Florida Musings

[John FL]

I have long been fascinated with the business of radio both in Florida and elsewhere. Using my sense of hearing, I had a decent track record helping me determine whether a stations’ success or failure was on the horizon. This also included the performance of talent, especially someone recently hired.

Then there’s our sense of sight. That hasn’t failed me either. In my career, I worked with a lot of data, mainly population demos. But when I got out into the community and saw actual neighborhoods whether in decline or in revitalization, interpreting that data led to more accurate conclusions.

To me, the most successful radio programmers are the ones who know a community top to bottom. You don’t get there by being in your office all day.. Amazingly, there are those in radio management who don’t participate in station promotions out in the community. I may discuss that later. Observing human behavior is a fascinating thing to do. You can learn a great deal.

We’ve all seen or heard an old song(s) gain listener interest from a TV series or movie. Sometimes that song, if it fits the format, will get some airplay because of its newfound popularity. When the first “Guardians of the Galaxy” movie came out, the soundtrack was beyond fantastic. I watched the younger school age kids singing along to the mainly early 70s tunes in the theater. Obviously, they must have heard these songs via their parents or even Grandparents.

That movie proved so popular that some variety-based classic hits stations in what I believe was CBS Radio at the time, featured many of the songs in specialty programming. 1974’s “Come and Get Your Love” by Redbone probably enjoyed the most airplay after the movie. That song was often heard on Saturday nights. It’s a fun, party type song that apparently was liked by a wide swath of listeners.

We’ve heard quite a few conversations about today’s lack of spontaneity in radio programing. With the rise of syndicated programing both ‘in house’ and outside company, we do see some attempts to spice things up. There remains opportunity. The Halloween season will see songs like “The Monster Mash” from the 60s and “Ghost Busters” and “Thriller” get decent play. Sometimes, the Climax Blues Band version of “Spooky” will earn a spin or two at that time before returning to collecting dust.

So, depending on circumstances, some songs can find a new popularity whether we are talking Florida or elsewhere. As with anything, observations can have definite pitfalls too. Utilizing our sense of sight is best used very sparingly and cautiously in major decision making. What we see or what we conclude based on our observations can be totally wrong. That subject will be explored next when considering Florida’s population boom.

 

[John FL]

When it was announced that Florida added a Congressional seat, I wasn’t surprised there was a gain. But what did surprise me was that it was only one seat. It made me realize that hype is real and can be influential in decision making if you allow it to be. The news media here made it seem New York is a ghost town with all the moves, both corporate and personal, to Florida. Obviously, that’s far from true.

There is no doubt Florida is gaining in population. There’s nothing new there. In the 42 years I’ve called Florida home, I’ve seen landscape change overnight. A few weeks ago, we went on a trip to visit family in North Florida. In just 3 ½ years since being up that way, I’ve seen portions of Central Florida undergoing tremendous visible change. Vierra, once mostly meadows, now has three I-95 exits.

For radio ownership and management, I can just imagine how challenging it must be to have a moving target of population changes. In the mix are the many visitors who vacation and visit family. They contribute to the traffic on the roads as well as frequenting businesses such as restaurants.

Not everyone on the road or at a restaurant are residents. Some tourists wind up as residents. It’s another aspect of Florida radio that makes it an interesting radio state. Positive listener impressions for visitors and seasonal residents can be a good thing when they become full-time residents. Hopefully, they will remember you. While demo info is a moving target, data from companies like Nielsen is a trusted source when used in making various but critical decisions.

With people moving to Florida from numerous states, one must wonder if the new residents find terrestrial radio offers them what they enjoyed in their former locale. IMO, much depends on where a person originated and where they settle in Florida. In all my travels throughout Florida, there are markets that are simply better than others in that they are more inclusive of the community served. A good deal rides on the major players in that market and their core values.

The financial soundness of the company plays into decision making. A great deal depends on revenue. Whether we are talking recessions or even a Pandemic, some markets do not rebound as quickly as others. What we have seen are austerity measures that exist elsewhere are also reality in Florida. One can conclude that increases in population don’t always equate to increases in revenue. It’s an interesting dynamic. There’s also marked differences from one county or market to the next in Florida.

Despite growth, there are still numerous small markets throughout Florida. Even with major staff cutbacks, radio does require people to work at a station in one capacity or another. I’ve long been fascinated with radio legends who started out in smaller markets perfecting their craft along the way.

In the next post, I’d like to share a resume of someone who had a long and distinguished career in Miami/Ft. Lauderdale. He’s a radio hero. From what I know of him, he is a great mentor and leader too. On his way to the big leagues, he worked in many smaller markets. These are proven training grounds. Lucky for the listeners who get to experience major talent even before they are recognized as such.

 

[John FL]

The Miami/Ft. Lauderdale market has brought us a good number of outstanding radio people. Yes, there were clunkers too. They are easily forgotten. If I were ranking Florida markets, Miami/Ft. Lauderdale would probably earn top honors especially in consideration of its past. Today, I rarely listen to radio from there. Talented individuals such as Gary Williams are dismissed despite building a great brand and juggernaut that was WFEZ (Easy 93.1) Much continues to change.

