That place down below? Yeah...frozen...

[bpfitz]

...i'm pretty sure.

I just had a weird moment. Kind of like that moment everybody says you have before you die. Thoughts of the past, scant memories of what was before, all that. That moment for me represents alot of things, all of which pretty much suck.

I feel like somebody died. I feel like somebody just slept with my girlfriend...

...I just saw John Tesh on www.star1057fm.com.

Who, in there right mind, would have EVER though that the ramifications of WWYL signing on would have been Star 1057, the breeding ground of greats like Savage, Kidd, JJ, G, the chef himself, PUTTING JOHN TESH ON THE AIR. Unbelievable. That's all I can really say.

What was wrong with that 18 share format again? I forget...

If it's DONE RIGHT, it wins in this market. It works in similar markets all over the country. I heard Dead or Alive on PXY this weekend and it was cool. (not saying that PXY is what Star was musically...close, but not quite. They do sound awesome though) I hear that same song on Star and it's lame. Why?

I'm not trying to be critical of anybody. If I know anything about radio, I know things are done for a reason. There's always a master plan. I just hope that plan involves Monkey Boy and free Wendy's for answering weird trivia.

 

[mondaychild]

I agree with the John Tesh thing. The new pd has NO idea what he's doing. Doesn't he realize John Tesh is on his AC station on Sunday mornings? John Tesh makes sense on Mix, but on Star???? It would be like Wild playing Delilah. Why?!? It's going to be interesting to see how much Star's ratings fall after this move. Why was this guy hired again? Word is that no one in the building can stand him and that includes programming, sales, and upper management. Digging his own grave is what he's doing.

Want to take bets on how long this post will stay up?

 

[HoofHearted]

Take a closer look. WMRV is indeed using John Tesh for the PM drive shift, but they are not using the John Tesh show. Look at the website songs being played or the RDS in your car and you'll see that the music is local and fits the HOT AC format of the station, not the AC format of the show on WMXW.

WMRV stopped being a CHR yesrs ago. Now it is a tightly focused HOT AC targeting the 30-something woman. Formats change...

Hoof



<P ID="signature">______________
HoofHearted?</P>

 

[dalittleloser]

> Take a closer look. WMRV is indeed using John Tesh for the
> PM drive shift, but they are not using the John Tesh show.
> Look at the website songs being played or the RDS in your
> car and you'll see that the music is local and fits the HOT
> AC format of the station, not the AC format of the show on
> WMXW.
>
> WMRV stopped being a CHR yesrs ago. Now it is a tightly
> focused HOT AC targeting the 30-something woman. Formats
> change...
>
> Hoof
>
hey hoof...take a closer listen to star before you say a tightly focused hot ac...i wouldn't go that far.

 

[JustinCase]

I was in shock when I was flipping the dial away from another snoozer of a rock-leaning song on Wild when I heard John Tesh, I was told he was coming, but it still caught me off guard.

Wild has become more and more adult oriented or at least friendly, Star always was friendly, but oriented itself as such right after Wild signed on, giving Wild free reign. Now despite holding its own in the ratings, with competition from Wild, Mix and Magic... Star has begun alienating the 20-something and early 30-somethings... John Test speaks to crowds of 35-50, thats his audience in his music, his weekend shows and when on TV.

I haven gotten a couple calls and a slew of instant messages and e-mails about it and all I can say is, sorry I don't know, I don't work on Star anymore. They just think John Tesh is old and I for one as a 28y/o tend to agree. He's definately not what any of my 25-35 year old professional type friends want to hear.

That reminds me... something I've been thinking... WHY do they say we'll take it back to the 80's and 90's for the lunch hour? Am I the only one who thinks to themselves, WHY? You do it all day!<P ID="signature">______________
Can I sleep now?</P>

 

[bpfitz]

Justin, you were always a smart one...

