When stations had signature sounds

[soundblast]

There was a time in radio when stations had what you might call a signature sound. The jingles, jocks music sweepers and promos blended together. I don't here this much anymore but there is one aspect of it that I really miss. That part is having jocks who while having there own personality still each had a distinctive sound found in each one which helped build a signature sound. Does anyone know what I am talking about it. Is this still important?. If not why? There was a com0n thread in the sound of the station that made it so when you tuned in you would know you were on that station by the signature sound. KSBJ in Houston has a signature sound to an degree via the right blend of sweepers and jingles but each jock sounds so different from the other they all sound like they are on different stations making the station have less emotional impact like the songs do.

Stations who had signature sounds in the past would include all of the old Drake format stations, and Q format stations. More recently Z100 New York City, Jocks sounded like themselves on an individual personality basis but they also had a common delivery that contributed to the stations signature sound.

 

[Goat Rodeo Cowboy]

Yes, I know the concept you are describing. I follow some of the debates (and participate in a few) that go on in the R-I threads about what is important to good radio, and what should be trashed, and what should be resurrected from the past.

There are days I am confidant about what will work what should work, and then there are days I come face to face with generational issues.... and maybe NOBODY knows what will work... we just have to feel around in the dark until we find what really works today. We want logic to work. But maybe like investing in the stock market, nobody has a proven explanation on when it will go up and when it will go down.

I think of "signature radio" the way I think of automobile designs. We all have favorite car models where the chrome and the shape and the colors created classic models. Certain years of Cadillac are a hit at any local Saturday night car show. Certain years were good for Ford. Certain years were good for Chevy.

But has Detroit has finally learned (and maybe too late), sheet metal and chrome is only skin deep. Our Japanese friends have made the case that predictable quality and reliability outrank pretty sheet metal. Somewhere in that sentence is a lesson for radio, but finding it and implementing it is rather elusive.

 

[SirRoxalot]

Sign of the Times

But has Detroit has finally learned (and maybe too late), sheet metal and chrome is only skin deep. Our Japanese friends have made the case that predictable quality and reliability outrank pretty sheet metal. Somewhere in that sentence is a lesson for radio, but finding it and implementing it is rather elusive.

I have only one comment on your observation...

Our Japanese friends made the case that SUPERIOR quality and reliability outrank pretty sheet metal. Yugos were predictable - and cheap. They were TERRIBLE, which is why there are no Yugos in America today.

Japanese cars aren't cheap. In fact, you'll likely pay more for a Japanese car than an American car with similar features. You'll also get a better trade-in on the Japanese car, and likely have fewer problems. Sometimes this is no longer justified, but it's the reputation that's been earned over time.

Corporate radio doesn't appear to me to be heading toward producing a superior product. Perhaps, some of the smaller operators will follow the Japanese model. It looks like there will be plenty of talent available in programming, sales, and management.

 

[whit979]

In many ways, we do indeed work much like the auto industry. In our cost-cutting efforts to become more efficient, we've cut the corners that are necessary to create that signature sound--the sound that memories are made of, the sound that is the reason why there are endless 'tribute' websites to old stations today. We're more efficient than we were 10 years ago...maybe 5 people can do the jobs of 10 people, maybe the music doesn't take as long to schedule, maybe a 5-hour show only takes 30 minutes to put together...but at what cost?