how long should a station call itself "all-new"?

[firepoint525]

The frustrating thing for me in dealing with this station (other than the obvious constant harping on "all-new" :) is that this is one of the few stations (anymore) for which I am in the center of the demographic that they are trying to reach. I don't really like all the focus on "baby boomers" either, but I have dealt with that all my life, so I don't see that changing any time soon. I am also not a big fan of all that "hippie culture" either, but at 49, I am too young to have experienced all that stuff first-hand anyway. And they play music from well into the '80s, so they are definitely playing a lot of MY generation's stuff, despite their marketing to the contrary.

Since they don't bill much, they obviously also can't pay much, which might explain their morning-show egomaniac. If radio could pay better, they could attract top talent, which would in turn shut these egomaniacs out of a job! :

 

[michael hagerty]

The frustrating thing for me in dealing with this station (other than the obvious constant harping on "all-new" :) is that this is one of the few stations (anymore) for which I am in the center of the demographic that they are trying to reach. I don't really like all the focus on "baby boomers" either, but I have dealt with that all my life, so I don't see that changing any time soon. I am also not a big fan of all that "hippie culture" either, but at 49, I am too young to have experienced all that stuff first-hand anyway. And they play music from well into the '80s, so they are definitely playing a lot of MY generation's stuff, despite their marketing to the contrary.

Since they don't bill much, they obviously also can't pay much, which might explain their morning-show egomaniac. If radio could pay better, they could attract top talent, which would in turn shut these egomaniacs out of a job! :

Successful radio stations do better, pay more, and invest in mornings. The deck is stacked against WHPY. Their circumstances are what lead owners to go with brokered programming in order to make a living. As it stands now, after expenses, the GM probably doesn't make as much as an assistant manager at McDonald's.

 

[amfmxm]

Hmmm. So this thread has really been about "Hippie Radio," all along? And/or specifically signal-handicapped WHPY? Wow. Well, it kind of sheds new light on the subject--puts the whole topic in different perspective. Should the thread be moved over to the Nashville board? It would be interesting to see what other locals have to say...

But let me contribute this much. In 1967--the "Summer of Love"--I was 18. That was pretty much the high point of Hippie-dom. By 1970 it was pretty much toast--so the cultural era it evokes is essentially 1960-1969. IIRC, the whole movement seemed to attract people the age of my older siblings rather than my contemporaries. (Sure, we liked the "free love" part--at least us guys).

I applied for Medicare the other day--as I approach my 65th birthday in the fall.

So, what's the target demo? Adults 65-74? Adults 70-79?

 

[michael hagerty]

Hmmm. So this thread has really been about "Hippie Radio," all along? And/or specifically signal-handicapped WHPY? Wow. Well, it kind of sheds new light on the subject--puts the whole topic in different perspective. Should the thread be moved over to the Nashville board? It would be interesting to see what other locals have to say...

But let me contribute this much. In 1967--the "Summer of Love"--I was 18. That was pretty much the high point of Hippie-dom. By 1970 it was pretty much toast--so the cultural era it evokes is essentially 1960-1969. IIRC, the whole movement seemed to attract people the age of my older siblings rather than my contemporaries. (Sure, we liked the "free love" part--at least us guys).

I applied for Medicare the other day--as I approach my 65th birthday in the fall.

So, what's the target demo? Adults 65-74? Adults 70-79?

Everyone seems to think music appeals on a mass scale to younger people than it actually does.

In the late 70s, I programmed AC. We were considered edgy for the time, playing Steely Dan, Fleetwood Mac, Genesis, even Elvis Costello, Nick Lowe and the Pretenders. I was aiming at...and did well with...37-year olds.

Those people are 72 now.

Lee Iacocca said it about the original Ford Mustang: "You can sell an old man a young man's car, but you can't sell a young man an old man's car."

Translated for radio: You have better odds getting a 40-year-old to listen to CHR than you do getting him or her to listen to 40 year old songs.

