K-JACK 60’s-70’s-80’s radio launches in Pittsburgh via net radio.

[retrodj]

For net radio listeners,the first Jack style station has landed in Pittsburgh via the net. MetroCities Communications which owns 3 net stations in Pittsburgh, on July 25th dumped it’s 3 1/2 year old 60’s & 70’s oldies format which ran on it’s flagship net station for a Jack style format called, (K-JACK Mega 60’s-70’s–80’s) radio. From the station web site, the description of the format is described as “ What's Now Playing From The 60’s, 70's & 80’s? Who Knows ? Tune In To Find Out. Tell Your Friends That K-JACK 60's, 70’s, 80’s Radio Is Playing Music Our Way”! From the stations staff page, I e-mailed the station program director to find a little more about the station. I was e-mailed back with the response that the format is an “eclectic 60’s-70’s, 80’s Pop, Top 40, Classic Rock, R&B Rock'n Easy, Soul, Dance And More format”. The articles about the station are at http://www.wrtro.com or http://www.e-hits-info.com

 

[Radio_Realist]

In other words, it's a kludge hodge-podge of every kind of music ever recorded. Sort of like ordering every late-night TV direct sales compilation music disc ever sold, stuffing them into a multi-disc CD player, and then hitting the random play button.

It takes a real programming genius to hit the "random play" button on a jukebox, and then pass that off as real work.

> For net radio listeners,the first Jack style station has
> landed in Pittsburgh via the net. MetroCities Communications
> which owns 3 net stations in Pittsburgh, on July 25th dumped
> it’s 3 1/2 year old 60’s & 70’s oldies format which ran on
> it’s flagship net station for a Jack style format called,
> (K-JACK Mega 60’s-70’s–80’s) radio. From the station web
> site, the description of the format is described as “ What's
> Now Playing From The 60’s, 70's & 80’s? Who Knows ? Tune In
> To Find Out. Tell Your Friends That K-JACK 60's, 70’s, 80’s
> Radio Is Playing Music Our Way”! From the stations staff
> page, I e-mailed the station program director to find a
> little more about the station. I was e-mailed back with the
> response that the format is an “eclectic 60’s-70’s, 80’s
> Pop, Top 40, Classic Rock, R&B Rock'n Easy, Soul, Dance And
> More format”. The articles about the station are at
> http://www.wrtro.com or http://www.e-hits-info.com
>

 

[MadAirchecker]

Yeah, you're right. They should just play "Happy Together," "Mony Mony" and "Brown Eyed Girl" over and over.

Now THAT'S real programming genius.





> In other words, it's a kludge hodge-podge of every kind of
> music ever recorded. Sort of like ordering every late-night
> TV direct sales compilation music disc ever sold, stuffing
> them into a multi-disc CD player, and then hitting the
> random play button.
>
> It takes a real programming genius to hit the "random play"
> button on a jukebox, and then pass that off as real work.
>
> > For net radio listeners,the first Jack style station has
> > landed in Pittsburgh via the net. MetroCities
> Communications
> > which owns 3 net stations in Pittsburgh, on July 25th
> dumped
> > it’s 3 1/2 year old 60’s & 70’s oldies format which ran
> on
> > it’s flagship net station for a Jack style format called,
> > (K-JACK Mega 60’s-70’s–80’s) radio. From the station web
> > site, the description of the format is described as “
> What's
> > Now Playing From The 60’s, 70's & 80’s? Who Knows ? Tune
> In
> > To Find Out. Tell Your Friends That K-JACK 60's, 70’s,
> 80’s
> > Radio Is Playing Music Our Way”! From the stations staff
> > page, I e-mailed the station program director to find a
> > little more about the station. I was e-mailed back with
> the
> > response that the format is an “eclectic 60’s-70’s, 80’s
> > Pop, Top 40, Classic Rock, R&B Rock'n Easy, Soul, Dance
> And
> > More format”. The articles about the station are at
> > http://www.wrtro.com or http://www.e-hits-info.com
> >
>

 

[Radio_Realist]

Actually, you've just defined the opposite end of "bad programming bridge". It's like a guitar string. Tighten it too tight, and it breaks. Too loose, and it won't play.

It seems we listeners are stuck between two equally unpalatable extremes. We're either fed playlists that are too limited, or we're a kludge of songs with no coherence, no continuity, and no programming.

Both extremes suck.


