Is this happening in Nashville, other radio markets, maybe it is ??

[Radio Dav]

The reason I think no one really wants to do oldies is because they want to be the number 1 rated station or the cluster wants to see if they can bring down the ratings on the #1 station owned by another cluster. So the rock station will no longer be #1, then the station that is 2nd becomes first.
Maybe this is what people can't figure out what I think is happening.

Example lets say WTTS decides to go oldies (which they will not try oldies because there happy with what there doing). Lets say WTTS does oldies and they was to have some luck, and become the #1 station in Indpls, I all most bet another cluster would try to take there ratings down so 1 of the stations owned by this cluster can have 1 of instead of #2 or #3.

I remember when WKDF was a rock station for several years, then it became country, which at the time WSIX may been #1 station, maybe they wanted to see if they could knock the #1 station off number 1.

Maybe we don't have enough companies rating each station, would make it harder for a station to be number 1 and stay #1 on ratings done by different companies.

 

[Journeyman]

The REAL reason no opne does oldie is that that it appeals to an older demographic. As has been stated before advertising agencies don't believe older folks will change brand loyalty so the don't want to waste time appealing to them. If you ain't 18-34 or 25-54 you ain't crap to advertising agencies. And it's been my experience that slaes peeps don't know how to or don't care to address local sales for older demos so --- No Oldies Nne of the Tme

 

[Prais]

To do oldies succesfully these days, you need a great LOCAL sales team and advertisers who want to support the older demographics to who this music appeals.

You wont be getting any national buys - so your local sales better be top notch.

 

[jetfli]

The reason I think no one really wants to do oldies is because they want to be the number 1 rated station or the cluster wants to see if they can bring down the ratings on the #1 station owned by another cluster. So the rock station will no longer be #1, then the station that is 2nd becomes first.

In Nashville, it doesn't seem like anyone is pushing to be number one, and no one here is even trying to take on the number one station by default.

 

[TheBigA]

Maybe we don't have enough companies rating each station, would make it harder for a station to be number 1 and stay #1 on ratings done by different companies.

That's interesting...so if you don't like the fact that your station isn't #1...go to another ratings service and see if they can list you as #1. Keep hunting around until someone says what you want them to say. We have artists who get #1 records that way...going from chart to chart until they can come up with one who'll make them #1.

Oldies as a format needs to work harder, and not everyone is looking to do hard work. The listeners are more particular. They want certain things, want certain songs, don't want as much repetition, and they complain a lot. The advertisers are also very particular and need more service than typical advertisers. And you need a live airstaff. Listeners won;t stay for a juke box. So it costs more. Lots of negatives. But the biggest problem is the one that everyone has mentioned: The audience is older and the advertisers want younger.

 

[cspotrun]

To do oldies succesfully these days, you need a great LOCAL sales team and advertisers who want to support the older demographics to who this music appeals.

You wont be getting any national buys - so your local sales better be top notch.

oh my God! here we go again with 'The Mantra'- about Oldies and Agency buys, i run a Classic Hits/oldies station and i can tell you I GET National buys and agency buys! why? because my station ranks in the top 3 in a 30+ station market and owning 25-54.
a station that depends solely on agency and national buys will never make it. no matter what format they do. every format needs a GOOD LOCAL sales team, for Classic Hits you need a sales team that "Gets It" when it comes to selling this demo. i think you will find that most business owners who buy advertising are NOT between the ages of 18-34. the last time i read the numbers Classic Hits was the #4 format in terms of stations nationwide. so there are alot of stations playing the greatest hits of all time like CBS-FM-KEARTH,WLS-FM and many others who are getting ratings and making money. do you think they might know something you don't?

 

[TheBigA]

there are alot of stations playing the greatest hits of all time like CBS-FM-KEARTH,WLS-FM and many others who are getting ratings and making money. do you think they might know something you don't?

Based on what I read, those stations got the music right. That's not always an easy thing to do, especially with a station that doesn't have heritage. In Nashville...only WSM has any oldies heritage, and they don't play Gary Puckett, even though he recorded his biggest hits on Music Row. I'd like to hear a Nashville station only play songs recorded in Nashville. That would be quite a station, imho. That's one of a handful of cities that could pull it off. Although my vote would go to Muscle Shoals.

 

[Bat Fastard]

Interesting thread. So far, I think all those who posted have valid points.

I do know this much: when WKDF went Country, WSIX was #1. While I can't speak to what went on in the 'KDF camp, it seems clear they thought they could knock off 'SIX. They didn't then, and I don't think they really ever did. What was VERY interesting to me is the number of people who tried to claim the success that 'SIX had. Other people in the company, other people in other markets and worst of all, a couple of consultants all claimed the success 'SIX had when NONE of them were either inside the building or had ANYTHING to do with it.

