I caught a bit of a infomercial this morning pitching a Time-Life 70's music series and it got me to thinking about radio. As I recall from my dj days there were baiscally four formats...urban which was at the time called Black radio, country, easy listening and top 40. It was on top 40 that you could hear everything from Kenny Rogers and Olivia Newton John to Patti Labelle, James Brown, Ojays amd Four Tops to Chic and some harder stuff like Iron Butterfly (at night). Even dance music was in the mix. In some small towns you had all four types played on the same station in a block format. Now we have to have a format for different types of each different music. Is this just indicative of the splits among people culturally and politically? Did radio react to this or did we lead the way? Has diversity killed the cash cow?
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Do we have too many niches?
- Thread starter ricksegers
- Start date
> I caught a bit of a infomercial this morning pitching a
> Time-Life 70's music series and it got me to thinking about
> radio. As I recall from my dj days there were baiscally four
> formats...urban which was at the time called Black radio,
> country, easy listening and top 40. It was on top 40 that
> you could hear everything from Kenny Rogers and Olivia
> Newton John to Patti Labelle, James Brown, Ojays amd Four
> Tops to Chic and some harder stuff like Iron Butterfly (at
> night). Even dance music was in the mix. In some small towns
> you had all four types played on the same station in a block
> format. Now we have to have a format for different types of
> each different music. Is this just indicative of the splits
> among people culturally and politically? Did radio react to
> this or did we lead the way? Has diversity killed the cash
> cow?
>
I'm with you. I played all four formats on the same station, and Black gospel on Sunday in my early years.
I think we have too many niches... and everybody wants to move their signal to a larger market. If you can get to Atlanta move there. If you can move to Macon move there. etc. Thats caused a lot of stations to lose their identity with the market they should be serving. So if they don't identify with their market of license, and they are doing a second rate job trying to compete in a larger market...they've lost the local listner and haven't gained anything in the bigger market.
I say if you're in a smaller market serve that market with all you've got. Be local....be inovative...and stop trying to be something you're not.
> Time-Life 70's music series and it got me to thinking about
> radio. As I recall from my dj days there were baiscally four
> formats...urban which was at the time called Black radio,
> country, easy listening and top 40. It was on top 40 that
> you could hear everything from Kenny Rogers and Olivia
> Newton John to Patti Labelle, James Brown, Ojays amd Four
> Tops to Chic and some harder stuff like Iron Butterfly (at
> night). Even dance music was in the mix. In some small towns
> you had all four types played on the same station in a block
> format. Now we have to have a format for different types of
> each different music. Is this just indicative of the splits
> among people culturally and politically? Did radio react to
> this or did we lead the way? Has diversity killed the cash
> cow?
>
I'm with you. I played all four formats on the same station, and Black gospel on Sunday in my early years.
I think we have too many niches... and everybody wants to move their signal to a larger market. If you can get to Atlanta move there. If you can move to Macon move there. etc. Thats caused a lot of stations to lose their identity with the market they should be serving. So if they don't identify with their market of license, and they are doing a second rate job trying to compete in a larger market...they've lost the local listner and haven't gained anything in the bigger market.
I say if you're in a smaller market serve that market with all you've got. Be local....be inovative...and stop trying to be something you're not.
> Is this just indicative of the splits
> among people culturally and politically? Did radio react to
> this or did we lead the way? Has diversity killed the cash
> cow?
>
How many stations have signed on since 1970? Probably if you took the number of stations in the USA and shut half of them down, each would play a wider variety of music. I don't think it has anything really to do with society, or politics. It probably wasn't cash either, many of the new stations were started by companies with only a couple stations, not ClearChannel.
Radio history isn't my best subject, so feel free to rebut.
> among people culturally and politically? Did radio react to
> this or did we lead the way? Has diversity killed the cash
> cow?
>
How many stations have signed on since 1970? Probably if you took the number of stations in the USA and shut half of them down, each would play a wider variety of music. I don't think it has anything really to do with society, or politics. It probably wasn't cash either, many of the new stations were started by companies with only a couple stations, not ClearChannel.
Radio history isn't my best subject, so feel free to rebut.
