WKLU

[radioho]

this whole thing about being FORMER employees is tired and old guys. I AM NOT A FORMER EMPLOYEE!!!!!!!!!! I am NOT JEALOUS!!!!!

would I love to have the money to buy a station - YES. Would I buy it in Indy - NO!

My point on KLU is I read where the owner has spent thousands on Listening groups (whatever they're called) to sit there and tell him that FREEBIRD is a desired song, along with SWEET HOME ALABAMA --- why do you have to pay for that info, and with all that - he still comes up with a boring, tired rock format.

you have all said yourselves he is just building the station to sell it off - it's OBVIOUS he doesn't care about the music - just make it generic, then SELL SELL SELL!

I have a right to complain about local radio, even if I have NOT been employed here. I have no problem with PROFIT either. But I can still complain about the product. More power to Quinn for being able to do what he wants - wish I could too. But I can still say what I think - that's what this board is for.

If youwant a PROFESSIONAL FORUM where everyone is accountable for who they are and what they say - THIS ISN'T THAT PLACE!

 

[Ur-A-Dawg]

Bruce Quinn owned WKLU perhaps 15 years before he sold it for health problems. I wouldn't
say that's building them for a quick sale. That's a long time and more than half my age.
Wouldn't say I would have liked Quinn's classic rock on WKLU either. I don't care for my
dads old music.

 

[radioho]

Bruce Quinn owned WKLU perhaps 15 years before he sold it for health problems. I wouldn't
say that's building them for a quick sale. That's a long time and more than half my age.
Wouldn't say I would have liked Quinn's classic rock on WKLU either. I don't care for my
dads old music.

to clarify, the "quick sale" was referring to the NEW klu 101.9 - 101.9! (get it in there twice)

 

[moderator7]

Some posts have been moved to Take It Outside.

http://www.radio-info.com/smf/index.php?topic=64993.0

 

[flashback]

Why do you WKLU haters devote all this energy to a station that you seem to despise ??? I don't like country music, but I wouldn't start a thread spouting that WFMS sucks. I just wouldn't listen to the station. Howard Stern and Bob and Tom have become boring porodies of themselves. But what should I care?? I just don't listen to them. If you don't like the station just turn the dial. You won't be missed ;D

it is very legitimate if the criticism is from one who liked the sound at one time and doesn`t like it after changes. as someone pointed out to me if you listen to a station for a while and get to really like it it becomes an important part of your life. when a format change takes away what you liked about it it makes you feel betrayed.

 

[pot-up-the-bird]

Cry Me a River!!!! The station van needs washed. Get on it dude!!! What happened to my friend Jay Baker?

 

[mouseman]

I am really just an observer in this whole KLU-bashing thread, so it matters not one way or the other to me.

However, Oldskool, I'm having trouble documenting your information regarding the station's prowess in core demo ratings.

According to Summer 07 ratings, KLU is 12th A25-54 M-Su6a-12m.
The station's 10th in M25-54, 12th W25-54.
The station's 14th in mornings, 11th middays, 11 afternoons is Adult demo.

It was time to "tweak" the station. Positioning itself just a bit older than Q and JJK might help it get out of the way of the deeper pocket owners, and gain a bit of audience back playing slightly "older" rock cuts. I like hearing stuff I haven't heard for a long time in the rotation; CCR, the Byrds, Three Dog Night, etc.

 

[ten_four]

I live outside the area, so I don't hear KLU that often. I listened Saturday night on a trip to Indy and thought the oldies music mix was kind of like WNAP in their heyday in the 70s. (not the same music, but the same types of music in the mix.) There was a woman on the air occasionally selling the music and giving a weather forecast. I had heard 101.9 the Saturday before on a trip home from Cincinnati with Jay Baker passing along tidbits about the music as the intros played. Sounded voice tracked then. The music also sounded like it had been pitched up. Not so under this past weekend.

 

[bigtime]

So before long things will be so fragmented people will only listen to the songs they
write and perform themselves. And they'll listen on their very own cell phone or MP3 player only.

