Changes for "DOT-FM" 96.7 WXZO....

[MassMusicMan]

And who said anything about stopping the music? Sounds like he's carping on doing a mic break into a :00 intro, which is inevitable.

That's funny, I don't hear your competition that's been on for 26 years doing that. Get the edits that have the instrumental intros.

He also said he knew it was a "commercial free hour" because he was listening. So, since you just heard the song, should they not tell you what it is, or who it was? Since you obviously know what radio station you're listening to (cause your so smart), they should stop telling you?

You're missing the point. A front/backsell is fine. Again, stopping to tell us you're commercial-free defeats the purpose of positioning yourself as commercial free.

All silly comments. Each and everyone of them.

Hey, you're the ones half-assing your way through a CHR war with a heritage rival. I'm just trying to help.

 

[BreakDancer]

So again, to stop the music, NOT play a commercial, IS in fact stopping to play a commercial? Still confused.

And what's this "you're"? I'm just an out of work jock like you, commenting on a message board about the way to do things. Devils advocate to your comments. If you had it all right (or I did), neither one of us would be posting, methinks.

Theres more than one way to skin a cat, and if Planet mimic'd X, what would be the point? Doing it the same, would defeat the purpose of doing it at all. So differences contrary to your former employers ways, aren't wrong.... 'cept to you.

 

[MassMusicMan]

So again, to stop the music, NOT play a commercial, IS in fact stopping to play a commercial? Still confused.

Are you simple? The argument is "don't stop the music FOR ANY REASON just to say you don't stop the music." I can't explain it any more plainly than that.

And what's this "you're"? I'm just an out of work jock like you, commenting on a message board about the way to do things. Devils advocate to your comments. If you had it all right (or I did), neither one of us would be posting, methinks.

Hey, the majority of your NINE posts are about Planet. That's usually a red herring around here. Conjecture exists in the face of anonymity.

There's more than one way to skin a cat, and if Planet mimic'd X, what would be the point? Doing it the same, would defeat the purpose of doing it at all. So differences contrary to your former employers ways, aren't wrong.... 'cept to you.

Yes, they should exercise the same fundamentals as the station (95 Triple X) that does it right. Gain separation with better talent (difficult task for Planet), tighter music scheduling (also tough), and a better Internet presence (should be like taking candy from a baby, but something they're currently bungling.)

 

[ThatGuyOnTheRadio]

Will, don't forget promotions and MARKETING, MARKETING, MARKETING.

Generally speaking, the station with the better signal will win. Unless you execute EVERYTHING perfectly.

 

[MassMusicMan]

Planet has a low-quality stream and mediocre terrestrial coverage. Triple X has no stream at all and mediocre terrestrial coverage.

Advantage: Planet.

 

[BreakDancer]

Will - EDIT: Just saw your above. Ok so aside of no stream, and mediocre terestrial coverage, what else isn't good about X? I'm a lurker who chimed in, becuase your complaints about Planet make it pretty clear you have an odd agenda, and yet the only negative thing you can say about X is that you don't work there anymore so you're "impartial". Which clearly you aren't.

Like I mentioned... just playing devils advocate, which clearly you don't like. Nor do you enjoy having your opinion treated as just that, and not a "fact". If you think an average listener understands a talk break between a :00 intro, then...well, you haven't spent enough time OUT of radio yet. Ditto for a promo going out of spots back into music. File that under "things that listeners don't understand because they aren't radio geeks."

 

[ThatGuyOnTheRadio]

I thought Triple X had better coverage. No?

 

[MassMusicMan]

Will - EDIT: Just saw your above. Ok so aside of no stream, and mediocre terestrial coverage, what else isn't good about X?

Their edginess borders on (and sometimes ventures into) cheesy instead of being clever. I still shake my head at the sweeper they had years ago with the woman faking an orgasm.

Their website is underwhelming, with content rife with spelling and grammatical errors, and ABSOLUTELY NO AUDIO OR VIDEO. Keep in mind that this is the site of a MEDIA business. I was tasked with updating the content on that site when I worked there, yet was inexplicably taken off that project.

And that's really it. They get everything else right.

Plenty of talent in that organization that excel at talking to people and thinking on their feet.

A morning show with people that talk TO the listener, not at them.

Well-researched music that is based upon the playlists of successful major stations while considering the local sensibilities of said stations.

