"Sunny 105.9" and Lessons Learned

[InSearchOfGear]

Happy birthday Jon!

I'll touch on just a couple of things. Let me tell you about my Jerry Clifton experience.

Not sure if you're familiar with Bartel Broadcasting. They were a group of FMs in the 70s whose sole mission was to take on established AM Top40 powerhouses in major markets. They succeeded wildly in beating many establshed, traditional stations, on decent AM signals by this time, with a new and innovative approach. In Miami you had a juggernaut in WQAM. They had been THE Top 40 for 2 decades. Enter Bartel's WMYQ-FM in 1971 and WQAM was redeuced to an also ran.

Fall of 1973, the late Cecil Heftel bought an obscure FM from Fort Lauderdale that had a construction permit to relocate to a tower that gave them full city grade coverage over Miami. The legendary Y-100 signed on in fall of '73 and instantly took the crown from WMYQ. For the next 2 years, Bartel threw everything thad had at Y-100, except new ideas. Nothing worked. Not bringing in the legendary KHJ programmer Chuck Martin, nothing.

At the time Jerry had just exited the PD chair at 99X to take the job as National VP. Programming for Bartel. He was so vehement about turning Miami around he voluntarily re-located to Miami and assumed personal control of WMYQ as PD. The first thing he did was rebrand the station as 96X (sound familiar?) and the WMYQ calls were discorded in favor of WMJX. For the first time since Y-100 hit the air in '73, they had a real challenger. Over the next 2 years 96X came within' one tenth of a rating point of Y-100. Unfortunatley Bartel had thrown so much money at WMYQ in the previous 2 years, they were reluctant to provide the means to finish the job. They tried to do things on the cheap against a well funded competitor and did some things that were quite shady and ended up losing thier Miami license as a result. When Clifton left, 96X shifted to HOT AC under Joel Denver and enjoyed some moderate success after that, but the head to head battle with Y-100 was over.

What's important to note here is that Jerry made Y-100 a better radio station, having woken them up once again to the importance of innovation. This battle was my school. I worked at both of these stations as a kid and ended up starting my on-air career at 96X, unfortunately long after Jerry had left the building. When 96X finally gace up their FCC fight to stay on the air and I was out of my first on-air gig barely 7 months into it, Jerry remembered me as that enthusiastic kid who "got it" and took me under his wing through several of his consulted stations over the next several years. What's funny is, like you, I challenged him on a lot of things that I saw no reason to change. When he first uttered "If it's ain't broke, break it" I thought the man had gone senile. It took the perspective of a little time and the undenial success the man had from "breaking it" that made me a believer in the importance of constant evolution and innovation. Yeah, Jerry is my hero, but it's his thought process more than anything else that I'm a fan of.

Thought you might enjoy that littel tidbit. For the record, 96X sounded nothing like 99X in NYC. In fact, using the X moniker was actually an after thought when they couldn't think of anything else that went well with 96. It was different enough for South Florida at the time to stand out. Some of the ulumnus that passed through that station during that era readsd like a Who's Who of radio programming. Notable programmers Lee Logan, Steve Rivers, Eric Rhoads, Frank Reed, Kid Curry and others were all a part of that little piece of radio history.

With Classic Hits, you can only innovate just so much. The mission is to recreate the past. But, it has to be the RIGHT past. You can't just keep evolving the library younger without updating the approach as well. Classic Hits radio is FINALLY embracing where they need to be musically in order to capture the demo they're after, and that's 80's and 90's music. Adding those eras to the 60's and 70's clearly has not worked and it should be common sense why it didn't. As the music evolves younger, the people presenting it has to evolve as well. The air talents of the 80s and 90s need to be center stage on the format now. The fact that some of them are out of the demo is irrelevant. They were out of the demo when the music was new as well, but they were the ones who did it, and did it to much success.

Have a happy birfday.

 

[Stormychuck]

I've been listening to Sunny 105.9 FM WOCL for some time now and they have once again come full circle, from cool 105.9 to power 105.9,to some kind of new wave or something or other and now their using Sunny 105nine leave out the point and use FM, change the jingle package, for a small fortune, blow everybody out, with the exception of weekender Chris Orion, and use, I think his name is Mike Phillips as inlay promo's, stopping the music, to tell me, the listener, their playing more music. Its ratings time again so lets dig into the box and throw everything on the air and see if it works, maybe this is what CBS radio does for giggles.

