Denver radio as boring as this board (bored?)

[proddude41]

Chicago vs Denver isn't a fair comparison. Market size, the standard set in Chicago radio by the flame-throwing 70s stations that were truly at war with each other in a way Randy Michaels tried to imitate (and poorly I might add) with Jacor, and some of that talent is still blessing their airwaves...it's not even close. That's not to say Denver doesn't have its own radio history, but Chicago was a special place for about a 10-year span.

***Point taken. And, yeah, it was unbelievably special. Not many of those talents are still around Chicago, unfortunately, and you can hear that salient fact every day now. But the "legendary wars" you refer to -- especially WLS vs. WCFL -- in many ways shaped radio in that town. And still does. It's still special in Chicago -- don't misread me. It's different; now the wars are between CBS and Bonneville, or Bonneville and Emmis, or .. well, there's Chump Channel all alone out there on its own in the Windy City. And Citadel is screwing up the pumpkin patch in Chicago every damn day now.

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Talent in Denver is like talent everywhere else. The real issue is you have to PAY talent, and a lot of PDs now have a Clear Channel "blemish" on their resume and believe in the mid to late 90s Clear Channel way; less personality, more spots equals more money in and that's what they're pushing talent to do even though all radio studies over the last few years has shown listeners WANT personality on the radio. The problem now is there are few personalities and more jocks (That was, I am, promo read (90%) from a card, and 6 minutes of spots). Personality costs money because it involves work. Then again, at $5,000(?) a station for a year's work in out of market VT, who wouldn't want to show that bottom line to their GM or VP? Too bad it's going to end up costing them.
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***Not so sure I agree here. Talent in Denver is talent IN DENVER, emphasis mine. Maybe your original theory is correct -- it's lifestyle. Denver becomes the black hole full of "also rans," just because they love living there. And then, after enough time goes by, the market has "dulled" them to the point that they can't compete anywhere bigger.

While I loved it when I was there, however, I wasn't all that addicted to it.

 

[mleach]

Denver talent stays because of the lifestyle. Worked other places before I was there and since I was there, and what I was told on my first day by several people still holds true, "you will NEVER want to leave this place." And I wouldn't have if I didn't want to eat for however long it took for me to catch on another place. If you stay in Denver it's because you love the life. If you leave it's a personal decision, like mine, or you don't get it and want to leave.

That's very true. Not to mention the cost of living is cheaper here, especially if you're an East Coast/Midwest transplant like me. But for those who love it, they love it, and won't leave it for hell or higy water.

Also Denver is pretty much a "..I don't give a damn what you do" city too and I don't mean that in a bad way either. In other words Denver is a very liberal city. For example if I want to go out to my backyard one morning in my bathrobe to have my morning cup a coffee and say I decided to light up a joint , if my neighbors see me chances are they won't call the police. Ah try doing that in small town North Carolina !! Say I am a 23 year old guy who enjoys cigars and I decided to smoke one while I am driving to work. In Denver...who the hell cares !! Meanwhile in West Virginia if I did the same thing there chances are the local police would watch me like a hawk thinking that since I smoke cigars and I am in the 20s then I must be doing illegal drugs as well.

My two best friends who live in Denver ( right across the street from 107.1 ONE FM BTW ), he is white, his wife in black. Both are from Kentucky and sadly when they lived in that state both had to deal with more than their share of bigots. They have yet to experience THAT in Denver. Same with their neighbors.A gay couple in the early 40s. They were pretty much forced out their hometown in Virginia because the county they lived in felt they had to "define family" and make a law out of that and add that to Virginia's ban on domestic partnerships, well I can see why they left And like my best friends, they too haven't had any problems living in Denver.

Between the laid back-liberal attitudes of many who live in Denver and the cheaper cost of living, I can see why many who live there a lot of them wont live anyplace else.

 

[ChrisKMusic]

i have a question - how many of you all actually live in the Denver area, or anywhere in Colorado for that matter?

How are we determining what "boring" means?

I've been working in and around radio in this region since 1976/77 when I was a student at Ron Baile School of Broadcast in Denver. I spent my entire professional (and now volunteer) career in Greeley and Fort Collins, north of Denver. Today, I write a monthly op-ed piece about radio (esp as it relates to public radio's support of Colorado music) for the Colorado Music Buzz.

