Why can't we have a station like this?

[jeffdfw]

Bonneville purchased V100 from Radio One in LA and flipped it a short time ago from Urban to AAA "The Sound". Give it a try and post whether or not you think this could work in DFW...

http://www.thesoundla.com/index.php 8)

 

[charles123]

Bonneville purchased V100 from Radio One in LA and flipped it a short time ago from Urban to AAA "The Sound". Give it a try and post whether or not you think this could work in DFW...

http://www.thesoundla.com/index.php 8)

Maybe

 

[JimmyJames]

I've often wondered. Especially if you based it on the more loose, diverse sounds of the early days of the Edge. DFW has some great rock radio history, a well done AAA/adult rocker would seem to make sense. I know why most of the large companies don't attempt it, but it seems like a viable niche.

 

[charles123]

I've often wondered. Especially if you based it on the more loose, diverse sounds of the early days of the Edge. DFW has some great rock radio history, a well done AAA/adult rocker would seem to make sense. I know why most of the large companies don't attempt it, but it seems like a viable niche.

I found out that AAA will not work here, it didn't work on 93.3. That's why it won't come back.

 

[dallasrockradio]

Did anyone notice the V100 in L.A. had the same call letters (KRBV) as the V100 here used to have? And they played the same kind of music. It's like the station just moved from Dallas to L.A.

 

[BKane]

http://www.thesoundla.com/index.php 8)

They really should buy the domain http://www.thesound.la ;D

It rolls off the tongue easier...

I'm just sayin'...

BK

 

[critic319]

I personally think it could do well in DFW. If memory serves, the format that I'm hearing on 100.3 in LA is different than what was tried on The Zone/Merge. I also think that a format very similar to KBCO would do well if done right.

 

[Bob E. Nelson]

I personally think it could do well in DFW. If memory serves, the format that I'm hearing on 100.3 in LA is different than what was tried on The Zone/Merge. I also think that a format very similar to KBCO would do well if done right.

I personally think that much of what H.L. Mencken wrote decades ago in his ``Sahara of the Bozart'' satirical essay is still applicable and, as a result, I'm not sure the AAA format is well-suited to this region as a whole.

Also, as David Eduardo may likely point out, the D/FW market's demography is closing in on 30% Hispanic and is circa 15% Black. So, nearly half of the available audience would have little interest in AAA, which targets 35-44 non-ethnics.

I think that markets such as Portland, Denver/Boulder and Seattle are representative of demographic profiles where the format can do well. Back when I was in radio here in D/FW (early 1990's), Group W did research to examine the numbers that would be possible for AAA here and, even then, they just didn't stack up.

 

[txchipk]

I personally think it could do well in DFW. If memory serves, the format that I'm hearing on 100.3 in LA is different than what was tried on The Zone/Merge. I also think that a format very similar to KBCO would do well if done right.

I personally think that much of what H.L. Mencken wrote decades ago in his ``Sahara of the Bozart'' satirical essay is still applicable and, as a result, I'm not sure the AAA format is well-suited to this region as a whole.

Also, as David Eduardo may likely point out, the D/FW market's demography is closing in on 30% Hispanic and is circa 15% Black. So, nearly half of the available audience would have little interest in AAA, which targets 35-44 non-ethnics.

I think that markets such as Portland, Denver/Boulder and Seattle are representative of demographic profiles where the format can do well. Back when I was in radio here in D/FW (early 1990's), Group W did research to examine the numbers that would be possible for AAA here and, even then, they just didn't stack up.

I wonder with radio so fragmented to the point most stations are now settling for much smaller shares than what stations had in the 1990s, if that has now become viable. An AAA drawing a 2.0 share in 1993 would be pretty pathetic...today, that would beat a whole lot of stations.

