Any Standards or Easy Listening Stations Doing Well?

[radiolover78]

Hi. This is my first time posting on this board. I personally don't listen to standard/easy listening type stations, but I was just wondering about something. Are there any standards/easy listening stations doing well in ratings in any market in the US? Thanks for any answers.<P ID="signature">______________
Kevin</P>

 

[BLewis]

Absolutely!!

See the thread below. WEZV in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina is actually a Beautiful Music/Easy Listening station. They are #1 in persons 12+. KXWY in Palm Springs, CA is usually Top 5. WDUV in Tampa (a softer-than-soft AC that still mixes in some instrumentals) is #1 12 plus. Naples/Ft. Myers, FL...WAVV 101.1 is also #1 in 12+. I also know of a station in the small North Carolina mountain town of Highlands, NC. Highlands (with about 2000 people) swells to several thousands during the summer...it is a very upscale community. It's ONLY radio station is programming Jones Radio's ULTRA EASY (which is MOSTLY soft, lush instrumentals)...and is seemingly doing quite well. They actually STARTED programming B/EZ in 1993. On the standards side...KJUL FM 104.3 in Las Vegas, NV is usually in the Top 3.

Many B/EZ stations, these days are non-commercial stations...most of which find VERY loyal audiences, who are willing to support their music. I am the GM of one of those non-comms (WZRU-FM/Roanoke Rapids, NC)...also, WKTZ-FM/Jacksonville, FL, KLUX-FM/Corpus Cristi, TX, KNCT-FM/Dallas, TX, and WOEZ/Knoxville, TN (which has VERY strong ratings).

On a closing note...a new movement in pop standards is represented at WRDA/St. Louis, MO (Red @ 104.1). This station programs about 50% 'classic' standards (Sinatra, Deano, Ella)...and about 50% new versions of standards or new music of a similar style (Diana Krall, Rod Stewart, Squirrel Nut Zippers, Norah Jones). Also, Don McCullough (who was the programmer of K-Surf in San Diego before their switch to Oldies) has a syndicated format called "Radio Deluxe", which is a 'new standards' format. I love the sound of this format, however it's viability as a commercial format has yet to be proven.

The aforementioned stations are just a handful, which I know or think are doing well. That being said, our numbers (of stations) are still small...and, getting smaller.


Hi. This is my first time posting on this board. I
> personally don't listen to standard/easy listening type
> stations, but I was just wondering about something. Are
> there any standards/easy listening stations doing well in
> ratings in any market in the US? Thanks for any answers.
>

 

[RMarino]

Red 104.1

> On a closing note...a new movement in pop standards is
> represented at WRDA/St. Louis, MO (Red @ 104.1).

I'm really surprised that this station is still surviving. They are the lowest rated FM signal 12+ in that market and their demos can't be very good. It's nice to see Emmis stick by a format that they believe in, but it can't be making much money.

 

[RadioFreak965]

Re: Absolutely!!

> See the thread below. WEZV in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
> is actually a Beautiful Music/Easy Listening station. They
> are #1 in persons 12+. KXWY in Palm Springs, CA is usually
> Top 5. WDUV in Tampa (a softer-than-soft AC that still
> mixes in some instrumentals) is #1 12 plus. Naples/Ft.
> Myers, FL...WAVV 101.1 is also #1 in 12+. I also know of a
> station in the small North Carolina mountain town of
> Highlands, NC. Highlands (with about 2000 people) swells to
> several thousands during the summer...it is a very upscale
> community. It's ONLY radio station is programming Jones
> Radio's ULTRA EASY (which is MOSTLY soft, lush
> instrumentals)...and is seemingly doing quite well. They
> actually STARTED programming B/EZ in 1993. On the standards
> side...KJUL FM 104.3 in Las Vegas, NV is usually in the Top
> 3.
>
> Many B/EZ stations, these days are non-commercial
> stations...most of which find VERY loyal audiences, who are
> willing to support their music. I am the GM of one of those
> non-comms (WZRU-FM/Roanoke Rapids, NC)...also,
> WKTZ-FM/Jacksonville, FL, KLUX-FM/Corpus Cristi, TX,
> KNCT-FM/Dallas, TX, and WOEZ/Knoxville, TN (which has VERY
> strong ratings).
>
> On a closing note...a new movement in pop standards is
> represented at WRDA/St. Louis, MO (Red @ 104.1). This
> station programs about 50% 'classic' standards (Sinatra,
> Deano, Ella)...and about 50% new versions of standards or
> new music of a similar style (Diana Krall, Rod Stewart,
> Squirrel Nut Zippers, Norah Jones). Also, Don McCullough
> (who was the programmer of K-Surf in San Diego before their
> switch to Oldies) has a syndicated format called "Radio
> Deluxe", which is a 'new standards' format. I love the
> sound of this format, however it's viability as a commercial
> format has yet to be proven.
>
> The aforementioned stations are just a handful, which I know
> or think are doing well. That being said, our numbers (of
> stations) are still small...and, getting smaller.
>
>
> Hi. This is my first time posting on this board. I
> > personally don't listen to standard/easy listening type
> > stations, but I was just wondering about something. Are
> > there any standards/easy listening stations doing well in
> > ratings in any market in the US? Thanks for any answers.
> >
>
Another B/EZ station is WMUU in Greenville, SC -- They do pretty well. They stream on http://www.wmuu.com

 

[vchimpanzee]

Re: Absolutely!!

