S
stevehendrix
Guest
I received an email from old friend Bill Garcia, original PD of WRVQ and former WKNR Detroit jock. He included an email post from WKNR's history site www.keener13.com that bears posting here. Its lengthy, but worth it:
"We get many emails with feedback on what's written here at Keener13.com. Occasionally, some are just too good to keep to ourselves. Here's an example, from an anonymous radio pro.
A very good friend of mine, former major market jock, program director and station owner, were visiting a couple months ago, and of course some of the old war stories came bubbling up. We were laughing about yesterday, and wondering why the people who run the Clear Channel's and Infinity's of the world are so dead set against great radio, and oldies radio in particular. Suddenly, he turned serious and remarked "our time is over, the style of radio we did and loved is gone."
I was speechless. I had just heard something I never though I would hear, at least not from this gentleman, a true radio "freak," and one of the most buoyant and positive people I have ever met. At the time, I did not agree. But as of 5 PM, Friday, June 3, 2005, I think he may be right.
The great WCBS-FM, Joe McCoy's blueprint for oldies radio, the home of the continued excellence of Cousin Brucie and Harry Harrison, to name a few, and the only station MILLIONS of New Yorkers ever needed, has died.
Hi-JACK-ed, if you will.
Listen to Gordon Mclendon: Asked in 1980 what he learned from radio, McLendon responded: "That it all begins with creativity and programming. You can have the greatest sales staff and signal in the world, and it doesn't mean a thing if you don't have something great to put on the air."
Somehow, going two deep and 1,000 songs broad, based on the premise that this will keep listeners from turning to their iPods, does not quite seem to measure up, does it?
Jocks on today's CHR's and Hot AC's, for the most part are a group of people DYING to be great, and to be part of great radio. And failing, both subjectively and objectively, in miserable fashion. Shrinking ratings, flat sales, minuscule pieces of the pie. A product of no talent, or lack of programmer vision? From personal experience, my answer is, it's the latter. Radio is run by a couple of generations of programmers who don't know how to do great radio, think outside a box, or encourage talent. And, who GREW UP listening to segues, stale back sells, and liners. Or radio based on album radio formatics, with minimal "stationality." Even the guys who are in charge of Oldies radio, in many cases, are AOR guys. (No offense to Dave Logan intended or should be inferred)
WHAT the HELL do they know about great personality radio? Did they ever listen to "Boogie Checks," EVERY NIGHT? "Sing it and Win"? Call each other "Cousin"? Or sing Johnny Mann's Big Kahuna jingle? No!
But they're hell on wheels raving about the 4th rate Howard Stern imitation their rock station's morning show is doing. And they are REALLY hell on wheels doing everything to kill great radio, short of putting up billboards saying "We Don't Want You to be Entertained-We Don't Want You to Listen"!
I was rereading Ron Jacobs KHJ book recently. The memos are stunning. Demanding, prodding, energizing. Creative, theatrical presentations. Human and compelling radio, focused on keeping an audience, as opposed to "moving our P1's younger." And, I'm pretty sure none of those memos came from Selector or Maximizer. Though with Jacobs, you can't be too sure!
Blame Steve Rivers. The old snake oil salesman killed a bunch of great stations, with a ridiculous notion, "Jammin' Oldies" that died in one year, on nearly 100 stations. But succeeded in proving "oldies" can't work anymore. Or at worst, bastardized the concept. Internally, particularly with upper management, AND externally, with your #2 customer, the advertiser.
Blame a fundamental lack of understanding of the audience wants and needs, how to reach them, how to SELL IT!!. Check the parking lot at a college football game this fall. Sure looks like a lot of people spending tons of money, driving nice vehicles, wearing nice clothes, comparing notes on IRA's, retirement condos, and yes, Viagra. And having one hell of a good time. Yeah, we're baby boomers, and yeah, we're graying. And no, we don't hang out at bars much anymore, which makes it tough to get the Budweiser money. But as Bob Dylan said so eloquently, "I was so much older then, I'm younger than that now."
Maybe, just maybe, that same crowd would turn out in droves for a nice series of sponsored shows at your local outdoor music theatre. Or, at a series of Tuesday night car cruises at a local supermarket chain! Turn out in black tie and tennies for a best Dog and Cat charity show, sponsored by your bank. (Free tip: Ask them about the Community Reinvestment Act, there are millions waiting to be spent!) Packaged and sold properly, you can add revenue, reinforce loyalty, and avoid "value-added" (free) remotes, to get a buy.
