Ultimate Oldies expanding

[microbob]

Will WSWO have an internet stream soon?

 

[techie2]

I doubt it. SoundExchange royalty rates and reporting requirements just got worse, and a lot of full power non-comms are dropping their streams because they can't afford the rates or can't get set up to meet the recordkeeping requirements. If a full power non-comm can't do it, there's no way it can be done on an LPFM budget.

The only thing they might stream are the high school sports (I think they did football last year) because those don't involve music royalty issues.

 

[RATCISDJ94]

Gr8oldies, Kevin, Kahuna, etc: Youse guys seem like yah know what yer talkin about. Can you explain to me the value of platooning in the oldies format?

I think I understand the concept--but--why not just have a focused library of (250???) hits turning over in a reasonable power time frame (1 1/2 to 2 days???)? Then stack the rest in categories that spin from 4 or 5 days for secondary to a totally lunar rotation for tertiary?

Platooning is one way you can do it. I've had success programming oldies by playing the "focused" library spinning as normal, but using my library cuts for specialty weekends and special feature programming (morning show "wayback" or "time tunnel" type features, Top 10 at 10 nightly countdowns, request shows in which a "limited" number of library cuts can be added for "spice" each hour, etc.) In any of these cases, the "library" cuts are in a place where you can explain to the listener why the song is being played and, in most cases, falls in between 2 well-tested songs from your "focused" library. That way, you're not gambling too much - the listener knows why you're playing a lesser-known title and it becomes a bit of an "oh, wow" song for them.

Again...it's "illusion of depth", as opposed to being so deep you're no longer a format, but a family reunion, so to speak.

Kevin/Jason has got some good idea's here. There is probably no harder working person in the business in my estimation. I used to work with him in the WING Oldie days and I'm a witness.

His all night show was absolutely killer because he made it interesting...always finding a new wrinkle for playing what he played and making it fun, current and relevant for his audience. It was obvious that he did his homework (graveyard and all) and I respect him for it....wish someone was doing it today. You'd hear the core stuff from the Supremes, Beatles, Elvis' and so on for sure...but he'd occasionally slip in a Mac and Katie Kisoon or Rolf Harris if the situation called for it. Library cuts made sense in that respect.

With regard to 20M or 4M song libraries there were approximately 6,820 songs to hit the Top 40 Billboard Pop charts between 1955 and 1982 (Joel Whitburn's Book of Top 40) including songs that re-appeared (i.e. Monster Mash, The Twist ect.). If an oldies station does have a 20M library then they are including a lot more than what most of us would consider to be "hit" oldies.

In terms of having a reason for playing library tunes I think Kevin is spot on. I worked with Michael Lee Scott during his programming days and he had the same attitude. I think, and perhaps this is semantics, but it's not only perception or "illusion of depth" but reality depth if you maintain a broad library but use it appropriately. Dayparting your library will help smooth things out as well.