CC Debuts Dance Station in Boston

[MoldaMania182]

'PLJ is way more A/C than CHR. Call it a rock oriented Lite FM I suppose.

I think you should listen a little more to PLJ these days. That WAS true. It's drifted way more Top 40 than Hot AC of late.

 

[TonySantiago]

'PLJ is way more A/C than CHR. Call it a rock oriented Lite FM I suppose.

I think you should listen a little more to PLJ these days. That WAS true. It's drifted way more Top 40 than Hot AC of late.

Okay that's fair. I'll admit I haven't heard 'PLJ in a while. Just thinking that since Scott Shannon is still there the format didn't change all that much. Thanks

 

[davideduardo]

I't covers the inner city and colleges just fine. That's all that matters. I also remember living in Lexington (a suburb just outside Boston) and picking up 101.7 just fine.

But it only covers, with a usable (65 dbu) signal, about 40% of the Boston Arbitron survey area.

Whether it covers the colleges or not is hardly useful... transients don't get on the PPM panel very easily.

 

[davideduardo]

However, the Boston metro market is significantly larger--and that's without even considering adjacent metro markets that still are within the Boston DMA (e.g., Worcester). Many of Boston's stronger FMs traditionally have had a fair amount of listenership in those metros--not to mention in Providence/New Bedford.

There is no Boston radio DMA or TSA. As a rule, listening in adjacent and smaller markets is of essentially no value to stations in the larger metro.

But this signal does not even cover the Metro well.

 

[TheBigA]

To add onto what EJM is saying, if radio as a whole is leaning on a network based presentation, minimizing the local angle of things, then it really won't cost all that much for CBS Radio to brand "Pulse Radio" as their dance/EDM outlet that they can eventually place in other markets as well. They could still sell national as well as have that local insertion in there.

I'll call it out in that sense as a "cost saving" format.

CBS as a company is NOT pursuing a network based presentation. So if you're depending on CBS to go dance because it serves a national agenda, you're counting on the wrong company.

Cumulus is closer to a national system than anyone. Actually Salem seems the closest.

 

[TonySantiago]

To add onto what EJM is saying, if radio as a whole is leaning on a network based presentation, minimizing the local angle of things, then it really won't cost all that much for CBS Radio to brand "Pulse Radio" as their dance/EDM outlet that they can eventually place in other markets as well. They could still sell national as well as have that local insertion in there.

I'll call it out in that sense as a "cost saving" format.

CBS as a company is NOT pursuing a network based presentation. So if you're depending on CBS to go dance because it serves a national agenda, you're counting on the wrong company.

Cumulus is closer to a national system than anyone. Actually Salem seems the closest.

But eventually....they ALL will. That's my point

 

[TheBigA]

But eventually....they ALL will. That's my point

"Eventually" radio via towers and transmitters will be dead. That will be the day when CBS programs its stations nationally. Until then, they will continue to be run as local businesses. Take that to the bank. That means they will program their NY cluster in a way that maximizes their sales platform, which is NOT aimed at younger audiences. That consequently means no EDM on a main channel FM. Country fits their sales model better, and they own successful country stations in Chicago, Charlotte, Tampa, Seattle, and Minneapolis. Those clusters have similar formats to NYC. But that doesn't mean they'll flip Now to country. I'm just showing you why they won't flip to EDM.

 

[MoldaMania182]

Cumulus is closer to a national system than anyone. Actually Salem seems the closest.

No way. Clear Channel would like a word with you.

 

[TheBigA]

No way. Clear Channel would like a word with you.

Clear Channel is more regional than national. That might seem like the same thing, but it's not.

Cumulus and Salem are totally centralized.

 

[MoldaMania182]

No way. Clear Channel would like a word with you.

Clear Channel is more regional than national. That might seem like the same thing, but it's not.

Cumulus and Salem are totally centralized.

You're joking. Most of CC's CHR's are all the exact same, Elvis, Seacrest, KISS, iheart, the national contests, Premiere etc... Cheap, er, Clear, Channel is the collective reason radio's in the situation it is. Salem I can see on the nature of their programming, but they are tiny in comparison. Enjoy your paycheck?

