Seattle Radio???

[Jay Peninger]

Has radio in this town gotten so boring and predictable that there is nothing left to be said? I seem to remember a time when you would log onto this board and it would take you quite awhile to digest all the new posts much less respond to them.

Is everyone so busy twittering and facebooking that they no longer have time for a nice old school message board?

 

[Bongwater]

Has radio in this town gotten so boring and predictable that there is nothing left to be said?

Yes.

 

[searadiofreak]

No.

Demand quality and content. If enough do, perhaps the message will get through.

Please remember that TV threatened to destroy radio some 60 years ago. Radio survived then, (even thrived), and it can do it again. It just takes some critical thinking and new ideas. I am optimisitic.

 

[RealityBites]

I've said this for 3 years now...."Radio is not in trouble, Radio is in transition."
The PPM was the single greatest thing that has happened to radio in 20 years.

WHY?

Because everyone thought radio listening had fragmented, iPods killed radio and of
course Satellite Radio was the death nail. Absolutely wrong. The PPM proved
people are still listening, Even more than we thought in some areas. Imagine that.

Oh yeah, I'm in the business and I'm doing fine. I just work a lot harder to make less.
But I'm okay. I love radio and I like my job.

Wisdom: Technology is fickle. Remember the digital watch? yeah, not all things stick.
We are in the age of technology toys and we are trying everything. When the dust settles
there will still be radio.

 

[SRP]

I seem to remember a time when you would log onto this board and it would take you quite awhile to digest all the new posts much less respond to them.

I'd say your memory fails you. You could "digest" all the new posts quickly because most of them were the same themes over and over again - bring back R&M, Cashman, corporate radio sucks, etc.

For the most part this "old school message board" has been a laugher for over half a decade.

 

[FMSteve]

I think the general mood is somber right now. There's so much crushing debt in the business that it's affecting the air sound.

 

[Jay Peninger]

I agree that the economy has changed the product to some degree and it would be nice to be able to get back to a place where everyone isn't looking over their shoulders wondering if they are indeed the next budget cut or if sales are up or down.

That being said do you think that other sectors such as Internet Radio can leverage some of the lull in the terrestrial radio market and make themselves more of a factor in peoples listening habits?

 

[JustaLissner]

You could "digest" all the new posts quickly because most of them were the same themes over and over again - bring back R&M, Cashman, corporate radio sucks, etc.
[/quote]

I would be MORE THAN THRILLED to post fresh messages along the "BRING BACK ROBIN & MAYNARD!!" line if I thought there was any chance it would do any good. I miss them like crazy. Y'all can go off on your irritating rants about how I'm stuck in the past, don't want change, am not embracing the future, whatever. But dagnabbit... I miss those guys. And to those of you who have nothing nice to say about them I have nothing further to say. When a team has been off the air for as many years as they now have and their fans are still missing them it says something as far as I'm concerned.

 

[TVradioguru]

I think the general mood is somber right now. There's so much crushing debt in the business that it's affecting the air sound.

Here we go again.. 'Radio isn't the same as I remember it used to be, therefore it isn't as good, blah blah'.

I've said it here before and will say it yet again.. According to actual statistics-radio listening is up, way up. What is down is advertising. Perhaps you've picked up a newspaper, looked at a news web site. or watched the national news? Yes the recession is affecting all forms of media. The reason advertising is down has nothing to do with whether Robin and Cashmann, whomever..aren't on whatever Seattle station, it's the economy. Simple enough?

 

[Dusty Dale Brooks]

Oversimplification with attitude, therefore I must respond.

Yes It's the economy stupid but there has been a fundamental shift in media usage driven by new technologies. Radio has been impacted. Anymore there is no need to listen to a radio station in hopes of hearing a particular song or artist. You can access that artist, that song, and all you need to know about the subject in a just a few key strokes from wherever you are, and I mean wherever.

As for talk radio...conservative talk may well be growing nationally but in the NW there are many folks who won't go there; and exclusive cumes are low. Moreover, the CPP/CPM for people like Rush, Hannity, and Beck are high and many people consume the latter two on TV.

Sports in Seattle? Take a look at the numbers for the format. Abysmal

What other formats can we talk: Spanish? maybe a little growth, Religion? who knows?

Don't get me wrong. I love radio. I am in the radio marketing and consulting business. I talk to broadcasters every day. No broadcaster who's telling you the truth will say there aren't challenges outside of the economy plaguing the medium.

