WHY OH WHY CAN'T WE HAVE A STATION LIKE THIS IN ATLANTA?????????

[BIGSTICK]

http://webclust1.liquidcompass.cc/sos4stnrd/audio_player.php?id=WYDE :-[


BIRMINGHAM

 

[middlega]

I'm not sure why this is a hard concept to grasp.

From listening to the stream that you keep providing links to in multiple threads, what I'm hearing (and the general take on defining it on the Alabama board) is "Oldies".

The most recent report on the demographics of Oldies formatted stations shows them skewing heavily 50+, indeed 63% of the format audience is 50+, 46% is 55+.
http://wargod.arbitron.com/scripts/ndb/audience2.asp

That would likely make them the oldest station in Atlanta, even older than WSB-AM's median age of 51.9
http://www.accessatlanta.com/blogs/...otalk/entries/2007/02/19/220_ages_of_rad.html

I just really don't believe that being the station with the oldest median age listener is a position anybody is Atlanta is clamoring for, especially not with the likely AQH/Share the station would be able to attract.

 

[BIGSTICK]

You can give me stats all over the place. But this is the best music ever made. It beats the hell out of the shit we have to listen to in "THE ATL" YO.

 

[middlega]

But this is the best music ever made.

1) LOL

2) If "the best music ever made" falls in the woods but no one is there to hear it, does it really make a sound?

Remember, most radio stations are not (intentionally) designed to operate as non-profit.

The last oldies station in this market was reduced to selling at the local equivalent of a dollar-a-holler (adjusted for inflation) is spite of having at least tolerable numbers & a somewhat younger than average oldies audience. What station owner in their right mind would willingly put themselves in that position now?

 

[BIGSTICK]

Your profile says you are 40.
I cannot believe that you would not like a station like this. It brings back a lot of great memories for me. Like I said, it has a great sound like an old AM station.
Does everything have to sound the same, like it does today. I am 46, from Atlanta, and yearn for the days of the way radio use to be.
Not everyone that listens to the radio is 12. The population is getting older.

 

[mshawnarnold]

First of all, just because you love it, doesn't make it necessarily a viable format. I have a buddy that listens to Big Band stuff constantly, but I don't think "Glen Miller FM" would be a cash cow for anyone.

Second of all, your statement that we are all getting older is true in the sense that we each are aging every second, however, as you see the Baby Boomers start heading to the big control room in the sky, the average age of Americans will begin to drop over the next 10 years give-or-take, so, we are actually getting a little younger.

 

[BIGSTICK]

First of all, just because you love it, doesn't make it necessarily a viable format. I have a buddy that listens to Big Band stuff constantly, but I don't think "Glen Miller FM" would be a cash cow for anyone.

Second of all, your statement that we are all getting older is true in the sense that we each are aging every second, however, as you see the Baby Boomers start heading to the big control room in the sky, the average age of Americans will begin to drop over the next 10 years give-or-take, so, we are actually getting a little younger.

OK, we are getting a we bit analytical. All I said is that I so wish that we had a station like this in our Market. I hope to live to be 100 or more, and I will still love this music. There are "Big Band" station's in this Country as well.

Thanks

 

[middlega]

Your profile says you are 40. I cannot believe that you would not like a station like this.

Not really all that surprising I don't think, as people seem to often tend to gravitate toward (non-current) music that is either from the times of their teens-twenties or whatever period of music they felt most connected to. What I've heard from random samplings of their stream are songs that were already in station's "gold rotation" by the time I hit puberty. This would have been far too soft for me then & remains so today.

But none of that has anything to do with my opinion about the viability of this as a format here. I can't stand rap/hip-hop either, but I darned sure understand why it gets play in Atlanta. My own personal music tastes would sink like a stone in both ratings & sales as well ... but I'm realistic enough to not appear somehow perplexed that there isn't a station out there willing to play it either.

 

[middlega]

All I said is that I so wish that we had a station like this in our Market.

Actually, that's not what you said ... nor what I've been responding to.

Look at the thread title "Why oh why can't we have a station like this in Atlanta"

Not "I wish we had ...", but "why oh why" ... which is the question I've been attempting to answer.

You'll get no grief from me for wishing their was one. I wish there was a station playing 70's & 80's era metal with a few currents 24/7 too, that'd suit me fine & I'd be a sure P1 listener (albeit a lonely one with great odds of winning any of their contests). But I don't question for a second why one doesn't exist, which is what you seemed to have been doing.

 

[BIGSTICK]

Very good points. But we are number 8 or 9 now, we have far more people than B'ham, and they have at least three station's like this. This station would make it here.... I honestly have listened to it all day, and every song they play is great. Plus the jocks sound like the old WLS or WQXI days.
Like I said all we have is Country and Hip-Hop.

 

[middlega]

Like I said all we have is Country and Hip-Hop.

Umm, you do realize that only 3 of the top 25 stations in the book are Country, right?
That's three, the same number of spanish-language stations that are in the top 25 (Wi'07)
Or three, the same number that are playing some rock sub-genre?
Or three, one less than the number of talk-oriented (news+sports) stations in the top 25 in the market?
Or three, one less than the number of AC/CHR stations in the market?

To be honest, I'm starting to wonder if you actually live in the market at all.

 

[BIGSTICK]

Like I said all we have is Country and Hip-Hop.

Umm, you do realize that only 3 of the top 25 stations in the book are Country, right?
That's three, the same number of spanish-language stations that are in the top 25 (Wi'07)
Or three, the same number that are playing some rock sub-genre?
Or three, one less than the number of talk-oriented (news+sports) stations in the top 25 in the market?
Or three, one less than the number of AC/CHR stations in the market?

To be honest, I'm starting to wonder if you actually live in the market at all.

