Listenable on the weekends, M-F not so much.
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another 50 minute music hour on B98.5 FM!
- Thread starter caller10
- Start date
W
Who wants to know
Guest
Neil Millman said:
No, insiders don't have time to talk about djs and songs on the internet all day. They have to remain focused and productive.
Well I'll break out of character once to say this: It's not about lampooning over zealous fans as much as satire about the state of the industry in general. Looking over several decades of Atlanta radio, if one could put Susquehanna's WAPW Power 99 (99.7) at one end of the spectrum from a category of creativity of format, music, imaging, personality, marketing, and any other category you can think of, then B98.5 FM is it's opposite. Although I know it's not fair to compare a flame throwing CHR of it's day with a 2010 soft AC that only maybe changes music twice a year. I'm sure the folks at Cox are fine folks and I don't mean any harm or to hurt anyone's feelings. To be fair the CHR that occupies 99.7 today is maybe 1% the station Power 99 ever was, or for that matter cannot compare to Q100 most of the time Susquehanna launched and operated it. It's a different economy now, and a different media landscape. The changing economy just IMHO accelerated the trends away from traditional media as we've known it. And that's not a knock on Cumulus either, although maybe part of that landscape I described forced small operators like Susquehanna out in the first place.
caller10 said:
The thing that gets me is that the fundamental premise of CHR is outdated and flawed. There was a time when "new=good but old=bad" in popular music. CHR as a format is based on the mistaken idea that only the new songs (ie. "Contemporary Hits") will attract good listener demographics. It's not just the economy, it's the fact that younger audience members have heard so many of the good songs on the radio that they've learned to accept good songs as good songs regardless of the song's age. And, a generation that grew up with iPods and MP3's as their primary source for hearing music doesn't appreciate the banter and filler that old-school radio types still cling to like Linus and his blanket. Nobody tunes in to a station that plays songs they don't like to hear a disc jockey or jingles that they do like. On the other hand, people will usually endure a DJ and jingles they don't much care for if the songs are the songs they want to hear.
So, the truth be told, in 2010, the categories "imaging, personality and marketing" don't mean diddly squat compared to "good play list". CHR is about at the same point in its evolution that Top 40 on AM was in when AOR on FM came along. CHR is fodder for nostalgia buffs. If anyone wants a return to those days of imaging and personality, they're going to have to look for a neo-oldies station. Come to think of it, "neo-oldies" should be the next big thing. Just as some oldies stations try to totally replicate AM radio of the 1960's down to the lame narrow play lists, the "neo-oldies" stations should do the same thing in replicating 1980's CHR stations.
A wise man once told me that the good old days are gone, and they're never coming back. And that's a good thing, because they weren't really as good as we remember them being.
I don't know caller10 other than on this board, but that hasn't stopped me from egging him on and playing along a bit with his B98.5 madness. But I have to say it's eerie how much he and I agree, particularly where it concerns the old Power 99.
I think that Q100 is a CHR by default because it plays a couple more rap/rhythmic tracks than Snore 94. Back in 1986-87, when Power came on and then went in a straight-ahead CHR direction away from its original AOR-leaning launch, it had the fading Z93 flailing about between pop and CHuRban and desperate-as-hell 94Q trying to wrench its format into a Top 40 direction also. Power 99 dug in, fought for it, and won.
In contrast, Q100 really has had no competition since they went to 100KW. Remember that Steve & Vikki had just left Star and The Morning Mess was just starting. The Bert Show had more than six years of brand equity in the market and ran roughshod over Star. There was no need to be overly aggressive (i.e. spend money) when the battle was won simply from the turmoil at the competition.
I do get a kick out of caller10, and he's spot-on in his assessment of the radio landscape these days. Nothing is remarkable and nobody is taking chances. Obviously B98.5 and THA-NOO 97.1 The River can get away with playing the same 150 songs over and over again because they bill solid and are cheap to operate. I don't listen to either one because all my favorite songs are in my Sony Walkman. There's no DJ in my Sony Walkman, but there's no DJ at B or THA-NOO most of the time either (and reading cards does not make Kelly McCoy a DJ).
For new music, I used to depend on American Top 40 to hear what was happening on the national music charts. Now I go check Mediabase and iTunes and I go find and play any song that's blowing up all over (especially in downloads) and anything else that intrigues me. When I record my radio show each week [shameless plug for "The National Hit Music Survey," Google it my friends], I use those charts for the rankings. I don't care for the non-stop jaw-jack of The Bert Show and Cindy and Ray are not compelling people in my opinion. I want Gary McKee and Steve McCoy in the mornings. They were family and now that they're both gone, to hell with morning drive radio.
