1450 wctc now went to an oldies music format they will still be doing some satlelite programs and still be carrying all sports but majarty will be all oldies music check out their new web site at wctc 1450 am.com to find out more info on wctc doing all oldies format
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wctc now went to oldies format
- Thread starter THOMAS1562006
- Start date
Brilliant. Music on AM. That’ll rake em in. Just what everybody’s waiting for. Satellite fed 8k dynamic range AM radio. And the innovations in terestrial radio just keep on commin.
But Sam...just think if they did it the way WE would have done it!!! But both stations will wither on the vine now. Sad actually...but I think the biz is SO bad for some opereators, that they just can't SELL AM radio on a local level with SO much competition around them now. And there are MORE stations on the air since their PRIME years as THE medium in their respective communities. So I kinda feel bad, but at the same time, I don't. I worked at WCTC. What a heritage. But only 80 year old shut-ins were tuning in for the most part. They left it on all day, I think because they forgot how to turn the dial...or they listened because it was a habit...like WOR is in NY for the elderly. I'm being honest here...and with NO disrespect to the management or either WCTC or MTR, but without being able to capture ANY younger audience, they were doomed. WABC manages, but because they have superstars and the signal from the heavens. But even THAT ain't enough anymore in MOST AM cases. There are some exceptions...KDKA, KYW, KFI, WINS, etc... But Sam is correct in a sense. I can't TELL you how many times I'd tell someone in Central Jersey that I was the morning guy on WCTC..and they would THEN say: "oh...I used to listen to that for the school closings". I would then say, when was the last time you listened to that station and what is the frequency?"... Most said when Jack Ellery was on (they had NO idea he was On and OFF the station for YEARS...he was ON ironically at that time in PM drive..)
They remembered the BRAND, but didn't USE it..or didn't know where to FIND it because of conditioning that ALL radio is on FM (that was 5 years ago). So...YOU make the call. If YOU were Greater Media...what DO you do with a station that couldn't crack a one share any longer in a market that has the BIGGEST of the BIG signals crawling up your back? Same thing for MTR? With sales departments that just don't KNOW how to sell older demos, or the reality may just be that it is not worth their while IF they also sell FM signals with higher rates and commissions that can at least show some ratings in the respective markets? All valid questions and comments. PERSONALLY I think they should have simulcasted WJRZ..yeah...all three stations..that would have enabled them to at least have a JERSEY IMAGE, but we know what station has THAT taken care of so well. I don't know. I ain't there now..
I do feel badly for the people I know there. I hope that they will find a way to stay afloat. Many will just leave radio and throw up their hands. Some will land somewhere on the air but the competition for GIGS is tremendous now. And whoever will work REALLLY cheap will get some of those gigs.
Sam..you're also kidding yourself about the 8k dynamic range. More like 5 if you're lucky. My cell phone sounds better than some AMs. Sad SOOOO SAD. But I saw it coming. It started in the 60's...and the AM death march just continues until now a whole generation or two of people have NEVER even LISTENED to an AM station...and NOW we have a whole generation that's abandoned FM too in the lower demos especially. Satellite ain't exactly burning down the house either as the churn-rate is high. I STILL hear people say...I won't PAY for radio.
I still hear people say "can I hear my favorite station on satellite?" "Uh..no..it's a different BAND altogether". "Can I hear NJ 101.5 anywhere in the country?" "Uh..no..it is a totally different bunch of channels with the music channels commercial free and SEVERAL talk channels and specialty channels of all kinds." "Oh...I won't pay for that." or "Is that where Howard Stern went? I don't like him so I won't pay for that garbage". Or "Is that where Howard Stern is? I'll pay DOUBLE just to hear HIM back on the radio."
