95-5 KYOT looking for a new name

[2Son]

Exactly. I read the words, but what I heard was something like:

"We looked at the numbers from our corporate research department, and decided that our cookie-cutter smooth jazz format had run it's course, so the suits gave us a few other cookie cutter format options to choose from and we went with this one.

We can't wait to see EVA become another preset on the radios of offices everywhere around the Valley determined to never upset or even surprise the people who barely listen to the vanilla background music we provide, and if we're lucky some of them will visit the website which is indistinguishable from all the other Clear Channel websites and accidentally click through to one of our sponsors."

I guess you hate what the majority of the public likes and want to cram the Rotting Scabs and the Festering Boils down their throats instead.

No, I hate the fact that Clear Channel does cookie cutter radio. Popular music is fine, but when it is stuffed into generic and interchangeable packages and served up with the "Mix" or "Kiss" logo slapped on and the station is utterly indistinguishable from a like-named station in any other market, it sucks.

The new "EVA" station strikes me as an effort to replace a format that took as little effort as possible with another format that takes as little effort as possible.

What I hate is that Clear Channel crams boring radio down the throats of listeners. It isn't the songs, because let's face it, anybody can play a hit song on their station. What Clear Channel has failed to realize is that, once upon a time, "the majority of the public" liked entertainment along with their hit songs. Live people doing live radio and interacting with the "majority of the public" a majority of the time.

Is "EVA" doing that? Or is it more voice tracking?

Then why is Clear Channel the number one radio group in the country with the most number one stations in the country? What part of "giving the public what it wants" don't you understand?

Are they really? And isn't CC the largest radio group in the country? So perhaps it would be more likely that they would have more success since they are shoved down our throats.

I may be 40, but I know a lot of youngsters in this town and they all seem to talk about what they listen to on Pandora, Grooveshark, the whole nine yards, and it isn't KISSFM or Eva 95.5, nor the same cookie-cuttie BS music. When they hop into their cars, they are more likely to turn on Sirius than the FM dial.

I feel offended that you actually believe that Clear Channel is REALLY offering the public what the public wants. Clear Channel is feeding the public what Clear Channel wants us to hear. That's why we hear they same songs over and over again by the same artists. Yes, it's a vicious cycle. Some listeners tune into radio and are led to believe that what they are hearing is what everyone else wants to hear, so they tune in, then get bored, so they tune out.

I think many people WANT radio to succeed, so they give radio a chance. Unfortunately, radio doesn't seem to give back the same way.

 

[uncamark]

I feel offended that you actually believe that Clear Channel is REALLY offering the public what the public wants. Clear Channel is feeding the public what Clear Channel wants us to hear. That's why we hear they same songs over and over again by the same artists. Yes, it's a vicious cycle. Some listeners tune into radio and are led to believe that what they are hearing is what everyone else wants to hear, so they tune in, then get bored, so they tune out.

Documented proof that "Clear Channel is feeding the public what Clear Channel wants us to hear." Are you calling talking to thousands of people to find out what they want to hear in scientific audience research "feeding the public what Clear Channel wants us to hear?" Since when anecdotal evidence of a bunch of little malcontent dope addicts who want to hear the Rotting Scabs and the Festering Boils trump SCIENTIFIC AUDIENCE RESEARCH?

 

[KeithE4]

I feel offended that you actually believe that Clear Channel is REALLY offering the public what the public wants. Clear Channel is feeding the public what Clear Channel wants us to hear. That's why we hear they same songs over and over again by the same artists. Yes, it's a vicious cycle. Some listeners tune into radio and are led to believe that what they are hearing is what everyone else wants to hear, so they tune in, then get bored, so they tune out.

Clear Channel feeds the public the music and talk programming that will generate the most profit for Clear Channel. That, and only that, is why they exist. Apparently, there are enough people who like it that this business model is working. If it wasn't working, they'd either try something else (like they did with KYOT) or go out of business.

I think many people WANT radio to succeed, so they give radio a chance. Unfortunately, radio doesn't seem to give back the same way.

Radio is just a audio-content delivery medium. This is 2011, and radio for its own sake is irrelevant today. Speaking as a listener, it seems to me that there are too many folks in the broadcast industry that need to get over themselves.

