Hi, I'm a radio listener from Northeast Philadelphia. Someone here in Philadelphia should seriously consider creating a station or HD station of either a singers and standards format, a 50's and 60's oldies format, or a lite oldies format, because I notice only the classical music format is being used in this market on both WHYY-FM, and on WPEN FM HD2. When I was down the shore I found all (3) of these formats on (8) different stations. Down the shore I found (8) stations to listen to catering to Senior Citizens over the age of 50. Here in Philadelphia, I could only find (1) station, WDAS am 1480 which caters to probably all age groups, but their transmitting signal can only picked up all over the city only during the day. At night they can only be picked up in North, West, and South Philadelphia only. They are not allowed to send their signal to Northeast Philadelphia at night. The point I am trying to make here is, this market (Philadelphia) has nothing to offer people over the age of 50 for music. This is why I am suggesting someone should create an over the air station catering to a format people over the age of 50 would want to listen to, such as the formats I just mentioned above. Ever since we lost WHAT AM 1340 to spanish programming, their is absolutely nothing for people over the age of 50 to listen to here in Philadelphia, unless you have a super strong radio that can pick up the severely weak transmitting signals of WBNJ FM 91.9 , or WVLT FM 92.1 . There is now a void here in Philadelphia. Four formats are missing here in this market : Easy Listening, Singers and Standards, Lite oldies, and 50's and 60's oldies, Don't get me wrong, I know these formats I mentioned above are available on internet radio, but there nothing better than hearing able to hear them on a radio over the air in your own radio market, and in this case we're referring to Philadelphia. All I'm asking is that someone should consider creating an over the air station of something senior citizens over the age of 50 can appreciate, such as the formats I mentioned above. Tell me something, what does classical music have to offer a listening audience that the formats I mentioned above don't? How is classical music making money that the formats I mentioned above would not? In short all I'm saying is how about putting a station here in Philly like either of the following: WMID AM 1340- Atlantic City, WEZW FM 93.1- Wildwood, WHLI- AM 1100 Hemstead, N.Y. or WOBM-AM 1160 AM Toms River. These stations were fantastic when I was listening to them down the shore. Philadelphia needs to get on the ball and start offering much better programming, especially for Senior Citizens over the age of 50. At least over the internet thank god, I can hear the Johnathan Schwartz show on New York's WNYC-FM every Saturday and Sunday from 12 noon to 4pm. It would be great if a program like this could be carried here in Philadelphia. I listen to this show religiously every weekend without fail. I just love it.
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SOMEONE SHOULD CONSIDER CREATING A MUSIC STATION FOR SENIORS 50 AND OVER
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Right you are, get me a owner & I will build it for you!!
RadioRohn
RadioRohn
Trying not go to through all the gory details of why stations in major markets like Philly and NYC don't have major commercial stations dedicated to an audience of over age-50.
But in the larger markets the radio business is driven by more sophisticated advertising dollars that are driven by demographically specific PPM ratings. And the fact is that for many reasons, and with years and years of expensively and extensively collected data to back their opinions up, the advertisers have decided that older folks don't respond to advertising in the same cost effective way that younger folks do, and spending money advertising to older folks is too often a waste of money.
The stations you mention at the Jersey shore, are mostly AMs that the owners don't know what else to do with, and that are catering to the small businesses that serve the large numbers of retirees in places like Ocean County. The ad sales are not driven by ratings, and often the advertisers are restaurants or car dealers whose owners are older and like the format. On Long Island, WHLI stopped paying for Arbitron ratings several years ago because ratings were a waste of money for them. They just aren't using the same business model as the big guys.
You mention WBNJ-FM at the shore. Isn't that a non-commercial station, operated by a fan of the music more for the love of it than as a way to make money? Perhaps folks with more knowledge of the station can fill in the details, but I had the impression that it was run by a guy who essentially plays his record collection from a computer in a garage 24/7, and hopes for enough grant money and donations to come in to pay the transmitter electric bill.
If you really want to hear this music on regular radio, you have to convince non-commercial stations to play it, and then convince enough of the audience to support it with their donation dollars. That's how Jonathan's show is supported on WNYC.
That's also how almost all the country's classical stations have stayed on the air. There is a small group of well heeled supporters who are willing to donate to keep the music on the radio. In Philly its non-commercial, in NYC its WQXR non-commercial and around New Jersey and the Lehigh Valley it's "The Classical Network" which is non-commercial and non-profit from a county college.
The bottom line is the bottom line, and there isn't a way to successfully run a major agency advertisers supported major market music station designed to appeal to people over 55 and based on ratings. Non-commercial will work if you can get enough devoted fans to send in their donation dollars regularly, and get the format on an an available signal. In the non-com end of the FM dial, there aren't any available stations in NYC or Philly.
