BOB-FM Adds Hosts

[JohnnyMorganWXJX]

Ex-RRK hosts are back on 96.9 MHz. Steve Rohan (6am-10am), Kevin Battle (10am-3pm), and John Nene (3pm-7pm) are the only live voices; the remainder of the broadcast day is music and liners only. However, Steel City plans to add live air staff to those slots as well.

To my knowledge this would make BOB-FM one of the first (if not THE first) BOB/JACK style stations in the U.S. to have live hosts. It has been done in Canada, but the jukebox-style has been the American norm.

 

[Pratte4Life]

You know, if there was ever a format that needed DJs

I would think it would be BOB or JACK or whatever.

At least half of the songs have got to be unfamilar to the listener- so I would think the importance of saying "That was Highway to Hell by AC/DC" or "Straight Up by Paula Abdul" or whatever would be magnified.

A little background on the song or the artist might also be helpful.

=

 

[Radio_Realist]

Re: You know, if there was ever a format that needed DJs

> I would think it would be BOB or JACK or whatever.
>
> At least half of the songs have got to be unfamilar to the
> listener- so I would think the importance of saying "That
> was Highway to Hell by AC/DC" or "Straight Up by Paula
> Abdul" or whatever would be magnified.

Especially if those two songs are played back-to-back!

Of course, if I were listening to Bob, as soon as the opening bars of "Straight Up" started, I'd hit a preset button and change the channel, so having a DJ to soften the blow wouldn't make much difference.

 

[knothead]

The BOB-FM (WPYA-Sinclair Communications) in Norfolk Va is live 6a-7p weekdays.<P ID="signature">______________
go steelers</P>

 

[Part-timer]

Re: You know, if there was ever a format that needed DJs

> > I would think it would be BOB or JACK or whatever.
> >
> > At least half of the songs have got to be unfamilar to the
>
> > listener- so I would think the importance of saying "That
> > was Highway to Hell by AC/DC" or "Straight Up by Paula
> > Abdul" or whatever would be magnified.
>
> Especially if those two songs are played back-to-back!
>
> Of course, if I were listening to Bob, as soon as the
> opening bars of "Straight Up" started, I'd hit a preset
> button and change the channel, so having a DJ to soften the
> blow wouldn't make much difference.
>

The original "Jack" type station was WMMO Orlando; they made a specific point of giving the title and artist for every song.<P ID="signature">______________
"With God as my witness, I could have sworn turkeys could fly."</P>

 

[OldiesCat]

Hosts

Phoenix, Saint Louis, Louisville, and San Diego have personalities.

>
> To my knowledge this would make BOB-FM one of the first (if
> not THE first) BOB/JACK style stations in the U.S. to have
> live hosts. It has been done in Canada, but the
> jukebox-style has been the American norm.
>

 

[OldiesCat]

DJs

the two titles you mention are HUGE hits. Part of the philosophy with the VH stations is that they play all hits but from a much wider era than most library based stations. Jack has been called "a mile wide and an inch deep" in terms of it's library, so if you're playing major hits I'm not sure how much "background" on the song or artist are needed.
>
> At least half of the songs have got to be unfamilar to the
> listener- so I would think the importance of saying "That
> was Highway to Hell by AC/DC" or "Straight Up by Paula
> Abdul" or whatever would be magnified.
>
> A little background on the song or the artist might also be
> helpful.
>
> =
>

 

[OldiesCat]

DJs

That is true. Their whole Imaging package, however, is very different than most Jack-type stations. Every song fades all the way out before the next start or a DJ comes on (the handful of times I've heard them over the past 15 years, anyway- I assume they still do this). Very low-key, sparsely produced and they only give those song/artist IDs at the end of the set.

>
> The original "Jack" type station was WMMO Orlando; they made
> a specific point of giving the title and artist for every
> song.
>

 

[Radio_Realist]

Re: DJs

Among polka fans, "Who Stole the Kischka?" was a huge hit. I doubt if very many people who aren't polka fans are very familiar with it.

