What format is missing in Providence?

[Runrigger]

No classic country is not going to work & I'm one who listens to it on XM so this isn't coming from someone with John's misconceptions regarding being toothless & living in the back of a truck. Today's country listener will stick with people like Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton, Waylon, Willie, Hank Jr, Haggard, & the big names that even non-country listeners recognize. Very few in this market grew up with that music though. Also, don't forget that to one person, classic country is The Judds while to another it's Lefty Frizzell. I'm beginning to think a classic country show could be a good idea on WCTK, but I think the station has other more pressing music matters to deal with like why 2 of the top 10 country hits today have still not been added: Carrie Underwood's Last Name & Lady Antebellum's Love Don't Live Here Anymore. Maybe they feel Carrie is trying too hard to cross over but the song is #1. Maybe they think Lady A sounds like Creed would if they reformed & went country, but the song went top 5. Today's country audience knows these songs whether WCTK plays them or not, but I'm digressing because the station seems to be going out of its way to alienate people & it's working.

 

[Skynet74]

I'm not going to knock Johnny Cash. The guy had a very successful career. So has Dolly Parton, Tammy Wynette and 100 other artists you would probably air on your "classic country" station. If you had said 25 years ago that you were going to start up a station like this..... than GREAT! Maybe it would have worked. But I just don't see the demand for it these days.

Don't make the mistake of equating success at the box office for a single performer with meaning an entire radio format like that would be successful. The two just arn't connected. If you think they are connected than why don't you start up a Johnny cash station? 24 hours of nothing but Johnny Cash! Let's see how long that lasts.

I realize that not all people who like Classic Country are without teeth and drive pickups. Just most of them ;-) I also exaggerate a little. Very little in this case though. Unfortunatey I think a good deal of the people who were ever into "Classic Country" are now staying at the same hotel Johnny Cash is at. That is where the problem comes in. Do you see what I am saying? I'm all for thinking outside the box. But I'm afraid that with this idea you would be better off getting back inside the box.

 

[xtreme11678]

how about a true 80s/ 90s format... sorta like what you would hear on sat. nights on wxlo for friday nights on mix 985 or even sunday nights on coast... hell z100 prolly would have done alot better had that actually put a little money and effort into the station... you would prolly get alot of people in the 20-35 yr. old age bracket who grew up in that time

 

[Adam Rivers]

Ha. OK. You win. Thinking **inside the box** is what makes radio stations (really, any business) successful.

I do think that television show tunes (although, awesome that you like something different) is much more of a specialty niche than classic country.

Don't forget, I'm in tune with my peers. You just think of us as "poor college students". I argue poor college kids who like to spend money. Think of all the alcohol advertising, music shows, local bars, and restaurants that could put effective advertising on this station. OR.. just keep thinking inside the box. That's right, according to you, nobody would listen.

I'm a college student as well - and I know that 90% of college students, guys or girls at least at my public college in Western MA (Westfield State) are into one of four formats: top 40, modern rock, rap, or hot country. I work with combinations from all four formats every day on a top 40 station. The people that listen to these types of formats can not possibly get enough diaries to garner ratings. That other 10% thats into emo, etc. is NOT enough to get revenue for radio. Niche formats are great - Triple A is a great niche format that works in some markets, and not so well in others. Classic Country is great in the South or West, but not in New England.

I also agree that classical is the most viable new format for Providence - can appeal to an older demographic. As much as I don't care for it, it works pretty well in Boston and New York.

Rivers
www.adamrivers.com

 

[uncleDJ]

Having worked overnights at 'SNE under Holland Cooke many moons ago...it has been tough to see and hear the transitions over there. Yeah, I think many of us agree the place needs something (and not the likes of Ryan Seacrest, ugh!)

How about PERSONALITY - LOCAL PERSONALITY??? If the right format (smooth jazz/soul/r&b with some hot gospel and salsa crossover for some spice) hit the airwaves there it would start a revolution...and add some real good personalities that relate to people and you'd have a keeper of a station you'd never turn off. You can't deny that when those Senokot laxative commercials belt out 'I Feel Good', James Brown just gets all in you...you mean you HAVEN'T spun your bath or dish towel or taken your child or beloved feline out for a dancin' spin when songs like that are on? The right airstaff doing this will WIN, WIN, WIN!!! You can't help but win to what people relate to...

