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4
4everrlsfan
Guest
First time poster - ever...but why such negativity about the new station? I am looking forward to it - especially Steve and Karen in the mornings. Only wish Ron could join them! I recall the All Request Lunch Hour as the biggest part of the day back when - and while this isn't all request - it will have a bit of that feel to it.
I think Entercom is doing something smart - as the former format was horrid. This will certainly be better - even without on-air personalities. But, certainly with Steve and Karen - folks are sure to tune in. I know the early 40's women will.
Showing my age,
4everRLSfan
I think Entercom is doing something smart - as the former format was horrid. This will certainly be better - even without on-air personalities. But, certainly with Steve and Karen - folks are sure to tune in. I know the early 40's women will.
Showing my age,
4everRLSfan
I wouldn't be so sure that folks are "sure to tune in."
If Steve moved the needle that much, he would have never been cut loose at FM100.
So far, Classic Hits 94.1 has been about 80% seventies, with a small sprinkling of 60s and 80s. It appears to be mostly voice tracked out-of-market (Tom Kent is satellite and Brad is local, but I don't recognize any of the other voices).
How do we know for sure it's voice tracked? Because some guy yesterday kept talking for about ten seconds AFTER the vocals kicked in.
The point is this:
The future of terrestrial radio is exclusive content. If you string together a bunch of 70s tunes, toss in some sweepers and voice track talent, you are delivering a product that people can easily replace with their Ipods, CD players and satellite radio.
Why do you think Rush Limbaugh just signed for a half-billion dollars?
Simple. You can't replace him with him with anything else. He is exclusive content.
That means your talent had better be top drawer and delivering something besides 14 classic hits an hour.
If Steve moved the needle that much, he would have never been cut loose at FM100.
So far, Classic Hits 94.1 has been about 80% seventies, with a small sprinkling of 60s and 80s. It appears to be mostly voice tracked out-of-market (Tom Kent is satellite and Brad is local, but I don't recognize any of the other voices).
How do we know for sure it's voice tracked? Because some guy yesterday kept talking for about ten seconds AFTER the vocals kicked in.
The point is this:
The future of terrestrial radio is exclusive content. If you string together a bunch of 70s tunes, toss in some sweepers and voice track talent, you are delivering a product that people can easily replace with their Ipods, CD players and satellite radio.
Why do you think Rush Limbaugh just signed for a half-billion dollars?
Simple. You can't replace him with him with anything else. He is exclusive content.
That means your talent had better be top drawer and delivering something besides 14 classic hits an hour.
B
buzz_fiddlesticks
Guest
Grapevine said:
It looks like grape has won the daily double with his response to "Why they are going to fail for 1000." Well said.
Perfectly defines their dilemma, and why they hardly stand a chance.
4
4everrlsfan
Guest
I guess I can best say it like this.....two years ago - and yes it was already an Entercom station - when Steve Conley was let go - not because he didn't "move the needle" but b/c a company - Entercom- based elsewhere - needed to cut costs - and three well-paid personalities in one time slot made no sense to them. But of course - they had no idea who SC was to the Memphis radio community. They had no idea that many of us had listened to the All-Request Lunch hour when we were in high school. They had no idea that the morning show with Ron, Steve and Karen - just would not be the same - despite the fact that everyone loved Ron and Karen - they were a team - and a good one. I've not heard a good morning show since that trio broke up.
But here is my reason - two years ago - I was hosting a ladies bunco group at my home. We were eating dinner before the game began when I heard someone say - What happened to Steve Conley at FM 100? Another said - I don't know - but the show isn't the same. Another said - yeah - and I'm not listening anymore. She went on to say - I always listened in the morning to FM 100. She said - I grew up listening to them. Now, she puts a CD in and travels to work.
For me, I happen to listen for the personalities, as well as the music. In the mornings - I did continue to listen to Ron and Karen - despite having to hear an occasional third person in the background - trying to fill the void left by Steve's departure. I kept thinking - maybe Entercom will wise up and put him back where he belongs. I listen to NOTHING from 10-3 b/c ...well, I have no reason to listen at that time. When I get in the car to pick up kiddies from school - I turn to 98.9 Kim FM because Tom Prestigiacomo is on the air at that time. And as for evenings - I have no loyalty.
So, to many of us - mostly women - it does matter WHO is running the boards and WHO is behind the mike. The bad thing now is that Karen and Steve will be competing against Ron. I know - I know - they are owned by the same company - but still - it's competitive.
