Most bizarre KRTH weekend theme ever: Yes-vember in No-vember

[scooty430]

Maybe the websites Yes.com and Mediabase are somewhat responsible for our displeasure with KRTH. With these services one can review an entire weekend of programming within seconds. Back in the glory days of KRTH this would have been impossible to do since part of the time we would have been working, sleeping, visiting, dating, etc. I'm sure the KRTH of 1983 repeated songs on their Super Sixties Weekend. We just didn't have the technology to be as aware of it as we are now. I remember hearing "Sweet Cream Ladies Forward March" by the Box Tops a lot. Most likely it was played more than once.

You make a good point, but I actually heard all the Light My Fires and all the Great Pretenders live on the air! That's because they were all broadcast around the same time of day. You'd think they'd want to avoid that.

Who knows, maybe they played those songs even more than three times each! :

 

[scooty430]

Themed weekends is something KRTH is not well-known for, with a few rare exceptions, like Z to A.

Huh? KRTH pretty much burnt out the concept, particularly in the 90's, with every weekend being themed... the British Invasion Weekend and then the Girl Group Weekend and the Surfing Weekend and the...

I think the point being made above is they're not known for having real weekends. Yes, every weekend was themed in the 90s, and they still are. But most of their "themed" weekends are simply the regular playlist arranged in a different order.

As has been discussed, (probably too many times, but perhaps Jhani will read one of these threads) in the last year, they've had a few (I'm talking maybe four) good weekends where there really WAS a theme. The Z to A and Top 1001 were superb.

This weekend saw some great tunes played, enough to keep me "checking in" whenever I could, but it's still really tough to sit through Brown Sugar, or My Girl, or Bennie and the Jets.

Anyhow, Jhani has indeed expanded the playlist, even on weekdays, and is taking a few tepid chances with lesser played stuff and audience interaction. Since the ratings are now even higher (KRTH is now #2!) then perhaps more variety (dictionary definition of the word) is on the way. 8)

 

[oldies76]

Huh? KRTH pretty much burnt out the concept, particularly in the 90's, with every weekend being themed... the British Invasion Weekend and then the Girl Group Weekend and the Surfing Weekend and the...

The problem with KRTH's is that they aren't really themes as they claim to be. If it's a Girl Group Weekend, then the majority of the weekend, if not all, should be nothing but girl groups. It should not be the regular playlist with only 2 or 3 g.g. songs an hour. If it's a number one weekend, then all the songs should be #1's...etc..

If it's a 60's weekend, then all the songs have to be all 60's, which would include 1960 - 1969.

Their "Parade of Hits" themed weekend is just their regular playlist, in a different order.

If you compare WCBS themes with KRTH's, you would see the big difference instantly.

 

[davideduardo]

Since the ratings are now even higher (KRTH is now #2!) then perhaps more variety (dictionary definition of the word) is on the way. 8)

They are 7th in 25-54, but that is just a single week of the November book, so kiill the 12+ stuff (which is nobody's target) and look at the numbers, preferably for full months, in demos that matter to a station.

 

[scooty430]

Since the ratings are now even higher (KRTH is now #2!) then perhaps more variety (dictionary definition of the word) is on the way. 8)

They are 7th in 25-54, but that is just a single week of the November book, so kiill the 12+ stuff (which is nobody's target) and look at the numbers, preferably for full months, in demos that matter to a station.

According to Jhani Kaye himself:

25-54
KRTH is tied # 2 English 3.3 to 4.9!
AM Drive # 1 English 2.9 to 5.1! (# 1 in market for the week with a 6.6!)
Middays # 1 in the market with 3.9 to a 6.5 share!
PM Drive # 3 (English) 3.2 to 4.5 share

35-64
KRTH # 1 in the market growing 5.5 to 7.0 share!
AM Drive # 1 IN THE MARKET moving 5.1 to 7.1! (#1 for the week with an 8.5)
Middays # 1 in the market growing 6.8 to 9.4! (2nd station has a 5.3) (# 1 in the market for the week with a 10.1 share!)
PM Drive # 1 in the market growing 5.3 to 6.6!

Plus they are indeed #2 overall, which makes them the second most listened to station, including talk and Spanish. That is impressive, regardless of the demo breakdown.

