AC, Soft AC, and Soft Soft AC

[elevator_opratr]

For those out of the area, Citadel-owned hot AC Harrisburg, PA station 106.7 just last week flipped to what the company is calling "soft AC."

The playlist looks something like this: Eagles, Rod Stewart, Supremes, Donna Summer, Billy Joel, Ace. Basically, the best way I can describe it is somewhere in between AC where you'd hear Dido and Nelly Furtado, and what WE call soft AC with Anne Murray and Barbara Streisand.

Although I wish this new station were the really soft, soft AC, this is a positive move. But it begs another question, what really is soft AC anymore? If this is considered soft AC, what is Kenny Rogers, Robbie Dupree, Anne Murray, Neil Diamond, and Dionne Warwick? I HOPE they're not old enough to be called "Standards" yet.

Is it soft soft AC? Gold AC?

The definitions of the various kinds of AC keep getting fuzzier and fuzzier.

 

[RMarino]

The dreaded "N" word

"Nostalgia"

Yeah I know, it makes me feel ancient too.

 

[BlueHen]

> The playlist looks something like this: Eagles, Rod Stewart,
> Supremes, Donna Summer, Billy Joel, Ace. Basically, the best
> way I can describe it is somewhere in between AC where you'd
> hear Dido and Nelly Furtado, and what WE call soft AC with
> Anne Murray and Barbara Streisand.

Do they actually play Anne Murray & Barbra Streisand? If so, I think they can rightly call themselves Soft AC (in addition to being a unique station which could very well find its niche with the office workplace crowd). Are the Rod Stewart songs his hits from the 70's or his new recordings of the standards?

> Although I wish this new station were the really soft, soft
> AC, this is a positive move. But it begs another question,
> what really is soft AC anymore? If this is considered soft
> AC, what is Kenny Rogers, Robbie Dupree, Anne Murray, Neil
> Diamond, and Dionne Warwick? I HOPE they're not old enough
> to be called "Standards" yet.

Unfortunately, about the only place to hear these would be on an Adult Standards station, particularly in light of the fact that standards formats are moving away from the Andy Williams - Johnny Mathis - Perry Como type hits of the 50's & 60's and becoming more 70s-heavy.

 

[Gregg]

Re: The dreaded "N" word

> "Nostalgia"
>
> Yeah I know, it makes me feel ancient too.
>

I'm afraid what's true is that "Soft AC" is what we
used to call "AC". I think the distinction has less
to do with the music now than the presentation. If
the station doesn't talk over the intros, it will
likely be called "Soft AC." I suppose also in a
four song set, one song should be somewhat quiet or
soft. But if it's surrounded by Pink, Train, Cher
and other artists who do uptempo music that appeals
to adults, it's still "Soft AC."

I think we have to look to Tampa for some inspiration
here... Cox owns both a Soft AC, WWRM, that is not
that soft but does well with Women 25-54. Then it also
has the #1 station, The Dove, WDUV, that plays Manilow,
Anne Murray, Kenny Rogers, Fifth Dimension, etc. You
might get a couple of Sinatra or Andy Williams or
Johnny Mathis songs per hour and one instrumental per
hour. (Both WDUV and WWRM audio-stream.)

The Dove 105.5 is described in different places as
"Soft AC," "Standards" and "Easy Listening." But
obviously, Cox doesn't worry that much about these two
stations stealing from each other. It's just too bad
that WDUV skews so old. I wish most markets had a
station like this for hearing truly soft music. As our
world becomes more and more hectic, our radio stations
are becoming more and more uptempo.




Gregg
[email protected]

 

[Oldbones]

Re: The dreaded "N" word

> I think we have to look to Tampa for some inspiration
> here... Cox owns both a Soft AC, WWRM, that is not
> that soft but does well with Women 25-54. Then it also
> has the #1 station, The Dove, WDUV, that plays Manilow,
> Anne Murray, Kenny Rogers, Fifth Dimension, etc. You
> might get a couple of Sinatra or Andy Williams or
> Johnny Mathis songs per hour and one instrumental per
> hour. (Both WDUV and WWRM audio-stream.)
>
> The Dove 105.5 is described in different places as
> "Soft AC," "Standards" and "Easy Listening." But
> obviously, Cox doesn't worry that much about these two
> stations stealing from each other. It's just too bad
> that WDUV skews so old. I wish most markets had a
> station like this for hearing truly soft music. As our
> world becomes more and more hectic, our radio stations
> are becoming more and more uptempo.

But look at the demographics of Tampa (and Florida's sun coast in general). Not many other regions have such a high geezer population. It's a given that a station like this would have appeal here...not such a slam dunk in most other markets. Few of the artists you mentioned have much appeal to anyone under 60....a good thing in a retirement area, not so good with a more balanced population.

