Grading Boston Radio

[Bigtime Bowler]

Then you should go start posting on the "CD Listener Message Board."
If there ISN'T one... show some fire... start one.

 

[wkrpfm]

Rapking--for the most part, if the station doesn't have hip/hop or R&R on their playlist, you give them sucky grades...don't let your choice of favorite music determine if a station gets an crappy grade...look at all sides of the station.

 

[BoscoGoldBear]

[/quote]

What "behind the scenes shenanigans" are you pivy to? What ratings, besides the 12+, do you have access to?

I like how you say personal tastes are not goint ot be brought into it, but every station that scores a high grade from you, you blast (JAMN, KISS, MAGIC). Do you see a pattern here? You don't understand how these stations can be successful by doing these things? The answer is simple, you arer not programming them

GO SOX!!
[/quote]

The "behind the scenes" shenanigans that I'm referring to are of the D&C lockout, the nonsense being pulled by Julie and Jason on behalf of Pinch Sulzburger (Globe/Times owner who's biggest single Sox owner) in relation to Howie Carr, i.e. their not letting him out of his expired contract so that he can justifiably wipe out the Felon, 'BOS sticking with its clearly unpopular format because GM's sales staff overlooks the more heavily populated sister stations, WAAF's tower fumble, and so on.....

 

[LA_Guy]

Boston has become bland like every other radio market

Just like every other major market in the USA, except for a few standouts (WBZ, WJIB, WEEI), Boston has become a bland radio market. There's a KISS in every city (and trust me, they all sound the same), a Jack, Mike, Bruno or Ben in every city, a MIX in every city, a River in every city, a Star in every city, etc., etc. I could go on ad nauseum. Even though the names aren't all identical (for example, POWER 106 here is Jamn 94.5 there) the music is...the personalities are, etc. They even share bits off show prep web sites.

Trust me, radio in Los Angeles is just as bland. same old same old everywhere. The big companies are to blame for this. They took competition and turned it into Homogenization. They WANT it this way, because it's cheaper for them to do things this way. Look at the cost savings that Mc Donalds has by offering the same menu everywhere. They don't even call radio formats FORMATS any more. They're called BRANDS, and each one has a BRAND MANAGER who oversees one "brand" in every market. There's a hip hop brand manager, a talk brand manager, etc. etc.

Radio as we knew it is long dead and buried. The fun of radio is long gone. THIS is why people are going to personal music devices like iPods. If we're going to be forced to listen to mediocraty, we can at least hear it without 20 minutes of commercials and clutter every hour.

 

[ArtSpooner]

One question I meant to ask earlier is what are SteveN's qualifications to grade radio stations? Is he a media critic? And how can anyone possibly grade 25 radio stations? There are only 24 hours in a day.

 

[ciao99]

My basis of the grades will be based partly on ratings and partly on behind the scenes shenanigans. Personal tastes will not be brought in to this - if so Kiss 108 would get an F for playing AC/DC's "You Shook Me All Night Long" (a failed #35 song) as a Kiss classic (anything by Kool & the Gang would be more on target).

Now for the grades:

92.5/The River - C-, even with....
92.9 WBOS - F - its 1+ ratings can't seriously translate into anything more than a 2+ in 25-54
93-7 Mike FM - B-, even if it is essentially the same as 'ROR and 'ZLX
Jam'n 94-5 - A- - I still can't imagine soccer moms listening to "yo yo MF," unless they're high on crack
96-9 FM Talk - C-, at least until the Howie situation is FINALLY settled
Mix 98-5 - D+
Easy 99.1 - D+
WCRB - C-
WZLX - B; would be an A if you didn't hear the same damn songs on Mike
WFNX - C-, was a C+/borderline B- earlier this year
WKLB - C+
Oldies 103 - C
WBCN - C+
WROR - B+; another A lost because the music is the same as 'ZLX and Mike; take away Loren and Wally and you can't tell the difference
Magic - A, in spite of the fact that they're adding headbangers by the minute (Nickelback, Kid Rock, Green Day, Creed, Journey, Bon Jovi, et al - what's next, Van Halen or AC/DC?)
WAAF - D (borderline D-/F) for their tower issues and ruining a good 97.7 FM station (OK, that one is on Radio One) and NOT using 97.7's addition to upgrade its ratings
Kiss 108 - A+ - hate the Nickelback/Green Day/alt-rock crap personally, but they do have the adult #s to back them up
WEZE - D+
WRKO - what can I say: F- (blame single largest Red Sox owner Pinch Sulzburger for the 'RKO mess since he wanted to separate Entercom from the Red Sox in the first place - Entercom only regained the Sox because they gave him control over 'RKO - Julie and Jason never would have thought of using their "right to match" for Howie without Sulzburger, who was infringing on Howie's rights to use the David Scondras SFX, which was enjoyable to most of the audience)
WJIB - A; had been an A+
WEEI - C - was headed for a D w/o D&C; 'EEI only has a minor league team (the Celtics) whose appeal is limited to Bowdoin St. and Geneva Ave. in Dorchester
WBZ - C - same old news; grade NOT lower b/c much of decline due to tragedies (Bruds, Sully) out of their control; Ed Walsh helps; the Bruins (whose appeal is even more limited - corner of Farragut Rd. and East Broadway in Southie - than the C's) and lower ratings (behind Kiss AND Jam'n) don't help
WILD - D
WKOX/WXKS - F - no ratings for format with no appeal even compared to lib-talk
WUNR - A, just for getting into ratings book on occasion

