Hit Parade Radio

[oldmanradio]

Hit Parade Radio hits a roadblock and ends operations

Word of the demise came via notices to Hit Parade Radio affiliates from Operations Director Vic Thomas prior to the weekend. Thomas wrote, “it all comes down to money, and over the last couple of weeks, for various reasons, our major funding sources have gone away, including Harris Broadcasting, who decided not to move forward.” Thomas added, “I know for many of you it has already been a source of profit … Call it the bad economy, the current state of the broadcasting industry, or just bad timing. Whatever the causes, we gave it our best shot.” Hit Parade Radio was supposed to be a 24/7 oldies radio network, and was to feature Wink Martindale, who recently left the company, and the legendary Chicago DJ Larry Lujack. The switch was turned off for Hit Parade Radio Sunday afternoon (June 6).

 

[MikeShannon914]

Isn't that the Addison-based company that wanted to take all the former Memories/Stardust/Timeless affiliates when ABCitadel signed off the remnants of that format a few months ago? And the same place that hired Chuck Brinkman to do morning drive? SAD. I understand several former ABCitadel folks went over there in management roles. Guess Vic was a very recent hire since he just finished up as "Assistant" PD (under Ron ;D ) with Platinum a couple of months ago.

Then again, Phil Hall d/b/a Audience Bakery was (is) attempting to do the exact same thing, with other ex-ABCRN folks. Is it succeeding? Did Bakery beat Parade to the punch? What about Dial Global, who's done the same thing? Seems like a given that one could easily organize an syndicated oldies format and hire a couple of salesmen to call on all the ex-Timeless affiliates and sign them up. How easy it was for ANY employee to go into the proprietary database at ABCRN and print the affiliate list from each format. Surely someone socked one away for such a rainy day.

 

[TheBigA]

Seems like a given that one could easily organize an syndicated oldies format and hire a couple of salesmen to call on all the ex-Timeless affiliates and sign them up.

I think this story points out just how difficult it is to launch a syndication company regardless of the willingness of radio stations to cut expenses. A lot of stations are still willing to stick with local talent, at least between 6AM and 7PM, and keep all the money, rather than share it with a syndicator. What these guys find out is that the stations that might be interesting in running this kind of thing have low audience numbers to begin with, and give the sales staff very little to work with. Plus, as others have said, this demo is just hard to sell to advertisers, especially on a national basis.

It also points out what an incredible job Tom Kent has been able to do, first with TKO, and now in his venture. Unlike HPR, Tom has been able to get on top-rated stations in major markets. The thing missing from Hit Parade was a serious business plan. The emphasis seemed to be on reuniting John Rook with a lot of his successful talent from the past, and assuming all that would combine for success. Some critics say that Lujack was clearly past his prime, and the programming wasn't as sharp as the competition. If that's the word on the street, it's tough to sell, even if you have great salesmen.

 

[TheBigA]

I forgot to say that Tom Kent is syndicated through Citadel, which also syndicates Scott Shannon's oldies format. Tom's previous company, TKO Radio, still exists with Rick Dees and John Landecker. So there's no shortage of this kind of content available.

 

[radiojjh]

I'd say in listening to the on-line feed 90% of the music sounded great.....in my opinion---Chuck Brinkman sounded horrible on this format. I listened a number of times when they were feeding his show and it was dis-jointed, dis-connected and he sounded like someone from a bad small market. Wink sounded great---smooth a very polished, Larry Lujack was just Larry Lujack....at times sounding very good and at other times like he just didn't care anymore and at times very negative. The night jock sounded good and gave some great artist info/trivia, but the weekend guy they had on there with the southern accent....PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEZE....he sounded worse than Chuck Brinkman did. Sounded like he belonged on a small southern gospel AM station. I'm really sorry to see the idea of "Hit Parade Radio" didn't fly. But if your morning is to set the pace for the day....Chuck Brinkman all i can say is: zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. This was one place to hear some of those great MOR songs that no one really plays anymore. It was odd to hear some of those classics, and then hear them play "Feel Like Makin' Love" by Bad Company----that and a few other trainwrecks that I heard......made me think---if Chuck Brinkman is picking the songs....he needs to do a much better job.

Just my two cents....perhaps another similar format can be launched......minus the Brinkman.......they even played a few re-recordings of hits---NOT the original--like "Release Me" by Engelbert(NOT THE ORIGINAL), and they played Engelbert singing "For The Good Times," how about Ray Price---that IS the hit version. And there were a handful of others...you'd think Chuck Brinkman would know what the originals sounded like.....the re-recordings sounded very cheesy. If it was a 20-something putting the songs in their computer that would make sense, but a supposed pro like Chuck---what a major mistake letting him do mornings and program....again my humble opinion!



