Cumulus and Clear Channel please bring it back.It would be a refreshing change from what's on the dial now.WCRY was such a relaxing channel.We need the music of Percy Faith,John Fox,Frank Chacksfield,Johnny Douglas,Lex De Azevedo and other b/ez artist back on the FM dial.If I was running cumulus and or clear channel I would have a beautiful music station in every market including the Macon Georgia area.
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I'll say it again Beautiful Music must make a return to the FM dial
- Thread starter sharklover
- Start date
How true! Those were the good old days when almost every city had a beautiful music station. The music was interrupted only every quarter hour and the announcers had a very sedate tone. Jones College's WKTZ-FM is about the only survivor of this format. http://wktz.jones.edu/
You would think with all the stations pulling .5s or 1s in the ratings, or less, would try something like Beautiful Music instead of beating their heads against the wall trying to compete by playing almost the same that everybody else plays. Even if they get small numbers they might at least stir up some new clients for advertisers.
If not beautiful music, at least give Music of Your Life at shot.
If not beautiful music, at least give Music of Your Life at shot.
M
mediawatch22
Guest
Steve Malone said:
Look at the stations that have tried this in other markets. It doesn't work! Advertising agencys don't want "your dad's radio station" so why would they want your "grand-dads station"?
If you want beautiful music, subscribe to Muzak.
THANK YOU! You said it for me. Much as I hate the thought, it's just not salable. If I want beautiful/easy listening music I head to the cable/satellite music channels.
Times change.
Times change.
If your idea is to sit in the office and wait on the agencies to call, no it would not work. But if you have creative management, creative sales management and real sellers and order takers it could. I find it hard to believe that in Macon, Columbus, Savannah, Augusta, and Albany there are not numerous businesses that cater to older affluent customers that would advertise. I worked for WGPC in Albany several years ago (before Mr. George sold it) and we had direct buys from Banks, furniture stores, medical, financial planners, car dealers etc. We did get some agency business but the bulk was local and direct. Now granted we were not a true beautiful music station (more of hybrid BM/soft AC/standards) but I remained convinced you can make more money with it than with the umpteenth country or chr in a market with no unique identity pulling a 0.8.
You are correct! Forget the agencys. Get out and pound the streets. There are pleanty of listeners that will tune in. Everybody doesn't have access to Muzak. Every station doesn't have to program country or rock. Whats the saying about doing the same think over and over and expecting different results?
M
mediawatch22
Guest
Steve Malone said:
Steve, get real. It's hard enough to get good sellers that are willing to "pound the streets", regardless of format. Don't try and make their life even more challenging by trying to get them to sell beautiful music! There are plenty of viable formats out there. It's just that some markets are overloaded with too many stations stubornley stuck with formats that make them sound boringly similar. Remember, to make money you need to be mass appeal. Beautiful music doesn't fall into that catagory unless you're 70+.
Granted if you're trying to program Carlos Montavani and 101 Strings you might have some difficulty. But programming that includes classic standards, new standards (Michael Buble, Rod Stewart American Songbook, Harry Connick, Jr etc) with some contemporary intrumentals you are not appealing to 70+. You are not pounding the pavement peddling the same ole line as 7 or 8 other stations with a sticker shock rate card. You're calling on cllients the other folks have forgotten. Folks that were big believers in radio that have been overlooked, ignored or priced out of the market. Many of these businesses still use newspaper regularly. These are not glamorous businesses but these are traditional and non-tradional advertisers. While everybody else is fighting for Best Buy and Coke and sharing a pittance I'm getting most of the budgets from insurance agencies, banks, doctors, brokers, and locally owned businesses. And another good thing about a lot of these businesses, they require very little work once you get them.
True, we're not talking about beautiful music from your grandfathers day. I agree with Rick, I think you can still have a successful station with that format. You may not be number one, but making some money is better than making none trying to compete with 15 other stations playing similar music. And what's wrong with being 70 years old? We still buy stuff including caskets which I'll bet you can't sell to 20 somethings.
K
kenglish
Guest
We know there are plenty of ex-DJ's and ex-programmers that would love to sink their teeth in to this format 
.....
So, where are there some hungry ex-Sales folks that can sell it on the street?
And, where are the ex-Marketeer's that can keep it on the minds of the public?
That's all it'll take.
.....So, where are there some hungry ex-Sales folks that can sell it on the street?
And, where are the ex-Marketeer's that can keep it on the minds of the public?
That's all it'll take.
With all of the retirees/retirement homes/assisted living facilities in Mid GA, there's a sizable audience for beautiful music. You can debate if it's sellable or not, but the audience is there. I know a few folks who could sell it quite well. 100.7 WLRR on Lake Oconee sounds horrible technically (low modulation, noisy STL, poor production values) but I hear lots of spots and I'm told their audience is quite loyal to them. Their format is standards. I think they're hauling money to the bank so I know it can be done.
