As the Earth Turns.

[davideduardo]

Couldn't have said it better Seatownmedia. You are 101% right.

Yes, you both have the formula for losing revenue by appealing to listeners LA advertisers have no desire to reach or, worse, who don't exist any more.

KRTH has very successfully navigated the demographic and lifestyle changes of LA; today's "California Girl" is named Lupe González or Grace Chen and is not the pale blonde babe the Beach Boys brayed about 50 years back. KRTH gets it.

 

[oldies76]

Yes, you both have the formula for losing revenue by appealing to listeners LA advertisers have no desire to reach or, worse, who don't exist any more.

KRTH has very successfully navigated the demographic and lifestyle changes of LA; today's "California Girl" is named Lupe González or Grace Chen and is not the pale blonde babe the Beach Boys brayed about 50 years back. KRTH gets it.

No, not at all. That's what weekends can be used for. Like I mentioned in a post a while back, by combining two targets at the same time. Focus on your main demographics during the important broadcasting times, such as weekday mornings and afternoons and then let it loose on Saturday and Sundays, or a specific time slot, say, late on Sundays. Other stations are known for sock hop or disco Saturday nights, K-Earth can do a flashback presentation, bringing back some great oldies that they were known for and that relate to the classic Southern California lifestyle, such as the Beach Boys and Rivieras. Why do you think K-Surf 1260 was launched? Because listeners want it. Bring back the classic jingle package, specifically for your weekend classic presentation and combine it with real oldies Southern California is known for, and you'll gain more listeners overall. You've killed two birds with ONE stone effectively and satisfied your precious almighty dollar at the same time. I believe it can work.

 

[landtuna]

I will just toss this thought into the pot.....

There has been much observation in the media this past week about Fleetwood Mac's "Dreams" hitting the charts again after 40 years. The first reaction from "kids" has been "I've never heard that song before". Dead on! That is why Oldies and/or Classic Hits will become somewhat popular again.....when they are played where "kids" listen. They won't have the same meaning to the "kids" that they do to us but they are still the best pop songs ever written.

 

[AbrahamJSimpson]

No, not at all. That's what weekends can be used for. Like I mentioned in a post a while back, by combining two targets at the same time. Focus on your main demographics during the important broadcasting times, such as weekday mornings and afternoons and then let it loose on Saturday and Sundays, or a specific time slot, say, late on Sundays. Other stations are known for sock hop or disco Saturday nights, K-Earth can do a flashback presentation, bringing back some great oldies that they were known for and that relate to the classic Southern California lifestyle, such as the Beach Boys and Rivieras. Why do you think K-Surf 1260 was launched? Because listeners want it. Bring back the classic jingle package, specifically for your weekend classic presentation and combine it with real oldies Southern California is known for, and you'll gain more listeners overall. You've killed two birds with ONE stone effectively and satisfied your precious almighty dollar at the same time. I believe it can work.

They're doing remarkably well. There is zero need for such an approach. None.

 

[oldies76]

They're doing remarkably well. There is zero need for such an approach. None.

Until it's tried, we'll never know the outcome. I believe it can work and if anything, what do you got to lose? It can really win, if done right. In the meantime, they are doing well, but they can do better and shoot for #1 with a new approach.

Just ask Pepsi, throwback retro bottling designs are the new thing and are all over the stores. And I applaud them.

 

[seatownmedia]

It's not as much that they are "backing off" the 90's as it is that they cut the library size, and obviously eliminated lower testing songs... both from the late 70's and the early 90's.

They also eliminated 80's titles, but since that is and was the bulk of the library, the reduction is far less obvious.



As I have said before: KRTH is a radio station playing today's hit songs that, coincidentally, were recorded in the 80's. They don't need to bring back and 80's radio station... just the songs from that era that are popular today.



That's sort of like getting lost and ending up in a gold mine. The station is having its highest cume and sustained shares now.



I have no idea what "important" means in this context. The station is "important" as it appears, now, to be Entercom's highest billing LA FM station. That is the "important" that counts.



The station has always "chased" 35-54. The issue is that every year, 5% of the listeners age out of the demo and you have to get a new set of 35-year-olds in the door to replace them. The station is not trying to be "younger"; it is trying to keep a constant focus on the target, not yesterday's listeners who have aged out of the demo.

