Jax Stuff...

[TheBigA]

Deep cuts? Seriously, every radio station has a very small playlist that rarely gets refreshed. Everything is srutinized by consultants insuring the bottom line is positively impacted.

But the bottom line would not be positively impacted unless what you consider "small playlists" didn't attract maximum listenership. It may be boring to you, but it works.

 

[nfladxer]

If you don't know what a good airstaff can do to make a station stand-out - that IS scary. Remember, radio is the most personal and intimate form of broadcasting (obviously the internet has changed the game) - but in most really successful, heritage music radio stations - the station has a certain "personality" (even outside of Morning drive) that's usually driven by live human beings - to me that's how I would keep the emotion alive - of course you want a strong, tight playlist (and maybe a not so tight playlist, depending on the format). A great radio station is much more than pre-produced imaging with lasers between every song! Does this make sense to anyone? J'ville is way to "canned" right now - but unfortunately we're not alone!

 

[TheBigA]

If you don't know what a good airstaff can do to make a station stand-out - that IS scary.

In your previous post, you didn't say "hire a GOOD airstaff." A bad airstaff is worse than none at all.

But the airstaff doesn't pick the music, set the format, or much else.

radio is the most personal and intimate form of broadcasting (obviously the internet has changed the game)

It also changed what we consider "personal and intimate." Thirty years ago, a voice speaking in a direct way was all you needed to be personal and intimate. Today, you need to be able to address the interests and tastes of individuals. The general approach, speaking about universal topics and interests, isn't personal or intimate. Unless you know me as well as my friends, you're not personal or intimate. Air staffs, regardless of their localism, can't be in touch with the individual tastes and interests of every listener. Thus, no matter what they do, they will miss the favorite song of someone, or their joke will probably offend someone.

For the past 35 years, music radio stations have been built around genre. The assumption is the format is part of the profile of the listener. All rock fans are interested in the same things, like the same artists, have similar interests and beliefs, are about the same age, education, and race. But that's not the case any more. That's why some formats simply don't work any more. So building a radio station around a musical format or genre is becoming a problem. Talk radio is mostly built around a political profile. When talk radio diverges from the simple profile, it has the same problem some music stations have. But if you fit the profile of the station, music or talk, it works just fine.

Today, the phone is the most personal and intimate form of communication we have. It has personalities we know and like, and they speak directly to us in a personal and intimate way. This is why the phone has replaced the radio as the device of choice, and why there's nothing radio can do to change that. No hiring of airstaff, no increasing of playlists, and no amount of money will change that. The best radio can do is guess at what people want and are interested in at any given time. If they miss the mark, the listener is lost. They're educated guesses, based on research. But that's why it sounds canned.

 

[nfladxer]

BigA - No, you wouldn't want to hire a bad airstaff - that's not the point, there's risk involved, unless you're a programming genius of some kind, with any airstaff. But you do make a good point, being on the air for many years, at one point, I came to loathe the phone, and underestimated it's potential, and frankly didn't see it becoming a multi-media tool - and as necessary as breathing for many people. So if your scenario is correct - I guess radio should become "background" - and except for Morning Drive, it seems to be on that course. And if the early indications are correct, PPM may lessen the importance of the "Morning Personality" as well. Did I see management smile?! (For the younger readers/posters - there was a day when the guy/gal on the air was actually entertaining, relatable and funny, and not necessarily full of themselves for no apparent reason, other than the fact they loved what they did, and you could "feel" it through the radio speaker). It was just fun to this listener. To all a Good Night.

 

[TheBigA]

So if your scenario is correct - I guess radio should become "background" - and except for Morning Drive, it seems to be on that course.

Depends on the format. And if radio stays attached to the idea of genre-based formats. I'd like to see more lifestyle-based formats that aren't locked in to specific music genres. Then you might hear more "emotion" and "personality."

I think there's a big interest at radio companies towards increasing their involvement in social media through the internet. That's another place where personality can work, and be more directed to the specific interests and tastes of the community. The catch is there's not much money in it now. But that may change. In the multi-platform world, the on-air station attracts the audience, and then shares it with the station's internet sites, hopefully building a lifestyle community that interacts among itself. It brings new meaning to the idea of "serving the community." It's less about geography and more about interest.

 

[John FL]

There have been a lot of posts covering many things and I can’t respond to all so I’ll just give this my best shot.

Music is an integral part of a music format. I understand the benefits of shorter playlists and it makes good sense to play the songs that appeal to the most people. But our market continues to never offer anything different. It's the same songs day in and day out with just a few tweaks here and there over time. Programming creativity lacks in Jax and why that is, I don't know.

