Day 3 and they are already screwing it up!

[Zeb Norris]

Welcome to Dallas, Zeb. Seeing as how your station is a AAA format, what is your opinion of the songs being played on KDBN? You can find the music history at www.yes.com. I am interested to hear your take on what they are doing.

There is no way I'm qualified to comment on the library or the execution. I know nothing at all about Dallas/Forth Worth's demographics, the history of it's rock stations, the familiarity level of various songs, the specfic target dmographic, or even if Cumulus considers this new station to truly be a AAA station.

AAA is a very, very flexible format. The 3 most successful stations in the format are KFOG, KBCO, and KINK. While there is some consensus among those stations on many songs, they are quite different from each other as you can see on yes.com I consider this to be a good thing, as the format can be tuned to the marketplace. But again, I don't know enough about the Dallas Fort Worth market to comment.

I can tell you that Cumulus owns KFOG, so it's not like they have no successful experience with AAA. I'd give my left nut to work at KFOG.

 

[blackdog71]

;D In this economic climate, that may well be required at some point!

 

[SuperRadioFan]

And it's funny, because I haven't heard them describe themselves as a triple A station. Quality rock is in the eye of the beholder, isn't it?

Show me the link to any radio station that does "describe themselves as a triple A station".

You mean to listeners, or within the industry?

The phrase has no meaning to listeners. That's why AAA stations use "World Class Rock" or "Quality Rock" a lot. Cumulus' KFOG has used both over the years...

Zeb, my point was yours- No station in the format describes to listeners that they are a AAA format though I recall in the past years when the format was newer that a station would publicize through the print media that their format is "Adult Album Alternative" and then would elaborate on what that means to the average reader.

Of course within the industry we all know what "AAA" is.

Notice BTW that The Sound (as you no doubt have read on the L.A. board) dropped the "World Class Rock" positioner. As a fan of the genre and format, I don't know what stations should call themselves or even if they should call themselves anything but I guess it's all marketing. To me "Quality Rock" is meaningless because as has been pointed out, could be 'quality' to me and crap to someone else. I really really really hate the phrase "All About the Music" which is the most meaningless as it could be applied to any music radio station.


Re. WNCS the MP3 stream I have bookmarked on my WinAmp player sounds tinny and totally lacks any bass response. Is this the correct link to the stream or is there another one available that I need to update on my WinAmp player? Here is the stream's URL:

mms://wm-live.abacast.com/wncs

 

[critic319]

Do any of you do anything but b!tch? I know some of you were stating a while back, that it would be nice to have a AAA station here in DFW. Now that you have one, you criticize the hell out of it! What would you do if you won some money? Complain about the color of it? Complain that you wanted hundreds instead of twentys? Complain that the money is too wrinkled? I swear, I think some of you have 24 hour PMS. Complain, complain, complain..........

Amen!

 

[DudeFan]

It's been my experience as the programmer of a younger-skewing AAA that the classic rock artists (Stones, Zep, etc) are death to the younger end of the format. The folks that like Death Cab, the Fray, etc., don't expect or want to hear those artists on the same station. They apparently research well, hence The Sound, WRXP, and KDBN, but none of those stations are lighting the dial on fire. A AAA station is a very slow build, but the needle should have moved more. Part of it may be formatics and presentation. Too many commercial stations try too hard to be serious rather than making the presentation of fun music well, fun.

 

[critic319]

ok then, don't know if anyone caught that kid rock classic, i don't know the name of it but it's that skinnyrd/levon mash up. REALLY?!

This must be the most horrendous song ever. It's playing right now on 93.3. I rarely give my opinion on music because its largely a matter of taste. However, I can't see how this song fits anything that could be thought of as "quality rock."

 

[critic319]

Before I get torn to shreds by my last post. I realize that one song doesn't make the station and I shouldn't whine. They're playing a good song now .
This may be a good approach for AAA in Dallas.

 

[URradiolistener]

Do any of you do anything but b!tch? I know some of you were stating a while back, that it would be nice to have a AAA station here in DFW. Now that you have one, you criticize the hell out of it! What would you do if you won some money? Complain about the color of it? Complain that you wanted hundreds instead of twentys? Complain that the money is too wrinkled? I swear, I think some of you have 24 hour PMS. Complain, complain, complain..........

COMPLETELY AGREE!

As I was doin' my thing today, I was listening to the station. I have to say I really enjoy it. At least I've noticed in the middays it is more upbeat and not as boring as "The Bone" was. I think anyone new to the market could listen and after about 4 songs, predict what was next. This is nice. Let's see how long it lasts.