> Yeah, you're right. They should just play "Happy Together,"
> "Mony Mony" and "Brown Eyed Girl" over and over.
>
> Now THAT'S real programming genius.
>
>
>
>
>
> > In other words, it's a kludge hodge-podge of every kind of
>
> > music ever recorded. Sort of like ordering every
> late-night
> > TV direct sales compilation music disc ever sold, stuffing
>
> > them into a multi-disc CD player, and then hitting the
> > random play button.
> >
> > It takes a real programming genius to hit the "random
> play"
> > button on a jukebox, and then pass that off as real work.
>
> >
> > > For net radio listeners,the first Jack style station has
>
> > > landed in Pittsburgh via the net. MetroCities
> > Communications
> > > which owns 3 net stations in Pittsburgh, on July 25th
> > dumped
> > > it’s 3 1/2 year old 60’s & 70’s oldies format which ran
>
> > on
> > > it’s flagship net station for a Jack style format
> called,
> > > (K-JACK Mega 60’s-70’s–80’s) radio. From the station
> web
> > > site, the description of the format is described as “
> > What's
> > > Now Playing From The 60’s, 70's & 80’s? Who Knows ? Tune
>
> > In
> > > To Find Out. Tell Your Friends That K-JACK 60's, 70’s,
> > 80’s
> > > Radio Is Playing Music Our Way”! From the stations staff
>
> > > page, I e-mailed the station program director to find a
> > > little more about the station. I was e-mailed back with
> > the
> > > response that the format is an “eclectic 60’s-70’s, 80’s
>
> > > Pop, Top 40, Classic Rock, R&B Rock'n Easy, Soul, Dance
>
> > And
> > > More format”. The articles about the station are at
> > > http://www.wrtro.com or http://www.e-hits-info.com
> > >
> >
>

 

[MadAirchecker]

Your mistake is assuming that the music is just selected randomly. I could very easily put together a pretty cohesive list using music from the '60s to the '90s. I can also put together a list that's exclusively '70s, yet filled with jarring transitions.

I don't think this really matters because about eight people listen to Net radio, but it's not as scattered as you might assume.





> Actually, you've just defined the opposite end of "bad
> programming bridge". It's like a guitar string. Tighten it
> too tight, and it breaks. Too loose, and it won't play.
>
> It seems we listeners are stuck between two equally
> unpalatable extremes. We're either fed playlists that are
> too limited, or we're a kludge of songs with no coherence,
> no continuity, and no programming.
>
> Both extremes suck.
>
>
> > Yeah, you're right. They should just play "Happy
> Together,"
> > "Mony Mony" and "Brown Eyed Girl" over and over.
> >
> > Now THAT'S real programming genius.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > > In other words, it's a kludge hodge-podge of every kind
> of
> >
> > > music ever recorded. Sort of like ordering every
> > late-night
> > > TV direct sales compilation music disc ever sold,
> stuffing
> >
> > > them into a multi-disc CD player, and then hitting the
> > > random play button.
> > >
> > > It takes a real programming genius to hit the "random
> > play"
> > > button on a jukebox, and then pass that off as real
> work.
> >
> > >
> > > > For net radio listeners,the first Jack style station
> has
> >
> > > > landed in Pittsburgh via the net. MetroCities
> > > Communications
> > > > which owns 3 net stations in Pittsburgh, on July 25th
> > > dumped
> > > > it’s 3 1/2 year old 60’s & 70’s oldies format which
> ran
> >
> > > on
> > > > it’s flagship net station for a Jack style format
> > called,
> > > > (K-JACK Mega 60’s-70’s–80’s) radio. From the station
> > web
> > > > site, the description of the format is described as “
> > > What's
> > > > Now Playing From The 60’s, 70's & 80’s? Who Knows ?
> Tune
> >
> > > In
> > > > To Find Out. Tell Your Friends That K-JACK 60's, 70’s,
>
> > > 80’s
> > > > Radio Is Playing Music Our Way”! From the stations
> staff
> >
> > > > page, I e-mailed the station program director to find
> a
> > > > little more about the station. I was e-mailed back
> with
> > > the
> > > > response that the format is an “eclectic 60’s-70’s,
> 80’s
> >
> > > > Pop, Top 40, Classic Rock, R&B Rock'n Easy, Soul,
> Dance
> >
> > > And
> > > > More format”. The articles about the station are at
> > > > http://www.wrtro.com or http://www.e-hits-info.com
> > > >
> > >
> >
>

 

[GrizzledVet]

RR, with all due respect, your replies are generally a 6-CD changer consisting of (1) ungrounded negativism, (2) your days as an entertainer/preacher/broadcaster, (3) ungrounded negativism, (4) billboard commentary, (5) misinformed conculsions calculated to ne negative, and (6) a well-reasoned question or reply. I wish you'd consider changing the rotation to CD Number 6, because when you do, it adds to the board.