 

[TheBigA]

You're joking. Most of CC's CHR's are all the exact same, Elvis, Seacrest, KISS, iheart, the national contests, Premiere etc... Cheap, er, Clear, Channel is the collective reason radio's in the situation it is. Salem I can see on the nature of their programming, but they are tiny in comparison. Enjoy your paycheck?

So because I don't agree with you, I work there? Wow.

I'm not saying CC doesn't run a few syndicated shows. Sure they do. But compare them to Cumulus and Salem. Go ahead. Then again, you don't have a lot of Cumulus in NYC yet. Unlike CC, they just instituted a new rule that all music decisions come from Atlanta. All label pitches must go to Atlanta. All artist visits can only take place in Atlanta. You don't have that with CC. When they launch the new format on WFME, you'll get a good taste of what they do.

 

[WNTIRadio]

"Eventually" radio via towers and transmitters will be dead. That will be the day when CBS programs its stations nationally. Until then, they will continue to be run as local businesses. Take that to the bank. That means they will program their NY cluster in a way that maximizes their sales platform, which is NOT aimed at younger audiences. That consequently means no EDM on a main channel FM. Country fits their sales model better, and they own successful country stations in Chicago, Charlotte, Tampa, Seattle, and Minneapolis. Those clusters have similar formats to NYC. But that doesn't mean they'll flip Now to country. I'm just showing you why they won't flip to EDM.

Until someone changes the laws of physics of sending an individual bitstream to each listener, that won't happen.

The costs are the same whether 4 million or 4 hundred people tune in to a traditional radio station. Not so for streaming. Imagine sending 4 million 128k streams out over the course of a week. That's a lotta bandwidth. That's also a lotta bandwidth on the receiving end too. If every car is sucking down 128k to their smartphones, good luck making a call.

You may see more national brands on local signals, but really that's going back to the so called "golden age of radio".

 

[FightingIrish]

"Eventually" radio via towers and transmitters will be dead. That will be the day when CBS programs its stations nationally. Until then, they will continue to be run as local businesses. Take that to the bank. That means they will program their NY cluster in a way that maximizes their sales platform, which is NOT aimed at younger audiences. That consequently means no EDM on a main channel FM. Country fits their sales model better, and they own successful country stations in Chicago, Charlotte, Tampa, Seattle, and Minneapolis. Those clusters have similar formats to NYC. But that doesn't mean they'll flip Now to country. I'm just showing you why they won't flip to EDM.

Until someone changes the laws of physics of sending an individual bitstream to each listener, that won't happen.

The costs are the same whether 4 million or 4 hundred people tune in to a traditional radio station. Not so for streaming. Imagine sending 4 million 128k streams out over the course of a week. That's a lotta bandwidth. That's also a lotta bandwidth on the receiving end too. If every car is sucking down 128k to their smartphones, good luck making a call.

You may see more national brands on local signals, but really that's going back to the so called "golden age of radio".

Just a little nitpicking, but 128k mp3 streaming is becoming more and more rare, particularly among the big broadcasters. Most of them are streaming in the AAC+ format, between 48-64k, with comparable (or better) sound quality. I also know the CBS news/talk/sports stations stream as low as 16k AAC+, and still don't sound all that bad. Perhaps the adoption of more efficient codecs will ease the bandwidth stress.

 

[MoldaMania182]

The costs are the same whether 4 million or 4 hundred people tune in to a traditional radio station. Not so for streaming. Imagine sending 4 million 128k streams out over the course of a week. That's a lotta bandwidth. That's also a lotta bandwidth on the receiving end too. If every car is sucking down 128k to their smartphones, good luck making a call.

2006 called, wants it network back. It's 2013 (essentially). This is a 4G world with 20m down LTE connections and 1080p displays and quad core chips in PHONES. 128k is nothing (most streams are 32 or 64 anyway but) Heck I can wifi tether my iPad to my phone to stream a 1080p youtube video while ON a phone call. There are millions already doing what you describe at even higher rates with iTunes Match, Google Music, Spotify. and Pandora.

 

[MoldaMania182]

I'm not saying CC doesn't run a few syndicated shows. Sure they do. But compare them to Cumulus and Salem.