Another B/EZ station is WMUU in Greenville, SC -- They do pretty well. They stream on http://www.wmuu.com

A station that deserves its own category!

It doesn't even belong with the others.

They're still stuck in the 60s, which is great. Newer instrumental versions in the style of that era have been done, but there's no resemblance to anything else you would hear.

 

[Chuck]

It says on their web site, "Due to the continuing costs of maintaining our Web Radio feature, WMUU regrets to announce that beginning September 1st we will discontinue the Web Radio. WMUU is currently spending nearly $25,000 annually to maintain our website."


We've been doing pretty well with our own home grown Jazzy Adult Standards format here in East Texas. It's been paying the bills for four years and has a very loyal following.

Tune in if you like. www.kzqx.com

 

[fred flintstone]

What is is it that motivates someone to drag up a thread from a year and a half ago?

Gee, the "new movement" in pop standards, Red, died a long time ago. Nobody else ever picked up the format.

That list of stations located in retirement locations, who know how many of them have flipped by now?

 

[Chuck]

What is is it that motivates someone to drag up a thread from a year and a half ago?

Gee, the "new movement" in pop standards, Red, died a long time ago. Nobody else ever picked up the format.

That list of stations located in retirement locations, who know how many of them have flipped by now?

That's a good question. Of course, I was sucker enough to respond to the post. As I think everyone knows, Red died a long time ago. I'm sure it had listeners. I even have a few friends in the St. Louis area that told me they listened. The fact of the matter is they could make more money doing something else.

 

[zumahans]

KBUX/ Quartzsite AZ owns the southern La Paz County Arioznqa market, outbilling every other local station.

 

[vchimpanzee]

What is is it that motivates someone to drag up a thread from a year and a half ago?

Sorry about that. I'm new here and haven't seen a lot of these topics, I was doing a search and, except for the warning that it was old, didn't know there was anything wrong.

I just felt I had to respond to something I had seen, before I knew it was old.

 

[fred flintstone]

Not a problem. Welcome to the board. It looks like you're getting it all figured out.

Looking at this thread shows how stations in the format have been dropping in the past year or so, which really shouldn't come as much of a surprise.

 

[Chuck]

I just felt I had to respond to something I had seen, before I knew it was old.

Nothing to be sorry for, but the info listed is very out of date.

We're still doing OK down here in Texas... ;D

 

[Mike Sheridan]

From the KZQX website:

While we recognize that there are many genres of music, some are undoubtedly more significant than others. There is life beyond Rap, Hip-Hop and Three Chord Country. If we help demonstrate that to people who haven't had the opportunity to sample this wonderful music and the great performers who brought it to you, then we've done our job.

 

[fred flintstone]

From the KZQX website:
While we recognize that there are many genres of music, some are undoubtedly more significant than others. There is life beyond Rap, Hip-Hop and Three Chord Country. If we help demonstrate that to people who haven't had the opportunity to sample this wonderful music and the great performers who brought it to you, then we've done our job.

Sounds both desperate and self-righteous.

Translation: Our music is better than your music. Our purpose is to get you to stop listening to crap all the time.

This assumes people who don't listen to standards have never heard it and that's the only reason they don't listen. Sorry, they've heard it. It's what their grandparents listened to (for the money demos). Or what their parents listened to (for Baby Boomers). This goes beyond naive.

 

[Chuck]

Sounds both desperate and self-righteous.

Translation: Our music is better than your music. Our purpose is to get you to stop listening to crap all the time.

This assumes people who don't listen to standards have never heard it and that's the only reason they don't listen. Sorry, they've heard it. It's what their grandparents listened to (for the money demos). Or what their parents listened to (for Baby Boomers). This goes beyond naive.

It is neither desperate nor self-righteous. The station's mission is just like a classical music or jazz station. Sorry you don't like it. A lot of people in the area do, and that is all that really matters. The station is doing well in all respects, so I'm sorry if you don't think standards works. It isn't a format for everybody. Nobody ever said that it was, but I can tell you that it has a very loyal following and serves a niche that had pretty well given up on radio.

 

[fred flintstone]

Sorry, Chuck. I do like Standards. I clock a lot of hours with XM's 40s on 4, 50s on 5 and Frank's Place, thank you.

I listen because that is my preference. I don't go around saying I listen because "it's better."

And if this station's mission is to give people "the opportunity to sample this wonderful music," then the station is somebody's hobby - not a business. And not only are they like classical and jazz stations (those people tend to get haughty about their "superior" musical tastes, too), they are even more like religious broadcasters, Salem and Air America Radio: Broadcasters with an agenda and a message.

