Those HD subs relaying WAAF had been in place since the CBS-Entercom deal closed in 2017, having replaced an HD sub simulcast on 97.7-2. So it’s been about four years and counting since the “WBCN” trademark has been in active use.
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12 yrs ago CBS announced Sports Hub, end of BCN
- Thread starter raccoonradio
- Start date
MassMusicMan
Banned
I always laughed at such blatant junk measuring. WBCN became a station that's a Top 10 biller in American radio. WAAF became a few million dollars one time and a 0.0 Christian station.
It's clear that WBCN won the evolution.
My observation was that CBS wanted to go with talk formats for the male demo in the Eastern US, once Stern left for Sirius. They tried Free FM, and couldn't keep it sustained, which we escaped here in Boston. Then, they went the sports talk route. How many of their rock/alternative stations became some form of talk? I know can identify three off the top of my head. WBCN for the Sports Hub (with moving Mix to BCN's frequency), WYSP went to simulcast of the Philly sports station, and the station in Cleveland that became The Fan.
In all honesty, my take was that WBCN's playlist was it's death nail in the end. Only a few bands that were new at the time were played. Beyond that, the only new songs came from established bands like Alice In Chains, Pearl Jam, and Foo Fighters.
You're obviously not a fan of creative radio, and a wide formats.
You like the mediocre, you'll fit right in as a consultant
WBCN was top biller in its market for a period in the late 80's and again in the early 90's. At its best, it was about 30th in national revenue, not Top 10. And from around '95 on, it suffered a gradual decline that can be blamed as much on the loss of favor of rock nationally as on local management.
Ratings are not an election: there are multiple winners.
WBCN historical data: https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Duncan-American-Radio/Duncan-1975-1992/Boston.pdf
A creative programmer figures out how to get large, salable audiences. "Wide" formats get neither large nor salable audiences.
A consultant helps a station find out what will attract the largest audience at a reasonable cost in a sales demo.
Being in the top "must buy" audience ranks is the measure of a good programmer.
Creative radio would be nice but (commercial) radio goes after what sells (though the likes of K-Love run on listener support and don't care about ratings).Boomboxes at work are tuned to ROR and ZLX; same old songs but people want them.
Country stations with cookie cutter songs by
beer lovin' hat wearin' hard workin' guys and gals, and syndicated morning shows...it sells albums and concert tickets (Chesney at Gillette Stadium).
The same kind of classic rock, country, talk, sports etc can be heard in MA or when I visit PA.
Or elsewhere. It sells ads. "Young man this radio
station is a business.It is not here for your personal listening pleasure."--from first WKRP
episode
Those who want creative radio can find it with college stations.On WMWM I play local bands, blues, novelty songs, independent artists..we have people down to play live (like Paul Nelson of Johnny Winter Band). We mention shows at local clubs and festivals and do interviews.
We are non commercial.
I started at the same time Matty Siegel did at
Kiss.He makes a lot of money.I do it for free. A mighty 130 watts (and online).
Country stations with cookie cutter songs by
beer lovin' hat wearin' hard workin' guys and gals, and syndicated morning shows...it sells albums and concert tickets (Chesney at Gillette Stadium).
The same kind of classic rock, country, talk, sports etc can be heard in MA or when I visit PA.
Or elsewhere. It sells ads. "Young man this radio
station is a business.It is not here for your personal listening pleasure."--from first WKRP
episode
Those who want creative radio can find it with college stations.On WMWM I play local bands, blues, novelty songs, independent artists..we have people down to play live (like Paul Nelson of Johnny Winter Band). We mention shows at local clubs and festivals and do interviews.
We are non commercial.
I started at the same time Matty Siegel did at
Kiss.He makes a lot of money.I do it for free. A mighty 130 watts (and online).
>>Wide" formats get neither large nor salable audiences.
Mike 93.7 was interesting at first when it threw in some unusual cuts like old country, standards, or oh-wow oldies. Then the playlist tightened.They grew in popularity.Finally, as a pretty much classic hits station, they gave way to make room for WEEI on FM
The last song was Free Bird.
Mike 93.7 was interesting at first when it threw in some unusual cuts like old country, standards, or oh-wow oldies. Then the playlist tightened.They grew in popularity.Finally, as a pretty much classic hits station, they gave way to make room for WEEI on FM
The last song was Free Bird.
MassMusicMan
Banned
I was saying that WBCN became Sports Hub, which is the Top 10 biller.
I actually had to re-read it myself, when I first read your post. At first I thought you were saying that BCN was a top biller, but then picked up on what you meant. The thing to remember with K-Love, which isn't for me personally, is that their buisness model is to rely on donations. I have my own mindset of EMF, but it's strictly opinion with no fact to back it up and doesn't add anything to the conversation.
I will say that I'm not a fan of Sports Talk. But that's because many personalities on these stations are sports writers, and I have never liked sports writers. My unfair take has always been that they're the guys who were horrible at middle and high school sports, but loved them so much that they had to be involved somehow. So now they're paid to watch the games and tell us what they think. I just never cared what someone else who watched the game and doesn't work for the team, thinks.
However, I agree with you that buisness wise it was a smart move. I'm obviously in the minority with my opinion. It's the same as country music. Plenty of people like it, to my disdain. I also agree that certain shows are creative on Sports Talk stations, but that depends on the personality. Shows like Toucher and Rich, who were an established show before being on a sports talk station, are creative. I don't see Felger and Maz as creative, but I admit that I mainly don't listen to Felger and Maz, because I see them as mostly whiney in their presentation. It used to be more of Maz's voice that I couldn't take, but lately Felger has become my prime example of the sports writer who wished he could have been better at the game, which I mentioned earlier. Although an unfair assumption, the way he presents himself as the one who knows, is why I make that assumption. Even old shows like The Big Show, which I would listen to from time to time I didn't see as being creative. Just a group of guys who talked about the latest news in sports. Dennis and Callahan tried to creative, but ended up making disrespectful comments towards an entire community instead. I know, if that damn gorilla just didn't escape from the zoo, their distasteful statement wouldn't have been made.
In summary, sports radio can be very creative, but it all depends on the personalities.
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