 

[TVradioguru]

As for talk radio...conservative talk may well be growing nationally but in the NW there are many folks who won't go there; and exclusive cumes are low. Moreover, the CPP/CPM for people like Rush, Hannity, and Beck are high and many people consume the latter two on TV.

Actually that isn't correct; Hannity's ratings on FOX are some of the lowest in the line-up. His radio ratings are still where his bread is buttered by the ratio of millions to a few hundred thousand. Mr. Limbaugh doesn't have a TV show any more of that I'm aware of, so I'm not sure how you can make the comparison. Mr. Beck's TV numbers by comparison are also not even close to the numbers of listeners on radio.

Don't get me wrong. I love radio. I am in the radio marketing and consulting business. I talk to broadcasters every day. No broadcaster who's telling you the truth will say there aren't challenges outside of the economy plaguing the medium.

And I'm sure you're guiding poor broadcasters toward prosperity by tipping them off as to how challenged they really are and how you can help them. :

 

[Bongwater]

And I'm sure you're guiding poor broadcasters toward prosperity by tipping them off as to how challenged they really are and how you can help them. :

Poor as they may be, I have given them far more POSITIVE help than YOU.

 

[AQH]

And I'm sure you're guiding poor broadcasters toward prosperity by tipping them off as to how challenged they really are and how you can help them. :

Poor as they may be, I have given them far more POSITIVE help than YOU.

Are you calling yourself Cesar Chavez?

How does consistently saying "corporate radio sucks" help anyone?

 

[scott salvatori]

2387 posts and counting........welcome back from your hiatus mr bongwater.

something of positive help for those poor broadcasters had to come out of at least one of those 2387 posts? you reckon?

so what did you do....finally get XM/sirius? or are you still hoping for "hope and change" on the seattle corporate FM's, one burned out eagles song after another? ...........one slick voice tracked station promo voice track after another?............

 

[Wonderfulwino]

I dont worry too much about "where Radio is going" , but I'm beginning to think whether A.M has reached its zenith..Except in some small markets, it ceased being a music medium long ago and has struggled for its place on the talkiie circuit.
Local radio is skidding along economically and the result is a sort of homogenization of the overall sounds coming out of peoples radio. Locally produced radio HAS to stay in Seattle. It has a better than average shot at it too. Sat (XM/Sirius) never really took hold and doesnt seem like it will. That great experiment has lost millions.
We need real, LIVE people at the mic. R&M, Rivers among others demonstrate whats needed now. The corner offices and the board rooms at the top floor shouldnt be wasteing anymore time being cereberal on the subject. If its syndicated taped programming or a sat feed from LA is all thats left for listeners to hear, then lets bring back the 8-track..

 

[Jay Peninger]

I liked the days when I could turn on my radio to any number of stations and actually be entertained by the voices on the other end. Nobody is producing that kind of radio anymore accept maybe Bob Rivers with Twisted Radio and even that has been dialed down a few notches. Where are the Roy Otis' & Leave it to Beaver 1980's of this generation?

Sad that so much good radio has been retired or at least put on the shelf because young executive in an office doesn't get it, or wants to make his bottom line look good so they voice track instead of put a live body in a studio...

 

[TVradioguru]

Did it ever occur to you that there may be a reason these folks aren't on the air anymore, other than blaming 'evil corporate radio' cutbacks? (which is a copout) I believe the shows and times you long for ended well prior to the current economic situation. My grandmother probably would long for old Amos and Andy radio shows to be in AM drive again. How well do you think that would play today?

There was an earlier discussion about the success of KPLZ, a station who was given up for dead by this very discussion board on several occasions. Is KPLZ voicetracked? Do they have a live morning show? Are they local and live? Does the morning show do clever skits or a 'morning zoo' approach? It sounds like KPLZ is doing exactly what all of you are crying for, yet you act as nobody is doing it in Seattle. From what I recall, they are local, live, and don't rely on antics to get ratings. They do what their listeners expect, they play the music their listeners want. That Mr. Peabody... is why any station does well. All along the success of any radio station is simple; be good at the basics, repeat what works.

 

[AQH]

Speaking of KPLZ, I had to go back to http://boards.radio-info.com/smf/index.php?topic=73445.0 this thread for some laughs. Almost everyone on the board at the time thought they were changing format. Funny enough, it was the sales guy that first made the astute comments about programming.