JJHemingway.....your Spokane Radio Pal....

 

[gr8oldies]

I said at the launch that anyone expecting to hear Lujack doing his 70s act would be dissapointed. There was another small syndicator that went belly up a couple of years ago.

 

[PTBoardOp94]

I heard about maybe five affiliates of Hit Parade Radio.

I've yet to hear about any affiliates for the Audience Bakery.

Selling syndicated programming is a tough business, especially if its a startup company with no ratings or revenue success to tout to potential affiliates.

 

[MikeShannon914]

I didn't know Tom Kent had parted ways with Larry Thompson. I remember going to the KFJZ reunion in 2001 and seeing Kent introduce himself to Thompson and start talking about his ideas for a syndicated radio show! Of course, the question beckons...WHY CITADEL? I'd have made a play for Premiere first. Or maybe he did.

Wink's busy on his new game show for GSN. That may have played into his decision.

Lujack has been bitter for the last 30 years. The story goes that Larry Dixon used to tune into Lujack's show every single day as a kid, and got Lujack's style and vocal-isms down pat...and built his own radio career from it.

There's something to "staying true" to the music. Heard more than one story where Chapman would call up Bud Buschardt first to verify a certain song was the original song/original artist before he'd put it into Platinum's rotation. Yes, the keen-eared listener DOES pick up on these things.

A lot of stations are still willing to stick with local talent, at least between 6AM and 7PM,

I hope that's the case, as I'm still one of those proponents of live-n-local. I can see mom-and-pops using the owner as the talent (as well as sales, PD, SM, news director, PR and public affairs!) or hiring a gung-ho kid to work for peanuts. Sometimes, tho, you luck out and get a radio vet on his/her way down, but who still "has it" and will take a salary cut to stay on the air, or stay in the same geographical area.

 

[TheBigA]

I didn't know Tom Kent had parted ways with Larry Thompson.

2008.

Of course, the question beckons...WHY CITADEL?

Actually Tom was self-syndicating for the first year, and did a great job. Citadel needed someone to replace Dick Bartley. Tom got Bartley's stations to add to his own.

Lujack has been bitter for the last 30 years.

Add a bitter Lujack to a bitter Rook and you get two very bitter guys who are even more bitter now. Radio is a "people" business, and if the two principles are bitter, it's going to be hard to get stations to join you. That's another thing about TK...he's got a great attitude.

 

[oldmanradio]

http://www.hitparaderadio.com/HPR One-Sheet.pdf

Nationally recognized?

By whom?

Tony
Tony Lyndell Williams

 

[TheBigA]

Looking at that one-sheet, I wonder of the other mistake was the thing they're proud of: The only show that targets the 50+ demo.

 

[MikeShannon914]

Their logic seems/seemed to make sense; it's just a matter of selling it properly to a skeptical station. Offhand, I can see where the satellite fees likely did them in. They were on the bird barely 4 months before throwing in the towel, but were chugging along fine as a web-only station for a year prior. The parent company (Earthworms Entertainment, is it?) looks to be a venture-capitalist/risk-taking type of organization ("martial arts social networks"? Who sold them THAT?), much like LKCM and the Ranch.

Do check out the parent website at http://www.earthworksentertainment.com . The C.O.O.'s first name is BUCKEYE. Maybe that's why the company's been pink-sheeted. BWT, I doo proffreadeng serveces 4 REEL cheep! Never, can, havve, 2many, comma's. right?!?!?! in 1!! Sentence!!

When it's all said and done, that 50+ demo may be the only thing that saves terrestrial radio (or extends its life a little longer)...just ask AM.

 

[TheBigA]

When it's all said and done, that 50+ demo may be the only thing that saves terrestrial radio (or extends its life a little longer)...just ask AM.

It may extend it for audience, but advertisers hate the demo. Especially in terms of national sales. You end up with all 1-800 numbers, which is what you hear on AM. It wasn't programming that killed this channel, but lack of money. Aiming at 50+, in my opinion, didn't help. Tom Kent aims a little lower.

 

[dfaulkner]

There's something to "staying true" to the music. Heard more than one story where Chapman would call up Bud Buschardt first to verify a certain song was the original song/original artist before he'd put it into Platinum's rotation. Yes, the keen-eared listener DOES pick up on these things.

Absolutely ! I wish all programmers were that careful ! It's odd (sometimes irritating, sometimes comical) to hear later recordings by the same artist or hit songs by other artists. There are a few exceptions. Sinatra recorded numerous songs for more than one label, for example, & some songs were hits for more than one artist. But, in general....