Christmas on Dial Global

[vchimpanzee]

Yesterday at 10, right after the news break, the first song was a Linda Eder medley that included "Up on the Housetop" and "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town". Then regular music until the next commercial break. Today, there was a Christmas song after the news break and after all but one of the commercial breaks.

One problem with this is that Jeff Rollins rarely mentions the first song after a break. The exception is the first song after the news.

 

[cd637299]

There are actual songs on DG during the TOH news, for those stations which don't wish to air news. As I understand it, the first song at that TOH is about 3:30 long, and the next is 2:30. Some stations will air 3.5 minutes of news, some will air 6. The music structure is to accommodate those stations. Therefore, you will not hear title/artist mentioned of songs during those first 6 minutes. Unless there have been tweaks, I think that this structure has been around for over 20 years.

cd

 

[vchimpanzee]

There are actual songs on DG during the TOH news, for those stations which don't wish to air news. As I understand it, the first song at that TOH is about 3:30 long, and the next is 2:30. Some stations will air 3.5 minutes of news, some will air 6. The music structure is to accommodate those stations. Therefore, you will not hear title/artist mentioned of songs during those first 6 minutes. Unless there have been tweaks, I think that this structure has been around for over 20 years.

cd

I am aware of those songs during the news break. On occasion the automation equipment will quit working. There won't even be station IDs. I can't recall if I ever heard a Transtar/Unistar/Westwood One station that didn't air news.

 

[cd637299]

The former WMRZ 790 in South Miami (now sports WAXY) had no news, when they had this format in 1990-92.

Among the songs of 3:30 length at the TOH were "Tenderly" by Melissa Manchester & "We're In This Love Together" by Al Jarreau.

Can't recall any others, or the songs of 2:30 length.

I blieve they were Jones satellite (now DG?)....they had Chick Watkins, Ed Brand, et al.

cd

 

[ChrisInMI]

I've also heard some Dial Global stations who do air top-of-the-hour news drop out of it and join the network again in mid-song. WXLA in Lansing, Michigan, does this, as does WMPX/WMRX in Midland. If memory serves, both air AP network news.

As for stations not airing news at all, I believe WJOI in Norfolk, VA doesn't (or didn't last time I checked), and neither does WLOI in LaPorte, IN.

CD - That would have been the Unistar/Westwood One (depending on the era) format you heard on WMRZ. I don't think Jones had a standards format of its own until after they stopped syndicating Music of Your Life, and many of the Jones Standards stations got switched to America's Best Music when Jones and Dial Global merged.

 

[publisher]

Dial Global is airing Christmas music four times an hour (or five, including a top-hour piece for stations not carrying news) after each return from break (or local option). Only the :53 return is excluded and playing traditional music.

If they hold true to the past couple of years, they'll go all Christmas two weeks after Thanksgiving on Dec. 6 or 7.

 

[vchimpanzee]

I can confirm the top of the hour song, as the automation went bad this past Saturday at the time Mike Huckabee comes on during the week. The clock radio doesn't know the difference.

 

[vchimpanzee]

One additional song this week, after the last commercial break of the hour.

I heard a version of "Carol of the Bells" one day that concerned me. It was done by an orchestra but included synthesizer, and I know one version of the song that is like that--the hideous one by Trans-Siberian Orchestra. It ends with loud rock guitars, and I mean LOUD! It has no business whatsoever on a standards station.

But it may not have been that one. The one I call "Sarajevo", which has a longer title that includes that word, starts with "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" played on a cello.

 

[EZway2go]

I heard a version of "Carol of the Bells" one day that concerned me. It was done by an orchestra but included synthesizer, and I know one version of the song that is like that--the hideous one by Trans-Siberian Orchestra. It ends with loud rock guitars, and I mean LOUD! It has no business whatsoever on a standards station.

But it may not have been that one. The one I call "Sarajevo", which has a longer title that includes that word, starts with "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" played on a cello.

