Atlanta radio is like the old Twilight Zone

[IT_Guru]

YES this is a great mix. However, you guys are living in a dream-world. Atlanta radio
will never NEVER return to the days of this kind of music and news on the Atlanta dial.

Gone are the days of FOX 97, WQXI, WPLO and yes, even the "old" WSB 750 which
dominated the ratings in the 1960's. However if you want a mix like this list above,
it does exist on XM-Sirius Satellite. All of the above. And More. So why keep complaining
and "wishing and hoping" for a better Atlanta Radio dial. Get an XM radio and enjoy the
music !! With the likes of Cumulus and Clear Channel, Atlanta Radio is DOOMED....

My issue is that almost every other market has these formats such as Classic Hits and the formats seem to be doing well in most of them. Atlanta being a major market should have them too but instead I hear Justin Bieber being played on 3 stations at the same time.

Why should I have to PAY for XM/Sirius? Their audio quality sucks and if I was in another market, I'd be perfectly happy with the choice that radio offers but here in Atlanta, radio is horrendous!

 

[taylorengineer]

The immediacy of radio is compelling. Breaking news and weather will be of interest to people forever and nothing can fill this role BETTER than radio.
I don't buy BigA's argument that "grownups" don't have time to create playlists and need others to do it for them. People have time for Honey Boo Boo for Christ's sake!! Trust me....they have time! What people don't have time for is sampling all the new music out there in the universe.....and they don't have time to poll their friends to find what THEY think is good. Most people need social leadership - they want to know what others of their "kind" like. Radio is great for exposing the masses to new music and filling the roll as "social leader."
What we are sadly lacking is real personality in the presentation.....the "showbiz" factor. Music stations have become generic.....for the most part New York stations sound like stations in Ty Ty, Georgia. I remember days past when you, by gawd, knew you were "out of town" by the way the local stations sounded. (Every small town station had a harelipped announcer - dead giveaway!) Even the small stations had personalities and everyone in town knew who they were.
Radio management has "researched" all the fun and spontaneity out of their product in the attempt to maximize their audience.
But what the listener can't tell you....and what the research/auditorium testing can't quantify....is what "really good radio" really means. And I believe people accept the product because there's nothing "better".....just like we used to accept Fords and Chevys before Toyota and Datsun came to town and showed us how to really build cars.
Evolution continues and market forces will prevail unless disturbed. Spoken word will help evolve the personalities that radio is so lacking today. The new generation Bob Hopes and Jack Bennys are out there and will hopefully find their way to a microphone near you soon!

 

[TheBigA]

I don't buy BigA's argument that "grownups" don't have time to create playlists and need others to do it for them. People have time for Honey Boo Boo for Christ's sake!! Trust me....they have time! What people don't have time for is sampling all the new music out there in the universe.....and they don't have time to poll their friends to find what THEY think is good.

So in essence, you agree with me. They don't "need others to do it for them," but they become more willing to LET others do it for them. So I'm not concerned about what college kids say about OTA radio. When I was a college kid, I felt the same way. Once I was older, my opinions changed. I expect the same thing will happen to this generation.

 

[taylorengineer]

@BigA: When you were a college kid there was probably none of the sources for music/news/entertainment that exist now.
I used to subscribe to the local newspaper/fishwrapper. It was the only place to get information when I was in college. Now I can have the world at my keyboard and have not even opened a newspaper (even a good one like the WSJ) in over 10 years. When I was in school, the only place to get new music was radio or a record store like Turtles. Now I can listen to almost 3/4 of all recorded music at the click of a mouse. I could not even tell you where to find a retailer selling music in a brick and mortar "storefront." And I rarely listen to radio for music.
To compare our lifestyle evolution to that of today's college kids is comparing apples and oranges.
We had better be listening to what the college kids are telling us if we want to stay viable!
The changes in content delivery are going to be permanent as are the expectations of today's generation. I have a kid in college, one about to start, both musicians, and they can't tell you where I work.....and as long as there is food in the fridge they don't care. I've never seen either listen to the radio.....when in the car they ask me to "turn it down please." I just don't believe their behavior is going to change.
What will change are their needs. As we get older we find news/weather/traffic more necessary. Radio will be there to offer that flow of information and will be able to do it as well as any other source. But will it evolve to offer better entertainment content than other sources of content delivery? That's the $64K question.
Today's radio management, led by bean counters and not programmers, does not seem to be changing the paradigm fast enough. What the bean counters can not grasp is that the needed changes will be GOOD for PROFITS....not BAD. That is why we need leadership now more than ever in this industry.....we need someone to "illuminate" the possibilities!