 

[firepoint525]

Hmmm. So this thread has really been about "Hippie Radio," all along? And/or specifically signal-handicapped WHPY? Wow. Well, it kind of sheds new light on the subject--puts the whole topic in different perspective. Should the thread be moved over to the Nashville board? It would be interesting to see what other locals have to say...

Again, you haven't been paying attention, have you? We have had this discussion on the Nashville board. Several threads worth. I know what they will say. I wanted to know what everyone else would say.

So, what's the target demo? Adults 65-74? Adults 70-79?

When they did a birthday contest last year, they were seeking those born between 1946 and 1975. In other words, those 37 to 66 years of age at the time (last year). They claim to have younger listeners, as evidenced by their Facebook page comments.

Everyone seems to think music appeals on a mass scale to younger people than it actually does.
In the late 70s, I programmed AC. We were considered edgy for the time, playing Steely Dan, Fleetwood Mac, Genesis, even Elvis Costello, Nick Lowe and the Pretenders. I was aiming at...and did well with...37-year olds.
Those people are 72 now.
Lee Iacocca said it about the original Ford Mustang: "You can sell an old man a young man's car, but you can't sell a young man an old man's car."
Translated for radio: You have better odds getting a 40-year-old to listen to CHR than you do getting him or her to listen to 40 year old songs.

I wouldn't say "on a mass scale," but I would think that there are more youthful Beatle fans (and even Elvis fans) out there than there are 50-year-old Lady GaGa fans. I can accept that Adele has talent, but it seems to me that we have heard her somewhere before, only her name was Alanis Morrisette back then. Isn't it ironic, don't ya think?

 

[michael hagerty]

Hmmm. So this thread has really been about "Hippie Radio," all along? And/or specifically signal-handicapped WHPY? Wow. Well, it kind of sheds new light on the subject--puts the whole topic in different perspective. Should the thread be moved over to the Nashville board? It would be interesting to see what other locals have to say...

Again, you haven't been paying attention, have you? We have had this discussion on the Nashville board. Several threads worth. I know what they will say. I wanted to know what everyone else would say.

So, what's the target demo? Adults 65-74? Adults 70-79?

When they did a birthday contest last year, they were seeking those born between 1946 and 1975. In other words, those 37 to 66 years of age at the time (last year). They claim to have younger listeners, as evidenced by their Facebook page comments.

Everyone seems to think music appeals on a mass scale to younger people than it actually does.
In the late 70s, I programmed AC. We were considered edgy for the time, playing Steely Dan, Fleetwood Mac, Genesis, even Elvis Costello, Nick Lowe and the Pretenders. I was aiming at...and did well with...37-year olds.
Those people are 72 now.
Lee Iacocca said it about the original Ford Mustang: "You can sell an old man a young man's car, but you can't sell a young man an old man's car."
Translated for radio: You have better odds getting a 40-year-old to listen to CHR than you do getting him or her to listen to 40 year old songs.

I wouldn't say "on a mass scale," but I would think that there are more youthful Beatle fans (and even Elvis fans) out there than there are 50-year-old Lady GaGa fans. I can accept that Adele has talent, but it seems to me that we have heard her somewhere before, only her name was Alanis Morrisette back then. Isn't it ironic, don't ya think?

There's a reason I chose 40 instead of 50. It's near (six months older than) the dead center of the 25-54 demographic.

As for Adele and Alanis, I don't hear the similarity.

 

[firepoint525]

There's a reason I chose 40 instead of 50. It's near (six months older than) the dead center of the 25-54 demographic.

As for Adele and Alanis, I don't hear the similarity.

In style, no. I just see their marketing as being similar. And just as Alanis really didn't last beyond a couple of albums, I don't see Adele sticking around, either.

And I chose 50 just because I am closer (now) to 50.

 

[michael hagerty]

There's a reason I chose 40 instead of 50. It's near (six months older than) the dead center of the 25-54 demographic.

As for Adele and Alanis, I don't hear the similarity.

In style, no. I just see their marketing as being similar. And just as Alanis really didn't last beyond a couple of albums, I don't see Adele sticking around, either.

And I chose 50 just because I am closer (now) to 50.

