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WCBS-FM TOP 20 COUNTDOWN REMEMBERS 3/29/1984

pjc1961 said:
Here's the playlist used for this countdown:

http://www.ct30.com/Z100/1984/840325z.txt

And a PS. - last week's playlist for 3/22/1974:

http://www.musicradio77.com/Surveys/1974/surveymar1974.html
Click to expand...

Does WCBS get all of their information from WABC and various New York radio stations?

We have a midday radio board operator...er...button pusher as she calls herself...who does the very same thing, except that she gets hers from all over the country and explains what it all means.
 
Silkie said:
Does WCBS get all of their information from WABC and various New York radio stations?

We have a midday radio board operator...er...button pusher as she calls herself...who does the very same thing, except that she gets hers from all over the country and explains what it all means.
Click to expand...

As the disclaimer that was used on pre-2005 countdowns on WCBS-FM used to say (paraphrasing): "The information used for this countdown was compiled from various sources and is consistent with our format". ;) Actually meaning as you say: compiled from WABC, WMCA, WHTZ "Z100" playlists, possibly others (WOR-FM, WXLO "99X", WWDJ "97 DJ", WNBC, 97 WYNY - I don't recall them ever using a WINS list). On the earliest editions of the Top 20 Countdowns with Norm N. Nite that began around 1982 (first as a Top 5 mini-feature, expanding to the Top 20 two hour show shortly thereafter), the national Billboard Hot 100 Chart would be used, but like the current show the exact source wouldn't be mentioned. Several years ago WCBS-FM decided to "rename" the show the "New York Top 20 Countdown", emphasizing the New York area playlists, which have become available through a few websites such as http://www.musicradio77.com/surveys.html, http://www.musicradio77.com/wmca/surveys.html and http://las-solanas.com/arsa/surveys.php. Thus began the use of the disclaimer above for awhile; not used since about 2003-04, about the time when the 2 Saturday/Sunday Top 20 Countdowns were briefly discontinued & later brought back as a Sunday 7PM 1 hour "New York Top 10 Countdown" show.

oldies76 said:
1974's list only shows the top 14..what were the other 6 songs used in the survey to complete the Top 20? Extras?
Click to expand...

WCBS-FM will always play a 20-position countdown with some extras thrown in. I don't know if they use a more complete list than what is seen on the websites or if they take an educated guess to fill in the blanks on the surveys that don't list all 20 positions. Usually the songs seem to "fit" based on looking at the surveys from the week before & the week after.

For this particular week I couldn't tell you what was played in positions 15 to 20 because I was a little out of the loop (on vacation in Southern California) during that week and unfortunately WCBS-FM's website didn't update their Top 20 Countdown page with that particular show featuring 3/22/1974. (Hint/Note: despite the date that shows on the podcast page, it's always a good idea to listen to at least a portion of the podcast "parts" to verify what's playing matches the date; sometimes the "parts" are updated but the date on the page may be from a previous week; eg. this week was updated quickly with Sunday's 3/29/09 countdown of 1984, but dated "March 30, 1980" - the year taken from a previous week's countdown. See http://www.wcbsfm.com/WCBS-FM-s-Top-20-Countdown/2064363.) I tried checking on www.mediabasemusic.com to see "What Song Was That?" but that site has been down for several weeks now. :mad: I went to http://www.yes.com/#WCBS a bit too late to catch what was on the WCBS-FM song log for Sunday 3/22/09 - besides their info can be spotty & incomplete at times. :'( :(
 
As the disclaimer that was used on pre-2005 countdowns on WCBS-FM used to say (paraphrasing): "The information used for this countdown was compiled from various sources and is consistent with our format". Actually meaning as you say: compiled from WABC, WMCA, WHTZ "Z100" playlists, possibly others (WOR-FM, WXLO "99X", WWDJ "97 DJ", WNBC, 97 WYNY - I don't recall them ever using a WINS list). On the earliest editions of the Top 20 Countdowns with Norm N. Nite that began around 1982 (first as a Top 5 mini-feature, expanding to the Top 20 two hour show shortly thereafter), the national Billboard Hot 100 Chart would be used, but like the current show the exact source wouldn't be mentioned. Several years ago WCBS-FM decided to "rename" the show the "New York Top 20 Countdown", emphasizing the New York area playlists, which have become available through a few websites such as http://www.musicradio77.com/surveys.html, http://www.musicradio77.com/wmca/surveys.html and http://las-solanas.com/arsa/surveys.php. Thus began the use of the disclaimer above for awhile; not used since about 2003-04, about the time when the 2 Saturday/Sunday Top 20 Countdowns were briefly discontinued & later brought back as a Sunday 7PM 1 hour "New York Top 10 Countdown" show.
Click to expand...

That is a "used to be" disclaimer, which to me means that at one time they were intellectually honest about the deal. Now they just use other people's material - perhaps because others copyright their programming, and it might be difficult to sound out what they are doing? Cheaters never win - they just seem to for awhile.
 
pjc1961 said:
As the disclaimer that was used on pre-2005 countdowns on WCBS-FM used to say (paraphrasing): "The information used for this countdown was compiled from various sources and is consistent with our format". ;)
Click to expand...

actually, the disclaimer should read: "The Top 20 Countdown contains music consistent with our format and is compiled from various sources..." :)

Andrea
 
actually, the disclaimer should read: "The Top 20 Countdown contains music consistent with our format and is compiled from various sources..."
Click to expand...

That is a polite way to put it. Better still, CBS and some local networker types should just tell their audiences, "Our whole show contains music consistent with our format, alludes to, translates and distorts commercials and what pther hosts said, contains commercials that we recorded while we were at it and ripped off, and will bill out later to companies that never agreed, oh, and other material that we ripped off, plagiarized, copyright infringed and compiled from the following stations and programs....try to catch us and prove it. We issue this disclaimer, because we will not be held responsible for our programming.".

But that is just my opinion about disclosure over disclaimer.
 
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