POLL: OTHER THINGS PHILLY "DESERVES" TO HEAR

[fred flintstone]

[EDIT]

OK, here's my list of what Philly "deserves" (also known as, stuff I like and stuff I think is good radio). Please feel free to add your own.

• Dr. Demento. Classic novelty and comedy records. The show that gave Weird Al his start.
• As It Happens: The best damn interview show on radio. A certain fat former program director should be required to listen and take notes. From CBC Radio One and carried on American Public Media in the US. NJN Radio does carry it but their signal does get very far across the river.
• Paul Harvey News and The Rest of the Story. Philadelphia is the only large market which does not carry this legendary broadcaster (who may not be around much longer).
• Stephanie Miller, Ed Schultz and Thom Hartmann. Right wing talk has a monopoly in Philly. Air America Radio deserves to die but these progressive talk hosts are doing great radio.
• Neal Boortz. Libertarian. Also doing great radio.

Please comment. I may think of more later.

[EDIT-violation of TOS]

 

[radiophiler]

I'll second the motion on the libtalk triumverate mentioned in the previous post.

Other stuff I like that I'd like to hear on Philly radio:

A talk station that deals with water-cooler topics similar to New Jersey 101.5 - and includes the service elements 101.5 does: news summary at the top of the hour, frequent traffic and weather. Hosts would be local. Very little political talk. Two hosts during many shifts so that it's not just one host doing a monologue.

An updated oldies station for Generation Jones (those born between 1954 and 1965 who will turn 42-53 this year). It would be an inclusive 70s and 80s format. Not just 80s rock like The Point was. This would be a combination of the music on the Sirius 70s and 80s channels. Yeah, I know Ben plays a lot of this pop/rock, but there's a fair amount of 90s and 00s on Ben, too.

 

[rdcuffpa1]

I'll second the motion on the libtalk triumverate mentioned in the previous post.

Other stuff I like that I'd like to hear on Philly radio:

A talk station that deals with water-cooler topics similar to New Jersey 101.5 - and includes the service elements 101.5 does: news summary at the top of the hour, frequent traffic and weather. Hosts would be local. Very little political talk. Two hosts during many shifts so that it's not just one host doing a monologue.

An updated oldies station for Generation Jones (those born between 1954 and 1965 who will turn 42-53 this year). It would be an inclusive 70s and 80s format. Not just 80s rock like The Point was. This would be a combination of the music on the Sirius 70s and 80s channels. Yeah, I know Ben plays a lot of this pop/rock, but there's a fair amount of 90s and 00s on Ben, too.

Are there enough of us "Joneses" (first time I've seen that term to describe that demographic) to justify a radio station?

As others have mentioned, I agree that NJ 101.5 is onto something as a harbinger of local radio to come.

Amen to "As It Happens". It's available on Sirius, webcast, etc.; if you want all the live online options, look here: http://www.publicradiofan.com/cgi-bin/program.pl?programid=22

Alas, AIH is no longer on shortwave targeting the USA.

What would you drop from WHYY to accommodate adding AIH? IMO you dump Fresh Air at 7 PM. It's a repeat, anyway. Put AIH on at 7 PM, then consider putting Fresh Air at 11 PM, bump Radio times to midnight, cutting out an hour of the BBC.

Richard pulling the levers in Allentown

 

[radiophiler]

Regarding Generation Jones, it accounts for about one in four U.S. adults. For more info, see http://www.generationjones.com/index_old.htm

 

[csp-1]

agreeing with fred flintstone..... doctor demento ...unfortunately , these type syndicated radio shows have no interest with the powerful radio conglomerate bosses whom call the shots ... gawd .. i'd love to hear , and i think others would , too , if only allowed the chance to , in the philly radio market - flashback with bill saint james (abc) ...

 

[MikefromDelaware]

I've never heard As It Happens, but would agree that it could be placed on WHYY-FM's 7pm slot and move the repeat of Fresh Air to 11pm, etc. Sounds like it would be a great addition to 91FM's great programming lineup.

