artists, but not so many that they got lost in the shuffle - and thus with heavy rotation, the new artists and songs gained some familiarity to the core listening audience. For example through heavy airplay of a couple of tracks, they turned me on to Southern Culture on the Skids, a great fun band that I would have never been exposed to without them. The tight repetition may not make heavy users of the station like us happy, but the vast majority of the audience in this format are not heavy users of the station. The station would still also need a significant portion of classic rock tracks to make it accessible for the audience, but they don't have to pick the same six Supertramp tunes over and over. I think it was Scooty who came up with at least 10 great Supertramp tracks that the Sound doesn't play, nearly all of which the audience knows just as well as the ones they burn to death.

OK, what the station should not do. Quit telling the audience how cool you are because you play some tracks that haven't been on the radio a lot. It's insulting to the audience and I cringe every time I hear it. Don't tell people you are cool, just be cool. Does Fonzi have to tell Richie and the gang how much cooler he is than they are every time they meet at Arnold's? No. He doesn't need to say anything. He just is cooler, and everyone else is smart enough to figure this out without any words said. Same concept. Just do it, don't tell me about it.

Keep the specialty shows and gimicks out of the standard weekday listening hours. Most listeners to this station are casual listeners and they don't know what to expect when they get "Deeper Cuts" told to them one day, a full album side including album cuts they never heard before on another, and a stupid "which album "wins and advances to the next round" on another day. If I don't know what is coming next and I am a regular listener, what is a new casual listener to make of this? Their daytime programming is a mess in this regard. As David E. said, if you have to have specialty shows, put them on the fringe weekend hours where they will minimize their harm. The 10@10 should be kept though. It is a popular feature on other stations and can really show some station character if done right.

Lastly, this station is in desperate need of some personality. The station sounds like it is a serious station for serious listeners, even with their gimicks. Even though they rock more now because of the Led Zep and other classic rock they have added, it still feels like a Starbucks experience. This may be what the audience wants, but the DJs and imaging are simply yawnsville. Station has no energy to it. I'm not saying you have to have Frazier Smith in the morning (please no, in fact) but do something to liven up the pulse. Make me feel like if I don't tune in, I might be missing something. This is how I felt with KMPC/KEDG.

There are other issues of imaging, advertising, web management,and community involvement that Glenn has commented on that need serious repair as well, but my response is limited to simply what is heard on the air. And again, I don't pretend to have the magic touch to fix this station nor are any of my suggestions indicative of any brilliant insight, but they can easily improve the station a lot from where it is.

OK, that's my two cents.

 

[SuperRadioFan]

Channel Flipper, you've always made some great points, what specifically would you do if Bonneville tapped you on the shoulder and said: "Mr ChannelFlipper, you're our new PD of 100.3 The Sound, go to it!" ?

Thanks for the compliment. The question is fair but yet loaded - because as I mentioned the other day, the station's overall success is actually not related to the quality of the programming. That is, the best programmed AAA station simply cannot generate sufficient ratings based on the demographics of the MSA they are servicing. The best they could hope for is to do something compelling yet mainstream enough to at least generate some ratings that would keep it in existence for as long as possible (knowing that even in the best case scenario, you are probably just looking at a few years at best before management wises up and changes format or sells the signal). It is a narrow range to work in.

I've shared in the past that the best station ever was KMPC-FM/KEDG-FM in 1988-1989. Artistically/styalistically speaking they would be the model. They had DJs with distinct personalities, and allowed their personalities to show through without getting in the way of the format, even allowing them to pick a few of their own cuts per shift. It was clear they all enjoyed working there for JJ and the station was really upbeat and fun. The music was about as wide-ranging as the format would allow. Lots of new artists exposed while also throwing in enough classic rock to keep it familiar enough to stay tuned in through the unfamiliar stuff and the classic rock tracks were not burned over and over as the Sound does.

However a copy of KMPC/KEDG would not work either (much to my chagrin!). In order to have any success with the AAA format, the new songs and artists have to be tightly controlled in much the same way a top 40 station is. Actually, I thought KSCA did a pretty good job of that when they were on the air. They introduced new artists, but not so many that they got lost in the shuffle - and thus with heavy rotation, the new artists and songs gained some familiarity to the core listening audience. For example through heavy airplay of a couple of tracks, they turned me on to Southern Culture on the Skids, a great fun band that I would have never been exposed to without them. The tight repetition may not make heavy users of the station like us happy, but the vast majority of the audience in this format are not heavy users of the station. The station would still also need a significant portion of classic rock tracks to make it accessible for the audience, but they don't have to pick the same six Supertramp tunes over and over. I think it was Scooty who came up with at least 10 great Supertramp tracks that the Sound doesn't play, nearly all of which the audience knows just as well as the ones they burn to death.

