Re: The Bottom Line
Sorry GLI....As a radio aficionado, you may enjoy hearing something that's eclectic and digs deep into your long lost 45 bin. Maybe back in the early days of FM radio and perhaps on some of these new HD2 channels will experimentation with songs only .0007% of the population knows will continue to do business.
As I've said before, if you enjoy DRC-FM now, better tape it because it won't last. Buckley and company aren't in it to "Oh Wow" you with their song collections; they want to make money. And playing the hits is the way to make money on the current FM band.
Let's say I'm a sports nut. Completely, I know every little bit of trivia about teams all around the country. and I'm in the business. So I'd to hear more discussions about the Birmingham Barons on WFAN. But because FAN is in New York, people want New York team’s ad-nausea. Not variety, not the St Louis farm team; that want the HITS... and in sports radio in New York City, the hits are the Mets, Yankees, etc.
People want variety in their food? Then why are the average hamburgers at McDonalds served billions and billions of times? BTW, I worked in a small town diner and I can't tell you the number of people who came in and ordered the same thing every day over and over and over. We want the choice, but go with the familiar. It's a fact. And I've seen it in my own personal research in radio for over 20 years. Sure, I'd love to hear stuff I haven't heard in years. That's why I own a CD player and hard drive. I'm more into music than the average person. A lot more into radio than the average person. And trust me; the average 40 year old could care less about radio. They like music, but aren't into hearing stuff they don't remember. They want the familiar so they can sing along to "I Can't Help Myself" while taking the kids to soccer.
I totally agree that Kool 96.7 is tighter than they need to be. That's the other end of the spectrum, when you've got people whose instincts are not trusted. When the consultant comes in and needs to justify his/her salary. But if I were the PD at Kool, I wouldn't just go with my gut..and I know oldies better than most. It's actually a detriment. I need to know what the audience wanted, so I wouldn't play a bunch of stiffs in a row. Or an hour. Or during the ride home. Because when the ratings tumble, I'm out of a job.
Someone mentioned in this thread somewhere that Buckley is a small company. It's no smaller than WEAZ, Inc in Philadelphia. Owner Jerry Lee just paid his partner 80 million for his half of the station. WBEB researches everything it plays and does. And it has been consistently kicking the competitions' rear end for years. You see, there is a difference between small companies and small minds.
Buckley has problems because he has never really had the insight into this business his old man had. And he's cheap. He's cheap with talent and he's cheap with his managers. I heard Dick McDonough up in Springfield not too long ago and it's unbelievable that he isn't gracing the airwaves at Big D. Buckley doesn't invest; he only pays bills and salaries. Mike and Beth had a very good rapport on the air, so why replace him with someone who is more interested in music trivia and what people are dancing to at weddings? I'm sure it was for less money because unless Mike Stevens punched someone in the hallway or was found with the wrong things on his hard drive, I can't think of any other reason to replace him. Certainly not because he didn't get along with others. Note Jerry Kristafer here.
The Oldies' format is struggling as it is. Terrestrial radio is looking at some up-hill battles. Buckley Broadcasting is not poised to move forward smoothly. The digital signal will not fix the phasing problems. And if someone has never heard, nor cares to hear "Sugar On Sunday" in analog, HD won't make one iota of a difference.
> > The Big D topic is back yet again. You can tweak imaging,
>
> > shuffle jocks around and even shift back and forth on your
>
> > music era, but what's the point when you don't research
> what
> > you play? MUSIC is what will make it or break it, perhaps
>
> > 80% of your product in this case, but don't take my word
> for
> > it. There are smaller market stations spending money on
> > music testing and seeing results from their investment,
> and
> > isn't that what you want advertisers to do with your
> > product?
>
> Jesus, more bitching
>
> "Radio Is over-consulted and over researched"
>
> Now we get
>
> "what's the point when you don't research what you play"
>
> If you want garbage, Kool 96.7 will shovel it for you
>
>
> > When lots of unknown songs like "Sugar On Sunday" or "Big
> > Man In Town" get more than a Forgotten 45 lunar rotation,
> > you're inviting tuneout. The Four Tops' "Shake Me, Wake Me
>
> > (When It's Over)" is no "I Can't Help Myself" or "Baby I
> > Need Your Lovin'".
>
> Again, "I Can't Help Myself" and "Baby I Need Your Lovin'"
> could be two of the most burned titles in oldies libraries.
>
>
> > A tightly focused playlist may bring
> > complaints from a few station staffers and a couple of
> vinyl
> > junkies who think they know what sounds good, but the
> bottom
> > line is what counts.
>
> Bottom line is a boring station that burns easily. You need
> the popular records but you need something to keep it fresh,
> that's resting titles from time to time, making sure there
> are some underplayed titles in there as well as enough (but
> not OVERDONE) selections that are very popular. I think DRC
> is doing that well NOW and I think the exit of the 80's is
> interesting and a step in the right direction. There are a
> few more years you can stretch out of 60's and 70's music.
> The station sounds better now and I'm glad it's not the
> same-old KOOL 96.7 crap that station has burned into the
> ground since 1990.