I posted several months ago that I thought KZPS was slightly off in its format...that it should have gone the route of KGSR 107.1 Austin. KGSR, always listed as "AAA" in the trades, has been successful there with a sort of AAA/Americana/Texas country format. Musically, they have share a lot today, but KGSR isn't so heavy on the southern fried classic rock and the playlist is broader and they have much more current music. In the 7:00 hour tonight, KGSR played Robert Earl Keene, Robert Plant & Alison Krause, Bob Marley & The Wailers, Iron and Wine, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Lyle Lovett, Steve Winwood, Norah Jones, Santana, Jakob Dylan, Pretenders, Eddie Vedder. KZPS has a lot of those artists now, but it still seems to get bogged down in the same set of ZZ Top, .38 Special, etc. songs that seem to be in some sort of hyper rotation.

KKZN 93.3 didn't work here since Susquehana tried cloning its KFOG 104.5 San Francisco. "K-Fog" has a long history in the Bay Area and its version of AAA works there, not necessarily here.

 

[salemjedi54]

Did anyone notice the V100 in L.A. had the same call letters (KRBV) as the V100 here used to have? And they played the same kind of music. It's like the station just moved from Dallas to L.A.

Yes I noticed. Barry Mayo who put V100 here as the consultant was the GM at KRBV in LA. The only thing different were the logo and the jocks. It was a complete do over of D/FW's KRBV

 

[Dr. o Fun]

Bonneville purchased V100 from Radio One in LA and flipped it a short time ago from Urban to AAA "The Sound"

Why do stations need a name? Branding...I know. Perhaps it was a rhetorical question.

The Sound, The Mix, The Bone, The Edge, blah, blah, blah. What happened to the days of good ol' call letters?

dr

 

[johnqdoe]

I personally think it could do well in DFW. If memory serves, the format that I'm hearing on 100.3 in LA is different than what was tried on The Zone/Merge. I also think that a format very similar to KBCO would do well if done right.

I personally think that much of what H.L. Mencken wrote decades ago in his ``Sahara of the Bozart'' satirical essay is still applicable and, as a result, I'm not sure the AAA format is well-suited to this region as a whole.

Also, as David Eduardo may likely point out, the D/FW market's demography is closing in on 30% Hispanic and is circa 15% Black. So, nearly half of the available audience would have little interest in AAA, which targets 35-44 non-ethnics.

I think that markets such as Portland, Denver/Boulder and Seattle are representative of demographic profiles where the format can do well. Back when I was in radio here in D/FW (early 1990's), Group W did research to examine the numbers that would be possible for AAA here and, even then, they just didn't stack up.

I wonder with radio so fragmented to the point most stations are now settling for much smaller shares than what stations had in the 1990s, if that has now become viable. An AAA drawing a 2.0 share in 1993 would be pretty pathetic...today, that would beat a whole lot of stations.

I posted several months ago that I thought KZPS was slightly off in its format...that it should have gone the route of KGSR 107.1 Austin. KGSR, always listed as "AAA" in the trades, has been successful there with a sort of AAA/Americana/Texas country format. Musically, they have share a lot today, but KGSR isn't so heavy on the southern fried classic rock and the playlist is broader and they have much more current music. In the 7:00 hour tonight, KGSR played Robert Earl Keene, Robert Plant & Alison Krause, Bob Marley & The Wailers, Iron and Wine, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Lyle Lovett, Steve Winwood, Norah Jones, Santana, Jakob Dylan, Pretenders, Eddie Vedder. KZPS has a lot of those artists now, but it still seems to get bogged down in the same set of ZZ Top, .38 Special, etc. songs that seem to be in some sort of hyper rotation.

KKZN 93.3 didn't work here since Susquehana tried cloning its KFOG 104.5 San Francisco. "K-Fog" has a long history in the Bay Area and its version of AAA works there, not necessarily here.

KZPS tried to do way too much in the beginning IMO. The entire "no commercial, corporate sponsorship" thing was an utter failure. Musically, they branched way out (maybe too much into the country waters)....then the suits crapped themselves when the ratings started rollin in and reined the playlist WAAAAAAY back. The Austin audience is MUCH, MUUUUUCH more musically savvy than DFW. They embrace and welcome different styles and forms of music as long as it's GOOD music. There's a reason Dallas has this plastic, shallow stereotype. The Lonestar audience proved it won't sit thru too many unfamiliar songs. Hence...the glut of .38 Special, ZZ Top, and the like.

