Sleigh Bells in the Air

[yocco]

on Bangor's WKSQ. Getting the jump on the competition...9 days before Thanksgiving. Who will be next to turn on the Holiday cheer in the Pine Tree State?

 

[argytunes]

I just hope that whoever does REFRAINS from using the words: "Your OFFICIAL Christmas music station?" :-[

There's a certain 'all Christmas radio station" in southern New England currently using this very tired slogan!

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I always thought anything OFFICIAL wore some sort of a badge?? :

argytunes

 

[rjoc]

They are advertising it pretty heavy on WVII (ABC-7) TV.
Haven't noticed any ads on WLBZ or WABI...yet.

 

[Erie_Lackawanna]

I just hope that whoever does REFRAINS from using the words: "Your OFFICIAL Christmas music station?" :-[

(snip)

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I always thought anything OFFICIAL wore some sort of a badge?? :

argytunes

"badges? badges? we don' need no stinkin' badges... hahahahahahaha"

what's wrong with tried and true? adding the "official" tag makes it legit. sure, anyone can be Your Christmas Station - although in Maine it might be Your Holiday Station - but it takes a measure of guts to self-describe as "official."

 

[argytunes]

Erie...

The word OFFICIAL is tired! It was fine during the 90s, but the word got too much OVERKILL! Surely there's a better way to sell a Christmas music format?

Personally...I'd rather hear a slogan like: "We play pretty damn good Christmas (or holiday) music here" instead of wading through an OFFICIAL anything! :

argytunes

 

[BangBang]

I just wish Santa would finally GIVE Clarence the freakin' saxophone he wants so that Springsteen will shut the hell up ...

 

[Erie_Lackawanna]

Erie...

The word OFFICIAL is tired! It was fine during the 90s, but the word got too much OVERKILL! Surely there's a better way to sell a Christmas music format?

Personally...I'd rather hear a slogan like: "We play pretty damn good Christmas (or holiday) music here" instead of wading through an OFFICIAL anything! :

argytunes

as usual, argy - you're right. there must be a better way to do it. so what is it? oh - that's right - not here, not for free, not me, not now, or something.

 

[argytunes]

Erie...

As you and I both know....the moment someone in the business "shares or suggests a broadcast idea or thought FOR FREE"---at least one or two 'radio vultures' will swoop down, grab the idea and take 100% credit for it.

Some of our broadcast leaders look upon the practice of stealing as "flattery" for the 'creative man or woman' who came up with the concept? While I've never been completely against 'sharing a concept or two' (about an existing format) with others who work for competitive radio groups.....I won't offer them for FREE! :-X

argytunes

 

[Erie_Lackawanna]

Erie...

As you and I both know....the moment someone in the business "shares or suggests a broadcast idea or thought FOR FREE"---at least one or two 'radio vultures' will swoop down, grab the idea and take 100% credit for it.

Some of our broadcast leaders look upon the practice of stealing as "flattery" for the 'creative man or woman' who came up with the concept? While I've never been completely against 'sharing a concept or two' (about an existing format) with others who work for competitive radio groups.....I won't offer them for FREE! :-X

argytunes

and so it goes. in this business, the benchmark of a true professional is one who can both give and take constructive criticism.
"your idea stinks." is the usual offering from one who doesn't get it.

"your idea stinks because..." at least offers the reasoning behind the judgement

"your idea stinks because it's trite, old and worn. here's how to make it better..." is the individual who almost understands how to lead.

"your idea has its merits, such as... do you think it would be even better if you tried adding this ... ?" is the rare individual who can, without exactly saying so, say your idea stinks and offers suggestions as to how it might be deodorized.

argy - on this forum, you've been asked repeatedly to amplify your assessments with suggestions. not once have you been able to do so. anyone can say they "won't." i don't believe you can. if you could, you wouldn't be out here in make-believe land. you'd practicing that which you can preach. instead, what we get is "your idea stinks."

so, oh wise one - do tell. how do you make an all-Christmas music format identified as something other than your (official) Christmas Music Station. and i use the word Christmas here as, well, that's what the holiday is. there are other observances during this time of the year. but until Adam Sandler came along, the operative observance was pretty much December 25.

 

[yocco]

Using the word "official" is an attempt to frame someone else doing the same thing as being not as good. Here's a thought....and I'll gladly share it for free........I believe a station is better off when someone other than you is touting your benefits. So instead of your station voice touting "Your Official Holiday Station, WXXX", it's better if you have sweepers with your listeners say what's great..EX:

WXXX "(listener) "We're baking Christmas Cookies and we love the music you're playing" WXXX or

"The great Christmas Music on WXXX is like having Carolers coming to your door " Happy Holidays drom WXXX.

These are very rough and could be refined. All station imaging should invoke emotion. Your "Official" does not.

