Ideal Demographic

[michael hagerty]

Sorry for that response but I was getting tired of the negativity. I look at it like "the little train that could" rather than take the "it can't be done" stance.

Many downtown areas in various cities became ghost towns when the malls opened. But some cities have fixed up their downtown neighborhoods and have gone after a specific type of business. The “Specialty Shop.” Stuff you can't get at the mall. And as a result many downtown areas are making a comeback. I absolutely, positively believe that the same can be done with AM radio. Call it “Specialty Formats.” One such example would be a 50′s and 60′s oldies format. Yes, it is an older demographic. But they are still out there and they spend money too. No, you won’t be making Bill Gates money but if done right this kind of format would be very successful and make money. AM & FM radio have more competition now than ever before. To succeed, you MUST think outside the box. Those oldies are STILL goodies. And just waiting to be picked off the vine. Time to put on the work gloves.

I appreciate optimism. Those who know me say I can be too optimistic about most things.

But you have to understand what you're dealing with here.

The difference in investment and expense between a specialty shop in a storefront and even a small terrestrial commercial broadcast station is immense. Making a profit in that kind of retail is a much lower threshold to clear than making a profit in commercial radio.

I worked for one of the smallest radio stations in America (KIBS in Bishop, California) for the first three years of my career. I work for the largest media company in America (iHeartMedia) now. In between, I've worked for mom and pops, small local and regional chains and majors like Journal, Bonneville, Nationwide, Belo, Hearst, Emmis and Scripps). No one in broadcasting, not even the giants of the industry are making "Bill Gates money".

I've said it before...I wish there was a radio version of Microsoft Flight Simulator....where you could run a radio station and get an accurate reflection of what the costs and liabilities are...what's at stake when you don't do your homework and maximize your chances of success.

The 50s and 60s "Oldies But Goodies" format just wrapped up on a strong AM signal out of Modesto...good enough to make the 80 miles up to Sacramento and still be listenable. They thought outside the box, they promoted in targeted fashion, made sure they were tied in with every Boomer-friendly event in North-Central California.

They ended up running up the white flag, selling to Immaculate Heart Radio and going online-only.

So let's say we take your life's savings and buy a radio station with it. In fact, to be realistic, let's make that the down payment and put you a few hundred thousand dollars in debt on the rest. You have all the costs I outlined in the earlier post that have to be met. Let's say you can get by with five people on your staff, all of them wearing multiple hats. You have to feed, clothe, provide medical care, education and shelter for your family...and those five people are dependent on their paychecks from you to do the same for their families.

Are you going to look each of them in the eye and tell them you're sure it will work? What will you tell them if it doesn't?

This is why broadcasters (who, whether mom and pop or corporations, are simply businesspeople, like that specialty store owner...just with many times the expense and liability) choose what's likely to work rather than "thinking outside the box."

You would need to start with "Bill Gates money"...and be willing to lose it...to do otherwise.

 

[Music Lover]

Since we will continue to go about this ad nauseum, I end this by saying that I will always continue to agree to disagree that it can't be done, that thinking outside of the box will work.

 

[michael hagerty]

If you were thinking of something that had never been thought of, never tried, I'd be a lot more open. But you're talking about the very thing that hundreds of broadcasters have lost their businesses (and in some cases, everything including their homes) doing the past 30 years.

Given that you're not addressing the questions "What if it were your money? What would you tell the people who depend on your employment to take care of their families?", it's clear this is just an exercise in what-if for you. The Russians have a phrase: "If your aunt had testicles, she'd be your uncle."

 

[Music Lover]

I'm just an average listener who's become disenfranchised with AC because I had become too attached to the "Continuous Soft Hits" era and I'm trying too look for ways someone like me could be attracted back to listening to terrestrial AC again.

 

[TheBigA]

I'm just an average listener who's become disenfranchised with AC because I had become too attached to the "Continuous Soft Hits" era and I'm trying too look for ways someone like me could be attracted back to listening to terrestrial AC again.

It sounds like you've become disenfranchised by one particular station, not the format. Because it's my experience that the format itself varies from city to city, depending on the competition. If you open your net a little wider than your own geographical area, you might find what you like.

 

[Music Lover]

It sounds like you've become disenfranchised by one particular station, not the format. Because it's my experience that the format itself varies from city to city, depending on the competition. If you open your net a little wider than your own geographical area, you might find what you like.

It's more than one particular station in my neck of the woods.