Alanis is still touring, released her eighth album a little less than a year ago (she's averaging one every three years), and has sold 60 million records, only 33 million of which were "Jagged Little Pill". I'd say she's doing fine for an artist pushing 40.

And (purely my opinion) I think Adele has more talent and staying power and a far better voice than Alanis.

 

[davideduardo]

Again, you haven't been paying attention, have you? We have had this discussion on the Nashville board Several threads worth.

But you can't take the situation out of the local context without realizing that most people on this forum don't read the Nashville one... so they don't know that WHPY is a signal challenged, low rated and even lower billing run-on-the-cheap station.

When they did a birthday contest last year, they were seeking those born between 1946 and 1975. In other words, those 37 to 66 years of age at the time (last year).

They could ask for teens, too. That does not mean that they got many responses. We don't know that.

They claim to have younger listeners, as evidenced by their Facebook page comments.

Since the station only averages around 1200 listeners (AQH, 6+), a few under-55's are meaningless. Of course there are some younger partisans of oldies, but they are few and far between.

but I would think that there are more youthful Beatle fans (and even Elvis fans) out there than there are 50-year-old Lady GaGa fans.

We are in the area of anecdotal evidence now. I don't know of anyone in my demo who cares about the Beatles much any more... we are all well over it. But plenty of us like Adele, Chris Brown, Pitbull et. al. and liked Lady Gaga until the songs got played out.

 

[davideduardo]

But let me contribute this much. In 1967--the "Summer of Love"--I was 18. That was pretty much the high point of Hippie-dom. By 1970 it was pretty much toast--so the cultural era it evokes is essentially 1960-1969. IIRC, the whole movement seemed to attract people the age of my older siblings rather than my contemporaries. (Sure, we liked the "free love" part--at least us guys).

I was 20 in that year, and managing three radio stations. My attitude was "buncha' people with no jobs" and the whole hippie thing was at best a curiosity to me. I may be the extereme, but a lot of peeps don't relate to that term or find it downright demeaning or repugnant.

 

[davideduardo]

Since they don't bill much, they obviously also can't pay much, which might explain their morning-show egomaniac. If radio could pay better, they could attract top talent, which would in turn shut these egomaniacs out of a job! :

A rimshot station catering to a hard-to-sell demographic is not going to bill much no matter what. So there is going to be little money to pay anyone any more than they currently do... whatever that is.

At the current billing level, I have doubts that they are making any money, particularly if the cost of capital is factored in.

The current owner paid over $1.8 million just 18 months ago for the station. If you invested that money in tax free muny bonds, you would be earning about $60 k a year. That has to be much more than the station is cash flowing.

 

[michael hagerty]

$14,000 a month means the station's averaging $20 an hour gross 24/7 all year long.

They could make way more brokering religious or ethnic.

 

[MickeyD]

Until that new format smell is gone.

 

[firepoint525]

Again, you haven't been paying attention, have you? We have had this discussion on the Nashville board Several threads worth.

But you can't take the situation out of the local context without realizing that most people on this forum don't read the Nashville one... so they don't know that WHPY is a signal challenged, low rated and even lower billing run-on-the-cheap station.

But again, he (amfmxm) only checks in every couple of pages (and even then without reading what transpired in-between). I ain't gonna do his homework for him.

We are in the area of anecdotal evidence now. I don't know of anyone in my demo who cares about the Beatles much any more... we are all well over it. But plenty of us like Adele, Chris Brown, Pitbull et. al. and liked Lady Gaga until the songs got played out.

Speak for yourself. Except for Adele, most of them are more known for notoriety than for music. Adele has talent, but she is so over-the-top that I see her being a has-been in a couple of years, even if she is still out there. I am starting to see signs of "Adele-fatigue" out there already.

 

[amfmxm]

But again, he (amfmxm) only checks in every couple of pages (and even then without reading what transpired in-between). I ain't gonna do his homework for him.
LOL Well, no, I don't live on this damn thing like you do--you've got 8 times the number of posts. But I'm still running a bunch of radio stations. Gimme a break!