Any replies would be welcome! ;D

You forgot
101.3 Big City FM
102.9 Choice FM
105.3 Vibe FM
106.1 Touch FM

They get an A for filling voids. For connecting with listeners, All you had to do was see the reception their floats got at the Caribbean carnival to see how they connect with people in a way commercial stations will never know. These stations put on a product that isn't based on how many hokey cheap beer ads they can ram into an hour. Their signals stink, listeners still don't care. Take note WFNX. Listeners put up with the static and inconsistant signals, not because they play the same tired, manufactured product heard other stations, but precisely because they don't play what everyone else is playing.

I also give them a D for not going the legal route.

 

[jacobr]

WATD--------A+
especially when Sam Kopper; Bob Hedlund; Capt. Lou; Liz Raven; Kathy D are on!!!

 

[raccoonradio]

>>They get an A for filling voids.

Drug dealers also give the people what they want.
101.3 was booming in on the North Shore yesterday. Do they pay taxes on the income from
their advertisers? I have to pay taxes; they don't.

I think I'll set up a doctor's office and get patients. License? I don't need no stinkin' license!
And I'm serving the community. There's a doctor's shortage. So what if I never took a day
of medical school, the people need medical treatment!

 

[radiorama1]

This is quite a funny thread. I'll give my opinion just like you did.... They'd never get an A from me with their silly custom song edits, no voiceover guy, and mostly the same, tired imaging they've been using for the last 10 years.

I Couldn't agree more.

The two worst ones that come to mind right away are "No More I Love You's" by Annie Lennox and "Faithfully" (by Journey, one of Steve N.'s favorite headbanger groups)... You could do better editing than that on a boombox

 

[rapking]

Rapking--for the most part, if the station doesn't have hip/hop or R&R on their playlist, you give them sucky grades...don't let your choice of favorite music determine if a station gets an crappy grade...look at all sides of the station.

WHJY ( Providence RI, America Best Rock Station ) Get a Grade A . Most of Boston stations, are not that good . Hip HoP station WJMN get a C+ Grade from me , Do you called that a good Grade ( avg to me ) ?

 

[Neanderpaul]

Rapking--for the most part, if the station doesn't have hip/hop or R&R on their playlist, you give them sucky grades...don't let your choice of favorite music determine if a station gets an crappy grade...look at all sides of the station.

WHJY ( Providence RI, America Best Rock Station ) Get a Grade A . Most of Boston stations, are not that good . Hip HoP station WJMN get a C+ Grade from me , Do you called that a good Grade ( avg to me ) ?

WHJY is a well-targeted, well-programmed Rock Station. In fact, Clear Channel has three well-run stations surrounding Boston. I'm surprised they never entered the game in the city. Maybe they bill enough hitting the South Shore and North Shore respectively to post a nice profit with smaller operating budgets.

In any event...not many stations have been as consistent as WHJY. But then...have they really been challenged? WWRX never really committed back when, and is Providence a market where Rock competition is worth the expense? Guess you'd have to ask someone on that board huh?

 

[ciao99]

>>They get an A for filling voids.

Drug dealers also give the people what they want.
101.3 was booming in on the North Shore yesterday. Do they pay taxes on the income from
their advertisers? I have to pay taxes; they don't.

I think I'll set up a doctor's office and get patients. License? I don't need no stinkin' license!
And I'm serving the community. There's a doctor's shortage. So what if I never took a day
of medical school, the people need medical treatment!

Hey raccoon, the post is grading Boston's radio dial. I already acknowledged the Pirates aren't legit. But they are on the dial and you better believe people are listening to them. I say include them in the discussion.

 

[raccoonradio]

>>I already acknowledged the Pirates aren't legit

I'll say, they didn't even make the playoffs this year (JOKE!
Sure, go ahead and include them.

btw speaking of "the radio dial" I was thinking of how years ago the Boston Phoenix used to have not
just its TV highlights feature--Hot Dots--but also a listing of radio highlights. It was dropped and I don't
think they ever brought it back.
After all, why should Phoenix readers bother to find out there are other stations besides WFNX?

