Create Your Own Station

[placebo1969]

It seems that there’s been a lot of speculation lately. I though I’d try it. If you could design your own station, what would it be? AM or FM? What format? Who would you have as On Air Staff? Etc. It should be somewhat geared toward a commercial station, otherwise people would try to program “All Polka, All The Time” stations. Here’s what I would love to hear in Seattle:It would be FM, positioned somewhat between KISW, KZOK and KNDD. I would love to hear rock that is a good mix or new/old, hard/soft, mainstream/alternative. It would be great to hear a station that plays a some deeper album tracks instead of the latest single. Air Staff: How about Cathy Faulker, Scott Vanderpool, R&M, Beau Roberts and I guess since I’m dreaming having Crow & West back together. I’d love to have a great mix of music and personality. I don’t hear all of that in Seattle.It looks like I just described KXRX for the 21st century. (Yes, I know those letters are used in the Tri-Cities.)

 

[JustaLissner]

Yes, except for the idea of getting deeper into the music catalog, you described KXRX. Which is not a bad idea. I can say I would listen. I miss KXRX. Seattle radio is sadly lacking in personality-driven radio & that is very sad. Is this a nationwide trend or just a sad state of affairs here in Seattle?Meanwhile, here is my station. It would be a country/rock conversion. Digging deep in to the country music catalog without the typical current-20-songs-played-over-and-over-all-day mindset and the occassional "old country classic" thrown in. I wouldn't repeat a song in a day. It would encompass old and new country including hillbilly western music and a little bluegrass. It would also encompass blues, southern rock and folk. You would hear Shania Twain, Johnny Cash, the Eagles, Counting Crows, Gregg Allman, Dolly Parton, Lucinda Williams, Bonnie Raitt, Louis Armstrong, Alison Krauss, Peter Paul and Mary and Bob Dylan. And lots and lots more. A fine line would be drawn as far as balancing music and personality. There will be no automation. There will be no robot-personalities nor boring announcers. But morning drive will include music; there will be no "blah-blah-blah" simply for the sake of filling air time. Scott Burns, Penny Coin, Mark Allen, Beau Roberts and Marty Riemer will all have a place and Robin and Maynard will do afternoon drive. Plenty of money will be pumped into supporting the on-air staff salaries and they will be given a lot of free rein so that it sounds impromptu and fun. Huge marketing/promotions department for high visibility.Dream on.

 

[70radio]

A Note to JustaLissner. Placebo1969 may have described KXRX, but you have, with the exception, of course, of the artists and deeper albums cuts, described one of America's great radio stations. Only it's long gone. It was Pat O'Day and KJR in the 60's and early 70's. I think the book was by 'Hamilton', which listed radio stations and jock line ups across the country. It also listed the station's target demo. KJR's?: "Family Unit." KJR would seg from a KJR 'Classic'--"Psycho" by the Sonics to Sinatra's "That's Life" to "Wild Thing" by the Troggs, daytime or evenings. No liner cards, blah, blah blahs for the sake of such; only as you say free rein personalities who were impromtu and had FUN! FUN! FUN!! KJR's 25 12+ shares proved the listeners loved it; no other station in the market was even close! True, it was 45 or so years ago, but it remains the root for successful personality radio. Lan did his thing in the morning and played music at the same time; so did Tom Murphy, O'Day, Lujack, the late and legendary Jerry Kay, Dick Curtis, Chuck Bolland, Les Parsons and the list goes on! And talk about huge and original promotions involving the listener and air personalities, it was all there on KJR. As 'PaddleDay' would say: "It's Contest Time!" Would it work today? Damned right it would. But who in this corporate world of radio today would have the guts to try it?? Whomever did or does just may be surprised at the response by listeners and the advertisers!

 

[JustaLissner]

Thanks, 70Radio. It hadn't occurred to me, but I think you are right. I was born in the 70's and know my folks were big KJR listeners. I was too young to really remember, but from what I have read and heard it sounds like it was wonderful. From what I understand it sounds like MOST of Seattle's true personalities came through KJR including Charlie Brown & John Maynard in addition to the ones you mention. Was it the PD? The Music Director? A good GM? What brought it all together & made it work? And WHO is going to do it again?!

 

[70radio]

Was it the PD? The Music Director? A good GM? What brought it all together & made it work? All of those titles were held by Mr. Pat O'Day, who brought it all together and made it work. Your folks knew a good thing when they heard it!

 

[placebo1969]

Thanks for the input. I wouldn't mind a station that had a broad range of music. Jack sort of does it (on the surface), but fails because you end up hearing the same "obscure" songs over and over. I live in Bellingham, so I can hear the BC Jacks. They have DJs. That's what I'm really missing. Personality, damnit.

 

[LITTLEBOYBLUE]

Seeing your suggestion for county makes me wonder....would it be a smart move for WOLF to do something like Sunday night "Classics" show since there is no Classic Country 1090 any more? Would be a way of differentiating (drawing more attention to the station).

 

[RichJohnson]

I'm looking for a station that will never exist, but I can dream...KGO of the early 60's...KVI of the mid 60's...KNBR of the early 70's...Sprinkle in a dash of NBC's 'Monitor' and a real news department. Beef up the producer ranks so even the overnight guy/gal has a couple of guest segments. Don't be afraid to drop all for a breaking story. Get the reporter on the air with the host asap. Pick up the rights to one big-deal sports team and ride 'em, cowboy.Create fun, and let the listener be part of it.Keep the formatics high-quality and low-quantity, so each host can create his/her own room within a common house.Adult hip. A station filled with people who made the successful transtion from youthful rebel to responsible adult, but brought along a little rebellion for the ride. Turi Ryder comes immediately to mind. So does Penny Coyne. Bruce Murdock is actually doing something close to this in a soft rock format in Portland, and is owning the town.Here in DC, WTWP, Washington Post Radio, could be that station some day.. once the powers realize they have to find their own guests more often, and put Washington Post reporters in front of micorphones a bit less often.Gawd, my age is showing...RJ

 

[SpeedyEd]

"Sprinkle in a dash of NBC's 'Monitor'"

Geez, when I was a kid, that sounder used to creep me out. Now I have it as the ringtone on my cell phone.Aren't the NPR drivetime shows essentially Monitor?Anyway, my station would have J Michael Kenyon riffing for a couple of hours every evening. We could call it a sports-talk show, but JMK would talk about whatever he wanted and it would be interesting and entertaining.

 

[Itchisakamoto]

You probably won't see radio making many changes but it is certainly amazing to see how much Television has embraced the 80's Rock N Rollers with all the new Reality Television now targeted at those folks who grew up with that music burning in their ears.They obviously have figured out that all of us beer drinking, pot smoking, rockers have grown up and actually made lives for ourselves and now that we earn honest livings, many in the six figure range advertisers want to cash in.I wish radio would take a lesson from television and give us some of that radio I grew up loving KXRX was a great example and could probably do well again in the right market in todays climate.

 

[TheFrameGuy]

Here is a website where you can really create your own radio station, at least for music http://www.pandora.com/. I some PDs should listen for a while and write down some of the playlists. When you create a stations, make sure to test some by entering an artist name and others by entering a song title. It is amazing the playlists that are created. I am often surprised at some of the songs that are actually realated to other songs.