it's the truth
Hate to say this, but I fear you're right. In a market like NYC (and I sure as heck hope I'm 100% wrong) all the stations (capable of a great signal and big resources) are owned by the 'biggies'. And in today's lemming-like industry, CBS-FM dumping Oldies is like a big green-light signal to others around the country contemplating doing the same to do it. And, it's like a big fat red light to those thinking of being the knight in shining armor and bring Oldies back ("the format MUST be dead if Infinity killed markets #1 and #2 in the same day!").
And it does totally blow. (and I hope we're ALL wrong on this one).
>
> That said, I don't believe Oldies as we've known it is
> returning to New York City anytime soon, if ever again.
> Perhaps in New Jersey. Perhaps CT. But not in Manhattan.
>
> You guys remember almost three years ago, when first WSAI,
> then WWKB decided to go 'Real Oldies', playing the music
> that the traditional Oldies stations abandoned? This was an
> experiment that the whole industry watched carefully. Was
> it the music? I think the answer was a resounding 'NO'. To
> advertisers and the general public, it was a quaint fad. To
> those of us who love the format, the personalities and the
> music, it was something to revere and some of us became
> fiercely loyal to the stations. Now, there's two stations
> still doing the format - somewhat. AM 1690 is still Real
> Oldies, and still owned by Clear Channel. It's literally
> got to be an act of God that it's still around, but we'll
> take it. WWKB is still doing it's KB Klassics reenactment
> and it STILL sounds great, even if the music isn't *quite*
> the same 50s only do-wop that the others tried. But the
> ratings are and were no barn burners, and these stations
> have their niche in their respective markets.
>
> I wrote that to continue about CBS-FM, and just about all
> Oldies formats nationwide. Advertisers don't care about
> those upper demos anymore. They don't. Sales are down.
> For whatever reason the so-called experts want to give us,
> they don't want to advertise on stations catering to the
> upper end of the listening audience. Is it foolish as some
> of you suggest? I believe so, for all the same reason as
> have been spoken. But broadcasters are in business to make
> money. And, thanks to consolidation, they all have
> stockholders who demand instant and decent profits all the
> time. So, a station that may even have decent ratings isn't
> immune to a format change to something that media buyers
> will take notice of.
>
> You know, I understand the reasons why, but this just
> totally BLOWS. It's those formatics, those disc jockeys and
> the whole aura of what was WCBS-FM, and stations whose
> format it imitated that got me hooked on radio in the first
> place. I hate this, for so many reasons, but not the least
> of which is that radio has become so damned antiseptic in
> it's presentation of whatever music the stations are
> playing. So, as one so called expert 'explained' to me -
> CBS-FM to JACK-FM isn't the start of a trend, it's the final
> nail in radio that WE like's coffin.
>
> At least we still have it available online, and no, I don't
> mean the Infinity internet version. More audio to come.
>
> > Hey, not to get picky or anything, but we going to
> speculate
> > about every frequency in NY going oldies?
> > I mean, it was good question at first, but every day, I
> see
> > another: 103.5 Oldies? 102.7 Oldies?
> >
> > At this point, I'm suprised I haven't read a post that
> said:
> > "Oldies100.3?" yet...
> >
> > Now as for all this business of a replacement oldies
> > station, you have to figure that if it was going to
> happen,
> > it would have happened right now. Don't get the wrong
> idea,
> > I'm a BIG supporter of CBS FM, and I have a HUGE aircheck
> to
> > share with Classicradionut soon. CBS FM is a GREAT radio
> > station! But don't forget how big the NYC market is. With
> > all the stations available, and all the people who live in
>
> > NYC, if there was going to be an Oldies replacement, it
> > would have happened already. At this point, I would
> conclude
> > that nobody wants to touch the format. The only thing I
> can
> > think of is CC possibly switching 103.5 to Oldies, sinc
> CCU
> > is the biggiest holder of the format (and has had some
> > success with the "Kool" clones). But that said, don't hold
>
> > your breath, at least not for a book or two. I really
> think
> > IBOC will be the best chance to get the oldies back, IMHO.
>
> >
>