A question about the audience

[SolidGold16]

So oldies is a good option. It is not polarizing, and many of the 60's songs were hits in Mexico, either in English or as covers in Spanish. Maybe it's not the favorite music, but it does not drive the customers batty.

Which just proves my point. This music is still popular, and people want to hear it today. And the songs I'm hearing (one comes to mind I heard there a few days ago: "Sunday will never be the same") aren't exactly heard often on KRTH (they may play it, though). It's nice to hear some variety, even if I have to be in a grocery store to hear it. It certainly isn't the case on radio.

The stations think no such thing. It's the more sophisticated advertisers, who know that the return on investment in making sales to older listeners is poor and who, thus, do not buy advertising on stations that appeal to the geezer demos.

"Sophisticated Advertisers"... sounds like an oxymoron, but in any case, I guess I'm in the "geezer demo" as you put it (I'm 55). I'll wear the badge proudly. And I have plenty of disposable income, as do many other "geezers". IMO it's the advertisers loss, throwing out an entire portion of the population. Be sure, I won't miss them under any circumstance. They will miss me, and my dollars. That's their choice.

 

[oldies76]

Which just proves my point. This music is still popular, and people want to hear it today. And the songs I'm hearing (one comes to mind I heard there a few days ago: "Sunday will never be the same") aren't exactly heard often on KRTH (they may play it, though). It's nice to hear some variety, even if I have to be in a grocery store to hear it. It certainly isn't the case on radio.

Radio should take a second look, smell the coffee and begin sounding like radio used to. All these smaller market stations spouting up with 10K playlists and little if any repetition should serve as an example for the future of radio. Many regular listeners are fed up. It's time for a change.

 

[michael hagerty]

At Half Price Books in Phoenix. They're playing a mix of 60s oldies over the loudspeaker.

Place is packed. Ages 15 to 75.

Brown Eyed Girl just came on.

No groans, no frowns. Lotsa smiles. People tapping their feet and nodding their head as they browse.

"Brown Eyed Girl" and what else? Are the songs similiar to classic hits radio (the same ole) or are you hearing songs that are rarely played on the radio?

It also demonstrates that 60's music still has mass appeal, even in places where many people of all ages congregate.

It was pretty much 60s greatest hits stuff...Good Vibrations, Happy Together, All You Need Is Love.

I posted more as an in joke than anything. As we've noted before, radio listening and group listening in a public place are two different environments. There's no way of telling how many of the people in the store would have pushed the button if they'd had one, or wouldn't have chosen to listen to 60s hits in the first place.

 

[michael hagerty]

It should be noted that Half Price Books sells used and new CDs and LPs as well as books. They tend to play music in half-hour sets. You're as likely to hear Jazz, Blues, Classical, Leonard Cohen or Bob Dylan as what they played while I was there this afternoon.

 

[SolidGold16]

Radio should take a second look, smell the coffee and begin sounding like radio used to. All these smaller market stations spouting up with 10K playlists and little if any repetition should serve as an example for the future of radio. Many regular listeners are fed up. It's time for a change.

Oldies, I think it's already too late for them to wake up. Personally, I have already given up on them and won't be back. They want to market to another demo, that's their right. When they can't understand why their ratings drop like a stone, in spite of being told why, it's hard to feel sorry for them. I've just moved on and "radio" (in the sense we're talking about it here) has lost. It's too bad, because I grew up listening to the radio and it's hard to give up, but I see no other choice.

 

[SolidGold16]

I posted more as an in joke than anything. As we've noted before, radio listening and group listening in a public place are two different environments. There's no way of telling how many of the people in the store would have pushed the button if they'd had one, or wouldn't have chosen to listen to 60s hits in the first place.

Or, just as possible it's the opposite. They may have actually enjoyed the atmosphere, and stayed/shopped longer because of it. They could vote with their feet if it bothered them at all. I know if I went into a store that played rap music, I'd be gone in a heartbeat.

 

[oldies76]

Radio should take a second look, smell the coffee and begin sounding like radio used to. All these smaller market stations spouting up with 10K playlists and little if any repetition should serve as an example for the future of radio. Many regular listeners are fed up. It's time for a change.

Oldies, I think it's already too late for them to wake up. Personally, I have already given up on them and won't be back. They want to market to another demo, that's their right. When they can't understand why their ratings drop like a stone, in spite of being told why, it's hard to feel sorry for them. I've just moved on and "radio" (in the sense we're talking about it here) has lost. It's too bad, because I grew up listening to the radio and it's hard to give up, but I see no other choice.