Anyway...I've taken enough bandwidth up today.. I just hope the REST of the Jersey chain of Greater Media doesn't have yet another bloodbath like this one and the one from a year and a half ago that I was ALL too familiar with. Pretty soon, stations ALL over the country will either feature Rush Limbaugh, or Tom Kent, or Kid Kraddock, or....well you get the drift. SO many jobs lost...and the public STILL has not really caught on yet. SOME have...but those are the radio geeks who post of stuff like WE read. The guy driving down the Parkway of life doesn't KNOW that a station like WJRZ is voice-tracked 2/3's of its broadcast day. TWO THIRDS. And maybe they don't CARE. But I do! When WABC has NO local shows left, will ANYONE care? When the top CHR station in PHILLY and the big URBAN station there has a NY talent on in the morning...does ANYONE care? I do. When ALL local radio can't compete with OTHER stations, let alone the last standing NEWSPAPERS will ANYONE care? I do.
THESE ARE REAL PEOPLE that LOSE their LIVELIHOODS. THESE ARE CARING, TALENTED PEOPLE that are just tossed out like the garbage. These companies wonder why radio is treated so BADLY these days as I just read yesterday and almost puked? It's BECAUSE you screwed it UP...and don't GET it anymore.
Why the TOP guys aren't HUNG out to dry is beyond me. If personality isn't brought screaming back to radio ESPECIALLY in smaller markets..and to some degree the BIG towns too, it will time to fold up the towers and send them back to the factories that they came from...putting even MORE people out of work. How's THAT!
My head hurts. Somebody bring me a Tylenol. Generic please because I can't afford the real thing.
But..
BE BIG!
Jay
They remembered the BRAND, but didn't USE it..or didn't know where to FIND it because of conditioning that ALL radio is on FM (that was 5 years ago). So...YOU make the call. If YOU were Greater Media...what DO you do with a station that couldn't crack a one share any longer in a market that has the BIGGEST of the BIG signals crawling up your back? Same thing for MTR? With sales departments that just don't KNOW how to sell older demos, or the reality may just be that it is not worth their while IF they also sell FM signals with higher rates and commissions that can at least show some ratings in the respective markets? All valid questions and comments. PERSONALLY I think they should have simulcasted WJRZ..yeah...all three stations..that would have enabled them to at least have a JERSEY IMAGE, but we know what station has THAT taken care of so well. I don't know. I ain't there now..
I do feel badly for the people I know there. I hope that they will find a way to stay afloat. Many will just leave radio and throw up their hands. Some will land somewhere on the air but the competition for GIGS is tremendous now. And whoever will work REALLLY cheap will get some of those gigs.
Sam..you're also kidding yourself about the 8k dynamic range. More like 5 if you're lucky. My cell phone sounds better than some AMs. Sad SOOOO SAD. But I saw it coming. It started in the 60's...and the AM death march just continues until now a whole generation or two of people have NEVER even LISTENED to an AM station...and NOW we have a whole generation that's abandoned FM too in the lower demos especially. Satellite ain't exactly burning down the house either as the churn-rate is high. I STILL hear people say...I won't PAY for radio.
I still hear people say "can I hear my favorite station on satellite?" "Uh..no..it's a different BAND altogether". "Can I hear NJ 101.5 anywhere in the country?" "Uh..no..it is a totally different bunch of channels with the music channels commercial free and SEVERAL talk channels and specialty channels of all kinds." "Oh...I won't pay for that." or "Is that where Howard Stern went? I don't like him so I won't pay for that garbage". Or "Is that where Howard Stern is? I'll pay DOUBLE just to hear HIM back on the radio."
Anyway...I've taken enough bandwidth up today.. I just hope the REST of the Jersey chain of Greater Media doesn't have yet another bloodbath like this one and the one from a year and a half ago that I was ALL too familiar with. Pretty soon, stations ALL over the country will either feature Rush Limbaugh, or Tom Kent, or Kid Kraddock, or....well you get the drift. SO many jobs lost...and the public STILL has not really caught on yet. SOME have...but those are the radio geeks who post of stuff like WE read. The guy driving down the Parkway of life doesn't KNOW that a station like WJRZ is voice-tracked 2/3's of its broadcast day. TWO THIRDS. And maybe they don't CARE. But I do! When WABC has NO local shows left, will ANYONE care? When the top CHR station in PHILLY and the big URBAN station there has a NY talent on in the morning...does ANYONE care? I do. When ALL local radio can't compete with OTHER stations, let alone the last standing NEWSPAPERS will ANYONE care? I do.
