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WCBS-FM-Obituary

P

peppertree

WCBS-FM has always meant a lot to me and I feel a similar feeling now as if someone close to me has died. It is still hard for me to come to grips with the news.

My feeling for the music, jocks and jingles at CBS-FM was closest from 1973-1980. I was always listening to Dan Ingram on WABC, but I tuned in to CBS-FM for the music. I also liked the sarcastic wit of Dick Heatherton, who was with them until 1986.

After 1980, there was a slight difference between how I wanted them to sound and the way they changed. They were not playing as many records, but it was a slight change.

The changes became more pronounced in the nineties. Less doo-wop during the day, Dick Heatherton was gone, the morning show became more talk than music with Harry Harrison replacing Jack Miller. (Jack, huh).


During the nineties the irritation grew worse. By the begining of this decade, I hardly knew CBS-FM as the great oldies station they once were.

Now on June 3, (first line in Ode To Billy Joe) CBS-FM played their last song and gave way to Jack-FM.

I am sorry to see them go, but in the last ten years, I hardly knew them.



______________
<P ID="signature">______________
[email protected]</P>
 
Re: WCBS-FM-Obituary, View From Buffalo

> I am sorry to see them go, but in the last ten years, I
> hardly knew them.
>

I can sympathize with the many loyalists, fans and followers of this (once great) radio station. As a guy who listened to WCBS when visiting my family in North Jersey, New Brunswick, Perth Amboy and Brooklyn, I know the station had been evolving over the last ten years, attempting to stay in the money demo and maintain its position in the 25-54 derby.

I also work at WHTT, a station that was Buffalo's heritage oldies station (Oldies 104), a station that over the last two years has evolved to Buffalo's Greatest Hits 104.1 WHTT. As a jock (and former PD) I have first hand awareness of what's going on in the format. It's been challenged by Gold-Based AC formats, Classic Hits formats, Classic Rock and now, the new flavor of the month, Jack. For many Oldies stations, even the heritage, bench-marked outlets, it's been a tough row to hoe over the last five years.

My background is Classic Rock, Classic Hits and Oldies and I'm as comfortable jocking Led Zeppelin's "Misty mountain Hop" on 97 Rock as I am intro-ing the Isley Brothers' "This Old Heart of Mine (Is Weak For You)" on WHTT. Maybe because I've worked at a cluster that has a Classic Rock and Oldies station, having worked shifts on both stations (I'm also a production guy who who gets the call to come in from the bullpen), I might have a different perspective, which is, some stations had no choice but to make a change. In some cases, it might have been pre-emptive, in other cases, it may have been dictated by revenue potential. WCBS-FM always seemed to me to have a lock on the franchise in NYC... but then again, I live in Buffalo and only hear the station two or three times a year.

Some posters have noted that it might make sense for WNEW, a station I remember as the premier AOR/Classic Rock station, more than Pink or it's latest incarnation, to flip to Oldies. This seems to make sense, but would WNEW be able to satisfy the demands of the loyalists and true-blue WCBS-FM fans? Can a station survive on a diet of The Platters, Flamingos, Alvin Cash & The Crawlers (just had to throw that in to spice up the line-up), Beatles, Supremes and Four Seasons? It would seem so.

Just last month, Infinity flipped WBUF, it's foundering FM in Buffalo, to the Jack format. This station has had about five formats in the last ten years, for the last six months, it was Hot Talk FM. The only consistent element of the station was Howard Stern, who's anchored mornings for the last three years. Now it's "Howard Stern in the morning, Jack All Day," at least for the next six months or so.

How the Jack format will do in America's number one market is anybody's, but it's clear that Infinity has bought into this format, considering they've put it on a number of stations, including Chicago's heritage Oldies FM, WMJK.

It's likely that there are a lot of Oldies fans in chicago who are "feeling your pain" as well.

Jim Pastrick
 
A Sad Day for Oldies Radio

(Moved from another thread)

radiolover78 - Posted on: 06/03/05 10:22 PM

Even though WCBS FM wasn't sounding that good lately, I will miss the station. It is indeed a sad day in oldies radio. :( I will still give Jack a try since this is the first Jack station in my area. Also, out of any of the Infinity FM's, I thought K Rock would switch. Or maybe ABC's PLJ.

