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Has my Classic Country Station Forgotten it's Niche?

S

SpeakIngles

OK. Maybe I don't have the first clue on how to program a Classic Country radio station. I give it all I have, yet I'm not getting any ratings. Is it a need for more or better content(morning show), or bad music, or lack of marketing, or a combination of all these? I know you'll ask what am I playing. It's mainly mainstream 60's 70's 80's and 90's chart hits. And I know...Pay a big time consultant big bucks to tell me what to play...We just don't have the money.

I had a conversation with a person who tells me they think that playing more older, obscure, out-of-mainstream songs and artists will bring back the niche and the ratings our station used to have...
A reason to listen to something on an AM radio, simply because you can't find it on FM or anywhere else. Is it just the music is OK, that nobody's listening to AM?? There's another CC AM, and an FM rimshot in the market that plays pretty much the same music I do...they get book, a 1. at most, but they consistently book. I'm sure they pay Arb too. I cant help but think if you dont pay for the book, you'll get snubbed anyway. At least that's what it seems in our situation.

In a nearby market, A CC FM, playing pretty much what I play, is #6 in the market. Something is terribly wrong and I want to put my finger on a pulse and bring in some life support before we die.

It was only a .5 anytime we ever showed in the 18+ metro. Cellar Dweller. But a .5 is better than the goose eggs we've been seeing the past how many books now...

I'm just gonna blow it and come out and ask you armchair PD/MD's...What do you think? What would you do?

I can't change formats right now, and don't want to, I just want to kick it back up a notch.
 
Just sent you a PM.
 
My classic country station used to be pop standards, and it shows in what 60s, 70s and older songs they play. For some odd reason they play Hank Williams Sr., but most of the other 50s songs are the ones they were playing before. The 60s songs are pretty much the familiar ones but a lot are crossover. Not a lot of hick-sounding songs, unless of course you compare what they do play to today's country. They're heavy on the 80s (and there's lots of that Urban Cowboy sound) but the only 90s songs I've heard are by Reba McEntire and Randy Travis. No Alan Jackson (but I'd hate for them to open that can of worms).

I can't believe they don't play The Carpenters. "Top of the World" is as country as most of what they do on that station.
 
If you are talking about WLIL just outside of Knoxville, please don't think about flipping! I live in west Knoxville and listen every day (Monday - Saturday). I would rather listen to WLIL anytime over R. Meredith's horribly programmed attempt at whatever he's trying to play on the FM he has. So don't beat yourself up. Two things working against you are 1) Knoxville is a heavy FM market, 2) WIVK.
 
SchlitzBeer said:
ISo don't beat yourself up. Two things working against you are 1) Knoxville is a heavy FM market, 2) WIVK.
Click to expand...

And simply the fact that he's competing with an FM that plays pretty much the same thing as he does. Pretty tough to succeed with music on AM unless you have something unique to the market.
 
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