No, YOU go do that. Show me where they have anything comparable to what I pointed out. (and CC has a bunch more than 'a few'.) We're currently discussing around here how Cumulus may NOW be looking to get into that game with country and the CBS Sports Radio Network, not really there yet. A few back office maneuvers? Is that how you're trying to spin it now? Ok...for the record that started a few years ago in some markets (2009?), it's hardly new. I'm done on this area and hijacking this thread.

 

[WNTIRadio]

2006 called, wants it network back. It's 2013 (essentially). This is a 4G world with 20m down LTE connections and 1080p displays and quad core chips in PHONES. 128k is nothing (most streams are 32 or 64 anyway but) Heck I can wifi tether my iPad to my phone to stream a 1080p youtube video while ON a phone call. There are millions already doing what you describe at even higher rates with iTunes Match, Google Music, Spotify. and Pandora.

But, you're one of the first people to do that. When everyone is on LTE, streaming at the same time, it IS going to slow the whole network down.

And that still doesn't address the per listener costs of the "radio" station. Not only bandwidth, but royalties.

 

[MoldaMania182]

But, you're one of the first people to do that. When everyone is on LTE, streaming at the same time, it IS going to slow the whole network down.

Hardly one of the first anymore. I've had LTE for over a year now. Then I was the first, not anymore. 53% of Verizon's Data subscribers are LTE (and they have 110 million total sub) Apple is selling millions of iPhone 5's, Samsung - millions of Galaxy S3's and Notes, they're all LTE. The time is now. And NO it's really not going to slow all the way down. Perhaps you should better understand the technology before coming here making claims honestly. It's designed specifically to handle exactly that. Yes, when it launched you could have had crazy speeds between 40-70m down, close to max theoretical and it's leveled out around 15-20+ down now in major areas like Manhattan, but that's still faster than most get at HOME even. It's also running in 5 or 10mhz bandwidths when it scales to 20. There's plenty of room to go, and LTE Advanced is right behind it (100+).

And that still doesn't address the per listener costs of the "radio" station. Not only bandwidth, but royalties.

Frankly, oh well. If Company X doesn't want to be bothered, someone else will. That's how capitalism works, especially when all the cards aren't being held by the few.

 

[WNTIRadio]

No Joe, why on earth would I know what I'm talking about when I do this for a living.

Streaming is different from data bursts on downloads. Different movement of packets and data. Yes, millions have those phones but millions are NOT using them for radio. Read the statistics sometime. If radios went away and all listening was on the network, it's a different ball game.

Plus, I won't run into data limits listening to the radio. THAT is going to be a major stumbling block for net only radio.

Also, I know how capitalism works, I own and run my own company. Read up on Pandora's financials sometime to see how flawed that business model is.

Radio is cost effective for provider and listener.

 

[MoldaMania182]

No Joe, why on earth would I know what I'm talking about when I do this for a living.

Streaming is different from data bursts on downloads. Different movement of packets and data. Yes, millions have those phones but millions are NOT using them for radio. Read the statistics sometime.

This is my last post. I frankly feel a bit sad for you if your 'facts' line up with your daily living. You're either quite behind the curve or can't differentiate between radio engineering and digital engineering. You got streaming qualities wrong, cellular network facts backwards, and frankly don't take me to task on the hard numbers I provide, rather spinning in different directions all together with gross over simplifications and non sequiturs. Perhaps it's you who should read some statistics. You want to talk statistics ok, Pandora: - 3Q13 total revenue of $120.0 million grew 60% year-over-year, Active users reach 59.2 million growing 47% year-over-year. Then there's this http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2411889,00.asp, and this http://www.cnbc.com/id/49838746/Spotify_in_Top_League_With_3_Billion_Valuation, or this http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile...hanks-to-social-media-and-tablets-says-study/

Yeah, class dismissed.

 

[WNTIRadio]

Joe, why the hostility towards me as a person? Good grief, you sound like I insulted your family, all were doing is having a discussion about radio.

Gross revenue means little. The entire balance sheet has to be looked at with expenses and losses.

Pandora may be a victim of its own success... Have you seen how much they pay in royalties?

It's too bad that you feel you need to drop bombs and run, or that I must be an idiot because our worldview doesn't line up. It would have been nice to have a simple discussion.