Fact one: we all still love the r&b stuff and jazz found on films and Weather Channel. Many of us ask 'gee why can't this be on someplace, somewhere local, all the time?'

The angst many share about 'what to do about bad radio' comes down to simple relativity: do I or you or we relate and connect with what we hear? Many - including myself - say HELL NO. Anyone with the notion to redo what's already out there will not fix the need. Thinking back to the roots of this business and out of the box of where programmers live in seclusion is the two-pronged approach to ideas, fresh ones that many want and need to hear. That includes advertisers!

In our re-creating oldies on Juke Box Gold on WINY/Putnam, we came to consensus that our target - oldies lovers (notice NO age and sex info here???) wanted a wide mix of oldies which had recognition by the audience and the charts, but done with 'INCLUSION' rather than exclusion. Yeah, I will play Johnny Cash next to the Beatles, why? That was radio in the 60s! It's all 'oldies' with flavors of rock, r&b, jazz, country, etc...and that was the 60s music experience! This vapid segmentation we live in formatically is what makes people crabby about 'stale music' and 'old playlists'. (Oh, if you want to tune in, Sundays 6-11am on 1350AM in Putnam CT, heard OK in Providence/Worcester area and some points south, or just log in at winyradio.com and hit the listen in area).

My experiment over the years has been to mix in hits from Contemporary Christian to Hispanic to NuJazz on the IPod or computer and play this stuff where people are in earshot. They absolutely love it, often asking me 'what is this station?' I always answer: 'coming to an outlet near you someday'. When you get your real estate agent doing open houses with this stuff on, you know it's having an impact. I do the same at parties; same impact.

Programmers need to get radical here, start getting back to being educated about formats and what fits these days. They're often dogged with statistical bullpoop about 'what the trends say'...did all these trendsters ever ask you or ME about my musical taste and opinions? Whose opinions are these that they foist upon this industry anyway?

'Nuff said for now.

 

[RI Radio Nut]

I said Classic Country could work IF done right. Unfortunately nobody these days is going to spend the money on staff, jingles etc. that it would take to do it. There is no way in the world it could be any worse than whatever that mess is on 790 now. I do drive a pickup, but I have all my teeth. I am a business owner in my early 50's and there are plenty of people in the area who would listen to a station with a mix of today's country and the classics such as Cash, Jennings, Haggard, etc. That said, it is all a moot point. Commercial radio is dead and just hasn't been buried yet. I listen to XM exclusively, and frankly I don't see why anyone would listen to anything but satellite. There are 3 classic country stations on XM, one plays 40's through 70's (Willie's Place) another plays 60's through early 80's (America) and the third plays 80's through early 90's (US Country). With the touch of a button I can be listening to breaking news, sports, 50's Oldies, 60's Oldies, Disco, Jazz or American Standards with DJ's that know their music and have great personalities. I wish local radio hadn't gone the way it has, but the fact is, it will never be what is was and satellite rules.

 

[DG02816]

Here's one for those of you old enough to remember...Before 101.5 was WWBB, or even WLKW-FM, it was classical with the calls WXCN...part of the Concert Network that included WBCN Boston, WHCN Hartford, and, I think, WNCN in NYC. Not forgetting that the old WPJB 105.1 also had classical in its programming.

 

[Skynet74]

Here's one for those of you old enough to remember...Before 101.5 was WWBB, or even WLKW-FM, it was classical with the calls WXCN...part of the Concert Network that included WBCN Boston, WHCN Hartford, and, I think, WNCN in NYC. Not forgetting that the old WPJB 105.1 also had classical in its programming.

I don't remember any classical in Providence. Guess I was either to young or just not paying attention. If the Boston Concert Network was WBCN and the Hartford Concert Network was WHCN, than how come Providence wasn't WPCN? Call letters were probably already taken... right?

