More Listeners?

[Lucylu]

I just saw the new TV ad for WZLX touting they had “more listeners”. Whatever happened to truth in advertising? Do they have more listeners? I think the latest ratings show they have been a slowly deflating balloon ever since LaQuidara left. That’s been ten years! It seems to have gotten so bad, they even hide the faces of their morning show on that spot. I know, I know: insert standard, hack ‘face for radio’ joke here, but my real question, much like Jay S. and his counter-tops, why wouldn’t radio be held to some kind of truth in advertising standard? A radio station claiming to have ‘more listeners’ when it doesn’t is no different that a car claiming to get 50 miles to the gallon when it only gets 5 (and like that car, ZLX is running out of gas fast).

 

[Mickey37]

It wouldn't be unheard of for ZLX to be refering to one particular demo, let's say "Bored listeners, ages 50-to-dead, who don't mind hearing uninspired broadcasts."

Seriously, if they had even a little good news in any measured demo they could be trying to make hay out of that. They must have some standard of how they measure "more listeners." They see Arbitron stats that most people are not privy to, so it's entirely possible.

 

[Infidel]

I just saw the new TV ad for WZLX touting they had “more listeners”. Whatever happened to truth in advertising? Do they have more listeners?

Does anyone really believe their assertions anyway? They all say they're the best. :

... much like Jay S. and his counter-tops ...

Hold on a sec, are you saying you don't believe the Countertop Shop drove all the way to Long Island to install countertops in Flat-top's home? He should advertise for the Flat-top Shop ;D

 

[Mickey37]

Scott Fybush says in Boston Radio Watch (www.bostonradiowatch.com) that Severin became a legal Masachusetts resident last week.

Does this mean he has a PO Box in Peabody, an apartment in Abington, a condo in Concord, or maybe a mansion in Mansfield?

Who knows? This would imply, though, that he could be a voter if it's indeed his primary residence. Wasn't last Wednesday the deadline for registering?

 

[Cueburn]

I just saw the new TV ad for WZLX touting they had “more listeners”.

I think it is all subjective. Way back in the dark ages when WCAV was the only country station in town (ya, I know it was Brockton but the others had not flipped yet) they had the slogan “More Country.” When asked more than who? Staffers would just chuckle.

 

[JIBGUY]

Re: More Listeners? (MORE COUNTRY - WCAV)

Actually, that slogan "MORE COUNTRY" was thuthful.... At that time, WDLW-1330 was still playing country but with the management takeover by Bill McCarthy who was hired there by the owners to have the station make money, Bill signed on lots of non-country shows and features, therefore time for country music became less and less. Hence, WCAV-FM 97.7 was playing 'more country' than its only in-town Boston and south-of-Boston (kind-of) competitor. - And if you want to add WCTK and W-whatever-it-is-up-in-Dover, I imagine that thier spot-load would have been larger thna WCAV's... .therefore "More Country". And lastly, WCAV did something that other country stations were afraid to do... they played 2 or so "indie" artists per hour... therefore widening their playlist... again "more country". -

 

[Eli Polonsky]

Re: More Listeners? (MORE COUNTRY - WCAV)

Actually, that slogan "MORE COUNTRY" was thuthful.... At that time, WDLW-1330 was still playing country but with the management takeover by Bill McCarthy who was hired there by the owners to have the station make money, Bill signed on lots of non-country shows and features, therefore time for country music became less and less. Hence, WCAV-FM 97.7 was playing 'more country' than its only in-town Boston and south-of-Boston (kind-of) competitor.

WDLW flipped from what remained of their Country format to WRCA with a short-lived "Showbiz Radio" format, which was comedy and Broadway show music (in AM Stereo), in 1990.

WCAV remained country until late 1999, when Radio One bought it and flipped it to WBOT (urban/hip-hop). I don't remember whether WCAV used the "More Country" slogan before or after the 1990 WDLW to WRCA flip, or both.

