• Get involved.
    We want your input!
    Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.

    After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
    If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.

    After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
    https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/

    Thanks in advance and have fun!
    RadioDiscussions Administrators

The Demise of Local Weekend Radio

S

ScottBurns

Besides the demise of weekend talent in both the Providence market and medium-sized markets nationwide, another victim of this "era" in radio history seems to be demise of local specialty weekend shows. One need not look back longer than a decade to remember some of the great talent that once graced the Providence weekend airwaves. In the late 1990s, all of the following weekend shows were locally-produced:
1. WSNE had a Saturday night 80s show that was hosted by Gary Trust
2. WHJY had the "Metal Zone" (again, much better than the current incarnation) that was hosted by the late Doctor, as well as Pete Silva's "Hangover Cafe."
3. B-101's Saturday night request show with Bruce Palmer.
4. Scott Reiniche's Saturday night show on the late Z100
5. The late 99.7 The Edge had a Sunday night rock show featuring local bands, as did 'HJY (at least longer than the 1-hr show that 'HJY has buried after midnight on Monday mornings)

And the list goes on....

I'd love to see a return to some of these weekend specialty shows. They are not terribly expensive to produce (although they are often more expensive than the syndicated stuff), and many stations are paying full-time or weekend jocks to man these shifts anyway. For example, given the shift in its format, and since he has resurfaced on B-101, Scott Reiniche's Saturday night request show could easily be revived on B-101. I am sure 'HJY could easily put together a better, longer show on Sunday nights that features local talent....

Such shows simply make the quality of radio better.
 
Find someone with professional radio experience willing to sell the show too & you might see this happen. Other than that radio in many small & medium markets including Providence isn't about sounding good or creativity. Naturally it isn't about sounding bad but the people who ultimately make a decision like putting a local specialty show on don't take any pride in the creative end of it. They are salespeople pure & simple. Naturally most PDs take pride in the on-air end of things but their hands are usually tied or they at least know budget doesn't allow. Again,someone with professional radio experience willing to sell the show might stand a shot but we have posters here who have that experience & got out of radio. Number one..you don't see them clamoring to get back in weekends. Number two..you can bet they wouldn't want to try to sell a show just to be able to do it. How many weekenders in Providence do it because it's a stepping stone? Very few. Most do it because they got out but don't like disassociating themselves from the business besides a few extra bucks for spending money. You have always posted from the point of view of what would sound good & I like that as long as you understand it's a dream & radio stopped working that way long ago in markets like Providence.
 
Scott,

Don't forget the Rock and Roll Root Cellar, hosted for many years by Jim Van on HJY. Jim was at Woodstock, and might even remember being there. As they said in the Alperts commercial....might !!! Shows like these are very saleable to and desireable to sales staffs, and cost basically nothing to produce. The few live personalities who are actually live on the weekends would enjoy producing them I'm sure.
 
Jockitch...

You left a few words out:

Find someone with professional radio experience willing to sell the show ALONG WITH A RADIO STATION THAT'S WILLING TO PROMOTE IT and you might see this happen ?

A radio station can offer programming that's creative, diverse and unique. But if nobody knows about the new show...it's gonna die a quiet broadcast death! :'(

argytunes
 
How long has it been since Rock and Roll Root cellar was on?One time I was listening and Jim Van was playing "Chevy van" on WHJY. I thought it was odd but realized it was on the line of lost 45's kind of show.
 
I have to add something here.I am at work right now and listening to Mike Harvey's supergold on B101.This guy is all over the place.In the first hour I heard The Supremes,Dave Mason,Hot Choclate,and Addicted to Love by Robert Palmer. If I ever did that I would be chewed up.Bruce on ARSN at least stayed with the same sound. ???
 
kenwood101 said:
I have to add something here.I am at work right now and listening to Mike Harvey's supergold on B101.This guy is all over the place.In the first hour I heard The Supremes,Dave Mason,Hot Choclate,and Addicted to Love by Robert Palmer. If I ever did that I would be chewed up.Bruce on ARSN at least stayed with the same sound. ???
Click to expand...

