Magic 106.7

[radiolover78]

On the other board, I asked for opinions on this station, but I got little response. I did ask for a history on the station and a poster on that board gave me some of this information:

WMJX has been on the air since January 1982, always with a soft-rock/AC format, and always owned by Greater Media.

106.7 had previously been WBZ-FM, which was owned by Westinghouse.

Mid-day host Nancy Quill has been there since their beginning in 1982.

Evening host David Allen Boucher and his "Bedtime Magic" program have been there from just about their beginning in 1982 as well.

Morning host Mike Addams has been on WMJX for close to ten years after more than twenty years on other major Boston stations.

Afternoon host Dan Justin has been on WMJX for about a half-dozen years and had been on co-owned WROR and WBOS, and previously various other Boston area stations since the 1980's.

Weekend/weekday fill-in/traffic host and assistant Program Director Candy O'Terry has been there for close to twenty years.

Michael Burns has been full-time weeknight overnight host for about fifteen years, and had done weekend overnights for at least a few years before that.

Some interesting information. They certainly have a long history for a radio station and a solid record.

What do you think of this station?

 

[JustinT]

On the other board, I asked for opinions on this station, but I got little response. I did ask for a history on the station and a poster on that board gave me some of this information:

WMJX has been on the air since January 1982, always with a soft-rock/AC format, and always owned by Greater Media.

106.7 had previously been WBZ-FM, which was owned by Westinghouse.

Mid-day host Nancy Quill has been there since their beginning in 1982.

Evening host David Allen Boucher and his "Bedtime Magic" program have been there from just about their beginning in 1982 as well.

Morning host Mike Addams has been on WMJX for close to ten years after more than twenty years on other major Boston stations.

Afternoon host Dan Justin has been on WMJX for about a half-dozen years and had been on co-owned WROR and WBOS, and previously various other Boston area stations since the 1980's.

Weekend/weekday fill-in/traffic host and assistant Program Director Candy O'Terry has been there for close to twenty years.

Michael Burns has been full-time weeknight overnight host for about fifteen years, and had done weekend overnights for at least a few years before that.

Some interesting information. They certainly have a long history for a radio station and a solid record.

What do you think of this station?

It's not bad. I believe it's Greater's oldest "Magic" AC, although not the first (that honor would go to WMGK/Philadelphia, which ditched AC for all-70s in the early-90's). It's been a fairly consistant station over the past 26 years, leading some to consider it an AC powerhouse. None of the big airshifts have changed in the last 5 or so years; neither has the station's jingles. The station has been moving in a more upbeat direction in recent years, along with the rest of the format. It certainly has a loyal audience, and it's Arbitron rankings have been fairly consistant since WSSH 99.5 and WVBF 105.7 went to other formats in the early 1990s, leaving 106.7 as the only AC in Boston.

 

[chitchatjf]

Magic is a traditional AC (I call it Mellow oldies)

BMX is what they call Hot AC

I still say Movin is coming to town maybe on 1041 if not 1033

 

[martin1945]

While I enjoy their music, the reference to "magic" in every other sentence is a bit much. Magic this, magic that. Give it a rest already! :

 

[Varulven]

I believe MAGIC actually does market research - asking the public questions regarding their programming.
They do a good job for the format. Also, you will get a harder rocking "pop" tune once in awhile during the day (though never at night). It's a good station to have on the pre-sets as there's a good chance a tune you like is in their rotation. It's not all syrup.

 

[ssetta]

I do think it's a good AC station for the Boston area, but there are some songs that they don't play that I think they should. See, even though it is an AC station, they mostly go by what does well on the pop chart. That is, if there's a song that does very well on the AC chart, but not so much the pop chart, they might not play it that much. IMO, if you want a true AC station, you should listen to Lite Rock 105. They don't try to mix in pop/rock or dance music much, and they pretty much stick to the traditional AC format.

 

[sp113]

See, even though it is an AC station, they mostly go by what does well on the pop chart. That is, if there's a song that does very well on the AC chart, but not so much the pop chart, they might not play it that much. IMO, if you want a true AC station, you should listen to Lite Rock 105. They don't try to mix in pop/rock or dance music much, and they pretty much stick to the traditional AC format.

Which bears the question....

Do the charts drive the playlists?

...or do the playlists drive the charts?

It's been an ongoing discussion for years!

 

[Retro]

I like them, the only major set back for them is the obviously butchered edits of songs that they play at times: ie (Beautiful-Christine Aguilera) (Don't Want To Miss A Thing-Aerosmith), etc.

 

[vibe]

I wish they would make some "magic" and just disappear. I've listened a number of times to give them a chance but the music is not my cup of coffee. But I'm sure a lot of people like them.

 

[JustinT]

IMO, if you want a true AC station, you should listen to Lite Rock 105. They don't try to mix in pop/rock or dance music much, and they pretty much stick to the traditional AC format.

Most of the larger market AC stations seem to be taking the direction of WMJX, including Clear Channel's WLTW/New York and KOST/Los Angeles, as well as Bonneville's KOIT/San Francisco.

WWLI remains true to the roots of adult contemporary music, playing a lot of music from the 70's as well as some 80's ballads (like Peabo Bryson "If Ever You're In My Arms Again") that Magic tries to relegate to "Bedtime Magic". Both WWLI and WMJX are strong stations in their respective markets, so it's not to say that playing an excess of slow older music is a bad thing, nor is an excess of upbeat music. It's worth mentioning that a year or so ago, someone on the Providence board quipped that WWLI should change its branding to "105.1 The Elevator"...

I like them, the only major set back for them is the obviously butchered edits of songs that they play at times: ie (Beautiful-Christine Aguilera) (Don't Want To Miss A Thing-Aerosmith), etc.

Can't forget their #1 butchered edit, REO Speedwagon's Keep On Loving You.

 

[Eli Polonsky]

I was the one who responed to Kevin on the "other board" with the answers to his questions about the history of WMJX and the longevity of their DJ's, which he pasted into his top post on this thread.

Responding to his following question of what I thought of the station, I posted this:

I'm not much of an AC listener myself, but they obviously know what they're doing. They've always been close to the top, and often on the top, of all adult formatted music stations in the Boston ratings.

They were the sole survivor of an AC war in the 1980's at a time when Boston had close to a half-dozen soft AC stations. They have been the only soft AC remaining in Boston proper for over a dozen years, and they're very successful (there are other soft AC rimshotters, but those more serve outlying areas outside Boston).

 

[ssetta]

Now, here's another question:

Do you think WMJX will once again go all-Christmas?

 

[radiolover78]

Thanks for the information Eli. Sorry I didn't give you credit. That was my mistake!

On another note, the "solidness" has ended at Lite FM in New York City. Clear Channel released two long time veterans of the station. Good thing CC doesn't own Magic! They would have probably butchered the magic right out of the station.