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Richmonds "Bob" station 'Liberty'

S

stevehendrix

Guest
I've been reading all the comments about the new Richmond "Bob" type format station 'Liberty'. Whats their dial position and do they have a website? I don't think I can pick them up here in Hampton Roads.
Are they using all the typical "Bob" format type liners like "We play anthing", "We don't care how this song sounds next to the last song", "Whats next? We're not tellin'" etc etc?
You'll hear these type of liners on any "Bob" format station anywhere in the country. Its nothing new, just the typical liners associated with this type of format.
Theres nothing new or original in the "Bob" format. Just a different kind of packaging presentation for what is essentially a "Mix" format.

Back in the day, we old jocks used to call it "Top 40". <P ID="signature">______________
Steve Shannon WELK,WINA
Steve Hendrix WRVQ,WRNL,WLEE
Starr Stevens WROV,WXIL,WKEE
The Real Steve Kelly WGH,WZCL,WLTY
Kelly Wayne WTVR,WKEZ
www.wrovhistory.com
</P>
 
Hi Steve, You MIGHT start picking up 98.9 Liberty in New Kent coming towards Richmond, it's using a directional antenna. It's a standard Bob, but some of the groups I would LOVE to hear, won't be played on this station that claims to play anything. Joy Division, General Public, Art of Noise, The Clash, The Smiths, The Cure, Devo, New Order, Siouxie and World Party. I still find that Bopst, XM Fred(ch 44), XM 70's(ch 7) and XM 80's(ch 8) play more variety than liberty. Got the feeling that "Liberty989" is going to be around a while. Please guys, more deeper cuts, so you can spilt from the already overcrowded mainstream market out here. Yes, Steve, it is like taking a top40 list from the last 38 years or so and mixing it all together. If you want this to work on the test ground, you have to play some lesser known work as well.

As for some of the cut-ins, they are promoting NO repeats a LOT. Saying you could drive from Richmond to Washington 25 times back and forth and not hear the same song twice. You'll never hear the same song twice. Oh, we did some research LOL. Oh and my favorite so far was ripped from WCBS when they went from Oldies to "Jack"...once a hour we have to say this, WWLB Midlothian-Richmond. In New York, they said, Once a hour we have to say this, WCBS New York.

Liberty989.com, according to our friend VARTV has been purchased for 3 years, and network solutions is saying that it will be up soon. If they really want to look at a site for help on how to develop it, given that it's a BOB station, go take a look at www.hibob.fm it's out of Austin Tx. It includes a sample playlist for those new to the station. Also a email link(standard for most stations I know).
 
> I've been reading all the comments about the new Richmond
> "Bob" type format station 'Liberty'. Whats their dial
> position and do they have a website? I don't think I can
> pick them up here in Hampton Roads.
> Are they using all the typical "Bob" format type liners like
> "We play anthing", "We don't care how this song sounds next
> to the last song", "Whats next? We're not tellin'" etc etc?
> You'll hear these type of liners on any "Bob" format station
> anywhere in the country. Its nothing new, just the typical
> liners associated with this type of format.
> Theres nothing new or original in the "Bob" format. Just a
> different kind of packaging presentation for what is
> essentially a "Mix" format.
>
> Back in the day, we old jocks used to call it "Top 40".
>
98.9 No Website As Of Yet, Be Thankfull You Can't Listen To It Because It Sucks Prety Badly Just Really Bad AC Crap, Except With Some Ramones And G'N'R,But Except For That
 
> Liberty989.com, according to our friend VARTV has been
> purchased for 3 years, and network solutions is saying that
> it will be up soon.

Yes, but 989liberty.com is up now with a listener-contact email address and phone number posted. :)

DISCLAIMER: I work weekends at Liberty's Main Line sister station, Oldies 107.3.

Rob :)
 
Yeah, Liberty is basically a throw back to the days of Top 40 radio.

Last night, I turned the guys I work with onto the station and not a single one was pleased with it.

What was playing when we tuned into the station? Boston. We all laughed. Over the next 30 minutes or so, Phil Collins, Kansas (I've heard "Carry On My Wayward Son" 5 times in the last week. I've been keeping count and I don't listen that often. How's that for variety?) and Madonna.