"Highway to Hell" was a huge hit among fans of hard rock. It was not a huge hit with fans of bubblegum pop. And "Straight Up" was a huge hit among fans of bubblegum pop, but it was not the same to fans of hard rock. So, a station that attempts to be all things to all people would benefit from having someone identify the "hits" they play from genres that might be foreign to some listeners.

I won't deny that there are some people who enjoy a wide variety of music. There are at least as many who are somewhat more discriminating and selective in their tastes. Anyone programming a Jack or Bob station who assumes that all of their listeners are well acquainted with all of the hits from all the different charts and formats of the past three decades is fooling himself.

If a variety hits stations does enjoy any success, you can bet that many listeners will be hearing songs from formats that the listeners never paid any attention to when the songs from those formats were new. Those songs are indeed "oldies" in the strictest sense of that word, but to those hearing them for the first time, they will be as unknown as something recorded only yesterday.

> the two titles you mention are HUGE hits. Part of the
> philosophy with the VH stations is that they play all hits
> but from a much wider era than most library based stations.
> Jack has been called "a mile wide and an inch deep" in terms
> of it's library, so if you're playing major hits I'm not
> sure how much "background" on the song or artist are needed.
>
> >
> > At least half of the songs have got to be unfamilar to the
>
> > listener- so I would think the importance of saying "That
> > was Highway to Hell by AC/DC" or "Straight Up by Paula
> > Abdul" or whatever would be magnified.
> >
> > A little background on the song or the artist might also
> be
> > helpful.
> >
> > =
> >
>

 

[RadioFan730]

> Ex-RRK hosts are back on 96.9 MHz. Steve Rohan (6am-10am),
> Kevin Battle (10am-3pm), and John Nene (3pm-7pm) are the
> only live voices; the remainder of the broadcast day is
> music and liners only. However, Steel City plans to add
> live air staff to those slots as well.
>
> To my knowledge this would make BOB-FM one of the first (if
> not THE first) BOB/JACK style stations in the U.S. to have
> live hosts. It has been done in Canada, but the
> jukebox-style has been the American norm.
>



I'm glad they still have jobs there. Thats great.

yep to everything.

Now bobfm needs to play new stuff too.<P ID="signature">______________
Bobfm rocks down the house give me an amen.</P>

 

[OldiesCat]

DJs

what-ever

> Among polka fans, "Who Stole the Kischka?" was a huge hit. I
> doubt if very many people who aren't polka fans are very
> familiar with it.
>
> "Highway to Hell" was a huge hit among fans of hard rock. It
> was not a huge hit with fans of bubblegum pop. And "Straight
> Up" was a huge hit among fans of bubblegum pop, but it was
> not the same to fans of hard rock. So, a station that
> attempts to be all things to all people would benefit from
> having someone identify the "hits" they play from genres
> that might be foreign to some listeners.
>
> I won't deny that there are some people who enjoy a wide
> variety of music. There are at least as many who are
> somewhat more discriminating and selective in their tastes.
> Anyone programming a Jack or Bob station who assumes that
> all of their listeners are well acquainted with all of the
> hits from all the different charts and formats of the past
> three decades is fooling himself.
>
> If a variety hits stations does enjoy any success, you can
> bet that many listeners will be hearing songs from formats
> that the listeners never paid any attention to when the
> songs from those formats were new. Those songs are indeed
> "oldies" in the strictest sense of that word, but to those
> hearing them for the first time, they will be as unknown as
> something recorded only yesterday.
>
> > the two titles you mention are HUGE hits. Part of the
> > philosophy with the VH stations is that they play all hits
>
> > but from a much wider era than most library based
> stations.
> > Jack has been called "a mile wide and an inch deep" in
> terms
> > of it's library, so if you're playing major hits I'm not
> > sure how much "background" on the song or artist are
> needed.
> >
> > >
> > > At least half of the songs have got to be unfamilar to
> the
> >
> > > listener- so I would think the importance of saying
> "That
> > > was Highway to Hell by AC/DC" or "Straight Up by Paula
> > > Abdul" or whatever would be magnified.
> > >
> > > A little background on the song or the artist might also
>
> > be
> > > helpful.
> > >
> > > =
> > >
> >
>