Club promotions at places in the market besides Church Street and their cover charges (you'd be surprised how much five bucks matters to a single mom with two kids looking for a night out with her friends.)

Successful exploitation of record label ignorance to the benefit of the station's contest budget.

I'm a lurker who chimed in, becuase your complaints about Planet make it pretty clear you have an odd agenda, and yet the only negative thing you can say about X is that you don't work there anymore so you're "impartial". Which clearly you aren't.

You clearly don't lurk very well. I want Planet to succeed against the X. I really do. I hope they get a four share (which is really the maximum reasonable expectation) and stick it to them. Consider the X to be the Green Bay Packers, and me to be Brett Favre.

Like I mentioned... just playing devils advocate, which clearly you don't like. Nor do you enjoy having your opinion treated as just that, and not a "fact". If you think an average listener understands a talk break between a :00 intro, then...well, you haven't spent enough time OUT of radio yet. Ditto for a promo going out of spots back into music. File that under "things that listeners don't understand because they aren't radio geeks."

IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH RADIO GEEKERY. If you want people to hear the promo, DON'T RUN IT AFTER THEY'VE ALREADY TUNED OUT OF THE COMMERCIALS. Christ.

 

[Dr.Pepper]

so "Will", if you're "Bret Favre", will you be texting pictures of your wiener?

 

[MassMusicMan]

Your computer screen wouldn't be able to fit the entire image.

 

[Dr.Pepper]

attaboy....stay thirsty my friend...

 

[MassMusicMan]

Why is Planet running a stopset at :20? Triple X is in a music sweep at :20...and their music logs indicate that they're playing powers around that time. Come on Planet...don't let them punch over and hear "Like a G6." That's going to sink you.

And why am I hearing two promos in the same stopset? Elvis at the beginning, the cash giveaway at the end...just run 'em each at the BEGINNING of your two hourly stopsets.

All that having been said, the cash promo (the one that attacks the X with the "cows worth $100") is actually very good. Don't bury it at the end of the commercials! Yes, I know that PPM has taught us that the last spot gets the second most impressions after the first one...but that only works when your competitors are running spots at the same time you are, which they are not. They've run the breaks at :35 and :50 for 10 years. Know your competition, Planet.

 

[ThatGuyOnTheRadio]

Will, only reason I can think they are running a promo at the beginning and end is to fill the stopset a little more, so when more spots are there the perception won't be that they play more commercials now, because that 2nd promo will be taken up by a spot.

Then again, maybe not.

 

[MassMusicMan]

Anybody who would ever do what you just suggested should be barred from ever running a radio station.

 

[ThatGuyOnTheRadio]

Not at all actually. It's a pretty common practice for a station that is low in inventory. If you go from playing 3 minutes an hour to 6 minutes, people realize this very quickly.

Will, let me ask you. Do you work in radio?

 

[MassMusicMan]

I worked at the X. I've never heard them (or any station, for that matter), run a promo at the END of the break. Especially not one that's actually as creative as Planet's cash giveaway promo.

 

[rockcaptain]

Not at all actually. It's a pretty common practice for a station that is low in inventory. If you go from playing 3 minutes an hour to 6 minutes, people realize this very quickly.

Will, let me ask you. Do you work in radio?

This is isn't a personal attack but you are OUT OF YOUR MIND and have no idea what you are talking about. The bottom line is you don't play something that isn't music (promo, commercial, etc) if you don't have to. You don't fill a break just to fill a break.

 

[MassMusicMan]

Right? If the stopset expands from 3 to 6 minutes, then they just check back twice before you're done. Besides, people expect there to be too many commercials, anyway. If you're running three minutes, it's a pleasant surprise.

 

[ThatGuyOnTheRadio]

Hi Will and rockcaptain, no, as a matter of fact-- I'm not out of my mind-- if a station is very very light on spots and has been for quite sometime, one may elect to run a promo to help beef up the stopset a bit. The idea is to get people accustomed to hearing X minutes of spots every hour, so when you DO finally sell out-- the perception isn't "man they play a lot more commercials now" because your time has remained pretty consistent.

 

[ThatGuyOnTheRadio]

Not EVERY station elects to do that and different people have different schools of thought, but it's been done in more places than just Burlington, VT.

There is something to be said for both ways of operating and I've worked in some markets where they opt for 2 promos when inventory is light throughout the day for many weeks and I've worked at places where they opted to get back to the music faster.

Before you ask, yes I work in the industry.