Baby Boomers

[lipripper]

There's much "talk" about the influence BABY BOOMERS have on our society.

Tell me this..
which music radio station(s) focus on these BABY BOOMERS.

Seems programmers think BABY BOOMERS are only interested in talk formats. Seemd very weird to me.

 

[jabba17]

Let's see....

1690 WMLB and 90.1 WABE, for the artsy-phartsy
River, which is what passes for "oldies" on ATL radio
B98.5, for "listen while you work"

Problem is, as people of all generations get older they "consume" less music. And they get more picky about the music they do consume--which means hello iPod, goodbye radio. And the more affluent go for satellite.

Remember--the hottest terrestrial formats are for the young and less affluent--country, urban, Latino, active rock, CHR--not counting local content like sports/talk/news.

Nostalgia/standards went away after the 1970s-1980s. 1950s doo-w0p (apparently the autocensor doesn't like the term doo-w0p) after the 1980s-1990s. Then 1960s oldies. Classic rock is next--River will be gone around 2010-2015, and any AOR station will be hard pressed to go back earlier than the late 70s.

 

[lipripper]

I'm looking for ENTERTAINMENT from a personality, not just music.
Hell I can get that with my favorite CDs, etc.

 

[caller10]

Well with the upcoming problems with Social Security and Medicare, you'd think that staions could target the 65+ crowd with free money and medical-care. Instead of Q100's "Pick your plastic", we can have WMLB's "Pick your prostate". As Toucher and Rich age too, they can relocate their show to South Flordia and Rich can have a hidden mike and peeing spells at the early bird special at a Piccadilly, until the wait staff ask him to leave.

 

[bclark71.]

"Pick your prostate"

Ouch! Pick my nose? Maybe. But not my prostate.

 

[caller10]

"Pick your prostate"

Ouch! Pick my nose? Maybe. But not my prostate.

Yeah I write things quick at work, and like to go for humor. But on second thought re-reading it, yeah your right, ouch! lol

 

[lipripper]

"Well with the upcoming problems with Social Security and Medicare, you'd think that staions could target the 65+ crowd with free money and medical-care. Instead of Q100's "Pick your plastic", we can have WMLB's "Pick your prostate". As Toucher and Rich age too, they can relocate their show to South Flordia and Rich can have a hidden mike and peeing spells at the early bird special at a Piccadilly, until the wait staff ask him to leave."

I guess THAT'S why there isn't a music station for Baby Boomers. People don't think it's a format to be taken seriously. Such a shame..to just be forgotten and pushed aside.

 

[BIGSTICK]

There's much "talk" about the influence BABY BOOMERS have on our society.

Tell me this..
which music radio station(s) focus on these BABY BOOMERS.

Seems programmers think BABY BOOMERS are only interested in talk formats. Seemd very weird to me.

No format in this town, that is for sure. Maybe 107.5 and that is about it.

 

[davideduardo]

I guess THAT'S why there isn't a music station for Baby Boomers. People don't think it's a format to be taken seriously. Such a shame..to just be forgotten and pushed aside.

Formats that do well with 55+ include talk, sports, oldies, country, smooth jazz, urban AC, soft AC and Christian. Formats that do well only with 55+ are things like standards and beautiful music /soft AC hybrids.

The real issue is that most advertisers, particularly agencies, do not buy 55+ demos.

 

[middlega]

The real issue is that most advertisers, particularly agencies, do not buy 55+ demos.

... because most clients would have their agency's head if they did.

I've rarely encountered anyone on the agency side with (especially with decision making power) that gave a rip what demo the client wanted (other than it being the right one for the client to succeed & even that is sadly too rare). Billing is too hard to come by these days to be that selective about which demos you'll accept clients from.

 

[MamaTalk]

Forgotten & pushed away. Yep, that's what exactly what our society does best. I now work with the 55+ population and am amazed at how much more they demand excellence and quality than the other demos.

Perhaps all you radio folks could tap into who these folks really are and research their generation-I'm sure they still move to the same music they liked in the 50's & 60's & still have the same dreams. Guess that would mean an oldies station and it seems the execs don't want to offer what the people want to hear. My hubby and I now listen to XM so we can hear what we like. Funny-he's 3 years from being a "senior" and I'm WAY far from it yet neither of us cares for the raunch and silliness of local radio.

Don't stereotype "seniors" or you'll be surprised. The advertisers come out of the woodwork when we hold events because they know the 55+ demos are the wealthiest & most powerful. Sadly, the politicians know this but radio execs don't. Hmmm.

 

[littlejohn]

It's more that you (or I) are not swayed by the emotional pitch. Younger people still are. Radio sells emotion, consequently, they tend to try to attract listeners to whom things can be sold emotionally. Radio execs, like any other busniessmen, are to a large degree prag,matists. About the only things which emotionally interest post 50 people are dick pills and credit relief. Note that both are heavily hawked on older appeal stations. And I heard on a talker the other day, the female equivalent of dick pills, so there's at least something new in this world.

 

[Goat Rodeo Cowboy]

It's more that you (or I) are not swayed by the emotional pitch. Younger people still are. Radio sells emotion, consequently, they tend to try to attract listeners to whom things can be sold emotionally.

