Star is so awful

[corporateradiosucks]

The "Flashback Fridays" now include songs from the early-mid 90s.

How much of a "flashback" is it when they're playing it constantly all week??

This station just gets worse and worse.

 

[kenhawk1160]

The "Flashback Fridays" now include songs from the early-mid 90s.

How much of a "flashback" is it when they're playing it constantly all week??

This station just gets worse and worse.

I think they're referring to the songs that don't really fit the format throughout the week. Something good enough to make you say "Wow I haven't heard that one in forever!", but can also make you say "Ugh, enough already!" once you've heard it ad nauseum.

 

[OldSchoolWoman]

If Star is awful, BOB is awful, Q92.9 is awful, and WSHH is mundane------does anybody have a formula for a good female focused AC station and who should do it? Or do most of you think that AC is dead and women between 25-54 are not an important demo? Thoughts. I also pick up on this board that both WWSW and WDVE are boring. Who isn't? Is satellite the only answer? Just to be obnoxious, I presume most of the posters are men and any thing that doesn't list as some form of active rock is just too like you know sooooo 90's.

 

[dtube1]

Doesn't Country cover women 25-44? ;D (yes, I'm male - and yes, I'm ducking and running for cover...)
-D

 

[corporateradiosucks]

If Star is awful, BOB is awful, Q92.9 is awful, and WSHH is mundane------does anybody have a formula for a good female focused AC station and who should do it? Or do most of you think that AC is dead and women between 25-54 are not an important demo? Thoughts. I also pick up on this board that both WWSW and WDVE are boring. Who isn't? Is satellite the only answer? Just to be obnoxious, I presume most of the posters are men and any thing that doesn't list as some form of active rock is just too like you know sooooo 90's.

For the record I'm female, but I recognize I am not your typical female.

I think the formula for a good female focused station is "quit assuming."

Quit assuming women don't know music beyond the top 40 of any given year.
Quit assuming women don't like harder rock (ESPECIALLY around here).
Quit assuming women want to hear the same things over and over.
Quit assuming women just have the radio as background and don't really listen.

I feel like Star does all these things...which is why I hate it so much. It's like a guy's idea of what a woman wanted without ever asking her.

FTR I don't think Bob is AWFUL, just that they tend to get stuck on certain songs and play them over and over. And the "Bob goes to Isaly's" fillers are silly. I prefer SAM which is essentially the same format - only done well.

 

[SteelRocker]

I listened to Star a few years ago and they were playing "One Hit Wonders". One of the songs was by The Tubes, after it was over, they announced it was their only hit song ever....I was like HUH???? Haven't listened to STAR in years now (not just because of that but its a horrible format).

 

[corporateradiosucks]

I listened to Star a few years ago and they were playing "One Hit Wonders". One of the songs was by The Tubes, after it was over, they announced it was their only hit song ever....I was like HUH???? Haven't listened to STAR in years now (not just because of that but its a horrible format).

That's EXACTLY the kind of stuff I'm talking about.

 

[Whiplash]

Lets face it, the market is horrible. Except for WDSY and DVE, its just flat. Star, the new Q blah blah blah. Pittsburgh has been a bad radio market for the last 10 plus years, and the good quality PD's simply don't come here anymore on their way up or down.

 

[pghfmradiosucks]

I agree with you that this FM radio market is horrible. I can't speak for WDSY, but in my opinion, the flattest station in town is DVE. The pathetic state of Pittsburgh FM radio has been bandied about by posters (including myself) to a point where you would think that someone would try something truly and innovative. Instead, we endure format flips that make me wonder why anyone would listen. B-94, Q-92, Star. It all sounds the same to me. I have no vested interest in the satellite radio industry, but I will continue to encourage all to subscribe to satellite radio. Once you listen to the true variety it has to offer, you will not go back to commercial radio. I think this is the only chance we have to show our displeasure with commercial radio. It's all about money. Radio stations will find advertising difficult to sell if ratings continue to decline. Perhaps then they'll get the message.

 

[pbf1]

I will continue to encourage all to subscribe to satellite radio. Once you listen to the true variety it has to offer, you will not go back to commercial radio. I think this is the only chance we have to show our displeasure with commercial radio. It's all about money. Radio stations will find advertising difficult to sell if ratings continue to decline. Perhaps then they'll get the message.

Heh. Guess you haven't noticed that satellite radio's beginning to fall off. Hard to blame consumers, since no one knows for sure whether one of the two technologies is about to become obsolete.

Have you ever thought that WDVE, for example, may be doing what it's doing because that's what is getting the most listeners? Maybe your beef should be with listeners being so passive, not radio's making the supply match the (overall) demand.

 

[pghfmradiosucks]

pbf1;

Please allow me to address your points one at a time. First, Satellite radio subscriptions are increasing, not falling off. Second, the Sirius, XM merger has been approved, so while it is true that one will disappear, the survivor will be stronger and more diverse. Third, of course I question the listeners who allow this lazy programming to continue. That was my point. I am encouraging the posters to stop listening to commercial FM radio so the demand for such horrible programming will decrease.

