Not A Fan of Local Radio, But

[FRR]

I'm not really a fan of local radio, especially FM since GRR moved away from their Oldies format,and their morning show is like listening to fingernails on a chalkboard, but the new 94.9 really has some potential. I've only listened occasionally, but it seems they have a bigger library than many stations and there doesn't seem to be a lot of chatter. There doesn't seem to be much for the over 40 crowd to listen to, but this station seems to fill the void. Anyone out there feel the same way?

 

[gr8oldies]

Not bad. Kind of the old Mojo meets the former Point in Dayton.

 

[Uncas]

I never thought FM radio was very good in Cincinnati.

I remember when we first got MTV and was astounded at the songs MTV played that I was not hearing on my radio regardless of channel.

So, I am an AM listener with Sirius for music.

 

[ncincy1]

I never thought FM radio was very good in Cincinnati.

I remember when we first got MTV and was astounded at the songs MTV played that I was not hearing on my radio regardless of channel.

So, I am an AM listener with Sirius for music.

Same here, Sirus/XM + internet radio (15,000+ streaming stations on my wifi-enabled radios and mobile phones). Who needs local radio. As an ex-radio person, the medium is suicidal.

 

[lovejamminoldies]

I posted about Rewind a few days ago. Good, isn't it? Also doing very well in the ratings and PPM.

 

[jry]

For those of us that remember what Rock radio sounded like in the late 60's or early 70's, with its huge playlist, this stuff can be pretty disappointing.
I wish a few stations would program the underground radio format of yore.

 

[FRR]

For those of us that remember what Rock radio sounded like in the late 60's or early 70's, with its huge playlist, this stuff can be pretty disappointing.
I wish a few stations would program the underground radio format of yore.

Boy I do too. I guess that just isn't possible anymore with the corporate ownership and no local control of programming and such.

 

[Uncas]

For those of us that remember what Rock radio sounded like in the late 60's or early 70's, with its huge playlist, this stuff can be pretty disappointing.
I wish a few stations would program the underground radio format of yore.

I grew up in that era in Cleveland. WMMS and the rest.

I knew Kid Leo when he was actually a kid!

PD's were kids then too. In fact, one was the older brother of a friend. Might have been 21...

You can not reproduce that era even if the hated "corporate" world was eliminated. People have changed.

 

[One Who Knows]

Most of you are missing the point of the original poster. It was: "there doesn't seem to be a lot for the over 40 crowd to listen to".

And there won't be, either. Though, more specifically, it's the over 50 crowd that's really feeling this. And, there's a reason. The older you get, the less attractive to advertisers you are.

That's why the "old" WGRR went away. Their audience got "too old" (mostly over 50). Once that happens, advertising goes on the decline. Advertisers use means other than radio to reach that older audience.

And don't bother making the argument about how the Baby Boomers are living longer, and keeping a more active lifestyle, and have more money. It's all "blah blah blah" to the advertisers, whose eyes glaze over as you make that sales presentation, only to reply to you, "So...when are you guys going to get with the program and play some 80's and 90's music?"

All of these library based music formats will eventually die, when their listeners hit near that age 50 mark.

As for wishing for the "good old days in the 60's and 70's when rock stations had big playlists". What killed that? Stations who came on the air with more focused (shorter) playlists. Almost universally, those stations cleaned the clocks of those big list "prog rockers". History shows this to be true. And the few stations that survived, adapted.

Corporate radio has little or nothing to do with it. Advertisers are king. And they, much more than the people in a corporate office, are responsible for a good portion of why radio does what it does today. Now, add what stations are learning about the audience from the PPM (in markets where they have it) and you'll discover that the audience really doesn't want "the good old days" to come back. They want stations lean, trim...they want what they want when they want it...and...they don't want it with a lot of "jock interruption".

 

[hotpatrick2004]

I have always read the bigger the playlist your numbers are not that good where a station with a shorter playlist will do well. Now i can understand chr or country stations being like that but not niche stations like rewind of variety hits.Now my favorite format is alternative which is very different today then when it was popular back in 1995.

You do not play phoenix and hinder on the same station.

I think also how deep a playlist is depends on your market but now that i think about it alot of people are saying how repetitive now 92.3 is in new york. For alt/indie genre cd 101 in columbus has a good playlist it really is to bad what the suits have done to radio especially what bains capital has done to clear channel.That premium choice garbage has got to go.

 

[FRR]

Most of you are missing the point of the original poster. It was: "there doesn't seem to be a lot for the over 40 crowd to listen to".

And there won't be, either. Though, more specifically, it's the over 50 crowd that's really feeling this. And, there's a reason. The older you get, the less attractive to advertisers you are.

That's why the "old" WGRR went away. Their audience got "too old" (mostly over 50). Once that happens, advertising goes on the decline. Advertisers use means other than radio to reach that older audience.

And don't bother making the argument about how the Baby Boomers are living longer, and keeping a more active lifestyle, and have more money. It's all "blah blah blah" to the advertisers, whose eyes glaze over as you make that sales presentation, only to reply to you, "So...when are you guys going to get with the program and play some 80's and 90's music?"

All of these library based music formats will eventually die, when their listeners hit near that age 50 mark.