THESE ARE REAL PEOPLE that LOSE their LIVELIHOODS. THESE ARE CARING, TALENTED PEOPLE that are just tossed out like the garbage. These companies wonder why radio is treated so BADLY these days as I just read yesterday and almost puked? It's BECAUSE you screwed it UP...and don't GET it anymore.
Why the TOP guys aren't HUNG out to dry is beyond me. If personality isn't brought screaming back to radio ESPECIALLY in smaller markets..and to some degree the BIG towns too, it will time to fold up the towers and send them back to the factories that they came from...putting even MORE people out of work. How's THAT!
My head hurts. Somebody bring me a Tylenol. Generic please because I can't afford the real thing.
But..
BE BIG!
Jay
W
wmgcbs
Guest
Re: Good Time Oldies WCTC
I don't understand how they think that going oldies (especially '64-'79 oldies) is going to help them. Most of their coverage area can receive CBS-FM, which plays practically all of this music plus some '80's and the occasional '50's/early '60's song. I listened to the new CTC for a short while today. I wasn't overly impressed, but I should at least give them some time to work out the timing issues with the satellite feed. I remember when WMGQ used to say at the top of the hour, "A Greater Media Station: Live, Local, and Free." I guess their sister station CTC knocked those first two out (at least for most of the day) at 10AM this morning with the Jones "Good Time Oldies" format.
When people have the choice of a fairly generic 64-79 oldies playlist on AM or the more varied selections of 101.1 in FM Stereo, I don't think there's even a competition. I'm pretty sure that WCBS-FM can be received fairly well in New Brunswick proper. Why not have put on a "Classic Oldies" format like WMTR originally aired before its evolution into what it more recently was. The REAL classics. It just boggles my mind why this happened. At least Jack Ellery is still doing CTC mornings.
Yikes. Scary when two of your radio frequencies are occupied by the same exact thing. Best of luck to the staff at WCTC and WMTR who were shown the door.
I don't understand how they think that going oldies (especially '64-'79 oldies) is going to help them. Most of their coverage area can receive CBS-FM, which plays practically all of this music plus some '80's and the occasional '50's/early '60's song. I listened to the new CTC for a short while today. I wasn't overly impressed, but I should at least give them some time to work out the timing issues with the satellite feed. I remember when WMGQ used to say at the top of the hour, "A Greater Media Station: Live, Local, and Free." I guess their sister station CTC knocked those first two out (at least for most of the day) at 10AM this morning with the Jones "Good Time Oldies" format.
When people have the choice of a fairly generic 64-79 oldies playlist on AM or the more varied selections of 101.1 in FM Stereo, I don't think there's even a competition. I'm pretty sure that WCBS-FM can be received fairly well in New Brunswick proper. Why not have put on a "Classic Oldies" format like WMTR originally aired before its evolution into what it more recently was. The REAL classics. It just boggles my mind why this happened. At least Jack Ellery is still doing CTC mornings.
Yikes. Scary when two of your radio frequencies are occupied by the same exact thing. Best of luck to the staff at WCTC and WMTR who were shown the door.
I
ItalianAce
Guest
Yes, WCBS-FM 101. 1 can be heard in the New Brunswick area of New Jersey. Sometimes the signal is weak though. Plus the fact there are other oldies outlets in NJ, and dont forget Jersey 101.5 has classic rock style oldies on the weekends.
I have to agree. Considering the location of the radio station and their output maybe they should of tried a better format. But, they know way more than I do so who knows why they went Oldies. Maybe to stay regional.
A.
I have to agree. Considering the location of the radio station and their output maybe they should of tried a better format. But, they know way more than I do so who knows why they went Oldies. Maybe to stay regional.