Sure, I listen to "radio stations." But except for both KTARs, KDUS, and KCDX, those stations are online. For the most part, Phoenix stations don't provide the kind of music or talk I want to hear. If a Phoenix station broadcasts something that interests me, then I'll listen. Until then, there are plenty of choices on the interwebs. Every time I listen to one of them, I'm not listening to a Phoenix station, CC-owned or otherwise. It's called "free market competition" and it's a good thing.

 

[Ford]

a bunch of little malcontent dope addicts who want to hear the Rotting Scabs and the Festering Boils..

Mark, I'd like to point out that so far nobody has insulted you personally on this thread. The negative comments have been directed at your employers, not you, and you respond by shouting in ALL CAPS, hurling insults, and erecting a strawman argument. Nobody is demanding "Rotting Scabs and Festering Boils," Mark. Attack the argument, not the person.

I already said it isn't the music on EVA so much as the presentation. I like a lot of the music, but what goes in between and around the songs is cookie cutter crap. Voice tracked jocks, boring imaging, zero marketing, and a website that looks like it was built on a template just like all the other corporate radio websites. You scream "scientific audience research," and there's two problems with that.

One, I highly doubt the thousands of people you called would say "oh, I prefer voice tracked djs from other cities who read liner cards."

Two, it does appear that EVA was put together as a result of scientific research...and nothing else. No creativity, no "hey, what if we went out on a limb and tried to entertain people?" Like most CC stations, it is researched and focus grouped to within an inch of it's life. It is a cold, soulless lab creation, not an entertaining radio station.

Then why is Clear Channel the number one radio group in the country with the most number one stations in the country?

The same reason Wal Mart is the number one retailer. They bought up everything and pushed everyone else out of the market. Clear Channel is only number one because they have more stations than anybody. Are they better stations? I don't think so, but then, I'm just a "malcontent dope addict," right?

 

[VoiceofWayne]

How about "95.5 KYOT The Coyote"? I am NOT a fan of the new format. Say what you will about voicetracking from out of town personalities, its the music that I used to listen to. I remember a brief moment in time when Phoenix had two smooth jazz stations, KYOT and KOAZ "The Oasis" (which I knew wouldn't last long).

Now I subscribe to XM and listen to Watercolors, or stream smooth jazz online. I worry about the future of the format, and the development of new artists and music in this genre, with the lack of exposure.

 

[DrAkbar]

I mean, I get that you're keen to defend the success of your company's product, but you can't defend the quality. Clear Channel is the purveyor of cheap radio crap.

It's what the tired, poor, and huddled masses want. We're not a nation of billionaires who think they don't pay enough taxes. We're just stumblin' through one eight hour day after another and darned happy to have a job. When it comes to Clear Channel's cheap radio crap, Nurse Jeff and I always order fries and supersize the drinks!

 

[DJ_Perry]

Are they REALLY offering the public what the public wants? Or is Clear Channel feeding the public what Clear Channel wants us to hear.

I hate to admit this, but I would have to Agree that YES, CC is playing what the typical average person (within their target audience) is all about. As a DJ, I am always trying to push the boundaries at the various events I spin at. Whether it be a private party, Nightclub, Barmitzvah, Wedding, Sweet 16.....its always the same formula. I might have a small response to something out of the norm, but the Floor will always fill if I drop Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Usher, Pitbull....basically all the stuff on KISS. And keep in mind, that I deal with people within the ages from 12 to 40+. Whether they listen to KISS or not, they sure as hell Love the songs on the station. If I do an Old School set, it's the same thing....Atomic Dog, Brickhouse, Wild Cherry, and yes, even the BEE GEES! Hence the staples on Eva and Mega. Its not rocket science folks, CC is simply cashing in on what is obvious.

 

[landtuna]

There seems to be a world of difference between what passes for music at a dance club (basically just a beat) and what radio listeners want to hear when paying attention at home.

 

[2Son]

I feel offended that you actually believe that Clear Channel is REALLY offering the public what the public wants. Clear Channel is feeding the public what Clear Channel wants us to hear. That's why we hear they same songs over and over again by the same artists. Yes, it's a vicious cycle. Some listeners tune into radio and are led to believe that what they are hearing is what everyone else wants to hear, so they tune in, then get bored, so they tune out.