As for Hoof, well...I'm not sure your explanation makes anything okay. In fact, I think your arguement that it's a VT show with STAR's music is equally as skewed as actually putting his AC show on WMRV. The way the public perceives the Hot AC lifestyle (or the way we think they do) does NOT include the evangalistic Tesh in any way. Again, PERFECT for Mix, not for STAR. I'll also agree that the "tightly focused" contention is a bit off. WZPL is a tightly focused Hot AC, WMRV is far from it. It's nothing more than a poorly put together Jack station.

I'll also gather that you may not be from the area, as the arguement "format's change" seems a bit rash as far as Star is concerened. The way I remember radio when I was a kid, Star was an institution. Let's try telling our friends that loved WCBS that format's change. I'm sure they'll love that.

Again, I'm not trying to be critical, everyone is entitled to their opinion. I'm just voicing mine.

> Take a closer look. WMRV is indeed using John Tesh for the
> PM drive shift, but they are not using the John Tesh show.
> Look at the website songs being played or the RDS in your
> car and you'll see that the music is local and fits the HOT
> AC format of the station, not the AC format of the show on
> WMXW.
>
> WMRV stopped being a CHR yesrs ago. Now it is a tightly
> focused HOT AC targeting the 30-something woman. Formats
> change...
>
> Hoof
>

 

[AdultFormatProg]

Have you LISTENED to Tesh's show on Star?... the dude puts forth some pretty compelling content, and it IS the regular Star playlist.

Nationally, Tesh has been signing lots of hotter stations... notably, Hot AC's like Star 101.3/San Francisco, Mix 102.7/Dallas, Star 101.5/Seattle,Star102.7/Las Vegas (80's). He's even on Rock AC, WHCN/Hartford, where the show has been extremely successful even with their Male demos.

The Tesh Show folks offer it either via Satellite via voicetrack. With the voicetrack version (I'm asusming that that is the way Star is using it) stations can use THEIR OWN PLAYLISTS, plus Tesh's content stuff.

One other thing I've noticed, if you pull up Tesh's numbers, nationally,is that his numbers are STRONGER W25-34. Dellilah does well w35-54. Obviously, these are generalizations, but an interesting thing to compare and contrast.

Big picture.... Star is NOT a CHR....its a Hot AC.... strategically,I think CC made a smart decision putting Tesh there... its not like its unproven at Hot AC... particularly at other (much larger) Clear Chann. Hot AC stations..... now they have the two highest rated national adult shows between Mix & Star, both under their roof. I'm sure that if CC hadn't taken Tesh, he would have ended up elsewhere in the market.

<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by bw on 12/01/05 11:56 AM.</FONT></P>

 

[bpfitz]

Okay, I can accept some of that. Although...

The arguement that he has compelling content is irrelevant. The people that Star targets are 30-35 year old women, women that could very easily remember him from Ent. Tonight. Good thing? Well, he's clearly not Ent. Tonight anymore, and he's more so the but of jokes. Let's face it, he and Yanni are in the same family. Maybe throw Kenny G in there too. So, I am sure that Wink Martindale could come up with some pretty compelling content. Whether or not he should be doing nights on Star is a different story.

Yeah, I have noticed the great numbers. IN TOP 20 MARKETS. Radio consistantly dictates the glaring differences between radio in different market sizes. There are a number of reason why he might be doing well. More people to appeal to, obviously more active stations, better marketing, etc. His numbers have less to do with him and more to do with the station itself. Star will never be able to compare to what the respective Star's can do monetarily or otherwise. So they are relying on Tesh himself, his show and his content. Not enough, I'm afraid.

In all honesty, I have not listened to his show on Star. So in essence, my opinion is skewed. I have listened to it on some of the other stations you mentioned. I know how Tesh is. That is what I'm basing my opinion on. Your right. Star is not a CHR, I can accept that. But one thing they are not is a Hot AC. At least the general definition, which is I've always understood it to be a CHR without the rap, MAYBE some 80's. There are 5745947597 different Hot AC definitions, but that's a different story.

