I don't know how long it's been there because it's the first time I've seen it used for an AM Station. WJIB's playlist can be found on YES.COM -
http://yes.com/lookup.php?s=WJIB-AM
http://yes.com/lookup.php?s=WJIB-AM
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WJIB's Playlist
- Thread starter MarcB
- Start date
Varulven said:I would like to see Bob Bittner put some WCAS-style music on weekends as a fun kind of AM 740 back to the future trip.
It would be nice for those of us who loved WCAS, but he would lose his audience that he has worked hard to build for his Standards format. It probably wouldn't be a good idea for him to do.
A few years ago Bob tried doing a "Real Oldies" (50's/60's pop and rock'n'roll) show on Sunday afternoons, and he said most of the calls were people who wanted the Standards back on...
The beauty of WCAS was in the open format which allowed highly knowledgeable DJ's to focus on folk and folk-rock music and a variety of other compatible styles that they knew would mix well and please their devoted audience, small as it may have been for an AM daytimer with marginal equipment that didn't even deliver the audio quality that AM was capable of. Unfortunately, it couldn't survive financially. There has never been anything else like it in the area.
In the early 90's WADN "Walden 1120" in Concord, programmed by Dick Pleasants, approached the WCAS sound, but the signal was too weak within Route 128 to be viable. They also expected AM Stereo to be fully marketed, which never happened. Nowadays, despite what a certain couple of people hunkered in a basement along the Dorchester harbor may try to claim, there's nothing in that format here currently that holds a candle to the old WCAS.
P
PaulBWalkerJr
Guest
Now, if WJIB would stream.. thatd be neat. When I'm in Boston Saturday for a few minutes in the morning and Sunday evening for a little bit.. I'll see if I can tune in.
H
Harry Davis
Guest
There are many WCAS airchecks out there, probably in shoeboxes around Massachusetts. Was Peter Simon there? Contact him over at WRKO and see if he has any.
Harry Davis said:There are many WCAS airchecks out there, probably in shoeboxes around Massachusetts. Was Peter Simon there? Contact him over at WRKO and see if he has any.
Yes, Simon was on WCAS. But, I don't believe that his program supporting recovering substance abusers "Recovery Road" is still on WRKO anymore.
Re: WJIB's Playlist: Rock Oldies, Folk, Streaming....
To answer a few questions about 740......
1) - Yes, I did rock-oriented oldies a few years back on Sunday afternoons... did it for 12 weeks straight... not too much reaction to it so I discontinued it. Was even jocking it too. It was a slight tilt towards lesser-played oldies (still mostly the hits tho) than what was heard then on WODS. -and concentrated on 1955-66.
2) - CAS-type folk music on a weekend day? The thought has crossed my mind too, I know I would highly disappoint the existing sizable audience. In the wintertime, WJIB's high-power broadcast day (if one can call 250 watts 'high power') is only 7 hours long! (Radio France still has the 7-9 AM slot on weeekdays), therefore weekend time is precious in continuing the format 7 days a week. - Actually, I did (5 weeks ago), start to play ALL big bands and crooners 12 noon to 12 midnight on Sundays, and that has gone over well. On folk, and the CAS-days... I'm afraid those days are over. Folk music doesn't have the impetus it once had, and nowadays, most folk followers have already found their listening pleasure on the internet or maybe even satellite radio, and AM radio to them has left them behind a long time ago. Besides, isn't WUMB still doing folk?
3) - On yes.com. Yes, it does list WJIB's songs as played on the station.... but only about 1/3rd of them. It doesn't know a lot of the songs I play, therefore the average hour only shows about 6 or 7 songs played.
4) - WJIB: is sticking with the standards. AM radio is an old friend to its audience; a perfect fit for this quite elegant sound. If you haven't heard WJIB recently, the formula is about 4 or 5 instrumentals per hour (no sleepy Mantovani's) and the other 15-or-so songs in the hour are standards-oriented vocals...but that too include 30+ Beatles songs.
I am also wondering WHY there is no successful "1955-65 oriented oldies station" (on AM or FM). Likely because, if one takes away the standards and the half-way-between standards-and-rock, and all you have left is the early R&B and the rock, it just wasn't very good music-- which is why, I think, there is no successful 50's oriented oldies station anywhere. What do YOU think?
To answer a few questions about 740......
1) - Yes, I did rock-oriented oldies a few years back on Sunday afternoons... did it for 12 weeks straight... not too much reaction to it so I discontinued it. Was even jocking it too. It was a slight tilt towards lesser-played oldies (still mostly the hits tho) than what was heard then on WODS. -and concentrated on 1955-66.
