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The Deadly Daypart Dilemma.

S

Scooter Lesley

Guest
I attended a seminar where the topic was: How to get in that diary, and stay there. The speaker was a brillant man named Walt Sabo. All of it was enlightening, but mostly he stressed Call Letters, Call Letters, Call Letters. He stated: It does not matter what you've been taught,...Call Letters! Back then, Dayparts were standard, and very few stations strayed from what Arb had slated on their diaries: 6-10, 10-3, 3-7, 7-12. It still does not matter what in the flyin' fudge cake you do 12-6 Overnights, you won't get credit. The only one that you can split in any manner is Mid-day. It only behooooves you to stick accordingly to the other three. I credit John Boy & Billy for the smarts to work all four hours, and it has paid off for them. However, the two AC formatted stations in the GSP market don't follow. One runs 5a-8a, while the other runs 5:30a-8:30a. Again, 5am is dead, and no credit will be given. Both shows are off before most diary holders wake up. In short, 8a-to-10a isn't worked by the Morning talent. Some will argue that it is not ratings reflective, but I think it is, and the proof is quite clear!
 
Why do those AC's have such short morning shows? Most run until at least 9. I think WMYI cut their morning show a while back to get more music in the 8am hour to compete better with WSPA. Magic sounds so dead in the 8am hour!
I don't find either of these shows (or stations) impressive overall, though

BTW: I should give credit where it is due, though. "Action Jackson" did a fantastic job on Magic this past weekend with the retro 70s/80s. That's the most life that station has had in a while!
 
Sabo is a smart guy and I have enjoyed his opinion through the years. However, I'm sure when he talks about morning shows going until 10, he means to continue morning show content. Many of the shows that go until 10am just go through the motions for that final hour just to tell advertisers their ads aired on the show. So many voicetrack the final hour with a quick weather mention and liner. The stations that rely on office listening went to more music more quickly and saw great results and their research backs it up. Unless you are a John Boy and Billy that has consistent content, you may as well get back to playing the hits.
 
In my humble opinion, stations shouldn't write off unrated day parts. I don't think they should miss an opportunity to make a favorable impression that could translate into additional listening during a rated day part!
 
To follow up my original thread: Yes, the 12am-6am Overnight daypart is still important. Listeners still listen past midnight, and times before 6a, before Morning Drive. Correctly Programmed it can benefit the whole package. However, Arb don't care, and won't credit the space of a popcorn poot. My main stab is this: No reflection on Air Talent, but the two AC Morning Drive shows would garner much more, if they worked it hard 6a-10a, what the Arb slates, and only...what the Arb credits! It only Behooooooves one to do so! So,...Be of the Behoveled!
 
To address the firing of MY 102's Bill Love:
Bill Love, and I are not friends, but acquaintances. We both have a solid respect for each other, as broadcasters. I have said it many times. He is one of the best air talents that I have ever heard!
It is not clear as to why CC let him go, but here...I will both defend, and caution. Regarding my first post, that began this topic, I sighted both AC's for not adhering to the 6a-10a daypart, as slated on the Arb diaries. Love was (only) on the air from 5:30a to 8:30a, with a shallow, burnt playlist, no credible Newscaster, and it failed! This was not his falt! He was like a gunfighter, without any bullets! The smartest move that Entercom could make today for their Magic 98 would be to put their Morning team on from 6a-10a, and hire someone that knows how to pick the music. I said..."Hire" someone!
 
I always enjoyed listening to Bill Love back when it was the Love and Hudson show. They seemed to play well off of each other and always had news. It is such a shame to waht CC has done with many of their "heritage" stations.
 
Many of the corporations have lost site of what once made radio great and I am not saying they are the only ones. But now they are starting to pay the price for loosing site of what or who got them where they are today. If we are really lucky hopefully we won't loose broadcast radio has we know it altogether.
 
The only reason I can think of CC letting Bill go would be that they figured he wouldn't fit on the new MY. Or, perhaps they didn't want to pay the $$ he was likely getting anymore. If it was the latter, I would be a little concerned if I were at CC Greenville (they have some talents that have been there a long time).

I agree that Bill Love is a very good air talent and was great with Howard Hudson and pretty good with Sue Myers. Didn't care much for the morning show the past couple of years.
 
What I predicted...happened!
So, my best advice for MAGIC is to move that young Morning team to 6a-10a, as slated on the Arb diaries, dignify the newscasts, and hire someone that knows the music to pick them a playlist...that matters! Give those two a chance. They can't win if they don't have the right records: A minium of seven songs per hour, and only 9-minutes of commercial time. A max of 3-minutes per stop-set. Headphones loud, Coffee hot, and No sales people allowed in the control room!
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Note: Read my first post that began this topic.
 
If the Drive time dayparts are your bread, peanut butter, banana, & bacon, then why work them so shallow. I praise WESC for Charlie Muson & John Boy Crenshaw are just "ON" everyday, and I'm not a Country listener, by no stre-tttttttch of the imagination! I scoaled both AC's for their foolish 5a-8a, 5:30a-8:30a half-assness. That idea smacks of a young, know-it-all yet know nothing Consultant.
I know that most of the corporate bean counters will pinch a penny 'til Lincoln hurls, but voice tracking your Afternoons, as if the listener doesn't know. Why screw with your PM Drive. Most are live, but they (still) are Stop-set challenged, and more cluttered than a Christmas tree co-decorated by Elton John & C-Lo Green! Five minute stop-sets, and you wonder where your TSL went. Answer: another pre-set button. 7p-12mid: Well, MY & MAGIC just pipe Delilah, and Tesh on at seven, go home, and pray that the PC tags in for the new day. One of those two will eventually "Can", and overhaul nights. MY is now one up...MAGIC here's your chance.
 
I question the management at Magic's ability to take any "chance." It's Entercom Greenville who has proven to be dysfunctional over and over (The Walk? Bo Griffin[RIP]? Fonda's Chick Talk?). 98.9 has had six different morning shows in the past 10 years, if memory serves correctly. Unfortunately, it is poorly programmed and run as an afterthought since the PD is busy with the CHR which is a totally different story.

WSPA did sound really good around 2008-2009 but has slowly become less than impressive.
 
Midday pretty much doesn't matter, because most people are simply too busy with other things to worry about it. From what I understand it's not exactly a well paid time slot either.
 
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