 

[OldiesCat]

VH-Jack format

One thing many miss about the Variety Hits/Jack format is that it's basically major hits from '70s/'80s/'90s/recently. There is something very cool and unique to many radio listeners to hear something not so "formulated", so narrow.
The radio geek in most of says, "well, this is too rock" or "that's too pop".
Most of these songs were played together on Top 40 stations when they were currents. Listeners do not listen the way we in the biz do- all they know is "I like this song" or "I don't like that song". They don't think, "hey, I know these two songs, but they really don't go together on the same station".
The "this song is hard, chicks won't like it", "this is pop, guys won't like it" also goes out the window. It's that thinking that has radio struggling these days. Of course, a Soft AC wouldn't play AC/DC, nor Rick Springfield on Classic Rock. This isn't either of those kind of stations- a big attraction is you get a little of everything (within the era focus) here. Familiar songs, wide variety, fun songs.

And- this is important- Jack/VH stations are not for everybody, any more than Oldies or Country or AC. It was designed for radio listeners who were tired of the narrow approach, repetition and predictability of most stations. It's OK that some listeners won't like it- no radio station has ever been built that pleased everybody and never will.

The designers of Jack did not design it to be the next Oldies format- it's an entirely different thought process that feeds on the random and unpredictable nature, a contrarian approach to radio. Many in radio do not get it, which probably means it will be a huge hit for awhile.
>
> At least half of the songs have got to be unfamilar to the
> listener- so I would think the importance of saying "That
> was Highway to Hell by AC/DC" or "Straight Up by Paula
> Abdul" or whatever would be magnified.
>
> A little background on the song or the artist might also be
> helpful.
>
> =
>

 

[Radio_Realist]

So why isn't country in there as well?

If you're going to mix together songs from two different genres of music, rock and pop, why leave out the third member of the musical triad? If kludging together rock and pop hits is such a good idea, why not throw country songs in as well? If fans of AC/DC will enjoy Paula Abdul, and vice-versa, then why wouldn't they also enjoy Dolly Parton's greatest hits?

> One thing many miss about the Variety Hits/Jack format is
> that it's basically major hits from '70s/'80s/'90s/recently.
> There is something very cool and unique to many radio
> listeners to hear something not so "formulated", so narrow.
> The radio geek in most of says, "well, this is too rock" or
> "that's too pop".
> Most of these songs were played together on Top 40 stations
> when they were currents. Listeners do not listen the way we
> in the biz do- all they know is "I like this song" or "I
> don't like that song". They don't think, "hey, I know these
> two songs, but they really don't go together on the same
> station".
> The "this song is hard, chicks won't like it", "this is pop,
> guys won't like it" also goes out the window. It's that
> thinking that has radio struggling these days. Of course, a
> Soft AC wouldn't play AC/DC, nor Rick Springfield on Classic
> Rock. This isn't either of those kind of stations- a big
> attraction is you get a little of everything (within the era
> focus) here. Familiar songs, wide variety, fun songs.
>
> And- this is important- Jack/VH stations are not for
> everybody, any more than Oldies or Country or AC. It was
> designed for radio listeners who were tired of the narrow
> approach, repetition and predictability of most stations.
> It's OK that some listeners won't like it- no radio station
> has ever been built that pleased everybody and never will.
>
> The designers of Jack did not design it to be the next
> Oldies format- it's an entirely different thought process
> that feeds on the random and unpredictable nature, a
> contrarian approach to radio. Many in radio do not get it,
> which probably means it will be a huge hit for awhile.
> >
> > At least half of the songs have got to be unfamilar to the
>
> > listener- so I would think the importance of saying "That
> > was Highway to Hell by AC/DC" or "Straight Up by Paula
> > Abdul" or whatever would be magnified.
> >
> > A little background on the song or the artist might also
> be
> > helpful.
> >
> > =
> >
>

 

[OldiesCat]

country

Pop and rock are cousin genres- country is not. Using that logic, why not mix in some classical and maybe some blocks of News/Talk, perhaps some big-band.