 

[gmkeating]

For what it's worth:

As a dedicated and veteran Adult Alternative, AOR and Smooth Jazz programmer who comes from the halcyon days of Rock and Urban (of the 70s & 80s) and most recently with AAA WBCG Port Charlotte/Sarasota, FL...

You should be aware that, despite your impressions of AAA stations like KBCO, KFOG, KPIG, etc. and previous format derivations in the DFW market, an adult alternative station is "market-centric", or absolutely unique in each and every metro in which it exists. You "lean" your brand towards the desired demographic, be it WASP or ethnic, your station should be acutely crossover-aware, album/deep tracks-sensitive, hit music singles-oriented...mass appeal, yet leaning to position itself to cater to needs of the marketplace, be it: Alt-Country/Americana or Classic/Active Rock or Adult Rock/AC or "AC Rock meets Urban" or even Spanish Language/Crossover Hits. Often two opposing AAA's in the same market (rare I know, except in Colorado, California and parts of New England)) are extremely different.

Being in Florida (and having grown up here though i've worked all over the nation) means I must play to the Cuban, Puerto Rican and Caribbean-descendent peoples who inhabit my sphere of influence. There is plenty of great discovered and undiscovered music out there that Triple A gets to play. THE PROBLEM IS: CORPORATE RADIO HAS BEEN HISTORICALLY UNABLE TO TO CATER TO MUSIC PLAY THAT NEEDS TO SHIFT FROM WEEK TO WEEK LIKE A STOCK MARKET TICKER DOES DAY TO DAY. I have found that both the audience and the record labels are more sensitive and responsive to your programming when they understood that I, as the P.D. purposefully emphasize and de-emphasize tracks week to week. It is A BIG TEASE. I SPIKE NEW RELEASES, then back off. Then play them heavier as time goes on. Don't play the song overtly heavy just because it reacts. Play to the listeners' reaction. Make them want it more, BY NOT PLAYING IT MORE...get it! Most people tell me they will purchase a song after hearing once, twice, a few times. This is impulse-buying. They heard it. They want it. First impression goes a long way to create desire to hear it again...in the mix.

Anyway, that's the way I approach it, but my point is this: TRIPLE A IS NOT A SPECIFIC FORMAT. It is SPECIFIC TO THE MARKET. You lean to the core target P1s and play to the peripheral P2s to convert new sampler/cumers. I research the AAA, AC, Hot AC, Active Rock, Alternative and Urban R&B chart product to select new titles to program. AND I LISTEN TO EVERY PIECE OF MUSIC THAT IS SENT TO ME. This is our delima today. M.D.s and P.D.s NOT LISTENING TO THE MUSIC. This equals missed opportunities to break potential market hits. It is all about the music. All about new music. KEEPING YOUR STATION FRESH, EVERYDAY! Be aware of the lyrical content, play to THE POSITVE and watch the feedback roll in. AAA programmers play SINGER-SONGWRITER-MUSICIANS, current and classic. Relfect the past as a reference to the present and future. Songs should be: Thought-provoking, story-telling, topically-relevant, and at the very least romantic. Play the anthems where appropriate, don't be too repetitive (once per daypart power play is sufficient) and don't beat people over the head with ponderous, negative songs. This is really about the music being positive. More than three chords please. Give us lyrics, a melody and some capable instrumentation.

Triple A is not just a format. IT IS THE ULTIMATE FORMAT LAB. So many possiblities. TRIPLE A IS THE ADULT HIT MUSIC FORMAT THAT EVEN YOUR GEN Y WILL DIG...IF MARKETED PROPERLY AND BRANDED WITH SIMPLICITY. Don't over or under do it/sell it. As NIKE said it best...JUST DO IT

(I am no longer with WBCG as it was sold to Clear Channel Feb. 2008)

I offer you this Selector Spins Report from April 2007, as we began to evolve to a "Mix" AC:

WBCG/Punta Gorda FL The Beach 98.9
4/23/07 SPINS REPORT
G. Michael Keating, P.D./M.D.
941.206.1112 x110

