Ok guys RI has been a little slow so I thought I would throw out a question and see what happens... I have been a poster on RI ie the old RI and the new RI and for as long as I have been posting the topic of this radio station seems to pop up about as much as Energy post would pop up... Since I did not live in Chi Town back in the 80's and never got to listen to WBMX so I decided to listen to the interview that was on their website... From the sounds of things they were on to something big in Chi Town... I decided to listen to the music stream and all I can say was WOW!!! They played the music on one station that while living down in SC you would have to listen to 4 or 5 stations to match their playlist... Now we come to the question... Lets say you take a few underperforming stations that are doing a unique format yet is not getting much traction and revive a BMX format... How would it do... If you took 92.5, 92.7 and 99.9 do you guys think it would get better ratings than NINE is currently getting... I played the stream for my wife and she is a head banger from the 80's and she liked and remembered a lot of the music that was played... Would a format like BMX be a hard sale for a sales staff today??? With Kiss mixing things up a little bit on Fridays I think that a BMX format could and work even on burb sticks... OK now lets see what happens... I know a lot who post on here got to hear the original WBMX so I would really like to hear your thoughts... Happy 4th everybody from just up the road in Rockford... CC1 AKA CC
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Could A Format Like WBMX Work Today???
- Thread starter CrazeeCarroll1
- Start date
H
Hamp
Guest
One thing you have to remember, WBMX-Chicago was NOT a full-fledged dance music station. It was a mainstream Urban Contemporary station that played dance mixes on the weekend.
The Urban Contemporary format went through BIG changes beginning in the late 90's, early 2000's. Mainstream Urban was starting to focus more and more on Hip-Hop to try to get younger demos. During BMX's (as well as other Urban stations across the country) it was nothing to hear artists like New Edition, Marvin Gaye, Aretha Franklin, U.T.F.O. and Alexander O' Neal back to back. But as the Urban format began to materialize a lot of stations felt that you couldn't mass promote certain artists anymore. Now, everything is fragmented. If a heritage artist like Gladys Knight tries to come out with something new, nine times out of ten, you will not hear it on a mainstream Urban, but on an Urban AC. Nowdays, an artist is pigeonholed into either "new rap" or "old Urban." The argument is, the younger crowd doesn't want to hear the older music and the older crowd doesn't want to hear the younger music.
But I feel Urban stations like WBMX were at their best when everything was incorporated. You heard slow jams, dance music, old and new school R&B. That just isn't the case anymore. The only format that would possibly come close to what the old BMX was is CHR/Rhythmic stations (i.e., B-96 in Chicago).
The Urban Contemporary format went through BIG changes beginning in the late 90's, early 2000's. Mainstream Urban was starting to focus more and more on Hip-Hop to try to get younger demos. During BMX's (as well as other Urban stations across the country) it was nothing to hear artists like New Edition, Marvin Gaye, Aretha Franklin, U.T.F.O. and Alexander O' Neal back to back. But as the Urban format began to materialize a lot of stations felt that you couldn't mass promote certain artists anymore. Now, everything is fragmented. If a heritage artist like Gladys Knight tries to come out with something new, nine times out of ten, you will not hear it on a mainstream Urban, but on an Urban AC. Nowdays, an artist is pigeonholed into either "new rap" or "old Urban." The argument is, the younger crowd doesn't want to hear the older music and the older crowd doesn't want to hear the younger music.
But I feel Urban stations like WBMX were at their best when everything was incorporated. You heard slow jams, dance music, old and new school R&B. That just isn't the case anymore. The only format that would possibly come close to what the old BMX was is CHR/Rhythmic stations (i.e., B-96 in Chicago).
R
Rocketman
Guest
Sure. It would be Chicago's Party Station. Maybe someone will have that vision...
S
SevenBizzos
Guest
Like Hamp eluded to, the version of BMX you're hearing in the archive sites and at WBMX.com represent the weekend and late weeknight broadcasts. It was more like a mainstream R&B (of today) station during the day.
Could it work? Music seems so fragmented today that there doesn't seem to be a genre that, across the same age demo, works. Sadly, no, I don't think it would work. It seems to me, if you're not playing Chamillionaire every 45 minutes, you're not making $$.
BMX had a great run. I loved it. Most everyone of most every age listened to it. Just think if the 40-somethings and the 20-somethings could repeat that....I think not....
Could it work? Music seems so fragmented today that there doesn't seem to be a genre that, across the same age demo, works. Sadly, no, I don't think it would work. It seems to me, if you're not playing Chamillionaire every 45 minutes, you're not making $$.
BMX had a great run. I loved it. Most everyone of most every age listened to it. Just think if the 40-somethings and the 20-somethings could repeat that....I think not....
K
klub1075
Guest
If done correctly i feel it could work. But, a combination of things would have to be on all cylinders i.e.
music, marketing, promotions, strong air personalities, street/club presence, community oriented etc. I would only have it on a full strength signal station ... if you wanna play with the BIG boys then you have to come in strong.