 

[Parttimer]

The Sirius-XM merger will not mean the end of either service in the near term. Since the equipment is not interchangeable, both services plan to operate separately, with crossovers in programming available (XM listeners could get Stern, Sirius could get baseball, etc) on an "a la carte" pricing basis.

There's a big difference in how they operate. While both are generically "satellite", most XM listeners primarily hear the service from terrestrial repeaters. Sirius has far fewer repeaters and their satellite is much easier to receive because it's in a different orbit. (Thus Sirius is usually better for long drives and rural areas, XM is better in metro areas).

 

[FreddyE1977]

Doesn't Country cover women 25-44? ;D (yes, I'm male - and yes, I'm ducking and running for cover...)
-D

I think that Country is still largely male territory. Witness the never-ending stream of drop-dead gorgeous female artitsts, and songs like Toby Keith's "I Wanna Talk About Me" (which is so refreshingly honest from a male perspective, I can't believe it ever got released).

 

[Parttimer]

I think that is an opinion that is totally unsupported by any facts. Country's core audience is women. The ratings people have books full of numbers that prove that.

 

[Koss4AA]

Doesn't Country cover women 25-44? ;D (yes, I'm male - and yes, I'm ducking and running for cover...)
-D

I think that Country is still largely male territory. Witness the never-ending stream of drop-dead gorgeous female artitsts, and songs like Toby Keith's "I Wanna Talk About Me" (which is so refreshingly honest from a male perspective, I can't believe it ever got released).

Country in Pittsburgh is 55-60% female (depends on the book). Those are the facts. National numbers basically the same. The "never ending stream of drop dead gorgeous female artists" is actually quite small (ask the folks in that format) especially when compared to the hot male artists (that's the women's descriptions, not mine). Look who's headlining the PG Pavilion this summer for country. 5 male artists, 1 female. And sorry, the place will be half-empty for Martina McBride.

When it comes to listeners, women are driving the country format, men are along for the ride. The stations are programming to women - not men - for advertising purposes. Don't believe this? Go to Saddle Ridge and talk to some guys there. They couldn't care less about country and some don't even like it. They are there because of the "hot chicks" (their words) who like country.

 

[kenhawk1160]

Heh. Guess you haven't noticed that satellite radio's beginning to fall off. Hard to blame consumers, since no one knows for sure whether one of the two technologies is about to become obsolete.

Have you ever thought that WDVE, for example, may be doing what it's doing because that's what is getting the most listeners? Maybe your beef should be with listeners being so passive, not radio's making the supply match the (overall) demand.

Actually, satellite radio is NOT falling off. However, it does have what's called a "churn" rate, which is the number of subscribers who buy the service (generally at a promotional rate), and then don't renew it at the end of the contract. That's when their "retention" department kicks into overdrive and comes up with an incentive for you to stay.

When I bought my brand-new Dodge Dakota pickup about a month ago, it came with a free year's subscription to Sirius. While it's a nice asset, I doubt if I'm going to renew it. I don't spend that much time in my car to really see the value. If your job keeps you in your car for an extended length of time, you might like it.

So...the question is, are you willing to pay for something you might be able to get for free? Every person is different. The only way radio will survive is if it stops denying that XM/Sirius is a competitor. There's too many out there right now that are in denial about satellite radio. It's here to stay. They found a need, and addressed it. That's why it's here. Radio created this need because of tight playlists and too many commercials.

 

[pbf1]

Actually, satellite radio is NOT falling off.

Uh, OK....the Wall Street Journal lied, then...

 

[brian12]

if they are going to play 80s music on friday
how about some dokken, or quiet riot, or some ratt

 

[kenhawk1160]

For the record I'm female, but I recognize I am not your typical female.

I think the formula for a good female focused station is "quit assuming."

Quit assuming women don't know music beyond the top 40 of any given year.
Quit assuming women don't like harder rock (ESPECIALLY around here).
Quit assuming women want to hear the same things over and over.
Quit assuming women just have the radio as background and don't really listen.

I feel like Star does all these things...which is why I hate it so much. It's like a guy's idea of what a woman wanted without ever asking her.

FTR I don't think Bob is AWFUL, just that they tend to get stuck on certain songs and play them over and over. And the "Bob goes to Isaly's" fillers are silly. I prefer SAM which is essentially the same format - only done well.

Amen to that! Sue Wilson is one of this country's greatest female PD's, while she was at WDOK in Cleveland, and today at WQMX Akron. She brings results. We need more people like this in the biz!

 

[Snafu]

Fall off how? Their churn numbers are about the same as they were two years ago. New subscriber numbers are off from last year but lower car sales are to blame for most of that. XM and Sirius still have a major hurdle to jump with regard to technology but they can't really move forward on that front until they get the blessing of the FCC.