AMs with those kinds of music formats may be doomed to being bottom feeders, with a tiny audience and constant worries about bringing in enough ad dollars to continue paying the electric bill. There are always exceptions and small AM stations, that are part of a bigger corporate cluster that supports the rents and staff, can be run at a small profit, especially in areas densely packed with retirees, and the businesses that serve them. ("Everybody hustle down for the half price early bird senior half price special at the local pancake house every Wednesday" are the kinds of ads these stations have to rely on. And its a big help to ad sales if the business owners are fans of the music and senior's themselves)
But in the larger markets the radio business is driven by more sophisticated advertising dollars that are driven by demographically specific PPM ratings. And the fact is that for many reasons, and with years and years of expensively and extensively collected data to back their opinions up, the advertisers have decided that older folks don't respond to advertising in the same cost effective way that younger folks do, and spending money advertising to older folks is too often a waste of money.
The stations you mention at the Jersey shore, are mostly AMs that the owners don't know what else to do with, and that are catering to the small businesses that serve the large numbers of retirees in places like Ocean County. The ad sales are not driven by ratings, and often the advertisers are restaurants or car dealers whose owners are older and like the format. On Long Island, WHLI stopped paying for Arbitron ratings several years ago because ratings were a waste of money for them. They just aren't using the same business model as the big guys.
You mention WBNJ-FM at the shore. Isn't that a non-commercial station, operated by a fan of the music more for the love of it than as a way to make money? Perhaps folks with more knowledge of the station can fill in the details, but I had the impression that it was run by a guy who essentially plays his record collection from a computer in a garage 24/7, and hopes for enough grant money and donations to come in to pay the transmitter electric bill.
If you really want to hear this music on regular radio, you have to convince non-commercial stations to play it, and then convince enough of the audience to support it with their donation dollars. That's how Jonathan's show is supported on WNYC.
That's also how almost all the country's classical stations have stayed on the air. There is a small group of well heeled supporters who are willing to donate to keep the music on the radio. In Philly its non-commercial, in NYC its WQXR non-commercial and around New Jersey and the Lehigh Valley it's "The Classical Network" which is non-commercial and non-profit from a county college.
The bottom line is the bottom line, and there isn't a way to successfully run a major agency advertisers supported major market music station designed to appeal to people over 55 and based on ratings. Non-commercial will work if you can get enough devoted fans to send in their donation dollars regularly, and get the format on an an available signal. In the non-com end of the FM dial, there aren't any available stations in NYC or Philly.
AMs with those kinds of music formats may be doomed to being bottom feeders, with a tiny audience and constant worries about bringing in enough ad dollars to continue paying the electric bill. There are always exceptions and small AM stations, that are part of a bigger corporate cluster that supports the rents and staff, can be run at a small profit, especially in areas densely packed with retirees, and the businesses that serve them. ("Everybody hustle down for the half price early bird senior half price special at the local pancake house every Wednesday" are the kinds of ads these stations have to rely on. And its a big help to ad sales if the business owners are fans of the music and senior's themselves)
Let me just say that i tried to get advertisers for WMID classic oldies....and I spent my time,gas, and went broke going around door to door in strip malls...housing developements for seniors, and other senior related businesses..like doctor and dental offices,banks,etc....and i couldnt get anyone to buy any time on an oldies 890 watt AM graveyard station with lots of interference from powerlines,even traffic lights at certain intersections...not to mention the interference at night is just incredible once you are not even 5 miles from the tower sight.and AM stations cant be played in businesses due to interference from the lighting,computers,business machines,etc....its a losing proposition...even I was surprised that no one was interested in buying any time on an AM music station....which at one time...back in the 50s and early 60s... was the WIBG of the southern new jersey coastline....#1 for many years in a row...and i guess its only the diehards like myself and those who grew up with the music from the 50s and early 60s on WMID...which by the way..had some of the Top Jocks who started their careers and passed through the doorways of WMID and many went on to stations in major markets like philly and nyc..just to name a few....What a shame....
http://www.siriusxm.com/siriuslysinatra
there ya go get Sirius and you will never have too worry about your station going away its been there for years
there ya go get Sirius and you will never have too worry about your station going away its been there for years
Why not include Buble? There are only so many times you can play the standards without it getting stale. If there are some current artists with cover versions or new music with a "standards" sound, why shouldn't they get included? Let things evolve somewhat while not straying from the format.
I do think Buble is a good fit with standards. People of any age no matter what age, always like to hear a new song every now and then based on their favorite format. Otherwise they will get bored and switch to something else. It's the way we've been programmed.
Remember when Hot Wheels came out years ago? I was a child about 9 years old. I told my parents all I wanted for Christmas was Hot Wheels, track and cars. Christmas Day came and within an hour or so of having set up the track, I was bored to death.
People just get bored and enjoy a change every now and then. Regarding something that doesn't grow a little worn over time other than God, "I just haven't met it yet."
Remember when Hot Wheels came out years ago? I was a child about 9 years old. I told my parents all I wanted for Christmas was Hot Wheels, track and cars. Christmas Day came and within an hour or so of having set up the track, I was bored to death.
People just get bored and enjoy a change every now and then. Regarding something that doesn't grow a little worn over time other than God, "I just haven't met it yet."
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