 

[DrDru]

So before long things will be so fragmented people will only listen to the songs they
write and perform themselves. And they'll listen on their very own cell phone or MP3 player only

It'd still be better than WKLU's current format...

 

[flashback]

I live outside the area, so I don't hear KLU that often. I listened Saturday night on a trip to Indy and thought the oldies music mix was kind of like WNAP in their heyday in the 70s. (not the same music, but the same types of music in the mix.) There was a woman on the air occasionally selling the music and giving a weather forecast. I had heard 101.9 the Saturday before on a trip home from Cincinnati with Jay Baker passing along tidbits about the music as the intros played. Sounded voice tracked then. The music also sounded like it had been pitched up. Not so under this past weekend.

except wklu now doesn`t get into the album tracks wnap did in its 70`s hayday.that is what I miss on wklu now.it is only a small step above the way it sounded when russ took over.

 

[Steppenwolf]

I've been listening to WKLU this week and for the first time since the new owner bought the station, I think it sounds great. Too many people on this board want to compare the station to the DJs & stations that were popular in Indy during the '60s & '70s when the town was known as Indianoplace. The top-40 station that set the mark for entertainment and which music groups and artists were to be played was WLS, Chicago. For those of you who grew up in Indy, sure, WNAP meant something. But this city started growing tremedously in the early '80s and the growth in population is primarily from people who did not grow up here.

WKLU is now playing a very wide variety of pop-oriented oldies. This week I've heard Chicago, Three Dog Night, Neil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline" which is going to draw female listeners...lots of great songs that I heard during my high school and college years that aren't strictly confined to the rock genre.

It's difficult to come up with drop-ins and slogans, espcecially with this format. That's my only critcism. They need some new creative drop-in IDs.

 

[mobilene]

The staff needs a little time to get comfy with the format so they can deliver it more smoothly, I think. Also, it's like the station wants to have one foot in traditional oldies and the other in rock hits, which makes for awkward transitions -- Bob Seger to the Supremes, for example. I think they need to trim some of the extremes out (like Tom Jones, "It's Not Unusual," which I used to play on an adult-standards station for crysake) and set up their music scheduler to move more graciously among the genres.

The "classic hits" WKLU seemed constantly to be refining, and I hope the same happens on the oldies WKLU. If so, this can sound really good.

jim

 

[Steppenwolf]

I think they need to trim some of the extremes out (like Tom Jones, "It's Not Unusual," which I used to play on an adult-standards station for crysake) and set up their music scheduler to move more graciously among the genres.

jim

Leave Tom Jones' "It's Not Unusual" in there...what a great song! You're right about the segue being a HUGE factor. Can't imagine seguing from It's Not Unusual into a slow James Taylor cut.

 

[Timewarp]

In 1974, they thought you were a dork if you liked Tom Jones. But, today he is seen as one of
the great singers. He had super hits. People remember him. I wouldn't be afraid to play him
after James Taylor, and Elton John after that.

This station sounds good! Both technically and musically. Good luck!

 

[a1avet]

Also, it's like the station wants to have one foot in traditional oldies and the other in rock hits, which makes for awkward transitions -- Bob Seger to the Supremes, for example. I think they need to trim some of the extremes out (like Tom Jones, "It's Not Unusual," which I used to play on an adult-standards station for crysake) and set up their music scheduler to move more graciously among the genres.

Alas, but that would require someone in the building that actually knows how to set up and use Selector... :'(

 

[flashback]

I've been listening to WKLU this week and for the first time since the new owner bought the station, I think it sounds great. Too many people on this board want to compare the station to the DJs & stations that were popular in Indy during the '60s & '70s when the town was known as Indianoplace. The top-40 station that set the mark for entertainment and which music groups and artists were to be played was WLS, Chicago. For those of you who grew up in Indy, sure, WNAP meant something. But this city started growing tremedously in the early '80s and the growth in population is primarily from people who did not grow up here.