I hope it works out though, in all honesty. Great people are at CC Bing., they deserve the best. I just hope they are GIVEN the best.

<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by bw on 12/01/05 11:54 AM.</FONT></P>

 

[upperleftcorner]

> Why was this guy hired again?
> Word is that no one in the building can stand him and that
> includes programming, sales, and upper management. Digging
> his own grave is what he's doing.


Trust me, he didn't make any moves without knowledge of about 14 different CC programming gurus, regional VP's and his GM. CC grants NOBODY autonomy to make decisions like that.

 

[AdultFormatProg]

A couple of points... I do disagree with you regarding the Yanni/Kenny G. comparisons... main reason being is that Tesh is/has been a Broadcaster, and has been throughout the vast majority of his career... and they have not. Wink Martindale... is so far to left field, you must be jokin'.

Yes, Tesh does do music, but that being said, he doen't (at least on the stations where I've heard him) play his stuff during his program (and even if he did, as a station carrying the voicetrack version of his show, they'd be able to "not" play it anyway).

Also, particularily with the younger demos, the W25-34's, where he's done the best vs. the older end of the HotAC/AC demos, think about this... Tesh left ET in '96.... many listeners in the younger end of the spectrum don't even remember the fact that he was on ET, and they just think of him as a radio guy. He's a regular on Conan O'Brien, and yep... part of the jokes.. but he's "in" on it... and I think it actually helps him with Q rating and recognizeability BECAUSE he has fun with it... only a very small handful of "radio-guys/gals" can even GET on a show like Conan, Leno, Live with Regis & Kelly, etc... and for them its rare... for Tesh... its almost like a regular gig.

Here are some examples of how Tesh embraces the comedy... from his own site:

When Teshes Attack:
http://www.tesh.com/teshtv/attack_tv.asp
or
Tesh with Triumpth the Insult Comic Dog
http://www.tesh.com/teshtv/triumph_tv.asp
or
Tesh on The Tonight Show w/ Jay Leno
http://www.tesh.com/teshtv/pages/jay_leno_tv_sm.asp


Yes, he's done very well in the top 20 mkts... argueably better than some other "other" syndicated love song shows... but I don't think you can lump that in to the fact that some of "those stations do well, so Tesh will do well"... a good example to reference is Hot AC, KIOI/San Francisco (Star 101.3)... they had a very tough Summer book... very tough... with one daypart being the exception... 7-mid, with Tesh which did extremely well vs. the rest of the day.. There are many other SMALL markets where he's done resoundingly well too, beating both local jock competition as well as other syndicated shows.

Of course, that being said a station HAS to promote a program properly... run promos, etc etc... whether big or small market....

It seems that everyone is so quick to rip into the new PD guy, and say "Tesh, what is the dude thinkin'... he must be Crazy.."... and its almost a knee-jerk... I have seen what the show can do in both mid & small markets... and the new guy at Star may be crazy... crazy like a fox...

If I was the OM of the Binghamton cluster, I'd certainly want to "own" both Tesh and Delila h in the market, rather than have to compete against EITHER.

In closing... GCH... give the show a listen for a few days on Star before you formulate your full opionion. In your last posting you've said that "In all honesty, I have not listened to his show on Star. So in essence, my opinion is skewed."

To sum it up...at night.... Star is playing their own (I assume) Clear Channel "researched" Hot AC playlist... has a nationally recognizeable (with solid hot ac ratings history, in large and small mkts) personality between the songs... and on their sister station, Mix, they have Delilah, yet another very strong nighttime personality. Not to detract from the guy who was doing nights before Tesh (and now he's doing an even better daypart, PM Drive on Star)... but on my station, I'd certainly prefer to have a personality of the caliber of Tesh or Delilah vs. a local night jock. In particular, in Binghamton, since Star/Mix now have both... thats all thats left for their competition.

