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AAF vs BCN
- Thread starter Lucylu
- Start date
Hi Lucy Lu,
If memory serves (and as Danny Klein of J Geils says, never know when you've got Bluezheimerz), Oedipus was a lowly jock when the WBCN strike happened. He was doing 5 minutes on Maxanne Sartori's show and helping out and doing weekends and stuff. Was he P.D. when the strike happened? I think it was Charlie Kendall, who was always nice and friendly, or Sam Kopper. Anway, I think Mel Karmazin got to like Oedi and that's how he climbed up the ranks, probably after the strike.
If memory serves (and as Danny Klein of J Geils says, never know when you've got Bluezheimerz), Oedipus was a lowly jock when the WBCN strike happened. He was doing 5 minutes on Maxanne Sartori's show and helping out and doing weekends and stuff. Was he P.D. when the strike happened? I think it was Charlie Kendall, who was always nice and friendly, or Sam Kopper. Anway, I think Mel Karmazin got to like Oedi and that's how he climbed up the ranks, probably after the strike.
Infinity purchased the Boston Concert Network and Little Walter and Arnie Woo Woo Ginsburg quit, Oedipus decided to stay and fight. There was a lot of nastiness aimed at the d.j.s who went on the air during the strike. It was quite newsworthy and Oedi got his chops (as well as licked his chops) on the experience. It went to his head and the somewhat tolerable person became a huge megalomaniac with power from on high (his Rabbi Mel) but no real substance of his own. We all hear how he has so much money and is so happy, but truth be told, everyone who was once a player would like to stay in the game. Oedi is out. He is poison. Maybe he can run a radio station at Cedar Junction, but the radio industry has had enough of his b.s. No one is banging down the door for him to work at XM or Sirius. Haven't seen Julie Kahn looking for the boy genius to turn WRKO around.
Heck, even Mark P. got to run a comedy channel at XM before his indiscretions caught up with him.
If O was so important, why didn't he get an offer like that?
Heck, even Mark P. got to run a comedy channel at XM before his indiscretions caught up with him.
If O was so important, why didn't he get an offer like that?
Varulven said:
I always wondered what BCN stood for. Thanks for the history lesson.
nh radio child it was a CLASSICAL station, possibly prior to WCRB (Eli would probably know that fact, or Dan Strassberg). The rock & roll started on the overnights I believe and then wonderfully infiltrated the
Boston Concert Network.
Read MANSION ON THE HILL
http://www.amazon.com/Mansion-Hill-Springsteen-Head-Collision/dp/0679743774
It goes hand-in-hand with this book on Payola & Corruption, THE HIT MAKERS
http://www.amazon.com/Hit-Men-Broke...0613/ref=pd_bxgy_b_text_b/104-9003117-9197546
you have to get the paperback edition, it contains a bonus chapter on the Fall of Yetnikoff, which
came about, no doubt, because of the book
More good reading here:
http://www.trussel.com/lyman/rockroll.htm
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1568/is_n3_v29/ai_20150673
The theme Goodman purports to examine - the corruption of rock 'n' roll by the corporate sharks and assorted money-grubbing sharpies - is too huge and convoluted to be expressed in a unified narrative. Goodman thus chooses a handful of figures to stand in for larger trends. The businessmen whose tales he tells include Ray Riepen, founder of Boston's first big rock club, The Tea Party, and first free-form FM rock radio station, WBCN; Frank Barcelona and Dee Anthony of the leading rock booking agency Premier Talent;
OR JUST PUT WBCN MANSION ON THE HILL into Google
Boston Concert Network.