Back in 1988, I worked at 107.9 in Macon and another part-timer and I found several stacks of the old 1970's era WCRY BM reels tucked away in a closet. I think we counted 30 reels in excellent condition. With remodeling in full swing, the engineer said they were headed to the dump and warned us not to mess with them. We complied and he hauled them off with hand trucks before anyone could get their hands on them.
Doesn't XM have a BM/EZ Listening channel? I have Sirius and haven't noticed one there.
Back in 1988, I worked at 107.9 in Macon and another part-timer and I found several stacks of the old 1970's era WCRY BM reels tucked away in a closet. I think we counted 30 reels in excellent condition. With remodeling in full swing, the engineer said they were headed to the dump and warned us not to mess with them. We complied and he hauled them off with hand trucks before anyone could get their hands on them.
Doesn't XM have a BM/EZ Listening channel? I have Sirius and haven't noticed one there.
K
kyscott
Guest
daryll said:
WAIT a minute! When does anyone listen to what the chief engineer says?!
kyscott said:
If the CE was Buddy Green you listened...
K
kturnerga
Guest
Steve:
Remember the MOR format of the Sixties? It was like AM940 but even more so, from what I can gather. I wonder where I can get hold of a playlist of the MOR format?
It'd be neat to hear someone recreate it on a special radio or internet program but I don't know if it would sell anywhere but Atlanta- and even then....
KT
Remember the MOR format of the Sixties? It was like AM940 but even more so, from what I can gather. I wonder where I can get hold of a playlist of the MOR format?
It'd be neat to hear someone recreate it on a special radio or internet program but I don't know if it would sell anywhere but Atlanta- and even then....
KT
daryll said:
Yes XM has a beautiful music station called Escape on channel 78.I love it they play mostly instrumental like WCRY did and just a couple of vocals.The thing is with the merger between sirius and xm this channel may be axed.Cinemagic on xm is getting the axe November 1st.Sirius doesn't seem to like Nich channels and they now own Xm.Cinemagic is such a channel and I hate to see it go because the week of Halloween they play some great Halloween scores.By the way Marlon Taylor programs Escape.He use to program a lot of Bonniville b/ez stations.Also I'm 39.I grew up listenting to beautiful music and never quit listening.Sirius doesn't have beautiful music but now their named Sirius Xm and they will soon combine with XM.
You may ask why I want it back on FM when I have it on XM.For the reason that I don't want to leave my reciever running all night long.It gets very hot.With b/ez on Fm I could leave it on FM when I went to bed at night.Also it's ashame that they got rid of those WCRY reels but right now there is a lot of beautiful music available online that could be ordered by a station heck Collectors Choice Music is releasing all of the hollyridge strings albums on cd's in November including their Christmas album.Most beautiful music cd's are available as imports.Collectibles has released all of Percy Faith's albums on cd I have everyone of them and their now releasing Andre Kostelanetz as well.
KT
I don't know where you would get a format of that now. I think Bonneville at that time had a service with that format. Before 99WAYS, WMAZ-FM ran something like that with an announcer named Dell O. Listeners actually thought he was local and tried to have him come speak or visit their group or club. It was a pretty popular format. It was all on big reels of tape that was changed out every three or four hours depending on how many tape machines you had alternating between tapes.
I don't know where you would get a format of that now. I think Bonneville at that time had a service with that format. Before 99WAYS, WMAZ-FM ran something like that with an announcer named Dell O. Listeners actually thought he was local and tried to have him come speak or visit their group or club. It was a pretty popular format. It was all on big reels of tape that was changed out every three or four hours depending on how many tape machines you had alternating between tapes.
Steve Malone said:
Wow, tape machines, now that takes me back. It is amazing how technology has moved us so far forward. I will have to say I do not miss splicing and carts etc. I like where we have gone. Oh by the way if anyone is looking for a great digital editing program try Wave Pad if you have not done so yet. It runs circles around adobe audition and all of the others and the best part is it is free. I use it all the time , and love it. Do a search and you will find it. The free version is great and there is no real need to buy the Masters edition of it. If anyone needs a link to it just hit me with an email...
A
Art Sutton
Guest
Jones Dial Global provides an easy listening/beautiful music format on hard drive. I understand there are approximately 16 easy listening/beautiful music stations in America. WHLC in Highlands, NC covers western NC, northeast GA and upstate SC with that format. It includes some Bonneville cuts. The station does very well serving the upscale Highlands/Cashiers resort areas.
I too believe the format would do very well today and would pull a younger demo than Adult Standards. Programming consultants killed the format. Many if not most of the beautiful music stations were pulling good numbers when the decision was made to pull the plug and go soft AC with them.
I too believe the format would do very well today and would pull a younger demo than Adult Standards. Programming consultants killed the format. Many if not most of the beautiful music stations were pulling good numbers when the decision was made to pull the plug and go soft AC with them.
Steve Malone said:
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