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94.7

On a trip to Chicago the other day I had the pleasure of listening to a few hours of 94.7 true oldies. It was great to catch Scott Shannon and Greg Brown. In my opinion they are throwbacks to the DJ's of old. I thought their playlists were great as i heard songs there I don't normally hear on other oldies stations. Keep up the good work. I will be listening despite being over 400 miles away. There is nothing in the Pittsburgh or Youngstown radio areas that compares to you.
 
That's great, but I bet you would turn away the 27th time you hear "the Gypsy Cried" or "It's my Party" too!
Not to mention the dozen or so songs they repeat that I've never heard before. I've enjoyed Oldies stations, but this one is stale.
What a waste of a powerful signal. Considering that they ranked 23rd in revenue at less than $6 mil in 2007, it shouldn't be long for Citadel to try another format.

Well, it's always been a cursed signal. Anybody remember Disco DAI?
 
I am still looking for my airchecks from Disco DAI.
I was a pretty cool time while Lujack, Edwards, Dahl and Meier were all at the same station,
(upstairs/downstairs AM/FM) at Michigan and Wacker.
But since then, 94.7 has been in search of success.
I'd listen if they'd dig deep enough to surprise me, but that would be commercially unviable.
 
Citadel seems to have already begun slowly moving away from the more traditional oldies format. Shannon's voicetracks notwithstanding.

The fact that they're underperforming as a revenue generator and that they're emphasising classic hits over true oldies should be enough evidence to illustrate this. Sad, because the overall ratings are decent and the station is still reasonably listenable.
 
Not being a radio person, I hope I don't sound stupid here, but does that mean or do you feel that the format will continue (and the DJ's safe) or do you think the station's format will disappear. I listen daily online from 500 miles away and except for the 2 or 3 instrumentals they use as filler in lieu of something else, I don't turn it off. I love listening to Shannon, Greg Brown and if I am still here Dick Biondi. If I have to get on the computer at home I will turn on this station while I am on it. Although my opinion means nothing they have attracted me as a listener.
 
cyberdad said:
Citadel seems to have already begun slowly moving away from the more traditional oldies format. Shannon's voicetracks notwithstanding.

The fact that they're underperforming as a revenue generator and that they're emphasising classic hits over true oldies should be enough evidence to illustrate this. Sad, because the overall ratings are decent and the station is still reasonably listenable.

That's a damn shame because I also enjoy 94.7's playlist. It's an excellent station that is so very refreshing when compared with similarly formatted station in other markets. And, hearing Dick Biondi is a real treat! As for burn-out, you don't know how good you have it. 94.7's playlist is at least double (if not triple) that of the typical "classic hits" station. How may times can you hear "Build Me Up Buttercup" or "Takin' Care of Business" or any number of other now burned out songs? The "oldies" or "classic hits" stations in most major markets have become so monotonous that it's not even funny. Researched to death and tight as a small drum. In other words: BORING.

No, 94.7 is a breath of fresh air by comparison.

Sadly, it sounds like the station may fall victim to the ad agencies' "fuzzy math" where a good station with lots of the "wrong" listeners ends up making less money than another station with far fewer listeners - but the right demos.

There's something inherently wrong with this in that we're rapidly headed for the day when large tracts of the public end up being underserved or (to use a PC term) "disenfranchised" from radio and TV.
 
See Feder's column today. They hired a new GM who wants to localize it. So, maybe more of the great voices will be returning. Plus, I think they should switch their calls to WLS FM. I don't get why they hang on to the WZZN calls.
 
Brian Stevens said:
See Feder's column today. They hired a new GM who wants to localize it. So, maybe more of the great voices will be returning. Plus, I think they should switch their calls to WLS FM. I don't get why they hang on to the WZZN calls.
I like this idea. The new GM was GM on WJMK, the former oldies station and did great things with that station. It still is my favorite radio station (not the JACK-FM format). I hope he brings Landecker and Winston back to the airwaves. They're terrific personalities! I have a feeling that this will work good. WZZN needs to get rid of Shannon and his New York voicetracks!

My line-up would be this:

5-10am: Fred Winston
10am-3pm: Greg Brown
3pm-7pm: John Records Landecker
7pm-Midnight: Dick Biondi
Midnight-5am: Scott Shannon or Scott Mackay

I'd put Winston on in the morning because he's great to wake-up to, much better than Scott Mackay! I'd put Shannon or Mackay on overnight because there's less listeners then. I'd move Brown back to midday's where he thrived at WJMK. Landecker on in afternoon drive time because he had high ratings previously last year. Biondi can stay where he is because he's been a night jock for as long as I can remember. But this is only my "fantasy" line-up. It would be great to have it work this way. I predicted in 2005 that a lot of the former WJMK staff would wind up at WZZN, and so far most have, so I hope that the new GM does things the Chicago way!
 
I also like the idea of the WLS calls being returned, I also like the idea of Fred Winston returning to the air either at 94.7 or
anywhere in Chicago, he has been on many different formats over the years and his wit and great sense of humor(IMHO) plays
well with every age group and any format. I also hope that 94.7 remains oldies. I was a big fan of the rock format of THE ZONE
and was upset when it collapsed, but I thought it was great they gave the oldies format back to the listeners of Chicago including
me. I would love to see a real hard rock station return to Chicago but I hope it is not at the expense of the oldies format.
 
greenboy said:
I also like the idea of the WLS calls being returned, I also like the idea of Fred Winston returning to the air either at 94.7 or
anywhere in Chicago, he has been on many different formats over the years and his wit and great sense of humor(IMHO) plays
well with every age group and any format. I also hope that 94.7 remains oldies. I was a big fan of the rock format of THE ZONE
and was upset when it collapsed, but I thought it was great they gave the oldies format back to the listeners of Chicago including
me. I would love to see a real hard rock station return to Chicago but I hope it is not at the expense of the oldies format.
I agree. What I'd love to see is WJMK become oldies and WZZN change back to rock, but that's just a dream (and will remain that way!) I like the oldies format. I began listening to WZZN in earnest when WJMK-HD2 collapsed in July 2006 when it dumped its dj's. WJMK was much better as an oldies station, but WZZN is good, and would be better if more local personalities were put on-air. WZZN also needs local weekend dj's. Listening on the weekends now is terrible!
 
