What to call this format

[oldiesstation]

1. Classic Hits
2.the greatest hits of all time (kool phoenix)
3 Super hits of the 60's and 70's
4. Classic top 40
5(insert your home town) Super Hits
Q105.1 Jackson MS, has just entered the 80's zone and now position themselves as Jackson's Super hits.
Still play the 60's and 70's ,too. I kinda worry about hurting the core with the later stuff.Kool stays in the 60's and 70's from what i've been told.

 

[AZJoe]

Yes, KOOL still plays 60s and 70s, and even a few big ones from 50s- but no 80s yet that I noticed.

 

[OldiesCat]

Tom Kent's "Classic Top 40" is the best I've heard for a 60s/70s version of "oldies".

Super Hits sounds way too boss-jock, the greatest hits of all time is too oldies-sounding (and too broad) and classic hits is a radio industry term.

 

[TheFonz]

1. Classic Hits
2.the greatest hits of all time (kool phoenix)
3 Super hits of the 60's and 70's
4. Classic top 40
5(insert your home town) Super Hits
Q105.1 Jackson MS, has just entered the 80's zone and now position themselves as Jackson's Super hits.
Still play the 60's and 70's ,too. I kinda worry about hurting the core with the later stuff.Kool stays in the 60's and 70's from what i've been told.

I like the idea of putting "Top 40" in there somewhere. But it would be a misnomer, since (sadly) no radio station I know of uses charts to create programming.

 

[davideduardo]

I like the idea of putting "Top 40" in there somewhere. But it would be a misnomer, since (sadly) no radio station I know of uses charts to create programming.

Every contemporary station (stations that play currents) creates their own "chart" to determine rotations and play / no play decisions.

 

[OldiesCat]

format

1. Classic Hits
2.the greatest hits of all time (kool phoenix)
3 Super hits of the 60's and 70's
4. Classic top 40
5(insert your home town) Super Hits
Q105.1 Jackson MS, has just entered the 80's zone and now position themselves as Jackson's Super hits.
Still play the 60's and 70's ,too. I kinda worry about hurting the core with the later stuff.Kool stays in the 60's and 70's from what i've been told.

"Top 40" is a brand name (for 70s hits) as much as Oldies represents 60s hits. Has nothing (these days) to do w/charts. EVERYBODY knows what "top 40" means, thanks to Casey Kasem.


I like the idea of putting "Top 40" in there somewhere. But it would be a misnomer, since (sadly) no radio station I know of uses charts to create programming.

 

[TheFonz]

Re: format

"Top 40" is a brand name (for 70s hits) as much as Oldies represents 60s hits. Has nothing (these days) to do w/charts. EVERYBODY knows what "top 40" means, thanks to Casey Kasem.

I'm not sure that EVERYBODY knows this. And I would be afraid that it could sucker some naive former terrestrial radio listeners.

 

[OldiesCat]

If they grew up on Top 40, they know what it is.

 

[Oldbones]

Re: format

"Top 40" is a brand name (for 70s hits) as much as Oldies represents 60s hits. Has nothing (these days) to do w/charts. EVERYBODY knows what "top 40" means, thanks to Casey Kasem.

I'm not sure that EVERYBODY knows this. And I would be afraid that it could sucker some naive former terrestrial radio listeners.

If they grew up on Top 40, they know what it is.

While I'm sure 'most anyone over 40 or so knows what Top 40 is, but I'm not sure it necessarily has a positive connotation. Mention "Top 40" to most people and it conjures images of yappy djs that yell at you, commercials for various acne goo (Oxy 5 anyone?) and of course a lot of pretty vapid songs by the teen idol du jour. Not exactly the image a gold-based station wants. And besides "Classic Top 40" is a pretty clunky slogan to begin with.

Someone claimed "Classic Hits" was strictly an industry term (much like "active rock" [whatever that means] or CHR)...I disagree...I've heard that phrase used on the air on several stations over the years. While in most instances CH is a lite version of classic rock, it doesn't need to be. I don't think anyone has service marked the phrase.

 

[OldiesCat]

format

"Top 40" is a brand name (for 70s hits) as much as Oldies represents 60s hits. Has nothing (these days) to do w/charts. EVERYBODY knows what "top 40" means, thanks to Casey Kasem.

I'm not sure that EVERYBODY knows this. And I would be afraid that it could sucker some naive former terrestrial radio listeners.

If they grew up on Top 40, they know what it is.

