WMGK (We're Marketing God-awful Krap)

[musicrrrr]

Since today's topic is Rock music, (tomorrow's topic will be rap, then back to rock, then rap, then rock, then rap, then rock, then rap, etc...) I thought I would mention something I've observed by listening by accident while channel surfing.

Years ago, WMGK billed themselves as a Classic Hits Station, and now it is a "Classic Rock" station. But I haven't seen any noticeable difference in the playlist. Has WMGK changed the defintion of Classic Rock, or is it a brilliant hoax on their part to make the public BELIEVE they are playing Classic Rock exclusively in order to gain more listeners?

If people "perceive" they are listening to an all Classic Rock station, then in their minds they are...perception = reality.

Another example, when WOGL dropped doowop and the like in the 90's but continued to call themselves Oldies 98, the older audience continued to listen because..."they are an oldies station, so they HAVE to play Danny & The Juniors and The Big Bopper sometime today."

It was a brilliant hoax that lasted for quite a while in order to have the best of both worlds on their part...an emerging younger audience in order to easily sell time on the station combined with the older listeners for continued success in the ratings while they tweaked their format.

Wow! What a concept! If only ALL the stations were this smart.

 

[Jim_Hicks]

It's really a very simple concept. If people like what they are listening to, who cares what you call yourself? And to most people these days, WMGK is the Philly Oldies station. Their music is what 40+ people call oldies. I have been amazed at the number of people who have made the comment to me in recent months.

As to WOGL. When the oldies format picked up steam in the early 70's, the music was 1954/55 to around 63. In the early 70's it evolved to 1954/55 to 1969. The plan of oldies programmers then was to advance a year each year. When 1973 advanced to 1974, you would drop 1954 and "Earth Angel" and move the play list to 1955 to 1970. The next year would be 1956-1971. And so on. Oldies were never met to be stuck in the mid 50's. In fact, oldies stations in the 70's found that most listeners really did not the 50's music. They wanted early 60's, including pop as well as real R&R. Then heavy metal, disco, etc. came along and the game plan of simply advancing a year would no longer work. Many oldies stations died until the format returned with a gusto in the later 80's.

When WCBS-FM went to Jack, Imus said the next day "Hey, you can't play 'In the Still of the Night' forever." And he's right. The kids who were 14 in 1954 are now 65. You have to move with the times.



> Since today's topic is Rock music, (tomorrow's topic will be
> rap, then back to rock, then rap, then rock, then rap, then
> rock, then rap, etc...) I thought I would mention something
> I've observed by listening by accident while channel
> surfing.
>
> Years ago, WMGK billed themselves as a Classic Hits Station,
> and now it is a "Classic Rock" station. But I haven't seen
> any noticeable difference in the playlist. Has WMGK changed
> the defintion of Classic Rock, or is it a brilliant hoax on
> their part to make the public BELIEVE they are playing
> Classic Rock exclusively in order to gain more listeners?
>
> If people "perceive" they are listening to an all Classic
> Rock station, then in their minds they are...perception =
> reality.
>
> Another example, when WOGL dropped doowop and the like in
> the 90's but continued to call themselves Oldies 98, the
> older audience continued to listen because..."they are an
> oldies station, so they HAVE to play Danny & The Juniors and
> The Big Bopper sometime today."
>
> It was a brilliant hoax that lasted for quite a while in
> order to have the best of both worlds on their part...an
> emerging younger audience in order to easily sell time on
> the station combined with the older listeners for continued
> success in the ratings while they tweaked their format.
>
> Wow! What a concept! If only ALL the stations were this
> smart.
>

 

[deepstblu]

> Years ago, WMGK billed themselves as a Classic Hits Station,
> and now it is a "Classic Rock" station. But I haven't seen
> any noticeable difference in the playlist. Has WMGK changed
> the defintion of Classic Rock, or is it a brilliant hoax on
> their part to make the public BELIEVE they are playing
> Classic Rock exclusively in order to gain more listeners?

They used to have songs by people like Jim Croce and Gordon Lightfoot in the mix, and I haven't heard anything like that on MGK in a long time. But I do think they take a lighter approach than WYSP did when they were classic rock.

 

[Wil]

>> They used to have songs by people like Jim Croce and Gordon
> Lightfoot in the mix, and I haven't heard anything like that
> on MGK in a long time. But I do think they take a lighter
> approach than WYSP did when they were classic rock.
>

They also played more Beatles and even some Bee Gees songs when they were "Classic Hits". As Classic Rock, you rarely hear Beatles songs (unless its Sunday and Andre Gardner is on), and they don't go anywhere near the Bee Gees.