 

[TheBigA]

I just don't believe their behavior is going to change.

It will. Unless they remain under your roof forever, and depend on you for their food and transportantion, their behavior will change. It's a fact of life.

Today's radio management, led by bean counters and not programmers, does not seem to be changing the paradigm fast enough. What the bean counters can not grasp is that the needed changes will be GOOD for PROFITS....not BAD. That is why we need leadership now more than ever in this industry.....we need someone to "illuminate" the possibilities!

The battle that's going on is the desire by boomers to keep radio the way it was vs. the reality that the next generation has different needs. So it's a balancing act, but it's moving as the generations change. Management doesn't want to completely throw away the boomers yet. But it's clear that they're heading in that direction. The emphasis at CBS, Townsquare, and CC on the internet is one example of how radio is dealing with the changing paradigm. In my view, Cox, Cumulus, and Entercom are lagging in that area. It's not an industry problem. It's just certain specific companies. Every industry conference I've attended, including the recent NAB in Dallas, is all about the changing paradigm, and how radio needs to adapt. So the industry is clearly aware of the situation.

 

[taylorengineer]

No.....they are not going to embrace radio as their source of entertainment. That SPECIFIC behavior will not change.
Of course their general behavior will change as their needs/desires change. And I did point out that as we become older we become more interested in news and traffic as those are two things that greatly affect most adults. Radio can already compete quite well in these areas.
Radio will never be able to compete as a two way medium unless new receiver technology is adopted. Online has the ability to know exactly who a listener is and where he/she is listening. Advertisers are gonna' love the ability to call up location specific advertising....they are really going to like being able to quantify and qualify audiences. Session starts and times are hard numbers. Not numbers created with "weighting" and other such nonsense.
Some companies are doing better than others. The guy I work for came from the programming side and he gets it. But we, as an industry, are so far behind. Can we catch up in time?

 

[TheBigA]

No.....they are not going to embrace radio as their source of entertainment. That SPECIFIC behavior will not change.

Maybe not for your kids. But for millions of people in their 20s, the behavior HAS changed. I see it every day in the ratings. They may not "embrace radio" as you did, and hang on every word spoken by the DJs, but they DO listen. And not necessarily using a transitor radio, but they DO listen on some device. In fact the size of the radio audience for people ages 24-35 is larger than just about every other age demographic. So the odds say it's very likely that your kids will change their behavior at some point.

The guy I work for came from the programming side and he gets it. But we, as an industry, are so far behind. Can we catch up in time?

As I said, it's not an industry problem. We can lead a horse to water but we can't make him drink. The industry knows the situation. It's up to specific companies to change.

 

[TheBigA]

Advertisers are gonna' love the ability to call up location specific advertising....they are really going to like being able to quantify and qualify audiences.

What I'm starting to see is a real aversion on the part of a large number of people at having their data shared with advertisers. I think this will be a big issue in the future, and online-only media will find itself caught between the desire to attract advertising, and the negative reaction it gets from its users. So while it may seem cool, for the short term, that an advertiser has access to a lot more information online, we will start to see more blocking going on to prevent advertisers from taking personal information for their own benefit.

 

[secondchoice]

Advertisers are gonna' love the ability to call up location specific advertising....they are really going to like being able to quantify and qualify audiences.

What I'm starting to see is a real aversion on the part of a large number of people at having their data shared with advertisers. I think this will be a big issue in the future, and online-only media will find itself caught between the desire to attract advertising, and the negative reaction it gets from its users. So while it may seem cool, for the short term, that an advertiser has access to a lot more information online, we will start to see more blocking going on to prevent advertisers from taking personal information for their own benefit.

Just wait until the "masses" find out that Facebook (and the other social media sites will follow soon) has a new program that they are automatically tying in you store loyalty card into their database without your knowledge. Every time you buy an item that is advertised on Facebook, Facebook will get credit. If this happens and folks are OK with it then most of the advertising in the traditional media (TV, print, radio, billboards) will go away. This will allow an advertiser to "tract" his advertising to who sees and buys it and their web and or home address or address where the bill is paid of at least which phone cell on prepaid plans. Kind of scary.

