104.5 KMCQ & SOME OBSERVATIONS WHILE LISTENING IN SEATTLE THIS WEEKEND....

[radiojjh]

I was in the "Emerald City" from Friday night thru Sunday afternoon...and I decided to give 104.5 a listen.....it took a little longer than I expected for me to pick it up on my radio....but once the signal came in....generally it came in just fine all over Seattle.....Bellevue, Tukwila, Renton, Sammamish, Isssaquah, Kirkland, Everett, Edmonds, and North Seattle.....I was pleasantly surprised.....

My only bad observations.....there were a handful of songs that were NOT in stereo. "Black Water," was one.....the stereo generator was on but the song was NOT in stereo. And that sounded awful--that song sounds so good in stereo. Musically it sounds like KJR-FM's "Super Hits Of The 60's & 70's" which was such a fun format when I worked on the air there...and Bob Case was programming it. KMCQ-FM is a fun station to listen to, and not nearly predictable as KJR-FM....it was nice to hear "I Say A Little Prayer For You" by Dionne Warwick. I did seem to hear alot by the Supremes for their 60's songs. But the did play some nice stuff like "Close To You" by the Carpenters, a song or two by Bread, and then the Doors "Love Her Madly." Lots of good 70's Pop-Soul like the Spinners, Sly & The Family Stone and a few of those what I call "Lost 45's." I'm sure when some BIG company gets ahold of it, they will ruin what is nice and fun station to listen to(you know If it doesn't test well, we can't play it---I hate that excuse).....I must say it is REALLY ODD to hear a station play NO commercials..and just some pre-recorded liners and drops periodically. The one time it did fade out for a few seconds was when I was getting back on I-5 Southbound at the Mercer St. ramp...it faded out in the little tunnel. It did stay in on the I-90 tunnels between Seattle and Bellevue.

The one BIG TRAIN WRECK that I did hear was when they went from "Bang A Gong(Get It On)" by T-Rex right into "It's A Wonderful World" by Louis Armstrong......there should have been 1 or 2 transition songs between those two. Generally I'd say a person that likes one of those songs will NOT like the other.....

It will be interesting to see what happens in the future to this station.

It was interesting---the friends I stayed with this weekend HAD discovered the station and enjoy listening to it. They are all around 50 years old and they really liked the mix of music and the fact and I quote them "It's NOT the same songs over and over again." They miss KBSG and do listen to KZOK some as well.

On other notes...KOMO-FM's signal really gets out nicely...I was very pleasantly surprised...and it's amazing on the weekends how many infomercials there are on AM radio...very very sad to say the least. I realize it's money....sure would be nice to hear some real fun radio again....AND I did enjoy hearing the Casey Kasem countdown Sunday morning on KJR-FM, it was cool when Casey played BOTH sides of a CCR hit.....and Casey really did sound great in the 70's...I had forgotten. ONE BIG DISAPPOINTMENT----I could hear the Mariners games on the air in Ellensburg(when I was driving back to Spokane) and a couple of other cities but NOT on KIRO-710...what kind of a flagship station are they?!?!?!?!?---when they don't carry the games themselves, instead you hear syndicated ESPN stuff...that is NOT good programming in my humble opinion. KIXI sounded weird in Saturday doing so much big band music, then they finally got back to their MOR format and that was much more listenable. But what a lack of personality...I miss hearing Jack Morton on there....he did SUCH a great job with that format. I was surprised that KKNW/1150 had such a great signal---although it IS being wasted same thing with 1250AM, 1540AM, and almost all of AM band....the exceptions when I was listening...KVI, KIRO, KTTH, KIXI, KJR, KOMO, 1090, all have good signals and get out nicely but programming isn't stellar...it was great hearing 1380/KRKO loud and clear in downtown Seattle on I-5. Kind of weak air talent on KPLZ during the weekend.....music was pretty good...and some guy on KISS 106.1 sounded about 16 years old....AWFUL.

It was great to have some Dick's Cheeseburgers and fries, dinner at the Cheesecake Factory and stopping by Dicks on the way out of town and bringing back 14 of those Cheeseburgers, putting them in my freezer, and then when I'm in the mood, popping 1 or 2 in the microwave and enjoying a real treat.....It was really nice in Seattle on Saturday & Sunday....nice to be back home once again......



JJ Hemingway....Your Spokane Radio Pal...