Here's just a few questions that i would ask myself.
1. Is there a hole in the market for this type of format (do i have data to backup my opinion)
2. What's my target audience male or female
3. What do i expect my ethnic makeup to ultimately be
4. What age demo would be my core
5. If i have a young cell and older cell - what are the songs that are not polarized
6. Radio today is fragmented. But, are listeners wanting some variety? Where does the "wow" factor play in
7. What would be my ratio of Currents to Gold
Just food for thought!
music, marketing, promotions, strong air personalities, street/club presence, community oriented etc. I would only have it on a full strength signal station ... if you wanna play with the BIG boys then you have to come in strong.
Here's just a few questions that i would ask myself.
1. Is there a hole in the market for this type of format (do i have data to backup my opinion)
2. What's my target audience male or female
3. What do i expect my ethnic makeup to ultimately be
4. What age demo would be my core
5. If i have a young cell and older cell - what are the songs that are not polarized
6. Radio today is fragmented. But, are listeners wanting some variety? Where does the "wow" factor play in
7. What would be my ratio of Currents to Gold
Just food for thought!
I'd disagree. First off, I've listened to what's going on at the website and the website represents all old skool and all that was WBMX in it's prime. It's far more detailed than sites that feature recorded mixes so it's not just mixes or weeknight programing. It really covers all that was Chicago radio as far as the 80s was concerned. As far as modifying the philosophy that was WBMX back in the day and adapt that to today. See klub1075's comment, he's on point and if it were done with currents and heritage gold with all the other points he stated, it's simply a CHR Rhythmic with a deeper love. Lite, Love, Kiss and B as well as LaKalle would be in big trouble.
As far as playing Chamillionaire every 45 minutes and making money? I disagree. In fact, that's what they're doing now and we see the chaos at both Kiss and B. No disrespect to you Seven, I just disagree with you assessment. Much luv and respect.
As far as playing Chamillionaire every 45 minutes and making money? I disagree. In fact, that's what they're doing now and we see the chaos at both Kiss and B. No disrespect to you Seven, I just disagree with you assessment. Much luv and respect.
SevenBizzos said:
It would work if the "corporate radio" concept was used more as "one view" verses "gospel". If they tapped into the "Chicago Summer Dance" and "House Night" club people as the core audience, yes..
If V103 tested BMX era music with the right people, it would work there....V103s audience doent care about house....
Alot of the club heads dont listen to radio much. They depend on the Mix CDs and load 'em up in iPods. They also attend the House nights that are going on in the city. They feel radio has betrayed them....and it has.....
If V103 tested BMX era music with the right people, it would work there....V103s audience doent care about house....
Alot of the club heads dont listen to radio much. They depend on the Mix CDs and load 'em up in iPods. They also attend the House nights that are going on in the city. They feel radio has betrayed them....and it has.....
S
SittinDuc
Guest
The "format" Dance. energy, techno/trance will not work in the Chicago market. I know people always have a way they say it can work but who is your target cume? 12-18 year olds? I don't think so. There is no money for that format. What product are your targeting? It has been done too many times here, and it never works.
A
argytunes
Guest
I always find it interesting when I read the words: "a format like that will never work in this market!"
This is probably the reason why many radio stations sound so "tired?" Very few PD's are willing to take a chance and program a slightly different music format for fear that it might not be 100% successful after the first 30 days?
So the possibility of trying a new format (or upgrading an older one)automatically gets 'two thumbs down!'
Why do I keep hearing those Stan Freberg lines inside my head when he asked his daughter was radio was? Donna Freberg Jr. indicated that "Radio is disc jockeys and news...and news and disc jockeys! Her comments were made in the mid 60s on the FREBERG UNDERGROUND Lp!
I guess her comments are still accurate...40 YEARS LATER?
argytunes
S
SittinDuc
Guest
No. It might work in Smaller markets like Indiana, but not in Chicago.
Who are you going to sell too? Who is your target cume. I have said this a million times. Now with Satellite radio only 12 bucks a month, kids are buying these and cutting out the middle man...the DeeJay!
They do not want to hear commercials or stupid lame dj's talking about lame topics. I have had sirius for a year and will never go back..NEVER!
With the electronic age at hand, the Ipod, Satellite, and other gadets, radio is on the downward never to rise again. Why listen to radio when you can program your own station?
And my friends, thats why a dance format will not work!!
End of story!
Who are you going to sell too? Who is your target cume. I have said this a million times. Now with Satellite radio only 12 bucks a month, kids are buying these and cutting out the middle man...the DeeJay!
They do not want to hear commercials or stupid lame dj's talking about lame topics. I have had sirius for a year and will never go back..NEVER!
With the electronic age at hand, the Ipod, Satellite, and other gadets, radio is on the downward never to rise again. Why listen to radio when you can program your own station?
And my friends, thats why a dance format will not work!!
End of story!
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