Martini on the Rockies 101.5 and Sassy 107

[eGillCVI]

<font face="verdana" color="dark pink">The cleverly-named Denver Radio Company launched a couple “new” FM formats today. They are called Martini on the Rockies (seriously) and Sassy.

All Access reports that the Martini on the Rockies format plays the likes of Norah Jones, Sarah McLachlan, Sheryl Crow, Linda Eder, Diana Krall, and Michael Buble along with standard covers from Harry Connick Jr., Rod Stewart, Linda Ronstadt, and Bette Midler…and “an occasional original from Frank, Dean, or Tony.”

Sassy offers a “bright presentation” with artists like Carole King, Carly Simon, The Carpenters, James Taylor, America, and Chicago.

Denver Radio Company President Steven Keeney said they "couldn’t resist" the formats because “each is original in both content and music.” Director of Operations & Programming Entertainment Tim Maranville added, “These two very unique formats were created exclusively for Denver.”

I don’t know about all that. Martini on the Rockies sounds a lot like a retread of the “Red” format we discussed here last year. And if I’m not mistaken, this ultra-unique, Denver-flavored Sassy format is pretty much Sunny 104.5.

Sassy could obviously survive in market #6 (because it is)…but what about the Martini format? Could a full-time Sunlight Lounge make it on one of our FM’s?</font>

 

[Betrayed]

> The cleverly-named Denver Radio Company launched a couple
> “new” FM formats today. They are called Martini on the
> Rockies (seriously) and Sassy.
>
> All Access reports that the Martini on the Rockies format
> plays the likes of Norah Jones, Sarah McLachlan, Sheryl
> Crow, Linda Eder, Diana Krall, and Michael Buble along with
> standard covers from Harry Connick Jr., Rod Stewart, Linda
> Ronstadt, and Bette Midler…and “an occasional original from
> Frank, Dean, or Tony.”
>
> Sassy offers a “bright presentation” with artists like
> Carole King, Carly Simon, The Carpenters, James Taylor,
> America, and Chicago.
>
> Denver Radio Company President Steven Keeney said they
> "couldn’t resist" the formats because “each is original in
> both content and music.” Director of Operations &
> Programming Entertainment Tim Maranville added, “These two
> very unique formats were created exclusively for Denver.”
>
> I don’t know about all that. Martini on the Rockies sounds
> a lot like a retread of the “Red” format we discussed here
> last year. And if I’m not mistaken, this ultra-unique,
> Denver-flavored Sassy format is pretty much Sunny 104.5.
>
> Sassy could obviously survive in market #6 (because it
> is)…but what about the Martini format? Could a full-time
> Sunlight Lounge make it on one of our FM’s?
>
Hey, I'd give it a good listen. But then I'm a 40-something who still thinks a guy who picks up a guitar should be able to play with a passion, a guy who steps up to a mike should be able to sing an entire scale and a guy who puts those little black circles on those little lines should be able to create melody. Yeah, I know. Silly ain't it. Not much of that has made it on the the airwaves in the last 15 years.

 

[eGillCVI]

I'm sure the Pussycat Dolls would argue with you. ;-)

> Not much of
> that has made it on the the airwaves in the last 15 years.
>

 

[Starscream]

> They are called Martini on the
> Rockies (seriously) and Sassy.

Every time I hear that damn word, I immediately get a vision of Phil Hartman looking over his shoulder and over-enounciating it with a smirking grin from that SNL skit many moons ago.

"Ooooh... That's so... SASSY!"

 

[saund3461]

Much as beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so music is such in the ear of the listener. To be honest, both formats would put me to sleep. But that's just me.

> Hey, I'd give it a good listen. But then I'm a 40-something
> who still thinks a guy who picks up a guitar should be able
> to play with a passion, a guy who steps up to a mike should
> be able to sing an entire scale and a guy who puts those
> little black circles on those little lines should be able to
> create melody. Yeah, I know. Silly ain't it. Not much of
> that has made it on the the airwaves in the last 15 years.
>

 

[musicrrrr]

> Sassy could obviously survive in market #6 (because it
> is)…but what about the Martini format? Could a full-time
> Sunlight Lounge make it on one of our FM’s?

When you say "make it," do you mean "make it" in the ratings books or do you mean "sell it?"

"Sunlight Lounge" sounds like a creative name for PENs former format. AM or FM, the general consensus of this board is the demographics are too old to sell.

But it's interesting that this "new" format you mention is debuting. To answer your question, yes, I think in the ratings it would still work in Philly. It worked just fine on WPEN...and that was an AM. If WPEN emerged on FM tomorrow, watch the ratings soar!

However, I don't think the suits would allow it to work. Even if it sold, they would ruin it, and decide that there MUST be something better to program. After all, everyone knows that FREE-FM, and Sports 950 are putting the competition out of business.

I don't have any idea what is on the radio in Denver. But if it's anything like many other midwestern towns, there is probably a lot of empty space on the dial. In Philly, there isn't an empty frequency for miles. So if there is room for a less mainstream format that is cheap enough to run...why not? Even if it's not a record breaking profit machine, it is probably feasible.

Another factor is that the midwest is an entirely different world. Denver is the heartland...Traditional, Real Americans! This town is a sewer. In a place such as Denver, there are fewer demographics. With all that open space on the dial, and demographics from more similar backgrounds, the suits probably aren't able to jam up half of the dial with Rap/ Hip Hop and/or R&B, so they have room to experiment with what we may consider an alternative format. (Alternative, as in an alternative to what is currently on the dial in Philly)

As far as it actually happening, I sincerely doubt it. 104.9 FM had a similar format back in the 90's, and that went south.