 

[ciao99]

>>I already acknowledged the Pirates aren't legit

I'll say, they didn't even make the playoffs this year (JOKE!
Sure, go ahead and include them.

btw speaking of "the radio dial" I was thinking of how years ago the Boston Phoenix used to have not
just its TV highlights feature--Hot Dots--but also a listing of radio highlights. It was dropped and I don't
think they ever brought it back.
After all, why should Phoenix readers bother to find out there are other stations besides WFNX?

That's funny raccoon. At the very you'd think they'd try to promote their Lovelines show. But I guess the preteens who tune into stuff like love lines aren't the type to read a newspaper so why bother?

WFNX has gone down the tubes. On Saturday morning they were playing Salisbury Hill by Peter Gabriel. Fine song, but it's not why I tune into WFNX. So I turned the dial to WBCN to hear them playing something new, a song I didn't know well enough to give its title or that I hadn't already heard a thousand times since 1995. Who knew this would be the state of rock radio in Boston in 2007?

 

[SonicOverload]

WEEI - C - was headed for a D w/o D&C; 'EEI only has a minor league team (the Celtics) whose appeal is limited to Bowdoin St. and Geneva Ave. in Dorchester


Any replies would be welcome! ;D

I hate to bump another thread but was just thinking about this last night when watching the Celtics play in front of a full house, with the best record in the NBA. Care to reconsider that comment? (and, yes, I know I bumped another thread too)

 

[argytunes]

Re: Boston has become bland like every other radio market

Radio as we knew it is long dead and buried. The fun of radio is long gone. THIS is why people are going to personal music devices like iPods. If we're going to be forced to listen to mediocraty, we can at least hear it without 20 minutes of commercials and clutter every hour.

I've been saying this since I joined radio-info.com nearly 4 years ago!

Blame the consultants who never bother to consider market size and audience taste. Los Angeles and Louisville are completely different from one another. Boston and Baton Rouge audiences aren't the same either. If a radio station doesn't consider the audience FIRST...and not how many spots or station promos they can cram into a stopset...their audience will choose another source !

Listener Loss inevitably will reduce the number of advertisers, staff positions, and corporate profit sharing! And what happens next???

If you don't know the answer...do a search on bank foreclosed homes currently on the market! :

argytunes

 

[Alec Bova]

92.5/The River - B-

92.9 WBOS - F - agreed

93-7 Mike FM - D

Jam'n 94-5 - C
96-9 FM Talk - F,

Mix 98-5 - C
Easy 99.1 - C+
WCRB - B
WZLX - B-
WFNX - C+ or B-
WKLB - D
Oldies 103 - B+
WBCN - D-
WROR - B-

Magic - C
AAF - D-
Kiss 108 - C -

WEEI - C+
WRKO - F- agreed


WJIB - B+


WBZ - B

 

[12 In a Row]

Re: Boston has become bland like every other radio market

Radio as we knew it is long dead and buried. The fun of radio is long gone. THIS is why people are going to personal music devices like iPods. If we're going to be forced to listen to mediocraty, we can at least hear it without 20 minutes of commercials and clutter every hour.

I've been saying this since I joined radio-info.com nearly 4 years ago!

Blame the consultants who never bother to consider market size and audience taste. Los Angeles and Louisville are completely different from one another. Boston and Baton Rouge audiences aren't the same either. If a radio station doesn't consider the audience FIRST...and not how many spots or station promos they can cram into a stopset...their audience will choose another source !

Listener Loss inevitably will reduce the number of advertisers, staff positions, and corporate profit sharing! And what happens next???

If you don't know the answer...do a search on bank foreclosed homes currently on the market! :

argytunes

Need to respectfully disagree.

At one time, Louisville was different from L.A. , Manhattan was different from Manchester.
The country and the world has gotten smaller. Not matter what city you are in, you will find a Home Depot, Lowes, Wal-Mart, McDonald's, Burger King, etc.
There are few if any regional differences and tastes left in America.

 

[argytunes]

12 in a row...

Does "copycat radio" exist because programmers are too lazy to do the research and put a different format on the air? Or are listeners merely sheep who are led to the audio slaughter?

Just because there's a MCDONALDS, WALMART or HOME DEPOT in every town...does this mean that ALL RADIO STATIONS have to sound alike? Look at some of the threads on this and other boards. Songs that are chosen for a music format are practically identical! Talk conversation seems to be limited to primary elections, high gas prices and the poor economy!

Am I the only radio listener out there who has gotten sick and tired of the same old sh**! ???

argytunes

 

[12 In a Row]

I hear you, argy.

I remember as a kid going on vacations to other states.
The towns were all different and unique. Now they are all the same. Kinda sad.