breaking BRW 103.3 to amp format, 60s-70s-80s to hd2

[RedWingCJS278]

Just another sign that the world is going to pot. If one is so lacking in good taste that they listen to the garbage that passes for Top 40 today, why are they going to abandon Kiss, 94.5, or even CBS' very own Mix 104? And there's a lot of folks out there with awful taste in music today, but they have three stations in this city to choose from. And if they're not listening to one of those stations, they're listening to their iPods. This isn't the same deal as talk stations going head-to-head, each with something fresh & different to offer from the other. This isn't even like the various varieties of rock (classic, so-called 'alternative,' etc.) that were once heard in this city and were very much unique from one another. This is a 'music' station playing the same exact gutter-trash pablum already heard on long-established frequencies that the target audiences are very loyal to (especially w/ Kiss.) And especially now with the iPods and other new technologies, younger listeners are not scanning the radio dial very often to see what else is out there. For many of them, Kiss or 94.5 may be the only radio station (s) they've ever known & ever care to know, so as long as those stations keep giving them their fix of Lady Gaga. In other words, they're not going to go elsewhere. Didn't Kiss post a new ratings record sometime in the last year or so? Yeah, this is going to be a bloodbath ...

Don't get me wrong, WODS probably ran its course as an Oldies station (or, excuse me, Lords of Political Correctness, I meant 'classic hits'), especially after they arrogantly stopped playing '50s & early '60s and began throwing in some '80s titles. WROR already had the '70s/'80s market cornered by the time WODS began changing, and they (ROR) have consistently done a much better job with the format. The smartest move for CBS would have been to simply simulcast WBZ, and I predict that is exactly what is going to happen eventually with either 103.3 or 104.1. And when that does happen, it'll be a huge success just as simulcasting 850 on 93.7 has been for WEEI. I give this 'Amp' two years, tops, before the plug is pulled.

 

[raccoonradio]

>>The smartest move for CBS would have been to simply simulcast WBZ, and I predict that is exactly what is going to happen eventually with either 103.3 or 104.1. And when that does happen, it'll be a huge success just as simulcasting 850 on 93.7 has been for WEEI. I give this 'Amp' two years, tops, before the plug is pulled.

could well be. Amp-ed in the meantime.

 

[leegart]

>>The smartest move for CBS would have been to simply simulcast WBZ, and I predict that is exactly what is going to happen eventually with either 103.3 or 104.1. And when that does happen, it'll be a huge success just as simulcasting 850 on 93.7 has been for WEEI. I give this 'Amp' two years, tops, before the plug is pulled.

could well be. Amp-ed in the meantime.

Simulcasting WBZ on 103.3 would obviously involve the least additional cost but they would get the same current AM listeners just using a different frequency. With WEEI, the FM signal improved coverage. Not so with WBZ. When Amp fails for the reasons stated in previous posts, with the established competition covering other formats, they'll have to flip WODS back to classic hits like they did with WCBS-FM in New York.

Too bad we all have to take the ride with them as their new format fails and we lose the WODS we knew for awhile.

 

[the golden boy]

Dude, they've been on the air for three hours, and have done nothing except segue records. You're going to gauge them on that? Are you serious?

I agree. This station is just in a honeymoon phase. It's not going to sound as good now as it will later on.

 

[leegart]

Dude, they've been on the air for three hours, and have done nothing except segue records. You're going to gauge them on that? Are you serious?

I agree. This station is just in a honeymoon phase. It's not going to sound as good now as it will later on.

But the question is, who will be listening?

 

[whdh1920]

alot of people stop living inthe past its all about today!!

 

[Jimmy128]

alot of people stop living inthe past its all about today!!

That makes no sense at all. People who like Oldies or whatever you want to call them are surely not going to listen to this poop.

 

[BoredModerator]

Amp leans rhythmic from the bit I have listened. If CBS wants to go jukebox, I wish they did something like 100.3 the brew in st. Louis. At least they have bob and tom.