MA, you're right for some, but the landscape sure is changing. Some services are managing over 10,000 simultaneous listeners now around the clock...not major market, but significant.
<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by GrizzledVet on 08/31/05 11:53 AM.</FONT></P>

 

[BarryMcCockiner]

This, from the king of "I hate small, tight radio playlists!"

So.. if the playlist is too small, you don't like it. If it's too big, you don't like it. If it's too tight and format-specific, if it never plays any new music or appeals to a wider sample, you don't like it. If it plays tons of songs in a wide variety, you don't like it. You don't like it when the playlist is determined by suits backed by consultant research. Now you don't like it when a program director tries his hand at radio the old-fashioned way, wide scope presentation of hand-picked music from a diverse sample. I cull all these conclusions from your past post history. What DO you like??

I have a suggestion. You should try W-MP3. Sounds like the only station that will ever please you.


> In other words, it's a kludge hodge-podge of every kind of
> music ever recorded. Sort of like ordering every late-night
> TV direct sales compilation music disc ever sold, stuffing
> them into a multi-disc CD player, and then hitting the
> random play button.
>
> It takes a real programming genius to hit the "random play"
> button on a jukebox, and then pass that off as real work.
>
> > For net radio listeners,the first Jack style station has
> > landed in Pittsburgh via the net. MetroCities
> Communications
> > which owns 3 net stations in Pittsburgh, on July 25th
> dumped
> > it’s 3 1/2 year old 60’s & 70’s oldies format which ran
> on
> > it’s flagship net station for a Jack style format called,
> > (K-JACK Mega 60’s-70’s–80’s) radio. From the station web
> > site, the description of the format is described as “
> What's
> > Now Playing From The 60’s, 70's & 80’s? Who Knows ? Tune
> In
> > To Find Out. Tell Your Friends That K-JACK 60's, 70’s,
> 80’s
> > Radio Is Playing Music Our Way”! From the stations staff
> > page, I e-mailed the station program director to find a
> > little more about the station. I was e-mailed back with
> the
> > response that the format is an “eclectic 60’s-70’s, 80’s
> > Pop, Top 40, Classic Rock, R&B Rock'n Easy, Soul, Dance
> And
> > More format”. The articles about the station are at
> > http://www.wrtro.com or http://www.e-hits-info.com
> >
>

 

[Radio_Realist]

> This, from the king of "I hate small, tight radio
> playlists!"
>
> So.. if the playlist is too small, you don't like it. If
> it's too big, you don't like it. If it's too tight and
> format-specific, if it never plays any new music or appeals
> to a wider sample, you don't like it. If it plays tons of
> songs in a wide variety, you don't like it. You don't like
> it when the playlist is determined by suits backed by
> consultant research. Now you don't like it when a program
> director tries his hand at radio the old-fashioned way, wide
> scope presentation of hand-picked music from a diverse
> sample. I cull all these conclusions from your past post
> history. What DO you like??

What I like is a station that picks a specific genre of music, and sticks to it. I like a station that plays a wide selection of music within the genre it has selected. If a station plays classic rock, great. There is an incredible range of music that fits that genre. If it picks country, that's also great. Or if it picks elevator muzak style pop, that's also great. The thing is, whatever genre of music you pick to play, stick with it. Don't try to be all things to all people.

I also like a station that has a good ratio of well-known hits to obscure but good-sounding songs that fit within their particular genre of music. Out of every 100 songs a station plays, 70 to 80 of them should be well-known hits and the rest should be "deep cuts" and new recordings that have a similar sound to the core of the playlist.

I like a station that puts songs together into sets where they compliment each other, where the mood created by one song blends nicely into the mood of the next song, without glaring, blaring reverses. I like Steppenwolf's "Born to be Wild", and I like Neil Diamond's "Song Sung Blue". But they'd sound like crap played back-to-back.

I like a station that has entertaining disc jockeys. If I just wanted songs, I'd listen to my own mix tapes.

The thing is, the size of the playlist is only one consideration. The CONTENT of the playlist is just as important. I've been listening to WLTJ at work lately, and I have no complaints about their playlist of modern songs, as they also mix in a good ratio of vintage songs. What I object to is the fact that they take a relative handful of vintage songs out of their library and play them to death day after day, then rotate in other songs from their playlist and beat them to death. Their so-called "no-repeat workday" doesn't mention the fact that they repeat Monday on Tuesday, and so on.

They probably have thousands of songs from which they pull the 50 or 60 they're going to play over and over until we listeners pull our hair out and switch to 99.7 or 100.7, or to one of the country stations. And every single song on that master playlist probably tested well. So why do they insist on dragging out a handful of songs from their master list, beating them to death, then dragging out a new small batch to play to death? Instead of "no repeat workDAYS", why not a "No repeat workWEEK for all vintage songs"?