I do believe there is room for some local autonomy. Those who have earned a position of leadership should not be just order takers. Maybe it’s just who I am but in my career I encouraged people to think. I didn’t care if a great idea came from the janitor. That didn’t make me feel insecure but rather it made me feel good that people felt comfortable talking to me. In the end, we all looked good and it helped our business. I suspect those who still have a job in radio mainly keep their mouths shut. And this helps radio in what way?

If someone who has a job in radio is out and about enjoying life, there should be empowerment to take advantage of those experiences. Here’s what I mean. You go to a hit movie and a song is featured that gets positive reaction from the audience. You go to the Jacksonville Landing or to the Beaches and see a local band perform a song that gets people dancing and singing out loud. That song may not be on the playlist but it could fit the format.

A GM or PD should be able to decide to feature that song on the morning show or the jock should feel comfortable enough to talk to the boss and request the song be played. If anything, to reflect what is going on locally maybe even saying something like “I saw you dancing and singing to this.” My gosh, maybe even if a portion of the song is featured to give the talent something to talk about on a local level, even if to rag on the song.

Yeah, I know not everyone in town would have been at the concert or movie but I would trust the talent to make the bit work. Is radio so controlled that not even a couple of minutes of spontaneity isn’t allowed? Look, I can understand the need for controls but radio, especially In Jax, sounds like something I can't really put into words and I don't think it's a good thing. Nfladxer has echoed my thoughts.

PPM is just another means to micro-manage. Look, I'm sure some of you could respond to what I say with all your facts and figures and research and data. Frankly, I don’t give a crap. I can go along with some of it as radio is a competitive business and some things are proven to work. But to me that noose is way too tight and it literally is strangling some very good people who literally have no breathing room at all to make a positive difference. Put that in yet another category of why I will never understand the business of radio.

 

[TheBigA]

But our market continues to never offer anything different.

First of all, does that comment include WJCT and other non traditional radio stations?

Second, does it include the contemporary stations, that are 70% currents?

Or is it mainly a criticism of the classics-based radio stations? In those cases, the music doesn't really change. You can retrace the 60s any way you want, but The Beatles still rule, and certain songs are stronger than the rest.

The other thing about different is that for a growing segment in this country, different is bad. Not to get political, but an objection to the current President is his campaign pledge about change. People on the other side say "keep the change." Going back to my experience in classical and jazz formats, the fans absolutely hate any changes or differences in its presentation. They tune in because they expect a certain form of presentation and music choice. That is the brand of the station. They don't want deep cuts from Miles Davis. They don't want Bitches Brew, they want Kind of Blue.

I do believe there is room for some local autonomy.

Based on my studies of major broadcasting companies, autonomy is generally something that is earned, not given. You get it because you demonstrate that you possess the ability to lead, not only in programming, but in attracting new revenues from that programming. A company didn't spend money to buy a station in Jacksonville so that station could do whatever it wants. The funny thing is a station like WJCT has all the autonomy in the world, and doesn't take it. But radio stations are no different from any other centrally-owned business, from department stores to fast food to retail to Budweiser. The Bud you buy in Jacksonville tastes the same as the Bud you get in New York, regardless of local taste. Same with Coke and Pepsi. And they all seem to be doing just fine.

A GM or PD should be able to decide to feature that song on the morning show or the jock should feel comfortable enough to talk to the boss and request the song be played.

Once again, that's a priviledge that is earned, not given. And you beeter have a better reason than the one you gave. A radio station doesn't program to its employees, but to the public. Just because a small group of people are responding to a particular song doesn't mean it will get the same response when presented to the vast majority who didn't see the local band. That kind of micro experience is better presented in micro media, rather than mass media.

The idea of "trusting the talent" also implies a certain level of musical credibility. Where do they get that credibility? What is their experience or knowledge in being able to recognize talent? Just because one has a job at a radio station doesn't mean he knows music. The radio business isn't the music business. I spent enough time in both to know the difference.

But to me that noose is way too tight and it literally is strangling some very good people who literally have no breathing room at all to make a positive difference.

That may be true. If so, there's no law that requires those who work in Jacksonville that they must stay there. I have lived in about a dozen cities in my career, north south east and west. They're all different and offer different opportunities. But at the end of the day, if you work at any type of job and want to diverge from what the boss wants and expects, you better have the knowledge and credibility to do it, and you better be right. Because if you work at McDonalds, and start flame-broiling the burgers, you will get fired. If you work at the local Coke plant and mess with the formula, you will get fired. If you teach in the local school system and diverge from the established curriculum, you will get fired. That's just how it is.