 

[NightFlyer]

I am not a baby boomer. I am very much into technology and streaming. I am a listener.
Yes, there are lots of streaming option that I like. I have a smartphone. I can listen in the car via line-in. However..
data isn't good everywhere in town. Streams drop out and break up along my commute. With the radio, it works fine everywhere in and a good way outside of town.

This and the simple fact that to turn the radio on, one has to just press a button. No fooling around with smartphone or touchscreens trying to connect to the desired stream. One button or one knob. Most people, including many who are young, don't go above this kind of simplicity. And when the ipod playlist is worn out or you run out of CDs to listen to, the radio is always there, possibly with something new and interesting on.

I say this because it's obvious that most radio listeners are tuning in while driving. Not so many listen at home now that the personal computer has become the central entertainment medium for many, but in the car, the radio is still the most popular medium.

I will say this though. There's not much choice anymore in our market. 7 or 8 stations playing plastic pop or urban, and then we have a couple of classic rockers. I listen to both of them on and off, but we don't have much variety anymore.

Many people listen to various kinds of music depending on what mood they are in. I wish I could turn on oldies when I felt like listening to them. Wish my mainstay station, Dave FM didn't flip. Wish there was a light rock station that played some 80s once in awhile.

The mentality seems to be that just because someone's in the target demo, they want the same 50 songs all the time. Sad.

I'd consider Serius/XM but the audio quality is horrible.

So, even with occasional spotty coverage, my line-in gets a lot of use. And it's a good thing I signed up on that unlimited data plan.....

 

[MRFLASHPORT]

The changes in content delivery are going to be permanent as are the expectations of today's generation. I have a kid in college, one about to start, both musicians, and they can't tell you where I work.....and as long as there is food in the fridge they don't care. I've never seen either listen to the radio.....when in the car they ask me to "turn it down please." I just don't believe their behavior is going to change.
What will change are their needs. As we get older we find news/weather/traffic more necessary. Radio will be there to offer that flow of information and will be able to do it as well as any other source. But will it evolve to offer better entertainment content than other sources of content delivery? That's the $64K question.
Today's radio management, led by bean counters and not programmers, does not seem to be changing the paradigm fast enough. What the bean counters can not grasp is that the needed changes will be GOOD for PROFITS....not BAD. That is why we need leadership now more than ever in this industry.....we need someone to "illuminate" the possibilities!

The problem with spoken word is there is not enough unique content to fill the spaces on the dial. I mean, how different is the CONTENT of "news, weather and traffic" to justify this on a dozen different high power FM sticks that will differentiate one from another? WGST is proof of this, they could not hold a candle to WSB, and when WYAY flipped, they were done. They offered no CONTENT.

Talk radio in this market doesn't appeal at all to me, because I am not a right wing ditto head. The talk radio I do listen to, is on stations online, despite the fact that the one host I do listen to daily (Mike Malloy) is based out of Atlanta, none of the corporate stations carry him- well WGUN, but with a pathetic nighttime signal, I couldn't hear it if my life depended on it. So there is nothing but the same dribble on dial position after dial position talk wise. It's all the same to me. I think WYAY would do great but if they start adding too many mouthpieces, when people tune in for the "news/talk/traffic" and they hear infospam or a talk show (especially if it's some turd they can't stand) they tune out. It's one of the reasons I now refuse to listen to WSB, I can't stand Rush, or the rest of the right wingers on their all day. How many more news/talk stations can a market support if the content is ALL THE SAME SHIT? It's the same problem with the corporate music stations. They are all playing THE SAME SHIT. Listen to Power 96, Star 94, Q100, and Wild- and note how many times you'll hear Flo-Ride "Whistle" playing simultaneously. What's the incentive for a listener to stay at one dial position if they all play the SAME SHIT? Exactly. There is none. This is no different with news/talk/sports. Variety is totally lacking on the corporate landscape.

Music formats, if done well, can keep people listening longer. The problem with corporate radio management is they only want to do "safe" and "proven" formats that their "focus groups" and INsultants tell them to. Dave FM was a great departure for this (anyone remember their "Rock without Rules" sign on in 2004?). It was clear that the corporate suits at CBS battled with the very programming people they hired over the years. I've been listening to Album 88 more, when I'm not streaming, why? Because they play alot of variety- in fact, heard a new Pet Shop Boys cut from their latest album entitled "Ego Music" and I about drove off the road, because this song describes the attitude of corporate radio to a T. (No wonder it hasn't made it on any commercial stations, it probably pisses off the suits too much because it hits close to home). But here is proof that even 37 year olds like me listen to RADIO for NEW MUSIC. Thanks Album 88 for introducing the new Pet Shop Boys album "Elysium". Downloaded it on Amazon last night.