While I'm sure 'most anyone over 40 or so knows what Top 40 is, but I'm not sure it necessarily has a positive connotation. Mention "Top 40" to most people and it conjures images of yappy djs that yell at you, commercials for various acne goo (Oxy 5 anyone?) and of course a lot of pretty vapid songs by the teen idol du jour. Not exactly the image a gold-based station wants. And besides "Classic Top 40" is a pretty clunky slogan to begin with.

Someone claimed "Classic Hits" was strictly an industry term (much like "active rock" [whatever that means] or CHR)...I disagree...I've heard that phrase used on the air on several stations over the years. While in most instances CH is a lite version of classic rock, it doesn't need to be. I don't think anyone has service marked the phrase.

Still waiting for a better option.

 

[TheFonz]

Re: format

Someone claimed "Classic Hits" was strictly an industry term (much like "active rock" [whatever that means] or CHR)...I disagree...I've heard that phrase used on the air on several stations over the years. While in most instances CH is a lite version of classic rock, it doesn't need to be. I don't think anyone has service marked the phrase.

If you're looking for truth in advertising, then Classic Hits would be appropriate. From a listener standpoint, that says only chart hits that consultants/programmers have decided are worthy of play. Top 40 suggests that the charts alone decide what is played.

 

[OldiesCat]

what to call it

I'm afraid you are wrong. If you go around asking 40-somethings what kind of station they listened to when they were young, they're most likely to say either "a rock station" or "the top 40 station".

It's become a brand name, much like Oldies did. Listeners do not refer to these stations as "classic hits" stations- in fact, even "classic hits" formated stations of the ninetees were always called "classic rock" by LISTENERS.

 

[TheFonz]

Re: what to call it

I'm afraid you are wrong. If you go around asking 40-somethings what kind of station they listened to when they were young, they're most likely to say either "a rock station" or "the top 40 station".

It's become a brand name, much like Oldies did. Listeners do not refer to these stations as "classic hits" stations- in fact, even "classic hits" formated stations of the ninetees were always called "classic rock" by LISTENERS.

I'll give you that. I was thinking more of 50 & 60-somethings. But they're really not a factor, since they don't listen to [terrestrial] music radio anymore.

 

[davideduardo]

Re: what to call it

I'll give you that. I was thinking more of 50 & 60-somethings. But they're really not a factor, since they don't listen to [terrestrial] music radio anymore.

55+ definitely uses radio.

Taking Chicago, a fairly representative market, 93% of all 55+ use radio weekly, and they use it for 21 hours and 30 minutes for the average person in that demo.

In 35-54, 97% use radio, and the average is an hour less listening per person. In 25-54, the usage is 96.7% and TSL is also an hour less per person than 55+.

 

[TheFonz]

Re: what to call it

55+ definitely uses radio.

But like I said, NOT for music.

 

[OldiesCat]

lol

55+ definitely uses radio.

But like I said, NOT for music.

Another "the sky is falling! The Oldies format is dying, therefore no other music in the world appeals to 55+! Woe is me!!!"

You should ask country stations if people over 50 listen to music. You could ask WDUV in Tampa, WRLX in West Palm Beach.

Just because you're over 55 doesn't mean you automatically listen to Oldies. In fact, even in it's heyday, most people over 50 DIDN'T listen to the Oldies format.

 

[davideduardo]

Re: what to call it

55+ definitely uses radio.

But like I said, NOT for music.

About 80% of 55+ listening is to music FMs. The rest is talk and news and sports.

 

[TheFonz]

Re: lol

You should ask country stations if people over 50 listen to music. You could ask WDUV in Tampa, WRLX in West Palm Beach.

Lots of retirees in Florida. I'm guessing that those stations play a lot of "classic" country. That doesn't happen on the average country station, at least not in MY market. Somehow I don't think that 55+ is listening to Big & Rich.

 

[davideduardo]

Re: lol

Lots of retirees in Florida. I'm guessing that those stations play a lot of "classic" country. That doesn't happen on the average country station, at least not in MY market. Somehow I don't think that 55+ is listening to Big & Rich.

The average age in the major Florida markets is no different than that of NY or Chicago or St Louis or Pittsburgh.

And there are no major market country stations in Florida.

What market are you in?

Chicago: WUSN 31% over 55.

In Houston, KILT is 33% 55+. KKBQ is 28% over 55.

The same is true in nearly every other market... 25% to 35% of the mainstream country station audience is over 55. But they have so much under 55 that they sell well.