PPM's Effects on KISW/Break Sweeps

[nwoidaho]

Being a long time online listener and one time board/control operator in both radio and television, I've noticed that BJ's show clocks have changed recently.

The presentation of the show has been a Recap/Best-Of Yesterday's show in the 5am Hour...Then the show would begin "LIVE" at 6am or anywhere between 7-11 minutes into the Hour depending on situation or excuse given for not being up and running earlier...

In the last week, the 5am Hour has been normal then to begin the 6am Hour, they have been hitting a "Best-Of" segment and just starting the LIVE content of the show around 6:20am...

Also, in the last week...THE DUMBEST and MOST ANNOYING Thing I've EVER heard on a radio show...of any Genre, TALK, ROCK? Whatever... A Flat Out COLD Out to a Break!? No Carted Liners with Music underneath with Mr. Big Voice giving out the Image, Name of The Show, Call Letters, Phone Numbers, NOTHING! Just Dead COLD Out!...To me, this makes ZERO sense at all...

Now on to The Second Most ANNOYING THING I've EVER HEARD IN RADIO!...

A Carted Promo reminding you to "Remember to Listen To Ryan Castle" 3 or 4 hours BEFORE his Show? Is someone SO insecure about Ricker's departure that KISW has to run these ANNOYING promos at the end of EVERY HOUR of BJ's Show?

Does anyone else have any ideas on what KISW is trying to accomplish in changing the presentation and clock format of a show that has done well using the old ratings system but is showing some flaws in the new one?

 

[Bongwater]

First, who really gives a s--t and.....

Second, radio programming has become what the corporate programmers wanted it to be. Who am I to complain?

Let it run wild. I have given up. With the exception of a few commercial American stations which I will thoughtfully keep to myself, good radio in the USA is DONE.

Hasta La Vista, Baby...........

 

[nwoidaho]

First, who really gives a s--t and.....

Well...I'd assume the listeners?...and the loyal audience?...and the streaming listeners?

When they go to breaks, the automation system that cuts the audio stream always clips content from the program...It sounds like there's something 'technically' wrong with what they are hearing?

Plus, it sounds like small market garbage? I thought I was listening to a radio station in Seattle, not "Taint & ****** Bag in the Morning" in Boise? You know? :|

 

[Shark]

You would think that with local morning shows dropping like flies that shows like BJ's and Mitch Levy's would pay attention to small details such as following the clock, but their arrogance and lack of professionalism apparently supercedes their awareness of their vulnerability. As far as the Ryan Castle promo, the PD is probably looking at PPM data showing that they need to recycle more of BJ's audience into that show.

 

[SeattleRadioPro]

Plus with PPM the "recall factor" of burning call letters into the listener's minds isn't as necessary. Still doesn't excuse the less-than-smooth transitions into breaks, however.

 

[Goldilocks94941]

I've found going cold into commercial breaks from music sets on Seattle's 98.9 KWJZ to be particularly annoying as well. It really ruins any effect the mood of the music might have had on you (granting that not all of it is great but, still, sometimes when I listen long enough I get into the groove, and don't want to be jolted into a Safeway or casino commercial without at least a short transition to bring me down from my "groove buzz".)

I think the medium tempo tone set by the music format is the main reason most people listen to the station. It really doesn't help the advertisers by "surprising" you with their ads (I suspect it's probably more of a tune-out stimulus for many listeners able to reach the dial).

When KKSF San Francisco pioneered the "smooth jazz" format, they made a point to say that they respect the music and never talk over it. They demonstrated it with short, live backsells and a simple foward promo before every commercial break, which always sounded "smooth" and minimized the "shock" of the agency spots breaking the tone set by the music format.

I'm more accustomed to small market jocks who rarely get airchecked going cold into commecials out of a song "back in the day," and am surprised when I hear major market commercial stations doing it.

 

[LITTLEBOYBLUE]

While you guys are talking about going into stopsets (I get that) --- I really DO like the aspect of PPM that allows stations to drop unnecessary stagers between every song, etc. because the encoding is doing that work now. Means there is more opportunity for "music artistry" -- finding some cool segues and letting them run for more than the 1 second most automation systems give a segue by default. I could always tell talent who REALLY gave a crap when I would hear that kind of attention to detail. Now ... a lost art, unless SOMEONE at the station actually cares enough to listen to each pre-programmed segue and adjust automation triiggers accordingly.