After listening to the new on-air talent, I'm not really impressed, I would have thought CBS could have dug deeper into their fleeced-lined pockets and have found some better talent out there somewhere, and they are out there, I assure you, but to that end, again, I'm disappointed.

I'm old radio, and after 30 plus some odd years and 30 plus some odd radio stations, playing the hits from coast to coast, town to town, up and down the dial, AM and FM, I'm now only a listener, but I know what I like to hear, as do all of us, and I'm not hearing it at SUNNY 105NINE FM or anywhere else in the Orlando radio broadcast market for that fact. Orlando radio should be bull-dosed and start over, but this is only my opinion..

I worked for alot of the greats with my start in the early 70's in Miami Radio, WQAM, WMYQ, WSHE, WIOD,
WAXY, WAIA, LOVE 94FM, and a host of other stations from Miami to Los Angles and some inbetween with a stop in Houston. I believe that I was fortunate enough to work with and for the best of the best and maybe not for the sake of the old radio days, I'd like to hear at least one station here in Orlando, hopefully SUNNY 1059FM, just knock my socks off with some real sharp on-air talent and promotions and make radio great again but, this may or may not be the case @ SUNNY1059FM. I like to have a shot at programming SUNNY,but only in my dreams.

So there we have it, how will SUNNY 105NINE FM fare in the book, time will tell can't wait to see......

 

[John FL]

There is a very fine line for programmers who still have some degree of autonomy to walk. That fine line can be affected by personal taste but I’ve seen ego get in the way of good judgment too. As for this format, it’s one of those things that you know it’s good when you hear it. It’s that certain something that I can’t really explain but all the parts have to come together well to make it that listener-addictive whole. As far as I’m concerned, Sunny 105.9 has a long way to go before impressing me but then I’m very demanding as it applies to the format.

My approach would be one guided by basic common sense. On the talent front, the few on the air would be empowered to utilize the “rap” time to get points across or execute a routine provided they act like normal people. No screaming, fake voices, rapid speech or pretending to be something you are not. Listeners can pick out a phony as quick as you can snap your fingers. It’s all about making long lasting impressions to keep people listening.

Music selection and rotation is the very difficult part for this format. It literally becomes a huge balancing act and so many seem to not want the necessary time to develop and grow the format. It’s probably one of the biggest reasons I see a win-win for LPFM where having an older audience wouldn’t be some Titanic-like event. But there would be a predictable and loyal audience and I do see merit in that.

I’ve advocated a large music library for the format but I believe many misunderstood what I was saying. In my thinking, 300-400 titles representing various genres would be regularly featured. The special presentations that would be a critical part of the format’s success and that reduces song burn-out. Yesterday, for example, CBS FM ran with what I believe was one of the most effective and creative things – even for them –they featured product placement songs (think of Lola and Coca Cola etc.) – simply brilliant. I never realized there were so many songs but it made for an interesting and addictive listening experience.

I’m all about the business and the listener. A major issue with the format is too many 80s are played each hour. When the very few 60s and even certain 70s are part of the play – I find a lot of issues with the overall sound. I think it sucks and I think listeners do too. Recognizing the business part of things, I’ve changed my opinion about weekend programming.

The 80s represent a really interesting challenge because there are lots of really different sounds. I’ve done a lot of experimenting with positioning of songs and many of them just don’t work. But I still believe that decade has to be included as music presented. As I have built my own personal 80s library, I seem more and more gravitated to groups like Expose and a lot of the mainstream dance songs of that time. One of my favorite songs from that decade is “Send Me an Angel” by Real Life. I like that entire sound. So, I would test an all 80s weekend for the format. I think it would accomplish a number of things.

During the week, a relatively few number of 80s songs would be featured. That would keep the station unique enough and I see the format as being a contender in the work place so dance/disco would be kept at a minimum. Therefore, the weekend would really represent something different going more 80s intensive. Listeners are having a good time in their down-time and there’s a lot of great, upbeat music to complement that mood. Those who grew up during that time are demo desirable and I would want to make an impression on them that this would not be your dad’s oldies station – because it would not be. Anyway, it’s one of my dreams I suppose to try something different. Listeners and ratings become the driver after all. I've really changed my approach to the format. In previous music lists, something was off. I didn't like it. But seriously, i'm now pleased with the result - especially as it applies to the 80s. Maybe I'll share that close to memorial Day - we'll see.

