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MY 1079 DOOMED TO FAILURE

B

badstevie

Guest
This station seems to be coming up in other threads, so I thought it deserved its own.

I'm sorry to write this because I really had hope for this station. I figured when they blew up The Track it would be a good opportunity for them to re-focus this station, re-connect with listeners and give it a new purpose. Instead---well, they did exactly the opposite.

I do like a variety of music, and so in theory this should work for me, but it doesn't. There's no real flow to it, no real point. Okay, so you play requests. Why should I sit around listening to someone else's requests when I can go online, or to my iPod and listen to exactly what I want right now? I know not everybody has an iPod or listens to music online. Not yet, but they will. Soon.

The imaging lacks creativity and is very repetitive. It's tiring to hear the same voice saying the same couple lines between every song. No jingles, no deejays to break it up. Just the same voice saying "we play everything" over and over all day and all night. Not much humor, not much local, not much of anything.

I have no beef with anyone who works there, and I think there are some quality people working there. But it sounds like their hands are tied by a lack of money. No jocks, no marketing, probably no research. The sound of the station that results is "we're going to do this as cheaply as possible." Sorry, but that's not gonna make it.

There IS one thing that might tie this together into a listenable package. Deejays. Yes, good old-fashioned old-school deejays. But they've got to be good ones. Jocks with personalities. Entertainers. Jocks who really know this music and can make it sound fresh and topical and fun. Engage the listener! Okay, Mr. Deejay, give me a REASON to sit through "Knock On Wood" on my way home from work." Okay, Ms. Midday Jock, make it sound COOL to listen to a Barbara Streisand song that somebody requested. Unfortunately (sigh) I don't hear that happening at My 1079 any time soon, or much of anyplace. Sadly, listening to a great deejay putting on a great show is pretty much a thing of the past.

And, sadly, this format sounds doomed to limp through just a book or two before the next blind stab at a format change for this frequency.
 
Ditto! to Bad Steve's post!
i've seen this happen in other markets and it has happened here. i think Entercom and previous owners, "WITHOUT A CLUE",
have BURNED the frequency 107.9 down to the ground. there has NEVER been a WINNING radio format on that frequency, so WHY would ANYONE go there for RADIO?

ever drive by a location where there was a restaurant, then it went out of business, then THAT one(at the same location went out of business)...then again, and again.. you might have tried it once, but you didn't like, so you never came back to that location to eat, figuring the location was a loser, doomed! you could say the same thing for 107.9.
UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT...
but serving the same bad radio.

in short, they SHOULD BLOW THE DAMN THING UP-bulldoze it, and give people WHAT THEY WANT! and from what i'm reading and hearing from my friends in town, its the OBVIOUS.... 60'S-70'S- GREATEST HITS and "Personality" on the radio.
 
I just heard a promo that My 107.9 is collecting donations for Haiti under the guise of helping Pierre Garcon's (of the Colts) countrymen. They actually used three voices here: Garcon, Roddy, and their station voice.

I promise, I don't listen to My 107.9 all the time - but I apparently am the only one who posts here and catches "local" content?
 
Okay, I heard the Garcon/Haiti charity promo. Good work putting a local spin on this story. It's a start. Again, a live jock could really sell this on-air much better, and give it some heart and feeling.
 
badstevie said:
This station seems to be coming up in other threads, so I thought it deserved its own.

I'm sorry to write this because I really had hope for this station. I figured when they blew up The Track it would be a good opportunity for them to re-focus this station, re-connect with listeners and give it a new purpose. Instead---well, they did exactly the opposite.

I do like a variety of music, and so in theory this should work for me, but it doesn't. There's no real flow to it, no real point. Okay, so you play requests. Why should I sit around listening to someone else's requests when I can go online, or to my iPod and listen to exactly what I want right now? I know not everybody has an iPod or listens to music online. Not yet, but they will. Soon.

The imaging lacks creativity and is very repetitive. It's tiring to hear the same voice saying the same couple lines between every song. No jingles, no deejays to break it up. Just the same voice saying "we play everything" over and over all day and all night. Not much humor, not much local, not much of anything.

I have no beef with anyone who works there, and I think there are some quality people working there. But it sounds like their hands are tied by a lack of money. No jocks, no marketing, probably no research. The sound of the station that results is "we're going to do this as cheaply as possible." Sorry, but that's not gonna make it.

There IS one thing that might tie this together into a listenable package. Deejays. Yes, good old-fashioned old-school deejays. But they've got to be good ones. Jocks with personalities. Entertainers. Jocks who really know this music and can make it sound fresh and topical and fun. Engage the listener! Okay, Mr. Deejay, give me a REASON to sit through "Knock On Wood" on my way home from work." Okay, Ms. Midday Jock, make it sound COOL to listen to a Barbara Streisand song that somebody requested. Unfortunately (sigh) I don't hear that happening at My 1079 any time soon, or much of anyplace. Sadly, listening to a great deejay putting on a great show is pretty much a thing of the past.