You may have heard the David Foster version of "Carol Of The Bells."

"Christmas Eve (Sarajevo 12/24)" by the Trans-Siberian Orchestra—originally known as Savatage—a medley of "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" and "Carol Of The Bells," indeed gets lots of airplay on those all-Christmas AC stations, but I would be surprised to hear it on Dial-Global Standards. It's way too harsh.

On the other hand, if they have added it, that would be yet another nail in the coffin. What are they trying to do—be just like everybody else? Whatever happened to originality in programming? I recently took a trip down south and got to hear quite a few of these all-Christmas stations. You cannot tell one from the other.

I had an indication of the direction DG Standards was heading a couple years ago when I heard "Last Christmas" by Wham and "Wonderful Christmastime" by Paul McCartney. Good grief! All we need now is Mariah Carey warbling "All I Want For Christmas Is You" or, even worse, that Madonna abomination, "Santa Baby."

I miss the old Westwood One days... songs like "Christmas Eve," "Silver Bells," and "Christmas Dream" by Perry Como, "Little Altar Boy" by Vic Dana, "Santa's Got A Brand New Bag" by the Hollyridge Strings, or all the Percy Faith instrumentals... artists like Roger Whittaker, Linda Eder (although I'm glad someone mentioned her previously), Celtic Woman, Point of Grace. This used to be DG's ace in the hole—songs you would not hear anywhere else. It would be a tragedy if they abandon this formula and become—as I've used on here before—just another seek & scan stop in an endless hit parade.

 

[publisher]

On the other hand, if they have added it, that would be yet another nail in the coffin. What are they trying to do—be just like everybody else? Whatever happened to originality in programming? I recently took a trip down south and got to hear quite a few of these all-Christmas stations. You cannot tell one from the other.

I had an indication of the direction DG Standards was heading a couple years ago when I heard "Last Christmas" by Wham and "Wonderful Christmastime" by Paul McCartney. Good grief! All we need now is Mariah Carey warbling "All I Want For Christmas Is You" or, even worse, that Madonna abomination, "Santa Baby."

I miss the old Westwood One days... songs like "Christmas Eve," "Silver Bells," and "Christmas Dream" by Perry Como, "Little Altar Boy" by Vic Dana, "Santa's Got A Brand New Bag" by the Hollyridge Strings, or all the Percy Faith instrumentals... artists like Roger Whittaker, Linda Eder (although I'm glad someone mentioned her previously), Celtic Woman, Point of Grace. This used to be DG's ace in the hole—songs you would not hear anywhere else. It would be a tragedy if they abandon this formula and become—as I've used on here before—just another seek & scan stop in an endless hit parade.
[/quote]

I could be wrong, but I do think DG plays both "Sarajevo 12/24" and Madonna's "Santa Baby." Regardless, there Christmas selections are, at least, a bit more varied than the non-stop, repetitive A/C stations. But it veers a little too much into country territory for me, relying a lot on Martina McBride (who doesn't really bother me), Wynonna, Lorrie Morgan and others. They also have a tendency to play very saccharin or maudlin selections by Point of Grace, Newsong, etc. Then there are the more obscure artists like Michael Bérubé, all of whom seem to get a good deal of airplay.

They also play some inexplicably bad music like the 2000s Christmas CD by The Captain and Tennille.

I'm very traditional when it comes to Christmas: Nat King Cole, Perry Como, Johnny Mathis, and their contemporaries are my favorites. Mix in modern-day standard bearers like Diana Krall, Michael Bublé and Harry Connick, Jr. and top it off with a dash of older AC artists like the Carpenters, Barbra Streisand and Barry Manilow and I'm happy. Thankfully, all of these artists are in the mix on DG, and they do seem to do a better job closer to the actual holiday by relying more on artists like Percy Faith and a more traditional Christmas mix (but I could be fooling myself).

