Analysis Of The Spring Book

[Joseph_Gallant]

> The dream idea to really makes things competitive would be
> to ADD all the "jack" tunes but keep the oldies keep the
> announcers and add even more. Blend in songs from the Lost
> 45s during the week. This would result in an WODS with GREAT
> jocks, jingles, elements AND the most massive playlist in
> Boston.

Write newly-hired WODS-103.3 PD Pete Falconi today, and tell him you want these things!!

 

[OldiesCat]

rock & roll and rice rockets

Boy, I gotta second that emotion. Nothing like seeing a smokin' Ford Focus with
big pipes to impress the hell out of me. N-O-T!

And, I'm sorry (responding to an earlier post)-hip hop is NOT the new rock & roll. It's a nicer word for rap and rap music is a fad perpetrated on the public by the far east and far west coast cultural 10% who shoves these fads down our throats to create more revenue streams. Get enough of it plusing from cars' bass systems is what's created this false fad. "hey, dude's got it on his- I gotta get it on mind", just like all fads happen- they milk it dry, then create a new thing for the public to chase.

But suburban white boys acting like this is their music and their lifestyle is enough to make one upchuck cause it's not real. It'll go away soon and be just another forgotten fad (except for all those who capitalized on the money it put in their pockets).

Sorry- I'm done now.

>
> A bit OT, but what is the appeal of these riced out
> econoboxes in the first place? When I see somebody's
> automatic Corrola with a huge spoiler, low-profile and the
> pipes that make it sound like a vacuum cleaner on steroids I
> just shake my head & think "what a dork". I suppose it's no
> worse than the guys who raised the rear ends of their
> Camaros 2 feet back in the 70s...maybe I'm just getting old.
>

 

[neanderpol]

Re: rock & roll and rice rockets

> Boy, I gotta second that emotion. Nothing like seeing a
> smokin' Ford Focus with
> big pipes to impress the hell out of me. N-O-T!

That's why I drive a HEMI!

Nuthin' like 340 HP and triple-chambered Flowmasters to make those little trunk-o-funk mobiles disappear. Then I can crank the Porcupine Tree out of the stereo without hearing one beat from whatever flavor-of-the-month-rapper-who-ain't-worth-the-gum-on-Chuck D's-Nikes!

But seriously...

> And, I'm sorry (responding to an earlier post)-hip hop is
> NOT the new rock & roll. It's a nicer word for rap and rap
> music is a fad perpetrated on the public by the far east and
> far west coast cultural 10% who shoves these fads down our
> throats to create more revenue streams.

A fad that began decades ago with the Sugar Hill Gang & Kurtis Blow, and continues to sell with 50 Cent & Ludacris.

Mexican Jumping Beans & Mood Rings were fads. Hip Hop / Rap is a musical genre that has not only sustained, but has outlasted various rock "fads" like Grunge, New Wave, Hair Bands, Emo, & Punk.

You may not like it...but Rap is as legit as any music ever made. And moreso than most.

 

[BRNout]

Re: Hip Hop is the new rock and roll

> Agreed Paul, they are not doing well because they are
> pulling hispanics, they are doing well because of what Paul
> said.Get it straight: the reality is that Jamn is a CHR, a
> rhythmic CHR, whose audience is 90% white. female, and
> suburban. Anyone who thinks otherwise does not know thing
> one about radio. Urban music is the dominant music of the
> 18-34 and especially the 12-24 demos. It is the new rock if
> you will. The hip hop stars are the new rock stars, rock
> bands have a decidely nondescrip thing about them most of it
> is intentional. It is a hold over form the grunge era,
> Ludachris is more entertaining to watch than most rock bands
> today, whether you like his music or not. That said jamn is
> a well oiled tight machine that is more about lifestyle than
> many station. They are mor erelatable to their audience than
> most stations are in this market.
>

Yet as well as the format does with younger demos, Boston only has 1 full power station with it. Though I like it (when it comes in), WBOT is still too weak to make a marketwide splash. It will never really compete with WJMN.

Nearby to the north, Manchester has 2 classic rockers, 1 active rocker and an AC - but no rhythmic CHR. When you see a car full of young people cruising in Manchester, Nashua or Concord, are they listening to rock?? Nope - hip hop every time, just like in Revere or Everett.

Ethnicity does not matter anymore when it comes to this format - radio programmers need to *get it*.

 

[BRNout]

> It would be
> impossible to say that Hot 97-7 has an 94% non-African
> American listener base, because not only do the
> personalities embrace the African American community, but
> nearly all of the artists are African American, plus the
> station is owned by Radio One. This is just a guess, but I'd
> bet that WBOT has at least a 70% African American listener
> base, despite African Americans making up 6% of the Boston
> area population.