WKLU is now playing a very wide variety of pop-oriented oldies. This week I've heard Chicago, Three Dog Night, Neil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline" which is going to draw female listeners...lots of great songs that I heard during my high school and college years that aren't strictly confined to the rock genre.

It's difficult to come up with drop-ins and slogans, espcecially with this format. That's my only critcism. They need some new creative drop-in IDs.

those "pop orented oldies" are the ones that I find it hard to take.there is no good station that plays album rock now. even under russ`s watch it developed into one. a good one at that. not as good as quinns sound,but good.

that is a big vaccum in indianapolis radio.jack -fm is ok but lacking. wfbq. forget it. I don`t know how it stays on top with it`s limited playlist.

indianapolis could use a good oldies station with a good signal. too bad it was wklu not another station that changed.

 

[EStreeter]

The term "good album rock" is all relevant Rich. Album rock is a person by person thing because if the person doesn't like that album, they aren't going to like the deeper cuts. Having been there under both owners its a very fine line that neither was able to master. Bruce had a great idea but I think went a little too deep (of course Bruce freely admitted he wasn't trying to be the most popular station in town just play what he wanted to play). Russ had a good idea at the start and then tried to be too many things to too many people.

I totally agree that an album rock station could be a ratings winner if done correctly. If you had someone who knew the music in depth like Jay Baker that could mold the type of deep gems Bruce had in with the more traditional "hits" that aren't completely worn out you would have a winner. But it would take someone like Jay that not only knows the songs to find but the audience the station is appealing too. That sort of setlist, accompanied with some strong personality radio would be a huge hit in this market. But that also involves taking a chance and I don't see any stations in this city willing to do that. Bruce wasn't that far off from being a huge hit. And if that format came back a little more reigned in, you might be surprised at the results.

 

[flashback]

The term "good album rock" is all relevant Rich. Album rock is a person by person thing because if the person doesn't like that album, they aren't going to like the deeper cuts. Having been there under both owners its a very fine line that neither was able to master. Bruce had a great idea but I think went a little too deep (of course Bruce freely admitted he wasn't trying to be the most popular station in town just play what he wanted to play). Russ had a good idea at the start and then tried to be too many things to too many people.

I totally agree that an album rock station could be a ratings winner if done correctly. If you had someone who knew the music in depth like Jay Baker that could mold the type of deep gems Bruce had in with the more traditional "hits" that aren't completely worn out you would have a winner. But it would take someone like Jay that not only knows the songs to find but the audience the station is appealing too. That sort of setlist, accompanied with some strong personality radio would be a huge hit in this market. But that also involves taking a chance and I don't see any stations in this city willing to do that. Bruce wasn't that far off from being a huge hit. And if that format came back a little more reigned in, you might be surprised at the results.

the funny thing was , with me I did not really care for what russ did in the beginning but liked how it evolved.till he went to oldies 101.9 that is.

my opinions are probally diffrent then most of you. I never worked in radio but have listened to radio since I was a kid in the late 50`s.I am aware of what I listen to now but also remember what I liked in the day,thus seeing how radio today in general is not as good to my view as it was in the past.that is why I liked quinns wklu so much.I still remember calling in a request for jefferson airplane`s "volenteers of america" the first day of "cool 101.9 " and getting it played in quick time.

I may not be in the business but I am one of the listeners that stations want to get to listen.

 

[N_D_Radioguy]

I was a kid in the late 50`s...

I may not be in the business but I am one of the listeners that stations want to get to listen.

No offense but, no, you're not.

If indeed you were a kid in the late 50s, that puts your current age at or very near the magic number of 55. That's when you stop being viable as a radio listener. You may be a wonderful guy. You may have a butt-load of disposable income. You may still be a pliable consumer. Unfortunately, Madison Avenue doesn't think so -- and there seems to be no convincing otherwise. Unless and until ad agencies are interested in pursuing listeners 55+, your listenership isn't relevant.

That's not a knock on you personally and if you yelled and screamed about what I described above as unfair and shortsighted, I wouldn't disagree with you. But it is the state of radio and it doesn't appear that will change anytime soon.