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Theory about the two Easy channels

E

elevator_opratr

Guest
In threads below, we've debated whether the two easy channels come April 17th will sound exactly the same. I said how I hoped the new one would take a bit more of a contemporary beautiful sound instead of the more vintage sound of Sunny. Well, after today, I've changed my prediction a bit.

I e-mailed Mr. Taylor (I believe is his name ... extrememly nice guy, by the way ... always responds to all e-mails ... I wish all program directors in the business were like him), the programmer at Sunny, asking him basically if the two channels would be the same. He responded that he was moving his duties from XM 24 to XM 78 on April 17, and that "Escape" would sound exactly like "Sunny" does today, but that he had no idea what direction "Sunny's" music was going to take.

So I've changed my prediction. Maybe it'll be "Sunny" that takes a more contemporary approach. I find it hard to believe Clear Channel is going to program a channel EXACTLY like their "competition" so to speak. I predict Clear Channel will add more vocals and maybe those Readers Digest-type compilations Philip has spoken of in earlier threads. They've got to do SOMETHING different. What incentive is there to listen to commercial "Sunny" after April 17th when it's the same thing as another channel airing no commercials?

Just my prediction. Will be interested to see if "Sunny" becomes more modern sounding in a few weeks. <P ID="signature">______________

http://weatherwindow.blogspot.com</P>
 
Clear Channel might move "Sunny" back to a mainstream Adult Contemporary format. After all, "Sunny" used to be the simulcast of Clear Channel's AC formatted WLTW New York when XM first began. CC might move back in that direction, or simply even simulcast WLTW again (the way they are planning on doing with WSIX, which was also on XM in the early days as well).
 
> In threads below, we've debated whether the two easy
> channels come April 17th will sound exactly the same. I said
> how I hoped the new one would take a bit more of a
> contemporary beautiful sound instead of the more vintage
> sound of Sunny. Well, after today, I've changed my
> prediction a bit.
>
> I e-mailed Mr. Taylor (I believe is his name ... extrememly
> nice guy, by the way ... always responds to all e-mails ...
> I wish all program directors in the business were like him),
> the programmer at Sunny, asking him basically if the two
> channels would be the same. He responded that he was moving
> his duties from XM 24 to XM 78 on April 17, and that
> "Escape" would sound exactly like "Sunny" does today, but
> that he had no idea what direction "Sunny's" music was going
> to take.
>
> So I've changed my prediction. Maybe it'll be "Sunny" that
> takes a more contemporary approach. I find it hard to
> believe Clear Channel is going to program a channel EXACTLY
> like their "competition" so to speak. I predict Clear
> Channel will add more vocals and maybe those Readers
> Digest-type compilations Philip has spoken of in earlier
> threads. They've got to do SOMETHING different. What
> incentive is there to listen to commercial "Sunny" after
> April 17th when it's the same thing as another channel
> airing no commercials?

The channels that Clear Channel programs on XM should really not be considered as competition to the other XM programmed channels. This agreement should really move to a win-win for everyone, including XM and their listeners. 700WLW has been a great addition for XM for its talk programming and that is evidenced by the number of callers to talk shows from XM listeners, now if Clear Channel would realize this and create better alternative programming when the Reds are on. I'm hoping Clear Channel and XM agree to return to their original plans and simulcast some of their top terrestrial stations on the bird, especially the top 40s, or at least bring in personalities,either live or through their voice track system, to their channels.

The downside to all these additions are bandwidth limitations, though I don't really hear any downgrading in the sound, except possibly with my car kit. My boombox in my office sounds great on all channels.
 
> In threads below, we've debated whether the two easy
> channels come April 17th will sound exactly the same. I said
> how I hoped the new one would take a bit more of a
> contemporary beautiful sound instead of the more vintage
> sound of Sunny. Well, after today, I've changed my
> prediction a bit.
>
> I e-mailed Mr. Taylor (I believe is his name ... extrememly
> nice guy, by the way ... always responds to all e-mails ...
> I wish all program directors in the business were like him),
> the programmer at Sunny, asking him basically if the two
> channels would be the same. He responded that he was moving
> his duties from XM 24 to XM 78 on April 17, and that
> "Escape" would sound exactly like "Sunny" does today, but
> that he had no idea what direction "Sunny's" music was going
> to take.
>
> So I've changed my prediction. Maybe it'll be "Sunny" that
> takes a more contemporary approach. I find it hard to
> believe Clear Channel is going to program a channel EXACTLY
> like their "competition" so to speak. I predict Clear
> Channel will add more vocals and maybe those Readers
> Digest-type compilations Philip has spoken of in earlier
> threads. They've got to do SOMETHING different. What
> incentive is there to listen to commercial "Sunny" after
> April 17th when it's the same thing as another channel
> airing no commercials?
>
> Just my prediction. Will be interested to see if "Sunny"
> becomes more modern sounding in a few weeks.
>
I think sunny will sound like sunny 104.5 in philly<P ID="signature">______________
http://natedoggairchecks.6x.to/
sfradio (at) gmail (dot) com</P>
 
> "Sunny" used to be the simulcast of Clear Channel's
> AC formatted WLTW New York when XM first began.

