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K.M. Richards
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That is a very good question. Perhaps he will answer that next time he posts.
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Where Oldies Music Still Lives
- Thread starter Dr Wayne
- Start date
That is a very good question. Perhaps he will answer that next time he posts.
I can't answer it for him, but a daytimer (no pre-sunrise even) with a limited signal needs all the help it can get. Where is the idea coming from that no one over 55 listens to internet streaming or uses mobile apps? Now, of course those that do have their favorites already and that's another issue.
They're still around, in Wickenburg, Buckeye, Casa Grande, and the Verde Valley. If a Phoenix- or Maricopa County-based dealership association complains, that's too bad. Most of the upper 2/3 of the state (essentially, everything north of I-8 outside of Yuma County, except for the Navajo Nation) is part of the Phoenix media market according to Nielsen. Every car dealership from Prescott to Casa Grande to Flagstaff to Kingman who advertises on a Phoenix TV station is considered in-market, AFAIK. If the Valley car dealers don't like it, complain to Nielsen. They define the media markets.
And WKCE streams 24/7. In stereo.
WFAT (700) Orange-Athol, Massachusetts now has a link for listeners to donate. I wonder how well this will go for them?
https://secure.squarespace.com/commerce/donate?donatePageId=54ac1222e4b03d35acdafd6e
http://www.amradio700.com/listen-now/
https://secure.squarespace.com/commerce/donate?donatePageId=54ac1222e4b03d35acdafd6e
http://www.amradio700.com/listen-now/
And looking at their playlist, they are another station with an unconventional mix of oldies and 50s/60s country.
Yeah, slightly more familiar than WKCE, but still strange. Some of that old country is REALLY obscure and REALLY country, which is not the way to attract a country audience in New England. Add to all this the fact that that area of Massachusetts is full of old, depressed former mill towns and it's no wonder WFAT is begging for donations. There is hardly any advertiser base to tap into, and the music the station has chosen to play won't lure what advertisers there are. The only worse format choice would be hip-hop, because the demographics up there are generally old, low-middle income and white.
According to WFAT's info page they've been doing this format since June 2014. They must be doing something right.
All we know is that they are staying on the air. That is no guarantee that they aren't just draining the owner's bank account. Fortunately, that owner has a dozen or so other stations that all seem to be doing better.
If they are asking for donations, that sounds like a last gasp before pulling the plug.
That's only a year and a half. In pressure-cooker major markets, you give a format at least a year. I've seen small market stations stick with something that's slowly killing them for five or ten.
The throwback country is really fascinating. I had a guy asking me for advice about a format 20 years ago...was thinking of 50s and 60s country. But this was in a large market, driven by agency buys. I explained to him that while 50s and 60s oldies (at that time...1996) could (just barely) work because the target audience would have been in its teens when the songs were new, country skewed older then. And someone who was 35 in 1960 would have been 71 when we were having that conversation.
And would be 91 today.
Exactly and it's what makes this entire subject difficult to understand. If radio was just about playing music, it would be a whole lot easier. The difficult part is making money. So I always tell people if you have your business plan organized, the music will do itself. You need to spend the time finding the money. It sounds like this guy in Knoxville has realistic expectations.
I agree that some of the Country is strange. I've been listening for about a week and I can tolerate those few rare Country songs. But there are so many Top 40 songs from back then to choose from. Why the obscure Country?
Perhaps because he personally likes it, and thinks others share his taste.
Not exactly the formula I'd suggest of he wants to make money, but then again, we're talking about a low power AM.
Because it serves Knoxville and people there like their Country.
I mentioned WZKY Albemarle NC earlier. You can get the app and listen anywhere. The station has a lot more 60s and even 50s music than the satellite formats (they had one at one time) and there are station IDs that claim they have thousands of songs.
And they do make it clear on the air people are listening. They even say the names of some businesses where it is played.
And they do make it clear on the air people are listening. They even say the names of some businesses where it is played.
I think that's his assumption, that everyone grew up in Knoxville and listened to country along with their top 40, but a lot of people have transplanted here and weren't here to watch Dolly on the Cas Walker show.
While we sit and analyze the format chosen and wager opinions of whether the station will make it, we need to realize we are not in the drivers seat and not privy to the information the owner is utilizing to make the decisions he does. Small market radio is a totally different animal. It is amazingly different from the competitive markets where you live and die by ratings. Probably the finest compliment a small town station can be told is "move the station 30 miles down the road and it would never work". Small market radio is much more about information and involving the community than the songs you play (within reason...I doubt death metal and hometown news would be a big draw).
I'm hoping for the station's success. It will certainly be more about low start up costs and low monthly overhead than anything else.
Meanwhile, let's enjoy that little station and celebrate the uniqueness. It would be easy enough to link up to satellite and plug in any commercials you can sell. I'm sure it will never be a cash cow, but another option on the dial is better than fewer options. And without this attempt, the station might have been in need of a tombstone yesterday.
I'm hoping for the station's success. It will certainly be more about low start up costs and low monthly overhead than anything else.
Meanwhile, let's enjoy that little station and celebrate the uniqueness. It would be easy enough to link up to satellite and plug in any commercials you can sell. I'm sure it will never be a cash cow, but another option on the dial is better than fewer options. And without this attempt, the station might have been in need of a tombstone yesterday.
I agree, and I also agree that, based on his low purchase price, and low operating costs, he should be able to cover his expenses and have some fun along the way. And as I've said earlier, there appear to be others around the country doing the exact same thing. Maybe more will get the idea, because there certainly are lots of AM stations available, and will be more soon.
And rap & hip-hop.
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