OK, your points are certainly valid from a business perspective, which is what the industry looks at, no doubt. My post was more personal. Another way of looking at this is just because something that apparently looks better from a business standpoint, doesn't make it necessarily better. Again, IMO. What I object to is baby boomers are being ignored for the most part when it comes to radio today. I don't quite understand that, as boomers tend to have more accumulated wealth than millennials. But I digress.

So, I liked the old K-Earth. I know I am not alone. This isn't just a couple of baby boomers (me and Oldies 76), I think there is a huge audience being shut out here. Too bad advertisers don't recognize this, but I'm sure they have their data points to support their argument. Unfortunate for a large swath of population that probably uses radio more than those younger.

 

[gr8oldies]

Lupe has never heard of the Rivieras and has no desire to hear them on her way to take the kids to soccer practice on Saturday morning.

 

[landtuna]

Just ask Pepsi, throwback retro bottling designs are the new thing and are all over the stores. And I applaud them.

Pepsi began as "the cheaper Coke" and it still is. You will notice their ads target youth who must value packaging over content.

 

[oldies76]

Lupe has never heard of the Rivieras and has no desire to hear them on her way to take the kids to soccer practice on Saturday morning.

An assumption. Well known, until KRTH killed the 60's.

 

[oldies76]

So, I liked the old K-Earth. I know I am not alone. This isn't just a couple of baby boomers (me and Oldies 76), I think there is a huge audience being shut out here. Too bad advertisers don't recognize this, but I'm sure they have their data points to support their argument. Unfortunate for a large swath of population that probably uses radio more than those younger.

Exactly why 1260 am was resurrected, to find a home for those dumped listeners, and there are hundreds of thousands of them scattered across the basin, kind of like purposely avoiding 3000 points worth of ghosts on the Pacman board after chomping on the energizer and eating 10 point dots instead. A lost and wasteful opportunity.

 

[CTListener]

What I object to is baby boomers are being ignored for the most part when it comes to radio today. I don't quite understand that, as boomers tend to have more accumulated wealth than millennials. But I digress.

David and others have explained this many, many times. Yes, boomers are wealthier than millennials, but they're also harder to sway with advertising. And, since many boomers are now retired or getting ready to retire, and the majority of them are over 60, health costs (their own and those of their aging parents) are eating up more and more of that wealth. It's not an attractive demo to advertisers anymore. And putting weekend programming that appeals to that demo on a station that does dynamite numbers 35-54 during the week and bills accordingly is counterproductive. Advertisers don't want to support "sock hop" shows AND their presence on weekends will only irritate the station's weekday target audience -- which may find some other station to listen to on weekends and keep listening to it instead of KRTH during the week.

 

[CTListener]

Lupe has never heard of the Rivieras and has no desire to hear them on her way to take the kids to soccer practice on Saturday morning.

Isn't Lupe a male name?

 

[oldies76]

Advertisers don't want to support "sock hop" shows AND their presence on weekends will only irritate the station's weekday target audience -- which may find some other station to listen to on weekends and keep listening to it instead of KRTH during the week.

But regular listenership is much lower on weekends anyways, so that's a mute point. By attracting a older target during a time when the regulars are doing other things is a smarter move. And these older demos will avoid the weekdays, when the regulars return. Like I said, you are satisfying two groups, not just one. And until stations readjust, they'll be taken away to startups like AM 1260 with poorer signals. Remember, retro is in, much more than it is not. I agree with Seatownmedia and bringing back the Johnny Mann jingles during this secondary programming slot.

 

[davideduardo]

But regular listenership is much lower on weekends anyways, so that's a mute(sic) point.

It's not a moot point because there are weekend dayparts that are very competitive with weekdays. The lower rated dayparts are Sunday mornings and both Saturday and Sunday evenings.

By attracting a older target during a time when the regulars are doing other things is a smarter move. And these older demos will avoid the weekdays, when the regulars return.

But any in-demo listener who tunes in and hears their parent's music is going to be negatively influenced for listening the next time they turn on the radio.

And an older target is of no sales value, so why do it? All you do is ding your image with the listeners you desire to attract.

Like I said, you are satisfying two groups, not just one. And until stations readjust, they'll be taken away to startups like AM 1260 with poorer signals.

1260 is getting listeners that KRTH has no interest in. They may be able to sell some direct accounts, but mostly this is one of the owner's vanity projects; there is nothing wrong with that as even I owned an unrated that played music I liked. But public companies have an obligation to do what is best for the shareholders, too.

Remember, retro is in, much more than it is not. I agree with Seatownmedia and bringing back the Johnny Mann jingles during this secondary programming slot.

