Now Playing on K-Earth - Classic Rock! (Well, sorta...)

[davideduardo]

So do you expect a major change musically at KRTH soon?

With no knowledge other than being able to read the ratings in depth, I'd say it was time for a format redirection rather than adjustments such as dropping or adding a few songs.

Currently, aside from specials, KRTH is airing 3-5 1960's tunes an hour. Even this weekend, they are airing 4 Beatles songs an hour to coincide with their specialty for Memorial Weekend.

Listen to KHHT. Think what might be done in that direction.

I just believe they risk losing a core audience they've had for many years if they tweak the rotation too drastically.

They have no salable core. Losing what they don't have is certainly not their concern. Losing 55+ is not a concern, either... even if they lose every single one of them.

Adding in many 90's may not work just yet.

It's more about the blend and the feel than the years at this point.

Keeping the 60's music (even though limited in nature) is something KRTH is well-known for.

Yeah, among geezers. No commercial value whatsoever.

(sort of like their roots of rock and roll along with their jingles). I would hate to see it go away on a legendary station like this.

I have always had trouble with "heritage" and "legendary" as applied to radio stations. If the station has sucked big time in the last few books, its heritage is severely depreciated and it is no longer a legend.

 

[Thomps2525]

David, 'tis interesting that you think the '60s music has "no commercial value whatsoever." Maybe those songs no longer have much value to an oldies station or classic-hits station but I maintain that they do have commercial value---literally---based on the number of television commercial producers who choose to use '60s songs instead of actually hiring someone to write a new jingle.

As for any "format redirection," I'd love for KRTH to play lower-charting songs and cover the years 1964 through the early '90s, concentrating on uptempo pop songs instead of rock---Aqua, ABBA, Ace Of Base, Real McCoy, Culture Club, Wham!, Madonna, Amy Grant, Andy Gibb, Shaun Cassidy, Wilson Phillips, Peter Cetera, Hall & Oates, et al.

Not having ten-minute blocks of commercials would also make the station more lustenable.

 

[davideduardo]

David, 'tis interesting that you think the '60s music has "no commercial value whatsoever." Maybe those songs no longer have much value to an oldies station or classic-hits station but I maintain that they do have commercial value---literally---based on the number of television commercial producers who choose to use '60s songs instead of actually hiring someone to write a new jingle.

I agree on the licensing of songs. But as far a most commercial radio is concerned, those 50's and 60's songs have little or no programming value.

Not having ten-minute blocks of commercials would also make the station more listenable.

I tend to agree with you. But many people are focused on the minute to minute PPM data and believe that they lose more listeners with 4 shorter breaks than with two long ones. I believe that the overall appeal of the station is not measured by the minute, but I can't prove that against the minutia of PPM.

 

[oldies76]

But as far a most commercial radio is concerned, those 50's and 60's songs have little or no programming value.

But.....younger listeners do like certain old songs from the 50's and 60's. Johnny Cash and Elvis is usually mentioned among today's teens and twenty-somethings. Sounds like some of these classics would still have some value if played on a station that is now (or will be) targeting 25+.

As for a format change....it'll never happen (at least I hope not), not on the 101.1 frequency in L.A. It's a tradition that L.A. can carry into newer generations by playing their oldies....gradually (and that's the key word).

I just don't see the core 60's and the 70's going away for a long, long time on KRTH (even when mixed with these "new" oldies for the 25+ target). Too many good songs here.

 

[oldies76]

I have always had trouble with "heritage" and "legendary" as applied to radio stations. If the station has sucked big time in the last few books, its heritage is severely depreciated and it is no longer a legend.

It's a legend, going back to the KHJ days and then beginning in 1972 on FM. Very few stations can claim this longevity today.

The station "sucked" in the books at times during the Coffey and Phillips eras and recovered. They stayed the course....oldies are still playing. It can continue further into newer generations with their "oldies" too.

Heck, the Price is Right is still on the air....

 

[oldies76]

Yeah, among geezers. No commercial value whatsoever.

Well, I suppose this can be debated once again on a lengthy thread some other day..... :

No thanks....

 

[michael hagerty]

There are, every so often, "landslide" moments...where the music changes radically.

A good example is 40 years ago when MOR vanished, for all intents and purposes...replaced by AC. That was driven largely by a phase in which Top 40 was gaining adult acceptance. Suddenly, 45 year olds were just fine with Todd Rundgren instead of Tony Bennett.

It's happening again. AC has undergone a seismic shift in the last year as CHR has become very accessible, mass appeal music...and 45 year olds are listening. It makes for a huge gulf in the music between the current music they're listening to now and the classic hits that were acceptable just a few months ago.

The cycles are speeding up and driving each other in a way I wouldn't have predicted six months ago. Factor in L.A.'s unique ethnic makeup, and KRTH may be in a position where it can't survive a year as it is, despite our inability to see it from the 6+ numbers.

 

[radio124]

So basically Michael you are saying that several years ago 45 year olds might have abandoned KIIS for KRTH due to the large amount of hip hop they were playing, but now that the CHR music is much more balanced, adult friendly, and melodic those 45 year olds are returning to stations like KIIS and Amp and leaving KRTH in the dust.

 

[DougBroda]

Obviously, there are many "101" FMs in the US. But CBS apparently has a service mark for FMs with that name... so we might make the first leap of faith by saying that this has to be a 101.1 station owned by CBS.

Discounting the 101.9s and the one 101.5 (KZON Phoenix), there are only three: KRTH, WCBS-FM and KLOL Houston.