A.
True story: My first professional radio job was as an oldies DJ at WCTC. Hired by Dean Hunter ("The ladies home companion"), trained by Jack Shreve, mentored by Ed Osborne. The station was oldies from 7 PM to sign off (which happened at 2AM). Jack did 7 to 10, except for Wednesday, when we did the On Call show, hosted by a friend of the GM named Bruce Williams. He called himself "Ole BW." He went on to great success at NBC TalkRadio. Osborne came on after Fred Fishkin's news. Tapper did Fridays. I did weekends and fill-ins.
This is when the station was still above the People's National Bank. I was a townie in New Brunswick. Grew up listening to Bob Breene's House Party show on Saturday night. Ed introduced me to Bob, who is better known as the late Julian Breene.
I did it for a year, and realized being on air was not going to be my life's work. Good move on my part. Went on to a radio career off the air that has been very enjoyable. But I'll always remember my time at WCTC playing oldies. I've kept an eye on the place as I've traveled around the country, and today's format change brought back a few memories. I can't say I'm surprised. Small town low power AM radio is not in populous markets today.
This is when the station was still above the People's National Bank. I was a townie in New Brunswick. Grew up listening to Bob Breene's House Party show on Saturday night. Ed introduced me to Bob, who is better known as the late Julian Breene.
I did it for a year, and realized being on air was not going to be my life's work. Good move on my part. Went on to a radio career off the air that has been very enjoyable. But I'll always remember my time at WCTC playing oldies. I've kept an eye on the place as I've traveled around the country, and today's format change brought back a few memories. I can't say I'm surprised. Small town low power AM radio is not in populous markets today.
W
WTUX
Guest
The area around New Brunswick, Edison and Metuchen is a hit and miss area for both WCBS-FM and WOGL. So oldies makes sense, except its AM. So let's see what ahppens.
BigJay: Who cares if there we are in such a state that NYC morning shows are now carried in Philly? Actually, you are one of the few.
Let's face it, we are now in a day of "national" not "local". We get our news from CNN or Fox. We get our weather report from the Weather Channel. We get our sports from ESPN. People think of the big national TV sources first. Radio is a distant second, or third, or... .
If we enjoy the entertainment, we don't care where it comes from. Older radio people like you and me care, but 99% of the general public does not.
BigJay: Who cares if there we are in such a state that NYC morning shows are now carried in Philly? Actually, you are one of the few.
Let's face it, we are now in a day of "national" not "local". We get our news from CNN or Fox. We get our weather report from the Weather Channel. We get our sports from ESPN. People think of the big national TV sources first. Radio is a distant second, or third, or... .
If we enjoy the entertainment, we don't care where it comes from. Older radio people like you and me care, but 99% of the general public does not.
Yeah Sam, and you're station is really setting the world on fire. I hear it being played everywhere. Malls, restaurants,blasting out the windows of cars on south street. lol lol
doowopvault said:
Obviously, you really have no clue.
*All HyLit.com destinations collective, 4-month statistical data (cumulative).
Month Page Views Unique Visits
March, 2008 12,678,248 913,022
April, 2008 16,174,131 976,251
May, 2008 18,200,703 1,071,780
June, 2008 18,374,410 995,987
Total(s) 65,427,492 3,957,040
Avg. Time spent listening minutes 212 (3.53 hrs)
Hy Lit Radio Technologies Inc., is an advanced software designs group specializing in emerging technologies, and digital delivery systems. Our software engines are very sophisticated patent pending technologies that, among other things, determine the point of origin of the network location of our listeners. Therefore, going beyond the raw numbers, our prime daytime visitors, and listening patterns, are a most fascinating assimilation of major corporations that visit and listen at work. If you like, I will post the top 500 for the month of June, and completely rock your boat.
*Hy Lit Radio Technologies Inc. © 2007-2008 All rights reserved
Sam Lit said:
These numbers are astonishing. Which organization, rating system or survey company compiles them?