I agree that morning shows need to be good, but describing just what is a good morning show -- nobody can do it here. First, nobody can really agree on just what is a good morning show. There are good morning shows that play a lot of music, and some that play little. Nor can anyone really describe what a good morning show might be. Bob Rivers is a good morning show, Kent and Alan is a good morning show, even Tom McCarthy is a good morning show -- but they all have a different background, a different goal and a different shtick.

A lot of people here want Robin and Maynard back, but can't describe why. Presumably, because the show was funny back in the day (and it was). The key word being: was.

And that leads to another thing -- everyone says they want something new to radio, but the answer for many here is to bring back a morning show that was in its prime 20 years ago. Why? Presumably because it was a known commodity, something that worked back then.


But to get back to the point of the first post in this thread. Talking about today's radio is not just about switching a morning show or switching a format. There's a good deal that happens behind the scenes. KMPS and KPLZ are two stations that have great success because of things that most people do not see or hear. I would love to see those kinds of discussions here, but it ain't going to happen.

There are current Seattle program directors, morning shows and talent who peruse this board. But they're not going to divulge secrets here, nor are they going to get valid ideas or thoughts from here either.

Look at it from their perspective. How can you take a board seriously when they're filled with "corporate radio sucks," "kpms" or "Kent and Alan are old and leave the building at 10:02 a.m." comments?

 

[scott salvatori]

sure seattle radio is still alive and live during the morning, and daytime. sure bob rivers show is one of the best in the nation, and kent and allen, kplz mornings have been popular for years(sorry, i aint ever tuned in kplz).

what about seattle evenings, and all nighters? mostly dead, and voice tracked. why? money saving corporate budget cuts? any min wage board operators even around then to push the buttons?

lets do a little night time quality comparisan here: XM 40 "DEEP TRACKS" satellite, VS "KZOK" is it live or is it voice tracked? i choose classic rock, this time, in an effort to differ from my past post comments re: country programming.

1) KZOK: despite being late night, and having several decades of albums, and songs to choose from, kzok plays a tight playlist of the familiar hits weve all heard a trillion times. the usual tight list of "freebird","stairway to heaven","shook me all night long", "bohemian rhapsody" etc...

2) XM 40 DEEP TRACKS: deep playlist spans 4 decades, and includes deep classic rock album cuts and artists you havent heard in years, even includes new music from the old school artists, like steve miller, BTO, heart, tom petty etc. also, occasional dips into the singer song writers like carol king, james taylor, joni mitchell, dan fogelberg etc..

1) KZOK: all nighter jock, is live or voice tracked? not much more here than the occasional break for 20 seconds to make a station promo. not much artist info or personality here, just a faceless announcer.

2) XM DEEP TRACKS: has dan neer, live behind the mike. one of the best in the business. putting out that style you recall from the good ol days of album rock radio. lots of artist info, and tons of real likable personality.

the choice is yours, CBS corporate lame night time, is it live or is it voice tracked radio? (who real cares cuase the music sucks) or XM/sirius satellite programmed live nighttime radio?

 

[TVradioguru]

lets do a little night time quality comparisan here: XM 40 "DEEP TRACKS" satellite, VS "KZOK" is it live or is it voice tracked? i choose classic rock, this time, in an effort to differ from my past post comments re: country programming.

1) KZOK: despite being late night, and having several decades of albums, and songs to choose from, kzok plays a tight playlist of the familiar hits weve all heard a trillion times. the usual tight list of "freebird","stairway to heaven","shook me all night long", "bohemian rhapsody" etc...

2) XM 40 DEEP TRACKS: deep playlist spans 4 decades, and includes deep classic rock album cuts and artists you havent heard in years, even includes new music from the old school artists, like steve miller, BTO, heart, tom petty etc. also, occasional dips into the singer song writers like carol king, james taylor, joni mitchell, dan fogelberg etc..

1) KZOK: all nighter jock, is live or voice tracked? not much more here than the occasional break for 20 seconds to make a station promo. not much artist info or personality here, just a faceless announcer.

2) XM DEEP TRACKS: has dan neer, live behind the mike. one of the best in the business. putting out that style you recall from the good ol days of album rock radio. lots of artist info, and tons of real likable personality.

Uh, I hate to burst your inarticulate bubble there Sparky, but other than Howard Stern Eastern time, all the shows on XM Sirius are voice-tracked. Yes the calls are pre-recorded too.