And correct me if I'm wrong - but women are the primary decision makers in the home when it comes to making purchases - and consequently - that's who most of the advertising is targeted to - for that very reason.
So YES -we can very well get the same music that the new KQK will play from our iPods - but we can't hear Steve and Karen on them. So don't base everyone's decision to listen - solely on the play list.
But here is my reason - two years ago - I was hosting a ladies bunco group at my home. We were eating dinner before the game began when I heard someone say - What happened to Steve Conley at FM 100? Another said - I don't know - but the show isn't the same. Another said - yeah - and I'm not listening anymore. She went on to say - I always listened in the morning to FM 100. She said - I grew up listening to them. Now, she puts a CD in and travels to work.
For me, I happen to listen for the personalities, as well as the music. In the mornings - I did continue to listen to Ron and Karen - despite having to hear an occasional third person in the background - trying to fill the void left by Steve's departure. I kept thinking - maybe Entercom will wise up and put him back where he belongs. I listen to NOTHING from 10-3 b/c ...well, I have no reason to listen at that time. When I get in the car to pick up kiddies from school - I turn to 98.9 Kim FM because Tom Prestigiacomo is on the air at that time. And as for evenings - I have no loyalty.
So, to many of us - mostly women - it does matter WHO is running the boards and WHO is behind the mike. The bad thing now is that Karen and Steve will be competing against Ron. I know - I know - they are owned by the same company - but still - it's competitive.
And correct me if I'm wrong - but women are the primary decision makers in the home when it comes to making purchases - and consequently - that's who most of the advertising is targeted to - for that very reason.
So YES -we can very well get the same music that the new KQK will play from our iPods - but we can't hear Steve and Karen on them. So don't base everyone's decision to listen - solely on the play list.
My two cents?
Quote 1:
From Dick Orkin's "Chickenman" series in the late 60s...Miss Hellfinger, secretary to the Police Commission of Midland City, cries out, "Help us, someone please help us!"
Quote 2:
From Stan Freberg's "Wun'erful, Wun'erful [Side Uh-Two), "Will someone-uh turn off-uh the bubble machine?"
___
Then, as a gut-shot hyena eats its own intestines, we circle the drain while singing the chorus to Billy Joel's Goodnight Saigon..."And We Would All Go Down Together."
Quote 1:
From Dick Orkin's "Chickenman" series in the late 60s...Miss Hellfinger, secretary to the Police Commission of Midland City, cries out, "Help us, someone please help us!"
Quote 2:
From Stan Freberg's "Wun'erful, Wun'erful [Side Uh-Two), "Will someone-uh turn off-uh the bubble machine?"
___
Then, as a gut-shot hyena eats its own intestines, we circle the drain while singing the chorus to Billy Joel's Goodnight Saigon..."And We Would All Go Down Together."
I guess I can best say it like this.....two years ago - and yes it was already an Entercom station - when Steve Conley was let go - not because he didn't "move the needle" but b/c a company - Entercom- based elsewhere - needed to cut costs - and three well-paid personalities in one time slot made no sense to them.
It would have made sense to them if their performance was in line with their salaries. I can assure you that if their ratings had been sky high, they would have never touched the morning show.
But of course - they had no idea who SC was to the Memphis radio community. They had no idea that many of us had listened to the All-Request Lunch hour when we were in high school. They had no idea that the morning show with Ron, Steve and Karen - just would not be the same - despite the fact that everyone loved Ron and Karen - they were a team - and a good one. I've not heard a good morning show since that trio broke up.
You're not in high school anymore. When you were all moist over the All-Request Lunch Hour, Ronald Reagan was in his first term and FM100 was pulling down ten shares, almost always ranking in the top three stations in the market. But that was over a quarter century ago, and now they aren't even in the top ten, and they pull in about 25% of the audience they once had.
If you haven't heard a good morning show since the break-up of your holy trinity, check out Young & Elder or Mike & Mandy.
But here is my reason - two years ago - I was hosting a ladies bunco group at my home. We were eating dinner before the game began when I heard someone say - What happened to Steve Conley at FM 100? Another said - I don't know - but the show isn't the same. Another said - yeah - and I'm not listening anymore. She went on to say - I always listened in the morning to FM 100. She said - I grew up listening to them. Now, she puts a CD in and travels to work.
