Standards Listeners Are Such Spoiled Brats

[vchimpanzee]

But, then, is your belief that station owners should not spend money on air talent? How, then, is a terrestrial station any better than satellite (or an iPod)? My point was, to return radio to its uniqueness and attractiveness, bring back the personalities. Yes, that will cost money -- but it could save the medium.

The problem with that concept is that many stations is surviving on a very thin thread as it stands right now, thus the money isn't available to pay a full contingency of on-air people. This is why a format like Music Of Your Life works. Most of the on-air talent on the air are already household names...Wink Martindale, Gary Owens, Pat Boone, etc., thus making for a very relatable format.

Another option could be to offer some retired professionals in the community a chance to be on the air with their own show. Someone who did a lot of public speaking while they were working, and if they sound half decent on the air, maybe this could be a chance for them to shine. Money wouldn't be an issue since they're only allowed to make so much under Social Security regs. Even if it's only for drive periods.

Did Wink Martindale come back? I heard he left.

Never mind. I didn't realize this was old.

 

[classictvfan]

News flash Fred Flinstone, Your opinion is just that "an opinion" You are clearly a wannabe know it all with a chip on his shoulder. I enjoy reading the post on this board, but when I see your name it makes me wanna puke!

And the theory of evolution is just "a theory."

If it's just an opinion, interesting you are not able to provide a rebuttal (beyond a grade school level jibe about wanting to puke).

I'm sorry your stomach can't handle having your illusions shattered.

Radio is a job. You want to think we are having fun and we work out of a puppy-dog type urge to please you. Our fault really. This is show business and that's part of the illusion we have created. We aren't much different than anybody else. We do the work we chose to do and do it as well as we can. In the process we accept poor pay, poor working conditions and bad management - and listeners who do not respect our time, who only want to bitch or vent or ask questions we can't answer, and who are often rude in the process.

Do listeners have a right to complain? Sure, this is America. But please, complain to somebody who can do something about it. Not to someone who picks up a phone or stands at a counter. Will complaining do any good? Almost certainly not? Few businesses of any size pay attention to the bitching of unhappy, disgruntled people. Rightly or wrongly, they are not considered typical or representative. Businesses rely on research to determine customers' opinions (and on sales figures).

If a station decides to change format, it is assumed that the people who have been listening will be unhappy. Management knew that going in. They make these changes anyway.

And - to repeat - if a listener calls with a legitimate question or concern - which I can address - and if I have the time or opportunity to address it - I will try to help. But that's not good enough those wanting to vent (which may include some people on this board).

That's the truth. Sorry if you can't handle the truth.
Now go puke.

You are a very rude and arrogant person and I do not like your attitude. You think your opinion is the only opinion around here and that what you want is all that matters. This rude and angry thread of yours should not come as a surprise because you are the very person who used to whine and complain about retro schedules being posted on the Classic TV Board and yet you make
rant and rave threads about people who complain about radio service, which they have a right to do. Talk about being a hypocrite. I hope you are not still posting on here because I would give you a real piece of my mind.

 

[klutch00]

Where I grew up in New England, my dad used to listen to WLKW 990/101.5 (not sure if they were simulcast or two different stations playing the same format) in Providence, which had the beautiful music format. With the AM station going by the wayside, the FM station retained its format until shortly after Christmas in 1989 when it flipped to an Oldies format (WWBB/B101-originally B101.5). He wasn't happy about it. I was thrilled about it at the time (even though I had Oldies 103 out of Boston to listen to).

I think the departure of WLKW-FM and a few other stations just after X-mas 1989 really got the ball rolling with the implosion of traditional-EZ. Yes there were some rumblings before then with the departure of WEAZ Philadelphia, WEZN Bridgeport CT and WJYE Buffalo NY, but the ball got rolling after that Christmas. I think in 1990 close to 100 stations left the format.

 

[semoochie]

The first group of B/EZ stations saw the handwriting on the wall and dropped the format in the early to mid-80s, shortly after Beautiful Music evolved to Easy Listening. That usually moved another station to the top and they hung in until the late 80s, at which point, things really started to fall apart. There wasn't much left after that.

 

[Bongwater]

True, but there are places where B/EZ has held firm, usually in Florida and other retiree friendly climates.

But going all the way back to the very start of this controversy (2006 - if you can believe it), not much has changed. The basic fact remains: These "Ungrateful spoiled brats" are actually people who remember when local radio had local voices. And they valued them.

Times change, but the GOOD things DON'T.

May be inconvenient to profits and "the bottom line". You'll just have to get used to it. KIXI did. Yes, it's almost all voicetracked on 880 kHz in Seattle, but even seniors (ESPECIALLY seniors) can spot a canned, non-locally originating music service on the radio. Might be great music, but they expected more from KIXI (Seattle's a TOUGH market to please, perhaps the toughest in America. Not just in adult standards either.) And to some degree, they got it.

They could have flipped KIXI to all-sports or some cheaper format, but the howl of protest would have been deafening. And the original poster of this should have more respect for our elders intelligence than this. Someday, Mr. "Flintstone" is going to regret those words.......

 

[Unregistered]

The notorious thread reviver has struck again and I thought I'd ad my $.02 for what the hell it's worth!

As 'spoiled' as standards listeners may have become, I think B/EZ listeners were spoiled even more. I think that because this format was mostly FM and that few commercials were needed to keep the format afloat as there was little debt to service, their listeners got seduced by this and therefore took it all for granted. When the format was imploding in the early 1990s, listeners seemed reluctant to go to AM stations and syndication services wouldn't carry this format with the possible exception of JRN, which I don't think would've qualified as a traditional-EZ.

With standards, you at least have some syndication services available, some broadcasters willing to do that format as you have about two- or three-hundred stations doing the format. By contrast, with B/EZ you have only about two dozen or so stations left, virtually no ability to attract younger listeners, no syndication services exist, little if any quality material and a great reluctance by broadcasters to go to this format. True, about half a dozen non-comms. are doing the format, but that's it! Even WKTZ, probably the most notable example of such is experiencing thinner finances than in years past and could be history in the not so distant future should trends continue. For more information on this, go to: http://jacksonville.com/lifestyles/2009-08-04/story/jones_college_radios_manager_a_believer_in_easy_listening

Well, it's over now!