 

[IndigoCoyote]

Good to see you on this board again, hoss. We need a little sanity. Thanks for the insights. I don't think the format is much different than it has been for months...just there to wiggle the needles until the new owner or the LMA takes over and turns it into a KJR AM simulcast or a 3rd (4th? 5th?) country outlet or some such nonsense. Enjoy it while you can- I am sure the focus groups are gathering as we speak.

 

[radiojjh]

I usually check this board daily.....I just like it when I can contribute something of value....let's hope it's NOT another country station or a simulcast of KJR/950......maybe the Taliban can find that focus group.....lots of them must be meeting in Kabul.....at least that's what the results seem to be.....the music on 104.5 right now is fun to listen to...I had heard it before and it didn't sound all that terrific this time around it's much better...someone is doing a pretty good job of picking songs for their automation. We have a similar station here in Spokane 107.1/KAZZ it was off the air...and had to go back on or lose the license...it's doing 70's and 80's hits...totally automated, just a few drops but NO spots...they are looking for a buyer...the signal sucks...it cover the north end of spokane and the south hill, but skips right over the downtown area. it's licensed to Deer Park--15-20 miles north of Spokane.....it's a stand alone....I'm sure they could move the tower so they could cover Spokane better....without the in-office listening and penetration of buildings...it ain't gonna happen.....IF I only had the money to buy a station.....ah yes---"the impossible dream......."

I still LOVE radio and know what good radio sounds like...wish I'd get a chance to program once again...that would rock!!

 

[jockeyjohn]

JJ -

That Deer Park station has not done well for years...I would have thought if it could be moved someone would have done it already...especially a guy like Hodgins...

As for the Dicks burgers...there used to be a Dicks there in Spo-compton...did it close up? We used to go there after the concerts and then hit the road back to Pullman.

Jim

 

[radiojjh]

107.1/KAZZ has always pretty much been a dog. I know they are limited on how much they can move close to Spokane due to 106.9 in Lewiston. I'm sure they could use some kind of directional antenna and still cover Spokane. It's sad to see a station like that go to waste....like it has for so many years.

As far as Dicks--there is Dicks Hamburgers here in Spokane.....NO relation to the one in the Seattle area. The menu is different---they offer fish-n-chips, pizza, chicken and the burgers in my humble opinion just aren't as good as what I grew up with---Dicks in Seattle. I remember when I moved to Spokane the first time in 1991, I thought---"wow---there's a Dick's Drive-In here." Well, I found out after I ate there----they ONLY share the name....nothing else. It is odd that the one here or the one is Seattle didn't get a trademark for the name....they both opened up around the same time period--1954. It's just strange one didn't make the other change their name...or maybe they have an agreement the Dick's here stays in Spokane and the ones in Seattle stay west of the Cascades....so there is NO direct competition.....both establishment have their die-hard fans.....me? I love the Dick's Drive-Inn in Seattle...it IS the best little burger there is...not to mention those incredulous chocolate shakes.....it's funny I did have a couple of those little cheeseburgers for lunch today.....keep 'em in the freezer and then nuke 2 of 'em for 2 minutes on high...then enjoy!



jj

 

[TVradioguru]

I'm not sure it would be a good nor profitable venture to target the 50+ crowd with a new station. A broad mix of oldies is fine for stunting maybe, but going oldies in this economy or a large market would only mean a complete format change in five years or less. Not many owners would want to do that. Not a smart one anyway.

 

[semoochie]

I thought I would provide you with the exception that proves the rule: One of my wife's favorite songs is "Bang-A-Gong" and "Wonderful World" is our song!

 

[David1960]

I think it's very easy to argue that many may like both "What A Wonderful World" and "Bang A Gong". I know plenty of people who appreciate both. The world of radio worked on narrowing things for years and finally the success of Jack stations have shown us all that people have broader tastes than was thought 5 years ago.

Those are not even the most extreme examples of what KMCQ is playing. I've been actively listening to see exactly how far they're willing to stretch things. Yesterday afternoon I heard Ted Nugent doing "Cat Scratch Fever". Just a few minutes ago I was treated to Percy Faith's "Theme From A Summer Place". Both are OK with me. Keep 'em coming!

 

[spectacle]

"I'm not sure it would be a good nor profitable venture to target the 50+ crowd with a new station."

Dont worry guru, it WILL be replaced by something more centrist, bland, mediocre and standard in no time. After all its 2010!

 

[RockJazz]

I know the conventional wisdom about age and advertising and that is for radio executives and advertisers to deal with.. but I saw this on a website earlier today...

"A McKinsey & Co. study predicts that, by next year, people over 50 will account for more than half of U.S. consumer spending."