Read MANSION ON THE HILL
http://www.amazon.com/Mansion-Hill-Springsteen-Head-Collision/dp/0679743774
It goes hand-in-hand with this book on Payola & Corruption, THE HIT MAKERS
http://www.amazon.com/Hit-Men-Broke...0613/ref=pd_bxgy_b_text_b/104-9003117-9197546
you have to get the paperback edition, it contains a bonus chapter on the Fall of Yetnikoff, which
came about, no doubt, because of the book
More good reading here:
http://www.trussel.com/lyman/rockroll.htm
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1568/is_n3_v29/ai_20150673
The theme Goodman purports to examine - the corruption of rock 'n' roll by the corporate sharks and assorted money-grubbing sharpies - is too huge and convoluted to be expressed in a unified narrative. Goodman thus chooses a handful of figures to stand in for larger trends. The businessmen whose tales he tells include Ray Riepen, founder of Boston's first big rock club, The Tea Party, and first free-form FM rock radio station, WBCN; Frank Barcelona and Dee Anthony of the leading rock booking agency Premier Talent;
OR JUST PUT WBCN MANSION ON THE HILL into Google
I wonder if Lucy Lu ever paid an advance to an artist and recouped the money spent on manufacturing the recordings; or if when said royalty checks were sent to an artist on a record, like Jonathan Richman who appears on the record, and Jonathan sends a postcard that there was no check in the envelope, then another correspondence that his (now ex) wife took the check, I wonder if Lucy Lie will stop printing lies about people without knowing the truth.
Or how many copies we gave to WBCN before it was a hit on the radio station. Truth be told, I personally put copies in each and every disc jockey's mailbox because I refused to play the payola game. So if the program director put his hands into the mailboxes and grabbed the copies, he did the dirty deed without our knowledge. But I believe Carter and Jimmy Mack and all the people I personally brought discs to actually GOT their copies of Moe Tucker's disc b/w Lady Carolyn and my band.
Our philosophy was to give every jock a copy - legitimately, not to give a pile of 25 discs to the program director. But that's us. Gee, wonder if Lucy Lu pitched in on the mailing to hundreds of college radio stations, the packaging, the postage, the time and effort. I have reported your post to the moderator for being defamatory in nature and off topic. We paid the artist an advance and we did a lot more promotion for the disc than most independent labels can do, but that's just a language someone on the sidelines like LucyLu doesn't understand.
Another thing Lucy Lu doesn't understand is that our record sales were decimated when a bootlegger took the track and got it to the Velvets Fans on a boxed set THANKING MY LABEL and stiffing us on any funds. Try suing a label you can't find. Whenever our records starting making waves, Unnatural Axe, Willie Loco, The Count and Moe Tucker, all four of our main artists were bootlegged in some way, shape or form. It is all the energy I put into launching the projects, all the funds I put into it, that evaporated when some individual - possibly Lucy Lu or friends of hers, would lift the recordings and sell them on the black market. But that's the difference between making a dream happen with little funding, or a big radio station taking the promo copies and selling them to Nuggets. Now when one of our artists personally delivered 25 copies to WBCN, he said "Oedipus did a better job of distribution than the distributor did". Which is factually correct. Our distributor took two weeks to get them into the system (it was easier for us to ship 'em out on our own but Distributors have rules) and Oedipus only had to have Roy get into the white van and drop 'em off at the various retailers. That took a good $200.00 in cold hard cash from the independent label, which coincidentally was our freight fees when they came up from the pressing plant. [EDIT]
[EDIT=inflammatory.]
Or how many copies we gave to WBCN before it was a hit on the radio station. Truth be told, I personally put copies in each and every disc jockey's mailbox because I refused to play the payola game. So if the program director put his hands into the mailboxes and grabbed the copies, he did the dirty deed without our knowledge. But I believe Carter and Jimmy Mack and all the people I personally brought discs to actually GOT their copies of Moe Tucker's disc b/w Lady Carolyn and my band.
Our philosophy was to give every jock a copy - legitimately, not to give a pile of 25 discs to the program director. But that's us. Gee, wonder if Lucy Lu pitched in on the mailing to hundreds of college radio stations, the packaging, the postage, the time and effort. I have reported your post to the moderator for being defamatory in nature and off topic. We paid the artist an advance and we did a lot more promotion for the disc than most independent labels can do, but that's just a language someone on the sidelines like LucyLu doesn't understand.
