Death of "New" River 97.1 to come sometime this summer???

[DToTheJ]

Eventually oldies stations will have to go deep into the 1980s. Sean Ross had a good article about the song "Mickey" by Toni Basil, and why oldies stations (at least those sticking their toes into the 1980s) haven't picked that song up. It's 28 years old, has a "retro" feel, and is by all measures an upbeat, feel-good song. Is the beat too strong?

Oldies stations add 80's songs at their own volition; some plenty, some not so much. For example, the oldies station in New London, CT has about as many 80's songs in their rotation that I can count on my two hands: Beach Boys' "Kokomo," Roy Orbison's "You Got It," Tina Turner's "What's Love Got To Do With It," Irene Cara's "Flashdance (What A Feeling)" and a couple of Michael Jackson songs that, incidentally, were worked into their playlist shortly after his death.

 

[jabba17]

I'm one of those people who loves music from the 60's, 70's and 80's but I don't like it when the 80's are mixed in with music from the 60's and 70's. I was listening to a station the other night and they went from playing a song by Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons to "Rock This Town" by the Stray Cats (worst train wreck I've ever heard).

When True Oldies was playing Joan Jett, it was right after Simon & Garfunkel's "Sound of Silence". Despite Scott Shannon's segue, it was still awkward.

I like hearing the 80s on True Oldies with the older stuff, but as with any wide-track format playlist/segue planning is important. You can't just shuffle the iPod.

 

[jambox]

Is this a case of "the river runs dry"? A river runs through it... Black Water... Bridge over troubled water...

 

[bnaivar]

Is this a case of "the river runs dry"? A river runs through it... Black Water... Bridge over troubled water...

BP oil rig. ;D

 

[GoodTimesandGreatOldies]

It is amazing that this station is even still on the airplayling a playlist of less than 100 songs!!! The imaging and still calling the station "new" really suck too!

 

[RTibbs]

It is amazing that this station is even still on the airplayling a playlist of less than 100 songs!!! The imaging and still calling the station "new" really suck too!

It is more likely they play more than 100 songs than True Oldies plays more than 10,000 songs.

 

[Nyte Ryder]

They play 256 songs. www.yes.com. Again, not a huge list but doing well, thank you.

If you're going to make up crap and pass it off as fact, at least put the disclaimer in there. Otherwise we have to assume everything you post is made up. We kinda do anyway when you post that all the oldies concerts this Summer are part of the True Oldies Summer Tour.

Thanks for playing and we have some lovely parting gifts for you.

 

[jabba17]

if you want a laugh, visit the RDU/GSO board GTAGO decided that every station up there WILL change format to oldies.

curtisinpa. yeah you're right, could be the same guy or maybe a clone.

i can't decide newb or troll.

Thanks for the tip: http://boards.radio-info.com/smf/index.php?topic=169610.0

KevinFodor has a great post on that thread re: oldies playlists.

 

[RTibbs]

if you want a laugh, visit the RDU/GSO board GTAGO decided that every station up there WILL change format to oldies.

curtisinpa. yeah you're right, could be the same guy or maybe a clone.

i can't decide newb or troll.

Thanks for the tip: http://boards.radio-info.com/smf/index.php?topic=169610.0

KevinFodor has a great post on that thread re: oldies playlists.

Wow, good to know he is loved whereever he posts.

 

[thefirstgenesis]

Anybody can make fun of the "New" 97.1 River all they want, but according to the latest May PPM ratings, they have been improving, even surpassing True Oldies. Maybe this is an aberration and a one month thing, and once everything settles, The River will flow back down to earth. But if it is true, 97.1 may have done something right during the past few months. Same thing with 98.5 with their very good station programming but an inferior and crappy playlist. Overall, they're doing good as well in ratings. Talk about the Cox's Crazy Comeback.

 

[gregg75]

HERE HERE. Somebody at the River must have read this board because they have gotten
MUCH better over the last few weeks. The playlist seems to be longer and more updated.
I'm actually listening to 3 and 4 songs in a row, which was not the case before.

They are even beating True Oldies.......and why? I think it's because when True Oldies
plays some 50's song like LEADER OF THE PACK, the river is playing something a
bit more classic and newer like CHINA GROVE or OLD BLACK WATER.

It looks like the River will not go dry this summer after all.

 

[RTibbs]

True Oldies would do better if they played more Connie Francis.

 

[jabba17]

True Oldies would do better if they played more Connie Francis.

I'm sure they have Connie Francis somewhere on their 5000 song playlist.