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Radio 101/PD Questions

J

JohnRadioFan

Guest
I was looking at the latest Arbitrons for San Fran and there is a format listed as Triple A. What is that? Apparently there aren't too many stations in that format.

On another subject, I've commented numerous times about the importance of song selections and positions. My understanding is today's PDs rarely create their own music play lists. It would seem PDs aren't captains of their own destiny. Do most PDs design their own promotions or is this too dictated by corporate? From past posts, it doesn't even look like PDs hire talent for the station. What exactly do they do?

Back to song rotation to keep it local to Jax radio. Let's use my favorite subject KOOL FM for this little exercise. Help me understand the process. A computer program selects various songs to be played by hour. Right? But isn't it up to the PD or music director to make sure it all makes sense. For the KOOL example, sometimes there is a whole bunch of songs from the 70s, then the station sounds like a traditional oldies station. Is this intentional or is the PD just accepting the song selection from the computer? No hour seems the same as the last.

The old COOL FM had a much tighter format and I could remember setting my watch to when a 70s song played or when a pre-Beatles song played. I would think someone was specifically positioning songs to match a tight format. Or I could be wrong. I guess I'm just trying to understand why some formats seem all over the place and others are more consistant.
 
> I was looking at the latest Arbitrons for San Fran and there
> is a format listed as Triple A. What is that? Apparently
> there aren't too many stations in that format.
>
> >


AAA is for Adult Album Alternative. It is sort of a broad based Alternative rock with demographic ages slightly higher than that of Active or Alt rock (your TK's and such). Playlists tend to be less "hard" and contain a broad range of artists. It is a niche format that doesn't do very well outside of large cities with notable exceptions (The River and The Mountain in Tennessee and 92 ZEW over in Mobile)
 
PD Questions

I can only address the state of how programming works in Top 100 or so markets these days, but most PDs are in chanrge of the day-to-day progamming at their stations. Research to decide how to construct playlists (due to cost) usually falls to the larger markets (usually top 50-75 sized markets) and often that info is shared down to smaller markets for use. It's also not unusual for regional programming veeps to look at individual market playlists but that's the sort of quality control any company would/should do (imagine General Motors giving complete autonomy to individual assembly plants to build Chevys any way they like!).

PDs actually have even more lattitude in deciding talent (in a general sense). Certainly, in the News/Talk arena, there are some syndicated shows some companies strongly encourage local stations to run (Rush is on a lot of CC stations, Clark Howard on a lot of Cox stations, etc.).

Finally, this myth that at the big corporate radio companies everything is push- down is fed mostly by weak programmers and general managers who don't "take charge" of their own stations and clusters. The truth is that many smaller markets welcome the help, due to limited manpower or lack of expertise in individual formats. If you're in market #144 and can get a regional VP to give them assess to research or other programmers who can mentor, it is a major positive.


>
> On another subject, I've commented numerous times about the
> importance of song selections and positions. My
> understanding is today's PDs rarely create their own music
> play lists. It would seem PDs aren't captains of their own
> destiny. Do most PDs design their own promotions or is this
> too dictated by corporate? From past posts, it doesn't even
> look like PDs hire talent for the station. What exactly do
> they do?
>
> Back to song rotation to keep it local to Jax radio. Let's
> use my favorite subject KOOL FM for this little exercise.
> Help me understand the process. A computer program selects
> various songs to be played by hour. Right? But isn't it up
> to the PD or music director to make sure it all makes sense.
> For the KOOL example, sometimes there is a whole bunch of
> songs from the 70s, then the station sounds like a
> traditional oldies station. Is this intentional or is the
> PD just accepting the song selection from the computer? No
> hour seems the same as the last.
>
> The old COOL FM had a much tighter format and I could
> remember setting my watch to when a 70s song played or when
> a pre-Beatles song played. I would think someone was
> specifically positioning songs to match a tight format. Or
> I could be wrong. I guess I'm just trying to understand why
> some formats seem all over the place and others are more
> consistant.
>
 
FYI - The River has run dry and is now EARL, although I can't tell much difference.