How 'bout:

Lujack/Edwards: 5AM to 9AM
Scott Miller or Greg Brown: 9:AM to Noon
Fred Winston or JRL Noon to 4PM, with the other 4PM to 8PM
Dick Biondi 8PM to Midnight
Overnights: Anyone but Scott Shannon. He needs to pack his voice and stay in NYC.

That lineup would bring a few listeners and advertisers to the station. THEN they could bring back the 'LS calls.
 
KlunkLetter said:
How 'bout:

Lujack/Edwards: 5AM to 9AM
Scott Miller or Greg Brown: 9:AM to Noon
Fred Winston or JRL Noon to 4PM, with the other 4PM to 8PM
Dick Biondi 8PM to Midnight
Overnights: Anyone but Scott Shannon. He needs to pack his voice and stay in NYC.

That lineup would bring a few listeners and advertisers to the station. THEN they could bring back the 'LS calls.
I like you idea. Lujack and Edwards in the morning. Brilliant! I'd put Brown on over Miller and Winston on from Noon to 4pm, with JRL after him. Scott Miller can do overnights.
 
Well, it's always been a cursed signal. Anybody remember Disco DAI?
[/quote]

Oh my god! WDAI sends a chill up my spine! that station brings back lots of scary memories to me!
Why did you even bother to bring this up?

Do you remember the Disco Demolition back in 1979 over at White Sox Park?
 
[/quote]
Oh my god! WDAI sends a chill up my spine! that station brings back lots of scary memories to me!
Why did you even bother to bring this up?

Do you remember the Disco Demolition back in 1979 over at White Sox Park?
[/quote]

I bring it up because it's the same frequency (94.7). Every market has a signal that never succeeds. In LA it's the old KZLA signal. ABC spent millions of dollars trying to compete with WKQX for the New Rock/Alternative format and failed.

DIsco Demolition was not on DAI. That was Steve and Garry on The Loop.
 
How do you guys know all these people would be available again with the way radio seems to be going. You just get settled in and something like Jack takes place and you are displaced again.
 
Oh my god! WDAI sends a chill up my spine! that station brings back lots of scary memories to me!
Why did you even bother to bring this up?

Do you remember the Disco Demolition back in 1979 over at White Sox Park?
[/quote]

I bring it up because it's the same frequency (94.7). Every market has a signal that never succeeds. In LA it's the old KZLA signal. ABC spent millions of dollars trying to compete with WKQX for the New Rock/Alternative format and failed.

[/quote]

Except they took the cheap route on morning drive where the Zone was concerned. Nothing they had could take on Mancow and Stern. Ironically, less than a year after WZZN flipped, Stern was gone to Sirius and Mancow was off in Chicago.

Every format change they did on that station for about 20 years led to direct competition with an established station in the same format.....Z95 vs. B96, WLS-FM Talks vs. the Loop, Kicks Country vs. US99, CD 94.7 vs. WCKG, Zone vs. Q101. All failed. Finally they hit upon oldies with no competition, and it's still struggling. Maybe it truly is Chicago's cursed frequency, though AM 1000 is also in the running.
 
Personally, I'd give the cursed frequency award for am to 1160.

Both 1000 and 1160 "had their day" from time to time. 1160 enjoyed a measure of success (in order) with top 40, country, and as "incubator" for WSCR. But 1000 had legendary status as one of America's leading top 40 stations when it was "Super 'CFL".
 
I agree. What I'd love to see is WJMK become oldies and WZZN change back to rock, but that's just a dream (and will remain that way!) I like the oldies format. I began listening to WZZN in earnest when WJMK-HD2 collapsed in July 2006 when it dumped its dj's. WJMK was much better as an oldies station, but WZZN is good, and would be better if more local personalities were put on-air. WZZN also needs local weekend dj's. Listening on the weekends now is terrible!
[/quote]

Growing up in Chicago (now in Louisville KY) i LOVED "Magic 104" and then "Oldies 104.3"... but lets face it... WJMK is DEAD! And, unfortuantely, so is the "oldies" format.
 
KlunkLetter said:
How 'bout:

Lujack/Edwards: 5AM to 9AM
Scott Miller or Greg Brown: 9:AM to Noon
Fred Winston or JRL Noon to 4PM, with the other 4PM to 8PM
Dick Biondi 8PM to Midnight
Overnights: Anyone but Scott Shannon. He needs to pack his voice and stay in NYC.

That lineup would bring a few listeners and advertisers to the station. THEN they could bring back the 'LS calls.

Definitely a good lineup, especially because there's no way I'd settle for a lineup without Biondi! He's gotta be on there, no matter who else may come or go! ;)
 
Did any of you guys see yesterday's Feder Column? He pointed out that now that Citadel has made all these cuts, the expansion plan for local voices on 94.7 seems quite unlikely. If true, that is really a shame!
 
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