Another thing Lucy Lu doesn't understand is that our record sales were decimated when a bootlegger took the track and got it to the Velvets Fans on a boxed set THANKING MY LABEL and stiffing us on any funds. Try suing a label you can't find. Whenever our records starting making waves, Unnatural Axe, Willie Loco, The Count and Moe Tucker, all four of our main artists were bootlegged in some way, shape or form. It is all the energy I put into launching the projects, all the funds I put into it, that evaporated when some individual - possibly Lucy Lu or friends of hers, would lift the recordings and sell them on the black market. But that's the difference between making a dream happen with little funding, or a big radio station taking the promo copies and selling them to Nuggets. Now when one of our artists personally delivered 25 copies to WBCN, he said "Oedipus did a better job of distribution than the distributor did". Which is factually correct. Our distributor took two weeks to get them into the system (it was easier for us to ship 'em out on our own but Distributors have rules) and Oedipus only had to have Roy get into the white van and drop 'em off at the various retailers. That took a good $200.00 in cold hard cash from the independent label, which coincidentally was our freight fees when they came up from the pressing plant. [EDIT]
[EDIT=inflammatory.]
M
Mickey37
Guest
Varulven said:
JOE!!
Let me begin by saying I do not know Lucy personally, I jsut find her posts hilarious.
[EDIT]
All I'm asking is for you to take it down a notch, brother.
[EDIT--inflammatory.]
Swift Boat Veterans for Truth is the biggest lie on earth. I call them Swift Boat Veterans for Bush.
Please prove me wrong. And also note that I post credible links, Mickey 37, to backup my claims.
I have not called you a liar, and you defame people when you say that. When people have the right motives at heart it is either the truth, an error or a joke. Pick which one, but don't use the "lie" word unless you are discussing Lucy Lu making a bold statement not based in reality. Until she pays for the pressing, promotion, freight, labor, etc and has those facts and figures in hand, or the fact that we little labels get bootlegged and get promo copies sold at retail, maybe Lucy Lu should apologize or tame her mouth down.
Lucy is humorous at the little guys' expense, and that's not playing fair.
I think the thing that really makes me angriest is the bootleg scenario where we had no chance to fight back.
It's one thing when a GO GOs or REM leaves the indy label for greener pastures (and Moe did only one record with us, which was her right, before starting her own label; though she thanked me years later with Sterling Morrison by her side, for making it all happen), but how much support does an indy label get financing the pressing, the cover/sleeve, the freight, the promotion, the manpower, or when a GREENWORLD goes out of business (one of our distributors) stiffing us for all the money they owed.
I sold my precious coin collection to make the Moe Tucker record happen. That was an investment I lost to make another investment happen, which got bootlegged. That was a labor of love that I would do again.
Did I become a rich man off it or any of my records? What I have created is valuable and historic, and some things are worth more than dollars. But that's art and that's love and it is a language Lucy can't comprehend or appreciate.
Nice? Then add Oedipus into the mix and do the math. We won't even get into the price gouging eBay does.
Please prove me wrong. And also note that I post credible links, Mickey 37, to backup my claims.
I have not called you a liar, and you defame people when you say that. When people have the right motives at heart it is either the truth, an error or a joke. Pick which one, but don't use the "lie" word unless you are discussing Lucy Lu making a bold statement not based in reality. Until she pays for the pressing, promotion, freight, labor, etc and has those facts and figures in hand, or the fact that we little labels get bootlegged and get promo copies sold at retail, maybe Lucy Lu should apologize or tame her mouth down.
Lucy is humorous at the little guys' expense, and that's not playing fair.
I think the thing that really makes me angriest is the bootleg scenario where we had no chance to fight back.
It's one thing when a GO GOs or REM leaves the indy label for greener pastures (and Moe did only one record with us, which was her right, before starting her own label; though she thanked me years later with Sterling Morrison by her side, for making it all happen), but how much support does an indy label get financing the pressing, the cover/sleeve, the freight, the promotion, the manpower, or when a GREENWORLD goes out of business (one of our distributors) stiffing us for all the money they owed.
I sold my precious coin collection to make the Moe Tucker record happen. That was an investment I lost to make another investment happen, which got bootlegged. That was a labor of love that I would do again.
Did I become a rich man off it or any of my records? What I have created is valuable and historic, and some things are worth more than dollars. But that's art and that's love and it is a language Lucy can't comprehend or appreciate.
Nice? Then add Oedipus into the mix and do the math. We won't even get into the price gouging eBay does.