Documented proof that "Clear Channel is feeding the public what Clear Channel wants us to hear." Are you calling talking to thousands of people to find out what they want to hear in scientific audience research "feeding the public what Clear Channel wants us to hear?" Since when anecdotal evidence of a bunch of little malcontent dope addicts who want to hear the Rotting Scabs and the Festering Boils trump SCIENTIFIC AUDIENCE RESEARCH?

No, I'm not calling thousands of people to find out what they want to hear. Are you? Is CC? Did they ask people on their website what they would like to rename 95.5 or did they already know what they were going to name it? Was that all a gimick too?

And did you miss this part of my post? "Some listeners tune into radio and are led to believe that what they are hearing is what everyone else wants to hear, so they tune in, then get bored, so they tune out."

 

[DJ_Perry]

There seems to be a world of difference between what passes for music at a dance club (basically just a beat) and what radio listeners want to hear when paying attention at home.

That is true, but I also noted that I do all sorts of events which consist of people who don't know the 1st thing about dance clubs. What they know is mainstream media. Whether they are brainwashed by Radio, TV, or Internet like 2Son implied....most likely. But as a person who is constantly keeping up with trends of the majority vote, I can say with confidence CC has a pretty good idea.

 

[Saladressing]

Are they REALLY offering the public what the public wants? Or is Clear Channel feeding the public what Clear Channel wants us to hear.

I hate to admit this, but I would have to Agree that YES, CC is playing what the typical average person (within their target audience) is all about. As a DJ, I am always trying to push the boundaries at the various events I spin at. Whether it be a private party, Nightclub, Barmitzvah, Wedding, Sweet 16.....its always the same formula. I might have a small response to something out of the norm, but the Floor will always fill if I drop Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Usher, Pitbull....basically all the stuff on KISS. And keep in mind, that I deal with people within the ages from 12 to 40+. Whether they listen to KISS or not, they sure as hell Love the songs on the station. If I do an Old School set, it's the same thing....Atomic Dog, Brickhouse, Wild Cherry, and yes, even the BEE GEES! Hence the staples on Eva and Mega. Its not rocket science folks, CC is simply cashing in on what is obvious.

VERY insightful post. This is things as they ARE, not as some radio geek such as myself or anyone else wishes they 'should' be.

 

[2Son]

Are they REALLY offering the public what the public wants? Or is Clear Channel feeding the public what Clear Channel wants us to hear.

I hate to admit this, but I would have to Agree that YES, CC is playing what the typical average person (within their target audience) is all about. As a DJ, I am always trying to push the boundaries at the various events I spin at. Whether it be a private party, Nightclub, Barmitzvah, Wedding, Sweet 16.....its always the same formula. I might have a small response to something out of the norm, but the Floor will always fill if I drop Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Usher, Pitbull....basically all the stuff on KISS. And keep in mind, that I deal with people within the ages from 12 to 40+. Whether they listen to KISS or not, they sure as hell Love the songs on the station. If I do an Old School set, it's the same thing....Atomic Dog, Brickhouse, Wild Cherry, and yes, even the BEE GEES! Hence the staples on Eva and Mega. Its not rocket science folks, CC is simply cashing in on what is obvious.

VERY insightful post. This is things as they ARE, not as some radio geek such as myself or anyone else wishes they 'should' be.

Of course people may like what they hear on the radio, but who is picking the music that the masses will listen to on the radio? Will people tend to like only a handful of artists if they are only exposed to a handful of artists on the radio? If Clear Channel decided that they wanted to play some random stupid song, would the masses automatically accept it because CC stations said it was a good song?

I guess what I am trying to say is, who actually picks the songs that show up on the radio nowadays? I found this, but what are your thoughts?

http://pbskids.org/dontbuyit/entertainment/makingmusic_interview.html

 

[Hamp]

Exactly. I read the words, but what I heard was something like:

"We looked at the numbers from our corporate research department, and decided that our cookie-cutter smooth jazz format had run it's course, so the suits gave us a few other cookie cutter format options to choose from and we went with this one.