For radio to remain competitive it has to offer something unique. I just don't see it with the amount of conglomeration that has taken place since the late 1990s. The same owners call the shots nationally, their on a move to downsize, cheapen up all their operations. If it means putting the SAME SHIT on all their outlets, this is what they do. I don't see spoken word as being able to compete on this many outlets, especially if it's the same content. People still do turn to radio for music, but tune it out as they don't find anything unique to keep their attention.

Radio management is broken. It's it's own worst enemy.

 

[TheBigA]

For radio to remain competitive it has to offer something unique.

Not true. If you want something unique, you have to pay for it. Unique means everyone in Atlanta gets their own personal radio station, and there aren't enough frequencies to do that.

Sushi is unique, but that isn't going to make me eat raw fish.

 

[MRFLASHPORT]

For radio to remain competitive it has to offer something unique.

Not true. If you want something unique, you have to pay for it. Unique means everyone in Atlanta gets their own personal radio station, and there aren't enough frequencies to do that.

Sushi is unique, but that isn't going to make me eat raw fish.

Sounds like the typical response of a corporate radio stooge. About what I would expect from you BigA.

There are plenty of radio channels available to offer a variety of programming, especially with HD. Only TWO stations in this market offer something DIFFERENT on their HD channels, WSB-FM and WWPW-HD2 (which is the OLD Project 96-1). So what is the excuse now? These corporate owners just use HD radio as a loophole in the law to feed translators with...wait for it...THE SAME SHIT. How long is this going to remain viable?

What a joke this industry has become, deregulation is working out real well isn't it?

 

[TheBigA]

What a joke this industry has become, deregulation is working out real well isn't it?

It has nothing to do with deregulation. Replace the current owners with different ones, and the results will be the same.

You and a few others are unhappy because the music you want isn't available for free. But everyone else is happy with what's on the radio. Just because radio doesn't do what YOU want doesn't mean the whole industry is a joke and going out of business.

 

[MRFLASHPORT]

What a joke this industry has become, deregulation is working out real well isn't it?

It has nothing to do with deregulation. Replace the current owners with different ones, and the results will be the same.

You and a few others are unhappy because the music you want isn't available for free. But everyone else is happy with what's on the radio. Just because radio doesn't do what YOU want doesn't mean the whole industry is a joke and going out of business.

that's right, it's just me. I'm bitching because I can't get "free" music. Nevermind I've spent thousands of dollars on music (CD's, MP3's and back in the day, LP's), I want it "for free". Yeah that's it you got me.

You are living posting proof of what is wrong with this industry. We'll see where you are in 10 years, along with the radio industry.

 

[TheBigA]

that's right, it's just me. I'm bitching because I can't get "free" music. Nevermind I've spent thousands of dollars on music (CD's, MP3's and back in the day, LP's), I want it "for free". Yeah that's it you got me.

No one in radio cares that you pay for CDs. Radio companies don't get anything when you buy music. The idea that radio needs to play the new Pet Shop Boys so you can buy it is silly. You can hear samples on Amazon. Amazon will make money when you buy it, not us.

You are living posting proof of what is wrong with this industry. We'll see where you are in 10 years, along with the radio industry.

I've been in radio since I was 15, and have never been out of work. Right now, I've got people lined up wanting my work. I will have no problem getting work in ten years. I'm am living proof of how to stay employed, and it works.

Once again, just because you're unhappy doesn't mean everyone is unhappy. If more people in Atlanta wanted the music you want, there would be a station for it. We're in the mass audience business. There are more people in Atlanta who want urban, pop, and country. So that's what's on the radio.

Consider this: I like ale. I don't like pissy white beer. I go to the beer store and it's ten types of pissy white beer. You got Bud, Coors, and Miller. It's all the same pissy white beer to me. Why does a store stock all that crap? Because it sells. I like a specialty beer. Only a few places sell it, and it costs more. That's my problem. But you don't see me complaining on message boards about it.