M
Mickey37
Guest
Varulven said:
The Swift Boaters may have had a political agenda, but the candidate himself didn't come out swinging against them. Wonder why? It's called full-contact politics.
Lucy is humorous, period, and she has good insight into the radio world. And this is what we're here to discuss - radio!
right, Radio, Mickey 37; Bush was behind the Swift Boats as surely as Karl Rove put it into motion. Bush told us the truth about WMDs? Get real.
and because this is a RADIO board, it's a reason why Lucy should thank people who do the hard work and make the records that go on radio. She should also apologize to all of us for disrupting the thread.
5 bootleggers including Boston's TAANG records and another Boston label, Throbbing Lobster in their next incarnation, bootlegged the AXE. The band had me send a cease and desist to Taang and they stopped, but this stuff is maddening and really is upsetting. Hey Lucy Lu, you know how much we spend in storage of all the tapes per month? You could buy a nice car with the big bucks I spend MONTHLY just to preserve this material.
You have no clue what running an indy label is all about.
In conclusion, Andrew Ridgely is not considered "art"; Moe Tucker is...imho
and because this is a RADIO board, it's a reason why Lucy should thank people who do the hard work and make the records that go on radio. She should also apologize to all of us for disrupting the thread.
5 bootleggers including Boston's TAANG records and another Boston label, Throbbing Lobster in their next incarnation, bootlegged the AXE. The band had me send a cease and desist to Taang and they stopped, but this stuff is maddening and really is upsetting. Hey Lucy Lu, you know how much we spend in storage of all the tapes per month? You could buy a nice car with the big bucks I spend MONTHLY just to preserve this material.
You have no clue what running an indy label is all about.
In conclusion, Andrew Ridgely is not considered "art"; Moe Tucker is...imho
What do any of the previous 6 or 7 posts have to do with "AAF vs BCN"?
2
2004RedSox
Guest
Lucylu said:
Neanderpaul makes a good point.
This post by 2004RedSox is appreciated, though in my opinion it comes with one blatant error (again, that is opinion, it is arguable):
Here's the real story from someone that was there. The strike was all about control and $$$. Hemisphere Broadcasting got bad advice from their lawyers when they purchased WBCN. (note: at the time, BCN was only their 3rd station). And WBCN had an iron clad union contract in place. What made this contract unique in the radio industry was everyone at the station was in the union, including the sales staff. The lawyers advised the new owners to fire the majority of the support staff, keeping only key on-air personalities and others deemed valuable to the station. This, they were told by the lawyers would break the union and get them out from under the restrictive union contract where even the sales commission rate was locked in stone. However, they underestimated the resolve of the employees led by key players such as Charles L. and quickly found themselves in the middle of an ugly strike. As history shows, the owners caved, the employees prevailed and WBCN entered a new era in their history (circa. 1979). Tony Berardini was the program director for a few years following the strike with a young Oedipus doing mostly evening on air shifts. Heavily involved in the burgeoning new wave music scene, Oedipus endeared himself to Berardini who after being promoted to general manager, wisely named Oedipus to take over program directing duties. The "Rock of Boston" was invented and the station took off for a run in the eighties that was an incredible ride to be a part of. At that time listeners had an emotional attachement to WBCN that in my opinion, will be difficult if not impossible to match again.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Charlie Kendall, in my opinion, was more down to earth than Mr. Berardini. Imho. Also, the word "wisely" used in the description of the naming of Oedipus to take over P.D. duties is worthy of argument and certainly up for debate. Take this from a man Oedipus authorized to send an aircheck to Harry Nelson at WRKO. Oedi was very appreciative of my efforts on his behalf.
Oedi is the proverbial double-edged sword. He had the passion for what we were doing in the trenches. He supported our efforts, but he got too full of himself too quickly. Had Oedipus not enjoyed the success he had with Tony and Mel at WBCN, had he remained like Morgan Huke at WMFO or Raccoon Radio at WMWM, it is quite possible that Oedipus would've remained a very likeable guy. It really is a tragedy how absolute power in a little pond corrupted absolutely. Oedi was fun in the early days when he was not prone to indulgences and when he was perfecting his craft. Certainly not the greatest voice or good delivery, but he had the passion and we will never take THAT aspect away from him.