Well, I don't listen to Spanish.
I hate talk.
I live in Virginia Highland.

 

[rho01]

Brent-the bottom line is the advertisers don't value listeners 55-plus. And that would be a bulk of the listeners on an oldies station in Atlanta. It's purely a business decision. As noted earlier, stations that skew that old can't charge the rates of a station like Star 94 or Q100 or V-103. I'm 38 and I wish there was a station playing 60s here, too. But there are a finite number of good FM signals in this town and right now, the primary music formats that work are country, top 40, rock and R&B/hip hop (with smooth jazz, too). At least we now have your iPod, satellite radio's 60s stations and plenty of online options as well. Once we get PPMs, or people meters, how stations are measured might benefit certain stations and could open the door to a station that plays more older music. That's what seemed to happen in Philly and may have compelled WCBS-FM in New York to go back to the format (as of tomorrow.) Atlanta won't go to PPMs tili the fall of 2008.

 

[BIGSTICK]

Brent-the bottom line is the advertisers don't value listeners 55-plus. And that would be a bulk of the listeners on an oldies station in Atlanta. It's purely a business decision. As noted earlier, stations that skew that old can't charge the rates of a station like Star 94 or Q100 or V-103. I'm 38 and I wish there was a station playing 60s here, too. But there are a finite number of good FM signals in this town and right now, the primary music formats that work are country, top 40, rock and R&B/hip hop (with smooth jazz, too). At least we now have your iPod, satellite radio's 60s stations and plenty of online options as well. Once we get PPMs, or people meters, how stations are measured might benefit certain stations and could open the door to a station that plays more older music. That's what seemed to happen in Philly and may have compelled WCBS-FM in New York to go back to the format (as of tomorrow.) Atlanta won't go to PPMs tili the fall of 2008.

Thanks Rodney,

That makes sense, but it is so unfair.

 

[BIGSTICK]

Brent-the bottom line is the advertisers don't value listeners 55-plus. And that would be a bulk of the listeners on an oldies station in Atlanta. It's purely a business decision. As noted earlier, stations that skew that old can't charge the rates of a station like Star 94 or Q100 or V-103. I'm 38 and I wish there was a station playing 60s here, too. But there are a finite number of good FM signals in this town and right now, the primary music formats that work are country, top 40, rock and R&B/hip hop (with smooth jazz, too). At least we now have your iPod, satellite radio's 60s stations and plenty of online options as well. Once we get PPMs, or people meters, how stations are measured might benefit certain stations and could open the door to a station that plays more older music. That's what seemed to happen in Philly and may have compelled WCBS-FM in New York to go back to the format (as of tomorrow.) Atlanta won't go to PPMs tili the fall of 2008.

Thanks Rodney,

That makes sense, but it is so unfair. A few more points though. Oldies, as a format, is not dead. We must remember that the 25-54 advertising agency driven buys are overlooking the same population bump THEY coveted when THEY invented 25-54. And THEY are the ones forcing broadcasters to dump the format. There are millions of "Boomers" with BILLIONS of dollars in buying power out there that the ad agencies are IGNORING. At least as far as radio is concerned.

 

[jimrichvo]

CBS FM returns to a "Greatest Hits of All Time" format. Wonder why?
The "baby boomer" set is the largest demographic in Georgia and the
nation. Yet we have no "oldies" station in this market. Why?
Don't tell me the format won't work. Ask Public TV what's one of their biggest money
producer. It's the oldies concerts. I've been lucky enough to be OM for numerous
Drake Chenault stations running Classic Gold and Solid Gold over the years. All made boatloads of money. All pulled very good numbers...consistently in the top three stations in each market.
It's all in presentation. But a 100-300 song playlist
won't get the job done. That's why it failed in Atlanta.
It also helps if the owners, management and staff believe in the format.
Any corporate PD can play it safe if all he wants to do is "protect his job".
It takes guts to do something different. But the reward$$$$ come to those willing
to take the risk.
Baby boomers have the highest spendible income of any demo. Yes they're more
selective with it. Of course if all you know how to sell is beer and screaming car dealers
other formats will work too.

 

[Herb Tarleck]

The median age in Atlanta is currently 34.1. Like it or not, even a minority of the population won't consume that product. This means sellers won't come near their CPP's and thus miss out on crucial media buys.

They are right--there's no sense in producing something that won't be profitable. Stinks, but it is true. Unless, of course, you are a millionaire who doesn't mind taking a loss...

And if you think about it, Birmingham and Atlanta are about as comparable as Hillary and Falwell.

 

[Windreader]

I just clicked on your link and the first thing I heard was "Shake Your Booty." I ran screaming from the room. If this is the best music ever made, I'd hate to hear the worst. The number of amateur program directors on this board is just astonishing.

 

[whit979]

Very good points. But we are number 8 or 9 now, we have far more people than B'ham, and they have at least three station's like this.

I live in AL close to Birmingham, and I can tell you that Birmingham is arguably one of the most under-served radio markets in America. The fact that we have several Oldies/AC/Classic Hits stations is actually a very negative part of Birmingham-area radio. At least Atlanta has a slightly better variety of stations. Another problem? The station you're talking about (WYDE) has a nominal signal in Birmingham, compared to the heritage AC/Oldies station they're now competing with: Magic 96.

Another notable fact about WYDE: They just flipped to Oldies after dropping FM Talk. After stunting with Christmas music (in July) for a few days, they changed their name to "Fun 101." A few days later, they became "Star 101." At last report, they are now using the name "The New 101." All of these names infringe upon other station identities within their coverage area. So Brent: If you like them, enjoy them while you can. There's no telling what they'll change tomorrow....

 

[RoddyFreeman]

I still can't figure out why we don't have a gay black talk station.