Your bunco group is totally anecdotal. People tend to socialize with like-minded people. I'm sure somewhere tonight there's a couple of stoned teenagers listening to 92.9 WMFS, talking about how it's the number one station in Memphis. It pulls in about as many listeners as the airport information channel.
It would have made sense to them if their performance was in line with their salaries. I can assure you that if their ratings had been sky high, they would have never touched the morning show.
But of course - they had no idea who SC was to the Memphis radio community. They had no idea that many of us had listened to the All-Request Lunch hour when we were in high school. They had no idea that the morning show with Ron, Steve and Karen - just would not be the same - despite the fact that everyone loved Ron and Karen - they were a team - and a good one. I've not heard a good morning show since that trio broke up.
You're not in high school anymore. When you were all moist over the All-Request Lunch Hour, Ronald Reagan was in his first term and FM100 was pulling down ten shares, almost always ranking in the top three stations in the market. But that was over a quarter century ago, and now they aren't even in the top ten, and they pull in about 25% of the audience they once had.
If you haven't heard a good morning show since the break-up of your holy trinity, check out Young & Elder or Mike & Mandy.
But here is my reason - two years ago - I was hosting a ladies bunco group at my home. We were eating dinner before the game began when I heard someone say - What happened to Steve Conley at FM 100? Another said - I don't know - but the show isn't the same. Another said - yeah - and I'm not listening anymore. She went on to say - I always listened in the morning to FM 100. She said - I grew up listening to them. Now, she puts a CD in and travels to work.
Your bunco group is totally anecdotal. People tend to socialize with like-minded people. I'm sure somewhere tonight there's a couple of stoned teenagers listening to 92.9 WMFS, talking about how it's the number one station in Memphis. It pulls in about as many listeners as the airport information channel.
I've not heard a good morning show since that trio broke up.
I always thought Karson & Kennedy (with Country Cory) on Q107.5 was a funny show that performed with some success but I may be biased. ;D
K~
I always thought Karson & Kennedy (with Country Cory) on Q107.5 was a funny show that performed with some success but I may be biased. ;D
K~
The simple problem is that, as someone noted earlier, radio is no longer for the listener, it's for the advertiser, and commercial radio is too tightly controlled to be listenable any more.
When I was very young, I was fortunate enough to hear the late Art Roberts, along with Clark Weber on WLS in the height of the Top 40 era, and the advertisers were plentiful, but they didn't control playlists or personalities. Then, I moved to Memphis and got to hear Rick Dees at WMPS and WHBQ, Bob McLain, Les Acree at WMC79 and even a young fellow named Grayson over at Rock 103, all of that is I why I still listen to the radio.
However, it's not fun to listen to these days, as consolidation and repeated budget cuts have squeezed what life is left out of music radio. This is also why, while I am happy that Conley (who I've always enjoyed, by the way) is on the air once more, when our generation is gone (50 is a couple of months away), will radio be gone with it?
Unless things change for the better, it's headed for the graveyard next to the telegraph machine.
When I was very young, I was fortunate enough to hear the late Art Roberts, along with Clark Weber on WLS in the height of the Top 40 era, and the advertisers were plentiful, but they didn't control playlists or personalities. Then, I moved to Memphis and got to hear Rick Dees at WMPS and WHBQ, Bob McLain, Les Acree at WMC79 and even a young fellow named Grayson over at Rock 103, all of that is I why I still listen to the radio.
However, it's not fun to listen to these days, as consolidation and repeated budget cuts have squeezed what life is left out of music radio. This is also why, while I am happy that Conley (who I've always enjoyed, by the way) is on the air once more, when our generation is gone (50 is a couple of months away), will radio be gone with it?
Unless things change for the better, it's headed for the graveyard next to the telegraph machine.
B
buzz_fiddlesticks
Guest
I wonder if Steve is prepping for his new "All Request Pancake Hour" right about now. You know, doing calisthenics and flipping through early 1980s back issues of Mad Magazine for ideas. Will he arrive by helicopter or limo, and will they initially broacast live from the mountain top or Chuck E. Cheese's parking lot? Perhaps he will jog up the steps to the tune of "Rocky" while three yet-to-be-laid-off secretaries and a maintenance man cheer him on. Only time will tell!
Let's see if he fills his first "comeback" shift with nonstop, on-air phone calls from his personal glee club all saying how "glad it is to have you back" while he 'waxes nostalgic' about having invented the music request and spinning discs during the Hoover administration.
Sadly, he may find that many of his old listeners have expired, or worse, been overcome by dementia.