This post by 2004RedSox is appreciated, though in my opinion it comes with one blatant error (again, that is opinion, it is arguable):
Here's the real story from someone that was there. The strike was all about control and $$$. Hemisphere Broadcasting got bad advice from their lawyers when they purchased WBCN. (note: at the time, BCN was only their 3rd station). And WBCN had an iron clad union contract in place. What made this contract unique in the radio industry was everyone at the station was in the union, including the sales staff. The lawyers advised the new owners to fire the majority of the support staff, keeping only key on-air personalities and others deemed valuable to the station. This, they were told by the lawyers would break the union and get them out from under the restrictive union contract where even the sales commission rate was locked in stone. However, they underestimated the resolve of the employees led by key players such as Charles L. and quickly found themselves in the middle of an ugly strike. As history shows, the owners caved, the employees prevailed and WBCN entered a new era in their history (circa. 1979). Tony Berardini was the program director for a few years following the strike with a young Oedipus doing mostly evening on air shifts. Heavily involved in the burgeoning new wave music scene, Oedipus endeared himself to Berardini who after being promoted to general manager, wisely named Oedipus to take over program directing duties. The "Rock of Boston" was invented and the station took off for a run in the eighties that was an incredible ride to be a part of. At that time listeners had an emotional attachement to WBCN that in my opinion, will be difficult if not impossible to match again.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Charlie Kendall, in my opinion, was more down to earth than Mr. Berardini. Imho. Also, the word "wisely" used in the description of the naming of Oedipus to take over P.D. duties is worthy of argument and certainly up for debate. Take this from a man Oedipus authorized to send an aircheck to Harry Nelson at WRKO. Oedi was very appreciative of my efforts on his behalf.
Oedi is the proverbial double-edged sword. He had the passion for what we were doing in the trenches. He supported our efforts, but he got too full of himself too quickly. Had Oedipus not enjoyed the success he had with Tony and Mel at WBCN, had he remained like Morgan Huke at WMFO or Raccoon Radio at WMWM, it is quite possible that Oedipus would've remained a very likeable guy. It really is a tragedy how absolute power in a little pond corrupted absolutely. Oedi was fun in the early days when he was not prone to indulgences and when he was perfecting his craft. Certainly not the greatest voice or good delivery, but he had the passion and we will never take THAT aspect away from him.
T
TowerBuzz
Guest
Varulven writes:
actually the 1970s when they did things unique and untried.
You discredit Oedi - if we didn't keep reminding people of his sins no one would talk about him.
He's irrelevant, can't get re-hired, and needs his critics to remind the radio world that one bad apple can spoil the whole bunch, not only while he was there but for years after they booted him! What does he have there, two on-air hires left before his entire regime is gone and forgotten? He sure knew how to pick 'em - cheap and without talent!
You brought Oedipus up as you always do. Look back at the thread about the greatest moment in Boston radio history. You cite Oedipus's firing etc. Dont try to shift blame for your pre occupation and drag the swift boat analogy. If he is irrelevant why do you dwell on him so?. He has not been re hired? you're talking about someone who'll never have to work again as has been discussed here over and over. An indie music promoter friend who knows him quite well told me he enrolled in a study abroad program for a semester. Just because he can. That is what money gives, freedom to do whatever one wants. You have got to move on Joe, hatred is poison. Your well documented hatred of Oedipus is poisoning you!. Every time you post here it is a slew of jumbled thoughts, political rhetoric having nothing to do with radio, and self righteous anger which syas more about you than those you attack. Have you ever stopped to count the amount of little wars you apear to be involved in?. Your grudges are slowly killing you from the inside and more importantly poisoning this board over and over and over again
Joe asks:
What are Mr. Mottla's alleged "demons", he's a very nice guy. He sounded good on WZLX prior to the GIR thing.
He is a a very nice guy but he does not keep losing jobs quickly by accident. Anyone who knows Mr.Mottla knows what his demons are. But if you don't know, you don't know. SO it's not for any of us to get into specifics in this forum.
PS Lucy is hysterical but if you don't know, you don't know
actually the 1970s when they did things unique and untried.