I agree and disagree too. For example, I'm a white guy who really enjoys "urban" music. And, I do listen to WILD and WBOT (sometimes). Not all of the listeners of such stations are black, that's far too much of a generalization. Go to other markets such as NY or Washington (or LA) and you'll see people of all colors listening to "urban" music.

Where I completely agree is that a large % of WBOT's listener base probably is black. But, its not because of music alone. Their signal is only really strong in the Brockton to Boston area. Especially in the southern portion of the city - where there are a lot of people of color. It's a fringe signal elsewhere. Those areas where Hot is strong are also the areas with most of this market's black audience. If they had a more generous signal to the suburbs - your estimate would be way too high.

You're right, but geography is as important as musical taste in the case of Hot 97-7.

>
> Jam'n is a Rhythmic CHR, but it has certainly been
> targetting the Hispanic dollars more aggressively in recent
> years. They have embraced crossover songs like Daddy
> Yankee's "Gasolina" and Frankie J.'s "No Es Amor". And when
> Mega 890/1400 goes away, Jam'n will pick up their listeners.

I have noticed a bit of this too. The station does a good job of going for the young demos - be they white kids in Wellesley or latino kids in Lawrence. Which is why there is content meant to appeal to both groups.

> White listeners are spread out over many stations. That's
> not to say that WMJX is 91% White, but Jam'n must have the
> most diverse audience of any station in Boston, easily
> attracting listeners of all races and ethnicities.
>

 

[JustinT]

> > It would be
> > impossible to say that Hot 97-7 has an 94% non-African
> > American listener base, because not only do the
> > personalities embrace the African American community, but
> > nearly all of the artists are African American, plus the
> > station is owned by Radio One. This is just a guess, but
> I'd
> > bet that WBOT has at least a 70% African American listener
>
> > base, despite African Americans making up 6% of the Boston
>
> > area population.
>
> I agree and disagree too. For example, I'm a white guy who
> really enjoys "urban" music. And, I do listen to WILD and
> WBOT (sometimes). Not all of the listeners of such stations
> are black, that's far too much of a generalization. Go to
> other markets such as NY or Washington (or LA) and you'll
> see people of all colors listening to "urban" music.
>
> Where I completely agree is that a large % of WBOT's
> listener base probably is black. But, its not because of
> music alone. Their signal is only really strong in the
> Brockton to Boston area. Especially in the southern portion
> of the city - where there are a lot of people of color.
> It's a fringe signal elsewhere. Those areas where Hot is
> strong are also the areas with most of this market's black
> audience. If they had a more generous signal to the suburbs
> - your estimate would be way too high.

What I've noticed is that there seems to be different stations for different ethnic groups, almost. I'm not encouraging this, but it seems to be the truth. Stations like WKYS/Washington, KKBT/Los Angeles, and WBOT/Boston all lean toward the African American demos. And it's not because they are Radio One stations; KMEL/San Francisco is another. When you have a station using such a positioner as "The People's Station", it's not as if they are entirely inviting non-African American listeners.

Compare this to stations like KPWR/Los Angeles, WJMN/Boston, and I believe WPGC/Washington. These stations play very similar music to the other stations, but these stations have a hold on White and Hispanic listeners. They also have a hold on African American listeners, but not as much as the first group.

WBOT's lousy signal doesn't help, but the station is obviously aimed toward one ethnic group. I'm not sure that it is as much the music that is played by each station, but it is rather the presentation that defines the demographics.

>
> You're right, but geography is as important as musical taste
> in the case of Hot 97-7.
>
> >
> > Jam'n is a Rhythmic CHR, but it has certainly been
> > targetting the Hispanic dollars more aggressively in
> recent
> > years. They have embraced crossover songs like Daddy
> > Yankee's "Gasolina" and Frankie J.'s "No Es Amor". And
> when
> > Mega 890/1400 goes away, Jam'n will pick up their
> listeners.
>
> I have noticed a bit of this too. The station does a good
> job of going for the young demos - be they white kids in
> Wellesley or latino kids in Lawrence. Which is why there is
> content meant to appeal to both groups.
>
> > White listeners are spread out over many stations. That's
> > not to say that WMJX is 91% White, but Jam'n must have the
>
> > most diverse audience of any station in Boston, easily
> > attracting listeners of all races and ethnicities.
> >
>

 

[chitchatjf]

> > The dream idea to really makes things competitive would be
>
> > to ADD all the "jack" tunes but keep the oldies keep the
> > announcers and add even more. Blend in songs from the Lost
>
> > 45s during the week. This would result in an WODS with
> GREAT
> > jocks, jingles, elements AND the most massive playlist in
> > Boston.
>
> Write newly-hired WODS-103.3 PD Pete Falconi today, and tell
> him you want these things!!
>
>
>
Been there done that

 

[chitchatjf]

> > which within the city of Lawrence will probobly be filled
> by
> > WCCM 1490,leaving the city with NO community based english
>
> > station.
>
> It's pretty likely seeing that recent Globe article
> discussing Costa-Eagle Broadcasting's success with
> Spanish-language formats. But Lawrence is nearly 60%
> Hispanic, so it's not like such a change was inevitable.
>
> In addition, the Merrimack Valley still has local service
> from 980 WCAP, and there's clearly interest in continuing
> local broadcasting as seen through the 91.5 WUML
> controversy.
>
CAP is still a LOWELL based station.

