Ex-CBS-FM-MD Slams The New CBS-FM

[wibg1020]

As Broadcast Licensee of WIBBAGE FM, we are an echo of the original
Philadelphia's WIBBAGE, however some things can never be as they once were.
At WIBBAGE FM @94.3 we realize that the greats in Philly radio Joe Niagara, Hy Lit,
and others are longer available. In deference to CBS and
their current stylings, even legacy stations need to travel in the time-space continuum.
Our liners and bumpers all reflect past WIBG airchecks, retro jingles and
retro 60's-70's era commercials,and that's where radio is truly "the theatre of the mind". As Tony Griffin, the esteemed jingle producer explained, legacy stations
such as WCBS-FM and WIBBAGE FM need to maintain the "flavor" of their former
selves, but progress with jingles, liners and other material that reflect current
contemporary standards. Sure, I grew up with Dan Ingram, loved his style, but
the days of the mega talents are dramatically limited by budget and technology.
Congrats to WCBS-FM . WIBBAGE FM is enjoying tremendous listener favor as well.

 

[Bob1370]

Couple thoughts...

First to the music...times change, music tastes change, and what today's 25-54s want will be different from the 25-54s WCBS was aiming for in 1985. Some of today's 25-54s were literally babies in Lorenzo's time and won't relate well to the oldies that his station was playing back then and he probably cherishes (although some who were core artists in adult formats from the 60s or 70s all the way to today, like the Stones or Elton John, have cross-generational appeal).

As to the personalities...having spent some time listening to WCBS-FM online and compared today's personalities with my own recollection of those who were radio stars in major markets in the 70s, IMHO today's WCBS-FM personalities on the whole compare quite well with the ones you'd have heard on major market stations yesterday, they bring the same energy to the task. I might let them talk a little more if I were a PD but that's an issue of formatics, not the quality of the people...

Admittedly someone like an Ingram or an Imus or a Stern comes along rarely, maybe once in a generation--just like Arthur Godfrey stood out in his time, and Henry Morgan was always ahead of his. It isn't appropriate to compare everyone with those few who were unique even in their own era. But on the whole, today's WCBS-FM serves its audience as well as personality-driven radio stations of the past did theirs.

Just one man's opinion for whatever it's worth.

 

[oldies76]

Are you speaking of the same "David" who helped create and continues to work with classic hits stations in LA

And how over-restrictive does that classic hits station in L.A. sound today?

 

[davideduardo]

Are you speaking of the same "David" who helped create and continues to work with classic hits stations in LA

And how over-restrictive does that classic hits station in L.A. sound today?

1,100 songs in active rotation, often ties or beats KRTH in the sales demos, even though it is a Class A combo that does not coveer half the market. 3-person morning show, ultra-personality all day, live overnight show.

 

[radioman148]

[

Well I Guess somebody should tell Scott Shannon over at the true oldies channel.

The Atlanta station just removed the format and went with a more 70's based classic hits offering.

As has been said, that format is mainly an option for smaller market / fringe of large market lesser facilities... and a good option in those cases.

And before somebody says "WLS-FM," that station only carries the Shannon format in midday, overnights and part of the weekend. They're local (or syndicated shows like John Landecker's "Into the 70s") in every other daypart that matters (and Shannon does very well in the midday, so they've kept him).

It's also cheaper programming for WLS-FM to run Shannon during those extra hours than hire more live DJs.

 

[oldies4ever]

True- Atlanta did drop the true oldies station, and the listeners are not happy. Do not take my word for this, check out the TOC on facebook....business is business, but I sure would like to know some particulars as to why they took it off.
Programmers doing a "classic hits" format could well learn from Scott's programming skills on the TOC. Heavens, we can't use the "O" word now.....

more discussion...this conversation is better now that we have a seriously well programmed Oldies station, and not the usual 750 tune playlist and repitition...

oldies4ever ;D

 

[mjb1124]

CBS-FM is still my favorite station in NYC, and the personalties are all doing a great job. Nuff said.

 

[lalumia]

Amen!.......
(MORE Supremes...)

 

[davideduardo]

True- Atlanta did drop the true oldies station, and the listeners are not happy. Do not take my word for this, check out the TOC on facebook....business is business, but I sure would like to know some particulars as to why they took it off.

The demos were too old. It was not selling well. It averaged about 19th in 25-54 in the last several books.

 

[davideduardo]

Programmers doing a "classic hits" format could well learn from Scott's programming skills on the TOC. Heavens, we can't use the "O" word now.....