I noticed your very impressive resume in Miami radio. No doubt, I probably know of you and heard you on the air at one of those stations and I heard them all. South Florida to this day has a tremendous influence on me and my thinking as it applies to radio. I don’t know where someone like you goes or if you even have a place in radio anymore. There are so many talented people on the sidelines. How I wish they can be in front of the mike and calling the shots once again.

 

[Stormychuck]

Hey JohnJax: I was able to read back over the comments you've had with several of the others, over the last couple of months, especially, insearchofgear's comments, and he seems to take radio very seriously and so do you, and there's nothing wrong with that...

I find this website a very interesting forum for radio-people and non-radio alike inwhereas, if one feels like bashing a certain radio station for the day we can do so and have fun at it.

I too, like insearchofgear worked for Jerry Clifton, and like you, he was not my hero but a very unique person to work for, as well as Lee Logan, but Jerry Clifton was quite a character and the inhouse stunts he would pull at WMYQ would curl your hair, he bordered anywhere's from strange to bazaar, no lie, and he reminded me of a little Ted Nugent look-a-like, and for the most part, and acted the same way if you could imagine that. But credit deserved, Jerry was one hell of a programmer for the 70's and I was very impressed with him and his style of programming, the stories I could tell about 841 41st Miami beach.

I'm not sure if you've been in radio or would like to be, but I find most of your ideas interesting, especially the low power stations, I agree there a viable entity and would work in a lot of different areas, so if your not programming somewhere, maybe you should be, you have some very sound ideas.

I do understand your views on thee phony on-air types, and yes, I was one of those, considered a professional puker with the big deep 3-balled voice, however, this was basically a requirement for stations back in the 70's and it earned me alot of money doing voice-over work and voice work for NBC CBS and ABC,although I'm proud of it, the aforementioned is not meant to be a brag, but your right, most listeners are into the natural sounding class of announcer rather then the affected on-air approach.

Apparently you've been around for awhile and your out of Jacksonville, and yes I've sampled Rick Stacy's radio show, again, not impressed, however, food for thought, blow out Rick Stacy, and hire the GREASE MAN from the old WAPE Big ape, the last I heard he's still on the air in Washington DC, I wonder how that would fly in Orlando, hell anything would be better in Orlando radio including Bubba the love sponge at WHTQ. But, all in all I suppose we need to give Rick Stacy a chance and see what kinda rabbits he can pull out of his hat.

Hell, does Clear Channel own all the stations now-a-days?

 

[InSearchOfGear]

Grease is doing afternoons on WFYV, Rock 105 in Jax (Cox). Finally got the chance to meet him face to face while taking a tour of the facility when I was last in town visiting family there.

Wasn't the address 845? Man, I can't believe I'm not sure of the answer. I had the dubious honor of being present in the control room when the of switch was hit for the last time. 2/15/81 @12:01am. In fact, was next to last on the station before it went dark.

So, you worked for Jerry at MYQ? Fascinating. He recently suffered a mild heart attack and had a stent installed. From what I hear he's doing well but I haven't been able to contact him directly.

Yep, he's definitely from another planet, but as an innovator there are few his equal.

 

[Stormychuck]

Hey insearch dude: Yupper buddy, it was 841 41st Street, and if you were standing out in front, look left and over the little bridge there you have WQAM but you already know this I'm sure.

I very well remember when WMXJ went into the unknowns, I was listening that night and if I vaguely remember Stewart Elliot was the one on-the-air that night and signed it off, I was already long gone from WMYQ some 6 years removed from that point, I was doing afternoon drive over at 97AIA for Alan Anderson who came over as program director from WINZ to WIOD/WAIA.

Somewhere thereafter WMXJ became WXDJ and I heard Stewart Elliot again on-the-air doing some air shift, but, as WXDJ they never really made the big time in my opinion. Enter Power 96.

WMYQ got themselves in real trouble when I was there. Lets, see if you remember this. WMYQ's morning man Greg Austin, on-air billing as Austin from Boston, hella of a nice guy, but you never knew what he was going to say next on the radio, neither did WMYQ's management, they had to keep a battery of attorneys on hand, and management cringed every time Greg opened the mike, but, funny he was and kept everybody stiches.