WRCA's "Showbiz Radio" format, featuring veteran Boston DJ Jim Sands in morning drive, only lasted just about a year when WRCA flipped to more or less the same brokered ethnic format it has currently, and they dropped the AM Stereo about a half-dozen years ago.

 

[DanStrassberg]

Scott Fybush says in Boston Radio Watch (www.bostonradiowatch.com) that Severin became a legal Masachusetts resident last week.

</quote>

If bostonradiowatch said it, it WAS NOT Scott Fybush who said it, and if Scott did say it, you DID NOT see it at bostonradiowatch.com.

Scott writes NORTHEAST Radio Watch, which appears each Monday at www.fybush.com. www.bostonradiowatch.com is written by Mark (whose last name is Shneyder, I believe, although he may at some point have written and broadcast under the surname of Snyder). Aside from use of the term "radiowatch" in the name of Scott's column and the URL of Mark's Web site, the two are unconnected.

I get a good chuckle out of the slogan that now appears on Mark's site: "watching Boston radio for ten years." Once the slogan went up, I realized what was wrong. Hint to Mark: It's radio. You're supposed to listen to it. Watching--not so much.

 

[pqgeorge]

>>Actually, that slogan "MORE COUNTRY" was thuthful.... At that time, WDLW-1330 was still playing country but with the management takeover by Bill McCarthy who was hired there by the owners to have the station make money, Bill signed on lots of non-country shows and features, therefore time for country music became less and less. Hence, WCAV-FM 97.7 was playing 'more country' than its only in-town Boston and south-of-Boston (kind-of) competitor. - And if you want to add WCTK and W-whatever-it-is-up-in-Dover, I imagine that thier spot-load would have been larger thna WCAV's... .therefore "More Country". And lastly, WCAV did something that other country stations were afraid to do... they played 2 or so "indie" artists per hour... therefore widening their playlist... again "more country". <<

Hi Bob, and crew. Much as I was not into Country music, I was very proud of what that little Class A in Brockton was able to do back in 1982. I played the very first Country song on WCAV. Don't ask me what it was as the station was totally automated at the time. I racked up the first 4 reels of Country music on WCAV the night before. I can tell you what the last rock song was. I purposely loaded up "Stairway To Heaven" by Led Zeppelin so that it would be the last song of the night (7/7/1982). For once, the automation ("SAM") did what I told it to do (God how I hated that G-D automation). I was very glad to be in the WCAV studios the night before RadioOne would take over in 1999. I was there for the last song, some 7 years ago along with some great WCAV alum.

Peter Q. George
WCAV-FM alum (1982-1991)

 

[nhradio101]

Just saw the WZLX spot last night. Never mentions they have "The Most Listeners". Looks like you watch tv the way radio listeners listen to the radio!

 

[Lucylu]

Pinhead, learn to read. We were talking about 'more listeners' not 'The Most Listeners'. Which one are you, Carlson or Mckenzie?

 

[nhradio101]

Nope. Just a little old radio jock in NH who doesn't like to be called Pinhead. I sense your no longer in radio. Who you really angry at? The station that showed you the door or the whole radio industry? For those of us who actually make a living at this we feel sorry for you wannabees! Keep talking!

 

[Lucylu]

Sounds like you are projecting there, fella. This is a Boston radio board, beat it; Pinhead.

 

[Mickey37]

What in God's name was I thinking?? I'm almost sure I saw in Scott's column the news about Severin. It obviously coiuldn't have been bostonradiowatch. I know I looked at both sites around the same time; I plead weariness from too much driving and not enough shut-eye. Thanks for catching the blunder.

Scott Fybush says in Boston Radio Watch (www.bostonradiowatch.com) that Severin became a legal Masachusetts resident last week.

</quote>

If bostonradiowatch said it, it WAS NOT Scott Fybush who said it, and if Scott did say it, you DID NOT see it at bostonradiowatch.com.

Scott writes NORTHEAST Radio Watch, which appears each Monday at www.fybush.com.

 

[martin1945]

I used to like WCAV and the music format of sister station WBET.


Martin