93.9 MIA - Not Customized Enough For Miami

[CHRles]

WMIA seems to play a lot of 80s and 90s Rhythmic and Dance music, but I'm not sure if it's customized enough for Miami. Anyone who listened to stations like I-95, Power 96, Hot 105, and Y-100 in the 80s knows these stations were all Dance friendly at some point in time, with Power 96 staying Dance leaning, or Dance friendly, all the way into the early part of this decade.
Here are some records from the 80s and 90s that I think 93.9 MIA should consider airing:

Cybotron “Clear”
Johnny O “Fantasy Girl”
Captain Hollywood Project “More & More”
Aqua “Barbie Girl”
Hazel Dean “Searching”
Information Society “Whats On Your Mind”
Information Society “Walking Away From”
Noel “Silent Morning”
Tiana “First True Love”
Miami Sound Machine “Doctor Beat”
Miami Sound Machine “1-2-3”
Herbie Hackock “Rockit”
Grandmaster Flash “White Lines”
Twilight 22 “Electric Kingdom”
Planet Patrol “Play At Your Own Risk”
Cover Girls “Inside Out”
Boys From The Bottom “Boom I Got Your Girlfriend”
JJ Fad “Supersonic”
Missy Mist “Make It Mellow”
Will To Power “Say It’s Gonna Rain”
Inner City “Good Life”
Johnny Kemp “Just Got Paid”
Dino “Summer Girls”
Samantha Fox “Touch Me”
Samantha Fox “Naughty Girls”
Bardeaux “When We Kiss”
Pet Shop Boys “Always On My Mind”
Dimples Tee “Jealous Felllas”
2 Live Crew “Me So Horny”
Jaya “If You Leave Me Now”
Shana “I Want You”
Pajama Party “Yo No Se”
Noel “Out of Time”
Soul II Soul “Back To Life”
Lil Louis “French Kiss”
Expose “What You Don’t Know”
Taylor Dayne “Prove Your Love”
Stevie B “In My Eyes”
Stevie B “I Wanna Be The One”
Snap “Rhythm Is A Dancer”
2 Unlimited “Get Ready For This”
Culture Beat “Mr. Vain”
Lime “Unexpected Lovers”
Real MCcoy “Another Night”
Amber “This Is Your Night”
Planet Soul “Set You Free”
Seduction “2 To Make It Right”
Bobby Brown “My Prerogative”
Camouflage “The Great Commandment”
Rob Base & DJ EZ Rock “It Takes Two”
Joey Kid “Counting The Days”
Donna Summer “This Time I Know It’s For Real”
Johnny O “Memories”
Cynthia “Endless Night”
Madonna “La Isla Bonita”
Madonna “Erotica”
Madonna “Like A Prayer”
Raina Page “Open Up Your Heart”
Strafe “Set It Off”
Gucci Crew “Sally That Girl”
Sweet Sensation “Take It While It’s Hot”
L’Trim “Grab It”
12 Gauge “Dunkie Butt”
95 South “Whoot There It Is”
Baby D “Let Me Be Your Fantasy”
Afro Rican “Give It All You Got”
DJ Taz “That’s Right”
Luke “Scarred”
MC Shy D “Shake It”
2 Live Crew “Banned In The USA”
2 Hyped Brothers “Doo Doo Brown”
Luke “I Wanna Rock”
DJ Laz “Red Alert”
DJ Laz “Mami El Negro”
No Mercy “Where Do You Go”
Puff Daddy “Senorita”
Ghost Town DJs “My Boo”

Ballads
Cover Girls “Promise Me”
Elisa Fiorello “Forgive Me For Dreaming”
No Mercy “When I Die”

 

[Chris_Rose]

These are some great ole skool tunes... screw MIA, I'm downloading to the iPhone baby!

 

[JayR]

Don't forget the following:

Noel "The Question"

Stevie B "Summer Nights"

DJ Laz "Journey Into Bass"

Samantha Fox "I Wanna Have Some Fun"

Cynthia "Thief Of Hearts"

SoundFactory "Understand This Groove"

 

[Groove1670]

Cool old school songs :

Add:

Hey Little Brother (Nolan Thomas)
Must Be the music -secret weapon
Space Cowboy/Pac Jam - Jonzun Crew

 

[davideduardo]

WMIA seems to play a lot of 80s and 90s Rhythmic and Dance music, but I'm not sure if it's customized enough for Miami. Anyone who listened to stations like I-95, Power 96, Hot 105, and Y-100 in the 80s knows these stations were all Dance friendly at some point in time, with Power 96 staying Dance leaning, or Dance friendly, all the way

The PPM report for June was issued today, ahead of schedule, per an Arbitron press release. A friend in the market says that in 25-54, WMIA was #4.

I don't think they need to mess with the format.

You forgot Studio 107.