On the plus side, he'll enjoy the ease of being able to address his entire listening audience personally and individually by name within the space of about 2-3 minutes.
Steve's best chance at a 'comeback' would be to invent a time machine to take him back to 1984. Barring that, I sure hope he stashed away plenty of comp meal coupons before he quit Tunica.
Can't wait to see him "break new ground" and "go where no jock has gone before" in one last monumental effort to attract listeners that are becoming as endangered as the Blue-Footed Booby. Some might call it foolhardy and an exercise in futility, but I say, Go Steve, Go!
Let's see if he fills his first "comeback" shift with nonstop, on-air phone calls from his personal glee club all saying how "glad it is to have you back" while he 'waxes nostalgic' about having invented the music request and spinning discs during the Hoover administration.
Sadly, he may find that many of his old listeners have expired, or worse, been overcome by dementia.
On the plus side, he'll enjoy the ease of being able to address his entire listening audience personally and individually by name within the space of about 2-3 minutes.
Steve's best chance at a 'comeback' would be to invent a time machine to take him back to 1984. Barring that, I sure hope he stashed away plenty of comp meal coupons before he quit Tunica.
Can't wait to see him "break new ground" and "go where no jock has gone before" in one last monumental effort to attract listeners that are becoming as endangered as the Blue-Footed Booby. Some might call it foolhardy and an exercise in futility, but I say, Go Steve, Go!
What do you have against Steve Conley? What did he ever do to you?
Or are you just jealous?
Or are you just jealous?
B
buzz_fiddlesticks
Guest
radioman148 said:
Au contraire! I think Steve is just "the greatest!" To prove it, I give you this previous thread (which Steve himself started):
http://www.radio-info.com/smf/index.php/topic,98259.msg761270.html#msg761270
R
rapmaster
Guest
this sight is pitiful. ya'll can be some bitter bitches. what the hell is a bunco party....lets just all die and stop breeding.
B
buzz_fiddlesticks
Guest
rapmaster said:
Good to see you back Rapmaster. I am curious what you said toward the end of your earlier post. Some guy named "Vulgar Content" took the liberty of editing it, if you can believe that.
Anyway, the term "bunco party" has several possible meanings, depending on locality. In this case, it probably meant, "police raid." Oddly enough, some people still think it is a game involving dice, which was proven false by the urban legend web site, "Hoodie Spills the Beans." Either way, it's not something someone would want a parole officer knowing they were involved with, that's for sure.
Hope that answers your question, and if you have any music or format suggestions for Steve, I'm sure he'd love to hear about and implement them.
I'm beginning to think "4-ever" may very well be Steve. Regardless...there may have been a core audience that "Loved" the FM100 morning show. However- ratings have showed that there weren't too many of them, and they were dwindling further. I don't know why, if cutting costs, they kept Ron or even Karen for that matter. Word always was that Ron and Steve were grossly overpaid-especially when ratings went south-and that that would be one of the first things Entercom saw to when they bought it all.
But they didn't. In the end...at least it's going to be live radio instead of V/T, and these days isn't that a small victory? Even if the format ends up being good....the signal will remain crap at 94.1. If it takes listeners from somewhere-which any rating improvement over Snap will mean it has-from where will they come? K-97? No. Kix? Not many. WRVR? FM100? Hmmmm.... Seems to me like this particular flip might only compete with themselves. Is that the point?
But they didn't. In the end...at least it's going to be live radio instead of V/T, and these days isn't that a small victory? Even if the format ends up being good....the signal will remain crap at 94.1. If it takes listeners from somewhere-which any rating improvement over Snap will mean it has-from where will they come? K-97? No. Kix? Not many. WRVR? FM100? Hmmmm.... Seems to me like this particular flip might only compete with themselves. Is that the point?
B
buzz_fiddlesticks
Guest
I'd put very strong odds on the "4-Ever" commenter being Steve as well. In fact, I don't have much doubt about it. It was certainly a less obvious attempt than "Miss Marconi." On the other hand, no "model listener" is going to write something like that. She would be too busy making brownies and scheduling her next bunco party to reallign her life around the fact that the all-great Oz has returned to the airwaves to play yesterday's hits on some fuzzy frequency. Most radios probably have years of caked dust on the presets on that end of the dial.
Like a moth to a light bulb, he probably can't help but come back here looking for some sort of validation about his decision to jump back into the frying pan. Unfortunately, it's likely to be a "non-stick" pan. Of course, one can simply ignore reality if they so choose.
