3WS and Kate Harris

[cingram]

IMO the three best oldies stations in the country are K Earth 101, CBS FM and Magic in Cleveland. Why is so hard to utilize the people in Cleveland to program 3WS the right way?

Because the ratings are good, and somebody wants it to sound that way.

3WS is programmed to protect WDVE, and, specifically, to keep the very similar-sounding WRRK (aka
Bob FM) from getting into WDVE's pants any more than it already has. That strategy did not seem to
work very well in December.

I was a P1 listener to 3WS when it was an Oldies station, and not voice-tracked for most hours of the
day, but I don't care much for its present incarnation. Which is fine; they don't care about me either,
because I'm 55, and out of the desired demographic.

C.

 

[Boss Radio]

IMO the three best oldies stations in the country are K Earth 101, CBS FM and Magic in Cleveland. Why is so hard to utilize the people in Cleveland to program 3WS the right way?

They don't care. They've cut costs to the absolute minimum, they're getting good ratings and they're making a nice profit.

 

[olds442]

If only WJPA had a strong signal, now that is a great radio station that would put the fear into CC to make 3WS a great station again...

 

[wrsg915fm]

If only WJPA had a strong signal, now that is a great radio station that would put the fear into CC to make 3WS a great station again...

Yep...got to hear it last night on yet another West Liberty trip, for at least 15 minutes before the signal dropped off after descending down route 88. Anyone who's traveled that road knows what I mean.

 

[bigtom101]

The day is coming soon when you'll be able to listen to first-class radio stations like WCBS-FM in your
car with no muss and no fuss, and when that day comes, the very existence of mediocre radio will be
called into question. One thing's for sure: you'd better not be just a jukebox.

C.

That day is already here for me, and has been for two years since I got a BlackBerry that had a headphone jack - now a Razr Max 4G phone. The only hitch is cell zones with weak data coverage, or whenever I'm in a congested area, over-saturated cells. But it's gotten much better to where I can ride almost the entire PA Turnpike and have decent 4G coverage.

I use the Aux port, but the Sync system in Ford vehicles will do audio over Bluetooth - no messy wires...just pair to the head unit and go.

When it gets to where non geeks like me can make this work...watchout. Terrestrial radio will seriously need to rethink 18 avails per hour and voicetracked/automated everything...

 

[db59]

I think 3WS shouild change their call letters from WWSW to WABJ......We're All Billy Joel. Does that station not get sick of Billy Joel over and over. Now, don't get me wrong. I like Billy Joel's music, but am just at the point where I am sick to death of hearing it so many times a day. Elton John comes in a close second.

 

[FreddyE1977]

If only WJPA had a strong signal, now that is a great radio station that would put the fear into CC to make 3WS a great station again...

Yep...got to hear it last night on yet another West Liberty trip, for at least 15 minutes before the signal dropped off after descending down route 88. Anyone who's traveled that road knows what I mean.

I refer to Route 88 as The Valley of Darkness. It is so low-lying you lose line of sight with virtually
everything (and along with it, just about every FM signal that is not city grade). All that neon
signage makes the AM band pretty useless too.

 

[Alton]

My point was strictly in comparing 3WS to WCBS-FM. CBS-FM set an impossibly high standard for oldies stations with an uncommonly deep music library, a commitment to hiring DJs who were important to listeners in the target demo and working to re-create the "sound" of classic Top 40 radio through jingles, engineering and the freedom for DJs to be personalities.

3WS never did any of that. Aside from three hours of the Oldies Diner, it was a generic oldies station that, as you suggest, could pretty much function in any market. CBS-FM was very New York specific and deserves the title of "legendary" for the way it fit its market and its commitment (backed with much cash) to a higher standard.

No Boss, 3WS created a top station through various local connections and loyalty through it's audience. 3WS was an original and not a copycat of WCBS. I can say that those at 3WS respected WCBS, but was never going for that older sound. 3WS was (and still is) a contemporary station playing older music. That's what made it so popular among programmers. It wasn't a cookie cutter kind of station. It was the philosophy and mindset of being topical (both locally and nationally) and it just so happened the music is of the past, but presented in a way that was of the present.

And, no, I did not suggest that 3WS was a generic oldies station that could function anywhere. You don't get my earlier post. Hope you do now.

 

[Boss Radio]

My point was strictly in comparing 3WS to WCBS-FM. CBS-FM set an impossibly high standard for oldies stations with an uncommonly deep music library, a commitment to hiring DJs who were important to listeners in the target demo and working to re-create the "sound" of classic Top 40 radio through jingles, engineering and the freedom for DJs to be personalities.

3WS never did any of that. Aside from three hours of the Oldies Diner, it was a generic oldies station that, as you suggest, could pretty much function in any market. CBS-FM was very New York specific and deserves the title of "legendary" for the way it fit its market and its commitment (backed with much cash) to a higher standard.

No Boss, 3WS created a top station through various local connections and loyalty through it's audience. 3WS was an original and not a copycat of WCBS. I can say that those at 3WS respected WCBS, but was never going for that older sound. 3WS was (and still is) a contemporary station playing older music. That's what made it so popular among programmers. It wasn't a cookie cutter kind of station. It was the philosophy and mindset of being topical (both locally and nationally) and it just so happened the music is of the past, but presented in a way that was of the present.

And, no, I did not suggest that 3WS was a generic oldies station that could function anywhere. You don't get my earlier post. Hope you do now.

How was 3WS "topical?"

If it was "popular among programmers," it was because they could take the template and use it anywhere. No customizing needed.