Before the rise in Easy’s popularity, there was and still is WLYF. For many years, it was Rob Sidney’s leadership and abilities that helped create something truly memorable. The more I learn of Mr. Sidney, the more fascinated I became. Occasionally, I find myself reading his career bio. It’s inspirational for lovers of the medium of radio and it’s a wondrous trip down radio memory lane. You may find his story interesting:

career

Before Rob’s many successful years in South Florida, you might say he was a poster child of the “WKRP theme” being up and down the dial in various parts of the country.

He mentions brushed-aluminum call letters on one of the media buildings he worked at during youthful years. What a classy look those brushed aluminum calls have! Even in my own younger days, I saw those kind of buildings Rob describes. This was in New Jersey in an area known as the Meadowlands where there are/were numerous radio stations and transmitter sites. There were other stand-alone radio buildings that had that classy aluminum along various highways all around New Jersey.

The only time I got to meet Rob was briefly at a S. Florida WAXY-FM station promotion probably in the late 80s. At the time, I had no idea what his background was nor how talented he was either. He describes the excitement of getting a gig at the old WAXY when it was owned by RKO General. His skills grew even more under South Florida legend Rick Shaw who was the PD back then.

Rob wound up at WLYF in 1990. For those of you who are not familiar with AC WLYF in South Florida, it was just an incredible station to listen to. To say it was unique was an understatement. There was various ownership but the ones I remember most were Jefferson-Pilot and Lincoln Financial. Clearly there was more freedom to do radio in a way that reflected the vibe of the community. It was also about creating a format that was not a cookie-cutter format found elsewhere. Important word – freedom.

Rob’s crowning achievement was WLYF. It took many years and lots of miles to get there. Not surprising Rob states in his resume: “Absolutely the finest station I’ve ever worked for.” In this bio when discussing WLYF, there is a copy of a newspaper article from 1992 entitled “Three Men and a Lady Spin The Sounds of Life.” One of the jocks is Gayle Garten who worked overnights back then. She’s managed to survive all the ownership and management changes. Today she’s WLYF’s MD and midday/afternoon drive personality. Ron King is mentioned in that article and what a great voice he had!

Interestingly, there were long airshifts aft WLYF back in 1992. That changed over time to shorter shifts and more jocks. Things have a way of going full circle as long shifts are once again a part of today's WLYF under Entercom/Audacy.

Yes, Rob Sidney is one of my radio heroes. He sums it all up best. “Everyone should aspire to have a 'career station.' WLYF was mine. As I say elsewhere, it was the product of an unending, unrelenting, passionate quest for Excellence -- the work of a team of diverse individuals sharing common values. What we accomplished together at LITE FM will endure -- unrivaled -- as the most consistently successful adult music radio brand in South Florida history.” What a great legacy! You can almost hear the passion in that quote. That’s what great radio and those who made it great will always represent to me.

Today, Rob consults with WQRK-FM & WPHZ-FM in Bloomington, Indiana. It’s smaller town radio offering an Oldies format and his creation - another “Lite FM.” He’s also back where there are brushed aluminum call letters on the building. Life can be one big circle.

It’s not unusual to find someone who has an impressive track record to wind up doing smaller market radio. What else is there to prove? There’s a point in life that doing what you love without a lot of stress rules. Small markets/smaller companies can be that place where those with a passion for radio can thrive once again. Small markets also offer valued experience to all the newcomers to the business. Competition for jobs is tough but future legends are born all the time.

Coming up…. An awesome Florida radio station that has done things its own way for an exceptionally long time. Another radio hero is at the helm.

 

[John FL]

If there is one thing about radio that I heard from the experts or even read from their biographies or interviews, is the importance of “consistency in sound.” There’s probably lots of terms to describe tweaking programing without causing listener uneasiness that leads to tune out. That term is one I have used the most.

Besides radio markets, we can say the same for the programmers and those who are in a PD/Brand Manager position. Some are simply better than others. I’ve also long believed that the playlist is the bread and butter of a radio station. Yet, I’ve seen sloppiness and not enough attention paid to rotations and keeping the format fresh. I’ve seen reactionary changes. Ratings drop, then the playlist undergoes changes. Sometimes this causes more harm than good. It’s far better in my view to be proactive about programing by keeping it fresh....period.

That brings me to Rick Stacy who has been the genius at the helm at Orlando’s Classic Hits WOCL (Sunny 105.9 Orlando’s Classic Hits) for decades. “Consistency in Sound” is sorta the rule there but not to the degree you find elsewhere. The frequent changes in the playlist over these many years would probably prove a disaster in the hands of someone else. He's excellent at what he does.

During our recent trip up to North Florida, I recalled Sunny’s amazing signal and tuned in just north of Melbourne in Brevard County in Central Florida and there we remained until the signal began fading out around St. Augustine. My better half is not a radio junkie and in fact she only listens to SiriusXM. But she loved what she heard which was practically all 80s hit music. We made it a point to listen on the return trip back home. We enjoyed what we heard then too. Unfortunately, I live too far south to hear the station in the car.