The visits are counted. There are free counters available all over the web. ISP's recorded as to unique or repeat visitors.
I have seen independent counts, not Sam's, and tracking of his music sites and service sites. The numbers are impressive. Quite impressive.
I can personally say they are at the level of, and exceed, many Philadelphia commercial radio stations' cume numbers. Those numbers are authentic and legitimate.
I have seen independent counts, not Sam's, and tracking of his music sites and service sites. The numbers are impressive. Quite impressive.
I can personally say they are at the level of, and exceed, many Philadelphia commercial radio stations' cume numbers. Those numbers are authentic and legitimate.
I ran across a "gem" of an oldies show. I think it comes out of 960-AM in West Palm Beach, Florida but I listened to it over the web at www.seaviewam960.com in stereo. A friend of mine turned me on to it a few weeks ago and it is fantastic. DJ is named "Jammin Jon" and he airs on Saturdays from 1-5PM Eastern Time. It is a throwback to great radio of the 50's & 60's. He plays it ALL!!!! Doo-wop, 50's & 60's rock & roll plus he takes requests and dedications on demand both by toll-free phone and via email. It doesn't seem that he has any playlists....just pick and play....its a breath of fresh air. If you love real oldies, especially the stuff you will never hear on formatted, voice-tracked stations, I strongly recommend you check this out. I think that the rest of the time this station plays adult standards which put me to sleep, but this Saturday show is definitely worth a listen. If I hear of any more shows playing real oldies I'll be sure to post it here.
D
dave the rave
Guest
Don't know if Bob Breen did the Saturday Night Houseparty Show on WCTC prior to the spring of 1966, but I know that the show for several years was hosted by Larry Harmon (not Bozo). Larry Harmon was really Larry Berger whom many of you radio people know was the very succesful PD of WPLJ-FM.
I was Larry Harmon's fan club president and what I always loved about Larry's show musically was the introduction of several O-Wow's every show and programming more soul than normal. Larry was hip to the many cool soul sounds having been the music director at WWRL, the soul station in New York.
Membership to Larry's fan club was only 25 cents and we had 128 paid members. Let's bring back the Sat night local hosted Houseparty show filled with the hits, phone calls, contests, requests, and those great
O-Wow's that make oldies radio listening filled with excitement as well as new discoveries!
I was Larry Harmon's fan club president and what I always loved about Larry's show musically was the introduction of several O-Wow's every show and programming more soul than normal. Larry was hip to the many cool soul sounds having been the music director at WWRL, the soul station in New York.
Membership to Larry's fan club was only 25 cents and we had 128 paid members. Let's bring back the Sat night local hosted Houseparty show filled with the hits, phone calls, contests, requests, and those great
O-Wow's that make oldies radio listening filled with excitement as well as new discoveries!
amfmsw said:
Is there any way to be able to see the independent counts? Also, when you refer to music and service sites, does that mean there are other sites in addition to the Hy Lit music site?
Between CTC & MTR, New Brunswick probably had the largest payroll because of talk hosts. Morristown was mostly voice-tracked. I wonder why they didn't simulcast 1250 on 1450, promoting the current Oldies format as having a "new larger coverage area" to advertisers.
dave the rave said:
Hey Dave the Rave (or should I say Mr K?) I've been meaning to talk to you. I remember all those WCTC days -- AND you knew me personally!! You used to live on Suydam Street and we exchanged tapes etc ... Good to see you're heavily involved with radio and records!! Yeh we go back a ways Dave.
W
WTUX
Guest
Metropolite said:
Finally, someone mentioned the problem faced by WCTC. N/T, with local hosts, is the most expensive format to run. Making a profit is nearly impossible in many markets. When 1210 in Philadelphia dumped its talk hosts in the 90's, opting instead to become "Oldies 1210" WOGL-AM, still carrying the Phillies, they actually made a profit that year. That had not happened in years.
I would have thought, though that continuing the WMTR oldies and adding WCTC to the "network" would be the way to go. Oh, well.
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