We can't wait to see EVA become another preset on the radios of offices everywhere around the Valley determined to never upset or even surprise the people who barely listen to the vanilla background music we provide, and if we're lucky some of them will visit the website which is indistinguishable from all the other Clear Channel websites and accidentally click through to one of our sponsors."

I guess you hate what the majority of the public likes and want to cram the Rotting Scabs and the Festering Boils down their throats instead.

No, I hate the fact that Clear Channel does cookie cutter radio. Popular music is fine, but when it is stuffed into generic and interchangeable packages and served up with the "Mix" or "Kiss" logo slapped on and the station is utterly indistinguishable from a like-named station in any other market, it sucks.

The new "EVA" station strikes me as an effort to replace a format that took as little effort as possible with another format that takes as little effort as possible.

What I hate is that Clear Channel crams boring radio down the throats of listeners. It isn't the songs, because let's face it, anybody can play a hit song on their station. What Clear Channel has failed to realize is that, once upon a time, "the majority of the public" liked entertainment along with their hit songs. Live people doing live radio and interacting with the "majority of the public" a majority of the time.

Is "EVA" doing that? Or is it more voice tracking?

Then why is Clear Channel the number one radio group in the country with the most number one stations in the country? What part of "giving the public what it wants" don't you understand?

Because Clear Channel has the MONEY!!!!! That's why!!!!! When you own the majority of media (i.e, radio) in the country who else are you really going to turn to??? The only reason why Clear Channel is successful is because they swallowed up a lot of other radio corporations, NOT necessarily because they are the best at programming stations. If my company owns the majority stake in a market, one or more of my stations is going to be in the top five or ten stations in the market by DEFAULT, no matter what the format. That's just common sense Mr. Jeffries.

 

[Hamp]

Are they REALLY offering the public what the public wants? Or is Clear Channel feeding the public what Clear Channel wants us to hear.

I hate to admit this, but I would have to Agree that YES, CC is playing what the typical average person (within their target audience) is all about. As a DJ, I am always trying to push the boundaries at the various events I spin at. Whether it be a private party, Nightclub, Barmitzvah, Wedding, Sweet 16.....its always the same formula. I might have a small response to something out of the norm, but the Floor will always fill if I drop Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Usher, Pitbull....basically all the stuff on KISS. And keep in mind, that I deal with people within the ages from 12 to 40+. Whether they listen to KISS or not, they sure as hell Love the songs on the station. If I do an Old School set, it's the same thing....Atomic Dog, Brickhouse, Wild Cherry, and yes, even the BEE GEES! Hence the staples on Eva and Mega. Its not rocket science folks, CC is simply cashing in on what is obvious.

I think the key element in your post DJ Perry is that when you have spun at a "mainstream" event. Of course if you DJ at a wedding or a sweet 16 party, those people are going to want to hear the same stuff. But what about at a club that specializes in ACTUAL Club (house, electro house, etc.)? Do those crowds want to hear the same stuff? I don't think so.

 

[DJ_Perry]

I think the key element in your post DJ Perry is that when you have spun at a "mainstream" event. Of course if you DJ at a wedding or a sweet 16 party, those people are going to want to hear the same stuff. But what about at a club that specializes in ACTUAL Club (house, electro house, etc.)? Do those crowds want to hear the same stuff? I don't think so.

But that's not the subject. I'm not trying to impress you with how much underground I know. I'm simply admitting that while CC dominates much of our media, I can recognize that the majority of what I get asked for is refected on those stations. It's not about whether I like it or not, I'm just trying to pay bills. And with CC having 5 stations in the Top 11 (including #1 and 2), how can you really debate their success?

 

[johndavis]

I think the key element in your post DJ Perry is that when you have spun at a "mainstream" event. Of course if you DJ at a wedding or a sweet 16 party, those people are going to want to hear the same stuff. But what about at a club that specializes in ACTUAL Club (house, electro house, etc.)? Do those crowds want to hear the same stuff? I don't think so.