> > I was looking at the latest Arbitrons for San Fran and
> there
> > is a format listed as Triple A. What is that? Apparently
>
> > there aren't too many stations in that format.
> >
> > >
>
>
> AAA is for Adult Album Alternative. It is sort of a broad
> based Alternative rock with demographic ages slightly higher
> than that of Active or Alt rock (your TK's and such).
> Playlists tend to be less "hard" and contain a broad range
> of artists. It is a niche format that doesn't do very well
> outside of large cities with notable exceptions (The River
> and The Mountain in Tennessee and 92 ZEW over in Mobile)
>
 
Re: PD Questions

Very well expressed, Oldies Cat! Thanks, this clarifies some things and illustrates the importance of having the right person in the job. Taking charge, believing in your product and showing creativity demonstrates why the right PD can make all the difference. There's a lot of mediocrity in Jax and I think some of it has to do with not raising the bar high enough for this market.

> I can only address the state of how programming works in Top
> 100 or so markets these days, but most PDs are in chanrge of
> the day-to-day progamming at their stations. Research to
> decide how to construct playlists (due to cost) usually
> falls to the larger markets (usually top 50-75 sized
> markets) and often that info is shared down to smaller
> markets for use. It's also not unusual for regional
> programming veeps to look at individual market playlists but
> that's the sort of quality control any company would/should
> do (imagine General Motors giving complete autonomy to
> individual assembly plants to build Chevys any way they
> like!).
>
> PDs actually have even more lattitude in deciding talent (in
> a general sense). Certainly, in the News/Talk arena, there
> are some syndicated shows some companies strongly encourage
> local stations to run (Rush is on a lot of CC stations,
> Clark Howard on a lot of Cox stations, etc.).
>
> Finally, this myth that at the big corporate radio companies
> everything is push- down is fed mostly by weak programmers
> and general managers who don't "take charge" of their own
> stations and clusters. The truth is that many smaller
> markets welcome the help, due to limited manpower or lack of
> expertise in individual formats. If you're in market #144
> and can get a regional VP to give them assess to research or
> other programmers who can mentor, it is a major positive.
>
>
> >
> > On another subject, I've commented numerous times about
> the
> > importance of song selections and positions. My
> > understanding is today's PDs rarely create their own music
>
> > play lists. It would seem PDs aren't captains of their own
>
> > destiny. Do most PDs design their own promotions or is
> this
> > too dictated by corporate? From past posts, it doesn't
> even
> > look like PDs hire talent for the station. What exactly
> do
> > they do?
> >
> > Back to song rotation to keep it local to Jax radio. Let's
>
> > use my favorite subject KOOL FM for this little exercise.
>
> > Help me understand the process. A computer program
> selects
> > various songs to be played by hour. Right? But isn't it
> up
> > to the PD or music director to make sure it all makes
> sense.
> > For the KOOL example, sometimes there is a whole bunch of
>
> > songs from the 70s, then the station sounds like a
> > traditional oldies station. Is this intentional or is the
>
> > PD just accepting the song selection from the computer?
> No
> > hour seems the same as the last.
> >
> > The old COOL FM had a much tighter format and I could
> > remember setting my watch to when a 70s song played or
> when
> > a pre-Beatles song played. I would think someone was
> > specifically positioning songs to match a tight format.
> Or
> > I could be wrong. I guess I'm just trying to understand
> why
> > some formats seem all over the place and others are more
> > consistant.
> >
>
 
Thanks Rusty! Interesting that the format generally doesn't do well outside of large cities. I'm thinking AAA has some elements of "Jack." Up the road in Savannah, Triad flipped it's oldies station (98.3)to Jack - a move that has many baffled especially given the success of that station. But, they may have looked at the exceptions you mention and thought the fit was right. Time, as usual, will tell.
>
> AAA is for Adult Album Alternative. It is sort of a broad
> based Alternative rock with demographic ages slightly higher
> than that of Active or Alt rock (your TK's and such).
> Playlists tend to be less "hard" and contain a broad range
> of artists. It is a niche format that doesn't do very well
> outside of large cities with notable exceptions (The River
> and The Mountain in Tennessee and 92 ZEW over in Mobile)
>
 
Re: PD Questions

> There's a lot of mediocrity in
> Jax and I think some of it has to do with not raising the
> bar high enough for this market.
There is a lot of mediocrity, based on my recent visit, I think it is more a case of each station copying each other *a lot*. Maybe there are 3 decent PDs in Jax and the rest just follow the leader.

For example, I spent a couple hours on each country station and don't think I heard a song recorded before 1998 all weekend. Throw in some classic country and differentiate yourself!
 
Re: PD Questions

Who are the three decent PDs in Jax? Your opinion! This could make a terrific thread!

The Soup at half time in the Tenn/Ala game!