 

[TheRover]

It's been my experience as the programmer of a younger-skewing AAA that the classic rock artists (Stones, Zep, etc) are death to the younger end of the format. Too many commercial stations try too hard to be serious rather than making the presentation of fun music well, fun.

ANY "Hit" music is Death to me.....

Deep album cuts are cool. But without the Hits....

THAT'S the kind of radio I'd listen to !

Yound kids would prorbably enjoy hearing great rocking tracks from 70's rockers...

Just NOT the one's ALREADY over played by the Radio Industry....

 

[Dr. o Fun]

Do any of you do anything but b!tch? ... Complain, complain, complain..........

People can so critical of critics.

dr

 

[bucwhyl]

Do any of you do anything but b!tch? I know some of you were stating a while back, that it would be nice to have a AAA station here in DFW. Now that you have one, you criticize the hell out of it! What would you do if you won some money? Complain about the color of it? Complain that you wanted hundreds instead of twentys? Complain that the money is too wrinkled? I swear, I think some of you have 24 hour PMS. Complain, complain, complain..........

COMPLETELY AGREE!

As I was doin' my thing today, I was listening to the station. I have to say I really enjoy it. At least I've noticed in the middays it is more upbeat and not as boring as "The Bone" was. I think anyone new to the market could listen and after about 4 songs, predict what was next. This is nice. Let's see how long it lasts.

I'm a K104/97.9 The Beat/KRNB/94.5 KSoul listener and I even dig 93.3. Most of the songs, I've never heard before, but I do recognize the variety compared to those same old "claasic hits" that I even recognized on The Bone.

 

[onmic]

Decided to drop in on TRG stream this AM. It is 9:03 and they have been in a break for what seems like at least 18-20 minutes or more and I am hearing the same spots/PSAs roll by up to 5 or 6 times so far (many with only one different spot between runs). I am wondering if there is a stream problem at this point or if it really this poorly designed.

 

[jeffdfw]

Okay, I have something positive to say...

I listened all day at work yesterday (9a - 6p) and the music seemed a lot better. I am actually digging this station. I love listening to Alexis... Still getting used to The Regular Guys but not bad... I appreciate the fact that they actually say Dallas/Fort Worth (not just Dallas)... And they have turned me on to a song I have never heard before but I really like... Kings of Lean - Sex on Fire. Downloading that one to the iPod this weekend. 8)

 

[jeffdfw]

Sorry - Kings of Leon...

 

[Zeb Norris]

It's been my experience as the programmer of a younger-skewing AAA that the classic rock artists (Stones, Zep, etc) are death to the younger end of the format. Too many commercial stations try too hard to be serious rather than making the presentation of fun music well, fun.

ANY "Hit" music is Death to me.....

Deep album cuts are cool. But without the Hits....

THAT'S the kind of radio I'd listen to !

Yound kids would prorbably enjoy hearing great rocking tracks from 70's rockers...

Just NOT the one's ALREADY over played by the Radio Industry....

Yeah, I get that from your previous posts and your name and on screen info.

I hate to be the one to break it to you, but Freeform Progressive isn't coming back. The culture has moved on. Get an I-pod or try www.radioparadise.com

And not to be rude, but your previous posts and on screen info leads me to believe that you're older than 54, and therefore out of the target demo. Which means very few companies care what you'd listen to. Sorry man. That's the biz.

 

[TheRover]

ANY "Hit" music is Death to me.....

Deep album cuts are cool. But without the Hits....

THAT'S the kind of radio I'd listen to !

Yound kids would prorbably enjoy hearing great rocking tracks from 70's rockers...

Just NOT the one's ALREADY over played by the Radio Industry....

Yeah, I get that from your previous posts and your name and on screen info.

I hate to be the one to break it to you, but Freeform Progressive isn't coming back. The culture has moved on. Get an I-pod or try www.radioparadise.com

And not to be rude, but your previous posts and on screen info leads me to believe that you're older than 54, and therefore out of the target demo. Which means very few companies care what you'd listen to. Sorry man. That's the biz.

Still in the demo.... and bty...I'm a Baby Boomer.... and they're LOTS of us.... and so....

Companies Better Care about what WE listen to !

The i-pod advise goes nowhere with me.... I want satisfying music, and I want it to come from the radio --other than "hit" music, and, DJ "personalities" to entertain me.

It's like companies are tyring to figure out what "new" kind of icing to put on c-r-a-p, and call it something of value.

Caller listened for whole day.... and got ONLY one song of interest.

That's nice, but I would expect more, and I don't wade through crap to maybe hear one song that does not offend.....

But, I guess some people have a completely different approach to what they will listen to all day.

The $$$$ Industry of Guitar Video games are centered mainly on bands that were fron the 1970's.