And though I do indeed have a number of real-life friends in Nashville, and have visited that lovely city a number of times over the years, I haven't clicked onto the Nashville board in eons. I've always enjoyed Charlotte, too, but can't recall if I've ever checked-out their discussion board.

But--sorry--I did actually read through the intervening posts on this particular thread before checking back in. Just because I don't/won't parse every word in ever post, as you apparently love to do, doesn't mean I'm not paying attention.

 

[firepoint525]

But again, he (amfmxm) only checks in every couple of pages (and even then without reading what transpired in-between). I ain't gonna do his homework for him. LOL Well, no, I don't live on this damn thing like you do--you've got 8 times the number of posts. But I'm still running a bunch of radio stations. Gimme a break! And though I do indeed have a number of real-life friends in Nashville, and have visited that lovely city a number of times over the years, I haven't clicked onto the Nashville board in eons. I've always enjoyed Charlotte, too, but can't recall if I've ever checked-out their discussion board. But--sorry--I did actually read through the intervening posts on this particular thread before checking back in. Just because I don't/won't parse every word in ever post, as you apparently love to do, doesn't mean I'm not paying attention.

Well, I have been here (off and on) for six years.

But if you aren't going to do your homework before posting, then go troll someplace else. You have posted what, four messages under this topic so far? And only one of them was even remotely on topic.

 

[amfmxm]

Wow, that's more than 3 posts a day, everyday--Christmas, New Year's, Easter... vacation (?)... for six years?

You gotta get a life, man. Or a job. Are you working in radio, now? Doing what?

I guess I've actually been part of this (radio-info/radiodiscussions.com) for significantly longer than you, but I do work--in radio, as a market manager--and tend to check in here from time to time. Yeah... I'm on topic. And, no, you're not policing the board.

 

[firepoint525]

Wow, that's more than 3 posts a day, everyday--Christmas, New Year's, Easter... vacation (?)... for six years?
You gotta get a life, man. Or a job. Are you working in radio, now? Doing what?

If you sat there and figured that out, YOU need a life. :

I guess I've actually been part of this (radio-info/radiodiscussions.com) for significantly longer than you, but I do work--in radio, as a market manager--and tend to check in here from time to time. Yeah... I'm on topic. And, no, you're not policing the board.

No you are not on topic. The topic was "how long should a station call itself 'all-new'?" You haven't said a word about that in the past, what, FOUR replies now?

Again, go troll someplace else. I am not impressed with you or what you claim to do. :

 

[michael hagerty]

Wow, that's more than 3 posts a day, everyday--Christmas, New Year's, Easter... vacation (?)... for six years?
You gotta get a life, man. Or a job. Are you working in radio, now? Doing what?

If you sat there and figured that out, YOU need a life. :

I guess I've actually been part of this (radio-info/radiodiscussions.com) for significantly longer than you, but I do work--in radio, as a market manager--and tend to check in here from time to time. Yeah... I'm on topic. And, no, you're not policing the board.

No you are not on topic. The topic was "how long should a station call itself 'all-new'?" You haven't said a word about that in the past, what, FOUR replies now?

Again, go troll someplace else. I am not impressed with you or what you claim to do. :

Before this gets TIOd (and it may be too late), a quick review shows amfmxm's replies were all on the "all-new" topic until it became about Hippie Radio. And you, as the original poster, took us there.

The only posts from amfmxm that aren't on either of those topics are responses to your taking a shot at him. So, don't.

 

[firepoint525]

I said that from the very beginning (a station in Nashville, etc.). It was only after repeated questioning from you (but especially from David) that you figured that out.

This amfmxm character posted an anecdote on the second page (which was marginally on topic), then fell into the typical "I work in radio therefore I know more than you do" spiel. I tried to get him to move on, but he won't. He is too busy picking apart how many messages I have posted. Once it falls to that, it's done.

I got the answer that I was looking for on the first page (one year). He didn't show up until the second page.

Don't circle the wagons around him. Either let him sink or swim on his own. If we took the ability to post personal insults away from him, he would have gone mute after about the second page.