101 CBS FM

[Tibbs4]

It's been a few months of dormant comments.

Any thoughts on how CBS-FM is doing now? Overnight, they brought the affable Dave Stewart back to the NY airwaves.
He sounds as solid as ever. They have not added him on to the website, which is interesting. I think the station has made
some very smart moves and sounds like a world class station that is competing very nicely against online media and other
radio stations. If you don't particularly like the music or imaging, give it a few days of listening for several hours and then
see if you get a sense of their focus. I also do believe they have livened up the music and have given it a small amount of
NY-artist flair.

 

[davideduardo]

Any thoughts on how CBS-FM is doing now?

In the March book, they were 2nd in 25-54, with the highest share in the last 13 books. They are also a full share point above where they were in the same period last year.

 

[BruceNYC]

Is Dave Stewart's overnight show voice tracked or is it live?

 

[Tibbs4]

Live, from what I understand. There was apparently quite a belief that it was best to go this route as a lead-in to the morning show. Dave has a minimal presence with only 4/5 concise breaks and updates on Alt-Side Parking being in effect every day...

 

[djl]

Their sound quality is still mediocre at best. Even their HD1 does not sound great ... too much volume and it’s very tiny and lacking in bass. WLTW FM, HD1 and HD2 all have great sound quality.

 

[erwin33]

it's not the car but the driver...both stations are using the same processor. (Omnia.11)

 

[ATSFGuy]

Back in the day, WCBS FM tended to stand out and was rather unique because it had about 1,950 songs on it's playlist while the other oldies stations had only 350-450 songs.

300-450 song playlists tend to burn themselves out like a bad dragster. Remember the bigger the library the slower the rotation vs the smaller the library the faster the rotation.

 

[CTListener]

Back in the day, WCBS FM tended to stand out and was rather unique because it had about 1,950 songs on it's playlist while the other oldies stations had only 350-450 songs.

300-450 song playlists tend to burn themselves out like a bad dragster. Remember the bigger the library the slower the rotation vs the smaller the library the faster the rotation.

"Burnout," at least the way oldies geeks think of it, is only a factor among a tiny sliver of the potential audience of a classic hits station. WCBS-FM wouldn't be doing any better in ratings or sales if it were to add even 500 songs to its playlist, because users of radio who only want enjoyable, familiar music -- better than 95 percent of them -- just don't care how many times they hear any given song, so long as it's a song they love by an artist they know. If a song "burns out" -- a rarity, but it happens -- stations will know about it through research and it will be given a rest. But the fact that a station like WCBS-FM can continue to generate ratings and revenue while playing "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" and "Livin' On A Prayer" three times a day for at least a half-dozen years shows that oldies geeks are extreme outliers, so far from the mindset of the average listener as to be unable to comprehend it.

 

[davideduardo]

Back in the day, WCBS FM tended to stand out and was rather unique because it had about 1,950 songs on it's playlist while the other oldies stations had only 350-450 songs.

300-450 song playlists tend to burn themselves out like a bad dragster. Remember the bigger the library the slower the rotation vs the smaller the library the faster the rotation.

And the bigger library means you are playing the biggest consensus songs less often and playing others, which many listeners are neutral or negative to, more often.

 

[oldies76]

But the fact that a station like WCBS-FM can continue to generate ratings and revenue while playing "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" and "Livin' On A Prayer" three times a day for at least a half-dozen years shows that oldies geeks are extreme outliers, so far from the mindset of the average listener as to be unable to comprehend it.

I've brought this up before. Ask any person in the street, in the office, at your job or simply anywhere and ask them what is your #1 complaint is about radio and the answer is usually: songs repeat too much and not enough of their favorites that they grew up with get played, along with loads of commercials. You should take a poll of 1000 random people. You will be fascinated at the results. People do complain, just not enough of them do to make a difference, which is very, very unfortunate. I've asked people which know very little of my background and the number one reason, is that songs play over and over and they are sick and tired of it. Several have also told me, they no longer listen to the radio because of their complaints. Very far from 1000 people polled, but it's in the right direction.

 

[oldies76]

Back in the day, WCBS FM tended to stand out and was rather unique because it had about 1,950 songs on it's playlist while the other oldies stations had only 350-450 songs.

300-450 song playlists tend to burn themselves out like a bad dragster.

So true. Other stations did this as well. CBS-FM wasn't the only one ATSF.

 

[davideduardo]

I've brought this up before. Ask any person in the street, in the office, at your job or simply anywhere and ask them what is your #1 complaint is about radio and the answer is usually: songs repeat too much and not enough of their favorites that they grew up with get played, along with loads of commercials. You should take a poll of 1000 random people. You will be fascinated at the results. People do complain, just not enough of them do to make a difference, which is very, very unfortunate. I've asked people which know very little of my background and the number one reason, is that songs play over and over and they are sick and tired of it. Several have also told me, they no longer listen to the radio because of their complaints. Very far from 1000 people polled, but it's in the right direction.