It proved too much to bare and the guy manning the radio, who, by the way, can listen to mainstream radio blissfully all day, switched it off saying, "they play all the stuff I hated when it first came out". Mr. Average was not pleased.

And there is no new music on the station as far as I can tell let alone anything even remotely related to deep cuts. And despite what the cold, mechanical voices say, you hear the same songs an awful lot.

You ain't missing anything....<P ID="signature">______________
<a target="_blank" href=http://www.wclmradio.com/pages/bopst.html>The Bopst Show</a>
Monday-Friday (1-4 PM EST-USA)
WCLM 1450 AM
Richmond, Virginia
http://www.wclmradio.com
Request Line: (804) 231-7685

</P>
 
But if they play stuff ppl, do not know, do you really think they will listen?....ummmm NO !!!!!!!

Just because you listen to more (or know more) music than other ppl that does not mean everyone will, so they are playing what ppl are going to know 2 get listeners. Especially since they are NEW and HAVE NO LISTENERS....now in a year when they establish themselves and get an audience they can play more stuff unknown and mix it up more, but not right now. Right now they are finding an audience and who they are, thus playing stuff ppl actually know !!!!


> Hi Steve, You MIGHT start picking up 98.9 Liberty in New
> Kent coming towards Richmond, it's using a directional
> antenna. It's a standard Bob, but some of the groups I would
> LOVE to hear, won't be played on this station that claims to
> play anything. Joy Division, General Public, Art of Noise,
> The Clash, The Smiths, The Cure, Devo, New Order, Siouxie
> and World Party. I still find that Bopst, XM Fred(ch 44), XM
> 70's(ch 7) and XM 80's(ch 8) play more variety than liberty.
> Got the feeling that "Liberty989" is going to be around a
> while. Please guys, more deeper cuts, so you can spilt from
> the already overcrowded mainstream market out here. Yes,
> Steve, it is like taking a top40 list from the last 38 years
> or so and mixing it all together. If you want this to work
> on the test ground, you have to play some lesser known work
> as well.
>
> As for some of the cut-ins, they are promoting NO repeats a
> LOT. Saying you could drive from Richmond to Washington 25
> times back and forth and not hear the same song twice.
> You'll never hear the same song twice. Oh, we did some
> research LOL. Oh and my favorite so far was ripped from WCBS
> when they went from Oldies to "Jack"...once a hour we have
> to say this, WWLB Midlothian-Richmond. In New York, they
> said, Once a hour we have to say this, WCBS New York.
>
> Liberty989.com, according to our friend VARTV has been
> purchased for 3 years, and network solutions is saying that
> it will be up soon. If they really want to look at a site
> for help on how to develop it, given that it's a BOB
> station, go take a look at www.hibob.fm it's out of Austin
> Tx. It includes a sample playlist for those new to the
> station. Also a email link(standard for most stations I
> know).
>
 
vaboi, I never said that everyone has to listen to the deeper cuts now did I, no I didn't. I am not the music snob you think I am. Please recall on this very board, I was headbanging to Guns and Roses(and yes they do play them). I SUGGESTED playing more deeper cuts and 1 hit wonders. Ever wonder why Bopst's show is talked about here in town, because people like what they hear from him on the air. I will give them credit in due time if they do decide to play some of the artists listed in my post. Yes, they are brand new and have to play music that people do like and know, but I am willing to bet you right here if they added some(note i said SOME) of the artists I listed to their playlist, WWLB would knock down some stations in the ratings. Mix in those artists with the music there, and a lot of stations are going to be wondering where the audience went! Think about this point.....when is the last time How Soon Is Now by The Smiths was played here in Richmond.....give you a clue, it's been a good year or two, assuming that Bopst has NOT played it while I am at work. The planet won't play it because it stretches out past the 35-50 group that it appeals to. The alt stations here avoid anything that won't appeal to the brain of a 18 year old. Now I have heard Ozzy on here, that is a start given that NO OTHER FM station plays SOLO ozzy. That went away the day that Clear Channel AXED XL102 and went to the 102.1 The X.