OK, what the station should not do. Quit telling the audience how cool you are because you play some tracks that haven't been on the radio a lot. It's insulting to the audience and I cringe every time I hear it. Don't tell people you are cool, just be cool. Does Fonzi have to tell Richie and the gang how much cooler he is than they are every time they meet at Arnold's? No. He doesn't need to say anything. He just is cooler, and everyone else is smart enough to figure this out without any words said. Same concept. Just do it, don't tell me about it.

Keep the specialty shows and gimicks out of the standard weekday listening hours. Most listeners to this station are casual listeners and they don't know what to expect when they get "Deeper Cuts" told to them one day, a full album side including album cuts they never heard before on another, and a stupid "which album "wins and advances to the next round" on another day. If I don't know what is coming next and I am a regular listener, what is a new casual listener to make of this? Their daytime programming is a mess in this regard. As David E. said, if you have to have specialty shows, put them on the fringe weekend hours where they will minimize their harm. The 10@10 should be kept though. It is a popular feature on other stations and can really show some station character if done right.

Lastly, this station is in desperate need of some personality. The station sounds like it is a serious station for serious listeners, even with their gimicks. Even though they rock more now because of the Led Zep and other classic rock they have added, it still feels like a Starbucks experience. This may be what the audience wants, but the DJs and imaging are simply yawnsville. Station has no energy to it. I'm not saying you have to have Frazier Smith in the morning (please no, in fact) but do something to liven up the pulse. Make me feel like if I don't tune in, I might be missing something. This is how I felt with KMPC/KEDG.

There are other issues of imaging, advertising, web management,and community involvement that Glenn has commented on that need serious repair as well, but my response is limited to simply what is heard on the air. And again, I don't pretend to have the magic touch to fix this station nor are any of my suggestions indicative of any brilliant insight, but they can easily improve the station a lot from where it is.

OK, that's my two cents.

Thanks for the detailed response, Channel Flipper. You hit on a lot of great points.

I remember speaking with Mike Morrison PD of FM 101.9 KSCA and he told me they (the DJs not necessarily the management above himself) knew it was a boutique-type format and that they didn't expect more than a 1.1 - 1.3 with the format 12+. Even given the demogaphic changes in the market since FM 101.9's demise, still the 0.7 or 0.8 that The Sound has been getting is pretty low by any standard for a Mt Wilson stick. They are not compelling enough and they pale badly when compared to other large market AAAs in the country. Of course many of those stations (KBCO, KFOG, KINK, WXRT, etc) have a long history to fall back on.

You and I are in total agreement on the old KMPC-FM. They still stand in my ears the best SoCal station I've ever heard (nothing before 1985 can be considered by me since I moved here from NJ then).

Regarding tight rotation of currents/new tracks, I'd be fine with that on The Sound. I would hope they'd play at least 30 different current/new tracks per week with appropriate frequency.

Ah yes SCOTS, Walk Like a Camel "Lil Debbie Lil Debbie!!"

I especially liked your comments about "cool" Right on target.

 

[SuperRadioFan]

Channel Flipper, you've always made some great points, what specifically would you do if Bonneville tapped you on the shoulder and said: "Mr ChannelFlipper, you're our new PD of 100.3 The Sound, go to it!" ?

I like this question. However, for the sake of a challenge, I will assume that we have to keep the format AAA or something reasonably close to it. No flipping to Talk, AC, Spanish language, etc. Again, for the sake of a challenge...

First, I would make the music more current. According to R&R's playlists, The Sound's top currents are played only up to 10 times a week. KFOG and KBCO play them up to 20 times a week; KINK and KMTT up to 30 times a week.

Second, I would incorporate some of the less-edgier currents from the Alternative/Modern Rock hits. I would not want to take KROQ and KYSR head on but I do want some of their 30-something listeners, which probably includes more Hispanics than The Sound attracts now. This would put The Sound about half way between a typical Alt/Modern Rocker and AAA when it comes to new music.

