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Programming Your Own Playlist

B

berniek

Guest
I noticed this idea in another topic and wanted to bring it forward to the group. When I started at WNAK the jocks programmed their own shifts, under some heavy rules appllied by Bob Neilson, but still we could pick our songs for our shifts. Even when the station went to Music of Our Life in 1980, we still have the option of skipping over songs, stopping the system and playing our own selections. Those where the days.... :)
 
I also worked at WNAK, so I got an early taste of programming my own music. That came in handy later, when I worked for WDLS and did the same thing. I can remember not knowing a THING about the music at either place, but - somehow - the music I chose was always popular with my superiors.

When I left WNAK, Bob N. had me record "my music" on automation reels because he liked the way I programmed my shows. It was a simple formula (since I was clueless) - Male artist, female artist, choral group, instrumental, repeat. Not rocket science by any means, but I had good ratings in the 6-8 time slot (before the power down would cut the audience in half).

A funny note about programming music from my days at KRZ 1989-1991: I worked mostly overnights, and had no idea how the music programming worked. Jerry Padden, the MD at the time, used Selector, and always over-programmed each hour, so the jocks would never get through the stack of music carts for that hour. However, we were always told to keep playing all the carts in order, never skipping over the unused carts unless going into a major daypart during the week. The music clocks would be several hours behind each day, as I would be playing music at midnight that was technically from the 9 PM hour! So, theoretically, there were a lot of currents in rotation that were hardly ever heard (or at least not heard as much as they should have been) during the nights and overnights and weekends when the spot loads were lighter and more music was programmed.

Later, when I programmed WKXP, I was fortunate enough to have a system (I think it was Music Master) that allowed me to input the spot times into my programming so I never had any "wasted" songs - music clocks would reset at the top of the hour, and the songs that played before the legal ID were usually filler. The record companies LOVED me...
 
The call letters WKXP are in Poughkeepise, NY on 94.3fm a country music station. If you live up here by Lake Wallenpaupack up can pick the station up on 97.3fm.
 
There were a lot of things I liked about programming my own show. One of which was I wouldn't play the same song at the same time two days in a row (Something I hear a lot of now for some reason. Someone's not minding the Selector)...you could just skip over it and move on to the next ones. And I worked at a couple stations that had HUUUGE friggin cards where we were supposed to write the day and daypart we played a song just so that repetition wouldn't happen.
Of course on the downside, I'd have to come in 90 minutes ahead of time to do it. No walking in 15 minutes before a shift.....or as some of my former co-workers will attest to...5 minutes after it started.
 
talking about your own playlist..when i was doing the maverick country legends show on jr.. the deal with jim dorman and jess wright,pd and md, before i said i would do it.. being an all request show, when i got a call for johnny cash or patsy cline, i would play it. for the first couple of books, we were in the top three and doing great. then, we got a new pd, and it all ended. he told me not to play johnny cash or any other country legend twice in an hour. he formated the music, and programed alot of newer stuff from the late 80s and 90s. now dont get me wrong, that music is great too, but not to play jim reeves, eddy arnold johnny cash loretta lynn, just to mention a few is a mortal sin for an all country request legend show. when i suggested we should play requests callers asked for, his reply was our sister station in nashville plays, the newer stuff from the late 80s and 90s. my reply was this isnt nashville, this is wilkes barre, scranton, and they want to hear the don williams, hank thompson, hank williams, all the trucker songs etc,etc...when i was given 3 options by him, play what i program, take a caller if they ask for a song that i programed,and play it,or option 3, do away with the show.. i took option 3.. about 4 months after that, he was gone. i think if your a pro you should know how to program your own show. as keeth said, you have to come in early enough to set up your show,but thats what radio is all about. its nice to talk to and discuss the programing with your pd and md, but they have to learn that they dont know it all. sam
 
I remember at WNAK you could always tell who was on the air by the music that was being played. Bob Neilson would always have a couple of marches playing...Frank Murman loved his country...as did Mike Lee....plus being the youngest of the three Mike always played more modern stuff, at least modern by WNAK's standards....
 
I loved WNAK---one day I heard Johnny Cash's "Ring Of Fire" segue into Julie Andrews "Climb EVery Mountain"---then that segued into a Dean Martin song. One of a Kind!!!!
 
I miss those days. When I did 7-mid on WDLS I got double digits 12+ for one book while programming my own show. I don't even think there was a card system yet, just a wall of albums and a few cd's. I played the only country I knew. It was fun, but Ron Schacht just didn't like the "outlaw" or cross over stuff I would play. :)
 
SharkeySharkDog said:
Ron Schacht just didn't like the "outlaw" or cross over stuff I would play. :)
Click to expand...

That's because Ron had his favorite, Shark - Don Williams!

I remember one weekend when a certain full-timer who shall remain nameless (*cough* Shark *cough*) didn't show up for his 6AM-10AM shift on a Saturday, and I got a frantic call at 8AM from the station manager who wanted me to go in ASAP because Ron went on the air himself, playing nothing but Don Williams. That was FUNNY!
 
Sam....it has always amazed me in this business of EGOS what you described with your legends show happens so much.
If I were the PD, and I had a guy doing a weekend show that was delivering the kind of numbers you say you were, I'd leave it alone. I certainly would have more things to worry about that would need my attention.
 
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