Oldies? Rotsa Ruck. If it was profitable (in a traditional Nashville radio sense), you can bet your granny's bloomers somebody would be doing it. Local sales I'm sure are key.

What I still can't figure is why some lower tier operator (like Bud Walters) doesn't do it. Either Bud doesn't need the money or he really is a cheap as it appears. Either way, it looks like he's been able to make do with less than the other guys. That's why he may be the guy for it...if it's HIS idea.

 

[TheBigA]

If it was profitable (in a traditional Nashville radio sense), you can bet your granny's bloomers somebody would be doing it. Local sales I'm sure are key.

I think the fact that South Central was willing to give it up, even with great ratings, says it all.

 

[cspotrun]

If it was profitable (in a traditional Nashville radio sense), you can bet your granny's bloomers somebody would be doing it. Local sales I'm sure are key.

I think the fact that South Central was willing to give it up, even with great ratings, says it all.

if they couldn't turn that into money, i think it just says something about "South Central".

 

[TheBigA]

if they couldn't turn that into money, i think it just says something about "South Central".

They're not the only one.

 

[Radio Dav]

if they couldn't turn that into money, i think it just says something about "South Central".

They're not the only one.

TheBigA what station does ( Bud Walters) has?

Bud doesn't need the money or he really is a cheap as it appears. Either way, it looks like he's been able to make do with less than the other guys. That's why he may be the guy for it...if it's HIS idea.

 

[Radio Dav]

Someone should try to talk to a non com station into doing oldies, where they get under writing for there station.

That way they see a non com station getting some good ratings while the commercial stations struggle to get there ratings.

I tried to talk to some companies like the people that own WRLT to some others on a way to move 101.7 WKOM. I figured the owners of WRLT could have used another signal.

No response...

 

[Radio Dav]

This is a small non com station, people should suggest they do oldies, maybe they will listen better than the corporate clusters, there's a powerful Jazz station in the area, might be the best move for WFSK 88.1 with 700 watts near downtown Nashville. Just think there might be a lot of offices downtown that would listen to oldies more than Jazz.


http://www.fisk.edu/page.asp?id=124

 

[Prais]

WGVU, in Grand Rapids, MI is a non-com, new to oldies.

It sound really good, except there are too many dogs among the hits.
I LOVE the idea.

 

[DToTheJ]

Doesn't Nashville already have an "oldies" station at around 88.1 FM, operated by the University of Tennessee?

 

[Tibbs4]

Someone should try to talk to a non com station into doing oldies, where they get under writing for there station.

That way they see a non com station getting some good ratings while the commercial stations struggle to get there ratings.

I tried to talk to some companies like the people that own WRLT to some others on a way to move 101.7 WKOM. I figured the owners of WRLT could have used another signal.

No response...

Signalid:

It's just not that easy (or cheap) to move signals into Nashville. The owners of WKOM would have done so long ago and it would have
been able to make tons of profit or sell for many millions. Lester Turner sold off the 93.7/94.1 freq. years ago. He's tried it. He's happy
with just having what he has. He would have inceased WRLT's power if he could, long ago. Like Big A said on a post --- Oldies is DEAD
in this market. Yes, SCRG dropped it from 96.3 because the writing was on the wall. It's staying power was dropping and the move to
97.1 (albeit, ruined by Crumulus like everything they touch). I would not count on anyone, even Bud, taking a chance with it. It's the
follow the leader mentality. it would probably do better then The Party with less effort, but still, no one wants to look like they are having
to pick up table scrapes, so the compete with formats they can't win. Makes perfect radio sense.

 

[cspotrun]

if they couldn't turn that into money, i think it just says something about "South Central".

They're not the only one.

there was no excuse for it when they got out of the format, the economy wasn't sucking, and lots of these stations were doing quite well. South Central should probably stick to the one thing they do well AC & soft AC. i guess they didn't have a programming or sales team that "Gets It" or it would have flown.

 

[Radio Dav]

The stations that call there self Jack call it classic hit's but it's more like classic rock if you ask me...

I think oldies could be done if you sprinkle 2, 3, and 4 songs from the 70's and 80's in mix. every hour.

Oldies 105.3 in Evansville played a song by Prince last night.

Check out WGRR 103.5 in Cincinnati, the greatest hits of oldies with a good variety of hits into the 80's. Yes WGRR is a top 5 rated station. If 106.7 in Nashville is changing format they may try to clone WGRR which is owned by Cumulus.

 

[firepoint525]

Doesn't Nashville already have an "oldies" station at around 88.1 FM, operated by the University of Tennessee?

WVCP 88.5 FM, Vol State Community College station. Unfortunately for me, they are in Gallatin, and can only be received on the north and east sides of Nashville. For those of us on the south and west sides, it's WKOM or nothing.