> > I caught a bit of a infomercial this morning pitching a
> > Time-Life 70's music series and it got me to thinking
> about
> > radio. As I recall from my dj days there were baiscally
> four
> > formats...urban which was at the time called Black radio,
> > country, easy listening and top 40. It was on top 40 that
> > you could hear everything from Kenny Rogers and Olivia
> > Newton John to Patti Labelle, James Brown, Ojays amd Four
> > Tops to Chic and some harder stuff like Iron Butterfly (at
>
> > night). Even dance music was in the mix. In some small
> towns
> > you had all four types played on the same station in a
> block
> > format. Now we have to have a format for different types
> of
> > each different music. Is this just indicative of the
> splits
> > among people culturally and politically? Did radio react
> to
> > this or did we lead the way? Has diversity killed the cash
>
> > cow?
> >
>
> I'm with you. I played all four formats on the same
> station, and Black gospel on Sunday in my early years.
> I think we have too many niches... and everybody wants to
> move their signal to a larger market. If you can get to
> Atlanta move there. If you can move to Macon move there.
> etc. Thats caused a lot of stations to lose their identity
> with the market they should be serving. So if they don't
> identify with their market of license, and they are doing a
> second rate job trying to compete in a larger
> market...they've lost the local listner and haven't gained
> anything in the bigger market.
> I say if you're in a smaller market serve that market with
> all you've got. Be local....be inovative...and stop trying
> to be something you're not.
>
Same here. Even at some urban-formatted stations, you might hear the regular programming during the week, and have urban gospel on Sunday mornings. In some small towns in the South, the only you'll hear urban gospel on the radio is on Sunday morning.
> > Time-Life 70's music series and it got me to thinking
> about
> > radio. As I recall from my dj days there were baiscally
> four
> > formats...urban which was at the time called Black radio,
> > country, easy listening and top 40. It was on top 40 that
> > you could hear everything from Kenny Rogers and Olivia
> > Newton John to Patti Labelle, James Brown, Ojays amd Four
> > Tops to Chic and some harder stuff like Iron Butterfly (at
>
> > night). Even dance music was in the mix. In some small
> towns
> > you had all four types played on the same station in a
> block
> > format. Now we have to have a format for different types
> of
> > each different music. Is this just indicative of the
> splits
> > among people culturally and politically? Did radio react
> to
> > this or did we lead the way? Has diversity killed the cash
>
> > cow?
> >
>
> I'm with you. I played all four formats on the same
> station, and Black gospel on Sunday in my early years.
> I think we have too many niches... and everybody wants to
> move their signal to a larger market. If you can get to
> Atlanta move there. If you can move to Macon move there.
> etc. Thats caused a lot of stations to lose their identity
> with the market they should be serving. So if they don't
> identify with their market of license, and they are doing a
> second rate job trying to compete in a larger
> market...they've lost the local listner and haven't gained
> anything in the bigger market.
> I say if you're in a smaller market serve that market with
> all you've got. Be local....be inovative...and stop trying
> to be something you're not.
>
Same here. Even at some urban-formatted stations, you might hear the regular programming during the week, and have urban gospel on Sunday mornings. In some small towns in the South, the only you'll hear urban gospel on the radio is on Sunday morning.
B
Braswell
Guest
Fond memories of block formats
Musical variety was the rule, and they had the different programs named!!!
Rise 'n' Shine Time (country) 5:30AM-7:00AM
On The Go Show (chicken rock/pop/mor) 7:00AM-9:00AM
Mid-Morning Melodies (easy mor/instrumentals) 9:00AM-11:00AM
Campmeetin' Time (southern quartet gospel) 11:00AM-12:00Noon
Hillbilly House Party (country) 1:00PM-3:00PM
Jive Before Five (Top 40/pop) 3:00PM-5:00PM
Sundown Serenade (easy instrumentals) 5:30PM-6:00PM
Record Room Show (Top 40/R&B/soul/requests & dedications) 6:00PM-10:00PM
Music Beautiful To Turn To (very soft and easy instrumentals) 10:00PM-11:00PM
All that on one AM station!<P ID="signature">______________
Jay Braswell - Moderator
Atlanta/North Florida/South Carolina/Georgia Boards</P>
Musical variety was the rule, and they had the different programs named!!!