Expanded playlist, more stiffs = higher ratings. 8)

 

[DoctorWu]

more stiffs

Just as a point of order, I hate the word "stiffs". Just because a song didn't make Top 5 nationwide doesn't make it a "stiff". That's a word that should be reserved for songs that couldn't crack the 20, nationally speaking. And then there are regional hits - every time I hear KRTH play the Flirtations' "Nothing But a Heartache", I am reminded of this.

-- Doc

 

[SuperRadioFan]

Just because a song didn't make Top 5 nationwide doesn't make it a "stiff". That's a word that should be reserved for songs that couldn't crack the 20, nationally speaking. -- Doc

Well Doc you made me run to my Whitburn to see that songs such as "Wild Night" and "Blue Money"-both by Van Morrison would be stiffs by that definition. I think in general stiffs could refer to any song people don't care about hearing anymore regardless of original charting history. Songs like The Morning After, Delta Dawn, You're Having My Baby, I Can Help, Angie Baby all Billboard #1 songs just from two years 1973 and 1974. There's plenty others but can anyone dispute the feeling that 90%+ of listeners would hate to hear any of these songs today?

 

[scooty430]

I use the word "stiffs" as a joke, because a few people on the board call any song that is not scoring really high in "the testing" a "stiff."

I say......bring on the "STIFFS!"

 

[oldies76]

The "Stiffs" are the majority of songs on huge specialties on classic hits stations. Most recently, Z to A on KRTH and A to Z on WCBS. The two specialties were hugely successful, because of one reason:

Listeners are tired of the same ole' same ole' and welcome different songs besides what they normally play over and over.

Supposedly, these are songs that don't test well in any market. If that was the case, then why do stations play them anyways?

So, in reality, they aren't stiffs to begin with, they are just HITS from the past that most enjoy hearing once again.

Yes, bring them on too!!

 

[davideduardo]

Just as a point of order, I hate the word "stiffs". Just because a song didn't make Top 5 nationwide doesn't make it a "stiff". That's a word that should be reserved for songs that couldn't crack the 20, nationally speaking. And then there are regional hits - every time I hear KRTH play the Flirtations' "Nothing But a Heartache", I am reminded of this.

A stiff is a song that most people do not want to hear right now. It does not matter what a song charted at 40 years ago... the issue is the playability today. Of course, if you believe the charts of the 50's and 60's, you have another issue to resolve...

The vast majority of the people in LA today did not live here in the 60's, either. So local hits are really unfamiliar to nearly everyone.

 

[oldiesfan6479]

...you made me run to my Whitburn to see that songs such as "Wild Night" and
"Blue Money"-both by Van Morrison would be stiffs by that definition.

Speaking of Morrisongs and checking Joel, did you realize the arguably most
overplayed song on oldies/classic hits radio the past couple of years peaked
only at number 10? You would have thought it was #1 for eight weeks!

 

[scooty430]

The problem is the phrase "most people do not want to hear NOW."

What PDs do is select only the songs that get really positive ratings. That makes sense on the surface. But there aren't many of those, and they tend to be inoffensive, safe, and familiar. The result: a really boring radio station.

People who trust a station and are loyal to it will stick through a few new, unfamilar, or even BAD songs because they no long-term they're going to be entertained. Within the half hour, there will be SOME exciting thing to hear. Something you LOVE. Remember, one person's "stiff" is another person's favorite.

But if all you know is that during that half hour you'll hear something you "don't hate," well.....how exciting is that? Worse yet, if it's something you're "totally sick of," or "used to love, but not anymore."

By trying to please everyone, they please noone. Luckily the tide seems to be turning, though.

 

[oldies76]

Of course, if you believe the charts of the 50's and 60's, you have another issue to resolve...

That's how songs were ranked then. That's the info we go by today. There are no other significant charts, except maybe local station charts, like KHJ for example.

All of us accept that "Hey Jude" was #1 in 1968 for 9 weeks. There's no disputing that. Station DJ's will reference Billboard positions from time to time, especially during specials.

There are no other industry standards to go by. There might have been some glitches along the way..nothing is perfect.

 

[oldiesfan6479]

It's been reported on the NYC R-I board, as well as the NYRMB, that
the C(BS) Jalopy of Jingle Bells arrived at WCBS-FM this evening.

Similar Willyses of Wonderful Christmastime already are double-parked
in front of WODS Boston and KOOL-FM Phoenix, resisting all attempts
by listeners (especially us radio geeks on R-I) to have them towed.