These are some Soft AC and Oldies stations my family and I used to enjoy:

Sunny 93.9 WRSN Raleigh, NC - Was Soft AC when we listened during the 90's but flipped to a Rhythmic format in 2006 before flipping again to Country.
Magic 99.5 WMAG Greensboro, NC - Was Soft AC when we listened during the 90's but moved away from ballads during the late 2000's.
97.1 WYND Hatteras, NC - One we listened to at the beach. It's now a Contemporary Christian station. Between 1989 and 2000, the station was Soft AC.
94.9 WPVR Roanoke, VA - It's now a Country station. Between 1969 and 1997, the station played Beautiful Music and Soft AC.
93.5 WSNV Salem, VA - Was briefly Soft AC when we listened during the early 2000's but is now Classic Hits.
Joy 100 (WOJY)/B-100 (WWWB) High Point, NC - Was MOR and Soft AC between 1985 and 1994, then flipped to Classic Rock and then Country and then Active Rock before becoming Top 40.
93.1 WMQX Winston-Salem, NC - When my family listened during the 90's, the station played 50's, 60's, and some 70's. It flipped to Country in 20006.

We now seek out stations via Streamlicensing.com, Shoutcast.com, Radionomy.com, Live365.com to listen to at home or at work, but, we don't have access to Internet when we travel. I guess, as the saying goes, you can't have your cake and eat it too.

 

[Avid Listener]

Sorry for that response but I was getting tired of the negativity. I look at it like "the little train that could" rather than take the "it can't be done" stance.

Many downtown areas in various cities became ghost towns when the malls opened. But some cities have fixed up their downtown neighborhoods and have gone after a specific type of business. The “Specialty Shop.” Stuff you can't get at the mall. And as a result many downtown areas are making a comeback. I absolutely, positively believe that the same can be done with AM radio. Call it “Specialty Formats.” One such example would be a 50′s and 60′s oldies format. Yes, it is an older demographic. But they are still out there and they spend money too. No, you won’t be making Bill Gates money but if done right this kind of format would be very successful and make money. AM & FM radio have more competition now than ever before. To succeed, you MUST think outside the box. Those oldies are STILL goodies. And just waiting to be picked off the vine. Time to put on the work gloves.

The thing is, those "revived" downtown neighborhoods with the speciality stores still only make a fraction of the overall revenue that the suburban districts do. And, there is a world of difference between real estate and the technical issues that plague AM radio. You can blame the receiver makers, too many sources of RF interference, or a few dozen other factors, but the truth is that AM radio received over most current receivers extant sounds like shit. It's tolerable for spoken word format, and people who want foreign language broadcasts will put up with crappy sound quality just to hear voices and music from the old country. But for most folks, no matter how much someone might like the music from the 50's & 60's, most folks won't tolerate the terrible, monaural sound.

 

[Music Lover]

interference

Bad static issues is another reason why my family and I no longer listen to local FM stations. Those cities that we could pick up - Greensboro, High Point, Raleigh, Winston-Salem, Salem, and Roanoke - used to be pretty clear. I blame it on a 911 tower that went up near our home a few years ago.

 

[semoochie]

I've had computer problems for the last few days and haven't been able to post(here), for some reason but I think I've covered everything. Before I leave this general discussion though, I've been wondering why the 60s Oldies format hasn't replaced Adult Standards. Some of those(Standards)stations used to have a three or four share and it was mostly 55+. I'm thinking it might be a last gasp effort for the big News/Talk outlets. Hey, there's a thought! What's better, 55+ Men or 55+ Women?

 

[landtuna]

Many downtown areas in various cities became ghost towns when the malls opened. But some cities have fixed up their downtown neighborhoods and have gone after a specific type of business. The “Specialty Shop.” Stuff you can't get at the mall. And as a result many downtown areas are making a comeback.

Downtowns are making a comeback but not with the same businesses they had originally.

Prior to WWII most downtowns in the average American city were small and located close to where their customers lived. It was easy to walk or take a streetcar to go shopping and the big department stores offered one-stop shopping for certain items. Following the war the growth was on and with the G.I. Bill came a rush for vets to buy homes on the cheap and start families. Developers couldn't build close to most downtown's so they moved out into the 'burbs. Now you had a family who lived too far away from downtown to make the trip quick and easy and when you got there there was no parking or you had to pay through the nose. Not to mention walking outside in heat and rain to go from store to store.

The mall moved the stores closer to their customers and provided free parking. Most were enclosed so shopping was much easier in inclement weather. Downtowns withered away until revitalized with sports and convention venues, trendy restaurants and mass transit enabling customers to attend events without having to drive.

The stores followed their customers and gave them reasons to visit. That is also what radio must do to stay alive but I am personally not sure there is a good way.

 

[vchimpanzee]

People are moving downtown again. They want to be where the action is.

I'm not sure there is anything comparable in radio but where I live the standards format is alive and well and making money with local advertisers that just want to make their presence known. It sounds more like oldies sometimes on the morning show but the morning show is fun and interesting for those who like that sort of thing.

 

[Music Lover]

Since that one's too extreme for you, here are two others I like that are much more Soft AC than Joy 99.5.