I have heard several tunes by Andy Williams over the past couple of weeks. That's reassuring since he's one of the best and we lost him this year.

 

[EZway2go]

I could be wrong, but I do think DG plays both "Sarajevo 12/24" and Madonna's "Santa Baby." Regardless, there Christmas selections are, at least, a bit more varied than the non-stop, repetitive A/C stations. But it veers a little too much into country territory for me, relying a lot on Martina McBride (who doesn't really bother me), Wynonna, Lorrie Morgan and others. They also have a tendency to play very saccharin or maudlin selections by Point of Grace, Newsong, etc. Then there are the more obscure artists like Michael Bérubé, all of whom seem to get a good deal of airplay.

They also play some inexplicably bad music like the 2000s Christmas CD by The Captain and Tennille.

I'm very traditional when it comes to Christmas: Nat King Cole, Perry Como, Johnny Mathis, and their contemporaries are my favorites. Mix in modern-day standard bearers like Diana Krall, Michael Bublé and Harry Connick, Jr. and top it off with a dash of older AC artists like the Carpenters, Barbra Streisand and Barry Manilow and I'm happy. Thankfully, all of these artists are in the mix on DG, and they do seem to do a better job closer to the actual holiday by relying more on artists like Percy Faith and a more traditional Christmas mix (but I could be fooling myself).

I have heard several tunes by Andy Williams over the past couple of weeks. That's reassuring since he's one of the best and we lost him this year.

No doubt about it—as flawed as they may have become in recent years, I would still take the DG mix over those AC stations any day. I can put up with the irritants... because I've learned to identify them right at the very first note (who wouldn't—they've been played so much), and I've gotten pretty quick with the scan button. I have it down to a science—LOL.

 

[ronald54321]

The Standards Channel has good Christmas Music. So does WMUU.com.

 

[vchimpanzee]

I heard a version of "Carol of the Bells" one day that concerned me. It was done by an orchestra but included synthesizer, and I know one version of the song that is like that--the hideous one by Trans-Siberian Orchestra. It ends with loud rock guitars, and I mean LOUD! It has no business whatsoever on a standards station.

But it may not have been that one. The one I call "Sarajevo", which has a longer title that includes that word, starts with "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" played on a cello.

You may have heard the David Foster version of "Carol Of The Bells."

"Christmas Eve (Sarajevo 12/24)" by the Trans-Siberian Orchestra—originally known as Savatage—a medley of "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" and "Carol Of The Bells," indeed gets lots of airplay on those all-Christmas AC stations, but I would be surprised to hear it on Dial-Global Standards. It's way too harsh.

I haven't heard it in several years, but I have heard it there. Maybe they learned their lesson.

This morning, all-Christmas.

Incidentally, Jeff Rollins said Daniel Day-Lewis WILL win an Oscar for "Lincoln".

 

[vchimpanzee]

I'm very traditional when it comes to Christmas: Nat King Cole, Perry Como, Johnny Mathis, and their contemporaries are my favorites. Mix in modern-day standard bearers like Diana Krall, Michael Bublé and Harry Connick, Jr. and top it off with a dash of older AC artists like the Carpenters, Barbra Streisand and Barry Manilow and I'm happy. Thankfully, all of these artists are in the mix on DG, and they do seem to do a better job closer to the actual holiday by relying more on artists like Percy Faith and a more traditional Christmas mix (but I could be fooling myself).

I have heard several tunes by Andy Williams over the past couple of weeks. That's reassuring since he's one of the best and we lost him this year.

This is how I feel too. There's just too much junk even here.

 

[RadioShacks]

When listeners tune in they want to hear the big hits, not obscure stiffs. DG plays too many stiffs, and too many downers. Some of their worst songs are "The Homecoming" Hagood Hardy, "Our Winter Love" Bill Pursell, and a couple versions of the terrible "Little Altar Boy" which has nothing to do with Christmas. A song with a man asking forgiveness of the little altar boy, especially while kneeling, is nothing but wrong. They're playing many of the right songs, but so many wrongs songs.