 

[Kenny Atkinson]

Here's one for those of you old enough to remember...Before 101.5 was WWBB, or even WLKW-FM, it was classical with the calls WXCN...part of the Concert Network that included WBCN Boston, WHCN Hartford, and, I think, WNCN in NYC. Not forgetting that the old WPJB 105.1 also had classical in its programming.

I don't remember any classical in Providence. Guess I was either to young or just not paying attention. If the Boston Concert Network was WBCN and the Hartford Concert Network was WHCN, than how come Providence wasn't WPCN? Call letters were probably already taken... right?

I don't remember classical on WPJB or WPRO-FM but from what I hear WPRO-FM was classical at one point in time

 

[DG02816]

I remember WPRO-FM as having a Beautiful Music format, but they got clobbered when WLKW got 101.5. And WOTB's original format was BM/EZ when it was on 107.1.

 

[wknd92]

Here's one for those of you old enough to remember...Before 101.5 was WWBB, or even WLKW-FM, it was classical with the calls WXCN...part of the Concert Network that included WBCN Boston, WHCN Hartford, and, I think, WNCN in NYC. Not forgetting that the old WPJB 105.1 also had classical in its programming.

I don't remember any classical in Providence. Guess I was either to young or just not paying attention. If the Boston Concert Network was WBCN and the Hartford Concert Network was WHCN, than how come Providence wasn't WPCN? Call letters were probably already taken... right?

Was probably in Philly

 

[uncleDJ]

OK, I remember all those:

WPRO-FM as beautiful, including 106.3 WWON in those days doing the same, then doing soft adult for awhile...

WPJB-FM 105.1, beautiful music too before the great days of JB105, which was the heyday of Providence radio being totally fun and instigating the other guys to do the same...

WLKW AM 990 (remember when they'd do the caller ID to say AM990, WLKW, PROVIDENCE...A STRICK-OPS COMPANY? (Guessed on the company spelling.) Norm Jagolinzer's original 'big voice' home, he is the legend of that whole WLKW era (Tony Rizzini too...)

...and one of my old stomping grounds, WGNG (now 550 Disney), before their oldies days they were WXTR, and that was also doing beautiful hits.

Yep, at one time, Providence was kinda 'beautiful' - well, at least, on the air...

 

[DG02816]

Bill,
I think the company that owned WLKW at one time was called Tech-Ops....I fondly remember Norm and Tony, and was brazen enough to try and cut an audition tape there, when they were still at 228 Weybosset St. Was just starting out at the time....

 

[uncleDJ]

Thanks for the correction...yep, confirmed, Tech-Ops was the old owner of 'LKW. Hmmm...where was my head when I came up with what I said? Oh well...one thing I learned early on in this business is the power of correction and admitting when I goof. We all do; sad though that some don't. (A lesson I wonder if Dan Rather ever learned.) Speaking of goofs, I'm inspired to start a new thread of 'Gaffs' on this board to get us all to remember the fun and laughs. We all could use more.

At least two of us remember those days. And yes, I interviewed there too...they were tough, very tough in the interview process. I thought the knowledge of 'soft' music would be enough to make it in...WRONG.

Tried to work my connections at TV10/AM920 (when were both WJAR) then too...even with some big shots there and mom eventually working the retail side of Outlet Co. it didn't get me in the door.

What it did do was get my meteorology glands going...meeting legendary weather guy Art Lake and going through one of the studio renovations at the time...

By the way, when I finally did intern it ended up at 25 Catamore Blvd, E Providence...yep, at channel 12 in 1977. Got the gig as part of my Curry College internship working with Walter Cryan and gang. Went on my first tag-along assignment which broke one of the area's biggest and longstanding stories: the Pachillo Pig Farm toxic waste sight in Johnston. The female reporter's name escapes me because I've been away for many years but she was the backbone of WPRI's TV News presence and one incredible presence there. Good grief, I know her so well from those days and am finding out it's time to grab the Gingko for a double dose memory enhancement!

-Bill Alley
Mystic CT