Soft N Easy Net Radio
http://www.softneasy.com/

Lite 99
http://lite99online.com/

The Soft N Easy station was the first one I ever sought out when my family and I got disgusted at AC being too edgy. Been listening to it since 2008. I love that they include some talented performers who don't get the promotion they deserve, such as Josh Krajcik and Chris Mann.

Joy 99.5 does the same thing as well. They have a small handful of songs/artists that, if they charted, it was very low on the charts.

The exposure to songs/artists we wouldn't have necessarily heard otherwise is another thing that attracted me and my family to such stations when we began seeking them out.

 

[Avid Listener]

People are moving downtown again. They want to be where the action is.

Please. That's one of the most bogus sweeping generalities I've ever read. I'm sure it's true for some folks, but hardly for the majority of people. More likely is that the cost of commuting is just too damn high, and the cost of living in cities is getting more reasonable because supply exceeds demand.

 

[vchimpanzee]

Please. That's one of the most bogus sweeping generalities I've ever read. I'm sure it's true for some folks, but hardly for the majority of people. More likely is that the cost of commuting is just too damn high, and the cost of living in cities is getting more reasonable because supply exceeds demand.

It is a trend where I live. In towns with 20,000 people and cities with 200,000 or 500,000 or 700,000. Sure, the majority do want to live in the suburbs, but it is a trend.

 

[Music Lover]

This is another hyrbrid station I've come across within the past couple of weeks: http://www.abigailradio.com/index.html

Apparently this one is a broadcast station, yet, as they advertise on their website, because they are locally owned & operated, they can take more chances on programming.

The thing that confuses me is that the Shoutcast playlist differs from the playlist on the webpage: http://192.169.234.106:15096/played.html

 

[Music Lover]

I hadn't heard of Joy 99.5, so I followed the link. It's not a broadcast station, but an Internet stream, which is why they can do what they do

I had done a search several months ago to find out some contact information. The guy that programs that station works as a General Manager/Program Director/Afternoon Co-Host for a Contemporary Christian station in Florida. In addition to his Internet AC station, he programs a country station which plays 7 decades of county music from the 1950s up to today's country hits and he programs a station devoted to 80's pop hits and he programs an oldies channel playing hits of the 50's, 60's, and 70's. His country station has the contact information and some brief biographical information and some pictures of him and his kid. I think that being a parent plays a role in why he plays conservative, current hits on his AC station, which, as a parent, is also something I appreciate.

He must love the cast of Glee. He has several songs by them on the station and he has some songs by some of the alums (Lea Michele, Matthew Morrison) on the station.

He also must like American Idol and X-Factor because he has songs by some of those performers (Daughtry, Phil Phillips, Leona Lewis, Matt Cardle).

He's got some songs from some recent soundtracks (Joyful Noise, The Fault In Our Stars).

 

[Music Lover]

This is yet another hybrid station I had come across recently: http://www.kliteonline.com/

Joy 99.5's mission is pretty much the same way K-Lite describes on their Linkedin page: http://www.linkedin.com/company/k-lite-online

The K-Lite Linkedin description hits the nail on the head of how I listen to a hybrid AC station.

 

[Avid Listener]

It is a trend where I live. In towns with 20,000 people and cities with 200,000 or 500,000 or 700,000. Sure, the majority do want to live in the suburbs, but it is a trend.

I don't deny that it is a trend. I deny that it's because people "want to be where the action is".

 

[landtuna]

I don't deny that it is a trend. I deny that it's because people "want to be where the action is".

In my town there is a trend for downtown-located professionals (doctors, lawyers) to relocate closer to work. They are buying and refurbishing the older neighborhoods in and around downtown. The general population is not moving though because (a) those downtown properties are relatively expensive and the homes are small and need extensive work. Also, at least in my area, the public schools are not as good as in the 'burbs so that eliminates families with kids unless they can afford private schools.

"The action" is easy enough to get to when you want to go - it is not necessary to actually live there. And, again in my town, there are centers of "action" in many different areas of the metro area. In fact, the biggest public parties are held in the 'burbs so, depending upon your preferences it may not be necessary to ever visit downtown.

 

[Music Lover]

This is another hyrbrid station I've come across within the past couple of weeks: http://www.abigailradio.com/index.html

Apparently this one is a broadcast station, yet, as they advertise on their website, because they are locally owned & operated, they can take more chances on programming.

The thing that confuses me is that the Shoutcast playlist differs from the playlist on the webpage: http://192.169.234.106:15096/played.html

This Abigail Radio station started as an Internet station on iTunes before going broadcast. When they were on iTunes, they played love songs. Apparently 2014 was when they became broadcast and changed the focus of the station to 70's, 80's, 90's, 00's AC/soft rock. https://www.facebook.com/AbigailRadio