Oh, by the way, the audience does not care about trivia or chart positions. They care, passionately, about the artists and the music, perfectly illustrated with the line from "Big Chill," about the "greatest music ever!" Sell the passion!!! And play more than 500 songs. (Personal plea, STOP playing King Harvest, no one cared then, and still don't) Try playing 1,000, intelligently. Play Elvis, Buddy and Ray. Four Seasons, Four Tops. Ronettes and Raiders. And the Beatles and Beach Boys. Pull out cut 6 on "Revolver," and just play the damn thing. It wasn't on the charts, it's not in Joel's book. It was never a single! And, your listeners may not be able to tell you the lyrics, but can sing every word, after two notes!
Guaranteed, you'll be back inside the top 5 in rankings. If management questions what they hear, tell 'em you're programming for iPod users. They'll feel all gooey inside, and leave you alone!
Blame consolidation #1. Think Chad Brown's WCBS-FM balance sheet doesn't look a lot better today? How about in 6 months with no jocks? Hell, in Baltimore, they saved at least 2 million a year, according to a reliable, informed estimate. A bunch of bright boys who grossly overpaid for Internet inflated properties, and can't make the multiples pay with 3 shares, have found their out.
Hallelujah!
Blame consolidation #2: There is no competition. Everyone has a tiny little niche, but they are saving on "radio war" budgets, the need for perceptuals, music tests, talent. If there were two CHR's in a market, you better believe radio today would be better. Witness WLS/WCFL. KHJ/KFWB-KRLA. Or two AOR's, WPLJ/WNEW-FM. WABX/W4/WRIF. But radio would be better, there would be true buzz, and ultimately, a stronger marketplace for advertising dollars!
Blame consolidation #3: Put it together and what do you get? "Bibbity Bobbity Boo, Alex." Bzzzz, WRONG! You get bad radio, small audiences, no command of advertising dollars or rates, shrinking budgets and a vicious circle with no end in site.
The last word, paraphrased by the author, goes to Joe McCoy, one of the truly fine gentleman to ever grace this business, and the inventor of oldies radio on CBS-FM. Joe spoke to the oldies session at the NAB, September 1999. Listen:
"Your GM or Sales Manager may ask you to "get younger," but you can't do it. You cannot move the music balance far enough to significantly change the composition of the audience."
As another great New York manager, Casey Stengel, once said:
"You could look it up"<P ID="signature">______________
Steve Hendrix (WRVQ 73-75)
www.wrovhistory.com
</P>
"We get many emails with feedback on what's written here at Keener13.com. Occasionally, some are just too good to keep to ourselves. Here's an example, from an anonymous radio pro.
A very good friend of mine, former major market jock, program director and station owner, were visiting a couple months ago, and of course some of the old war stories came bubbling up. We were laughing about yesterday, and wondering why the people who run the Clear Channel's and Infinity's of the world are so dead set against great radio, and oldies radio in particular. Suddenly, he turned serious and remarked "our time is over, the style of radio we did and loved is gone."
I was speechless. I had just heard something I never though I would hear, at least not from this gentleman, a true radio "freak," and one of the most buoyant and positive people I have ever met. At the time, I did not agree. But as of 5 PM, Friday, June 3, 2005, I think he may be right.
The great WCBS-FM, Joe McCoy's blueprint for oldies radio, the home of the continued excellence of Cousin Brucie and Harry Harrison, to name a few, and the only station MILLIONS of New Yorkers ever needed, has died.
Hi-JACK-ed, if you will.
Listen to Gordon Mclendon: Asked in 1980 what he learned from radio, McLendon responded: "That it all begins with creativity and programming. You can have the greatest sales staff and signal in the world, and it doesn't mean a thing if you don't have something great to put on the air."
Somehow, going two deep and 1,000 songs broad, based on the premise that this will keep listeners from turning to their iPods, does not quite seem to measure up, does it?
Jocks on today's CHR's and Hot AC's, for the most part are a group of people DYING to be great, and to be part of great radio. And failing, both subjectively and objectively, in miserable fashion. Shrinking ratings, flat sales, minuscule pieces of the pie. A product of no talent, or lack of programmer vision? From personal experience, my answer is, it's the latter. Radio is run by a couple of generations of programmers who don't know how to do great radio, think outside a box, or encourage talent. And, who GREW UP listening to segues, stale back sells, and liners. Or radio based on album radio formatics, with minimal "stationality." Even the guys who are in charge of Oldies radio, in many cases, are AOR guys. (No offense to Dave Logan intended or should be inferred)
WHAT the HELL do they know about great personality radio? Did they ever listen to "Boogie Checks," EVERY NIGHT? "Sing it and Win"? Call each other "Cousin"? Or sing Johnny Mann's Big Kahuna jingle? No!