So far--per "listen live" surfing a few minutes ago--WOGL Philadelphia,
KLUV Dallas and KXKL Denver have not yet suffered this indignation.
Nor has KRTH...yet. Johnny, what's the word on the street (slips him
a ten-spot) about KRTH?

I guess we'll just have to stay Tuna-ed.

 

[davideduardo]

There are no other industry standards to go by. There might have been some glitches along the way..nothing is perfect.

Yeah, there are standards to go by. You play the song for the listener and ask how much they want to hear it on the radio today.

Charts were influenced by:

1. Free product given to stores, often by a different artist, to report a song as selling well or selling more.
2. Liberal return policies on product in exchange for ordering it and reporting it.
3. Incentives for talking up a song when radio stations called local stores.
4. Inclusion of the store in ads in exchange for reporting a song.

And so on. Add that to radio station paper ads, overnight plays being counted as daytime, reporting of higher levels of spins, etc. The station might receive concerts, promotions, or who knows what for this kind of service.

I find Hugo Chavez more reputable than the charts were back then.

 

[davideduardo]

But if all you know is that during that half hour you'll hear something you "don't hate," well.....how exciting is that? Worse yet, if it's something you're "totally sick of," or "used to love, but not anymore."

Songs are not scored by words that are subjective. In what I believe to be the best system, songs are scored on how much a person would like to hear them on the radio today. A zero means not at all, and 100 means they want to hear it a lot, and 50 means neutral, neither yes nor no... with all scores between 51 and 100 being positive, and so on.

It does not matter if you always hated a song, are tired of it, or used to like it but hate it because your ex-wife liked it... for whatever reason, you don't want to hear it. Totally objective.

Songs with lower negs and lots of positives get played. Songs with high positives have passion and get played a lot.

 

[davideduardo]

Speaking of Morrisongs and checking Joel, did you realize the arguably most
overplayed song on oldies/classic hits radio the past couple of years peaked
only at number 10? You would have thought it was #1 for eight weeks!

It does not matter... what matters is that people today want to hear it more than Brian Highland and that Bikini song.



(I know... it's probably Bryan Hiland... who cares?)

 

[oldiesfan6479]

I don't want to hear Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie... either.
The Joker Went Wild maybe.

 

[scooty430]

Well, somehow they are playing MORE so-called "stiffs" and getting BIGGER ratings, on both WCBS and KRTH, so I guess the "play the biggest non-negative hits" model is over.

Good riddance, too.

This evening, on a normal workday, I heard some song on K-Earth I'd never heard before in my life.

Now THAT is what I miss on radio.

 

[scooty430]

It's been reported on the NYC R-I board, as well as the NYRMB, that
the C(BS) Jalopy of Jingle Bells arrived at WCBS-FM this evening.

Similar Willyses of Wonderful Christmastime already are double-parked
in front of WODS Boston and KOOL-FM Phoenix, resisting all attempts
by listeners (especially us radio geeks on R-I) to have them towed.

So far--per "listen live" surfing a few minutes ago--WOGL Philadelphia,
KLUV Dallas and KXKL Denver have not yet suffered this indignation.
Nor has KRTH...yet. Johnny, what's the word on the street (slips him
a ten-spot) about KRTH?

I guess we'll just have to stay Tuna-ed.

Although I am not really wanting a 24/7 Xmas station, nor do I want Xmas music EVER before Thanksgiving, judging from the "recently played" list on their website, CBS-FM has the best Xmas station ever. Excellent selections.

I hope, really really hope, that Jhani is not planning a "November surprise." Because most likely it would be his KOST Christmas music, which is bad enough three times per hour. Then we'd have TWO KOST-FMs running against each other. Heeellllllp!

I think KRTH will stick with their mix from last year, because they got good ratings with it. Just hope Mr. Kaye finds it in his soul to....

- play more Augie Rios, Chipmunks, Beach Boys, Elvis, Ventures, Sinatra, and girl groups (hint: K-Earth music!)
- play NO Mannheim Steamroller, please I beg you The worst.
- cut way, way back on the Carpenters, Barry Manilow, and all the other wimpy songs in his KOST tote bag
- play a bigger variety - the repetition of Xmas tunes last year was bad. By the end of the month, for example, the very moving and beautiful "Someday at Xmas" by Stevie Wonder had become intolerable!