 

[whdh1920]

Dude, they've been on the air for three hours, and have done nothing except segue records. You're going to gauge them on that? Are you serious?

I agree. This station is just in a honeymoon phase. It's not going to sound as good now as it will later on.

But the question is, who will be listening?

the right demo not the demo that advertisers can't sell ads too

 

[wprt949]

100.3 in st Louis is owned by clear channel not CBS

 

[Mrtraveler01]

>>When Amp fails for the reasons stated in previous posts, with the established competition covering other formats, they'll have to flip WODS back to classic hits like they did with WCBS-FM in New York.

Too bad we all have to take the ride with them as their new format fails and we lose the WODS we knew for awhile.

Unless someone else beats them to it and puts them in an awkward situation similar to what WLS-FM in Chicago placed WJMK in once Jack FM there bombed.

 

[Mrtraveler01]

I wouldn't be surprised at all. It would make sense. It wouldn't hurt by bringing back a few of the WODS on-air jocks and copious streaming services. The audience would be there for the taking!!! We shall see.......

What audience? 55+? CC doesn't want that. Like WODS, they would have to compete with WROR, which has a better overall signal than WFNX. Right now CC has a lot invested in 1200 in the way of local hosts & producers, along with the big national shows. 101.7 will give Talk 1200 a better signal and with no music rights fees. I'd be shocked if 101.7 and 1200 aren't simulcasting in a few weeks.

Is there really a market for prepackaged right-wing talk shows in a market as liberal as Boston?

 

[Uncle Kaimbridge]

So, does this mean, now that they’ve destroyed and restructured 103.3, that now they’ll move the antenna to the Pru? :-\

 

[HHH]

alot of people stop living inthe past its all about today!!

That makes no sense at all. People who like Oldies or whatever you want to call them are surely not going to listen to this poop.

I don't think they are counting on any of the Oldies 103 audience staying with the new station.

The reason for the change is a need to bring the demos down into more saleable territory.

Remember, if you are 50+ you might as well not exist to most advertisers. I don't think it is right, but that's the way that it is.

 

[raccoonradio]

Very true, sad.
But just think about what I said the other day. They played I Wanna Hold Your Hand which was
from 48 years ago.*
Tell me in say, 1980, did oldies (or classic hits stations whatever you call them) outlets play any songs from...1932?

*--and yes they did follow with Tainted Love from 82, but still...

How about 1990? Did 103.3 play any big hits from..1942?

 

[CTListener]

Very true, sad.
But just think about what I said the other day. They played I Wanna Hold Your Hand which was
from 48 years ago.*
Tell me in say, 1980, did oldies (or classic hits stations whatever you call them) outlets play any songs from...1932?

*--and yes they did follow with Tainted Love from 82, but still...

How about 1990? Did 103.3 play any big hits from..1942?

In 1980, they didn't even play anything from 1952. The rock 'n' roll era started with "Rock Around the Clock" and "Hound Dog." The British Invasion changed the sound significantly, as did New Wave, but still, significant numbers of listeners whose tastes had been molded in the late '50s and early '60s continued to listen to CHR formats. Oldies formats of the '90s and '00s could accommodate younger demos by adding '70s and early '80s titles without alienating too many fans of older music. But now most of those accommodating listeners have aged out of the demo corporate America wants to sell to, and adding '90s titles to the format won't work because the musical sea change of hip-hop drove millions of CHR listers away starting in the late '80s.

The situation is hopeless unless the musical pendulum swings back. Otherwise, oldies/classic hits has nowhere to go. It's already playing all the music it can play, and that music's audience is aging and, increasingly, dying. And AM, which kept standards alive for years after its audience aged out, isn't an option anymore: Stations now can make more selling time to preachers and ethnic broadcasters than they ever could trying to support a music format for the "wrong" demo with advertising.

 

[leegart]

Very true, sad.
But just think about what I said the other day. They played I Wanna Hold Your Hand which was
from 48 years ago.*
Tell me in say, 1980, did oldies (or classic hits stations whatever you call them) outlets play any songs from...1932?