What will become of Liberty, who knows. I know it will be much more sucessful than Michael Jackson trying to make another music comeback LOL. Will it crack the top 10, possibily, pending on it's marketing plan to promote in this market. This is the best signal in the MainLine group of stations. Except a small part of Petersburg, it covers the metro area. I took it out to Bowling Green, to Providence Forge and up into Charlottesville. Radio X gets it pretty well in Farmville. The only reason why it's not going into Petersburg, Fredricksburg, Williamsburg or the Middle Peninsula is because of the directional antenna that is protecting several stations. There could be sucess down the road for Liberty, but there has to be more of a effort once it gets off the ground for the obscure music listeners to want to listen to Liberty, as well as the mainstream music listener.
 
Just because people know a song doesn't mean that people like it. In fact, the more a song is well known, the more it is hated. Why do you think subscription radio (which Liberty is a cheap knock off of) is getting more popular? It's not because they want to hear more Bob Seeger.

It seems the entirety of the play list seems to be compiled exclusively to the most overplayed songs in recent recorded history. I think the station programmer should at the very least have some knowledge of music as opposed to scanning the top 10 billboard hits of yesteryear and throwing 'em up in a random order.

There could easily be a balance of both.

<P ID="signature">______________
<a target="_blank" href=http://www.wclmradio.com/pages/bopst.html>The Bopst Show</a>
Monday-Friday (1-4 PM EST-USA)
WCLM 1450 AM
Richmond, Virginia
http://www.wclmradio.com
Request Line: (804) 231-7685

</P><P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by bopst on 09/18/05 06:09 PM.</FONT></P>
 
> Yeah, Liberty is basically a throw back to the days of Top
> 40 radio.
>
> Last night, I turned the guys I work with onto the station
> and not a single one was pleased with it.
>
> What was playing when we tuned into the station? Boston. We
> all laughed. Over the next 30 minutes or so, Phil Collins,
> Kansas (I've heard "Carry On My Wayward Son" 5 times in the
> last week. I've been keeping count and I don't listen that
> often. How's that for variety?) and Madonna.
>
> It proved too much to bare and the guy manning the radio,
> who, by the way, can listen to mainstream radio blissfully
> all day, switched it off saying, "they play all the stuff I
> hated when it first came out". Mr. Average was not pleased.
>
> And there is no new music on the station as far as I can
> tell let alone anything even remotely related to deep cuts.
> And despite what the cold, mechanical voices say, you hear
> the same songs an awful lot.
>
> You ain't missing anything....


Hey, it's the best thing RIC radio has in terms of commercial variety...during day parts, I hear a good bit of modern and alt. music. At night and on weekends, it's mostly 70's-90's.

As for range...out of the three stations that are on that tower, 98.9 comes in the worst. I get loads of bleed overnights from either FM 99 in Norfolk or WMZQ. With a good tuner setup, 98.9 has a 60+ mile range South and West...and about 40 miles North and East.

http://www.radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/pat?call=WWLB&service=FM&status=L&hours=U if anyone cares to see the link...

I would love to see Liberty play some 80's new wave...until then, well...that's why Sirius has channel 22 First Wave!

Will Liberty hold it's ground...hmm...well, we will soon see :)

Radio-X
<P ID="signature">______________
If a DJ talks into a microphone, and no one's there to listen to him, does he make a noise?</P>
 
Okay, I hope you guys don't mind if I jump in here for a second....

With statements like, "In fact, the more a song is well known, the more it is hated," I had to rebutt.

Completely wrong. There is a simple rule that is followed in commercial radio and that is, "familiar breeds listenership." It is a tried and true method of music programming. Research project after reseach project will and have, all said the same thing. I will agree it has led to sanitizing playlists everywhere and left those, such as yourself angry and hungry for something deeper and fresher but that's what people want...no surprises. If there is a surprise...make it one that their not uncomfortable with...fresh but not too unfamiliar.
Do they want to hear more Bob Seger?....yes, they do...and more Kansas, Boston, Fleetwood Mac, ZZ Top and all those over-played bands that you love to hate...and they only want to hear the over-played surface cuts, not too deep.

