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OldiesCat
Guest
PD John Sebastian is out, after only 14 months.
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John was not the right guy for that gig!
John could only do so much (or little). This announcement seems like the first time Jack-FM has been in the newspapers or heard from in weeks. It wasn't his fault that the ABC FM station picked up that station's former oldies format, hired a couple of their former air personalities, and now has ratings equal to or greater than the "old" WJMK. While Jack-FM sits quietly with little to no publicity in Chicago.
Plus, they are not even the only station in the market playing "whatever". There is a 3 station suburban combo, with air personalities, doing basically the same sort of thing.
It's hard to fault a PD when there isn't really a 'program' to direct, and outside advertising pulls to a halt.
Plus, they are not even the only station in the market playing "whatever". There is a 3 station suburban combo, with air personalities, doing basically the same sort of thing.
It's hard to fault a PD when there isn't really a 'program' to direct, and outside advertising pulls to a halt.
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OldiesCat
Guest
...
(double clicked save button-apologies) 8)
(double clicked save button-apologies) 8)
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OldiesCat
Guest
Chicago update
Only thing I can say is if he's such an icon, why take a gig where you have no power or influence to actually be a Programmer, to be the architect of your radio station? It's kind of pointless, really. One can only wonder if this isn't the first move that could be the end of Jack in Chicago.
There's only one chance to make a big first splash and CBS mucked it up.
Only thing I can say is if he's such an icon, why take a gig where you have no power or influence to actually be a Programmer, to be the architect of your radio station? It's kind of pointless, really. One can only wonder if this isn't the first move that could be the end of Jack in Chicago.
There's only one chance to make a big first splash and CBS mucked it up.
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searadiofreak
Guest
Disagree. ANY Chicago PD position will attract good people. Afterall, it looks awfully good on the 'ole resume. But, yes, Jack is not exactly a challenging programming position. Programming country in a top-10 market offers much more opportunity to ply your trade.
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oldhack1965
Guest
Since Jack's inception, I've heard tweaking on a weekly basis. Does anyone know if they are really going to stick with this format or just keep mucking it up? Ratings have been lackluster if anything...
I visited Jack FM last November and met with John. He's a great programmer... a real pro.
As far as Jack is concerned, I think it's time for something new. The format just doesn't work in Chicago. There's no compelling reason to listen to the station (although I think it's not bad) and, like others remarked here, there's no advertising. No budget, I guess. A real shame.
As far as Jack is concerned, I think it's time for something new. The format just doesn't work in Chicago. There's no compelling reason to listen to the station (although I think it's not bad) and, like others remarked here, there's no advertising. No budget, I guess. A real shame.
Rester wrote:
The format just doesn't work in Chicago. There's no compelling reason to listen to the station (although I think it's not bad) and, like others remarked here, there's no advertising.
Even if there was a compelling reason, people wouldn't know about it. There are those who were pushed away when JACK started, since they dumped even the late 60's oldies. By the time JACK started adding mid-60's into mid 70's songs into their playlist, the people who went away found Oldies 94.7 and have no reason to go back. And those who went to JACK for their 80's & 90's tracks have to put up with the earlier songs they don't know as well.
This, combined with no air personalities to make appearances, establish a market identity, and create audience response opportunities, and without any serious advertising and marketing, and you have a floundering station. We still don't know if JACK can make it in Chicago, because Chicago doesn't know JACK, so to speak.
The format just doesn't work in Chicago. There's no compelling reason to listen to the station (although I think it's not bad) and, like others remarked here, there's no advertising.
Even if there was a compelling reason, people wouldn't know about it. There are those who were pushed away when JACK started, since they dumped even the late 60's oldies. By the time JACK started adding mid-60's into mid 70's songs into their playlist, the people who went away found Oldies 94.7 and have no reason to go back. And those who went to JACK for their 80's & 90's tracks have to put up with the earlier songs they don't know as well.
This, combined with no air personalities to make appearances, establish a market identity, and create audience response opportunities, and without any serious advertising and marketing, and you have a floundering station. We still don't know if JACK can make it in Chicago, because Chicago doesn't know JACK, so to speak.
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Keef59
Guest
No personalities, no ratings. Radio research repeatedly finds that people ''HATE'' dj chatter, BUT, stations without dj's historically have not done well in the ratings. In Chicago or anyplace else. That's why satellite radio has not turned out to be the flamethrower it was touted to be....because personality and what takes place BETWEEN the songs is ultimately the only thing that sets a station apart from all the others. Satellite can't own the lion's share of a market because they haven't invested the lion's share in that market. Local, local, local. It still applies today.