> > There's a lot of mediocrity in
> > Jax and I think some of it has to do with not raising the
> > bar high enough for this market.
> There is a lot of mediocrity, based on my recent visit, I
> think it is more a case of each station copying each other
> *a lot*. Maybe there are 3 decent PDs in Jax and the rest
> just follow the leader.
>
> For example, I spent a couple hours on each country station
> and don't think I heard a song recorded before 1998 all
> weekend. Throw in some classic country and differentiate
> yourself!
>
 
PD Questions

Hope you're a 'Bama fan, soup.

Hey- want to see a silly thread? Check out Pittsburgh. I got into it for a couple of days with two stooges from the Pitt about 3WS. PD got fired, they said it's because he got 'em to their lowest ratings in years. WWSW is actually as strong or stronger than ever in the ratings (especially 25-54), so I challenged them and you should see the s*&t these two bitter, ex-radio hacks tried to pull- actually disputing Arbitron numbers in black and white. They actually tried to say they had different ratings information (girls, Birch has been out of business for years).

You ESPECIALLY would enjoy the way I toyed with them. Two real psychos and even more goofy than the Rah-Rah Renda cats.

Roll Tide (I hope!)

> The Soup at half time in the Tenn/Ala game!
 
Re: PD Questions

> Who are the three decent PDs in Jax? Your opinion! This
> could make a terrific thread!
>
> The Soup at half time in the Tenn/Ala game!
>
> > > There's a lot of mediocrity in
> > > Jax and I think some of it has to do with not raising
> the
> > > bar high enough for this market.
> > There is a lot of mediocrity, based on my recent visit, I
> > think it is more a case of each station copying each other
>
> > *a lot*. Maybe there are 3 decent PDs in Jax and the rest
>
> > just follow the leader.
> >
> > For example, I spent a couple hours on each country
> station
> > and don't think I heard a song recorded before 1998 all
> > weekend. Throw in some classic country and differentiate
> > yourself!
> >
>

I can't wait to see who these three are either! C'mon! I can't stand the suspense!
 
Re: PD Questions

OC & Soup:

First, OC -- that is classic material on the Pittsburg board.
Everyone should check it out.

Now, as far as your bias toward The Tide.

Second --- a certain football coach ought to go the way of a
certain Pittsburg PD (see the Pittsburg board to get the bad
joke, hence fired.)

Third --- if you will allow me to use the "logic" of the
now-infamous Pittsburg board's brilliant poster "Mr. Music"...
The final score was indeed UT 36 AL 03 --- read it and weep.
It's in black and white, so therefore it's fact. At least
according to a specific target marketing research group.
That's all that matters. Right? (Another joke you'll get if you
see the Pittsburg board.)

You've finally been shown the door, OC -- you newbie, hack. ;]
Ha!

I wonder if Gillespie will now get a job at the Gator...
mburg, find out. That could pull the Gator out of the basement.

OC --- keep the Redwings out of Nashville. You are going down.


P.S. I would post this on the Detroit board if you had one OC, but
you ruined that for all of us a long time ago.

A very angry & capitalized TIBBS. LOL!
<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by tibbs on 10/23/05 05:15 PM.</FONT></P>
 
Re: PD Questions

And the Tide Rolled and the Soup rejoiced!

I went to Pittsburg. Either those guys live in a parallel universe or Tom Birch has set up shop in Steelersville! You done good Oldies Cat!

The Soup


> Hope you're a 'Bama fan, soup.
>
> Hey- want to see a silly thread? Check out Pittsburgh. I
> got into it for a couple of days with two stooges from the
> Pitt about 3WS. PD got fired, they said it's because he got
> 'em to their lowest ratings in years. WWSW is actually as
> strong or stronger than ever in the ratings (especially
> 25-54), so I challenged them and you should see the s*&t
> these two bitter, ex-radio hacks tried to pull- actually
> disputing Arbitron numbers in black and white. They actually
> tried to say they had different ratings information (girls,
> Birch has been out of business for years).
>
> You ESPECIALLY would enjoy the way I toyed with them. Two
> real psychos and even more goofy than the Rah-Rah Renda
> cats.
>
> Roll Tide (I hope!)
>
> > The Soup at half time in the Tenn/Ala game!
>
 
NHL?

Gotta admit- Wings are on FIRE right now. I also love the way the Preds were assembled- they did it right in NashVegas and set that team up for good future success.

Signed,
Hockey-town U.S.A.