Also I'd like to see a good Oldies station that plays a better variety than WOGL with music ranging from late 50's, 60's, predisco 70's.

Also a full time Classical Music staton for Philly which would allow WRTI to go back to being a full time Jazz station.

 

[JohnnyPancakes]

Philadelphia deserves all national Westwood One play-by-play of all NFL games they distribute (whatever teams they happen to be airing that week), because Philadelphia is a major market. I demand that WIP, WHAT, WPHT, WURD, WNWR, WEMG, or someone clear these games. Philadelphia deserves pre and post game radio shows of the Philadelphia Kixx soccer and Philadelphia Wings lacrosse, along with play-by-play. Philadelphia radio listeners deserve coverage of all professional sports. This is what I want, even though I will never listen, and neither will anyone else.

 

[radiolover78]

Also I'd like to see a good Oldies station that plays a better variety than WOGL with music ranging from late 50's, 60's, predisco 70's.

Wish all you want, it won't happen.

Besides, WOGL is doing just fine among listeners.

 

[csp-1]

I've never heard As It Happens, but would agree that it could be placed on WHYY-FM's 7pm slot and move the repeat of Fresh Air to 11pm, etc. Sounds like it would be a great addition to 91FM's great programming lineup.

Also I'd like to see a good Oldies station that plays a better variety than WOGL with music ranging from late 50's, 60's, predisco 70's.

Also a full time Classical Music staton for Philly which would allow WRTI to go back to being a full time Jazz station.

MIKE FROM DELAWARE - I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU ON BOTH WOGL ....(UNFORTUNATELY KEVIN , POSTING ABOVE ,IS PROBABLY CORRECT ) ............AND , A FULL TIME CLASSICAL , SO HENCEFORTH WRTI CAN GO BACK TO FULL TIME JAZZ

 

[radiolover78]

But jazz and classical do add variety to WRTI's programming.

BTW, is it true that when 95.7 FM flipped from classical that they donated their music library to WRTI?

 

[rdcuffpa1]

BTW, is it true that when 95.7 FM flipped from classical that they donated their music library to WRTI?

I believe that is true. Dave Conant, who hosts morning drive on WRTI, did the same on WFLN -- I believe the program was called "Morning Pops".

When I moved to the area in 1979 I thought the region was truly highbrow - there were full-time classical AM AND FM stations! That was when WFLN was also on AM 900 daytime. I, uh, suspect that frequency hasn't done as well since then...

Richard in Allentown, PA

 

[Dancerev889]

RTI would never switch back to all jazz. They make a ton of money through underwriting because of the classical. And yes they got 95.7's library and djs.

I dont think Dr. Demento would work in Philly. We need to stop with the syndication and get more local programming. Stop bringing in these djs from other markets that dont understand Philly like Booker, and Whoopie

 

[JerseyShor]

Liberal talk radio.

NOT a generic "Air America" station, but shows like Stephanie Miller and Ed Schultz mixed with some of Air America's programs.

 

[MikefromDelaware]

WRTI might not want to give up Classical music, but that doesn't mean that the Philly metro area can't support a full time classical music station. Washington has two and Baltimore has one. Both metros are smaller than Philly. Even Salisbury Maryland #150 has a full time classical music station, so I find it hard to believe that #6 or 7 Philly can't support a full time classical music station.

 

[Stuart]

Bring Back....

WIBG Wee Willie Weber Boss Jocks Don Cannon Barbara Somers Original WFIL WIFI-92 Hy Lit "Hot Hits"-WCAU FM WCAU AM Good Air-checks("You have reached the top of the hour at the top of the dial, this is 106-WEGX, Philadelphia, a Malright Station) WUSL, When they first started(US-1) The Dawn Patrol(Nat Wright-WIP)
WIP's Cash Call Welsch & Woody(106.1) Joe Simone Bill Neal Tom Moran Casey Kasem(heard on XM now)
Sid Mark Joel Spivak Good LOCAL Morning Shows and last, BY SOME GREAT MIRACLE..."BIG" JIM O'BRIEN

Please add (or take away) from the list!!!