> If you're going to mix together songs from two different
> genres of music, rock and pop, why leave out the third
> member of the musical triad? If kludging together rock and
> pop hits is such a good idea, why not throw country songs in
> as well? If fans of AC/DC will enjoy Paula Abdul, and
> vice-versa, then why wouldn't they also enjoy Dolly Parton's
> greatest hits?
>
> > One thing many miss about the Variety Hits/Jack format is
> > that it's basically major hits from
> '70s/'80s/'90s/recently.
> > There is something very cool and unique to many radio
> > listeners to hear something not so "formulated", so
> narrow.
> > The radio geek in most of says, "well, this is too rock"
> or
> > "that's too pop".
> > Most of these songs were played together on Top 40
> stations
> > when they were currents. Listeners do not listen the way
> we
> > in the biz do- all they know is "I like this song" or "I
> > don't like that song". They don't think, "hey, I know
> these
> > two songs, but they really don't go together on the same
> > station".
> > The "this song is hard, chicks won't like it", "this is
> pop,
> > guys won't like it" also goes out the window. It's that
> > thinking that has radio struggling these days. Of course,
> a
> > Soft AC wouldn't play AC/DC, nor Rick Springfield on
> Classic
> > Rock. This isn't either of those kind of stations- a big
> > attraction is you get a little of everything (within the
> era
> > focus) here. Familiar songs, wide variety, fun songs.
> >
> > And- this is important- Jack/VH stations are not for
> > everybody, any more than Oldies or Country or AC. It was
> > designed for radio listeners who were tired of the narrow
> > approach, repetition and predictability of most stations.
>
> > It's OK that some listeners won't like it- no radio
> station
> > has ever been built that pleased everybody and never will.
>
> >
> > The designers of Jack did not design it to be the next
> > Oldies format- it's an entirely different thought process
> > that feeds on the random and unpredictable nature, a
> > contrarian approach to radio. Many in radio do not get
> it,
> > which probably means it will be a huge hit for awhile.
> > >
> > > At least half of the songs have got to be unfamilar to
> the
> >
> > > listener- so I would think the importance of saying
> "That
> > > was Highway to Hell by AC/DC" or "Straight Up by Paula
> > > Abdul" or whatever would be magnified.
> > >
> > > A little background on the song or the artist might also
>
> > be
> > > helpful.
> > >
> > > =
> > >
> >
>

 

[Radio_Realist]

Re: country

> Pop and rock are cousin genres- country is not. Using that
> logic, why not mix in some classical and maybe some blocks
> of News/Talk, perhaps some big-band.

The sonic gulf between Led Zepplin and KC and the Sunshine Band is every bit as gaping a chasm as the sonic gulf between either of those two and Johhny Cash. If a Jack/Bob station can segue from "D'yer Maker" to "Get Down Tonight", then they can segue from either of those to "Folsum Prison Blues". Considering the number of cross-over artists who were on both pop and country charts, or rock and country, or pop and rock charts back in the day when this stuff was new, Rock, pop, and country are all "cousins" as you put it.

Crossover artists and acts like Glen Campbell, Johhny Cash, the Eagles, Charlie Daniels, the Outlaws, Bobby Goldsboro, the Byrds, and many, many others from the 60's and 70's erased that hard line between pop & rock and country. There were no such artists doing the same thing between classical and/or big band.