I don't listen to most radio stations in this region, because they don't satisfy my insatiable desire to hear Americana music, and Colorado music. I don't like classic rock, hard rock, metal, rap, modern alternative, modern country, etc .... but Americana/folk won't make a station enuf money to be commercially viable, so I stick with the Internet and KRFC (Fort Collins).

Is Denver radio "boring?" Not if you don't listen to it.

 

[naked ruth]

Well thanks for sharin' there Chris K. The coffee and doughnuts are over there. The original topic was why is this radio-info page, specific to Denver, kind of unused, perhaps a little boring in what is discussed on it. I dont know if you really grasped that concept but, hey, it's a free for all here I suppose

 

[jaymarvin]

I want to jump in here a second. I've worked at KSAN in San Francisco, and WLS twice. I worked on KHOW the first time I was here, and then went back to WLS. I have worked in Chicago radio on and off since the 80's. Chicago radio has had the same thing happen there as other markets. Too much syndication and voice tracking. Also tight playlists. To put it bluntly the state of radio today is bad because the bean counters, who control the stations, do not care about content. There is also too many stations in the hands of to few. Hence, lack of competition and innovation.

As far as working in Denver, at least for me, you get to the point where you've done it all and have nothing left to prove when it comes to major markets. You get tired of it. Denver, and Colorado is a great place to live and work. True you have to take less money, but it costs less, and it pays off because the people are nice, and the area is nice. Just my two cents.

Jay Marvin

 

[JeeperOne]

Hi everyone:

i have a question - how many of you all actually live in the Denver area, or anywhere in Colorado for that matter?

I live in Denver Chris.

How are we determining what "boring" means?

[Snipped to this part....]

I don't listen to most radio stations in this region, because they don't satisfy my insatiable desire to hear Americana music, and Colorado music. I don't like classic rock, hard rock, metal, rap, modern alternative, modern country, etc .... but Americana/folk won't make a station enuf money to be commercially viable, so I stick with the Internet and KRFC (Fort Collins).

Is Denver radio "boring?" Not if you don't listen to it.

On top of that, I hear there's this little invention called INTERNET Radio. Perhaps you've heard of it, but I hear there are more genres and sub-genres than you can possibly shake a stick at.

Those of you who are MOANING & GROANING about Denver Radio (And Terrestrial Radio in general) should try it out. I also hear that Live365 has THOUSANDS of them. Ditto with SHOUTcast. Try them out. Who knows, you just might be surprised at what you hear.

Just my $.02 worth

Cheers

Pat

 

[CarltonFisk]

internet radio? please try www.indiesf.com

internet radio that doesn't sound like a jukebox.

thanks

 

[CarltonFisk]

link=topic=100963.msg833310#msg833310 date=1217360193]
internet radio? please try www.indiesf.com

internet radio that doesn't sound like a jukebox.

thanks
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[PoonJuice6969]

Denver radio is boring?

Congrats to Slacker and Steve, afternoons on Alice 105.9, for their nomination of R&R Personalities Of the Year. They are, by far, the funniest and most entertaining show in the entire market. Four #1 ratings books in a row (18-34, 18-49). They single-handedly rescued Alice from a format flip, with zero help from the gawd-awful morning show.

Aside from Slacker and Steve, you guys are correct......Denver radio IS unbelievably boring.

 

[naked ruth]

Congrats to Slacker and Steve, afternoons on Alice 105.9, for their nomination of R&R Personalities Of the Year. They are, by far, the funniest and most entertaining show in the entire market. Four #1 ratings books in a row (18-34, 18-49). They single-handedly rescued Alice from a format flip, with zero help from the gawd-awful morning show.

Aside from Slacker and Steve, you guys are correct......Denver radio IS unbelievably boring. Signed, Slacker and Steve....I kid. That's an amazing achievement. I agree they have some entertainment value but they arent funny (to me). It's safe, dull "entertainment" with no edge. I like edgy, unpredictable stuff and there is a dearth of that kind of personality/show in Denver. You'd think Uncle Nasty's show would have that but instead they're doing bake sales or whatever on the air. YAWN...And what is the deal with Alice's morning show? Are Slacker and Steve too smart to get up that early or has that show started to gain some foothold in the ratings?