Based on the parade of "glad you are back" on-air indulgences (what a surprise), I wonder if he wore a black pancho and silver spurs to the station today, like Clint Eastwood in "A Fistful of Dollars."
As Meepster pointed out though, they are most likely going to be competing with themselves. Good luck with that.
Like a moth to a light bulb, he probably can't help but come back here looking for some sort of validation about his decision to jump back into the frying pan. Unfortunately, it's likely to be a "non-stick" pan. Of course, one can simply ignore reality if they so choose.
Based on the parade of "glad you are back" on-air indulgences (what a surprise), I wonder if he wore a black pancho and silver spurs to the station today, like Clint Eastwood in "A Fistful of Dollars."
As Meepster pointed out though, they are most likely going to be competing with themselves. Good luck with that.
I got no particular bones with Steve, and don't really care IF he is 4-ever...it's just odd that these "mystery listeners" end up on a "radio people" website. I merely think that he and Ron were horribly over-rated for years! Yet...no one can deny their longevity (as well as Tom's) in remaining where they were for so long.
And, technically, neither of them could hold a candle to Tom P., who IS NOT my favorite person. (Ego issues)
Ego or not, admit it or not-he was (at least) really good.
The least talent to higest pay award goes (without question) to Ron. I have NEVER figured that one out.
Advertisers LOVE Ron. And a certain amount of listeners LOVE Ron. Is it his awesome voice? No. Incredible personality? No. His humor? No. Timing? No. Relevence? No.
I believe advertisers love Ron because they THINK the public loves Ron. And some of them DO. I think it must be the fact that he sounds like any other person on the street-he just happens to be on the radio.
That's true-he does and always has-sounded like he walked in off the street up to a microphone.That HAS to be his appeal.
I am NOT hating on him for that. Something has kept him well-paid in a decent market FOR A LONG TIME.
I'm not so sure he has had a great deal of offers to go anywhere else, but you got no choice but to give him props for making a good living for a long time in the same place where so many of us have been removed (or removed ourselves) from. I know of many out-of-work and got-and-stayed-out of radio jocks that are better than Ron-yet he remains. He is the Bob Uecker of Memphis radio!
What were we talking about?
And, technically, neither of them could hold a candle to Tom P., who IS NOT my favorite person. (Ego issues)
Ego or not, admit it or not-he was (at least) really good.
The least talent to higest pay award goes (without question) to Ron. I have NEVER figured that one out.
Advertisers LOVE Ron. And a certain amount of listeners LOVE Ron. Is it his awesome voice? No. Incredible personality? No. His humor? No. Timing? No. Relevence? No.
I believe advertisers love Ron because they THINK the public loves Ron. And some of them DO. I think it must be the fact that he sounds like any other person on the street-he just happens to be on the radio.
That's true-he does and always has-sounded like he walked in off the street up to a microphone.That HAS to be his appeal.
I am NOT hating on him for that. Something has kept him well-paid in a decent market FOR A LONG TIME.
I'm not so sure he has had a great deal of offers to go anywhere else, but you got no choice but to give him props for making a good living for a long time in the same place where so many of us have been removed (or removed ourselves) from. I know of many out-of-work and got-and-stayed-out of radio jocks that are better than Ron-yet he remains. He is the Bob Uecker of Memphis radio!
What were we talking about?
B
buzz_fiddlesticks
Guest
Meepster said:
Oh, this got me laughing, hard. Bob Uecker...
The question about those guys' longevity belongs in one of those "Deep Question" introspection books that you read at a party to get to know what really makes people tick.
That's a pretty reasonable theory for their longevity though.
My theory had been that they were all "made" guys, as in the 'Goodfellas' of radio. There just didn't seem to be a more plausible explanation back in the day, since no available logic seemed to support any other possibility.
B
buzz_fiddlesticks
Guest
A friend just shot me an email in response to the above and I think I agree. He says:
My theory:
Ron is the most likable of the three.
Very smooth and easy to listen to.
Sounds like a good friend.
Conley is good but his arrogance comes across on the air at times.
Nothing turns people off like a perceived phony.
Tom P is too polished for me.
Everything sounds planned.
My theory:
Ron is the most likable of the three.
Very smooth and easy to listen to.
Sounds like a good friend.
Conley is good but his arrogance comes across on the air at times.
Nothing turns people off like a perceived phony.
Tom P is too polished for me.
Everything sounds planned.
- Status