But they're hell on wheels raving about the 4th rate Howard Stern imitation their rock station's morning show is doing. And they are REALLY hell on wheels doing everything to kill great radio, short of putting up billboards saying "We Don't Want You to be Entertained-We Don't Want You to Listen"!
I was rereading Ron Jacobs KHJ book recently. The memos are stunning. Demanding, prodding, energizing. Creative, theatrical presentations. Human and compelling radio, focused on keeping an audience, as opposed to "moving our P1's younger." And, I'm pretty sure none of those memos came from Selector or Maximizer. Though with Jacobs, you can't be too sure!
Blame Steve Rivers. The old snake oil salesman killed a bunch of great stations, with a ridiculous notion, "Jammin' Oldies" that died in one year, on nearly 100 stations. But succeeded in proving "oldies" can't work anymore. Or at worst, bastardized the concept. Internally, particularly with upper management, AND externally, with your #2 customer, the advertiser.
Blame a fundamental lack of understanding of the audience wants and needs, how to reach them, how to SELL IT!!. Check the parking lot at a college football game this fall. Sure looks like a lot of people spending tons of money, driving nice vehicles, wearing nice clothes, comparing notes on IRA's, retirement condos, and yes, Viagra. And having one hell of a good time. Yeah, we're baby boomers, and yeah, we're graying. And no, we don't hang out at bars much anymore, which makes it tough to get the Budweiser money. But as Bob Dylan said so eloquently, "I was so much older then, I'm younger than that now."
Maybe, just maybe, that same crowd would turn out in droves for a nice series of sponsored shows at your local outdoor music theatre. Or, at a series of Tuesday night car cruises at a local supermarket chain! Turn out in black tie and tennies for a best Dog and Cat charity show, sponsored by your bank. (Free tip: Ask them about the Community Reinvestment Act, there are millions waiting to be spent!) Packaged and sold properly, you can add revenue, reinforce loyalty, and avoid "value-added" (free) remotes, to get a buy.
Oh, by the way, the audience does not care about trivia or chart positions. They care, passionately, about the artists and the music, perfectly illustrated with the line from "Big Chill," about the "greatest music ever!" Sell the passion!!! And play more than 500 songs. (Personal plea, STOP playing King Harvest, no one cared then, and still don't) Try playing 1,000, intelligently. Play Elvis, Buddy and Ray. Four Seasons, Four Tops. Ronettes and Raiders. And the Beatles and Beach Boys. Pull out cut 6 on "Revolver," and just play the damn thing. It wasn't on the charts, it's not in Joel's book. It was never a single! And, your listeners may not be able to tell you the lyrics, but can sing every word, after two notes!
Guaranteed, you'll be back inside the top 5 in rankings. If management questions what they hear, tell 'em you're programming for iPod users. They'll feel all gooey inside, and leave you alone!
Blame consolidation #1. Think Chad Brown's WCBS-FM balance sheet doesn't look a lot better today? How about in 6 months with no jocks? Hell, in Baltimore, they saved at least 2 million a year, according to a reliable, informed estimate. A bunch of bright boys who grossly overpaid for Internet inflated properties, and can't make the multiples pay with 3 shares, have found their out.
Hallelujah!
Blame consolidation #2: There is no competition. Everyone has a tiny little niche, but they are saving on "radio war" budgets, the need for perceptuals, music tests, talent. If there were two CHR's in a market, you better believe radio today would be better. Witness WLS/WCFL. KHJ/KFWB-KRLA. Or two AOR's, WPLJ/WNEW-FM. WABX/W4/WRIF. But radio would be better, there would be true buzz, and ultimately, a stronger marketplace for advertising dollars!
Blame consolidation #3: Put it together and what do you get? "Bibbity Bobbity Boo, Alex." Bzzzz, WRONG! You get bad radio, small audiences, no command of advertising dollars or rates, shrinking budgets and a vicious circle with no end in site.
The last word, paraphrased by the author, goes to Joe McCoy, one of the truly fine gentleman to ever grace this business, and the inventor of oldies radio on CBS-FM. Joe spoke to the oldies session at the NAB, September 1999. Listen:
"Your GM or Sales Manager may ask you to "get younger," but you can't do it. You cannot move the music balance far enough to significantly change the composition of the audience."
As another great New York manager, Casey Stengel, once said:
"You could look it up"<P ID="signature">______________
Steve Hendrix (WRVQ 73-75)
www.wrovhistory.com
</P>