Enter the Burger king/Coca Cola lawsuit. This started the downhill legal spiral for WMYQ. We all ate at the Burger king right across the street from the station, geez, I think that all of the Q-crew kept BK in business alone, But Greg Austin lived off em, he loved BK, but, one particular day Greg had a bad experience at this BK and the following morning during his morning air-shift bashed on-air this particular Burger King at that location on 41st, What he said on the air was this, " That he had to stand in line, swat flies, waiting and waiting for his icy cold burger and his hot Coca Cola, not the thing to say on-air when Burger King spent BIG BUCKs for ads on WMYQ. He defamed them on air and thus, thee Burger king Coca Cola lawsuit. Still, Bartell didn't shit-can-him because he had a contract, that came later when he hatched a plan for a contest with WMYQ "Find Greg Austin Contest" where he would sail off into the Devils Triangle and if you were the lucky listener playing the game and found Greg you would win a whole bunch of big bucks. WMYQ falsely claimed on-air that they had a lucky listener for a winner who found Greg alive and well and awarded this listener with the bucks, long story short, there was no lucky listener winner, didn't exist and no bucks ever changed hands from Bartell Media to any listener, thus, enter the FEDS (FCC) for on-air contest fraud and threatened to pull WMYQs plug right then then there. The FEDS had a long long list of complaints against WMYQ and they had enough and they were going to follow through with their threats, and so they did, took 6 years, the FEDS won, the rest is history. Now you know the real story.... In some ways I was glad to move on and took a job programming out west just weeks before the call letter change. Radio stations are toilets they just flush different and WMYQ got flushed. I also know for sure the chicken Man was not everywhere...

Glad to hear Jerry Clifton is doing well, his where abouts to me is unknown, but I know he's out there somewhere......later dude...

 

[Kmagrill]

I think it's interesting that so many folks seemd to really like Jerry Clifton's approach to programming. Not to tarnish a living legend, too much, but not everyone thought Jerry was right in Miami. I was only 13 years old, but my older brother was the assistant CE for WMYQ/WMJX. I recall a heated discussion between Clifton and the Bartel DOE, a very knowledgable, older gentleman named Verne Milton. It took place in the hallway right outside of master control on Sunday evening. In short, Jerry tried to blame poor engineering practices for flagging ratings. Specifically, Jerry commented that WMYQ didn't sound as good as Y-100. To be fair, it was a true statement. WMYQ was using some CBS Volumax processing gear that was nearing retirement age. Verne listened to Jerry for a while and Jerry became progressively more agressive until Vern spun around on his heel and said something like "Jerry, the number one radio station in the Bartel group is a 1000W AM station in Kansas City. They aren't number one because of sound quality. They are number one because they play what people want to hear. If you played what people wanted to hear, you would be number one, too." Jerry had no response, but his words must have had an effect on Verne. About a month later, WMYQ bought the first Orban Optimod 8000 in Florida. What a differnece in sound! Still, the old 96.3 could never beat Y-100, even with superior sound quality, so that proved Milton right, I suppose. That was the last book under the WMYQ call letters. I still remember the blackboard in control with little notes like: "6.8 and we'll be great", "4.2 for MYQ!". Someone scrawled below: "2.5 and we'll survive". The station got a 1.7 that book. Pathetic. As a teenager, I liked Y-100 better, too, even though I wanted to be loyal to 96X because of my brother. The problem was that the music on WMYQ was just too urban for my tastes and most of my friends. We would cume in, but then tune back out every time a song we disliked came on. I think that's why 96X never could win. Y-100 did a hot AC/CHR blend and 96X did a CHR/Urban blend that appealed to a far more narrow audience. That might work in a market where two or three stations are already duking it out for the CHR audience, but in a tight contest with only two stations, it's less effective because the traditional CHR audience isn't fragmented. Clifton never seemed to get that because his formula had worked in other markets. If he'd been able to break his own game plan, he might have suceeded.

 

[InSearchOfGear]

Interesting point of view. Let me disclaim right up front I'm no Clifton Zealot. I agree with many of his philosophies though.

Jerry's highest book at 96X was a 5.9 to Y-100's 6.0. Wouldn't call that failure. Nor would I call the decades long dominance of Clifton consulted Power 96 (until recently) a failure.