Where I work (which is not Clear Channel) we cume about a million people right now. We got there by playing songs that people know and love. If they didn't like what we played, we'd have a cume of zero. If we didn't play songs that people knew, we'd have a cume of zero. (and I worked for the old AAA KZON - I know a thing or two about what happens when you play really obscure records on a 100,000 watt station on South Mountain)

I know all the words to every song in the library where I work, and after 20-30 years there are songs that I'm sick of, but there's stuff I still crank up every time I hear the first note no matter how many times I hear it. That's why it works.

This is how radio worked before consolidation, and this is how radio will continue to work whether it's on FM, IP, or something that hasn't been invented yet. If you play stuff that a lot of people know and love, you will do well. If you play 10 in a row that people don't know, you won't.

In your attempt to trash DJ Perry, you undercut your own argument. Radio IS mainstream. If you want electro house, the place to get it is either in a nightclub where you can fit all of the fans of the genre under that roof or online where you can amass enough of a cume over a wider area. But if you want a million or more ears from across a couple hundred miles on the radio, you can either go mainstream or you can go broke.

 

[2Son]

I think the key element in your post DJ Perry is that when you have spun at a "mainstream" event. Of course if you DJ at a wedding or a sweet 16 party, those people are going to want to hear the same stuff. But what about at a club that specializes in ACTUAL Club (house, electro house, etc.)? Do those crowds want to hear the same stuff? I don't think so.

Where I work (which is not Clear Channel) we cume about a million people right now. We got there by playing songs that people know and love. If they didn't like what we played, we'd have a cume of zero. If we didn't play songs that people knew, we'd have a cume of zero. (and I worked for the old AAA KZON - I know a thing or two about what happens when you play really obscure records on a 100,000 watt station on South Mountain)

I know all the words to every song in the library where I work, and after 20-30 years there are songs that I'm sick of, but there's stuff I still crank up every time I hear the first note no matter how many times I hear it. That's why it works.

This is how radio worked before consolidation, and this is how radio will continue to work whether it's on FM, IP, or something that hasn't been invented yet. If you play stuff that a lot of people know and love, you will do well. If you play 10 in a row that people don't know, you won't.

In your attempt to trash DJ Perry, you undercut your own argument. Radio IS mainstream. If you want electro house, the place to get it is either in a nightclub where you can fit all of the fans of the genre under that roof or online where you can amass enough of a cume over a wider area. But if you want a million or more ears from across a couple hundred miles on the radio, you can either go mainstream or you can go broke.

Out of all due respect John, isn't EVERYTHING obscure for the masses until it gets played on the radio? How do you think people actually get to know songs? If you only played songs that everyone already knew, you wouldn't be playing new songs, right? So how do you explain CHR playing new songs?

 

[DJ_Perry]

Out of all due respect John, isn't EVERYTHING obscure for the masses until it gets played on the radio? How do you think people actually get to know songs? If you only played songs that everyone already knew, you wouldn't be playing new songs, right? So how do you explain CHR playing new songs?

Because most of the time, a breaking artists desires to be mainstream, so therefore they market themselves that way. Their label promotes within that format. It's not like CC is going through new CDs and saying...."hey, I like this...lets try it!" No, the songs are all presented by promotional money. If the artist can get a break on MTV or somewhere else just as big, then the rest falls into place. The sheep will follow (and yes that includes stations following trends).

 

[bosoxphx]

I miss the personality of radio. I feel radio stations should be a good community partner and speak to their audience as if they were sitting around a dinner table. There are a few stations who still have live jocks that can relate to what we listeners are doing every day.

If the jock lives in another city how can they relate to what is going on in town?

Question for all the radio experts...can the typical listener tell if a jock is live or memorex? I think I can tell but I wonder if I am not the norm.

I listened to 95.5 and I don't think any of the jocks are live. Bring back live and local voices to radio please.

 

[oldiesfan6479]

Question for all the radio experts...can the typical listener tell if a jock is live or memorex?
I think I can tell but I wonder if I am not the norm.

The jock is probably tracked if:

--All the talkups are perfect (assuming the Audio Vault is working properly).
--You never hear the current time (you might hear "it's about a quarter past seven").
--There is no current weather read.
--If some big news item broke in the past hour, you wouldn't hear about it.

(Feel free to add to this.)