And, sadly, this format sounds doomed to limp through just a book or two before the next blind stab at a format change for this frequency.

Thanks for the journal bad stevie. Put your arm in ice for about an hour and I'm sure that will take care of the pain. You obviously are a self promoting, self back slapping, kind of individual. You must be so proud of yourself for the garbage you've posted online. Ask yourself if anyone cares about your thoughts as much as you do. I hate to say it, but you and I both know the answer. Your point literally blew up in your face when you made reference to your precious Ipod and how you shouldn't have other people's music selections shoved down your throat. Thanks for not being my defense attorney with me facing a murder charge. I'd be screwed. Silence is golden.
Click to expand...
 
Wake up call:

Got a newsflash for you: we're pretty good about picking winners and losers here on the Indiana board. WKLU? Gone. Jack? Gone. Track? Gone. Warm 93.9? Gone. Gold 95.9? Gone.

WIBC 93.1? WNOU 100.9? Q95? Here to stay.

My 107.9 has a chance - a slim chance - of drawing more than the 3 share that the Track averaged. But none of us are convinced.
 
A very successful radio station owner once told me, "Radio stations are just like people. They
grow old and die. Some just have longer lifespans than others."

I remember how popular WXTZ 103.3 with easy listening was. Also, 99.1 WHIO in Dayton.

WFBQ has done well with Classic Rock for 30 years. But playing Classic Rock today is like
playing Big Band 20 years ago. So, radio will turn it's back on my generation very soon.
 
Geez, Wake up call, that's kindof a harsh response to my fairly impersonal critique of a radio station, don't you think? I don't wish anything bad on anyone there. Hell, I want them to succeed. BUT, here's my point: I don't think a big, jockless jukebox will be compelling enough to drive new listeners to this station. I think it needs personalities to give it some heart and energy and a personal connection.

Disagree with me, Wake up call? Okay, that's fine. Tell me why I'm wrong. Tell me why you think it will work just like it is. I can handle that. I might even change my mind. A good healthy debate about what works and doesn't work in radio is what this board is about. Sorry you were so offended.
 
Bad Stevie, sorry I came across so abruptly.....Healthy debate? Count me in. I agree with flying dutchman....People aren't loyal and things have changed in radio. Take a look at what PPM is doing across the country. Brand recall.... GONE. Personalities with mediocre content...GONE. Heck, even a good personality like Mad Dog at Q... GONE. I realize we do a good job of picking winners and losers here on the board but I honestly believe the landscape is TOTALLY changing and there is a market for variety hits and My107.9 is doing a good job playing them. The days of programmers putting deejays in dayparts with corny contests and non compellling content are gone...so I don't think putting some meaningless jocks on the air is the answer for them. Don't get me wrong, there are SOME people on the air that can make a station but they are few and far between. It's like hitting the radio lottery to find one. Make sense? Okay, I'm all ears. Your thoughts?
 
Wake up call said:
Bad Stevie, sorry I came across so abruptly.....Healthy debate? Count me in. I agree with flying dutchman....People aren't loyal and things have changed in radio. Take a look at what PPM is doing across the country. Brand recall.... GONE. Personalities with mediocre content...GONE. Heck, even a good personality like Mad Dog at Q... GONE. I realize we do a good job of picking winners and losers here on the board but I honestly believe the landscape is TOTALLY changing and there is a market for variety hits and My107.9 is doing a good job playing them. The days of programmers putting deejays in dayparts with corny contests and non compellling content are gone...so I don't think putting some meaningless jocks on the air is the answer for them. Don't get me wrong, there are SOME people on the air that can make a station but they are few and far between. It's like hitting the radio lottery to find one. Make sense? Okay, I'm all ears. Your thoughts?
Click to expand...

coyote calhoun, bob roberts, buster bodean, chris conner, adam smasher, john records landecker, cousin brucie
 
dfwrunner said:
coyote calhoun, bob roberts, buster bodean, chris conner, adam smasher, john records landecker, cousin brucie
Click to expand...

Let's put those names in perspective. You were likely in your late teens or early '20s during that era - correct? Would you consider those guys as good in today's standards - at your age?

You had three tv channels and 8-track tapes with only a 10 to 15-year span of 'rock' to choose from - correct?

Expectations of what was 'entertainment' in that era were much less than they are today.

Carlin, Cosby, Pryor, Murphy - all still funny and entertaining, but if they started today with the same material, it would be considered light and not make much of a stir.

Same with DJs back in the day. It worked then, but that time has passed.
 