Same here, mainly 80's KRTH, XTRA, Disco Saturday Night on K-Big 104...etc.. Radio is just forcing the same programming down out throats and it gets boring after a while. We like change, we like variety, weekend specials and large playlists. It used to be, but not anymore. I've also resorted to change, my 6000 oldies collection at home and it's fun, very fun!

 

[oldies76]

Think of the alternatives, and how polarizing they might be.

Hip Hop? Polarizing.
CHR? Less appealing to the over-40 group... some songs negative.
Country? Polarizing.
A/C? Less "fun" as a sales environment, but comes close.

Hip Hop - You've lost my business!!
CHR - Wouldn't mind it too much, as long as the songs are appealing in nature.
Country - No thanks (Except country crossovers like Elvira, Fire Lake or Rhinestone Cowboy.....and the likes)

A/C - A good mix of several decades would be great, as long as the repetition is in check, not so much for my sake, but the employees working there.

 

[SolidGold16]

Same here, mainly 80's KRTH, XTRA, Disco Saturday Night on K-Big 104...etc.. Radio is just forcing the same programming down out throats and it gets boring after a while. We like change, we like variety, weekend specials and large playlists. It used to be, but not anymore. I've also resorted to change, my 6000 oldies collection at home and it's fun, very fun!

A while back, a friend gave me a 320GB Hard Drive with nothing but MP3 on it, thousands of songs from the 50s to the 90s, pretty much everything imaginable. I just load stuff from that onto a flash drive to play in my car. No radio needed, although my car stereo has HD radio on it, it rarely gets used.

In the past 15 Min. I heard Led Zep "Rock and Roll" then Jerry Lee Lewis' "Whole Lotta Shaking Going On", then Music Explosion "Little Bit O' Soul" in a row on "The Zephyr". This is the kind of variety I'm talking about, that we've been missing. I am absolutely loving it!

 

[oldies76]

This is the kind of variety I'm talking about, that we've been missing. I am absolutely loving it!

Zephyr sounds great man! Nice variety! Sound quality a bit wavy, but the variety outweighs that 10-1

The Bird and the Bees - Jewel Akins
Give Me Some Lovin' - Blues Brothers
Telephone Line - ELO
Give Me the Night - George Benson
Flashdance - Irene Cara
Be Thankful For What You Got - William DeVaughn (Great song from '74!!)

The wonders of small market radio!!

Have you tried Super Hits 106? Mainly 70's and 80's, but many "obscure" (songs that major markets never play) hits here.

http://superhits106.com/

 

[davideduardo]

They want to market to another demo, that's their right. When they can't understand why their ratings drop like a stone, in spite of being told why, it's hard to feel sorry for them.

The problem is that stations and advertisers don't look at the 6+ or 12+ numbers. They look at 18 to 49 and 25 to 54 or some subset of that.

Classic hits stations that "seem" to go down (such as KOLA) may loose 55+ listeners, and gain in 25-54. That means they can make more money, as they have more of the salable demos.

I've just moved on and "radio" (in the sense we're talking about it here) has lost. It's too bad, because I grew up listening to the radio and it's hard to give up, but I see no other choice.

You have obviously matured into an age group that radio can not afford to serve and can not make money serving.

 

[davideduardo]

The wonders of small market radio!!

No, that is the "strangeness" of unrated markets, where stations neither have guidance from ratings nor can they afford research. Ultimately, they have less listeners, get less results from advertisers, and end up being less successful than they could be.

 

[davideduardo]

Radio should take a second look, smell the coffee and begin sounding like radio used to. All these smaller market stations spouting up with 10K playlists and little if any repetition should serve as an example for the future of radio. Many regular listeners are fed up. It's time for a change.

Hundreds of millions of dollars worth of Arbitron and proprietary research shows that large playlists like that are the kiss of death.

Ultimately, the success of a small market station lies in success of the advertisers that use it. The problem is that many of those stations just don't know any better, or are programmed to suit the taste of the owner or...

 

[SolidGold16]

This is the kind of variety I'm talking about, that we've been missing. I am absolutely loving it!

Zephyr sounds great man! Nice variety! Sound quality a bit wavy, but the variety outweighs that 10-1

The Bird and the Bees - Jewel Akins
Give Me Some Lovin' - Blues Brothers
Telephone Line - ELO
Give Me the Night - George Benson
Flashdance - Irene Cara
Be Thankful For What I've Got - William DeVaughn (Great song from '74!!)

The wonders of small market radio!!