 

[Groove1670]

Studio 107 and disco 96. Wowww

 

[Grk_ScorpioInTheMIA]

WMIA seems to play a lot of 80s and 90s Rhythmic and Dance music, but I'm not sure if it's customized enough for Miami. Anyone who listened to stations like I-95, Power 96, Hot 105, and Y-100 in the 80s knows these stations were all Dance friendly at some point in time, with Power 96 staying Dance leaning, or Dance friendly, all the way

The PPM report for June was issued today, ahead of schedule, per an Arbitron press release. A friend in the market says that in 25-54, WMIA was #4.

I don't think they need to mess with the format.

You forgot Studio 107.

Studio 107 was way before these songs even existed. You can't even compare both stations. That was a different era. Adding these songs to MIA's playlist will not mess up the format. MIA's main demo the 25-54 demo were teens or young adults when these songs listed were popular in Miami. Not only will the addition of these songs appeal to the 25-54 demo, it will help the station in the ratings. By keeping 93.9MIA balanced with more of a sound tailored to Miami and (NOT to sound like anywhere USA which CC really wants to do) the station will do real great in the ratings. As a DJ and someone who grew up in Miami during this era, i'll tell you and i'll tell anyone who knows music that these songs are worth airing again in Miami.

 

[Jay F]

They might not play the titles you mentioned, but they still play songs you wouldn't hear on Rhythmic ACs in other markets. Tito Nieves-I Like It Like That for example.

 

[DJ Mo]

This same station is also aired in different markets (ex: Ft. Myers Z100), so what you hear is nationalized Rhythmic AC due to cutting costs. You just hear different jingles & station ID's. This is why you don't hear much of the Freestyle tracks that Miami & SWFL REALLY wants to hear.

 

[Mike Sheridan]

WMIA seems to play a lot of 80s and 90s Rhythmic and Dance music, but I'm not sure if it's customized enough for Miami. Anyone who listened to stations like I-95, Power 96, Hot 105, and Y-100 in the 80s knows these stations were all Dance friendly at some point in time, with Power 96 staying Dance leaning, or Dance friendly, all the way

The PPM report for June was issued today, ahead of schedule, per an Arbitron press release. A friend in the market says that in 25-54, WMIA was #4.

I don't think they need to mess with the format.

You forgot Studio 107.

I know about 9 of the songs in that list. Boy am I feeling old.

David, everyone forgets Studio 107 :'( I liked it but found there were times when they played about 20 minutes of good songs followed by 20 minutes of dogs. Just my opinion

 

[davideduardo]

This same station is also aired in different markets (ex: Ft. Myers Z100), so what you hear is nationalized Rhythmic AC due to cutting costs. You just hear different jingles & station ID's. This is why you don't hear much of the Freestyle tracks that Miami & SWFL REALLY wants to hear.

Did you consider that perhaps they tested the music in Miami and found that many of those tracks are either burnt, weren't as big hits as some thought or are not familiar to may residents who did not live in Miami then?

Miami has a huge population turnover, except among Blacks, Hispanics and the elderly. That means that a large perceentage of non-Hispanic whites in Miami now did not live there during the... and pardon my language... "bi*ch and a band" freestyle era. To transplants, these are just unfamiliar songs. And an old unfamiliar song is a stiff.

 

[Groove1670]

Okay I'm all over the topic with the following comments....but here are some random thoughts.

I bet most of those songs won't ever get the chance to test because the non Hispanic white dudes in the midwest has never heard of those songs. I worked at a station that was owned by a consultant and he suggested we add (at the time) Modern English, Moving Pictures, and, Winger to the rotation because they "Tested well" (This was a Churban station)... we laughed. Miami is a unique market, regional music played a big part of the success of radio South Florida. (We had a 28 share... this is why the consultant left us alone). I have not listened to Power 96 in awhile, but I would guess they play some regional songs (but it might make up 1% of the playlist).

We talk about Bill Tanner, Kid Curry, Keith Isley, and others, the reason their stations were so successful is....they took chances. (In the music and programming). They made radio fun.

Kudo's to Tom Kent for a syndicated program it have variety, very entertaining, and has a LARGE playlist. I'm sure all the music has been "Tested" but he throws in that 1-2% curveball on the playlist.


I am in favor of a tight researched playlist. However...if we don't take some chances...radio will die....when radio quits feeding off the 35+ (when they die off) demo with classic hits and FM talk in most markets.

I know...the reply is going to be "Groups have too much invested to take that chance" This week CBS realized it had to make some tough choices with changes at WJFK and WBCN. The have also made choices with Fresh & Amp. I can't speak on those stations because I have not heard them. But at least they are thinking about change.

The way I see it...

The 25-54 still is loyal to radio somewhat.

And the 18-34 demo says.....who cares about radio....sad.

