Room For One More In Philly's All-Christmas War?

[Soon Yi CIV.V]

What I don't like is that they're "ripping off" Now's presentation with regards to playing such clips between songs. I always considered WOGL to be a leader and not a follower. With that said, who knew that Now would lead not one, but two big Philly stations to trip over their regular programming until December 26th?

Although, to WOGL's credit... they're not running irritating automated backsells after each song!

IIRC, the clips between songs were originated here by Sunny 104.5, copied by B101, then by Now 97.5, and now by WOGL. It's like contagious or something! haha. But I actually think it's just part of the format. Nationwide, probably more stations play the clips than don't (but that is complete speculation on my part as I've only ever heard all-Christmas stations from three or four markets).

I've kinda gotten used to the backsells even though they are certainly an annoying "new" part of radio. haha. I might note at this point that WOGL is the only all-Christmas station displaying the titles and artists on the display of my car stereo. And I'd also like to say that Angela Mason sounds awesome today. Whether or not she's diggin the Christmas tunes, she sounds like she is and that's what's important!

 

[Soon Yi CIV.V]

Wondering why there's speculation that WOGL will be tweaking their format on the other side of the all-Christmas format? They get great ratings and have given no indication that they're unhappy with what they've been doing. (Personally, I'd like to see them dial down the Disco a bit but otherwise, I dig 'em.)

 

[DToTheJ]

PD Anne Gress tells him they're flipping at 6:00 a.m. tomorrow. She says they'll "play the songs you remember hearing as a kid growing up in Philly. So, sorry, no En Vogue covers of 'Silent Night.' Instead, it's Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra and Nat King Cole. Only the best of the best stuff." Sounds good to me!!!

Meanwhile, they're playing Harry Connick's cover of "Sleigh Ride" right now!

 

[MikefromDelaware]

To add to your miseries, tuning to Wilmington's WJBR 99.5 won't help either as they've gone all Christmas including their evening programming with Deliah (apparently there are options with as to which feed you take).

A couple of reasons so many stations may be going to the Christmas format so early is:

many people (women especially) are already out there shopping for Christmas and let's face it women are the main target demos for most radio stations advertisers.

Another reason could be that as there's plenty of negative news with the economy, layoffs, bailouts, etc, Christmas music is more uplifting, happy than most music so many folks may be looking for that as a way to extend the good feelings, etc, that comes with the Christmas season. So radio is responding.

I guess, another aspect of this Christmas music format that could be explored would be how a station could vary the Christmas format to pull in their desired demo listener. For example, maybe one station's rotation would lean more heavily towards the Christ centered Christmas music pulling in the more religious (Catholic, Protestant, Evangelical) listeners where Christmas is not just a holiday but a holyday. Where another station's format might lean more heavily on the "santa/ruddoff/frosty" holiday songs using fewer of the Christ centered songs pulling in a
demo that only sees the Christmas season as the holidays. Another station may not play the older versions (Gene Autry, Perry Como, various orchestras, choirs, etc) but only play artists that fit their yearlong format. Of course then there's the station that plays it all ranging from Gene Autry, Perry Como, the Philadelphia Orchestra, to the Transiberian Orchestra, Manheim Steamroller, etc. Any thoughts? Are stations doing any of these?

I was at Christiana Mall the other day and they had XM satellite radio on playing a large variety of Christmas music with everything from Gene Autry to Manheim Steamroller both Christ centered and santa/frosty holiday music. They had a good balance, at least for as long as I was there in the mall.

 

[Soon Yi CIV.V]

Meanwhile, they're playing Harry Connick's cover of "Sleigh Ride" right now!

haha. I guess we can't really fault them for wanting to sprinkle in some more recent stuff that tests well. (It is a really good cover!) But all-in-all, WOGL is really spiking the classics. And I don't think I've heard Fats Domino's "Jingle Bells" or "Santa Bring My Baby Back To Me" by Elvis Presley on any of the other stations in town.

And whoa... Ray Charles ("Christmas Time") just came on! Damn, I love WOGL!

 

[DToTheJ]

And I'd also like to say that Angela Mason sounds awesome today. Whether or not she's diggin the Christmas tunes, she sounds like she is and that's what's important!

Maybe she's being paid overtime?

 

[Soon Yi CIV.V]

Maybe she's being paid overtime?

Ha! Good point!

 

[Rockin Rob]

This will be my only response to your drivel so feel free to reply and reply until you wet yourself...

OGL HD-2 flipping to true oldies? WHY NOT??? CBS did it once with WOGL 1210. This would prevent someone else from doing it.

But HD doesn't work and is a miserable failure and no one uses it, remember? Interesting suggestion then that using an HD-2 station for a format targeting a demo who most certainly doesn't have HD radios will stop someone else from doing it. (Not that anyone wants to do it.) I stand by my original statement: It's a pointless idea. And I'm not really sure how "CBS did it once with WOGL 1210" backs up the assertion that it makes sense to do it with 98.1 HD-2.

Would make more sense than the "All 70's" stream, wouldn't it? And, for the record, I never passed any sort of judgement on HD Radio, tho' I agree it ain't taking off, nor is it the saviour of terrestrial radio.

Some should stick to praying for the "danse stayshun" that they'll never get!

And the pathetic, nonsensical "shot" from 1996. Is it aspergers that you suffer with? I can't really imagine any other explanation for this garbage. Happy Thanksgiving anyway.

1996? Someone's reputation preceeds them, no?

 

[JH_Radio]

I have to jump in here. I haven't heard the format, but I'd like to mention that Dance (according to the HDRadio.com website), is Club Ben (95.7 HD2), and I think 96.5 HD2 is also doing Dance.
Hey, never said anyone could hear it...
John
Bensalem, PA

 

[8638]

This will be my only response to your drivel so feel free to reply and reply until you wet yourself...

OGL HD-2 flipping to true oldies? WHY NOT??? CBS did it once with WOGL 1210. This would prevent someone else from doing it.

But HD doesn't work and is a miserable failure and no one uses it, remember? Interesting suggestion then that using an HD-2 station for a format targeting a demo who most certainly doesn't have HD radios will stop someone else from doing it. (Not that anyone wants to do it.) I stand by my original statement: It's a pointless idea. And I'm not really sure how "CBS did it once with WOGL 1210" backs up the assertion that it makes sense to do it with 98.1 HD-2.

Some should stick to praying for the "danse stayshun" that they'll never get!

And the pathetic, nonsensical "shot" from 1996. Is it aspergers that you suffer with? I can't really imagine any other explanation for this garbage. Happy Thanksgiving anyway.

They could stream it online. I notice that WOGL is unique among CBS' classic hits stations in not streaming its HD2 stations. KRTH, and KLUV, do. And older folks are among the largest group of computer users.

 

[KOOL Listener Lauren]

An FYI to out-of-towner Lauren: When WOGL made the positioner switch from "The Greatest Hits of the 60's and 70's" to "The Greatest Hits of the 60's, 70's and 80's", it was right after they ran a Top 1,000 song countdown a few months ago. As you would expect, the countdown included a great number of 80's selections, thus making it an opportune time to switch to its current presentation.

Hey, DJ! Thanks for the additional info. You're right, that's an "opportune time". Prior to Halloween, 80s had just entered regular programming here, and only a few select songs, at that. PPM is coming our way in '09, and that may be reason enough to do it. Either we'll take note and follow the lead of WOGL, or not... but I'm still no fan of "classic hit-izing" my oldies station in the first place!