I believe that FM music radio will eventually fail once we all have our music on our persons all the time, UNLESS someone comes along and decides to invest in personalities. But why would anyone even take that chance when right now they can bank on the same 150 songs by Daughtry on B98.5?
Gotta go...The B98.5 Big 80s Weekend is calling! Did you know that B98.5 plays all 80s tunes all weekend? WELL THEY DO! And let me tell you about a little slice of heaven called the "98 at 9"...
I think that Q100 is a CHR by default because it plays a couple more rap/rhythmic tracks than Snore 94. Back in 1986-87, when Power came on and then went in a straight-ahead CHR direction away from its original AOR-leaning launch, it had the fading Z93 flailing about between pop and CHuRban and desperate-as-hell 94Q trying to wrench its format into a Top 40 direction also. Power 99 dug in, fought for it, and won.
In contrast, Q100 really has had no competition since they went to 100KW. Remember that Steve & Vikki had just left Star and The Morning Mess was just starting. The Bert Show had more than six years of brand equity in the market and ran roughshod over Star. There was no need to be overly aggressive (i.e. spend money) when the battle was won simply from the turmoil at the competition.
I do get a kick out of caller10, and he's spot-on in his assessment of the radio landscape these days. Nothing is remarkable and nobody is taking chances. Obviously B98.5 and THA-NOO 97.1 The River can get away with playing the same 150 songs over and over again because they bill solid and are cheap to operate. I don't listen to either one because all my favorite songs are in my Sony Walkman. There's no DJ in my Sony Walkman, but there's no DJ at B or THA-NOO most of the time either (and reading cards does not make Kelly McCoy a DJ).
For new music, I used to depend on American Top 40 to hear what was happening on the national music charts. Now I go check Mediabase and iTunes and I go find and play any song that's blowing up all over (especially in downloads) and anything else that intrigues me. When I record my radio show each week [shameless plug for "The National Hit Music Survey," Google it my friends], I use those charts for the rankings. I don't care for the non-stop jaw-jack of The Bert Show and Cindy and Ray are not compelling people in my opinion. I want Gary McKee and Steve McCoy in the mornings. They were family and now that they're both gone, to hell with morning drive radio.
I believe that FM music radio will eventually fail once we all have our music on our persons all the time, UNLESS someone comes along and decides to invest in personalities. But why would anyone even take that chance when right now they can bank on the same 150 songs by Daughtry on B98.5?
Gotta go...The B98.5 Big 80s Weekend is calling! Did you know that B98.5 plays all 80s tunes all weekend? WELL THEY DO! And let me tell you about a little slice of heaven called the "98 at 9"...
caller10 said:
Well I'm currently in L.A., and if you love Adult Hits, then.. to keep it short, I'll just say MOVE TO L.A.! You may not be too pleased here if you're strictly an urban fan, but if you like to be in a sea of rhythmic hits and adult hits (from old school hip hop to pop to light rock to jazz to r&b to alternative and rock) then L.A. is your place. If you like house, well.. that's back on in L.A. once again as well!
By the way, I just checked and there's no "poker face", "I gotta feeling", "single ladies "put a ring on it", "alejandro", No Lady Antebellum, D.H.T., Jordin Sparks, Adam Lambert, Train, Natasha beddingfield...now I know many of those couldn't be any worse than Fergie "big girls don't cry"!!! I'm also sure that people in ATL know UB40 and Ace of Base, which I didn't see on the B98.5 plays list either.
By the way, I just checked and there's no "poker face", "I gotta feeling", "single ladies "put a ring on it", "alejandro", No Lady Antebellum, D.H.T., Jordin Sparks, Adam Lambert, Train, Natasha beddingfield...now I know many of those couldn't be any worse than Fergie "big girls don't cry"!!! I'm also sure that people in ATL know UB40 and Ace of Base, which I didn't see on the B98.5 plays list either.
caller10 said:
Sorry about that, my cousin got a hold of my laptop and wrote some things in the name of caller10. Hey the B98.5FM 98 at 9 is on the air right now! It's over 98 minutes of music every weekday morning beginning at 9! I'm streaming at B985.com right now! My friend Jordan Graye just played a song by String!
You may wanna change your passwords too. I just got an email from someone calling himself "caller10." He says that Jordan Graye is the Anti-Mara Davis. I guess that means Kate McCarthy...Mara Davis?caller10 said:
I only wish there were more than 24 hours in a day so I could listen more often to B98.5FM. Here's hoping my prayers are answered b/c the more B98.5FM you can cram into your life, the better!
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