WSSR Is On Hold; Its Stunting Is Important To Us
Connoisseur Media has dropped the Hot AC format on "Star 96.7" WSSR Joliet IL and has begun stunting with on-holdradioinsight.com
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Star 96.7 Stunting w/Hold Music
- Thread starter TheM1ghtyBear
- Start date
I’m wondering if they would try a soft AC format for the southern and southwestern suburbs of Chicago based on some of the song choices they’re using for the hold music
A stunt playing music before the real format is what is happening. WSSR will not be changing to soft rock. They are trying to simulate music you might hear if you were waiting for someone to pick up, since that is the gimmick they are using.
I remember when this used to be WILL ROCK with the WLLI call letters. Hard to believe it’s managed to stick with the Star branding for so long.
I have no idea what format WSSR is going to take. It’s definitely not going to be a rock format, not with so much competition in that area from both Chicago stations and other local options within range of Joliet. My gut instinct says an updated classic hits format that focuses on late 80’s, 90’s, 00’s, and early 10’s, but that could be insanely off base.
I have no idea what format WSSR is going to take. It’s definitely not going to be a rock format, not with so much competition in that area from both Chicago stations and other local options within range of Joliet. My gut instinct says an updated classic hits format that focuses on late 80’s, 90’s, 00’s, and early 10’s, but that could be insanely off base.
Ya, "Will Rock" was a decent format, and I was rather disappointed when they got rid of the 30 year old WLLI calls on that station.
I have a feeling the new format may end up being something similar to their recent changes at WGTZ/Dayton... but I could be wrong. It seems like the new ownership is trying to provide formats that aren't available on the big city sticks, as opposed to the previous owners' approach of low-budget knockoffs of city stations.
95 WIIL ROCK - Thee Rock Station
www.95wiilrock.com
Except for the fact that the same company did just that last week when they relaunched a station in Columbia SC. I'm not saying WSSR is going Soft AC, but you cannot rule it out based on their stunting...
93.5 The Bubble Pops Into Columbia
Connoisseur Media CHR "Live 93.5" WARQ began stunting this morning with a broad Variety Hits playlist teasing "something popping up Monday morning".
radioinsight.com
96.7 WILL Rock (not to be confused with 95.1 WIIL Rock) was a very good rock station, especially its final few years. I was extremely disappointed when the decision was made to change to Star 96.7.
Speaking of 95.1 WIIL, it's great to see them with a 0.9 share. That is downright impressive for a station whose TX is located on the Wisconsin side of the border and whose 65 dBu contour probably encompasses no more than 10 percent of the Chicago DMA by population.
With 95.9 having abandoned Classic Hits some time ago, it seems Classic Hits, Soft AC or Variety Hits for 96.7 are all reasonable possibilities.
Speaking of 95.1 WIIL, it's great to see them with a 0.9 share. That is downright impressive for a station whose TX is located on the Wisconsin side of the border and whose 65 dBu contour probably encompasses no more than 10 percent of the Chicago DMA by population.
With 95.9 having abandoned Classic Hits some time ago, it seems Classic Hits, Soft AC or Variety Hits for 96.7 are all reasonable possibilities.
FWIW, the current rock format on WRXQ is very reminiscent of what was on LLI toward the end, just without the 70s/80s product. I gave it a listen last time I was back in Joliet and was very pleased.
K.M. Richards
Program Director, The Eighties Channel™
I only have one comment on all this, and it's about the description of the stunt as "music on hold". It has been years -- perhaps more than a decade -- since I have heard even cover versions of recognizable hits when I am on hold. These days, it's more a case of some bland generic melody on a loop of a minute or two, then some announcement about your place in the queue (often with an option to press a designated key to keep your place in line with a call back when it's your turn ... which sometimes works and more often doesn't) or a reminder that "most issues can be handled via our website" and then a repeat of the exact same music loop.
If I had to guess, it's probably because there are some kind of royalty liabilities for using "real" music.
Sidebar: The moments that I chuckle while on hold are when I am informed by the automated voice that I am "caller ... zero" right before I am transferred to a live person. I only hope that is nothing akin to "patient zero".
If I had to guess, it's probably because there are some kind of royalty liabilities for using "real" music.
Sidebar: The moments that I chuckle while on hold are when I am informed by the automated voice that I am "caller ... zero" right before I am transferred to a live person. I only hope that is nothing akin to "patient zero".
Agreed. There are a few companies I've called that have real music -- Apple, or sometimes local businesses that still play a radio on hold -- but usually it's a stock melody. Most commonly, it's this "hot hit":
Which *was* played at the beginning of the stunt on WSSR. Honestly, I would've probably just stuck this on loop, with an 8KHz band pass filter for the full "on hold" effect.
Eddie and Jobo were together on B96 from 1984 to 2006. Could that be the music era that the station will change to?Except for the fact that the same company did just that last week when they relaunched a station in Columbia SC. I'm not saying WSSR is going Soft AC, but you cannot rule it out based on their stunting...
93.5 The Bubble Pops Into Columbia
Connoisseur Media CHR "Live 93.5" WARQ began stunting this morning with a broad Variety Hits playlist teasing "something popping up Monday morning".
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K.M. Richards
Program Director, The Eighties Channel™
Bouncy pop from the '90s and '00s, then? Britney and Beyonce and the Backstreet Boys? If the female teens and tweens of 15-25 years ago are still listening to radio in the mid '20s, and don't think they've outgrown those songs and artists, this could work.
Who goona listen to that very disappointing