As a huge fan and alumni of both stations, Y-100 had a huge advantage in that Cecil Heftel believed in spending a LOT of money on promotions and talent. Despite that, Jerry managed to cobble together a great staff, many of whom ended up at Y-100 later, and create some imaginative weekend promotions on a shoestring.

The scandal killed the station, though Joel Denver eeked out at least one 5 share book with it as a Hot AC.

The urban lean was a wise direction. Miami, even back then, was a very ethnic market. Y-100 ignored a lot of hits before Jerry came to town and when 96X started to grow significantly Y-100 was all over those records as well. There was plenty of rock product on 96X. A station playing Bad Company can't really be called Urban, can it?

If not for the battle of those 2 stations, I'd absolutely would've been doing something else for a living the past 30 years. It was hard to be different from Y-100 and still be cool. He pulled it off.

 

[Kmagrill]

I was told once, that WMYQ earned a cume of around a 40 during one of their first books out of the gate. Does anyone have access to those old records or remember such a thing? I've always been curious to know if it was ever true, in any demographic.

My only follow-up comment about Jerry would be that I think he failed to take his own advice. He had a formula and if it worked, great! But if it didn't work as well as intended, he didn't seem to be able to "break it" and try something different. From my perspective as a young listener, I liked the dance tracks and disco stuff just fine. It's just that the format seemed a little too heavy in that direction. After two or three such songs, we wanted to hear some variety. Without that element, the format was boring and that's why we tuned it out. So, if the format could have been tweeked, they could have probably broadened out the appeal so that the TSL went up for the non-ethnic listeners. Just a little tweek might have put them over the top. All that said, I know a lot of people that very much liked his formula, including my ex-boss, Carl Como, who was also the GM at WMYQ/WMJX for a while. I worked for Carl in Daytona Beach for about 5 years during the '80s and he always thought very highly of Jerry's programming skills, even hiring him for a time to consult WNFI, though the format failed to beat competing stations from Orlando. WNFI did manage to make a whole lot of money, though, despite the perpetually poor ratings, so I'd still have to rate it a major sucess.

 

[InSearchOfGear]

I worked for Carl at both WDOQ and the original WNFY. Did nights there '81-'83.

I trust you know about the whole Ron Samuels story and where he is now.

 

[Kmagrill]

I worked for Carl at both WDOQ and the original WNFY. Did nights there '81-'83.

I trust you know about the whole Ron Samuels story and where he is now.

I knew Ron very well. Not only have I spent many a night in Ron's guest room, but I was in the hotel room next door, in Albuquerque, when Ron and Carl had their final big fight and split up in 1987. I still consider Carl one of my friends and speak to him via telephone a few times per year.

It's a shame about Ron, but anyone who knew him well could tell it was going to end badly. I had no idea how bad, but I wasn't very surprised.

 

[John FL]

Note - I am not speaking of any particular person in this response. I don't want to make this personal - I just want to make a few points as we explore lessons learned and Lord knows, there are lots of them. I have every intention of connecting the dots as it applies to Sunny 105.9 and the classic hits format which I believe is very much misunderstood. Maybe this will all make sense but it may take a few more posts to do so. I'm happy the R.I. editors have kept this string intact. In the end, I think a lot of all this will make a lot of sense.

The radio environment wasn’t that different back then to today in that format success results in all the wannabes who favor taking down the market leader down a few notches instead of venturing into the unchartered world of real creativity. I often wonder how often ego replaces good business judgment in radio. For a business that is “supposed” to be about attracting and keeping listeners one has to just sit and imagine greater because greatness becomes much harder to find today. I have long suspected those in leadership roles became sucked in to their very real belief that they can do it better than the team down the street. That should never be a reason for a format flip but it sadly appears to be that way. I;m convinced of the old expression that when you take care of your customers, they will take care of you!