LW TW Artist/Title (Label)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
35 36 Mika/Grace Kelly (Casablanca/Universal Republic)
35 35 Shins/Phantom Limb (Sub-Pop)
34 35 The Fray/Look After You (Epic)
35 34 Nickelback/If Everyone Cared (Roadrunner/IDJMG)
35 33 Joss Stone/Tell Me 'Bout It (Virgin)
34 33 John Mayer/Gravity (Aware/Columbia)
33 32 Snow Patrol/You're All I Have (Polydor/A&M/Interscope)
35 32 Fountains Of Wayne/Someone To Love (Virgin)
7 31 Avril Lavigne/Keep Holding On (RCA/20th Century Fox)
15 31 Lily Allen/Smile (Capitol)
-- 29 Nelly Furtado/Say It Right (Mosley/Geffen)
-- 29 Rascal Flatts/What Hurts The Most (Lyric Street)
16 28 Killers/Read My Mind (Island/IDJMG)
16 27 Rob Thomas/Little Wonders (Melisma/Atlantic)
35 16 Ozomatli/Can't Stop (Concord)
37 15 Alternate Routes/Time Is A Runaway (Vanguard)
36 15 Keane/Nothing In My Way (Interscope/A&M)
35 15 Breaks Co-Op/The Otherside (Astralwerks)
15 14 Money Mark/Pick Up The Pieces (Brushfire/Universal)
16 14 Jon McLaughlin/Beautiful Disaster (Island/IDJMG)
16 14 Augustana/Stars And Boulevards (Epic)
35 14 Five Star Iris/Let It All Out (Hooptyville)
15 13 Snow Patrol/Signal Fire (Record Collection)
16 13 Daughtry/Home (19 Recordings/RCA)
15 13 Amy Winehouse/You Know I'm No Good (Universal Republic)
16 13 R.E.M./#9 Dream (Warner Brothers)
15 13 Paula Cole/14 (Decca/Universal)
15 13 James Morrison/You Give Me Something (Polydor/Interscope)
16 13 Goat/Find Somebody (Engine Room)
16 12 Shawn Colvin/Crazy (Nonesuch)
15 12 Brandi Carlile/The Story (Columbia)
15 12 Brett Dennen/She's Mine (Dualtone)
16 12 KT Tunstall/Other Side Of The World (Relentless/Virgin)
16 12 Vega4/Life Is Beautiful (Epic)
16 11 Low Stars/Calling All Friends (MusicAllies)
15 10 The Red Button/She's About To Cross My Mind (Independent)
10 10 The Feeling/Sewn (Cherry Tree/Interscope)
4 9 Fall Out Boy/This Ain't A Scene, It's An Arms Race (Fueled By Ramen/Island/IDJMG)
15 9 Barenaked Ladies/Sound Of Your Voice (Desperation/Nettwerk)
-- 8 Dashboard Confessional/Stolen (Vagrant/Interscope)
15 8 John Mayer/Belief (Aware/Columbia)
-- 7 My Chemical Romance/Welcome To The Black Parade (Reprise)
15 7 John Mellencamp/Someday (Universal Republic/UMe)
-- 6 Hinder/Better Than Me (Universal Republic)
-- 6 All-American Rejects/It Ends Tonight (Doghouse/Interscope)
-- 5 Kelly Sweet/Raincoat (Razor & Tie)
-- 4 Paolo Nutini/Last Request (Atlantic)

ADDS: Nelly Furtado/Say It Right (Mosley/Geffen)
Rascal Flatts/What Hurts The Most (Lyric Street)
Dashboard Confessional/Stolen (Vagrant/Interscope)
My Chemical Romance/Welcome To The Black Parade (Reprise)
Hinder/Better Than Me (Universal Republic)
All-American Rejects/It Ends Tonight (Doghouse/Interscope)
Kelly Sweet/Raincoat (Razor & Tie)
Paolo Nutini/Last Request (Atlantic)

DROP: (To Recurrent)

Blue October/Into The Ocean (Universal Motown)
Norah Jones/Thinking About You (Blue Note/BLG)
Regina Spektor/Fidelity (Sire)
Guster/Satellite (Palm/Reprise)
Paolo Nutini/New Shoes (Atlantic)
John Mellencamp/Our Country (Universal Republic/UMe)

 

[JimmyJames]

Bravo.