<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by bw on 12/01/05 11:57 AM.</FONT></P>

 

[bpfitz]

Fair enough, I'll listen in and we'll go from there

<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by bw on 12/01/05 11:52 AM.</FONT></P>

 

[JerryKidd]

You sir, are sadly mistaken if you believe the PD does not have the autonomy to make a decision like that. He does, and he did.



>
>
> Trust me, he didn't make any moves without knowledge of
> about 14 different CC programming gurus, regional VP's and
> his GM. CC grants NOBODY autonomy to make decisions like
> that.
>

 

[JustinCase]

I've read through all the banter, and I noticed some glaring omissions from both views..

1) Believe it or not, but many still view Star as "one of the kid's stations" merely for the fact that it is heritage, people know the name, even if not the content.

2) Nights always skew younger, as more younger people tend to listen after school and into the night. Putting a show on that in my listening seems to skew to the upper ends of their demo doesn't seem a good move, but those quoted numbers from bigger markets give it some hope... (see next number)

3) Perception... Listeners in big markets expect big names and high content; in smaller markets, like Binghamton, local content usually sells! I just hope people don't just view it as another cd show and tune out.

4) Signal... As mentioned above, Star is a heritage station, they have the signal strength to outlast any of its competition, if they were determined to do so, however it seems they're content to just sit back and make it a safe billing station, which from a business aspect you can't blame 'em, but from a listeners position there are 4 stations that during midday they can basically flip back and forth and hear many of the same songs.

As Wild is more heavily dayparted than ever before, Star is Hot AC, but goes even more retro at lunch, Mix is AC and Magic is AC/Hot AC or Oldies by the minute.

5) Outside the valley listeners, because Star has a big signal and is heritage, we forget about outlying areas who helped make Star the juggernaut that it was. Those people many of them young people, can't get the smaller powered Wild in their homes, have little option but Classic Rock (WAAL) or Country (WHWK), and will sometimes get a diary that again will help stabalize Star's numbers, even if not happy listeners.<P ID="signature">______________
Can I sleep now?</P>

 

[dalittleloser]

> ...i'm pretty sure.
>
> I just had a weird moment. Kind of like that moment
> everybody says you have before you die. Thoughts of the
> past, scant memories of what was before, all that. That
> moment for me represents alot of things, all of which pretty
> much suck.
>
> I feel like somebody died. I feel like somebody just slept
> with my girlfriend...
>
> ...I just saw John Tesh on www.star1057fm.com.
>

>
>



however you want to look at all this wmrv made big changes in the middle of the book and we'll see how it turns out. we are still at the mercy of arbitron. where the diaries fall will determine everything. wmrv could be number 1 this book and we will all eat crow.

 

[bpfitz]

Now I'm pretty certain that's not true...

So why does Lenny Kravitz "Lady" warrant recurrent status? Just wondering...

>You sir, are sadly mistaken if you believe the PD does not have the autonomy >to make a decision like that. He does, and he did.

 

[JerryKidd]

I don’t know…the PD probably likes the song, and because he DOES have the autonomy to do what he wants on HIS station, he plays it.

It’s easy to want to think of a PD as a puppet in this corporate world. You want to think everything is planned out and researched. You want to think the powers at a corporate level have a master plan. But it’s not always true. You want to think that the CHR version of Star “Died” for a reason. You want to think it “died” for money, or ratings, or whatever. I don’t think the shift in format is any more than some program director’s or general manager’s opinion. I know that is hard for some people to except. You want to put some value on the perceived death of a station you used to love or worked so hard to create. Some times you just need to mourn and move on.

BTW- I am not, in anyway, trying to say any change has been a mistake. I don’t know the situations or people involved.

> Now I'm pretty certain that's not true...
>
> So why does Lenny Kravitz "Lady" warrant recurrent status?
> Just wondering...
>
> >You sir, are sadly mistaken if you believe the PD does not
> have the autonomy >to make a decision like that. He does,
> and he did.
>