Y-100 had a big target on its back because it was such a huge success. We can go back and forth as to why that happened. All the promotional dollars and cooperative management means little if those in charge don’t fully understand the market they serve. So, besides 96X, remember I-95 (WINZ FM) eventually came about. There were 3 stations doing the same damn thing. The AM band was even worse. By the 80s, I think there were 5 news/talk stations. To me, the old WNWS had the best talk line up but in time everyone and his uncle joined the fray and we had WGBS, WIOD, WINZ and even the little Broward talker – WFTL at one time or another back then. Where I lived I was even able to pick up WJNO in Palm Beach. Anyone who sees this scenario as good business or good radio is simply nuts. It’s excessive and no market can support too much duplication in format. In the end, it’s almost like one big Ponzi scheme. More listeners wind up burning out over the format eventually meaning more goes out than comes in. Take a look at AM talk in South Florida today and that should explain it all.

Competition to the old Y-100 came from another source and that was WAXY 106 – the OLDIES station at the time. From a number of those I knew in the business and in fact I think Bill Tanner was even on the record of saying this – WAXY was obsessed with Y-100. So they went after them in a very wacky programming way. Sometimes they sounded like an oldies station, sometimes they sounded like CHR. They had their toes in the water too chicken crap to do something and while they were screwing up literally WMXJ came along and ran with oldies 24/7 and became the market leader. They are still doing their thing today now going on 30 years. WAXY floundered – they went back and forth with oldies, then became 70s which I knew would fail, classic hits like what we have in this pathetic Jax market and then eventually classic rock. They blew it and I firmly believe ego and jealousy was at the heart of very stupid decisions. I find it amazing radio still thrives as it does considering many decisions are made for all the wrong reasons.

Today as I read so many posts across the country, there are so many who just drink the Kool-Aide and speak the corporate lines. Given the disastrous and proven-wrong decisions by those who guide the radio ship of state, I wouldn’t be so quick to embrace what radio leadership says with any degree of credibility. I love the notion of breaking what is not broken. It's time has come - someone is going to figure that out and hopefully that will catch on.

It looks like I need more posting space to explain a bit more as to how all of this relates to Sunny 105.9, the classic hits format and the business of radio itself. Stay tuned.

 

[John FL]

Over the years, many in the business have acknowledged Y -100 of the 70s and 80s as being in a class by itself. There were lots of things that came together but many have agreed that the music was something to behold. I have long talked about the power of great music and I’m convinced that was a major part of their success. To me, offering the public music choices has far more positive impacts that the results we’ve seen when 3, 4, 5 stations offer the same old same old as what I described in the last post. That strategy proves to fail yet radio goes on its merry way still believing more of the same is better.

When Sunny 105.9 was injected with new blood, my excitement grew and I expected to see some pretty cool things. I’m not an expert when it comes to Orlando but what I do know is the market has a lot of new transplants and there is a growing Hispanic population. At first, I was the opinion the format I envision would have far better odds in performing well and better in Jax. I have since changed my mind as I feel Orlando represents some very good opportunity as well. I still believe Jax is primed for change in that our market has relatively very little for adults who enjoyed listening to Top 40 radio.

As we look back at Y-100 and the music that made the difference, one can’t help but consider ethnic diversity. In the two decades plus I lived in South Florida, I noticed as the community changed radio – particularly Y-100- did an awesome job in reflecting that diversity. The previous poster indicated he preferred Y-100 because they played less R&B to the other guys and funny thing is I loved Y-100 because it was far from Lilly White. This is why they were so good – they made the listening feel Y-100 was truly their radio station.

A number of times I came across articles that talked about numbers of people leaving South Florida and moving to Central and Northern Florida. To me that represents opportunity to find out who they are and do a marketing study. There may very well be an underserved, viable market that would love to make a real classic hits station their own.

Look at it this way. For a number of years Y-100 was the most listened to station in Florida. That’s a helluva lot of impressions – particularly song impressions. With so many stations doing cookie-cutter formats, I see opportunity in capturing the magic that once was and incorporating it into something truly market-unique and relevant for today. No one is doing anything like I see as capturing a lot of diverse elements of the audience. For the business of radio, anything that keeps people listening longer is healthy.

Currently Sunny 105.9 has resurrected some of the special programming CBS FM does regularly. I have mixed feelings about that. Sometimes, that’s OK as I believe if something works you go with it. However, I’d like to see more come from them creatively and unique to them and Orlando. I have confidence in CBS Radio and I firmly believe 6 months from now, Sunny will be more where they should be.