That music isn't any different than what they usually play anyway.
 
aqualung said:
kenwood101 said:
I have to add something here.I am at work right now and listening to Mike Harvey's supergold on B101.This guy is all over the place.In the first hour I heard The Supremes,Dave Mason,Hot Choclate,and Addicted to Love by Robert Palmer. If I ever did that I would be chewed up.Bruce on ARSN at least stayed with the same sound. ???
Click to expand...

That music isn't any different than what they usually play anyway.
Click to expand...

Exactly. Kenny, you need to remember that B101 is no longer an oldies station. It's a hodge podge of music that appeals to the target demo... which as you said is all over the map.
 
jeffryan said:
aqualung said:
kenwood101 said:
I have to add something here.I am at work right now and listening to Mike Harvey's supergold on B101.This guy is all over the place.In the first hour I heard The Supremes,Dave Mason,Hot Choclate,and Addicted to Love by Robert Palmer. If I ever did that I would be chewed up.Bruce on ARSN at least stayed with the same sound. ???
Click to expand...

That music isn't any different than what they usually play anyway.
Click to expand...

Exactly. Kenny, you need to remember that B101 is no longer an oldies station. It's a hodge podge of music that appeals to the target demo... which as you said is all over the map.
Click to expand...

I know they are not an oldies station and I know they play alot of classic rock excluding Van Halan.Why they dont play jump is beyond me but anyway It just sounded wierd to here Adicted to Love on show that digs deeper into the 60's than the station does in regular format.
 
Don't feel singled-out!!!

This is NOT a Providence radio problem.
This is a RADIO problem...everywhere.

TRUE STORY: I read an Arbitron diary comment, from a diary in another market. Referring to a News/Talk AM station -- probably treating listeners to either dead air or two-commercials-playing-at-the-same-time, in-the-middle of "Best of Rush" -- the diarykeeper wrote "On the weekend, it sounds like they think nobody is listening."

What an indictment.

On a lighter note: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOXWKvf9mU8

Aloha from Bermuda-of-the-North,
HC
www.HollandCooke.com
 
Holland,

As an added footnote, what's going on with the WTWP situation? Heard 820 in MD changed calls to WTWT ??? Is there a rethinking for 1500 and its satellites?

Dave Gardiner

WVCH 740/WNWR 1540

Philadelphia
 
RE "The bit was a classic!!!"

You're being kind!

Translation: He's POLITELY saying, "I've already heard that one..."
:)

DG02816 said:
Holland, what's going on with the WTWP situation?
Click to expand...

GOOD QUESTION.
I was interviewed last week by Washingtonian magazine, reacting to rumors that Bonneville will pull-the-plug after the Nationals' season ends.
I have NO confirmation from antsy insiders there.

This-past-week's-headline: NLRB action, I think by The Writers' Guild (or whichever union reps Post reporters).

I told the reporter there, what I'd say to one here: Newspapers WILL "make a sound on the radio," whether-or-not-Bonneville wants to continue.

Last night, for the first time, I got to play with an iPhone.
Whatever you're expecting, IT'S BETTER.

The Washington Post, The Providence Journal, and every other newspaper have two things in common:

1. They NEED to migrate onto The New Platform.
Grown-ups lined-up like tykes lined-up for a Harry Potter book, to get iPhones.
Sure, they'll always be a hard-copy newspaper.
But circulation is in a tailspin.

ProJo's sister paper The Dallas Morning News, has 28 photographers.
12 now no longer carry still cameras.
It's all about the Internet.

2. They need a broadcasting company less-and-less to "make sound."
As I've been preaching-out-to-anyone-willing-to-listen for a decade (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23Bobc0_8ok):
SMART broadcasters will fashion strategic alliances with newspapers, so 1 + 1 can at least = 2...and possibly 3.

See/hear more @ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6ypG6A39MY

HC
www.HollandCooke.com
 
Status
This thread has been closed due to inactivity. You can create a new thread to discuss this topic.


Back
Top Bottom