Your other assumption is that station programmer's only knowledge is the top 10 billboard hits of yesteryear is grossly inaccurate as well. Most programmer's are very well versed in the history of music. That's why most of them got into radio because they love the music. Your portrayal of programmers as a clumsily dressed cubical geek with no working knowledge of music history is laughable at best.
Radio Programmers are paid to bring the most listeners to the radio station so that station can maximize it's selling potential. In other words, it's a business and you can't run a successful business when your playing obscure music that a few guys think is cool.
While there could be a balance of both, there's not and there's a reason.

I respect your wish for something different. I too long for the days when commercial radio was always unpredictable. But being predictable is where the dollar is today. Sad but true.





> Just because people know a song doesn't mean that people
> like it. In fact, the more a song is well known, the more it
> is hated. Why do you think subscription radio (which Liberty
> is a cheap knock off of) is getting more popular? It's not
> because they want to hear more Bob Seeger.
>
> It seems the entirety of the play list seems to be compiled
> exclusively to the most overplayed songs in recent recorded
> history. I think the station programmer should at the very
> least have some knowledge of music as opposed to scanning
> the top 10 billboard hits of yesteryear and throwing 'em up
> in a random order.
>
> There could easily be a balance of both.
>
 
> > Yeah, Liberty is basically a throw back to the days of Top
>
> > 40 radio.
> >
> > Last night, I turned the guys I work with onto the station
>
> > and not a single one was pleased with it.
> >
> > What was playing when we tuned into the station? Boston.
> We
> > all laughed. Over the next 30 minutes or so, Phil Collins,
>
> > Kansas (I've heard "Carry On My Wayward Son" 5 times in
> the
> > last week. I've been keeping count and I don't listen that
>
> > often. How's that for variety?)

I have to agree with Bopst that none of the guys he works with was pleased with the "Bob" type format. And I agree that Bopst and his coworkers all laughed at Boston, Kansas and Phil Collins. It is behavior and comments I have come to expect from him. It is a snub of us and radio in general. He will never change.

If you're like me radiodxrichmond, you ignore it. Its one of the downsides of group postings. Theres always going to be someone else who thinks they know it all and attempts to prove it by putting everyone else and their ideas down.

Nobody likes a bully. I stopped replying to his posts a month ago. Don't waste your time either.

Thanks for YOUR usual positive comments and ideas.<P ID="signature">______________
Steve Shannon WELK,WINA
Steve Hendrix WRVQ,WRNL,WLEE
Starr Stevens WROV,WXIL,WKEE
The Real Steve Kelly WGH,WZCL,WLTY
Kelly Wayne WTVR,WKEZ
www.wrovhistory.com
</P>
 
> > > Yeah, Liberty is basically a throw back to the days of
> Top
> >
> > > 40 radio.
> > >
> > > Last night, I turned the guys I work with onto the
> station
> >
> > > and not a single one was pleased with it.
> > >
> > > What was playing when we tuned into the station? Boston.
>
> > We
> > > all laughed. Over the next 30 minutes or so, Phil
> Collins,
> >
> > > Kansas (I've heard "Carry On My Wayward Son" 5 times in
> > the
> > > last week. I've been keeping count and I don't listen
> that
> >
> > > often. How's that for variety?)
>
> I have to agree with Bopst that none of the guys he works
> with was pleased with the "Bob" type format. And I agree
> that Bopst and his coworkers all laughed at Boston, Kansas
> and Phil Collins. It is behavior and comments I have come to
> expect from him. It is a snub of us and radio in general. He
> will never change.
>
> If you're like me radiodxrichmond, you ignore it. Its one of
> the downsides of group postings. Theres always going to be
> someone else who thinks they know it all and attempts to
> prove it by putting everyone else and their ideas down.
>
> Nobody likes a bully. I stopped replying to his posts a
> month ago. Don't waste your time either.
>
> Thanks for YOUR usual positive comments and ideas.

I'm sure the more familiar the tunes, the more I'd like it. Just give me jocks like Bill Bevins, familiar tunes , and I'm all set. Guess thats why nobody responds to my posts anymore.
>
 
Radio, I did hear Cars by Gary Neuman the other day. Mickey by Toni Basil gets airplay as well(remember that outfit she wore in the video guys LOL). Last night Love and Rockets was on. Yes, I have also heard Guns and Roses on there too. heck, remember one night surfing stations here and Y101 was playing paradise city and I was wondering, what was going on in there LOL.