A while back I talked about 80s themed weekends and I have never been higher on that concept. Again, taking lessons learned and proven track records of stations, it becomes obvious to me that stations that are heavy 80s intensive in regular programming seem to suffer from premature burnout. Personally, I think there’s a lot of great music in the 80s but apparently one song after the next doesn’t hold much fascination for the general public over time. This is why I believe the successful radio stations balance that decade out with a lot of different genres of music from different times.

If we look at a pop-oriented classic hits format, I find so many 80s songs just don’t sound good positioned next to typical music one would find in the format. What I propose isn’t even revolutionary if you think about it this way. When oldies were the rage, it was pretty common during the week to hear late 50s and the 60s decade along with a handful of 70s. The weekend often had 70s themed specials because a lot of the 70s music just didn’t sound good next to the Big Bopper etc.

Today, Miami’s WFLC (The Coast - an AC) does one helluva job in their 80s themed weekends. During the week, they sprinkle in 80s very sparingly but it’s mostly 90s, 00s, today and an occasional 70s tune. It works and I believe works very effectively. If the management was different, I would love to see WEJZ do 80s themed weekends but I doubt they ever will.

What I envision would not be quite the Coast on the weekends but it would be a start. I wouldn’t want the station to sound like 2 different stations. There’s plenty of great music from the early 80s that I believe presented all at once sounds so much better than what appears to be just shoving an 80s song in with 60s and 70s to make some kind of show in 25-54. I think the overall sound sucks.

Sunny is in good hands but I hope they are considering the growing Hispanic market they have in Orlando as part of their strategy. I think there is opportunity to grow and there is a market of viable adults who are looking for that station they can call their own just like so many of us did in those Y-100 days. Sure, the times and circumstances are different but I believe we shouldn't just discard success away but rather reinvent it with today's parameters. But the first very important step is to be a little different than all others.

 

[John FL]

Ok, this ought to do it - I've gotten much off the chest. Sometimes visuals work the best. Presented here is both a typical hour during the week and how an all 80s format would sound/should sound on a station that still offers some 60s music.

There are definate formatics at work. It's the kind of balance I think is important. Certainly, there's nothing heavy and that's by design (rock is well represented nor would I want to compete with that) and you don't have to go overboard with disco or get too heavy into the 60s either. There are no lines of demarcation in most listners anyway. Many would probably think Temptation Eyes is the 60s anyway and that would be fine by me - more diffentiation in the minds of listeners. What I believe effective radio should do is be less concerned about destroying someone or another station but rather develop something unique enough for some listeners to call the station their very own. Radio needs to be more about exuding a perception of fun and enjoyment. Sad isn't it, that those are old-fashioned concepts. Anyway, just imagine a late Friday afternoon at work and freedom is just a few minutes away and you hear your favorite station playing the following.....(Of course the breaks should be obvious to see as well).

Typical Weekday – let’s say 4 PM Friday

Temptation Eyes – Grass Roots – 70s
Higher Ground – Stevie Wonder – 70s
Shake it Up – Cars – 80s
This Will Be – Natalie Cole – 70s
Under My Thumb – Rolling Stones – 60s
Peg – Steely Dan – 70s
Give it Up – KC & the Sunshine Band - 80s


Hot Fun in the Summertime – Sly & The Family Stone – 60s
Movin’ Out (Anthony’s Song) – 70s
Honky Cat – Elton John 70s
I Never Knew Love Like This Before – Stephanie Mills – 80s
Sweet Talkin’ Woman – ELO – 70s
Second That Emotion – Smokey Robinson/Miracles – 60s
Running on Empty – Jackson Browne - 70s

80s Themed Weekend – begins Friday 5 PM (Hopefully a good transition

Freeze-Frame – J. Geils Band
Lady (You Bring Me Up) – Commodores
Time After Time – Cyndi Lauper
You Make My Dreams – Hall & Oates
Dancing in the Dark – Bruce Springsteen
Raspberry Beret – Prince
It’s My Life – Talk Talk


Off the Wall – Michael Jackson
Dance Hall Days – Wang Chung
Come on Eileen – Dexy’s Midnight Runners
She Works Hard for the Money – Donna Summer
Hold on Loosely – 38 Special
Time(Clock of the Heart) – Culture Club

Ahh yes, there is power in music. I would love to hear what you think ([email protected]) or comment here and if you believe Sunny could be better served by taking a different sounding course. Thank you very much.