The commercial breaks on WEEI are ridiculous

[blamethemayo]

'it's the biggest no-brainer in the history of earth'

sorry. i love those spots.

on a more serious note, is mike-fm taking a huge financial hit by going commercial free every weekday from 9-noon?

 

[djflash]

EEI et al is a good example of how addictive radio can be. Why else do we stay tuned through 20 minute commercial breaks? Why do we put up with a station that NEVER gives the time or weather...Where the 20/20 sports flash is very rarely at 20 past/20 till or on the hour...sometimes even 10 minutes late. Why do we listen to an overnight filler that sounds like bad 70's AM Top 40 puking radio or shows in the afternoon that are just bad radio with people yelling over each other?! Ah...WEEI...love to hate it I guess we do. I suppose we'd all like to duplicate such profitable crap. At least they don't play Light My Fire 10 times a week...gawd, surprise me once in a while Classic Rock radio. Ten Years After played more than I'd Love to Change the World.

BTW...EEI loves to be streaming into the Connecticut market but you'd think UCONN Football (in the top 25 most of the season) or UCONN Basketball don't even exist while BC and PC reign. Curious how they are both RC schools...Callahan must be behind it! hahaha

 

[BRNout]

Although (sadly) TSB is generally correct, there is enough erosion during long spot breaks or caused by heavy commercial loads to make stations take notice at times. Remember those 20 minute breaks when Stern was on terrestrial radio? Very few of the Stern fans that I knew would site through them (on WBCN).

But, there are ways around this. If you can include some "program matter" (as Rick Sklar used to call it) between the ads now and then, it keeps the ears around. Sklar, of Musicradio WABC, did this in the form of DJ talk or station jingles between ads. WABC's spot loads during the late 60s and early 70s were very heavy and doing this was successful in retaining listeners. In fact, it worked wonderfully.

In the Stern example cited above, some stations would slip a newscast or music into those extra long breaks - which also tended to keep people from jumping ship. WBCN generally didn't do this and listeners knew it. They'd tune away for 15 minutes or so and check back later. They knew the system. Sure, the station retains the numbers....but how would you like your spot buried 6 minutes into a break?

So, though TSB is generally right - there are limits to what people will put up with. And, I don't know that the number of those who bail out are really quite as low as indicated by that study. I'd bet it gets higher with each passing year. Listeners in the car are certainly more likely to switch, while those listening to a stationary radio are less likely.

But overall, as a nation, Americans collectively have ADD and almost no patience for irritants (as ads are). It's one of the few things that we all seem to have in common. Look at the success of devices like TiVo.

 

[blamethemayo]

weei should make some effort to be on time.

starting the hour at 20 past everyday is a bit sloppy and unprofessional.

they might as well change their schedule on the website..

 

[ChrisNH]

WEEI is a joke. Invariably, among the avalanche of spots, is one imploring other companies to advertise on WEEI: Yes, we know you hate these long breaks so we're trying to go out and find new advertisers so that they can be longer. In the end, these long breaks are a double-edged sword. The breaks are so long and so obnoxious, that most listeners (those that still do listen after Super Bowl Sunday, anyway) know the drill: they just tune away. The pre-set button on your car radio is a blessing to you and a bane to the suits at WEEI who are hoping that you're just paralyzed by interest to change the station. Of course, they are hoping against hope that you haven't tuned elsewhere as a way to appease the sponsors...who are no doubt tricked by WEEI into thinking that listeners are hanging onto every stupid word preached about the mighty Connecticut School of Broadcasting. Yes, YOUR spot will be heard by MILLIONS!!! THIS is why we can charge confiscatory rates! Pay no attention to the fact that people's car radios have pre-set buttons. Trust us...they don't use them!!!

 

[raccoonradio]

Meanwhile WRKO's "commercial breaks" have had more than a few PSAs lately, as has been noted here.
Inability to sell 'em? Yes, they're fulfilling public service requirements but you have to wonder.

WEEI's long breaks may be a joke but judging by their ratings (listeners may not seem to mind),
the folks at Entercom are laughing all the way to the bank.

>>If you can include some "program matter" (as Rick Sklar used to call it) between the ads now and then, it keeps the ears around.

I had mentioned Howie Chizek of WNIR Kent/Akron Ohio doing this...saying a pithy comment during the
middle of an ad break
On Oldies 103: "More music in (60) seconds..." (You made it through those 5 minutes of ads! Don't
tune away just yet, we're almost back!)
I have done college radio shows for years (blues mostly) and am glad we have no commercials. There
are some PSAs, promos, and donorships but generally our breaks are short. More music!

>>'it's the biggest no-brainer in the history of earth'

Meanwhile the one spot that makes me change the station always is the one
for some colon-cleaning weight loss product that talks about how we have
25 to 30 pounds of gunk stuck to the colon walls "like spackle or paste"...
The Novartis ads make me do this too, with the syrupy music. As soon as I hear,
"My name is LaDonna LaPosta... (music starts)" Click!

 

[dumber than a box of hair]

WEEI is a joke.

Funny how the FACTS say "the joke's on you:"

#3 12+
#1 25-54 adults
#1 25-54 men, with an audience share more than double that of #2
Tied for #4 18-34 adults
#1 25-54 adults in AM drive
#1 25-54 adults in middays
#1 25-54 adults in PM drive
(all data from the Fall 2007 Arbitron)

And you wonder why advertisers line up outside the WEEI sales department? What advertiser in his/her right mind wouldn't want a piece of that?

The FACTS speak for themselves.

 

[raccoonradio]

>>Interestingly, the stations with the heaviest spot loads tend to have the most listeners.