2) - CAS-type folk music on a weekend day? The thought has crossed my mind too, I know I would highly disappoint the existing sizable audience. In the wintertime, WJIB's high-power broadcast day (if one can call 250 watts 'high power') is only 7 hours long! (Radio France still has the 7-9 AM slot on weeekdays), therefore weekend time is precious in continuing the format 7 days a week. - Actually, I did (5 weeks ago), start to play ALL big bands and crooners 12 noon to 12 midnight on Sundays, and that has gone over well. On folk, and the CAS-days... I'm afraid those days are over. Folk music doesn't have the impetus it once had, and nowadays, most folk followers have already found their listening pleasure on the internet or maybe even satellite radio, and AM radio to them has left them behind a long time ago. Besides, isn't WUMB still doing folk?
3) - On yes.com. Yes, it does list WJIB's songs as played on the station.... but only about 1/3rd of them. It doesn't know a lot of the songs I play, therefore the average hour only shows about 6 or 7 songs played.
4) - WJIB: is sticking with the standards. AM radio is an old friend to its audience; a perfect fit for this quite elegant sound. If you haven't heard WJIB recently, the formula is about 4 or 5 instrumentals per hour (no sleepy Mantovani's) and the other 15-or-so songs in the hour are standards-oriented vocals...but that too include 30+ Beatles songs.
I am also wondering WHY there is no successful "1955-65 oriented oldies station" (on AM or FM). Likely because, if one takes away the standards and the half-way-between standards-and-rock, and all you have left is the early R&B and the rock, it just wasn't very good music-- which is why, I think, there is no successful 50's oriented oldies station anywhere. What do YOU think?
Re: WJIB's Playlist: Rock Oldies, Folk, Streaming....
Another factor is that once you take away the standards & semi-standards, you've narrowed the potential playlist considerably. Many fans of the music of that era don't especially like British invasion rock either, so that eliminates a lot of the big hits post-1963 too. In order to get beyond a 100 (if that) song playlist you need to play a lot of stiffs and mid-charting stuff to fill it out...and do you really want to bring back a bunch of songs that weren't even all that popular in their day?
Then there's doo-wop...rather polarizing music...either you love it or loathe it.
JIBGUY said:I am also wondering WHY there is no successful "1955-65 oriented oldies station" (on AM or FM). Likely because, if one takes away the standards and the half-way-between standards-and-rock, and all you have left is the early R&B and the rock, it just wasn't very good music-- which is why, I think, there is no successful 50's oriented oldies station anywhere. What do YOU think?
Another factor is that once you take away the standards & semi-standards, you've narrowed the potential playlist considerably. Many fans of the music of that era don't especially like British invasion rock either, so that eliminates a lot of the big hits post-1963 too. In order to get beyond a 100 (if that) song playlist you need to play a lot of stiffs and mid-charting stuff to fill it out...and do you really want to bring back a bunch of songs that weren't even all that popular in their day?
Then there's doo-wop...rather polarizing music...either you love it or loathe it.
Re: WJIB's Playlist: Rock Oldies, Folk, Streaming....
Yes, during their live hours from 6 AM until 7 PM weeknights, 9 PM Fridays, and midnight Saturdays. Weeknight evenings and other non-live times are syndicated NPR/PRI music shows, some of which are folk, and some are eclectic AAA shows such as "World Cafe". Their strictly formatted weekday live folk programming doesn't approach the wonderful, spontaneous and upbeat blend of folk, folk-rock and other compatible styles that WCAS had, but I'm sure that their established tradition would prevent the success of a competitor nowadays, especially on AM.
There's also the factor that the bean counters want younger demos, and most of the audience for pre-1965 oldies are in their 50's, 60's and older by now.
So is most of 'UMB's audience, but a public non-comm depends more on loyal listener donations than selling spots (underwriting) to sponsors who may want younger clients.
JIBGUY said:On folk, and the CAS-days... I'm afraid those days are over. Folk music doesn't have the impetus it once had, and nowadays, most folk followers have already found their listening pleasure on the internet or maybe even satellite radio, and AM radio to them has left them behind a long time ago. Besides, isn't WUMB still doing folk?
Yes, during their live hours from 6 AM until 7 PM weeknights, 9 PM Fridays, and midnight Saturdays. Weeknight evenings and other non-live times are syndicated NPR/PRI music shows, some of which are folk, and some are eclectic AAA shows such as "World Cafe". Their strictly formatted weekday live folk programming doesn't approach the wonderful, spontaneous and upbeat blend of folk, folk-rock and other compatible styles that WCAS had, but I'm sure that their established tradition would prevent the success of a competitor nowadays, especially on AM.
JIBGUY said:I am also wondering WHY there is no successful "1955-65 oriented oldies station" (on AM or FM). Likely because, if one takes away the standards and the half-way-between standards-and-rock, and all you have left is the early R&B and the rock, it just wasn't very good music-- which is why, I think, there is no successful 50's oriented oldies station anywhere. What do YOU think?
There's also the factor that the bean counters want younger demos, and most of the audience for pre-1965 oldies are in their 50's, 60's and older by now.