Finally, my "oldies" would go back to about the mid-70's and feature familiar, melodic tracks from well-known rock artists like Dire Straits, Steely Dan, Sting and REM. However, not so much the usual Classic Rock superstars -- Beatles, Stones, Zeppelin, Doors, Who, etc. This way, I avoid taking KLOS and JACK head on and I keep some of that "alternative" feel to our older music, despite actually being quite familiar.

Thanks as well for your input, AM FM. I would add your ideas to Channel Flipper's. Definitely the playlist needs a better % of currents/new/recurrents than they have now.
I disagree to an extent regarding the gold before mid-70s. You gotta have the heritage artists in there (1964-1972) .... Play some lesser known tracks as well as the better known hits. But don't burn any of that out. The "hits" should be really curtailed in frequency. Instead of 2-3 tracks per hour (OMG!!) like they do now, those songs should be 3-5 tracks per day max incuding overnights. And then the so-called deeper cuts by these heritage acts can be played once or twice a shift. The rest should be the new/currents/recurrents and established AAA artists with some of their lesser played songs in there along with their AAA "hits".

 

[AM FM listener]

Thanks as well for your input, AM FM. I would add your ideas to Channel Flipper's. Definitely the playlist needs a better % of currents/new/recurrents than they have now.
I disagree to an extent regarding the gold before mid-70s. You gotta have the heritage artists in there (1964-1972) .... Play some lesser known tracks as well as the better known hits. But don't burn any of that out. The "hits" should be really curtailed in frequency. Instead of 2-3 tracks per hour (OMG!!) like they do now, those songs should be 3-5 tracks per day max incuding overnights. And then the so-called deeper cuts by these heritage acts can be played once or twice a shift. The rest should be the new/currents/recurrents and established AAA artists with some of their lesser played songs in there along with their AAA "hits".

My pleasure. I could go along with gold before mid-70's so long as the hits from back then are not overplayed. With a library going back 40+ years, featuring a blend of hit tracks and deeper cuts, plus more currents in tighter rotation, the music would be perfect. Any marketing guru's out there with thoughts on how best to promote this?

 

[davideduardo]

I remember speaking with Mike Morrison PD of FM 101.9 KSCA and he told me they (the DJs not necessarily the management above himself) knew it was a boutique-type format and that they didn't expect more than a 1.1 - 1.3 with the format 12+. Even given the demogaphic changes in the market since FM 101.9's demise, still the 0.7 or 0.8 that The Sound has been getting is pretty low by any standard for a Mt Wilson stick.

I recall sitting in the manager's office right down the road from Forest Lawn and hearing that the station could not do any better than it's 1.1 because the signal was so weak...

A few months later, the new KSCA format debuted with a 6.7 share at #1 12+.

Today, the market is considerably more ethnic and immigrant in composition, and no station has kindeled the AAA fire here for 12 years. A 0.8 is not surprising.

 

[SuperRadioFan]

I remember speaking with Mike Morrison PD of FM 101.9 KSCA and he told me they (the DJs not necessarily the management above himself) knew it was a boutique-type format and that they didn't expect more than a 1.1 - 1.3 with the format 12+. Even given the demogaphic changes in the market since FM 101.9's demise, still the 0.7 or 0.8 that The Sound has been getting is pretty low by any standard for a Mt Wilson stick.

I recall sitting in the manager's office right down the road from Forest Lawn and hearing that the station could not do any better than it's 1.1 because the signal was so weak...

A few months later, the new KSCA format debuted with a 6.7 share at #1 12+.

Today, the market is considerably more ethnic and immigrant in composition, and no station has kindeled the AAA fire here for 12 years. A 0.8 is not surprising.

David you are scarily so predictable. There is only ONE reason I put the phrase 'not necessarily the management' in there. .... I just KNEW you'd respond the way you did. As I was typing that I thought of you. Why? Because we've been down this road a few times. We can debate this til the cows come home. Mike told me this way way way before 'a few months' before they went Spanish. Why oh why oh why would a DJ tell a listener such a thing? The DJs knew better, while the management thought the signal was weak. I could get it in south Orange County with no problem. Really David ..... And how many FREAKING times does it have to be pointed out to you (You're not THAT thick in the head) that what they've done at 100.3 is NOT, I repeat, NOT AAA by any comparison with a true AAA station in the U.S. We will probably NEVER know how it would do, but I will grant you that you (and others) are correct in your assessment that this market cannot support a station such as this one started out to be 11 months ago. [At least Glenn realizes what's on The Sound is not really AAA] I know you live for debate and all but geeeeeeeeeeeez. :

 

[karmazen]

Really David .....how many FREAKING times does it have to be pointed out to you (You're not THAT thick in the head)

See, David? He's just angry at life, that's all. Oh, and the Sound.