Who has money or disposable income right now?
The under 30 vs. 30-50 vs over 50?

Play each market for different reasons and different sales but the over 50 crowd is getting bigger and probably more important. The Boomers will always want to be center stage.

 

[SeattleRadioPro]

I know the conventional wisdom about age and advertising and that is for radio executives and advertisers to deal with.

Wrongo, bub. It's not just the "executives". It's EVERYONE that works at a for-profit radio station who has to "deal with it". Why? No ad revenues - no radio station. Plain as that.

 

[RockJazz]

I knew one or more "pros" would take that angle, even if I tried to acknowledge or concede it.

I was suggesting there might be some basis for this changing somewhat, say over the next 5-10 years, especially since they say that a good part of the growth areas in consumer spending are in serving the over 50.


But if the over 50 crowd is not important then is classic rock going to die out or move past 1985? Or is it going to live on forever (or nearly so) based on second, third and fourth generations choosing it over the 80s & 90s and beyond?

 

[notalent]

True, but the main point is that under 30's are more influenceable by advertising than over 50's.

 

[RockJazz]

Classic hit and rock stations are only part of the field but that was the part I was mainly thinking about, especially in this thread.

They aren't primarily pitched at the under 30 crowd.

Would it be more accurate to say these stations are actually mainly after the 30-50 crowd or try to straddle and appeal to both the 30-50 crowd and the over 50 crowd and the advertisers that care about these groups?

If it is latter then the news tidbit I shared is not out of line for this segment. If it is the former, then that is an ever more shaky proposition.

 

[TVradioguru]

Not that you'd necessarily answer honestly, but assuming you were in the 45+ crowd that listened to an oldies format, when was the last time you reacted to or purchased a product advertised on an oldies or classic rock station?

Another actual example would be sports-talk radio. As discussed in another thread; even through sports talk stations rate low 12+ as compared with the 12+ numbers or target 35-54 target demo of a classic rock station in the same market, the sports station will out-bill the classic rock station 2:1 in many markets with both formats. Sports stations own the 18+ and 18-35 male demos with listeners which advertisers know actively react to car and beer ads.

As RadioPro correctly stated, radio exists to make money. If you want to make your own playlist at a price, buy an IPod.

 

[RockJazz]

Given the tone of recent responses (and the contents of the board in general), I am not inclined to continue occasional casual conversation here. Not worth it for some of you or for me. Adios.

 

[RockJazz]

To put a more positive exit spin on it, thanks for the information & opinion in the various replies over time to a listener with some outsider questions. I learned a few things and that is enough.

 

[Bongwater]

First, I appreciate the "positive" spin. And the rest of us would....if there was more JOBS inside the industry.

Do you really think a happy, vibrant industry would be so filled with such anger and animosity if people who spent 30 years making good radio and were just as successful on their (unbeknownst) last day?

Give me a break....

 

[SeattleRadioPro]

Given the tone of recent responses (and the contents of the board in general), I am not inclined to continue occasional casual conversation here. Not worth it for some of you or for me. Adios.

Whaddya know, another thinned-skin poster bites the dust. Maybe if you had tried asking questions and acted like you wanted to LEARN something about the business of radio instead of taking the "pros" to task over it you would have received a different reception. Oh well. Enjoy eating those sour grapes.

Since this hasn't been stated before so plainly, here goes:

If you asked the "pros" in radio (including me) you'd probably find we would LOVE to program a station like what many on this board have suggested. But we know that while SOME listeners (including ourselves) would be happy the vast majority (repeat VAST MAJORITY) would pan it and/or the ones who WOULD listen are not in demographics that advertisers demand.

So that's why radio programming is what it is today.

And when it's your butt on the line to pay the bills you give the people (the VAST MAJORITY of listeners AND the advertisers) what they want. THAT'S the bottom line, kids.

 

[RockJazz]

Not particularly thin-skinned, have been called worse than "bub" by a jerk, but don't need to continue and don't want to converse with someone with your attitude.

I asked a fair amount of questions before as well as offering some statements to see what the answers would be. If the over 50 crowd means absolutely nothing even when they are the richest old folks to date and the biggest group of them ever, then ok I hear and accept that answer. As I said I learned some things, but overall I am not that impressed by the "expertise". I heard very little about the music, music selection or the craft of building and holding an audience- in the name of making money of course. I get that and am not challenging that.

But it is in insider's board, so do what you do want with it. I got other things that matter more to me, that I know more about, so I'll go back to them.