So is most of 'UMB's audience, but a public non-comm depends more on loyal listener donations than selling spots (underwriting) to sponsors who may want younger clients.
Re: WJIB's Playlist: Rock Oldies, Folk, Streaming....
(Accidental duplicate post deleted)
(Accidental duplicate post deleted)
Yes, it is tough to do a 24/7 pre-Beatle era oldies format without standards.
First of all, if you look at the charts from back then, they were not really rock and roll dominated until about 1959.
The music which seems to stand the test of time from that era is the R & B crossover stuff (Little Richard, Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, Fats Domnio, etc and--later--the Motown and Atlantic material ). As far as white rock and roll goes, Elvis (of course), Jerry Lee Lewis, Everly Brothers, Roy Orbison and maybe a handful of other acts stand the test of time. The rest of the charts were populated with Connie Francis, Fabian, Frankie Avalon, Bobby Rydell, Chubby Checker, Bobby Vee, Ricky Nelson and other sort of manufactured "teen acts" who might have been entertaining in their day, but hardly of general interest today even to those who lived through the era. Plus those acts generally have no interest from rock aficionados, since they were more "entertainers" than true rock and rollers or innovators.
And yes, there seems to be a line drawn with the Beatles (and other British acts) along with the heavier, trippier stuff of 1966 on, that seems to turn off many "first gen" rock and rollers (I like both, but am sort of unusual).
So, I can see a "pure" 1955-1963 rock and roll oldies weekly program (which includes do-wop and rockabilly) but to do a pre-Beatle format 24/7 you need the other chart stuff of the era (like standard acts, novelty songs, etc) or else you'll be playing the same 100 tracks every day.
By the way, everyone is dropping the "traditional" 50s-60s golden oldies format. Even AM stations like WPEN in Philly, and the 1690 AM in Chicago have changed format. When AMs start to back off, you know that the format is destined to be weekly specialty presentations rather than full-up formats.
First of all, if you look at the charts from back then, they were not really rock and roll dominated until about 1959.
The music which seems to stand the test of time from that era is the R & B crossover stuff (Little Richard, Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, Fats Domnio, etc and--later--the Motown and Atlantic material ). As far as white rock and roll goes, Elvis (of course), Jerry Lee Lewis, Everly Brothers, Roy Orbison and maybe a handful of other acts stand the test of time. The rest of the charts were populated with Connie Francis, Fabian, Frankie Avalon, Bobby Rydell, Chubby Checker, Bobby Vee, Ricky Nelson and other sort of manufactured "teen acts" who might have been entertaining in their day, but hardly of general interest today even to those who lived through the era. Plus those acts generally have no interest from rock aficionados, since they were more "entertainers" than true rock and rollers or innovators.
And yes, there seems to be a line drawn with the Beatles (and other British acts) along with the heavier, trippier stuff of 1966 on, that seems to turn off many "first gen" rock and rollers (I like both, but am sort of unusual).
So, I can see a "pure" 1955-1963 rock and roll oldies weekly program (which includes do-wop and rockabilly) but to do a pre-Beatle format 24/7 you need the other chart stuff of the era (like standard acts, novelty songs, etc) or else you'll be playing the same 100 tracks every day.
By the way, everyone is dropping the "traditional" 50s-60s golden oldies format. Even AM stations like WPEN in Philly, and the 1690 AM in Chicago have changed format. When AMs start to back off, you know that the format is destined to be weekly specialty presentations rather than full-up formats.
R
RockyWShore
Guest
I have an aircheck or two of WJIB 740 Boston recorded in AM Stereo in my collection. One was recorded while in my hometown of Lowell, and the other was recorded while parked at the WJIB Antenna tower in Cambridge. Used a Sony SRF-A1 patched into a Sony Mini Disc recorder. The Lowell aircheck was recorded in July 2002. The other aircheck was recorded during January 2003 (or 2004). Bob, do you recall which year was it when we met during one of my visits home to Massachusetts? I think I recorded the second aircheck shortly after our visit.
I also have a sample of 1090 WILD in AM Stereo in July 2002.
I am happy to duplicate/trade the airchecks for those interested. I know I have the Lowell-made airchecks handy and the tower; I'll have to hunt it down in my extensive collection. When I moved into my present home, that great aircheck-sorting project keeps getting postponed.
Rocky W. Shore (Ron G.)
[email protected]
WFBO-LP 93.3 "Flagler's Blizzard of Oldies"
Flagler Beach, FL
I also have a sample of 1090 WILD in AM Stereo in July 2002.
I am happy to duplicate/trade the airchecks for those interested. I know I have the Lowell-made airchecks handy and the tower; I'll have to hunt it down in my extensive collection. When I moved into my present home, that great aircheck-sorting project keeps getting postponed.
Rocky W. Shore (Ron G.)
[email protected]
WFBO-LP 93.3 "Flagler's Blizzard of Oldies"
Flagler Beach, FL
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