This is a great example of hearing the answer but not understanding what it means.

To better understand listeners, I've conducted one-on-one interviews lasting an average of 45 minutes with a representative sample of a particular station's audience. I've done thousands and thousands of those interviews on widely ranging formats, ranging from oldies in DC (the old "Big" two decades ago) to alternative rock, country, hip hop and classic rock.

The comments about "repeating songs" is common, although not as frequent as you paint it to be (understandable, as you scoff at true research and prefer anecdotal evidence that supports your own views). When one "digs" via follow up questions, it becomes very evident that "repetition" is a comment made based on the playing of songs each person dislikes.

Listeners actually want to hear their favorite songs more often, but they hate hearing ones they do not like; the inclusion of weak, non-consensus songs creates the appearance of repetition. When a person is happy with the music, even with a short, short playlist, they don't think there is any repetition.

The lack of understanding of "repetition" is what moves stations without experienced programmers to expand the playlist. They end up with a perception of higher and higher repetition the more songs they add, as the average listener hears too many "songs I don't want to hear" and not enough favorites.

 

[oldies76]

Listeners actually want to hear their favorite songs more often, but they hate hearing ones they do not like; the inclusion of weak, non-consensus songs creates the appearance of repetition. When a person is happy with the music, even with a short, short playlist, they don't think there is any repetition.

That's highly unlikely since those "non-consensus" songs are probably only heard once, if ever, on a station that is known for not playing them in the first place. So how can people believe it's "repetition" when in fact, it's not? I agree that people love their favorites, but even they'll tell you that they don't need to hear it seven times a week. That's the true repetition I'm referring to.

 

[Gunsmoke]

I believe the success of the station that started it all for the oldies revolution for all CBS-FM stations in the country WCAU-FM under the genius Diamond Jim Nettleton had a library of over 2000 titles including future gold. I don't believe WCBS-FM included future gold when they signed on with oldies somewhat later, but they did have doo wop gold cuts every hour, neat.

 

[TheBigA]

You should take a poll of 1000 random people. You will be fascinated at the results.

We do this all the time. Our polls involve more than just 1000 people. Amazingly our results are different from yours. Don't confuse your personal opinion with actual research. This is our job, not a hobby.

 

[TheBigA]

I believe the success of the station that started it all for the oldies revolution for all CBS-FM stations in the country WCAU-FM under the genius Diamond Jim Nettleton had a library of over 2000 titles including future gold.

Are you sure? Do you have a source for that? My understanding is that Jim didn't actually program CAU, but did the voice work for the station. The library wasn't as big as you might think.

 

[Gunsmoke]

At the start it was a test, he put it together from his home in Cherry Hill, NJ and submitted the tapes to the station, not knowing that it would explode giving the station a 4.0. After a year the station went stereo and I believe CBS switched all their FM's to this format although Jim was the only automated voice on 98, CBS-FM was live. Then as the station became more popular they added Long John Wade mornings live and Jim late afternoon live except for the last hour. Then Chris Chandler Hatch midday and the Rocking Bird nights until 10pm then automation you never knew when the jocks were live, only if they told the real time. A hilarious thing that would occur at time when the automation went haywire a song would play and the jock said the wrong one then later that song would play then the jock woul run off 10 song titles in a row and no music then the songs would play it was a riot. I guess the jock would record the titles on one tape for his shift and the computer would play the songs and match them up. They did have over 2000 titles in their hayday 1973. Why Jim Keating ever flipped them to disco still baffles me to this day giviing up a 4.5 to get a 1.0, PEN was no big threat...

 

[oldies76]

You can have 15,000 songs in a library from 3-4 decades worth of music. Obviously only a small percentage of that is incorporated into a working playlist and actually played. But in theory, any song is accessible to any radio station out there. No one plays 10,000 songs or even 3000, but all of them are available if need be. The 10 week monster by Mrs. Boone is just as available as the 1977 smash by the Eagles. Obviously, the Eagles tune is played on many stations and the other is on hiatus. But both can be played.

 

[oldies76]

Don't confuse your personal opinion with actual research.

Not an opinion, it's a fact. I've asked people and they responded just as they would respond to your questions. A response is just that.....a response. Nothing official, but noteworthy. I may have a hobby, but people opinions won't change about radio because of it.

 

[TheBigA]

Not an opinion, it's a fact. I've asked people and they responded just as they would respond to your questions.

Not if they were your questions. You said "random people." There's a science to selecting random people and asking questions. Unless your questions and methods have been certified, I don't believe you, and it's just your opinion, and those people have just reinforced your opinion. That isn't fact.