"That restaurant's so busy that nobody goes there anymore" (Yogi? Stengel?) Why is it busy? Good
place to eat, that's why. Why are the ad breaks so long? Good ratings. You may have to wait in line for
a table at that eatery, folks (deal with a long ad break) but it's worth it...

 

[blamethemayo]

WEEI is a joke.

Funny how the FACTS say "the joke's on you:"

#3 12+
#1 25-54 adults
#1 25-54 men, with an audience share more than double that of #2
Tied for #4 18-34 adults
#1 25-54 adults in AM drive
#1 25-54 adults in middays
#1 25-54 adults in PM drive
(all data from the Fall 2007 Arbitron)

And you wonder why advertisers line up outside the WEEI sales department? What advertiser in his/her right mind wouldn't want a piece of that?

The FACTS speak for themselves.

it is arrogance and complacency that will bring down weei when and if a worthy competitor ever goes on the air.

 

[SonicOverload]

just do what I do... in the afternoon, Felgy's show on ESPN starts around 3 past. Listen until his first break at :15 and flip to WEEI. They should just about be done with their break.

 

[dumber than a box of hair]

it is arrogance and complacency that will bring down weei when and if a worthy competitor ever goes on the air.

Works for me. You obviously have all the answers. Approach the management at a 50kW stick and offer to counter-program WEEI. Show us your stuff. Beat them at their own game.

We're waiting.

 

[boobo0]

What gets me most about this is, if anyone out there listens to WFAN in NY (which is a larger market, which you would guess could pull the same crap) doesn't broadcast like this. The Fan hits all of their 20/20 breaks consistantly and I'd say on the average goes for about 5-7 minutes (at the most) per break. They don't appear to abuse their listeners ears the way EEI does.

I started listening to EEI back in 96, and at that time they used to hit their marks in stride, but not any more. Since Sunday's game I have gone no where near that station, for reasons that I'm sure most of you understand, and for the first time in 12 years, I really have no urge to go back.

All of this comes from a diehard listener that has finally had enough.

Adios EEI.

 

[blamethemayo]

it is arrogance and complacency that will bring down weei when and if a worthy competitor ever goes on the air.

Works for me. You obviously have all the answers. Approach the management at a 50kW stick and offer to counter-program WEEI. Show us your stuff. Beat them at their own game.

We're waiting.

there is a fine example of the arrogance.

first of all, you must admit that *at least* a small part of eei's recent success is due to the success of boston sports teams.

what if the patriots finished 0-16 and the sox finished dead last in the al east? something tells me eei's ratings would be a tad lower, especially given the fair weather nature of boston's sports fans.

dont worry too much. if the boston teams tank, ol' gerry and john will dig deep in to their material and bring out more racist 'jokes' and homophobic humor to keep white males entertained on their drive into town from the hinterlands of suburbia.

 

[ArtSpooner]

For the past decade the Red Sox and Patriots have been competitive teams. WEEI has seen a steady increase in popularity in the same time period. When the Pats won in 2001, suddenly everyone in the office where I worked was a big football fan. I can remember talking about sports with one other guy before that. The same occured when the Red Sox went to game 7 in 2003. All of a sudden people were listening to 'EEI instead of Oldies.

Take an objective look at some of their "talent". Meterparel, Shepard, Callahan; do they keep the ratings high? Callahan was out for several months and they still were #1. To paraphrase a famous politician, "It's the teams, Stupid".

 

[12 In a Row]

Why are some folks not happy with others success? What's up with that?

How bout celebrating an AM radio station and it's staff who continues to attract lots of listeners despite playing a ton of commercials.
If the advertisers were not getting results, they would be gone.

We are blessed with incredible sports teams, Sox, Pats, Celtics and the #1 Sports station in the nation.

12-15 ads in a row, at least they're not laying off, and the ratings remain solid.


Great sports teams, avid fans and a entertaining staff=$$$$$$, and lots of it.
I don't know about you but I would cash the checks and RIDE THE WAVE!!!!!

(and NO I don't work for WEEI)

 

[boobo0]

Why are some folks not happy with others success? What's up with that?

How bout celebrating an AM radio station and it's staff who continues to attract lots of listeners despite playing a ton of commercials.
If the advertisers were not getting results, they would be gone.

We are blessed with incredible sports teams, Sox, Pats, Celtics and the #1 Sports station in the nation.

12-15 ads in a row, at least they're not laying off, and the ratings remain solid.


Great sports teams, avid fans and a entertaining staff=$$$$$$, and lots of it.
I don't know about you but I would cash the checks and RIDE THE WAVE!!!!!

(and NO I don't work for WEEI)

Are you even reading what people are complaining about? It's not about the stations success, it's about the station taking advantage of that success and abusing the loyal customer.

 

[SonicOverload]

it just boils down to those who focus on the content and those who only care about the bizzzness. If WEEI aired Hitler speeches and it got a good book, that's all that would matter...

 

[NHRonin]

If WROK or 96.9 would put decent shows on in the morning, WEEI would have to try harder.

As is, I often change the station on commercial break and generally forget to go back.

 

[MassMusicMan]

it just boils down to those who focus on the content and those who only care about the bizzzness. If WEEI aired Hitler speeches and it got a good book, that's all that would matter...

Ironic you should say that. I certainly don't agree with the content of Hitler's speeches, but the guy had a hell of a delivery, and would have been a good radio presenter on the basis of his speaking.

 

[12 In a Row]

Your comment, "If WEEI aired Hitler speeches and it got a good book, that's all that would matter..."
for all of the obvious reasons is not worth a response.

You say they are, abusing the loyal customer? EEI is still #1-25-54