 

[Parttimer]

I'm always amazed at the contingent that views 3WS as anything more than a successful Oldies/Gold AC station.

There were legendary stations and talent in this market... WTAE was an absolute All-Star team... the first couple of years of 13Q set the market on its ear... KQV with Brinkman, Quinn, Fred Winston and the others.

3WS was doing what lots of stations around the country were doing, playing oldies with an A/C presentation instead of the "oldies" sound, but it was rarely anything more than a good, solid station that got good, solid numbers.

And now it's pretty much an unlistenable mess. BOB-FM is 10 times more entertaining.

 

[Alton]

Boss, I'm sorry, but I'm not even going to waste my time addressing you. As I recall from past posts, you never cared for 3WS, never worked in radio and understood the dynamics of what goes on behind the scenes, you also twist words... why waste my time in conversing with you?

3WS was doing what lots of stations around the country were doing, playing oldies with an A/C presentation instead of the "oldies" sound, but it was rarely anything more than a good, solid station that got good, solid numbers.

Mmm, no not quite Parttimer. 3WS was a template that a lot of the programmers looked upon. As I said, I was working with their consultant. While you couldn't take one station and just plop it in another market (which CC seems to think you can do), there were magical elements that made 3WS a top contender in the Pittsburgh market. There was a nice competition between DVE and 3WS. 3WS was a fun station with fun people doing events of the day. Merkel and Dickson had the #1 morning ratings on 3WS quite a few times. 3WS was a popular station, in Pittsburgh and out.

Parttimer, the 3WS airstaff was legendary...from Rege Cordic, and all the old timers who got their start there, etc.

 

[Parttimer]

Boss, I'm sorry, but I'm not even going to waste my time addressing you. As I recall from past posts, you ..... never worked in radio

If Boss is who I think he is, that may be the least correct thing ever posted on this board.

Mmm, no not quite Parttimer. 3WS was a template that a lot of the programmers looked upon. As I said, I was working with their consultant. While you couldn't take one station and just plop it in another market (which CC seems to think you can do), there were magical elements that made 3WS a top contender in the Pittsburgh market. There was a nice competition between DVE and 3WS. 3WS was a fun station with fun people doing events of the day. Merkel and Dickson had the #1 morning ratings on 3WS quite a few times. 3WS was a popular station, in Pittsburgh and out.

Parttimer, the 3WS airstaff was legendary...from Rege Cordic, and all the old timers who got their start there, etc.

Rege Cordic? ROTFLMAO!!!!!!!!

Yes, he's a legend but he had no more to do with 3WS than Honus Wagner had to do with the '71 Pirates. There's 30-40 years missing in there....

If a lot of programmers looked at it, it was because it was cheap to run and made lots of money.

 

[db59]

At one time, 3WS had a top-notch airstaff that was fun to listen to and really promoted the station. Jim Merkel & Gary Dickson, Kenny Woods (whom I give credit for the best Christmas promotions they ever had), Sheri Van Dyke, Ray Walker, Mike Frasier, Theresa Colazzi, and RD Summers were the best lineup in the '90's and early 2000's. Then slowly, things fell apart. Yes, Sheri & Mike survived, but are no longer allowed to be nothing but CC puppets.

 

[Alton]

Parttimer, glad I made you laugh!

If a lot of programmers looked at it, it was because it was cheap to run and made lots of money.

Sorry, but you're wrong in this. Those other stations were trying to create the magic of 3WS for themselves. It was a an element of human production that these other stations were trying to create, from presentation to everything else 3WS did that made them a success. There's no other way to describe it. I also think they had a great staff who understood what it took to make a great radio station. I can understand now your position and other's who don't see 3WS as a great radio station. You've never experienced it from the inside. There was a special element among those people. I was lucky enough to work with the airstaff that db59 wrote about in his last post....

At one time, 3WS had a top-notch airstaff that was fun to listen to and really promoted the station. Jim Merkel & Gary Dickson, Kenny Woods (whom I give credit for the best Christmas promotions they ever had), Sheri Van Dyke, Ray Walker, Mike Frasier, Theresa Colazzi, and RD Summers were the best lineup in the '90's and early 2000's. Then slowly, things fell apart. Yes, Sheri & Mike survived, but are no longer allowed to be nothing but CC puppets.

You're looking for a reason for 3WS success then? Those people listed and especially their boss, Gary Marince. Their production guy Mike Raskovsky was also a reason 3WS was a success in their time.

DB59, you hit the nail on the head with your paragraph. But, the Christmas promotions were Marince's ideas, not Kenny's. Although, Kenny carried them out.

 

[tce]

One aspect of 3WS, when it was an oldies station, that contributed to its polished sound was the imaging done by Charlie Van Dyke. They were much more than IDs and liners - many were humorous and ironic.

 

[Alton]

One aspect of 3WS, when it was an oldies station, that contributed to its polished sound was the imaging done by Charlie Van Dyke. They were much more than IDs and liners - many were humorous and ironic.

Exactly tce! No doubt, Charlie Van Dyke was more than just a voice guy. He brought to life those irrelevant liners. Those fun and irrelevant liners were the by product of Kenny, Gary Marince, and Mike Raskovsky. Yes, Charlie Van Dyke was an important element of the success of 3WS then.

 

[tce]

They had a long-running syndicated Saturday night show - might have been
Dick Bartley's Solid Gold Saturday Night. It was well-produced and maintained a high quality sound. Oddly, it originated one night from 3WS as a tribute to the station - and the next week it was replaced by a local show.