I'm probably going to buy a car this year. I will tell the sales rep to be patient with me, for it could well be the last new car we will ever buy. That will be an emotional transaction.

My house with half acre, half of which is woods and ravine may be getting to be too much to handle. Probably not this year, but sometime soon I am going to have to walk away from stand alone housing for a condo or a cluster home or something. If you think that will be a non-emotional transaction, think again.

If you think ONLY young people can make an emotional buy, think again. Let your imagination have a little free reign.

 

[littlejohn]

I doubt emotion is going to guide your purchse(s) although it may.
Will you consider Concsumer Reports ratings before you buy the car?
Do you consider warranty more important than horsepower?
Shift-it-yourself, or automatic?
Coupe or sedan/hatchback?
Mileage or acceleration?

Which of the above are radio advertising mainstays? And, though there is some shift over the years, not as much as we the fossils might like.

As to housing, not a lot of it is advertised on radio, although what is tends to be the younger appeal places. Since none of these are of interest to me, I tend to tune them out mentally or with the button. Condos and apartments, and the younger appeal side of both, seem to be the norm.

Or, contrast the first three cars you owned with the last three.

'66 Mustang
'68 Hemi Roadrunner
'62 Big block Dodge convertible


'84 Turbodiesel Jetta (two of them)
'96 Grand Caravan
'92 Mazda 626 sedan

There's a trend here. Try it yourself. And try to remember which were heavily advertised on radio.

 

[middlega]

Guess that would mean an oldies station and it seems the execs don't want to offer what the people want to hear.

They could care less about what anyone wants to hear, only what the advertisers want to reach.

And in my experience, oddly enough, the most resistant to marketing to 55+ (hell, anything over 40) are usually the decision makers who are themselves in or are approaching that demo. That has led to several downright bizarre conversations in the advertising portion of my career, as I sat there in my early 30's (at the time) trying to convince a 50 year old that the older demos were not only the target for his product but still quite viable.

Even stations who program to 55+ (or often higher) typically do everything in their power to make their audience appear as young as possible and that's in direct response to advertisers complaints. There's a significant portion of advertisers who I truly believe would rather sell less product if it meant reducing their risk of becoming labeled as "something for old people".

I'm not arguing that this makes any sense in the least, but that's a consistent reality I've seen from both the station side & the agency side for more than 20 years now. Blaming radio ownership or radio sales for the situation simply isn't realistic.

 

[Goat Rodeo Cowboy]

Even stations who program to 55+ (or often higher) typically do everything in their power to make their audience appear as young as possible and that's in direct response to advertisers complaints. There's a significant portion of advertisers who I truly believe would rather sell less product if it meant reducing their risk of becoming labeled as "something for old people".

I'm not arguing that this makes any sense in the least, but that's a consistent reality I've seen from both the station side & the agency side for more than 20 years now. Blaming radio ownership or radio sales for the situation simply isn't realistic.

If anybody is going to change the situation, it has to originate with radio ownership and radio sales.

Radio stations are licensed to serve the community. Advertising agencies and advertising buyers ARE NOT licensed to serve the community. If the community contains mature people, and if something is going to agitate the ether waves in such a way to attract and serve the mature people, we can ONLY blame radio ownership and radio sales when it does develop, doesn't happen.

 

[lipripper]

MammaTalk hit the nail on the head:

"Forgotten & pushed away. Yep, that's what exactly what our society does best. I now work with the 55+ population and am amazed at how much more they demand excellence and quality than the other demos.

Perhaps all you radio folks could tap into who these folks really are and research their generation-I'm sure they still move to the same music they liked in the 50's & 60's & still have the same dreams. Guess that would mean an oldies station and it seems the execs don't want to offer what the people want to hear. My hubby and I now listen to XM so we can hear what we like. Funny-he's 3 years from being a "senior" and I'm WAY far from it yet neither of us cares for the raunch and silliness of local radio.

Don't stereotype "seniors" or you'll be surprised. The advertisers come out of the woodwork when we hold events because they know the 55+ demos are the wealthiest & most powerful. Sadly, the politicians know this but radio execs don't. Hmmm."

 

[littlejohn]

The radio execs of Atlanta sliced up something over 300 million walrus pelts in 2007, using the current formula. They will continue on course until this changes. And if/when it changes, it will be a fringe or outlaw station who leads the way. One with nothing mainstream to lose.

W-A-A-F CRANK IT UP!!!

We had nothing to lose cos we had nothing. It did nicely for us.

 

[middlega]

Radio stations are licensed to serve the community.

In theory, sure.

In practice ... got other fairy tales?

Although by generating revenue for shareholders, jobs (such as they are), and outlets for advertising, I believe it could well & fairly be argued that they serve the community as well as they ever have overall. And better in some cases.

 

[lipripper]

Why is it when you talk about Baby Boomer Radio you put it in categories? Oldies, Classic Rock, Talk, Country, Gospel, etc.

What's wrong with a Top40/CHR station with adult content? After all, THAT'S what we grew up on.

The Gary McGee era. Listening to WLS, Chicago late at night on a transistor radio.

Today's jocks (and I call tell jocks because they lack any personality) are nothing more than VJs. Entertainment Tonight, TMZ, Extra, etc. wannabes. It's very disappointing.

Say what you will..