 

[Jim_Hicks]

Re: The dreaded "N" word

Its been awhile since I've seen an Arbitron book, but I believe they don't measure listeners over 65 just like they don't measure kids younger than 12. So for stations to pull in good numbers, they have to be reaching a good number of 45-65'ers.

> > I think we have to look to Tampa for some inspiration
> > here... Cox owns both a Soft AC, WWRM, that is not
> > that soft but does well with Women 25-54. Then it also
> > has the #1 station, The Dove, WDUV, that plays Manilow,
> > Anne Murray, Kenny Rogers, Fifth Dimension, etc. You
> > might get a couple of Sinatra or Andy Williams or
> > Johnny Mathis songs per hour and one instrumental per
> > hour. (Both WDUV and WWRM audio-stream.)
> >
> > The Dove 105.5 is described in different places as
> > "Soft AC," "Standards" and "Easy Listening." But
> > obviously, Cox doesn't worry that much about these two
> > stations stealing from each other. It's just too bad
> > that WDUV skews so old. I wish most markets had a
> > station like this for hearing truly soft music. As our
> > world becomes more and more hectic, our radio stations
> > are becoming more and more uptempo.
>
> But look at the demographics of Tampa (and Florida's sun
> coast in general). Not many other regions have such a high
> geezer population. It's a given that a station like this
> would have appeal here...not such a slam dunk in most other
> markets. Few of the artists you mentioned have much appeal
> to anyone under 60....a good thing in a retirement area, not
> so good with a more balanced population.
>

 

[RMarino]

Re: The dreaded "N" word

> Its been awhile since I've seen an Arbitron book, but I
> believe they don't measure listeners over 65 just like they
> don't measure kids younger than 12. So for stations to pull
> in good numbers, they have to be reaching a good number of
> 45-65'ers.

From what I understand, 65+ is measured, there is just no specific breakdown for it. It's included in the 12+ numbers.

 

[semoochie]

Re: The dreaded "N" word

> > Its been awhile since I've seen an Arbitron book, but I
> > believe they don't measure listeners over 65 just like
> they
> > don't measure kids younger than 12. So for stations to
> pull
> > in good numbers, they have to be reaching a good number of
>
> > 45-65'ers.
>
> From what I understand, 65+ is measured, there is just no
> specific breakdown for it. It's included in the 12+
> numbers.
>
I once extrapolated 65+ from a Birch survey. Our station was in the top 10 in 12+ but was #1 65+!

 

[Jim_Hicks]

Re: The dreaded "N" word

Back in the 90's, I was the Op Mgr at a small AM station playing MOR oldies. Our afternoon dj would check the newspaper's obits every day to see how many people 65+ had died. He would inform me each day how many listeners we had lost!

> > > Its been awhile since I've seen an Arbitron book, but I
> > > believe they don't measure listeners over 65 just like
> > they
> > > don't measure kids younger than 12. So for stations to
> > pull
> > > in good numbers, they have to be reaching a good number
> of
> >
> > > 45-65'ers.
> >
> > From what I understand, 65+ is measured, there is just no
> > specific breakdown for it. It's included in the 12+
> > numbers.
> >
> I once extrapolated 65+ from a Birch survey. Our station
> was in the top 10 in 12+ but was #1 65+!
>

 

[Jay_F]

Re: The dreaded "N" word

> Back in the 90's, I was the Op Mgr at a small AM station
> playing MOR oldies. Our afternoon dj would check the
> newspaper's obits every day to see how many people 65+ had
> died. He would inform me each day how many listeners we had
> lost!
>
> > > > Its been awhile since I've seen an Arbitron book, but
> I
> > > > believe they don't measure listeners over 65 just like
>
> > > they
> > > > don't measure kids younger than 12. So for stations
> to
> > > pull
> > > > in good numbers, they have to be reaching a good
> number
> > of
> > >
> > > > 45-65'ers.
> > >
> > > From what I understand, 65+ is measured, there is just
> no
> > > specific breakdown for it. It's included in the 12+
> > > numbers.
> > >
> > I once extrapolated 65+ from a Birch survey. Our station
> > was in the top 10 in 12+ but was #1 65+!
> >
>



That reminds me of KJUL here in Las Vegas. They were #1 12+ for the longest time (even if all their audience was 55+ and mostly 65+). Today,they are #4 12+ with their lowest share since switching to adult standards close to 15 years ago. There can be no doubt that death is one of the major reasons they have seen a ratings decline. Their listeners are literally dying off.