But don't let me confuse you with such facts.... You've got a Business to run....

And not to be rude Zeb, but you don't have a Crystal Ball either about what is, or is not "coming back".

 

[Zeb Norris]

ANY "Hit" music is Death to me.....

Deep album cuts are cool. But without the Hits....

THAT'S the kind of radio I'd listen to !

Yound kids would prorbably enjoy hearing great rocking tracks from 70's rockers...

Just NOT the one's ALREADY over played by the Radio Industry....

Yeah, I get that from your previous posts and your name and on screen info.

I hate to be the one to break it to you, but Freeform Progressive isn't coming back. The culture has moved on. Get an I-pod or try www.radioparadise.com

And not to be rude, but your previous posts and on screen info leads me to believe that you're older than 54, and therefore out of the target demo. Which means very few companies care what you'd listen to. Sorry man. That's the biz.

Still in the demo.... and bty...I'm a Baby Boomer.... and they're LOTS of us.... and so....

Companies Better Care about what WE listen to !

The i-pod advise goes nowhere with me.... I want satisfying music, and I want it to come from the radio --other than "hit" music, and, DJ "personalities" to entertain me.

It's like companies are tyring to figure out what "new" kind of icing to put on c-r-a-p, and call it something of value.

Caller listened for whole day.... and got ONLY one song of interest.

That's nice, but I would expect more, and I don't wade through crap to maybe hear one song that does not offend.....

But, I guess some people have a completely different approach to what they will listen to all day.

The $$$$ Industry of Guitar Video games are centered mainly on bands that were fron the 1970's.

But don't let me confuse you with such facts.... You've got a Business to run....

And not to be rude Zeb, but you don't have a Crystal Ball either about what is, or is not "coming back".

Look, I started at a freeform progressive station. Loved it. So much that I've now spent 33 years in radio fighting the good fight for quality, as opposed to just complaining.

But there's a word for programming a station for listeners who don't want to hear any hits.

Suicide.

 

[scrtr84]

The i-pod advise goes nowhere with me.... I want satisfying music, and I want it to come from the radio --other than "hit" music, and, DJ "personalities" to entertain me.

Sigh... :

Look, you have a 100% chance of getting exactly what you want, with an I-pod and a 0% chance from a terrestrial station. There is nothing on the dial in this market that gives me what I want, either. But rather than whine and complain, I setup my own music delivery system with a simple computer and an audio file server. With this approach, I get exactly what I want 100% of the time.

Stop dissing something you have apparently never tried before, because that just makes you look selfish and lazy. Heck, my parents are 60+ and even they have I-pods!

 

[grantchester]

So I bought this old am/fm/phono/8 track for 10 dollars at the garage sale, greased up the turntable spindle, hooked up some speakers and set it up in the garage for my 15 year old son. (his personal space, but I digress...) To test it I pulled out an old Jeff Beck album and played Beck's Bolero for him.
He liked it. He liked it a lot. But here's the thing. Beck's Bolero was recorded in 1966. Conventional programming wisdom is that it would only appeal to someone in high school when it came out. 18 years old plus 42 years... That would mean only a 60 year old would want to hear it on the radio.
The 16 year old son found a copy of a Jade Warrior album, digitized it, and listens to it on his mp3 player. It's not rock or pop or country or rap or ethnic, so that's never going to be one someone's radio playlist (unless Paul Slavens is reading this.) His 18 year old brother got a kick out of hearing "Ring A Ding Ding", so now he's singing a track from that old Sinatra album in a school concert. The 12 year old son heard the Blues Brothers doing "Rubber Biscuit", now he's doing THAT for HIS talent show.
Conclusion: Good music is good music, no matter when it came out. Given 'entrance' to a wide variety of music, young people will defy the programmers conventional wisdom and listen to what they like.
Now excuse me while I cue up my new Bob Wills CD....

 

[Dr. o Fun]

Conclusion: Good music is good music, no matter when it came out. Given 'entrance' to a wide variety of music, young people will defy the programmers conventional wisdom and listen to what they like.

This is so true. My 12-year-old son listens to both his music (3 Doors Down, Coldplay, etc.) and mine. He particularly likes Emerson, Lake and Palmer and Yes, and, of late, Genesis, Vangelis and Asia. Aside: I'm taking him to his first rock concert in June to see Yes & Asia at Bass Hall.

I think he has grasped onto my music because we tend to dissect the songs we listen to (we musicians tend to do that) and that music can be more than just three chords and a 4/4 beat.

I'll have to load Beck's Bolero on his iPod. We'll probably compare it to ELP's 'Abaddon's Bolero' and, of course, Ravel's Bolero (he likes classical, too).

dr