 

[musicfan]

Totally agree with you CHRles. In fact, you and I were quickly talking about MIA way backs with Jealous Fellas on another thread, and that made me think, MIA 93.9 is really not customized and designed for Miami. That is what used to make KTU cool. Who can forget that famous ''Customized and designed for New York'' jingle. That is what made KTU hot. It was customized and designed for NYC. Like DJ Mo has said, MIA is really just a typical national clone. This is why I like European radio. Allow a hand full of national radio stations, all with the same branding, and allow the other stations to be regional, and local stations. Of course this heavily capitalistic system would allow it! It's all about the $$$$ baby!

 

[musicfan]

...also, not to be a wanna be programmer but to me this is the type of station that should be day parted. I have no problem with the current format the way it is for daytime radio. The current playlist is perfect for the office, but I would definitely go harder evenings, nights and especially overnights. 93.9MIA, work and unstress at work during the day, drink and dance at home at night!

 

[jcolletta275]

Don't forget weekends! Gotta spice things up from Friday night all the way into Monday morning!

And David, I know we've clashed before, and I hate it every time we do (because you really are a good guy!), but again, you're way off here. Sure there's a lot of listener turnover in Miami, but you've got at the very LEAST a base of 2-3 Million people who have at least lived in Miami long enough to know better. On top of that, you don't program stations for the people who come and go, you program for the people who stay, because they're the ones spending more money locally in the long run. Now sure, one, maybe two stations that serve the tourists' tastes would be fine, but if a station (in this case, MIA) is going to advertise that its been customized for Miami, then it should play the music Miamians listened to in the past, not just the music everyone ELSE listened to. Otherwise, the station just comes off as disingenuous.

 

[JayR]

Miami has a huge population turnover, except among Blacks, Hispanics and the elderly. That means that a large perceentage of non-Hispanic whites in Miami now did not live there during the... and pardon my language... "bi*ch and a band" freestyle era. To transplants, these are just unfamiliar songs. And an old unfamiliar song is a stiff.

Freestyle was, and still is, big in the Miami area. That may not be the case when it comes to mainstream radio; then again, freestyle was not overexposed nationally like other genres of music (which is why freestyle has survived as long as it has).

By the way,

...perceentage...

Spell check, please.

 

[davideduardo]

Freestyle was, and still is, big in the Miami area. That may not be the case when it comes to mainstream radio; then again, freestyle was not overexposed nationally like other genres of music (which is why freestyle has survived as long as it has).

And Party sure proved that.

By the way,

...perceentage...

Spell check, please.

You have a lot of time on your hands.

 

[davideduardo]

Sure there's a lot of listener turnover in Miami, but you've got at the very LEAST a base of 2-3 Million people who have at least lived in Miami long enough to know better.

There are only 3.5 million 12+ persons in the whole market.

717,000 are Black. Most of that group does not use a station like WMIA.

1,212,000 are Spanish dominant Hispanics. That group does not use a station like WMIA much.

That leaves us with 1.5 million, between bilingual Hispanics and non-Hispanic whites. We are down to a target that is about half of what you estimate.

And, of that group, particularly in 25-54, the population turnover is huge. As it has been in the last two decades everywhere in the US, particularly in growth markets.

My point is that mobility is a big factor in gold programming anywhere the target is in the sales demos and where we have a growth market. Further, the Miami 12+ in 1990 was about 2.6 million, so 900,000 are new residents that did not live there before, or kids entering the demo.

The real issue is that it is very likely that WMIA tested all those titles. And they didn't pass.

On top of that, you don't program stations for the people who come and go, you program for the people who stay, because they're the ones spending more money locally in the long run.

Radio stations, today, program for people with PPM devices. Period. There is no criteria in any survey for length of residence, as it is not a factor considered by media buyers.

Now sure, one, maybe two stations that serve the tourists' tastes would be fine,

Tourists don't get measured, and if they do, the listening is accredited to their home market, not Miami.

but if a station (in this case, MIA) is going to advertise that its been customized for Miami, then it should play the music Miamians listened to in the past, not just the music everyone ELSE listened to. Otherwise, the station just comes off as disingenuous.

Again, I think that the music was researched in Miami, and if songs that were played in the past did not pass, they are not hits today. Remember, radio is not a museum... songs that played in the past are only played today if they are hits today.

 

[JayR]

Freestyle was, and still is, big in the Miami area. That may not be the case when it comes to mainstream radio; then again, freestyle was not overexposed nationally like other genres of music (which is why freestyle has survived as long as it has).

And Party sure proved that.

"Party" was a corporate-programmed station.

Try again...

 

[davideduardo]

"Party" was a corporate-programmed station.

Try again...

Party was locally researched. Cox is one of the least-corporate companies in the country, run by a programmer.

Even Power, which has got to be among the most uniquely programmed stations over the longest time, and which was bonded with freestyle at one point, has left freestyle as a flavor and does not play the songs that were hits 20 years ago which are not hits today.