 

[amlover]

Our Winter Love by Bill Pursell is a wonderful song what are you talking about. Also why are the HUB BUB over DG anyway. They are not all that great!

 

[vchimpanzee]

Our Winter Love by Bill Pursell is a wonderful song what are you talking about.

But Stardust played it all year.

Also why are the HUB BUB over DG anyway. They are not all that great!

They're pretty much all we've got. Some people have a Music of Your Life affiliate. Some like Charlotte's WAVO are doing it themselves, but WAVO got rid of their last DJ and replaced him with a talk show. So Charlotte has this music (which last time I checked was not all-Christmas yet, but I'll hear it tomorrow) only from 9 A.M. to sunset. And there seems to be an investment advice show at noon, though fortunately it doesn't last any longer than Paul Harvey used to on my Dial Global station.

I don't have the money for anything else.

I heard a strange combination this morning and don't knbow why this would happen.

"Jingle Bells"/"Let It Snow" but a Ray Conniff-type group was followed by "Let It Snow" by someone who sounded like Michael Buble.

A letter to the editor announcing the start of all-Christmas also showed appreciation for all the community service and commercials for local businesses--and the great music--of the past 10 years under the current owner.

And many of the station IDs are by people, some of them business owners, congratulating the owner on 10 years.

Of course, the first four of those years were ABC's "Memories"--not so great sometimes. The morning show hasn't changed, though, but at least the owner's son no longer does an AC/oldies afternoon show.

 

[vchimpanzee]

I despise this one song that has a new age introduction (well, any new age music, period, but especially new age music about Christmas), and then some female vocalist singing "Whoa-oh" and other nonsense syllables like that, something entirely too many of today's female singers do before they start singing.

On the subject of nonsense syllables, I have no problem with Ella Fitzgerald, who is on WAVO, while Dial Global seems to have never heard of her.

 

[vchimpanzee]

Twice I have heard a version of "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" which was said to be by Andy Williams. Jeff even talked about what a great voice he had. Not on that song. Plus the instrumentals were AC-Sounding. Not one of my favorite recordings by a long shot. Mr. Williams sounded old and tired.

I didn't even get to hear the good version all the way through on the AC station because I couldn't wait through all those commercials. By the time I came back it had already started.

I heard a great version of "Frosty the Snowman" by Jimmy Durante where he was very excited and so were the kids. It sounded like it might be older than the cartoon that airs every year. And then I heard a voice I never want to hear: the man who does the news each morning. If he's filling in as DJ, the music is more oldies than standards. If he's breaking in to programming, chances are he's getting ready to switch to a game, as he said he was. So I was going back and forth between stations the rest of the way home. And that same AC had SO MANY COMMERCIALS. They weren't even through after two soings on another AC station I could pick up, which either went to commercial or played something I didn't like. I was actually listening to bluegrass before it was over! I'm sorry but I don't recognize as Christmas music unfamiliar tunes, even if I like them, that just happen to have Christmas lyrics in them.

The worst thing is John Gleason had promised us this great original version of something ... oh, wait, maybe that was Jimmy Durante. I hadn't even considered that possibility. The announcer must have known who that was.

 

[vchimpanzee]

You may have heard the David Foster version of "Carol Of The Bells."

I heard somewhere the Mannheim Steamroller did a version, though what I heard did sound like the "St. Elmo's Fire" song, which I don't care for.

I had an indication of the direction DG Standards was heading a couple years ago when I heard "Last Christmas" by Wham and "Wonderful Christmastime" by Paul McCartney.

I had the unfortunate experience of hearing that one. I couldn't just leave the room because I was dishing out my soup. Well, I suppose I could have stopped doing that. But I don't dare change stations because I might forget to go back and, besides, it's very hard to find this station again. The signal's not that good.