Let's put those names in perspective. You were likely in your late teens or early '20s during that era - correct? Would you consider those guys as good in today's standards - at your age?
You had three tv channels and 8-track tapes with only a 10 to 15-year span of 'rock' to choose from - correct?
Expectations of what was 'entertainment' in that era were much less than they are today.
Carlin, Cosby, Pryor, Murphy - all still funny and entertaining, but if they started today with the same material, it would be considered light and not make much of a stir.
Same with DJs back in the day. It worked then, but that time has passed.
[/quote]
Not too many today, IF at all! can compare to the genious of Carlin, Cosby, Pryor or Murphy- TALENT is timeless, and appreciated by ALL generations. If that group would start their careers in 2010(why would they be using material from the 60's?), they would be contemporary & the Talent would show through. in fact Cosby & Murphy are STILL working and appreciated by all. ENTERTAINMENT on the radio has been lost, by the corporate morons who can't recognize it, or who are not willing to pay for, the PEOPLE who can do it.
 
Wolfman Jack and Chris Conner had unique voices. Today, you guys seem to think that a smooth
voice and a good card reader is a good jock.
Yes, Chris Conner and the Wolfman would not be hired in any market today, if they were new and
just starting out.
These jocks knew how to do a show. They had the freedom to be creative. They had an IQ that
they used. Their unique voices mad them famous.

Since no one knows what a good jock is now days, I think 107.9 is better jockless then jocked
by what is thought to be good, which in reality is what sucks.
 
Okay, I'm in total agreement that putting mediocre jocks on, doing the same old lame bits wouldn't work. That's why I said in my original post that they'd have to be great jocks. Are they out there? Sure. I personally know a few major-market-quality personalities who'd take a gig in Indy for the right money and the chance to do their thing. But does Entercom have the money or the will to pay for an excellent air-staff? I don't think so. That's why this is sad to me.

I'm thinking long-term here. The station might get a pop of a couple points for a couple books. Didn't we see that with Jack 104.5 a few years ago before the novelty wore off and people started fading away? In fact, Jack had the advantage of both some buzz at the time about the format, and less competition from on-line music sources. (And this station sounds a lot like Jack to me.)

I don't envy anybody trying to launch a new station in this climate. How are you going to draw in new listeners? Marketing? Sorry, no money. Air staff member does wacky stunt generating word of mouth? Sorry no air-staff. Free press from the newspaper? Sorry, the Star doesn't really cover radio any more, unless it's to report the latest firing.

It seems to me that personality is all we have in radio that makes us better than on-line listening, better than iPods and the thing that can make a great radio station--long term.
 
I don't know if it's doomed to failure, but I think it's funny how wake up call jumps to the defense of the station...yes...you must defend your own station...

Look...here are the facts from someone who works with several ppm markets currently...yea...I'm tooting my own horn. Boring is not in...Brevity is in...and creative brevity...Ding Ding Ding. ...content will always be king...

So if all you have to hang your hat on is requests, then you better start looking for some entertainment value and vibe. Look at I94...no vibe...and they have some locality and a local morning show.

Someone told me in an interview once that I'm "Mr. National"...they're "a local station"...how can my ideas translate? Well, boring local quite frankly sucks...it is possible for someone to image 2 PPM killer stations in Portland...from drumroll please...Wisconsin...I guess Content, writing, vibe, and the ability to be local from afar can trump "hey...we play requests"

My1079 is pretty good...the writing is pretty good...but without jocks, you better find a way to find some vibe....cause your imaging is gonna burn burn burn.
 
This station is a horrible train wreck, I heard them play Jerry Reeds-When your hot your hot,, segued into quiet riot-come on feel the noise,, then Electric Avenue, from Eddy Grant,,, I only use it as a button Pusher,, I usually listen to WCLS 97.7 Bloomington,, its a local here in martinsville. I do wish we could get 91.7 true oldies here,, I just wish WCLS would go deeper into the 60s, with less 70s and 80s,., I love 80s music, but I dont want it on the same station.
 
Mid West Clubber said:
This station is a horrible train wreck, I heard them play Jerry Reeds-When your hot your hot,, segued into quiet riot-come on feel the noise,, then Electric Avenue, from Eddy Grant,,, I only use it as a button Pusher,, I usually listen to WCLS 97.7 Bloomington,, its a local here in martinsville. I do wish we could get 91.7 true oldies here,, I just wish WCLS would go deeper into the 60s, with less 70s and 80s,., I love 80s music, but I dont want it on the same station.
Click to expand...

Wow, that's exactly what I want...not afraid to play Jerry Reed and Quiet Riot and Flatt and Scruggs followed by Depech Mode...wish I lived there.
 
they are running A SCHOOL FOR IDIOTS over there. 107.9 is just another 'Jack Station' and will get them the SAME dismal ratings The Track" did... DOING THE SAME THING OVER AND OVER AGAIN AND EXPECTING A DIFFERENT RESULT...
IS THE DEFINITION OF I N S A N I T Y.
 
WhoDat! said:
they are running A SCHOOL FOR IDIOTS over there. 107.9 is just another 'Jack Station' and will get them the SAME dismal ratings The Track" did... DOING THE SAME THING OVER AND OVER AGAIN AND EXPECTING A DIFFERENT RESULT...
IS THE DEFINITION OF I N S A N I T Y.
Click to expand...

To me, playing the same 3 songs over and over is idiocy like most stations do...I want variety, and I want different musical styles mixed in.
 
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