As for wishing for the "good old days in the 60's and 70's when rock stations had big playlists". What killed that? Stations who came on the air with more focused (shorter) playlists. Almost universally, those stations cleaned the clocks of those big list "prog rockers". History shows this to be true. And the few stations that survived, adapted.

Corporate radio has little or nothing to do with it. Advertisers are king. And they, much more than the people in a corporate office, are responsible for a good portion of why radio does what it does today. Now, add what stations are learning about the audience from the PPM (in markets where they have it) and you'll discover that the audience really doesn't want "the good old days" to come back. They want stations lean, trim...they want what they want when they want it...and...they don't want it with a lot of "jock interruption".

Sadly, I believe what you are saying is true. I guess that is one of the reasons that Ipods and Sat radio will continue to be popular with that "over 50 crowd".

 

[Uncas]

There is plenty of money in that demo but I think there is a bias against older people or more aptly put, a dislike produced by fear. Fear by younger people that it is there own future...

 

[microbob]

What's funny, most of the Morning Show talent in this market is over 40.

 

[One Who Knows]

There is plenty of money in that demo but I think there is a bias against older people or more aptly put, a dislike produced by fear. Fear by younger people that it is there own future...

Well, there is plenty of money in that demo, I agree. But, I've sat in sales meeting with business owners (all of which, by the way were not kids...but well in their 40's.), and got the same response.

 

[Uncas]

There is plenty of money in that demo but I think there is a bias against older people or more aptly put, a dislike produced by fear. Fear by younger people that it is there own future...

Well, there is plenty of money in that demo, I agree. But, I've sat in sales meeting with business owners (all of which, by the way were not kids...but well in their 40's.), and got the same response.

Sure, that is true. That is the conventional wisdom.

 

[One Who Knows]

I have always read the bigger the playlist your numbers are not that good where a station with a shorter playlist will do well. Now i can understand chr or country stations being like that but not niche stations like rewind of variety hits.Now my favorite format is alternative which is very different today then when it was popular back in 1995.

You do not play phoenix and hinder on the same station.

I think also how deep a playlist is depends on your market but now that i think about it alot of people are saying how repetitive now 92.3 is in new york. For alt/indie genre cd 101 in columbus has a good playlist it really is to bad what the suits have done to radio especially what bains capital has done to clear channel.That premium choice garbage has got to go.

Many of the "Variety Hits" or "Jack" formatted stations debuted on the air fairly deep (1500-2000 song lists were common).
When the numbers weren't what was expected, they cut back to about 700 or so...and the numbers went up.

You mention CD 101 in Columbus. I know a lot of people who've worked there. Good station, very creative. (At one point, a 7 day mediabase monitor of them would run about 35-40 pages of songs!) And yet, with the current competition in the market, a 1.2 or so is almost the best they can do on average. (though, if diaries fall just right on the south side of town, they can pull a 1.8 or 1.9)

Premium Choice won't be going anywhere until and unless Bain or Clear Channel decides to sell those stations, so don't hold your breath there.

 

[hotpatrick2004]

The awesome thing about cd 101 is it is privately owned by a wealthy dude and he refuses to sell. He does not care much about how the station does in billing which is awesome. Well i guess he cares but money is not the motivating thing for him praise the lord!!!

The same was true about woxy in cincinnati to bad they went away. They are in austin nowbut cd 101 is perfect for me famailar enough to keep me but not to obscure either. I love 94.9 and 91x in sandiego but i guess the west coast is a better place for indie/alt genre to work.

The thing with premium choice is it is obviously not local and piped in. It has got to be hurting some stations.It is one of the worst ideas ever for radio!!!

Thanks bains

 

[gr8oldies]

I sat in an office in the 1980s with the number one CHR in the market playing in the background and no one heard a word the jocks said all day. I don't like premium choice
either but that's the reality. As far as big playlists vs. small, the only thing that matters is what you are playing right now. Only in radio and music geek world do audiences wait for hours through tons of unfamiliar songs waiting for one they like. As for advertising to the older audience, I keep trying to imagine this station with great tunes, great jocks, great jingles and every spot reminding me how I'm old and my parts don't work the way they once did.

 

[Boss Hogg Radio]

To the original post, Rewind is playing around 350-400 titles in their gold library with a decent handful of current/recurrent hot A/C titles.
What I'd be interested to know is what kind of revenue they're generating. My gut says they're still the "add on" station to Q102 buys.

 

[jry]

I sat in an office in the 1980s with the number one CHR in the market playing in the background and no one heard a word the jocks said all day. I don't like premium choice
either but that's the reality. As far as big playlists vs. small, the only thing that matters is what you are playing right now. Only in radio and music geek world do audiences wait for hours through tons of unfamiliar songs waiting for one they like. As for advertising to the older audience, I keep trying to imagine this station with great tunes, great jocks, great jingles and every spot reminding me how I'm old and my parts don't work the way they once did.

Man, i was working for Gannett in Detroit when we were Z95. 84 and 85. All the CHR stuff, Madonna, you name it. Like a Virgin was heavy and you'd hear it every 2 hours...... Prince......
Big Steve Kelly was the PD and he kept the Jock talk very tight. Not much was said between the songs, with the exception of Dick Purtan.
I learned a lot.