• Get involved.
    We want your input!
    Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.

    After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
    If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.

    After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
    https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/

    Thanks in advance and have fun!
    RadioDiscussions Administrators

FULL SERVICE AC, WHY NOT?

E

elchupacabras

Before I get assassinated with the reasons NOT to, let me preface my remarks and say I understand them and perhaps even agree WITH THEM. But that said, here 'she goes!

From the sixties to the eighties, CHR/AC radio featured ample news, traffic, sports and weather updates. Granted, this was before all news radio, N/T and talk formats. But damn it was popular, and the full service idea seemed to get ratings. Why doesn't some one with a struggling medium or large market attempt to replicate the idea now? Add a 20/20 news update, maybe a shortened network newscast and lots of personality. The fact is, there are many in the 25-54 demographic who enjoy music, but also want to be updated on what is happening in the world. We wouldn't have to switch stations to get it, and at the same time we could enjoy a well-researched mix of AC. The closest I ever heard to a full service music format with massive ratings was WXBQ (Country), Tri-Cities, VA/TN. I don't know if they continue to program lots of local news (used to have Paul Harvey), but it was that way 10 years ago.

Frankly, I am tired of the AC jukebox stations with little or not live talent and no information. Song tagged BS and Delilah's drivel don't cut it for "personality."

This should be construed that ALL AC stations should employ such a strategy, but this could be an idea of an AC "flavor."
 
1190 KEX in Portland was the last FULL SERVICE AC in the major market. It last until I think Aug or Sep. 1999.
 
Sounds like a reasonable idea to me. Adults want to be informed, and they want to be entertained with well-researched music. Throw a news update in there and you've got a one-stop shop for all things in adulthood.

The one thing I would say about a potential news update is that I would search for one that didn't have a lot of flash and sensationalism. Airing Fox News Radio or even ABC would be a stretch for an AC, in my opinion. It would probably be better to hire an in-house news person, who can focus the 2-3 minute update on local stories with just a headline or two from the national level.
 
Check out WIMZ 104.7 in Jasper indiana,, its still full service AC to this day.. Also AM 1490 WFXY Todays hottest Music is AC during the day,,FULL SERVICE, and CHRish at night//// Check the websites of both stations.. I think WFXY even streams.

Seems like the format WHAS Louisville and WLS Chicago had during the 80s.
 
Chupacabras,

South-central Michigan has two excellent AC stations that fit the "full service" designation quite well. You should check them out if you're in the area.

103.9 WLEN in Adrian is still live and local almost 24/7 except for some syndicated weekend shows, the playlist is not your typical cookie-cutter AC (one of their currents right now is "Right As Rain" by Adele which seems to be otherwise played only on Triple A) and Fridays are all-oldies (including requests), they have CNN news every hour and local newscasts at various times throughout the day (including an all-news/info hour at noon every day), and lots of high school sports. And several of the personalities are surprisingly good for a small-town station. The station has won various awards as well. No, I do not work there, but I wish I did! WCSR 1340 AM/92.1 FM in Hillsdale is chock full of full-service elements during the day on weekdays as well, and they also have a large and varied playlist... only drawback is they switch to Dial Global's (formerly JRN) AC format nights and weekends. Both 'LEN and 'CSR also have short-form weekly programs oriented toward specific towns (outside of the city of license) within their coverage areas - not long ago I was listening to WCSR while driving through Jonesville (a small city adjacent to Hillsdale) and they actually read highlights from the Jonesville police blotter. Now THAT'S small-town radio.

Farther north (near Grand Rapids), AM 1430 WION in Ionia is a good full-service station too although the music mix is more Adult Hits than true AC (the kind of station where you'd hear Nickelback, Gloria Estefan, the Animals, Donna Summer and Swing Out Sister all in the same hour).
 
I miss this format too. The stations that did this format were giants in their day. Only a few were FM though. I think the mentality was people listen to FM for music so we shouldn't talk outside of morning drive.

KVIL Dallas may have been the exception. They used to have some really good personalities. I don't think they did news outside of morning and afternoon drive. Same with WRMF in Palm Beach. Those are the only two I can think of.

At one of the major groups I worked for it seems like the company CHR had a much bigger budget for staff than the A/C across the hall.
 
Status
This thread has been closed due to inactivity. You can create a new thread to discuss this topic.


Back
Top Bottom