>
Sorry GLI....As a radio aficionado, you may enjoy hearing something that's eclectic and digs deep into your long lost 45 bin. Maybe back in the early days of FM radio and perhaps on some of these new HD2 channels will experimentation with songs only .0007% of the population knows will continue to do business.
As I've said before, if you enjoy DRC-FM now, better tape it because it won't last. Buckley and company aren't in it to "Oh Wow" you with their song collections; they want to make money. And playing the hits is the way to make money on the current FM band.
Let's say I'm a sports nut. Completely, I know every little bit of trivia about teams all around the country. and I'm in the business. So I'd to hear more discussions about the Birmingham Barons on WFAN. But because FAN is in New York, people want New York team’s ad-nausea. Not variety, not the St Louis farm team; that want the HITS... and in sports radio in New York City, the hits are the Mets, Yankees, etc.
People want variety in their food? Then why are the average hamburgers at McDonalds served billions and billions of times? BTW, I worked in a small town diner and I can't tell you the number of people who came in and ordered the same thing every day over and over and over. We want the choice, but go with the familiar. It's a fact. And I've seen it in my own personal research in radio for over 20 years. Sure, I'd love to hear stuff I haven't heard in years. That's why I own a CD player and hard drive. I'm more into music than the average person. A lot more into radio than the average person. And trust me; the average 40 year old could care less about radio. They like music, but aren't into hearing stuff they don't remember. They want the familiar so they can sing along to "I Can't Help Myself" while taking the kids to soccer.
I totally agree that Kool 96.7 is tighter than they need to be. That's the other end of the spectrum, when you've got people whose instincts are not trusted. When the consultant comes in and needs to justify his/her salary. But if I were the PD at Kool, I wouldn't just go with my gut..and I know oldies better than most. It's actually a detriment. I need to know what the audience wanted, so I wouldn't play a bunch of stiffs in a row. Or an hour. Or during the ride home. Because when the ratings tumble, I'm out of a job.
Someone mentioned in this thread somewhere that Buckley is a small company. It's no smaller than WEAZ, Inc in Philadelphia. Owner Jerry Lee just paid his partner 80 million for his half of the station. WBEB researches everything it plays and does. And it has been consistently kicking the competitions' rear end for years. You see, there is a difference between small companies and small minds.
Buckley has problems because he has never really had the insight into this business his old man had. And he's cheap. He's cheap with talent and he's cheap with his managers. I heard Dick McDonough up in Springfield not too long ago and it's unbelievable that he isn't gracing the airwaves at Big D. Buckley doesn't invest; he only pays bills and salaries. Mike and Beth had a very good rapport on the air, so why replace him with someone who is more interested in music trivia and what people are dancing to at weddings? I'm sure it was for less money because unless Mike Stevens punched someone in the hallway or was found with the wrong things on his hard drive, I can't think of any other reason to replace him. Certainly not because he didn't get along with others. Note Jerry Kristafer here.
The Oldies' format is struggling as it is. Terrestrial radio is looking at some up-hill battles. Buckley Broadcasting is not poised to move forward smoothly. The digital signal will not fix the phasing problems. And if someone has never heard, nor cares to hear "Sugar On Sunday" in analog, HD won't make one iota of a difference.
> > The Big D topic is back yet again. You can tweak imaging,
>
> > shuffle jocks around and even shift back and forth on your
>
> > music era, but what's the point when you don't research
> what
> > you play? MUSIC is what will make it or break it, perhaps
>
> > 80% of your product in this case, but don't take my word
> for
> > it. There are smaller market stations spending money on
> > music testing and seeing results from their investment,
> and
> > isn't that what you want advertisers to do with your
> > product?
>
> Jesus, more bitching
>
> "Radio Is over-consulted and over researched"
>
> Now we get
>
> "what's the point when you don't research what you play"
>
> If you want garbage, Kool 96.7 will shovel it for you
>
>
> > When lots of unknown songs like "Sugar On Sunday" or "Big
> > Man In Town" get more than a Forgotten 45 lunar rotation,
> > you're inviting tuneout. The Four Tops' "Shake Me, Wake Me
>
> > (When It's Over)" is no "I Can't Help Myself" or "Baby I
> > Need Your Lovin'".
>
> Again, "I Can't Help Myself" and "Baby I Need Your Lovin'"
> could be two of the most burned titles in oldies libraries.
>
>
> > A tightly focused playlist may bring
> > complaints from a few station staffers and a couple of
> vinyl
> > junkies who think they know what sounds good, but the
> bottom
> > line is what counts.
>
> Bottom line is a boring station that burns easily. You need
> the popular records but you need something to keep it fresh,
> that's resting titles from time to time, making sure there
> are some underplayed titles in there as well as enough (but
> not OVERDONE) selections that are very popular. I think DRC
> is doing that well NOW and I think the exit of the 80's is
> interesting and a step in the right direction. There are a
> few more years you can stretch out of 60's and 70's music.
> The station sounds better now and I'm glad it's not the
> same-old KOOL 96.7 crap that station has burned into the
> ground since 1990.
>