Rise 'n' Shine Time (country) 5:30AM-7:00AM
On The Go Show (chicken rock/pop/mor) 7:00AM-9:00AM
Mid-Morning Melodies (easy mor/instrumentals) 9:00AM-11:00AM
Campmeetin' Time (southern quartet gospel) 11:00AM-12:00Noon
Hillbilly House Party (country) 1:00PM-3:00PM
Jive Before Five (Top 40/pop) 3:00PM-5:00PM
Sundown Serenade (easy instrumentals) 5:30PM-6:00PM
Record Room Show (Top 40/R&B/soul/requests & dedications) 6:00PM-10:00PM
Music Beautiful To Turn To (very soft and easy instrumentals) 10:00PM-11:00PM
All that on one AM station!<P ID="signature">______________
Jay Braswell - Moderator
Atlanta/North Florida/South Carolina/Georgia Boards</P>
Do we have too many niches? Good question. I remember the days of 3 TV stations. Now if I want sports then I turn it to espn, news well that's Fox news, so on and so forth. This is an age of instant gratification, instant information.
I think most people want to hear music they like anytime they want. Lets face it satilite radio is like cable for TV. Broadcast radio must adapt. How? Im not sure.
what do you think??
I think most people want to hear music they like anytime they want. Lets face it satilite radio is like cable for TV. Broadcast radio must adapt. How? Im not sure.
what do you think??
You make a very valid point about the number of stations. Docket 80-90 for one did no favors for the business. Stations in dead and dying communities and bedroom communities have to turn somewhere to make their money so they leech on to a nearby bigger town and have to go with some narrowcast format to try and make a name and a dollar. I'm not pointing fingers because I have been guilty of doing that but it did not mean I liked it.
> How many stations have signed on since 1970? Probably if
> you took the number of stations in the USA and shut half of
> them down, each would play a wider variety of music. I
> don't think it has anything really to do with society, or
> politics. It probably wasn't cash either, many of the new
> stations were started by companies with only a couple
> stations, not ClearChannel.
>
> Radio history isn't my best subject, so feel free to rebut.
>
> How many stations have signed on since 1970? Probably if
> you took the number of stations in the USA and shut half of
> them down, each would play a wider variety of music. I
> don't think it has anything really to do with society, or
> politics. It probably wasn't cash either, many of the new
> stations were started by companies with only a couple
> stations, not ClearChannel.
>
> Radio history isn't my best subject, so feel free to rebut.
>
Re: Fond memories of block formats
> Musical variety was the rule, and they had the different
> programs named!!!
>
>
> Rise 'n' Shine Time (country) 5:30AM-7:00AM
> On The Go Show (chicken rock/pop/mor) 7:00AM-9:00AM
> Mid-Morning Melodies (easy mor/instrumentals) 9:00AM-11:00AM
>
> Campmeetin' Time (southern quartet gospel) 11:00AM-12:00Noon
>
> Hillbilly House Party (country) 1:00PM-3:00PM
> Jive Before Five (Top 40/pop) 3:00PM-5:00PM
> Sundown Serenade (easy instrumentals) 5:30PM-6:00PM
> Record Room Show (Top 40/R&B/soul/requests & dedications)
> 6:00PM-10:00PM
> Music Beautiful To Turn To (very soft and easy
> instrumentals) 10:00PM-11:00PM
>
> All that on one AM station!
And a theme song for in and out of each program! Those were the "good old days"
How about those Sunday mornings when you had 5 or 6 black gospel groups to broadcast live from your studio....15 minutes each...one after the other.
They came in paid for their time before they went on...brought their own ads for you to read, or they read them in some cases, you had to collect the money in dollars and quarters....run them in and out of the studio on time....run the board...do a live spot between them changing groups in and out of the studio...introduce the next group...and try to keep some order of sanity in the station. Boy, radio used to be fun !
>
> Musical variety was the rule, and they had the different
> programs named!!!