> > If you're going to mix together songs from two different
> > genres of music, rock and pop, why leave out the third
> > member of the musical triad? If kludging together rock and
>
> > pop hits is such a good idea, why not throw country songs
> in
> > as well? If fans of AC/DC will enjoy Paula Abdul, and
> > vice-versa, then why wouldn't they also enjoy Dolly
> Parton's
> > greatest hits?
> >
> > > One thing many miss about the Variety Hits/Jack format
> is
> > > that it's basically major hits from
> > '70s/'80s/'90s/recently.
> > > There is something very cool and unique to many radio
> > > listeners to hear something not so "formulated", so
> > narrow.
> > > The radio geek in most of says, "well, this is too rock"
>
> > or
> > > "that's too pop".
> > > Most of these songs were played together on Top 40
> > stations
> > > when they were currents. Listeners do not listen the
> way
> > we
> > > in the biz do- all they know is "I like this song" or "I
>
> > > don't like that song". They don't think, "hey, I know
> > these
> > > two songs, but they really don't go together on the same
>
> > > station".
> > > The "this song is hard, chicks won't like it", "this is
> > pop,
> > > guys won't like it" also goes out the window. It's that
> > > thinking that has radio struggling these days. Of
> course,
> > a
> > > Soft AC wouldn't play AC/DC, nor Rick Springfield on
> > Classic
> > > Rock. This isn't either of those kind of stations- a
> big
> > > attraction is you get a little of everything (within the
>
> > era
> > > focus) here. Familiar songs, wide variety, fun songs.
> > >
> > > And- this is important- Jack/VH stations are not for
> > > everybody, any more than Oldies or Country or AC. It
> was
> > > designed for radio listeners who were tired of the
> narrow
> > > approach, repetition and predictability of most
> stations.
> >
> > > It's OK that some listeners won't like it- no radio
> > station
> > > has ever been built that pleased everybody and never
> will.
> >
> > >
> > > The designers of Jack did not design it to be the next
> > > Oldies format- it's an entirely different thought
> process
> > > that feeds on the random and unpredictable nature, a
> > > contrarian approach to radio. Many in radio do not get
> > it,
> > > which probably means it will be a huge hit for awhile.
> > > >
> > > > At least half of the songs have got to be unfamilar to
>
> > the
> > >
> > > > listener- so I would think the importance of saying
> > "That
> > > > was Highway to Hell by AC/DC" or "Straight Up by Paula
>
> > > > Abdul" or whatever would be magnified.
> > > >
> > > > A little background on the song or the artist might
> also
> >
> > > be
> > > > helpful.
> > > >
> > > > =
> > > >
> > >
> >
>

 

[OldiesCat]

not

To YOU there's a wide chasm- to everyday radio listeners the view isn't the same. Legit country acts who had a hit cross-over to pop (Charlie Daniels'
"Devil Went Down To GA" is a good example)works. These are SONG-BASED formats, not artist-based, where if you play one Zeppelin or one KC song they all work.
Even the real hard-core R&B doesn't work well- only the major heritage cross-overs like Superstition, Brick House or Get Down Tonight seem to have legs (in the mounds of research I've seen). The Eagles and Johnny Cash/Glen Campbell should not be part of the same genre when discussing Variety Hits' approach.

A country cross-over-to-pop Top 40 hit? Maybe- it's a song-by-song call. But deliberately trying to work country into a Jack/VH station's mix- no way.

One more point- the "we play everything" used by many Jack/VH stations should not be taken literally by radio folks. It's an Imaging and perceptual tool and anybody who's actually IN radio who is dopey enough to think they should somehow hold the stations feel to the fire just because they use the terminology is daffy. It's IMAGING, it's MARKETING, positioning. FUN!

>
> The sonic gulf between Led Zepplin and KC and the Sunshine
> Band is every bit as gaping a chasm as the sonic gulf
> between either of those two and Johhny Cash. If a Jack/Bob
> station can segue from "D'yer Maker" to "Get Down Tonight",
> then they can segue from either of those to "Folsum Prison
> Blues". Considering the number of cross-over artists who
> were on both pop and country charts, or rock and country, or
> pop and rock charts back in the day when this stuff was new,
> Rock, pop, and country are all "cousins" as you put it.
>
> Crossover artists and acts like Glen Campbell, Johhny Cash,
> the Eagles, Charlie Daniels, the Outlaws, Bobby Goldsboro,
> the Byrds, and many, many others from the 60's and 70's
> erased that hard line between pop & rock and country. There
> were no such artists doing the same thing between classical
> and/or big band.