PS- you gave the two Stooges (Shemp and Joe Besser) way too much credit on the Pitt board, calling them 100kw mega-stars. Both are out-of-radio wannabees who use the "show of hands in the breakroom" method of audience measurement vs. that ol' Arbitron ratings stuff. <LMAO> I can take the heat all night long if somebody intelligently disagrees- it's laughable to tell me he took the ratings into the toilet when the published ratings CLEARLY have them as strong as ever (jerk-of-a-PD, I guess, notwithstanding). At least most folks on this board aren't stupid enough to argue with published factual info- those a-holes made some outrageous (erroneous) claim, then spent a week trying to back out of it by trying to pile on. Didn't work.

>
> OC --- keep the Redwings out of Nashville. You are going
> down.
>
>
> P.S. I would post this on the Detroit board if you had one
> OC, but you ruined that for all of us a long time ago.
>
> A very angry & capitalized TIBBS. LOL!
>
 
Re: NHL?

> Gotta admit- Wings are on FIRE right now. I also love the
> way the Preds were assembled- they did it right in NashVegas
> and set that team up for good future success.


7-0. Come on down in January when we play each other. You guys
are also on fire. Going to be an awesome season, regardless.
Just glad to have action on the ice again. Titans have issues.
I know you're fired up for the Pistons. Something we lack
in Nashville.

I didn't mean to give ANY serious credit to 100kw stars, I'll
edit that. It's amazing that even though I didn't check the "real"
numbers, I did verify that WWSW one the top two or three rated
12+ Oldies stations , right? Sometimes, getting to close to the
situation blinds people more than being from a different city
looking in. Amazing.
 
WWSW

One of the top 3 25-54 nationwide. But they don't like the facts to get in the way of their fantasies. Damn glad they are out of our great business- in one post, they actually insinuated that I must not be much of a success because after 25 years I'm "still stuck in radio". Nice they can insult the tens of thousands who give their best to this great industry every day. The typical kind of hypocrite that drives me nuts- they aren't even in the biz but they always know better.

(BTW- yes, anxious to get the Pistons back on the floor!)

>
> I didn't mean to give ANY serious credit to 100kw stars,
> I'll edit that. It's amazing that even though I didn't check the
> "real" numbers, I did verify that WWSW one the top two or three
> rated Oldies stations , right? Sometimes, getting to close to
> the situation blinds people more than being from a different
> city looking in. Amazing.
>
 
Re: PD Questions

> Who are the three decent PDs in Jax? Your opinion! This
> could make a terrific thread!
>
One per format...couldn't tell you who is good and who is an imitator without meeting the people.
 
Jax PD Questions

If you don't really know, how can you make such a statement? Looks like you're taking shots in the dark, hoping something might stick.


> One per format...couldn't tell you who is good and who is an
> imitator without meeting the people.
>
> > Who are the three decent PDs in Jax? Your opinion! This
> > could make a terrific thread!
 
Ok, I'll take my own bait

Oldies Cat, looks like "PT" wants to "cruise" away from the can of worms he opened. Let me tread on this issue with my opinion. I think there are five exceptionally well programmed stations in Jax;

WOKV, WQIK, WEJZ, WSOL and WJBT (who I believe have the same PD). Coincidentally, they almost always make up the top five stations. Those are your four leader PDs. Somewhere between those stations and KOOL 100.7 lie the followers or future leaders.

What say the rest of you?

The Soup

> If you don't really know, how can you make such a statement?
> Looks like you're taking shots in the dark, hoping
> something might stick.
>
>
> > One per format...couldn't tell you who is good and who is
> an
> > imitator without meeting the people.
> >
> > > Who are the three decent PDs in Jax? Your opinion! This
>
> > > could make a terrific thread!
>
 
Re: Ok, I'll take my own bait

> Oldies Cat, looks like "PT" wants to "cruise" away from the
> can of worms he opened. Let me tread on this issue with my
> opinion. I think there are five exceptionally well
> programmed stations in Jax;
>
> WOKV, WQIK, WEJZ, WSOL and WJBT (who I believe have the same
> PD). Coincidentally, they almost always make up the top
> five stations. Those are your four leader PDs. Somewhere
> between those stations and KOOL 100.7 lie the followers or
> future leaders.
>
> What say the rest of you?
>
> The Soup
>

I pretty much agree with The Soup on this one. I know, or have met, every one of the PD's indicated above and they are a well-focused group of managers. You're right, Soup, the ratings are a direct reflection of the quality of the person running the show. 'nuff said.
 
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