In all seriousness, I think that this station has top 10 potential. As I noted in the thread as to the losers, you and I basically agree that a lot of stations could take a hit from this new station we call liberty. I checked out the link you posted and I thought, ok with a few good DJ's that are LOCAL(bestow my aching heart Cox, Radio One and Clear Channel LOL). Add to that a good mix of hits and lesser known stuff and can you say top 5 POSSIBLY. The closest I can equate to Richmond Radio history for this station has to be one of 3 stations. Lazer 93....in between the Lazer R&B and Power stages. WVGO back circa 1994 and Q94 circa 1992(well before they had a zoo leader who thinks that hip hugging jeans and a blouse is style LOL).

For your sirus, there is XM Fred (ch44) which plays classic alt and a LOT of new wave as well as the sirus station.
 
> Guess thats why nobody responds to my posts
> anymore.

No worries...I was a big B-103 fan...got ragged on in college big time for that...

Anyway, Lite 98 has never been my cuppa tea, just too vomit-licious. If you pointed a gun to my head and said "Listen to AC", I'd tune to B...er...Mix 103-7...even though our local AC is more interesting. WFLO was "BOB" before "BOB" was cool! You'll hear 3 Doors Down going into the Beatles into A Flock of Seagulls. Personally, I think FLO's jocks need to put a bit of pep in their step...but hey, they're tried and true. You can't go into an office anywhere from Amelia to Appomattox without hearing them

Yeah, so...major segue...sorry! But I did respond to your post!


Radio-X


<P ID="signature">______________
If a DJ talks into a microphone, and no one's there to listen to him, does he make a noise?</P>
 
As some of you guys cling to the dying beast of corporate radio praising REO Speedwagon, Bob Seeger and Boston as programming innovations, I go into deep, gut busting laughing fits.

How in the world can you call this station Liberty? Sounds more like tyranny to anyone paying attention.

The masses are fleeing in record, justifiable droves from the maddening confines of corporate mandated play lists and radio, as clueless as ever, serves up this unsatisfying drivel of the same old, same old as revolutionary programming? It is to laugh.

Radio seems to be the only industry that doesn't understand that, to increase one's market share, they have to find innovative new ways to draw new listeners (consumers) to the table. Liberty shows how utterly clueless Richmond radio, and American corporate radio in general, is to adopting to the changing market place.

What did I hear yesterday on Liberty?
"Riding the Storm out": REO
"Down on Main Street": Bob Seeger

and I love this one. This must be considered the station's programming gamble....

New Hootie and the Blowfish.

I almost crashed I was laughing so hard.

Sure, the housewife, the beloved "passive listener" commercial radio covets beyond all other, probably is singing along, which is fine and dandy, but there still is a huge market share in Richmond that quickly turns the channel. Why is it that every station in the city programs exclusively for the passive listener? Bovine America is not the only market out there, my friends, and radio's troubling insistence on catering to the housewife crowd, ensures they haven't a clue on how to open their stations, and in turn, their advertisers, to new markets.

There are a lot more people in mainstream America than radio realizes.<P ID="signature">______________
<a target="_blank" href=http://www.wclmradio.com/pages/bopst.html>The Bopst Show</a>
Monday-Friday (1-4 PM EST-USA)
WCLM 1450 AM
Richmond, Virginia
http://www.wclmradio.com
Request Line: (804) 231-7685

</P>
 
New York’s “Jack” drops 2.5 to 1.7 — to 22nd place — in the latest Summer Arbitrends.


Infinity’s hoping former oldies WCBS-FM doesn’t stay there (below sister WNEW at a 2.1). The company’s other two big-market Jacks did better in the new Phase II Trends — L.A.’s KCBS-FM and former Chicago oldies WJMK.