<P ID="signature">______________


New York City Radio and TV</P>
 
Re: A Sad Day for Oldies Radio

I feel sad for oldies fans in NYC...Boston has already been "jacked" by Entercom with 93.7 Mike-FM. It cost us our dance/rhythmic oldies station (Star 93.7). Infinity owns our oldies (103.3 WODS) and hot AC (WBMX Mix 98.5)...Mix has been doing "whatever weekends," but for now, the Hot AC format seems safe. Oldies 103.3 is pretty-much consistently the #4 FM in the market, so hopefully, it'll be around for a while. However, i send many condolences down from your northeast neighbor. May the execs who think these lack of format "formats" eventually have their jobs jacked...

~RM
 
Petition to Bring Oldies Back To NYC

Thanks to Daniel for this link:

http://www.PetitionOnline.com/NYOLDIES/petition.html<P ID="signature">______________


New York City Radio and TV</P>
 
Re: Petition to Bring Oldies Back To NYC

> Thanks to Daniel for this link:
>
> http://www.PetitionOnline.com/NYOLDIES/petition.html

Unfortunately, as we all know, the big corporate broadcast conglomerates will pay this about two seconds' attention.

Listener petitions are a noble, but futile, venture.

(After many hundreds of posts, I finally have something to say on the NYC board!)
<P ID="signature">______________
</P>
 
Re: WCBS-FM-Obituary, View From Buffalo

And I do feel the pain. But CBS-FM was in decline (soundwise). It was not a sudden death. The station started getting symptoms with the arrival of Joe McCoy. I have not been a fan of him. In the nineties, the condition became chronic and by the late nineties terminal. By 2000 or 2001 a hospital stay was needed for a sick oldies station. In the last year, we have seen much of the life that was once in this station gone and it was only a shadow of its former self.

Now on June third, CBS-FM has departed. It was not sudden, it was the end of a chronic and terminal condition.

Rest in peace.

> > I am sorry to see them go, but in the last ten years, I
> > hardly knew them.
> >
>
> I can sympathize with the many loyalists, fans and followers
> of this (once great) radio station. As a guy who listened to
> WCBS when visiting my family in North Jersey, New Brunswick,
> Perth Amboy and Brooklyn, I know the station had been
> evolving over the last ten years, attempting to stay in the
> money demo and maintain its position in the 25-54 derby.
>
> I also work at WHTT, a station that was Buffalo's heritage
> oldies station (Oldies 104), a station that over the last
> two years has evolved to Buffalo's Greatest Hits 104.1 WHTT.
> As a jock (and former PD) I have first hand awareness of
> what's going on in the format. It's been challenged by
> Gold-Based AC formats, Classic Hits formats, Classic Rock
> and now, the new flavor of the month, Jack. For many Oldies
> stations, even the heritage, bench-marked outlets, it's been
> a tough row to hoe over the last five years.
>
> My background is Classic Rock, Classic Hits and Oldies and
> I'm as comfortable jocking Led Zeppelin's "Misty mountain
> Hop" on 97 Rock as I am intro-ing the Isley Brothers' "This
> Old Heart of Mine (Is Weak For You)" on WHTT. Maybe because
> I've worked at a cluster that has a Classic Rock and Oldies
> station, having worked shifts on both stations (I'm also a
> production who who gets the call to come in from the
> bullpen), I might have a different perspective, which is,
> some stations had no choice but to make a change. In some
> cases, it might have been pre-emptive, in other cases, it
> may have been dictated by revenue potential. WCBS-FM always
> seemed to me to have a lock on the franchise in NYC... but
> then again, I live in Buffalo and only hear the station two
> or three times a year.
>
> Some posters have noted that it might make sense for WNEW, a
> station I remember as the premier AOR/Classic Rock station,
> more than Pink or it's latest incarnation, to flip to
> Oldies. This seems to make sense, but would WNEW be able to
> satisfy the demands of the loyalists and true-blue WCBS-FM
> fans? Can a station survive on a diet of The Platters,
> Flamingos, Alvin Cash & The Crawlers (just had to throw that
> in to spice up the line-up), Beatles, Supremes and Four
> Seasons? It would seem so.
>
> Just last month, Infinity flipped WBUF, it's foundering FM
> in Buffalo, to the Jack format. This station has had about
> five formats in the last ten years, for the last six months,
> it was Hot Talk FM. The only consistent element of the
> station was Howard Stern, who's anchored mornings for the
> last three years. Now it's "Howard Stern in the morning,
> Jack All Day," at least for the next six months or so.
>
> How the Jack format will do in America's number one market
> is anybody's, but it's clear that Infinity has bought into
> this format, considering they've put it on a number of
> stations, including Chicago's heritage Oldies FM, WMJK.
>
> It's likely that there are a lot of Oldies fans in chicago
> who are "feeling your pain" as well.
>
> Jim Pastrick
>
<P ID="signature">______________
[email protected]</P>
 