Sunny was never a direct replacement for Lite beer 106.7.
WLTW had no immediate replacement and was eventually replaced by The Bland.<P ID="signature">______________
Proud 2 B a pioneering satellite radio subs¢riber
Ai4i is always on the trailing edge of technology
______________</P>
 
Would be nice if they programmed 24 as instrumentals only--would help soften the impact of DirecTV losing the all instrumentals Music Choice channel 833. Better yet to a "dreamy" sound of very mellow, romantic instrumentals.. eg Ray Anthony, Manotvnai, Paul Weston, etc. Lots of stuff has been released on CD to fill such a Dream-24 format as easylistening was prior to 1965. Hope it doesnt go more contemporary as "E-Z" versions of contemporary songs often sound like pure crap. But I'd be surprised if sunny-24 doesnt go soft-rock-24 or worse as I've never heard of clear channel wanting anything to do with any music softer than "soft rock"

****************************************************************************



> > "Sunny" used to be the simulcast of Clear Channel's
> > AC formatted WLTW New York when XM first began.
>
> Sunny was never a direct replacement for Lite beer 106.7.
> WLTW had no immediate replacement and was eventually
> replaced by The Bland.
>
 
Bonneville & Who Will Advertise

> Would be nice if they programmed 24 as instrumentals
> only--would help soften the impact of DirecTV losing the all
> instrumentals Music Choice channel 833.

Phil Stout programmed the MC easy listening channel and he has decades of experience doing it.

> Better yet to a
> "dreamy" sound of very mellow, romantic instrumentals.. eg
> Ray Anthony, Manotvnai, Paul Weston, etc. Lots of stuff has
> been released on CD to fill such a Dream-24 format as
> easylistening was prior to 1965.

Not really. There is a lot of music that was released on vinyl but never made it to tape or CD at all. You can hear some tunes on Sunny were vinyl transfers, right down to the record pops. The reel-to-reel masters of a lot of their other stuff makes Sunny one of the "hissiest" channels on XM. Easy listening music prior to the 1970s sounds extremely dated and a lot of that material is in magnificent mono only. The beautiful music format is centered on music done in stereo post 1965 until around 1985. After that, we're talking about Richard Clayderman, Reader's Digest, some East European orchestras, James Last, new age crossovers, and piano bar music.

At least 40% of Sunny seems to be exclusives that were recorded for the format and never were made commercially available. You can identify these by the CD being labeled as "Bonneville xxxx" (xxxx=the CD number). Those are all from the Bonneville format, which had a lot of customized music done for it. I don't know if Schulke or Drake-Chenault did the same thing - I grew up with one of the few non Bonneville-owned easy listening Bonneville clients - WEZO, so I am very used to their sound.

> But I'd be surprised if sunny-24
> doesnt go soft-rock-24 or worse as I've never heard of clear
> channel wanting anything to do with any music softer than
> "soft rock"

Clear Channel has always programmed Sunny as easy listening/beautiful music. There is no indication they are changing the format - just adding commercials (can anyone say Geico - knew you could). The other classic advertisers for beautiful music were golf clubs, high end old people cars, fine dining, and health/lifestyle related products.
 
Yea I would like to see Sunny go all instrumental too.Dish has an all instrumental b/ez channel that is programmed by muzak.I don't know who the person is that is programming that channel but the music is so beautiful it's on channel 973.If they decide to change to soft rock which I'm hoping they won't a good name for the new Sunny would be Lite.On the new channel guide it still list Sunny as being Beautiful Music and Escape as Easy Listening.



> Would be nice if they programmed 24 as instrumentals
> only--would help soften the impact of DirecTV losing the all
> instrumentals Music Choice channel 833. Better yet to a
> "dreamy" sound of very mellow, romantic instrumentals.. eg
> Ray Anthony, Manotvnai, Paul Weston, etc. Lots of stuff has
> been released on CD to fill such a Dream-24 format as
> easylistening was prior to 1965. Hope it doesnt go more
> contemporary as "E-Z" versions of contemporary songs often
> sound like pure crap. But I'd be surprised if sunny-24
> doesnt go soft-rock-24 or worse as I've never heard of clear
> channel wanting anything to do with any music softer than
> "soft rock"
>
****************> ************************************************************
>
>
>
>
> > > "Sunny" used to be the simulcast of Clear Channel's
> > > AC formatted WLTW New York when XM first began.
> >
> > Sunny was never a direct replacement for Lite beer 106.7.
> > WLTW had no immediate replacement and was eventually
> > replaced by The Bland.
> >
>
 
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