Of course, this would also require that PDs/MDs were ALLOWED to do anything with the music after listening to it. Which in most stations is a big no-no.

 

[TheRover]

Bravo.

Of course, this would also require that PDs/MDs were ALLOWED to do anything with the music after listening to it. Which in most stations is a big no-no.

It's kind of like shopping at Wal-Mart.... the CD titles in the feature display area are not there because the Manager of the Music Dept. had listened to these CDs and thught they were great.

But the CDs are there in the feature diaplay, because that's what the Record companies have paid for ! In one way , or another.......

 

[davideduardo]

Bravo.

Of course, this would also require that PDs/MDs were ALLOWED to do anything with the music after listening to it. Which in most stations is a big no-no.

Far from being arbitrary, there is a reason for a program director or music director handling the music. Actually, several reasons.

First, air talents are hired for their ability to entertain or keep the format flowing. Were the ability to pick the music to be part of the overall criteria, many great talents would not have jobs.

Second, in the early 70's, freeform album or progressive rock stations were almost totally blown away by more structured AOR stations, starting with Lee Abrams' Superstars format. This showed that listeners for the most part wanted to hear more familiar artists and songs, with fewer deep cuts and new songs.

There is a third reason, too. For the last 25 years or so, we've used computers to assist in programming music and that allows us greater control of things like horizontal and vertical rotation (don't play the same song today at the same time you played it yesterday) and keeping the same artist's plays separated, etc. This makes for more varied music sets with greater artist and song variety, too.

 

[JimmyJames]

I'm familiar with how it works. I've done it, as a music director and programming director myself. However, my point is that at many corporate stations, the MD is simply responsible for the scheduling of the music that is allowed by corporate on the station. He often has his hands tied when it comes to taking a chance on a specific song or artist. That's been a cultural change in radio over the past few decades.

Am I suggesting everything go freeform? Absolutely not. But I'm suggesting that qualified programmers should have more leeway with the on air product than they do at many stations.

 

[davideduardo]

I'm familiar with how it works. I've done it, as a music director and programming director myself.

If you had been a PD, you would know that the title is "Program Director" and not what you posted.

However, my point is that at many corporate stations, the MD is simply responsible for the scheduling of the music that is allowed by corporate on the station.

Most stations owned by larger companies (nearly every one of the US's 15 thousand stations is owned by a corporation, from Ishpeming to LA.) do local music tests and decide on the music locally. Certainly, some companies have format-wide music meetings, but those are to share information on early callout, feelings about songs, etc.

He often has his hands tied when it comes to taking a chance on a specific song or artist. That's been a cultural change in radio over the past few decades.

No different than when I was a PD in Birmingham in the early 70's. We had several CHRs and we did regular calls to exchange music tips, contest ideas, etc.

 

[lbates]

Absolutely PD and Md's should have and exercise more local control but as long as you have corporate suits who claim to know more and demonstrate less plus spin bull to cover their smell,it will not happen.

 

[davideduardo]

It's kind of like shopping at Wal-Mart.... the CD titles in the feature display area are not there because the Manager of the Music Dept. had listened to these CDs and thught they were great.

The end aisle displays and feature displays are selected today based mostly on Soundscan sales data and charts. The record departments display what is hot.

But the CDs are there in the feature diaplay, because that's what the Record companies have paid for ! In one way , or another.......

It works the same way in drugstores and supermarkets, too. End aisle displays, shelf talkers, eye level facings, etc. are given based on sales, discounts and manufacturer incentives.

And in the record biz, it goes back to the 50's. Labels even gave product to have a store report sales to the local CHR! Liberalized return policies, discounts, etc. were given in exchange for display. This is why radio stations that relied on charts or store calls often got bogus data. And this is why the charts from the Top 40 era are so subjective for oldies airplay today.