Have you tried Super Hits 106? Mainly 70's and 80's, but many "obscure" (songs that major markets never play) hits here.

http://superhits106.com/

Oldies, I'll find superhits106, if it's in the Grace Digital / Reciva website. If it's not, I'll have them add to their list. Once added (if it's not there already) I can add it to the list on my radio of favorite stations. I already had them add The Zephyr to the list yesterday (it wasn't there, but passed their stream test so they added it). I haven't noticed any problem with the quality, but then again, I have it playing in the living room while I'm in my office so I probably wouldn't notice anything unless it was really bad.

Wasn't it you that recommended Hippie Radio? I'm not sure if it was you or someone else, but I have that also on my favorites, it's great too. I haven't listened to Super Hits 106 yet, but I will for sure. If you say it's good, it's got to be good. And just like you (and many others, no matter what DE says) I'm starved for variety and will be happy to add any station that can play the Partridge Family and Led Zep in the same hour

 

[oldies76]

Hundreds of millions of dollars worth of Arbitron and proprietary research shows that large playlists like that are the kiss of death.

David, David....Just listen to these stations and maybe you'll see the realities here. They are broadcasting and that's what counts today and tomorrow!

"Where is the Love" By Roberta Flack and Don Hathaway (1972), when is the last time you heard that? You've got to give credit where credit is due. The Zephyr, Hippie Radio, Superhits 106, WLNG..etc..are all examples of what's right with radio. Take a listen.

 

[oldies76]

Wasn't it you that recommended Hippie Radio? I'm not sure if it was you or someone else, but I have that also on my favorites, it's great too. I haven't listened to Super Hits 106 yet, but I will for sure. If you say it's good, it's got to be good.

Uneasy Rider!! WOW, Charlie Daniels Band from 1973!!

It was Firepoint 525 that mentioned Hippie Radio....It's wonderful too!

SuperHits 106 does all number one songs on Thursdays. Heard "Star Wars / Cantina" by Meco last Thursday.

 

[SolidGold16]

The problem is that stations and advertisers don't look at the 6+ or 12+ numbers. They look at 18 to 49 and 25 to 54 or some subset of that.

Classic hits stations that "seem" to go down (such as KOLA) may loose 55+ listeners, and gain in 25-54. That means they can make more money, as they have more of the salable demos.

And how do you prove - beyond the shadow of a doubt - that the rating drop isn't from abandoning a segment of your listeners? Suddenly, because I'm 55 and not 54, I'm not considered anymore?

You have obviously matured into an age group that radio can not afford to serve and can not make money serving.

Oh, but they could make money serving me. I'd wager (although I'm not rich by any means) that my disposable income is far more than a large percentage of their listeners, especially in the younger demo. But as I already said, they made their decision, and I'm fine with that, really. I made mine, and life goes on. It's sad, but I really don't care if they sink or swim. If they can't see the forest for the trees, why should I be concerned? No loss. It's just sad to me that something that was such a big part of my life has changed into something nearly unrecognizable to me.

 

[allenv]

I have to laugh..hundreds of millions of dollars spent on radio research??? Really... 75% of that so called research is a total joke and a complete waste of money..A station would be better off to go to a few malls in their signal area,pick out 25 folks in the demo they are looking for and buy them a burger in the food court and then simply ask questions of real local potential listeners about their likes and dislikes..You learn alot more useful info than the way these "research" companies do it now..You do that every three months over a period of time and you can collect some useful feedback to put to use..

 

[michael hagerty]

I have to laugh..hundreds of millions of dollars spent on radio research??? Really... 75% of that so called research is a total joke and a complete waste of money..A station would be better off to go to a few malls in their signal area,pick out 25 folks in the demo they are looking for and buy them a burger in the food court and then simply ask questions of real local potential listeners about their likes and dislikes..You learn alot more useful info than the way these "research" companies do it now..You do that every three months over a period of time and you can collect some useful feedback to put to use..

In a town that only has 100 people in the demo, maybe.

 

[davideduardo]

And how do you prove - beyond the shadow of a doubt - that the rating drop isn't from abandoning a segment of your listeners? Suddenly, because I'm 55 and not 54, I'm not considered anymore?

There was no rating drop in 25-54. There was growth.

A 6+ drop that consists entirely of lost 55+ listeners does not affect sales. And if 25-54 grew, sales should increase as the station can get better rates.

Riverside / San Bernardino is still a big enough market for the top tier of stations to depend heavily on agency business... and agencies essentially buy no 55+.

You have obviously matured into an age group that radio can not afford to serve and can not make money serving

Oh, but they could make money serving me.

If the local, regional and national ad agencies don't buy 55+ (and they don't) then there is no way to make money based on the listening of seniors.