 

[davideduardo]

Really David .....how many FREAKING times does it have to be pointed out to you (You're not THAT thick in the head)

See, David? He's just angry at life, that's all. Oh, and the Sound.

Yes, I noticed. I think the most focused comment we have seen in the Sound threads is zeb's remark about AAA being a very wide and adaptable format.

It's likely that Bonneville recognized that a more "KBCO" approach could not work for a start-up, so what we have is a different approach, in theory, aimed at the LA reality.

 

[SuperRadioFan]

;D Come on David, you know I hate everyone and life itself. Thanks for noticing. And thanks for agreeing with a poster who added very very little substantive opinion and information to this thread. 8)

Back to The Sound.... They have tweaked their playlist somewhat in the last day or two. What I see is less tracks that are also played by KLOS and JACK and more deeper tracks -- traditional rock by classic rock artists and more Adult Alternative tracks -- being played. I commend them for that direction. That backs up Zeb's take on AAA.

Curious-- what is the "LA Reality"?

 

[davideduardo]

;D Come on David, you know I hate everyone and life itself. Thanks for noticing. And thanks for agreeing with a poster who added very very little substantive opinion and information to this thread. 8)

Back to The Sound.... They have tweaked their playlist somewhat in the last day or two. What I see is less tracks that are also played by KLOS and JACK and more deeper tracks -- traditional rock by classic rock artists and more Adult Alternative tracks -- being played. I commend them for that direction. That backs up Zeb's take on AAA.

Curious-- what is the "LA Reality"?

The LA reality is that 75% of the population could have no background with AAA due to being of certain ethhnic groups, recent immigrants, etc., and the format has never worked here.

 

[scooty430]

I remember speaking with Mike Morrison PD of FM 101.9 KSCA and he told me they (the DJs not necessarily the management above himself) knew it was a boutique-type format and that they didn't expect more than a 1.1 - 1.3 with the format 12+. Even given the demogaphic changes in the market since FM 101.9's demise, still the 0.7 or 0.8 that The Sound has been getting is pretty low by any standard for a Mt Wilson stick.

I recall sitting in the manager's office right down the road from Forest Lawn and hearing that the station could not do any better than it's 1.1 because the signal was so weak...

A few months later, the new KSCA format debuted with a 6.7 share at #1 12+.

Today, the market is considerably more ethnic and immigrant in composition, and no station has kindeled the AAA fire here for 12 years. A 0.8 is not surprising.

I know this format isn't your area of expertise, but.....again.....The Sound is not AAA.

It is classic rock.

 

[scooty430]

Tuned into the station today and apparently they are having "Album Madness" to go along with the March Madness theme. They play two cuts off stale old albums ( I heard Jimi Hendrix "Are you Experienced" and Van Morrison's "Moondance" today - both albums burned to a crispy crisp and both over 40 years old, and then I guess you are supposed to vote to see which album "wins". Are they going to do this to the end when they eventually have the Beatles White Album vs. The Rolling Stones "Sticky Fingers" for the greatest album of all time? Oooohh I can hardly contain myself as the anxiety builds with each album that much more classic then the last. Who knows, maybe the Who will come in and upset the top ranked teams, er albums, or U2's "The Joshua Tree" could be the sleeper album everyone is looking past this year. Give me a break.

For a station that is obviously targeting the 35-59 market, this so Jr. High lame and smacks of pure desperation by a desperate station. I agree with the idea expressed by others that this station has way too many cooks tending the stew because this is the most unfocused, poorly marketed station to come down the pike in a long time (and that is saying something with Movin still around). And as I have said, I am in the target demo, do like the format (either AAA or classic rock) and would really like to be able to get on board with the station, but man they are making it hard.

Agreed. Cool idea for current bands, and for a young audience. (WBCN used to do this.) But hokey for the audience the Sound covets.

By the way, KLOS seemed to be doing the same thing this weekend. I dropped in on Bob Coburn announcing that U2 had beaten The Who in some kind of voting, and congratulating U2 for "winning." They then played 3 or 4 U2 songs in a row.