I’ve lauded Sunny FM and Rick Stacy many times in the past and so I won’t repeat many of my usual talking points. But it’s good to see the station is given the latitude to do its thing. What has remained consistent over the years is inconsistency when it comes to the execution of a comedy bit or devoting an incredible amount of time discussing a major news event. Rick takes the time he needs which could be 3 minutes or three times that much. It's varied every time I've listened.

With the recent building collapse in the Miami area, the morning show delves into that topic and news of the day almost in a manner found on a talk show but with some humor and one-liners thrown in. About the only thing I can think of that's close to what Rick and his co-hosts do in the morning would be along the lines of what Greg Gutfeld does on FNC at 11. There's news of the day, opinions, and shtick. Apparently, it all works as ratings are solid.

The music is not the focus when major events are going on and so that's probably a part of the strategy to be different. Rick has two co-hosts who contribute to the banter. Anyway, it’s refreshing that a morning show throws out the rules when necessary and talks beyond all the established rules found everywhere else. Surprisingly too, the hosts political views are openly shared with the audience, just as in the case of a Gutfeld Show. It's not something you find on most traditional music shows, at least from those I know of.

Obviously, Rick Stacy knows Orlando. He’s played an integral part in radio there for many decades. Orlando apparently responds to radio that is not conventional. It makes for another dynamic that is radio in Florida. Orlando sees incredible growth. It’s a top tourist destination spot. No doubt there are those who take a liking to the area and wind up moving there.

There would never be a Sunny 105.9 success story if the company, in this case CBS Radio, wasn’t fully vested in the station before, during, and after its launch. You’d think this would be the norm, but it isn’t.

When Sunny’s signal evaporated the closer we got to Jacksonville, it was like déjà vu all over again. More to come.

 

[John FL]

The déjà vu of which I spoke in the last segment was a feeling of disappointment. And so, once we were back in Jacksonville, I dialed around and realized so little changed radio-wise in the 3 ½ years I left. Jacksonville/Northeast Florida is a mediocre radio market. It’s been that way for quite some time too. Happily, we could listen to SiriusXM.

It was the most frustrating experience. I’d hear engaging and fun radio from Orlando all the way to South Florida. I complained about Radio Jacksonville for many years, and I won’t re-litigate all that again here. What I will say is Jacksonville is an extraordinarily complex market. It’s land mass is challenging for any station that doesn’t have the benefit of a full-market signal.

Changing demographics adds to the complexities. I’ve had offline conversations over the years with radio pros from both that market and beyond. One explanation offered for “going through the motions” type radio is shrinking revenues. That’s probably a good explanation as any on the surface. But there are those who still rise to the occasion through all kinds of challenges.

I was privy to a lot of demographic information because of my job. There was also a friend who shared propriety information from a leading reality firm there. I got to see firsthand the numbers of new residents and where they originated from moving into the Jax metro area.

Is Jacksonville South Georgia? From a geographic standpoint, North Florida’s proximately to Georgia would indicate influence. Part of the complexity of Jacksonville, however, is that the surrounding suburban area is totally different than the city itself. The suburban areas are more conservative for starters. This kind of situation is not unique as it’s seen in virtually the entire country.

I always saw Jacksonville differently because I saw the changing population demos and the origins of the new residents. To me, you can have the best of both worlds. That’s what a cluster is all about while being inclusive too. Stations complementing each other and bringing many different demos under the tent. For the listeners sake, let’s hope they exhibit effort and put the listener in the center of decision making. I wish the Jax radio owners and management well. If you love radio, that’s all you can say.

 

[John FL]

And so on the way back home we decided to stop at Cocoa Beach. It's been a while since we were there last. It's an incredibly fun place. I have wonderful memories of that area.

At one of the shops I heard 98.5 The Beach playing in the background.(WSBH) The Space Coast's Greatest Hits. I will admit to not being familiar with the station but I enjoyed what I heard. It's only 6000 watts but I tuned in the car for as long as I could. I gave the station a good amount of listening via streaming at home.

It's another case when you have someone who knows what they are doing, the product can be such a delight to listen to. There's some good variety with a rock 'n roll lean. The music is upbeat and fun. There's some good 70s hits in the mix which is a nice break from 80s intensive. In fact, they offer some early 70s too with songs like Chicago's "Feelin' Stronger Every Day." As a huge Chicago fan, any station that plays cuts from that band automatically gets my attention. At the other end, they feature Gino Vannelli's "Living Inside Myself." Imagine that. Actually Gino did a show in that area last year.

There's a decent jock lineup. You can recognize excellence just by listening to it. I will remember this station when I'm up that way again. On their website they state "98.5 The Beach is a Nielsen rated station and rates as the number one “listened to station” in the 35 to 64 age demographic that mirrors the population base of Brevard County."

Radio has lots of alternatives on many platforms. But there's nothing like a good local radio station that reflects the vibe of the market. You'd think all markets would behave this way and put forth fun and exciting formats. There's lots of great radio in Florida, especially the further south you travel in the state.

Happy listening!