Retro is not "in" if you mean that 35-year-olds want to hear "At the Hop" and "Blue Velvet". The old jingles were meaningful for listeners who grew up with the music of KHJ in its Boss Radio years. That means people in their 60's and beyond. The jingles just sound OLD to anyone else.

 

[davideduardo]

Isn't Lupe a male name?

It can be a male name, generally when combined with another name... like José Guadalupe... such as Lupe Esparza of the big group "Bronco".

But mostly it is among the most common woman's names in Mexico in honor of the Virgin of Guadalupe, the patron saint of that nation.

 

[davideduardo]

Exactly why 1260 am was resurrected, to find a home for those dumped listeners, and there are hundreds of thousands of them scattered across the basin, kind of like purposely avoiding 3000 points worth of ghosts on the Pacman board after chomping on the energizer and eating 10 point dots instead. A lost and wasteful opportunity.

And those listeners are of minimal sales value. OK for an owner-operator with no debt but not for a public corporation that must report to shareholders and a board of directors.

 

[davideduardo]

No, not at all. That's what weekends can be used for. Like I mentioned in a post a while back, by combining two targets at the same time.

That's a guarantee that you will piss off both groups part of the time. Radio listeners have expectations, and if you deceive them or defraud them, they don't come back.

What if Pepsi added a touch of grape flavor one month of the year? I'll bet regular consumers would be hesitant to buy Pepsi again... ever.

Focus on your main demographics during the important broadcasting times, such as weekday mornings and afternoons and then let it loose on Saturday and Sundays, or a specific time slot, say, late on Sundays.

Actually, the highest rated daypart is middays, followed by afternoons followed by mornings in the PPM markets.

And most weekend dayparts are competitive with them, as I explain in another post. You are using false data to support faulty conclusions.

Other stations are known for sock hop or disco Saturday nights,

Not in a transactional PPM market.

K-Earth can do a flashback presentation, bringing back some great oldies that they were known for and that relate to the classic Southern California lifestyle, such as the Beach Boys and Rivieras.

And annoy the 25% of the 25-54 population that cumes them now. They have no need to reach worthless-for-sales 55+ listeners when they are Top 5 in the sales demo.

Why do you think K-Surf 1260 was launched?

It was launched because Sol Levine wanted to do it. His stations are paid for, he has money and if he can cover some basic costs with a few local accounts and some add-ons to KKGO, then he will be happy.

Because listeners want it.

Wrong, but thanks for playing. Alexa, play some 60's oldies.

Bring back the classic jingle package, specifically for your weekend classic presentation and combine it with real oldies Southern California is known for, and you'll gain more listeners overall. You've killed two birds with ONE stone effectively and satisfied your precious almighty dollar at the same time. I believe it can work.

Most people in Southern California never listened to KFWB under Blore or KHJ under Jacobs... because they were either not alive back then or because they were living elsewhere. KRTH played on the heritage of KHJ for many years, but then those listeners aged out of the sales demos and many folks arrived who thought KHJ was a campground chain... oh, that is KOA... or had no clue. Or who thing Boss Radio is a business news station.

 

[davideduardo]

Pepsi began as "the cheaper Coke" and it still is. You will notice their ads target youth who must value packaging over content.

12 full ounces, that's a lot... and just a nickle...

But they don't change the flavor at random.

 

[CTListener]

It can be a male name, generally when combined with another name... like José Guadalupe... such as Lupe Esparza of the big group "Bronco".

But mostly it is among the most common woman's names in Mexico in honor of the Virgin of Guadalupe, the patron saint of that nation.

Thanks for clarifying that. There have been several good boxers (male) with that nickname, so that's where I got the idea that it was a masculine name. I always figured Guadalupe was their given name rather than a name used in combination with another.

 

[davideduardo]

Thanks for clarifying that. There have been several good boxers (male) with that nickname, so that's where I got the idea that it was a masculine name. I always figured Guadalupe was their given name rather than a name used in combination with another.

Another example of the use of a name of the traditionally "other" gender is the use of "María" for men. Often found in such combinations as "José María" and it honors Mary and Joseph from the New Testament. An example is the very successful 70's Mexican singer José María Napoleón.

Then we get to the common Latin American name of "Jesús" or "Jesus" for men or the addition of "Jesús" to a women's name such as Juana Jesús.

Simply reflections of the evolution of different language-based cultures.