> As some of you guys cling to the dying beast of corporate
> radio praising REO Speedwagon, Bob Seeger and Boston as
> programming innovations, I go into deep, gut busting
> laughing fits.
>
> How in the world can you call this station Liberty? Sounds
> more like tyranny to anyone paying attention.
>
> The masses are fleeing in record, justifiable droves from
> the maddening confines of corporate mandated play lists and
> radio, as clueless as ever, serves up this unsatisfying
> drivel of the same old, same old as revolutionary
> programming? It is to laugh.
>
> Radio seems to be the only industry that doesn't understand
> that, to increase one's market share, they have to find
> innovative new ways to draw new listeners (consumers) to the
> table. Liberty shows how utterly clueless Richmond radio,
> and American corporate radio in general, is to adopting to
> the changing market place.
>
> What did I hear yesterday on Liberty?
> "Riding the Storm out": REO
> "Down on Main Street": Bob Seeger
>
> and I love this one. This must be considered the station's
> programming gamble....
>
> New Hootie and the Blowfish.
>
> I almost crashed I was laughing so hard.
>
> Sure, the housewife, the beloved "passive listener"
> commercial radio covets beyond all other, probably is
> singing along, which is fine and dandy, but there still is a
> huge market share in Richmond that quickly turns the
> channel. Why is it that every station in the city programs
> exclusively for the passive listener? Bovine America is not
> the only market out there, my friends, and radio's troubling
> insistence on catering to the housewife crowd, ensures they
> haven't a clue on how to open their stations, and in turn,
> their advertisers, to new markets.
>
> There are a lot more people in mainstream America than radio
> realizes.
>
 
It's only a matter of time before Liberty suffers the same fate....<P ID="signature">______________
<a target="_blank" href=http://www.wclmradio.com/pages/bopst.html>The Bopst Show</a>
Monday-Friday (1-4 PM EST-USA)
WCLM 1450 AM
Richmond, Virginia
http://www.wclmradio.com
Request Line: (804) 231-7685

</P>
 
> It's only a matter of time before Liberty suffers the same
> fate....
>
What Being Cansled Or Just Being Godawfull, And Sides I Just Just A Response Back From them practally bashing the stuff i wanted them to play, i mean for god (*DELETED*) sake what kind of ass-hat station dossen't play (*DELETED*) ralph stanley (*DELETED*), i'll stick to the stuff i can get online bloody arseholes.<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by VARTV on 09/22/05 01:48 PM.</FONT></P>
 
> > It's only a matter of time before Liberty suffers the same
>
> > fate....
> >
> What Being Cansled Or Just Being Godawfull, And Sides I Just
> Just A Response Back From them practally bashing the stuff i
> wanted them to play, i mean for god (*DELETED*) sake what kind
> of ass-hat station dossen't play (*DELETED*) ralph stanley
> (*DELETED*), i'll stick to the stuff i can get online bloody
> arseholes.
>

Do I sense a bit of jealousy from Bopst? <P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by VARTV on 09/22/05 01:49 PM.</FONT></P>
 
That second post ain't me...

To answer your question: Yes, I am a little jealous. I'm envious of the bandwidth Liberty has on the FM band. That's all I covet.

And to be honest, I hope Liberty succeeds because, if it doesn't, any further thinking outside the box (even though this is a miniscule peek from it) will be frowned upon with Liberty used as an example that even the slightest deviation from the norm is finical suicide. If the station does do well, it could hopefully open some things up.

At this stage in the game, I don't believe Liberty is going to resonate with the general public in ways that it should in order to set itself apart from the pack. The station isn't going to increase it's market share by attracting new listeners with its current rotation. It, at best, will pilfer listeners from similar stations, but nobody new will be brought to the party, which, in most businesses, is the goal when one takes calculated risks with services or commodities. Sure, the gooey, creamy filling of bovine America is the advertiser's wet dream, but if the so called, "active listeners" could be brought on board, now that would be something special.

On a national level, it seems the whole Jack, Bob, Tom, Dick or Harry formats are already losing steam which does bode well for Liberty.

<P ID="signature">______________
<a target="_blank" href=http://www.wclmradio.com/pages/bopst.html>The Bopst Show</a>
Monday-Friday (1-4 PM EST-USA)
WCLM 1450 AM
Richmond, Virginia
http://www.wclmradio.com
Request Line: (804) 231-7685

</P>
 
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