You discredit Oedi - if we didn't keep reminding people of his sins no one would talk about him.
He's irrelevant, can't get re-hired, and needs his critics to remind the radio world that one bad apple can spoil the whole bunch, not only while he was there but for years after they booted him! What does he have there, two on-air hires left before his entire regime is gone and forgotten? He sure knew how to pick 'em - cheap and without talent!
You brought Oedipus up as you always do. Look back at the thread about the greatest moment in Boston radio history. You cite Oedipus's firing etc. Dont try to shift blame for your pre occupation and drag the swift boat analogy. If he is irrelevant why do you dwell on him so?. He has not been re hired? you're talking about someone who'll never have to work again as has been discussed here over and over. An indie music promoter friend who knows him quite well told me he enrolled in a study abroad program for a semester. Just because he can. That is what money gives, freedom to do whatever one wants. You have got to move on Joe, hatred is poison. Your well documented hatred of Oedipus is poisoning you!. Every time you post here it is a slew of jumbled thoughts, political rhetoric having nothing to do with radio, and self righteous anger which syas more about you than those you attack. Have you ever stopped to count the amount of little wars you apear to be involved in?. Your grudges are slowly killing you from the inside and more importantly poisoning this board over and over and over again
Joe asks:
What are Mr. Mottla's alleged "demons", he's a very nice guy. He sounded good on WZLX prior to the GIR thing.
He is a a very nice guy but he does not keep losing jobs quickly by accident. Anyone who knows Mr.Mottla knows what his demons are. But if you don't know, you don't know. SO it's not for any of us to get into specifics in this forum.
PS Lucy is hysterical but if you don't know, you don't know
2004RedSox, thanks for the history.
[EDIT]
I'm going to do a little digging and see if there is one single thread on this board that mentions BCN without Joe jumping in about Eddie. I'm guessing not, but we'll see. (I lie. I'm not going to bother)
For those of us still in the now, what does the future hold for BCN. Has AAF given them enought of a b-slapping that they try another format or do they still try to duke it out?
What would be cool is if the moderator would edit any post below that mentions anyone that hasn't worked for either station since the turn of the century. PLEASE! :
[EDIT-inflammatory]
[EDIT]
I'm going to do a little digging and see if there is one single thread on this board that mentions BCN without Joe jumping in about Eddie. I'm guessing not, but we'll see. (I lie. I'm not going to bother)
For those of us still in the now, what does the future hold for BCN. Has AAF given them enought of a b-slapping that they try another format or do they still try to duke it out?
What would be cool is if the moderator would edit any post below that mentions anyone that hasn't worked for either station since the turn of the century. PLEASE! :
[EDIT-inflammatory]
Neanderpaul,
this has been discussed several times before but I figure I might as you
I am curious to know from you if you might know why
what keep aaf from going back on paxton with AAF now on 97.7 in boston? I would love to know. I reallly miss AAF in springfield and hartford area when I drive from vt on my way home to the nyc area. my only guess is the advertising revenue
this has been discussed several times before but I figure I might as you
I am curious to know from you if you might know why
what keep aaf from going back on paxton with AAF now on 97.7 in boston? I would love to know. I reallly miss AAF in springfield and hartford area when I drive from vt on my way home to the nyc area. my only guess is the advertising revenue
The Famous WBCN strike (The only strike in the history of radio where a union won all its demands) was about a new owner "Hemisphere Broadcasting" (there was no Infinity yet..) trying to break the union that was in place at WBCN. Because BCN came through it's hippy dippy 60-70's days the only union that would accept the employees when they where trying to orginize was the United Electrical Workers. This was a union primarily of workers at light bulb factories. But since it was the only union BCN employees could join they had the unique situation that virtually everyone in the station was in the same union. Unlike WRKO or WHDH where the engineers where in IBEW, Talent in AFTRA, Secretaries in another etc. etc. When other stations had labor problems usually only part of the staff would walk. When WBCN had its strike everyone walked. Charlie Kendall and a couple of folks from Hemisphere just couldn't run the whole place without them. And they didn't want to replace everyone. They had planned to cut a huge part of the staff, get rid of news and break the union. They ended up caving in to all of the Union's demands. Charlie Kendall the GM was finished. What the strike set up was that for years after that WBCN was just left alone to it's own devices. What Joe always leaves out of his history lessons of WBCN is that though it was a unique underground station full of history that a lot of people including musicians thought was really cool is it really had very few listeners. He can complain about Tony and Oedi all he wants but they built that station into a local ratings powerhouse for many, many years and gave it it's first big comercial success it ever had. They where not the only underground progressive station around the country. They where the only one to survive and become succesfull. They even where even able to adapt into an alternative station when the bottom dropped out of Rock. The problem was when that format started to die they really didn't seem to have any idea where to turn next. And if you look around the country again they wern't alone. You can point blame in every direction at the end but what they accomplished is still a big part of Boston radio history.