"Oldies" is the 50's and 60's based format that is generally not viable any more. "Classic Hits" is the 70's based format that is extremely viable. CBS, particularly, has developed this format... they don0t need help from anyone else.

more discussion...this conversation is better now that we have a seriously well programmed Oldies station, and not the usual 750 tune playlist and repitition...

Where is there a "well programmed oldies station?" And 750 regular rotation songs is about average for a Classic Hits station.

 

[InSearchOfGear]

Do me a favor. If I ever say anything remotely resembling what this guy says in 20 years, when I'm HIS age, and I just may, please KILL ME!

Thx....

 

[davideduardo]

Do me a favor. If I ever say anything remotely resembling what this guy says in 20 years, when I'm HIS age, and I just may, please KILL ME!

Why would you wish to not speak the truth or present facts later in your life?

That seems very odd.

 

[oldies76]

Where is there a "well programmed oldies station?"

Cruisin' Oldies 950, Denver, CO.

 

[davideduardo]

Where is there a "well programmed oldies station?"

Cruisin' Oldies 950, Denver, CO.

32nd (three book average) in 25-54, 25th 12+, does not seem to be evidence of being "well programmed."

And it's revenues are off by nearly 70% in the last 6 years... if it were well programmed, it would likely produce good advertising resultes, even if for a small audience.

 

[oldies76]

32nd (three book average) in 25-54, 25th 12+, does not seem to be evidence of being "well programmed."

And it's revenues are off by nearly 70% in the last 6 years... if it were well programmed, it would likely produce good advertising resultes, even if for a small audience.

I don't think 25 year olds or even people in their 30's or many 40's would listen to this station (unless they seriously like oldies, like me). Considering it's AM, sure it would rank low in 25-54. What about that elusive club of 55+? I would bet it would rate much, much higher, considering they play nothing but 50's and 60's. This station is geared to that crowd.

 

[davideduardo]

32nd (three book average) in 25-54, 25th 12+, does not seem to be evidence of being "well programmed."

And it's revenues are off by nearly 70% in the last 6 years... if it were well programmed, it would likely produce good advertising resultes, even if for a small audience.

I don't think 25 year olds or even people in their 30's or many 40's would listen to this station (unless they seriously like oldies, like me). Considering it's AM, sure it would rank low in 25-54. What about that elusive club of 55+? I would bet it would rate much, much higher, considering they play nothing but 50's and 60's. This station is geared to that crowd.

Yeah, I purposely left that part out. They move way up to 23rd in 55-64.

If it reached any market of interest to advertisers, billings would not be off by 70%.

And, of course, 55+ is not really a sales demo... as this station proves.

My point is that one would expect a "well programmed" station to have audience. Perhaps your opinion of the station is high, but for the bulk of Denver, it is unattractive. That's a market of nearly 3 million and the station cumes 100,000.

 

[davideduardo]

32nd (three book average) in 25-54, 25th 12+, does not seem to be evidence of being "well programmed."

And it's revenues are off by nearly 70% in the last 6 years... if it were well programmed, it would likely produce good advertising resultes, even if for a small audience.

I don't think 25 year olds or even people in their 30's or many 40's would listen to this station (unless they seriously like oldies, like me). Considering it's AM, sure it would rank low in 25-54. What about that elusive club of 55+? I would bet it would rate much, much higher, considering they play nothing but 50's and 60's. This station is geared to that crowd.

 

[BabyDJ]

Directional AM playing music running HD with sawed off audio for 99.765% of what listeners it has. Surprised it's as high as 32nd..........

 

[InSearchOfGear]

Do me a favor. If I ever say anything remotely resembling what this guy says in 20 years, when I'm HIS age, and I just may, please KILL ME!

Why would you wish to not speak the truth or present facts later in your life?

That seems very odd.

The truth is, you can't make money with a 65+ audience. The old CBS-FM was great, but it's time has passed. The new CBS-FM sounds excellent, and ratings bare that out. And in 20 years, the current approach will have no relevance to a saleable demo. Truthful enough?

 

[musichead1029]

the Cousin Brucie 'phenomena' is that he had the prime time position on the biggest Top 40 station in the world in the 60s,

Sort of like the "World" Series, huh?

Radio Luxembourg and several of the British pirates had Top 40 audiences that well exceeded that of WABC in the 60's...

lalumia should have said "the biggest competitive Top 40 station in the world in the 60s." Of course Radios Luxembourg and Caroline had big audiences - they were in artificially controlled (government-run) markets. Had real competition been allowed (essentially what the pirates were achieving), there would have been more choices and the audiences for the best stations would have been WABC-sized. Instead, the BBC was running music for Crustaceans because..... that's what they wanted to do. The pirates forced the governments' hands and Top 40 eventually made its way onto the gov't-controlled airwaves.