>
>
> Rise 'n' Shine Time (country) 5:30AM-7:00AM
> On The Go Show (chicken rock/pop/mor) 7:00AM-9:00AM
> Mid-Morning Melodies (easy mor/instrumentals) 9:00AM-11:00AM
>
> Campmeetin' Time (southern quartet gospel) 11:00AM-12:00Noon
>
> Hillbilly House Party (country) 1:00PM-3:00PM
> Jive Before Five (Top 40/pop) 3:00PM-5:00PM
> Sundown Serenade (easy instrumentals) 5:30PM-6:00PM
> Record Room Show (Top 40/R&B/soul/requests & dedications)
> 6:00PM-10:00PM
> Music Beautiful To Turn To (very soft and easy
> instrumentals) 10:00PM-11:00PM
>
> All that on one AM station!
And a theme song for in and out of each program! Those were the "good old days"
How about those Sunday mornings when you had 5 or 6 black gospel groups to broadcast live from your studio....15 minutes each...one after the other.
They came in paid for their time before they went on...brought their own ads for you to read, or they read them in some cases, you had to collect the money in dollars and quarters....run them in and out of the studio on time....run the board...do a live spot between them changing groups in and out of the studio...introduce the next group...and try to keep some order of sanity in the station. Boy, radio used to be fun !
>
M
moedog1
Guest
Re: Fond memories of block formats
> > Musical variety was the rule, and they had the different
> > programs named!!!
> How about those Sunday mornings when you had 5 or 6 black
> gospel groups to broadcast live from your studio....15
> minutes each...one after the other.
> They came in paid for their time before they went
> on...brought their own ads for you to read, or they read
> them in some cases, you had to collect the money in dollars
> and quarters....run them in and out of the studio on
> time....run the board...do a live spot between them changing
> groups in and out of the studio...introduce the next
> group...and try to keep some order of sanity in the station.
> Boy, radio used to be fun !
> >
>
So what you are saying is that people had to pay in order for black gospel to be broadcast on local radio on Sunday morning, but the the rest of the week, music of other genres was played free of charge. Yeah, those really were the good ole days, weren't they. The sad thing is, from what I hear, the same thing is still done on those quaint small town stations in the south. Here in South Carolina, there is an FM in a county of about 45,000 which is really the only local broadcast voice, since the other 2 FMs "moved" to larger markets. That station plays rip roaring southern gospel all week, but on Sunday mornings, is kind to local African AMericans (35% of the local population) and plays black gospel for pay. And local African Americans are so thankful that the station is broadcasting to their community!
> > Musical variety was the rule, and they had the different
> > programs named!!!
> How about those Sunday mornings when you had 5 or 6 black
> gospel groups to broadcast live from your studio....15
> minutes each...one after the other.
> They came in paid for their time before they went
> on...brought their own ads for you to read, or they read
> them in some cases, you had to collect the money in dollars
> and quarters....run them in and out of the studio on
> time....run the board...do a live spot between them changing
> groups in and out of the studio...introduce the next
> group...and try to keep some order of sanity in the station.
> Boy, radio used to be fun !
> >
>
So what you are saying is that people had to pay in order for black gospel to be broadcast on local radio on Sunday morning, but the the rest of the week, music of other genres was played free of charge. Yeah, those really were the good ole days, weren't they. The sad thing is, from what I hear, the same thing is still done on those quaint small town stations in the south. Here in South Carolina, there is an FM in a county of about 45,000 which is really the only local broadcast voice, since the other 2 FMs "moved" to larger markets. That station plays rip roaring southern gospel all week, but on Sunday mornings, is kind to local African AMericans (35% of the local population) and plays black gospel for pay. And local African Americans are so thankful that the station is broadcasting to their community!
Re: Fond memories of block formats
> > > Musical variety was the rule, and they had the different
>
> > > programs named!!!
> > How about those Sunday mornings when you had 5 or 6 black
> > gospel groups to broadcast live from your studio....15
> > minutes each...one after the other.
> > They came in paid for their time before they went
> > on...brought their own ads for you to read, or they read
> > them in some cases, you had to collect the money in
> dollars
> > and quarters....run them in and out of the studio on
> > time....run the board...do a live spot between them
> changing
> > groups in and out of the studio...introduce the next
> > group...and try to keep some order of sanity in the
> station.
> > Boy, radio used to be fun !