 

[michael hagerty]

So basically Michael you are saying that several years ago 45 year olds might have abandoned KIIS for KRTH due to the large amount of hip hop they were playing, but now that the CHR music is much more balanced, adult friendly, and melodic those 45 year olds are returning to stations like KIIS and Amp and leaving KRTH in the dust.

Not quite. 45 year olds got out of CHR before the hip-hop cycle began. The rejuvenation of Top 40 as CHR in '82/'83 had to do with CHR separating from AC after a decade of playing a lot of the same songs.

And it's not so much that 45 year olds are listening to KIIS and AMP, though more no doubt are, but that to guard against that, AC stations have had to embrace a ton of the current CHR music. And as their AC stations have become fresher, their classic hits become much, much older by comparison...fitting in less with what else they're hearing.

In the MOR to AC transition of 1973, artists like Andy Williams, Perry Como and Herb Alpert found themselves with zero radio play as stations attempted to reach the same adults with Marvin Gaye, Jim Croce and Elton John...and succeeded. Andy, Perry and Herb were a disconnect with the then-current sound.

 

[davideduardo]

Discounting the 101.9s and the one 101.5 (KZON Phoenix), there are only three: KRTH, WCBS-FM and KLOL Houston.

And there is, coincidentally, some speculation in Houston that KLOL might be done over. Of course, the ongoing feeling that KRBE can't decide if it is CHR or Hot AC may be perceived as a hole in that market.

 

[Thomps2525]

Looky what I found! KRTH's top 500 Memorial Day countdown for 2011 was exactly the same as KRTH's top 500 Memorial Day countdown for 2010. KRTH's annual countdowns never include any songs that aren't part of their everyday playlist...but now we can really see how little our votes count for.

http://kearth101.cbslocal.com/2010/05/30/memorial-day-top-500-countdown-2010/

http://kearth101.cbslocal.com/2011/...h-101s-2011-top-500-memorial-day-countdown/6/

 

[michael hagerty]

Looky what I found! KRTH's top 500 Memorial Day countdown for 2011 was exactly the same as KRTH's top 500 Memorial Day countdown for 2010. KRTH's annual countdowns never include any songs that aren't part of their everyday playlist...but now we can really see how little our votes count for.

http://kearth101.cbslocal.com/2010/05/30/memorial-day-top-500-countdown-2010/

http://kearth101.cbslocal.com/2011/...h-101s-2011-top-500-memorial-day-countdown/6/

Well, that does it! Jhani Kaye should resign effective next Friday!


Oh, wait....

And what about 2012 and 2013?

 

[oldies76]

Looky what I found! KRTH's top 500 Memorial Day countdown for 2011 was exactly the same as KRTH's top 500 Memorial Day countdown for 2010. KRTH's annual countdowns never include any songs that aren't part of their everyday playlist...but now we can really see how little our votes count for.

http://kearth101.cbslocal.com/2010/05/30/memorial-day-top-500-countdown-2010/

http://kearth101.cbslocal.com/2011/...h-101s-2011-top-500-memorial-day-countdown/6/

I bet those votes are not even looked at or counted! And btw, many of those votes are likely personal favorites fill ins, that are not even in their rotation and of course, KRTH will refuse to touch them! But playing two exact countdowns, two years in a row, based on "tabulated" votes is deception.

 

[michael hagerty]

Before we go jumping to conclusions, we should rule out the possibility that someone in the web department typed the 2011 countdown over the 2010, resulting in the duplication.

And...what did they do in 2012 and 2013?

 

[oldies76]

Before we go jumping to conclusions, we should rule out the possibility that someone in the web department typed the 2011 countdown over the 2010, resulting in the duplication.

And...what did they do in 2012 and 2013?

Only 2011 and 2010 are listed in the KRTH search directory. So probably nothing!

 

[michael hagerty]

And before we go alleging fraud and deception, doesn't KRTH base their countdowns on KFWB, KRLA and KHJ charts from back in the day and not requests or votes?

 

[michael hagerty]

Just found it: Listener input isn't involved. And their promotional announcements simply say they'll be counting down "500 of the greatest hits of all time". Not the 500 greatest hits...500 of the greatest. Big difference.

 

[Thomps2525]

A few summers ago on a Wednesday and Thursday, KRTH ran a Firecracker 500 promo voiced by Charlie Van Dyke. He said "Here is song #201" and a song excerpt played; then he said "Here is song #101" and another song excerpt played; then he said "Here is number one" and after a slight pause he added, "Ah-ah-ah, you don't think we'll reveal that one, do you? Be listening Friday at 3 when we begin this year's Firecracker 300..."

In other words, the Top 300 was already finalized at least two days before the on-air countdown started. Any votes cast during those two days were meaningless! Apparently KRTH had no Ethics Department. And, for all we know, that Top 300 was the same as the 2010 and 2011 Top 300, in which case all the votes were meaningless!

 

[michael hagerty]

A few summers ago on a Wednesday and Thursday, KRTH ran a Firecracker 500 promo voiced by Charlie Van Dyke. He said "Here is song #201" and a song excerpt played; then he said "Here is song #101" and another song excerpt played; then he said "Here is number one" and after a slight pause he added, "Ah-ah-ah, you don't think we'll reveal that one, do you? Be listening Friday at 3 when we begin this year's Firecracker 300..."

In other words, the Top 300 was already finalized at least two days before the on-air countdown started. Any votes cast during those two days were meaningless! Apparently KRTH had no Ethics Department. And, for all we know, that Top 300 was the same as the 2010 and 2011 Top 300, in which case all the votes were meaningless!

Yo, Steve!

One post above yours, half an hour before yours.

There are no votes.