 

[jabba17]

What a joke this industry has become, deregulation is working out real well isn't it?

It has nothing to do with deregulation. Replace the current owners with different ones, and the results will be the same.

Let's go back in the time machine, again, to the early-mid 80s:

WQXI-FM 94Q: Hot AC, Jefferson-Pilot
WPCH Peach 95: Soft AC, Meredith
WSB-FM B98.5: AC, Cox
WRMM Warm 99.7: AC, Susquehanna
WFOX Fox 97: gold-based AC, Shamrock
WWLT Lite 106: AC, Jacobs

Q.E.D.

There is nothing new under the sun. Three of these stations would be out of the format in a few years.

 

[jabba17]

During this time period above, radio was trying to superserve the boomer demo--secretaries in their Celicas and the men who wanted them. Top 40 was lost in the wilderness, dominated by AC, not wanting to touch anything that smacked of disco, and not quite sure what to make of MTV. AOR was in a tug of war between new rock and trying to serve boomers with classic.

Z-93 was the only true CHR, and they were having problems finding their way, which wouldn't be resolved until Power 99 showed them how it's done. 96 Rock was the only AOR, and they weren't sure what to make of MTV either; they tried mixing in what would come to be known as "classic alternative" (80s MTV/New Wave) and even edgier pop like Prince (yes, "Purple Rain" was on the 96 Rock playlist for a while). Eventually the moneyed boomers won the tug of war with 96 Rock and we got "cool it with the heavy metal, give us 'Pure Rock & Roll'".

(As a grumpy first-wave GenXer who got his alt and hard rock yanked off the radio, I don't have a lot of sympathy for younger folks crying over the demise of 99X, which didn't like 80s alt much either.)

Today, CHR is the strongest it's been in about 20+ years, probably due to an abundance of quality product and everyone wanting to chase the Millennials. And everyone wants a piece of the action.

 

[TheBigA]

During this time period above, radio was trying to superserve the boomer demo--secretaries in their Celicas and the men who wanted them.

What's really missing in Atlanta, in my opinion, are strong non-commercial alternatives. If you look at New York, you may not have a strong rock presence among the commercial stations, but you have WFUV and WFMU. I don't see anything like that in Atlanta. Commercial stations are driven by advertising dollars. Non-commercial stations are driven by members. You're more likely to get a non-commercial station playing less popular music than a commercial station.

 

[MRFLASHPORT]

that's right, it's just me. I'm bitching because I can't get "free" music. Nevermind I've spent thousands of dollars on music (CD's, MP3's and back in the day, LP's), I want it "for free". Yeah that's it you got me.

No one in radio cares that you pay for CDs. Radio companies don't get anything when you buy music. The idea that radio needs to play the new Pet Shop Boys so you can buy it is silly. You can hear samples on Amazon. Amazon will make money when you buy it, not us.

You are living posting proof of what is wrong with this industry. We'll see where you are in 10 years, along with the radio industry.

I've been in radio since I was 15, and have never been out of work. Right now, I've got people lined up wanting my work. I will have no problem getting work in ten years. I'm am living proof of how to stay employed, and it works.

Once again, just because you're unhappy doesn't mean everyone is unhappy. If more people in Atlanta wanted the music you want, there would be a station for it. We're in the mass audience business. There are more people in Atlanta who want urban, pop, and country. So that's what's on the radio.

Consider this: I like ale. I don't like pissy white beer. I go to the beer store and it's ten types of pissy white beer. You got Bud, Coors, and Miller. It's all the same pissy white beer to me. Why does a store stock all that crap? Because it sells. I like a specialty beer. Only a few places sell it, and it costs more. That's my problem. But you don't see me complaining on message boards about it.

Good for you, pat yourself on the back some more. Guess the Pet Shop boys were reading your egotistical posts when they were writing the song I referenced.

Fact is people obviously want to hear what I (and others) listen to and not the mindless bullshit filling the public airwaves now controlled by the hands of a few.

And see, this is where your beer store analogy falls flat on its face. Anyone can open a retail store anywhere if they have the small capital to upstart one. Not just anyone can own a terrestrial station, the FCC issues licenses, and only if one meets certain requirements. There aren't enough available FM channels in this market to support any local competition, thanks to the SCAM known as Radio Assist Ministry. The radio marketplace isnt dictated by listener demand, it's dictated by a bunch of narrow minded bafoons.