That's all I'm talking about -- achieving a balance.

> I have a suggestion. You should try W-MP3. Sounds like the
> only station that will ever please you.
>
>
> > In other words, it's a kludge hodge-podge of every kind of
>
> > music ever recorded. Sort of like ordering every
> late-night
> > TV direct sales compilation music disc ever sold, stuffing
>
> > them into a multi-disc CD player, and then hitting the
> > random play button.
> >
> > It takes a real programming genius to hit the "random
> play"
> > button on a jukebox, and then pass that off as real work.
>
> >
> > > For net radio listeners,the first Jack style station has
>
> > > landed in Pittsburgh via the net. MetroCities
> > Communications
> > > which owns 3 net stations in Pittsburgh, on July 25th
> > dumped
> > > it’s 3 1/2 year old 60’s & 70’s oldies format which ran
>
> > on
> > > it’s flagship net station for a Jack style format
> called,
> > > (K-JACK Mega 60’s-70’s–80’s) radio. From the station
> web
> > > site, the description of the format is described as “
> > What's
> > > Now Playing From The 60’s, 70's & 80’s? Who Knows ? Tune
>
> > In
> > > To Find Out. Tell Your Friends That K-JACK 60's, 70’s,
> > 80’s
> > > Radio Is Playing Music Our Way”! From the stations staff
>
> > > page, I e-mailed the station program director to find a
> > > little more about the station. I was e-mailed back with
> > the
> > > response that the format is an “eclectic 60’s-70’s, 80’s
>
> > > Pop, Top 40, Classic Rock, R&B Rock'n Easy, Soul, Dance
>
> > And
> > > More format”. The articles about the station are at
> > > http://www.wrtro.com or http://www.e-hits-info.com
> > >
> >
>

 

[Radio_Realist]

> I wish you'd consider
> changing the rotation to CD Number 6, because when you do,
> it adds to the board.

Then read my reply to BarryMcCockiner in this thread.

And some of my negativism IS grounded.

 

[GrizzledVet]

> > This, from the king of "I hate small, tight radio
> What I like is a station that picks a specific genre of
> music, and sticks to it. I like a station that plays a wide

1. The fact that something is what one *likes* has little to do with whether something is good radio or a meritorious effort. Lots of things I don't like are things I still respect and understand or -- at the very least -- not constantly criticize. Equating "dislike" with "wrong" is not a professional way of evaluating these things and I think it's helpful to be more open-minded.

2. A specific genre? Okay, I know you like country...do you like classic country, alt-country, bluegrass, newgrass, western swing, acapella gospel, acoustic, electric...? Genres are not easy to define.

I think where we'd both agree is that there is an art to acheiving a particular SOUND for a radio station. A sound where Ronnie Milsap's "Any Day Now" might just work next to "Summer Soft" by Stevie Wonder, and a mellower Backstreet Boys record. Three genres, three decades.

There are multiple ways to achieve commercial success WITH decent aesthetics. Unfortunately, doing so takes alot of time and thought and usually earns less money. But it can be done. And let's give those trying to do it -- netcasters or otherwise -- a chance before condemning them.

 

[Radio_Realist]

> This, from the king of "I hate small, tight radio
> playlists!"

For someone who only joined here on 07/13/05 at 09:35 PM, you sure have a strong opinion on what I've posted in the past! Did you go back through all the old threads and read everything in all of them?

 

[FightingIrish]

> For net radio listeners,the first Jack style station has
> landed in Pittsburgh via the net. MetroCities Communications
> which owns 3 net stations in Pittsburgh, on July 25th dumped
> it’s 3 1/2 year old 60’s & 70’s oldies format which ran on
> it’s flagship net station for a Jack style format called,
> (K-JACK Mega 60’s-70’s–80’s) radio. From the station web
> site, the description of the format is described as “ What's
> Now Playing From The 60’s, 70's & 80’s? Who Knows ? Tune In
> To Find Out. Tell Your Friends That K-JACK 60's, 70’s, 80’s
> Radio Is Playing Music Our Way”! From the stations staff
> page, I e-mailed the station program director to find a
> little more about the station. I was e-mailed back with the
> response that the format is an “eclectic 60’s-70’s, 80’s
> Pop, Top 40, Classic Rock, R&B Rock'n Easy, Soul, Dance And
> More format”. The articles about the station are at
> http://www.wrtro.com or http://www.e-hits-info.com
>

Wow, even the site is retro.

It looks like it was designed in 1995!

And it's hosted by Tripod, of course.

I'd look into a name change, though. 'Jack' is a trademark that is very heavily guarded.<P ID="signature">______________
The Liberal Talk Radio Update</P>