Bob Shannon Message From His Website

From BobShannon.com

SPECIAL NOTE FROM BOB
Wow! Things sure do change quickly sometimes, don't they? But even though it can be a bit shocking and confusing, there is always an upside. In the current situation, for me, it's the outpouring of love and support from friends and fans. I'm already flooded with e-mail--so much so that I can't respond to everyone individually. I can say, though, that I appreciate immensely your taking the time to write, and your kind thoughts and good wishes are arriving exactly when they are most needed.

Please check back to this site frequently in the weeks to come for more information on the future plans of myself and The Empress. By the way, she's a great dj, and you can hear her weekly on both RadioMaxMusic and Rhythm & Gold internet stations. Click the logos to the left to check her out!

Sincerely,
Bob Shannon<P ID="signature">______________


New York City Radio and TV</P>
 
Re: A Sad Day for Oldies Radio

> (Moved from another thread)
>
> radiolover78 - Posted on: 06/03/05 10:22 PM
>
> Even though WCBS FM wasn't sounding that good lately, I will
> miss the station. It is indeed a sad day in oldies radio. :(
> I will still give Jack a try since this is the first Jack
> station in my area. Also, out of any of the Infinity FM's, I
> thought K Rock would switch. Or maybe ABC's PLJ.
>

I could have cried. I never would have guessed this. As a Connecticut native, and someone who loves Oldies, I never would have guessed this in a million years. As I said on the Houston board, WCBS was the watermark for Oldies radio over the past twenty years or so. I would have thought Infinity would have done this to WNEW before WCBS-FM. This is a VERY SAD day indeed, and it has left a really bad taste in my mouth for Infinity.

"Jack" is the flavor of the month, and it just goes to show that people that don't know a tinker's damn about radio are in charge now, because if they don't see that this is another "Jammin' Oldies" or "80's format", they are sadly mistaken. People will grow weary of this in time. It will be exposed as a flash in the pan. Mark my words.

RIP WCBS.

Thanks for the memories to Harry Harrison, Dan Ingram, Joe McCoy, and the rest of the people who built WCBS-FM to the powerhouse that it was until today.

Shame on you, Infinity!<P ID="signature">______________
KVIL Highland Park
KVIL-FM Highland Park/Dallas-Fort Worth
Thanks for the memories Ron Chapman!</P>
 
Re: Petition to Bring Oldies Back To NYC

I signed it as well.

SHAME ON INFINITY FOR PUTTING JACK IN NYC.

WCBS FM...THE REAL LEGEND OF OLDIES MUSIC.
 
Re: Petition to Bring Oldies Back To NYC

> I signed it as well.
>
> SHAME ON INFINITY FOR PUTTING JACK IN NYC.
>
> WCBS FM...THE REAL LEGEND OF OLDIES MUSIC.

WJMK in Chicago was a legend in itself, as well... I don't think Records Landecker is taking this lightly...<P ID="signature">______________


New York City Radio and TV</P>
 
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