*--and yes they did follow with Tainted Love from 82, but still...

How about 1990? Did 103.3 play any big hits from..1942?

That comparison doesn't hold. There is something enduring about the music from approx. 1964 (Beatles +/-) through the late 70's that makes it's popularity last longer than music of similar age during prior times (1932 music in 1980). Again, the advertisers might want the young crowd but that age group are less likely to listen to broadcast radio (and more likely to listen to streams from phones or other devices) or satellite, and they have less disposable income to buy what is advertised. Given that, Top 40 can only be spread to so many stations in this market. Given that, and the fact that KISS and Jam'n are deeply-entrenched habits, good luck with your decision, CBS.

 

[promixcuous]

Very true, sad.
But just think about what I said the other day. They played I Wanna Hold Your Hand which was
from 48 years ago.*
Tell me in say, 1980, did oldies (or classic hits stations whatever you call them) outlets play any songs from...1932?

*--and yes they did follow with Tainted Love from 82, but still...

How about 1990? Did 103.3 play any big hits from..1942?

In 1980, they didn't even play anything from 1952. The rock 'n' roll era started with "Rock Around the Clock" and "Hound Dog." The British Invasion changed the sound significantly, as did New Wave, but still, significant numbers of listeners whose tastes had been molded in the late '50s and early '60s continued to listen to CHR formats. Oldies formats of the '90s and '00s could accommodate younger demos by adding '70s and early '80s titles without alienating too many fans of older music. But now most of those accommodating listeners have aged out of the demo corporate America wants to sell to, and adding '90s titles to the format won't work because the musical sea change of hip-hop drove millions of CHR listers away starting in the late '80s.

The situation is hopeless unless the musical pendulum swings back. Otherwise, oldies/classic hits has nowhere to go. It's already playing all the music it can play, and that music's audience is aging and, increasingly, dying. And AM, which kept standards alive for years after its audience aged out, isn't an option anymore: Stations now can make more selling time to preachers and ethnic broadcasters than they ever could trying to support a music format for the "wrong" demo with advertising.

A good deal of young people listen to music from the 70s. My intern and my cousin's kid play 70s stuff all the time. I'm surprised, as we wouldn't have ever listened to 1940s and 50s music when we were young. So, I think the fact that younger listeners like heritage pop/rock has kept several stations in business long after their primary demos have past in desirability.

I lack the science to back this up, I concede, but it would be interesting to hear from those who study the PPMs.

 

[MassMusicMan]

There's a truth to that. Really, don't we all know a 12 year old that plays Guitar Hero and reveres Led Zeppelin?

 

[Uncle Kaimbridge]

There is something enduring about the music from approx. 1964 (Beatles +/-) through the late 70's that makes it's popularity last longer than music of similar age during prior times (1932 music in 1980).

Right, and to a similar but lesser extent (though the degree of which is rapidly decreasing as time goes on) since the early 80s (i.e., the Video Era).

In 1980, they didn't even play anything from 1952. The rock 'n' roll era started with "Rock Around the Clock" and "Hound Dog." The British Invasion changed the sound significantly, as did New Wave, but still, significant numbers of listeners whose tastes had been molded in the late '50s and early '60s continued to listen to CHR formats. Oldies formats of the '90s and '00s could accommodate younger demos by adding '70s and early '80s titles without alienating too many fans of older music. But now most of those accommodating listeners have aged out of the demo corporate America wants to sell to, and adding '90s titles to the format won't work because the musical sea change of hip-hop drove millions of CHR listers away starting in the late '80s.

The situation is hopeless unless the musical pendulum swings back.

A good deal of young people listen to music from the 70s. My intern and my cousin's kid play 70s stuff all the time. I'm surprised, as we wouldn't have ever listened to 1940s and 50s music when we were young. So, I think the fact that younger listeners like heritage pop/rock has kept several stations in business long after their primary demos have past in desirability.

Unfortunately, that sums it up precisely! :-\