You know: if you combined the KLOS and Sound ratings, you'd be doing OK. But.....three classic rock stations in one town (JACK is mostly classic rock too) is too many. (Four if you count K-Earth, which I do as it is approaching 50 percent classic rock at this point.) The Sound either needs to...

... leave the classic rock behind and get some BALLS by letting the jocks pick and by playing more genres like folk, blues, roots, jazz. Make it a real music fans' station. Heck - hire Steve Jones and let the good times ROLL!!!! OR...

....go head to head with JACK and KLOS by playing a tight playlist of boring crap that no music fan would like, but the unwashed masses will dial up enough to get the coveted "cume."

....give up entirely and do another format that is not rock and roll

Right now they are trying to have it both ways: they want to be "all about the music," while still being "all about the research." .......ain't gonna work.

 

[davideduardo]

I know this format isn't your area of expertise, but.....again.....The Sound is not AAA.

It is classic rock.

Whatever you think it is, it is being postioned and sold as AAA. Thus, for LA, it's as close to AAA as the market is going to ge for the next century or so.

In any case, the recent changes have had a posiive effect. It looks like the 12+ will be as high as a 1.4 or even 1.5 for the book coming out tomorrow, based on the first three week trending. In 25-54, it will likely be around a 1.3 or so.

During W.W. II, ersatz coffee was actually barley and oats... lacking the real thing, a viable substitute. The sound is, likewise, AAA because the real thing is not viable.

 

[LA_Guy]

After much consideration, I have to agree with David. I was CE at the old Channel 103.1. The best we ever did was a .7 share. We always believed that a better signal would have made the format viable, but it's now been tried twice on full market signals and still does no better then a .7 or so.
Please understand I like AAA. I listen to WMVY on Martha's Vineyard every day. AAA does okay in other markets...BUT Los Angeles is much more hispanic then other markets. Plus, AAA's audience is aging. When KSCA was on, the average AAA listener was in their mid to late '30s. Now they are in their mid-late 50s, hardly a demographic that advertisers want.

In other markets where there is a large older audience, AAA stations cater to that audience. That's why it does fairly well in Tucson, even though there's a large hsipanic population there.

Los Angeles is different. There's a lot of signals here and all of the FMs are fighting it out. With a couple of exceptions, AMs here generally are second (third) tier stations. The two dominant engilsh formats here are CHR and rock-yet move out of LA or San Francisco and country also becomes one.

I believe that the format I discussed earlier here might actually work. It might not work elsewhere but again, Los Angeles is not elsewhere. I'm surprised that no one else has made any comments about it.

AAA will not work in Los Angeles! There's a nice, fat Class B FM signal right in the middle of the FM band.....what would you do with it?

 

[SuperRadioFan]

Well despite what Channel Flipper posted about the "Album Madness" thing (I said the voting process was clunky)-- There is a nice write up about The Sound in today's LARadio.com. Don Barrett put together a very nice feature on The Sound -- The column led off with the Album Madness promotion story. Don called it "the perfect promotion" and said "The music is complimented and the audience is involved with The Sound beyond just a passive passing." Nice BIG photos of Dave Beasing and Haley Jones in there. Anyone else see it?

 

[ChannelFlipper]

Well despite what Channel Flipper posted about the "Album Madness" thing (I said the voting process was clunky)-- There is a nice write up about The Sound in today's LARadio.com. Don Barrett put together a very nice feature on The Sound -- The column led off with the Album Madness promotion story. Don called it "the perfect promotion" and said "The music is complimented and the audience is involved with The Sound beyond just a passive passing." Nice BIG photos of Dave Beasing and Haley Jones in there. Anyone else see it?

Saw it and still stand by my original comment. Sorry, there is no way I am believing that dedicated members of the Sounds paltry audience are getting together and discussing this over their dinner. I think the correct phrase is something closer to "the PD, DJs, station staff and a small group of station groupies are getting together and discussing this over dinner..."

I've been at many a family dinner table and rarely hear discussions of any radio promotion, let alone this bad one.

I also learned that Album Side Wednesday is a montly feature. Who knew? If that is mentioned on the air, i never heard it but I admit to not listening to the station as closely as I used to, so anything is possible.

Question - if the White Album "wins" (it is the odds on favorite, yes?) will they play all four sides since it is, in fact, a double album? Are they really going to torture their audience by playing "Revolution #9" all the way through? Enquiring minds want to know don't really care but are mildly bemused by the whole thing.