 

[Erie_Lackawanna]

Using the word "official" is an attempt to frame someone else doing the same thing as being not as good. Here's a thought....and I'll gladly share it for free........I believe a station is better off when someone other than you is touting your benefits. So instead of your station voice touting "Your Official Holiday Station, WXXX", it's better if you have sweepers with your listeners say what's great..EX:

WXXX "(listener) "We're baking Christmas Cookies and we love the music you're playing" WXXX or

"The great Christmas Music on WXXX is like having Carolers coming to your door " Happy Holidays drom WXXX.

These are very rough and could be refined. All station imaging should invoke emotion. Your "Official" does not.

listener testimonials are indeed one way for a station to position itself with its listeners. the use of "official" or "genuine" or "only" is merely an amplifier to help drive home, in as a few words possible, that which you are attempting to convey. our sound-bite society (vis a vis the comic relating screaming at the microwave oven to hurry up) has us all condensing to a 3-4 word point.

who are you? station calls/nickname
what are you? format descriptive
(although sometimes who & what can be done in one - News-Talk WLOB, Oldies 100.9, etc)
when it comes to the what - it has to be brief and to the point
Portland's Hit Music - Q 97 dot 9
Today's Country - WPOR 101.9

so to describe a format-shift, in this case, Christmas Music - your Christmas Music Station is nice, but your Official Christmas Music Station has a little more "ummmpff" to it.

one would not really want to wear a Rolecks watch. one might prefer instead a Rolex.

 

[Pliff]

Boy oh boy...it's so funny how some of us turn into corporate suits and not even know it! I just read through the various rants about the word "official". See...corporate suits do this...they analyze the little things to death...while forgetting key programming ingredients! Who cares whether the word is used or not. Radio needs to concentrate on the TWO big things that many programmers forget (or don't have time to)...TALENT DEVELOPEMENT and proper MARKETING/BRANDING of the ENTIRE station...not just a "word".

 

[yocco]

Yes......I would totally agree with that. Yet, I believe that is also a problem at the smaller stations as well..not just the corporate ones. And is also another discussion for another thread.

 

[argytunes]

I agree with the "corporate suit theory" Pliff and yoco brought up.

Sorry...Erie....But the days of "honor among thieves" in broadcasting have long since past! [Ask your boss and the people HE works for]. There will always be a 'thieving magpie' ready to swoop down to take credit for an idea that wasn't his (or hers) to begin with?

So if you're expecting a 'piece of me FOR FREE'----forget it!

argytunes

 

[Underminer]

Argy,

Why? You don't even work in radio anymore. What would you be losing? Other than your self-delusions that you know what's going on?

 

[Pliff]

Ouch!!

 

[popman]

Someone's gonna get coal in their stocking for that unkind comment

 

[Erie_Lackawanna]

I agree with the "corporate suit theory" Pliff and yoco brought up.

Sorry...Erie....But the days of "honor among thieves" in broadcasting have long since past! [Ask your boss and the people HE works for]. There will always be a 'thieving magpie' ready to swoop down to take credit for an idea that wasn't his (or hers) to begin with?

So if you're expecting a 'piece of me FOR FREE'----forget it!

argytunes

yes, we radio people today are all corporate suits. why, i'm wearing mine right now. and it was just moments ago that i spoke with several CEO's of major broadcast groups who gave me props for trying to get you to reveal, here, for free, the long lost secret of creative radio. granted, i got props - not a raise, cuz that's the corporate way.

as to playing Christmas music, wall-to-wall and tree-top tall (oops - old, trite phrase inserted here), not unlike the Big Mac (which the sign tells us "billions & billions served), enough people seem to enjoy an all-Christmas music format.

the vocal ones, myself included, feel that there can be a balance between what a station does on a daily basis and the sounds-of-the-season (ooops - i did it again), and to that we find fault or take exception. and that is why the last creative idea in radio can be fully utilized - the scan'n'seek mode on an actual radio.

oh - and on the main menu of this website is a sub-menu entitled Promotions, and one entitled Programming - it is where working radio professionals actually exchange programming and promotional ideas for free. but then again, that's the corporate suit world at work.

 

[argytunes]

Underminer...

Sometimes it takes a person who ISN'T 'bonded to a broadcast group' to listen to the ACTUAL product! So if my comments bother you...perhaps the subject bothers you or there are a few 'grains of truth' present?

Not that it matters...but I've had several 'non-broadcasters' ask me why so many stations in New England sound t-i-r-e-d! [No prompting on my part]. So does this mean they're wrong too?

I've never had any problems listening to or enjoying an "all Christmas format!" And I'm willing to bet there are plenty of listeners who share the same sentiments? It's the 'packaging' that's the problem!

argytunes

 

[Underminer]

Argy,

What you say doesn't bother me--but why would "several non-broadcasters" ask YOU why stations sound t-i-r-e-d?

UM