Stuart

 

[rdcuffpa1]

WRTI might not want to give up Classical music, but that doesn't mean that the Philly metro area can't support a full time classical music station. Washington has two and Baltimore has one.

Which two? WGMS is likely going sports talk - see http://www.therestisnoise.com/2006/12/wgms_says_goodb.html

WETA is now mostly talk. WAMU has long been talk.

The District will have to get its classical fix from WBJC in Baltimore.

Also, WSCL in Salisbury isn't full-time classical; it has the usual BBC World Update / Morning Edition / ATC programming.

Richard in Allentown

 

[radiolover78]

A full time classical station could probably do ok here, but the station wouldn't make much of a profit. That's why no commercial stations are touching the format.

I believe 95.7 FM's flip was a business decision.

 

[MikefromDelaware]

>>Which two? WGMS is likely going sports talk - see http://www.therestisnoise.com/2006/12/wgms_says_goodb.html>>

Here is an excerpt that makes the main point of the article: "The Washington Post reports that WGMS, DC's classical radio station, has been bought by the owner of the Redskins and is almost certain to switch to a sports-talk format. For some time, WGMS, the "good music station," hasn't been very good at what it does, focussing on a limited repertory and indulging in a lot of inane chatter. Still, it was the last thing left, WETA having converted to talk last year."

Thanks for providing the web site that contained that sad news. So now Washington is like Philly, no full time Classical station. Maybe if the Baltimore Classical Music station has a strong enough signal into DC maybe between the two markets, it can financially make a go of it and survive.

Seeing DC lose both of their Classical Music stations doesn't offer much hope that Philly will ever get a full time Classical music station again. I guess it means I'd have to pony up the cash for XM or keep adding to my personal CD collection. For now I'll keep adding to my personal CD collection. Those I'll have, who knows how long XM will keep Classical Music as part of their programming. Same with Big Band, Standards, and Oldies. It's just easier to add to the CD collection as less of these types of music is available on terrestial radio and again who knows how long it will remain on the satellite radio services.

 

[rdcuffpa1]

Seeing DC lose both of their Classical Music stations doesn't offer much hope that Philly will ever get a full time Classical music station again. I guess it means I'd have to pony up the cash for XM or keep adding to my personal CD collection. For now I'll keep adding to my personal CD collection. Those I'll have, who knows how long XM will keep Classical Music as part of their programming. Same with Big Band, Standards, and Oldies. It's just easier to add to the CD collection as less of these types of music is available on terrestial radio and again who knows how long it will remain on the satellite radio services.

I have both a Sirius receiver/subscription and a subscription to the Rhapsody and Naxosradio music services. I frankly get more out of plain ol' classical webcasts and Rhapsody/Naxosradio than I do from Sirius for classical and big band.

Sirius has big band and standards as a single format. Bah humbug -- I don't care about the vocalists.

Sirius has 3 classical channels - symphony, pops, opera. While the symphony playlist is reasonably diverse, I prefer Naxosradio for its 65 (!) classical channels.

Both Classical and Big Band are part of music's "long tail" nowadays... even as far as satellite radio is concerned. Frankly, if your interest in satellite radio is limited to those two genres (and not talk / news / sports / international / public / etc...) , satellite is not worth it, IMHO.

Richard in Allentown

 

[rdcuffpa1]

Which two? WGMS is likely going sports talk - see http://www.therestisnoise.com/2006/12/wgms_says_goodb.html

WETA is now mostly talk. WAMU has long been talk.

updating...

Apparently WETA will switch to classical 24/7 as of 8 PM tonight, per this PR: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/22/AR2007012200579.html and http://www.weta.org/about/news.php?release=54

NPR news will air at the top of the hour (not sure if all 24 or a subset...)

Richard in Allentown