> > >
> >
> So what you are saying is that people had to pay in order
> for black gospel to be broadcast on local radio on Sunday
> morning, but the the rest of the week, music of other genres
> was played free of charge. Yeah, those really were the good
> ole days, weren't they. The sad thing is, from what I hear,
> the same thing is still done on those quaint small town
> stations in the south. Here in South Carolina, there is an
> FM in a county of about 45,000 which is really the only
> local broadcast voice, since the other 2 FMs "moved" to
> larger markets. That station plays rip roaring southern
> gospel all week, but on Sunday mornings, is kind to local
> African AMericans (35% of the local population) and plays
> black gospel for pay. And local African Americans are so
> thankful that the station is broadcasting to their
> community!
==================
I'm afraid you don't understand. Anybody who was on the air bought time if they wanted to be on. It's just that the only time they wanted to be on was
Sunday Morning because they were working elsewhere during the week and Sunday morning was when they could be there to sing.
But, maybe you've got an ax to grind and are blinded the sparks.
> > > Musical variety was the rule, and they had the different
>
> > > programs named!!!
> > How about those Sunday mornings when you had 5 or 6 black
> > gospel groups to broadcast live from your studio....15
> > minutes each...one after the other.
> > They came in paid for their time before they went
> > on...brought their own ads for you to read, or they read
> > them in some cases, you had to collect the money in
> dollars
> > and quarters....run them in and out of the studio on
> > time....run the board...do a live spot between them
> changing
> > groups in and out of the studio...introduce the next
> > group...and try to keep some order of sanity in the
> station.
> > Boy, radio used to be fun !
> > >
> >
> So what you are saying is that people had to pay in order
> for black gospel to be broadcast on local radio on Sunday
> morning, but the the rest of the week, music of other genres
> was played free of charge. Yeah, those really were the good
> ole days, weren't they. The sad thing is, from what I hear,
> the same thing is still done on those quaint small town
> stations in the south. Here in South Carolina, there is an
> FM in a county of about 45,000 which is really the only
> local broadcast voice, since the other 2 FMs "moved" to
> larger markets. That station plays rip roaring southern
> gospel all week, but on Sunday mornings, is kind to local
> African AMericans (35% of the local population) and plays
> black gospel for pay. And local African Americans are so
> thankful that the station is broadcasting to their
> community!
==================
I'm afraid you don't understand. Anybody who was on the air bought time if they wanted to be on. It's just that the only time they wanted to be on was
Sunday Morning because they were working elsewhere during the week and Sunday morning was when they could be there to sing.
But, maybe you've got an ax to grind and are blinded the sparks.
> I caught a bit of a infomercial this morning pitching a
> Time-Life 70's music series and it got me to thinking about
> radio. As I recall from my dj days there were baiscally four
> formats...urban which was at the time called Black radio,
> country, easy listening and top 40. It was on top 40 that
> you could hear everything from Kenny Rogers and Olivia
> Newton John to Patti Labelle, James Brown, Ojays amd Four
> Tops to Chic and some harder stuff like Iron Butterfly (at
> night). Even dance music was in the mix. In some small towns
> you had all four types played on the same station in a block
> format. Now we have to have a format for different types of
> each different music. Is this just indicative of the splits
> among people culturally and politically? Did radio react to
> this or did we lead the way? Has diversity killed the cash
> cow?
>
Yes it has---Radio was sooooo much more enjoyable back then.
> Time-Life 70's music series and it got me to thinking about
> radio. As I recall from my dj days there were baiscally four
> formats...urban which was at the time called Black radio,
> country, easy listening and top 40. It was on top 40 that
> you could hear everything from Kenny Rogers and Olivia
> Newton John to Patti Labelle, James Brown, Ojays amd Four
> Tops to Chic and some harder stuff like Iron Butterfly (at
> night). Even dance music was in the mix. In some small towns
> you had all four types played on the same station in a block
> format. Now we have to have a format for different types of
> each different music. Is this just indicative of the splits
> among people culturally and politically? Did radio react to
> this or did we lead the way? Has diversity killed the cash
> cow?
>
Yes it has---Radio was sooooo much more enjoyable back then.
Re: Fond memories of block formats
We sold to black and white groups on Sundays and the standing rule for both was "no pay, no play." It was a combination of preaching and singing just like Charles Stanley on a much smaller scale.
We sold to black and white groups on Sundays and the standing rule for both was "no pay, no play." It was a combination of preaching and singing just like Charles Stanley on a much smaller scale.
- Status