 

[TheBigA]

You go to the Jacksonville Landing or to the Beaches and see a local band perform a song that gets people dancing and singing out loud.

Sorry to waste so much space, but your post contained a lot of great points, and I wanted to respond to this one in particular.

If you spoke with the members of that local band, and asked them how they got that gig, they'd tell you it wasn't easy. Bands have a long history before they play larger public gigs like that. It's rare that a band makes its debut that way. They have to establish a track record, and pass an audition. Their one sheet is probably filled with gigs they've played and reviews they've received.

Same with radio. You don't just play a gig and get your music played on a Top 5 station in a Top 50 market. There's a long road to get there. You start at smaller radio stations, and track the response they get. You bring that track record to the larger station, and so on. It's like getting a job. No one starts out of college running a major company (unless it's a family company). You need to build. Like I said earlier about credibility. I get CDs from new artists all the time, and I tell them all that I'm not where they begin. They need to start small somewhere. It may even be some internet stations. It also involved the band having people who are knowledgable in how the game is played. There are stories about Brian Epstein and how he was able to break the Beatles from small clubs in Hamburg to the US. That work needs to be done by the band, not the radio station.

 

[radiobum]

I never understand why stations don't think they can play even one song once that they don't already play every other day (if not more). Bob Dylan in Gainesville that night? How about playing "Lay Lady Lay" if you're an AC station or that or one of many many others by him if you're a Classic Rock station. Bo Diddley died and he lives in your listening area (or elsewhere)? Play one of his two minute songs in AM drive !

What ever happened to "Oh WOW" songs ?!

 

[John FL]

TheBigA, thank you very much for your responses. I wasn’t very clear, was I? When I talked of featuring a song not on the playlist, I was referring to a well established song – a hit if you will. It could apply to any format that is gold based whether it is rock, country or classic hits. I was attempting to go after that “wow” factor radiobum described.

I waited to respond because I knew our last diary book was about to be made public. Since this is “Jax Stuff” let me at least acknowledge WEJZ for its very impressive showing. Renda Broadcasting gets a lot of knocks on these boards but today I say bravo to 3 out of their 4 stations and their efforts.

In this string we heard about emotion in news/talk. I remained quiet mainly because I’ve turned away from the format up until earlier this year I listened to the most. Apparently, I reflect the tastes of other listener’s as well because WOKV is trending down. There’s lots of reasons for it. The Cliffs Notes version is they too have lost their spontaneity and so much of conservative talk today is just a downer. I’m looking for escape from reality wherever I can find it. For me and others too, music is that kind of escape.

I will admit to being somewhat naïve in the business of radio. When I showed my anger in this string, it’s because I knew how the book was going to turn out. Maybe I’m not that smart in thinking I can make a difference. Shortly after Magic came about, I talked to the cafeteria manager where I work to get him to switch stations. He did. Traffic there ranges between 600-800 people a day visiting up to twice a day. I was hoping to get something going in my small way. That lasted about a week. I know a lot of business owners in the Southside/Baymeadows area and with the exception of one mom and pop, I’ve noticed they are all back listening to their original station of choice. To me, that speaks volumes.

Their main competitor tightened their playlist both in anticipation of PPM and to respond to the new radio landscape. They have done very well proving your point that despite what even the public may say abut hearing the same songs over and over again, it gets numbers.

That station hosted a Little River Band concert at the Landing – a great outdoor, fun place I spoke about earlier. They promoted themselves in TV ads. The new guys did nothing and I haven’t a clue what they are waiting for.

You see Big A, we are both right. I believe there is room in the market for two different approaches. There is room in this market for a good competition between 2 different brands of the format, just like what exists in Tampa and elsewhere. True, this latest book reflects a lot of what was the former format but still we should have seen a bump. We didn’t even see goose flesh.

CC literally got their proverbial butts kicked in the former format at 107.3. I wonder if they have learned anything. I wonder too if that anger that I’m sure they would have to have couldn’t manifest itself into some incredible desire to win. It’s not there. I know this isn’t NYC /WCBS-FM but if Magic could engage in even limited special programming for those wow factors, I believe it could make a difference for Magic. I prefer to think of the things that a market our size CAN do. There's a lot of latitude with greatest hits and the music variety. It offers an alternative to a strict and narrow interpretation of the format.
Take care of your audience and they will take care of you. There’s more than one way to do that.