Keef59 wrote:
No personalities, no ratings. Radio research repeatedly finds that people ''HATE'' dj chatter, BUT, stations without dj's historically have not done well in the ratings.
I'm not sure I'd go by that "repeated research". It is the overall station presentation and not the "dj chatter" that determines. Maybe it's been years since WKQX going almost 3 months without personalities and scoring tremendous breakthrough ratings, but that is Chicago major-market proof that it does happen. True, personalities can make a difference, such as 94.7's increase since adding Landecker and Biondi, who make a difference playing the same songs seemingly as much today as when they were current top 40 hits.
Specific to this thread and to JACK-FM is that they continue with the "Ipod on shuffle" format. What they don't seem to get is that people with Ipods will stick with their Ipod while walking, in the car, on the train, and wherever, because they will get a personally higher percentage of songs they like than hoping JACK-FM will play them. And the people who don't grasp the "Ipod on shuffle" concept won't and aren't grasping JACK-FM.
JACK-FM could make a difference even without air personalities. Fun things like an hour of "girl songs from 1983" or "songs that being with the letter T" throughout the day would get people curious to tune to find out what they are doing, while maintaining a varied music format.
Otherwise, they remain another channel to check for a song or two while the other stations the typical frustrated radio music listeners are checking are playing songs they don't like.
But while programmers seemingly struggle to invent fresh and interesting ideas to maintain their audience, the popularity of Ipods, internet radio, and satellite radio, continues to grow everyday, even with a higher cost to the consumer than turning on the radio they already own. That is the "research" to pay attention to!
No personalities, no ratings. Radio research repeatedly finds that people ''HATE'' dj chatter, BUT, stations without dj's historically have not done well in the ratings.
I'm not sure I'd go by that "repeated research". It is the overall station presentation and not the "dj chatter" that determines. Maybe it's been years since WKQX going almost 3 months without personalities and scoring tremendous breakthrough ratings, but that is Chicago major-market proof that it does happen. True, personalities can make a difference, such as 94.7's increase since adding Landecker and Biondi, who make a difference playing the same songs seemingly as much today as when they were current top 40 hits.
Specific to this thread and to JACK-FM is that they continue with the "Ipod on shuffle" format. What they don't seem to get is that people with Ipods will stick with their Ipod while walking, in the car, on the train, and wherever, because they will get a personally higher percentage of songs they like than hoping JACK-FM will play them. And the people who don't grasp the "Ipod on shuffle" concept won't and aren't grasping JACK-FM.
JACK-FM could make a difference even without air personalities. Fun things like an hour of "girl songs from 1983" or "songs that being with the letter T" throughout the day would get people curious to tune to find out what they are doing, while maintaining a varied music format.
Otherwise, they remain another channel to check for a song or two while the other stations the typical frustrated radio music listeners are checking are playing songs they don't like.
But while programmers seemingly struggle to invent fresh and interesting ideas to maintain their audience, the popularity of Ipods, internet radio, and satellite radio, continues to grow everyday, even with a higher cost to the consumer than turning on the radio they already own. That is the "research" to pay attention to!
Dave has it down.... NO PERSONALITY IN THE STREET.... That is a must to make inroads with almost every demo in the Chi market.... 
chgodave said:
I think you're totally right. I think a partial reason that Jack FM here in NYC is showing signs of life is because they do different things kind of like what you mention.. every so often we have an "Excellent 80s Weekend" (80s music all weekend, doy
), every Saturday night is a "Jacked Up Sat. Night" where they play songs with more rhythm or songs that they wouldn't play too often (like 50 Cent), and every Sunday morning is the "Acoustic Sunrise" show which I think they actually very recently implemented on Jack Chicago. On New Years Eve, we had a countdown of the Top 101 Party Songs of all time and other random things are done so often.
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Anyacat
Guest
Jack is crap radio at its finest.
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OldiesCat
Guest
I was in Chicago for 3 days a few weeks ago. It's a pretty boring, canned-sounding station. The wise-guy imaging also grows old fast.
And, Nine-FM, the darling of radio and artsy-type critics, isn't much better. So they play 3,000 titles, they still come off as a big yawn for me.
And, Nine-FM, the darling of radio and artsy-type critics, isn't much better. So they play 3,000 titles, they still come off as a big yawn for me.
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OldiesCat
Guest
Sebastian
John Sebastian has worked just about everywhere. Yes, I believe he Programmed Q102 at some point.
FRR said:
John Sebastian has worked just about everywhere. Yes, I believe he Programmed Q102 at some point.- Status