People who preach about how their music choice is better than someone else' seem about as ridiculous to me as someone who stands at the counter at Baskin-Robbins telling people not to get whatever flavor they ordered because Quarterback Crunch is better.

And I haven't "given up" on radio. I listen to XM Radio. It's sound. It's wireless. It's available to anyone who wants to listen. It's radio.

 

[Chuck]

And if this station's mission is to give people "the opportunity to sample this wonderful music," then the station is somebody's hobby - not a business. And not only are they like classical and jazz stations (those people tend to get haughty about their "superior" musical tastes, too), they are even more like religious broadcasters, Salem and Air America Radio: Broadcasters with an agenda and a message.

Gee Fred. I guess you didn't look at the web site very carefully.

The station is both a hobby and a business. It is run by volunteers, although it is operated in a professional and business like manner. Volunteerism by its nature is a hobby. It doesn't make any difference if you are volunteering for the Red Cross, a church bake sale, the SPCA, or your local Rotary Club picnic. There is nothing wrong with doing something you enjoy, just for the sake of doing it. Making money was never part of the station’s agenda. It doesn't have any trouble paying its own way though. The community has been very supportive.

Perhaps you didn't notice that this particular station happens to be an LPFM? By definition, those stations are supposed to have an educational purpose. Ours happens to be exposing people to a form of music that is not otherwise available in our area. It also pledges to be a conduit for community events and happenings. It has done a pretty good job of doing that in the four plus years that it has been on the air. Or at least, so say our listeners.

In fact, so says Arbitron. Shortly after Arbitron decided to include LPFM stations in their noncommercial ratings, we received a congratulatory call from them telling us that were the very first LPFM to ever be rated by their organization. It turns out that other LPFM stations in other parts of the country were rated as well. In any case, it is always nice to have confirmation that somebody is listening, and thinks enough about you to log you in their book. In our area, not all commercial stations made it in the ratings, so we were pretty happy to be included.

In the Spring Book, our cume nearly doubled from the fall. We have a weekly listenership that is about the population of a reasonable size town. Considering our limited coverage area, I think that is significant. Wouldn't you? In fact, we beat several full power stations on the basis of cume, and in the 50+ group, we are one of the most popular stations in the area, at least in locations where our signal is receivable. I think you could call that a positive sign that the format is not dead. You can go on and on about "nobody wants to market to the 50+ crowd, but our supporters don't seem be too concerned with those arguments. My impression is that is a bigger deal on these news groups than it is in reality. Most of our underwriting sponsors call us, wanting to be involved. If we actually had a sales force, we might be dangerous.

I don't know how these things would translate if this were a full power commercial station, but as I recall, the original question was "Are any Standards stations doing well?" My answer still is: "We are."

 

[fred flintstone]

Sorry, I was just going by what was posted here. I did not see the website.

There is a similar station in this area in the non-commercial FM band. It has a small but devoted following and is clearly a labor of love for the volunteers (one of whom used to post regularly on this site).

I never said Standards stations don't get listeners. If that is the criterion for success, then they are often successful. Two standards stations in my area have very respectable audience numbers. Both now program sports talk. Audience numbers are now minuscule by comparison. Now they may not have many listeners but they do have spots. Toward the end, both stations were supported mostly by small core groups of local advertisers (two travel agents who set up cruises with station DJs, one Buick dealer who supplied the station car, one nut shop, one financial planner, a few others heard over and over).

 

[Chuck]

Sorry, I was just going by what was posted here. I did not see the website.

That is one of the disadvantages of newsgroups like these. Sometimes things look differerent when taken out of context.

If you have a good Internet connection, you might drop by the site and listen for a while. You might even like it. There are no hidden agendas, either religious or political.

There is a similar station in this area in the non-commercial FM band. It has a small but devoted following and is clearly a labor of love for the volunteers (one of whom used to post regularly on this site).

There are several of those around the country. We all know this is a niche format these days, and some of what you hear a lot of standards stations is fairly dreadful. I can understand why nobody listens.

Truth be known, I enjoy a wide variety of music. Maybe I'm easily amused. Standards was made as a choice for the station because it addressed a segment of the population that was not being served. We have a lot of listeners who tell us that that they had simply stopped listening to the radio before we came along. I can't see how that hurts anyone in radio.

Even so, I must admit that I have a satellite radio in my car. When I'm out of listening range for our station, that is usually what is playing.

 

[fred flintstone]

There are several of those around the country. We all know this is a niche format these days, and some of what you hear a lot of standards stations is fairly dreadful. I can understand why nobody listens.

Amen. I stopped when Westwood One "updated" their playlist and started playing 70s AC. ABC pretty much did the same. MOYL has changed the least but somehow I never warmed up to them. Since KABL is gone, I can't think of any commercial standards stations that are still local-live (except for volunteer efforts that also have advertisers).