 

[RumourControl]

Education of oldiescat/Hip Hop 101

> Boy, I gotta second that emotion. Nothing like seeing a
> smokin' Ford Focus with
> big pipes to impress the hell out of me. N-O-T!
>
> And, I'm sorry (responding to an earlier post)-hip hop is
> NOT the new rock & roll. It's a nicer word for rap and rap
> music is a fad perpetrated on the public by the far east and
> far west coast cultural 10% who shoves these fads down our
> throats to create more revenue streams. Get enough of it
> plusing from cars' bass systems is what's created this false
> fad. "hey, dude's got it on his- I gotta get it on mind",
> just like all fads happen- they milk it dry, then create a
> new thing for the public to chase.
>
> But suburban white boys acting like this is their music and
> their lifestyle is enough to make one upchuck cause it's not
> real. It'll go away soon and be just another forgotten fad
> (except for all those who capitalized on the money it put in
> their pockets).
>
> Sorry- I'm done now.
>


"Rice Rockets"? wo uses the term "Rice Rocket" in the new millenium


Forgetting for one moment that your post has tinges of prejudice to it, your screen name alone is telling enough. Anyone who refers to himself as "oldiescat" one would assume that he either works in or is a large fan of oldies music and radio. That said you are far from the guy to determine what is relevent or even current and happening. It is the same principal as years ago when R & B replaced easy listening to beocme the popular music of the day, Little Richard vs. Pat Boone who at the time was the rock of his day. Elvis popuarized "rock and roll" and made it acceptable enough for white households whereas the R & B that he was doing had been called "race music" when it was performed by Ray Charles and Little Richard, if you ask me Chuck Berry was more the king of rock and roll than was Elvis but then again when it came to marketing Elvis kicked open the door.

The point? it's all part of a progression, hip hop IS the new rock in that it is tthe dominant music/soundtrack to the youth culture as rock once was, and for your edification "hip hop" is not just another name for rap, that's like saying metal is just another name for rock,. Hip hop is an umbrella term for the entire culture, musically speaking yes rap is a huge component, but then again Mary J Blige is considered the "queen of hip hop soul" she's not rapping now is she? but she's considered an integral part of the hip hop community. In short Oldies you dont really understand what you're referencing you just know you do not like it which is your right but you're also trying to discredit it without any understanding of it, Rock bands are not selling and have not bveen for the past several years which is part of the reason that the industry has been failing, unfortunately youth is king and hip hop out sells rock almost three or four to one these days. It's called progress and in reality 90% of rap records are purchased by white kids and young adults, again do you think it's just a "fad" that Jamn has done so well with men 18-34 for the past several years? no way it is because that is what is selling and what is registering with the youth.

Remember the saying "if it's too loud, YOU'RE TOO OLD"? well you can modify it, in short Oldies "you're out of the demo". Anyone who thinks that rap is a fad is without a clue, rap has been around for going on thrity years now, actually longer than that but has only been recieving radio play since the mid 1980's. WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN? listening to your mamas and papas LP's I suppose.

Come join us in the present Oldies or at least come learn whhat the present is about.

 

[Joseph_Gallant]

WBOT Signal, Etc. (Was: Re: Analysis Of The Spring Book)

Justin T commented:

> WBOT's lousy signal doesn't help, but the station is
> obviously aimed toward one ethnic group. I'm not sure that
> it is as much the music that is played by each station, but
> it is rather the presentation that defines the demographics.

I'm white, and when I have a rare urge (about once a month) to tune-in hip-hop on the radio, I tune-in WBOT. To me, they are a "pure" urban contemporary format.

By contrast, I consider WJMN to be a rhythmic station that plays some hip-hop, but not a "pure" urban contemporary format.

In addition, WBOT recently moved their transmitter to the top of Blue Hill. This has allowed their signal to extend a few miles more to the north than before, and should improve reception within Boston itself, as well as the northern suburbs.

WBOT will never be a top-rated station with their Class "A" allocation of 97.7 megahertz, but their new signal should give them quite a few new listeners, and I expect that many of them (especially in some areas just north of Boston) will be white.