Jamie said:
I honestly do not have an answer to the question. I'm sorry. I just don't know the technical aspects of how that worked, or what it takes to move city of license with regard to transmitter sites. I know there are several people on this board who are far more knowledgable on this topic that might be able to add information. I do know that the changeover didn't achieve the desired effect when I was still in the building. I assume that played into Entercom's decision to purchase WILD and simulcast. But again, not being privvy to the plans, I'm only speculating. Someone with more intricate knowledge would serve you better. Sorry...I'm just a wiseass with a big mouth and a microphone
Keeping on topic...I remember as a kid in Southie being forced to listen to WBCN due to the fact that we couldn't get WAAF in the projects, and WCOZ flipping to WZOU. But, every time we went to my cousin's house in Tewkbury, WAAF owned the radios in everyone's cars. Overall, my impression was always that WBCN had the superior personalities, and WAAF always played the better music back then. Save for Nocturnal Emissions and Beradini's Heavy Metal From Hell programs on WBCN, and Bob & Zip on WAAF.
It's funny how it all comes full circle.
IMHO, it has nothing to do with the music either station plays. I contend that the station whose personalities connect with the local audience best, will win. It really is that simple in my mind.
There's a reason why everyone seems to think that Adam 12 & Mark Hamilton are their favorites at WBCN. Both know what a Rosie Ruiz reference is, and who Johnny Kelly was, and remember the Channel and the Rat, and Paragon Park, and why hitting Buzzy's or Kelly's means/meant something. That's not to take away from Hardy, whom I consider a friend. But, he'll be the second to tell you...everyone Boston-born being first...that he's not from here, and that that hinders him sometimes. Not in his professional abilities, but there's a natural tendency for New Englanders to immediately suspect anyone not from here. Toucher & Rich are probably experiencing it much the way O&A did in their early days at WAAF. It took a while for the audience to warm up to them.
In my opinion Carrie, Hsu & Hill are well-liked at 'AAF because they're not only extremely capable of selling the format, but they're also the people you grew up with. Their listeners went to HS with them, or ran into them at the Natick Mall when they were kids. LB is loved because he fought when the Bruins were good. And we all loved a fighter. Spaz is every kid you hated/pitied in school. It's a good formula.
It doesn't matter if they play the same 300 songs on both stations. Bostonians don't listen for the music. They find the brand that they like, and they remain loyal to it. See: Chet & Natalie all those years, or Lobel now. You could do a survey and find out who does the best concerts, giveaways, bits, or whatever...have them all come up as "WAAF" and then ask that same person what their favorite station is..and they'll say "WBCN."
Trying to sway a Bostonian's pre-disposition toward what they have already chosen as their favorite station is incredibly difficult. The station who figures out how to connect with their target audience best, wins. It has nothing to do with music, or promotions. We are in the "please love me" business. And sometimes the people behind the desk don't really know what the audience thinks because they spend too much time analyzing weekly callout, or cost per point, and not enough time watching their audience react to the people who represent their stations. Those are the customers. Talent are the product. It's loyalty to the jock that captures those quarter hours. The music is just a buffer. It helps to play the right songs. But, it's more important to have the right people. Isn't that the new mantra "Content is king?"
The only variable content...is the on air person. The song remains the same no matter what transmitter it emanates from.
My opinion. I'm comfortable enough expressing it, to admit I might be wrong.
- Status