 

[qtpieislit]

> It's really a very simple concept. If people like what they
> are listening to, who cares what you call yourself? And to
> most people these days, WMGK is the Philly Oldies station.
> Their music is what 40+ people call oldies. I have been
> amazed at the number of people who have made the comment to
> me in recent months.
>
> As to WOGL. When the oldies format picked up steam in the
> early 70's, the music was 1954/55 to around 63. In the
> early 70's it evolved to 1954/55 to 1969. The plan of
> oldies programmers then was to advance a year each year.
> When 1973 advanced to 1974, you would drop 1954 and "Earth
> Angel" and move the play list to 1955 to 1970. The next
> year would be 1956-1971. And so on. Oldies were never met
> to be stuck in the mid 50's. In fact, oldies stations in the
> 70's found that most listeners really did not the 50's
> music. They wanted early 60's, including pop as well as
> real R&R. Then heavy metal, disco, etc. came along and the
> game plan of simply advancing a year would no longer work.
> Many oldies stations died until the format returned with a
> gusto in the later 80's.
>
> When WCBS-FM went to Jack, Imus said the next day "Hey, you
> can't play 'In the Still of the Night' forever." And he's
> right. The kids who were 14 in 1954 are now 65. You have
> to move with the times.
>




All right, all my cool baby sitters, foot stompers, and finger poppers. I think it's time for today's pop aptitude test. ..Now then, when we "hear" the word "oldies", what does that tell the generally normal thinking non hearing impaired brain? Oldies=70 no. Oldies=classic rock? no. When you talk to the average oldies affectionado, oldies, generally, should be all inclusive of, and encompass the full conceptual meaning of the word, which unless you are of half a mind, you probably would, and correct me if I'm wrong, require, and desire, the full book of knowledge, and all it's compliments.
Now regrettably, with today's federal communication act of 1776, being the general rule of thumb, the prevailing monolith monopolistic radio corporations of America, feel that they can bend, shape and spoil the true meaning of these complete catalogue words, while, you, the captivated radio audience, are hyped completely out of existence. Because a closer examination of these entities will find a complete lack of capacity to implement a successful format, that is regarded by the conceptual handle, and term, "oldies".
When Don Imus, said that WCBS-FM, can't play 'in the still of the night' forever, they are right. That's why they crashed that format. By playing the wrong material, you see, they invariably lost their compass.
But does that stop the installed corporate psychology. Not at their company.
One night last November, before Hy's departure from WOGL, I was driving him home from the station, this particular Sunday night, and we were listening to the Harvey Holiday audio insert show, when we heard Harv introduce "the all time greatest oldie. This" he said as he played 'in the still of the night'" is the song to end all songs". And in a way, he was right. And as I was about to throw up, I remarked to my father, it's time you get the hell out of there.

 

[Jim_Hicks]

Its really kind of odd. When someone of my generation thinks oldies, it is "In The Still of the Night". I was born in 1951 and still love that song (I think it is the best oldie ever), along with Earth Angel, the Platters, etc. My wife was born 7 years later and hates all of that music. She starts at the 4 Seasons, Herman's Hermits, etc. Its amazing what difference a few years of age can make.

> > It's really a very simple concept. If people like what
> they
> > are listening to, who cares what you call yourself? And
> to
> > most people these days, WMGK is the Philly Oldies station.
>
> > Their music is what 40+ people call oldies. I have been
> > amazed at the number of people who have made the comment
> to
> > me in recent months.
> >
> > As to WOGL. When the oldies format picked up steam in the
>
> > early 70's, the music was 1954/55 to around 63. In the
> > early 70's it evolved to 1954/55 to 1969. The plan of
> > oldies programmers then was to advance a year each year.
> > When 1973 advanced to 1974, you would drop 1954 and "Earth
>
> > Angel" and move the play list to 1955 to 1970. The next
> > year would be 1956-1971. And so on. Oldies were never
> met
> > to be stuck in the mid 50's. In fact, oldies stations in
> the
> > 70's found that most listeners really did not the 50's
> > music. They wanted early 60's, including pop as well as
> > real R&R. Then heavy metal, disco, etc. came along and
> the
> > game plan of simply advancing a year would no longer work.
>
> > Many oldies stations died until the format returned with a
>
> > gusto in the later 80's.
> >
> > When WCBS-FM went to Jack, Imus said the next day "Hey,
> you
> > can't play 'In the Still of the Night' forever." And he's
>
> > right. The kids who were 14 in 1954 are now 65. You have
>
> > to move with the times.
> >
>
>
>
>
> All right, all my cool baby sitters, foot stompers, and
> finger poppers. I think it's time for today's pop aptitude
> test. ..Now then, when we "hear" the word "oldies", what
> does that tell the generally normal thinking non hearing
> impaired brain? Oldies=70 no. Oldies=classic rock? no. When
> you talk to the average oldies affectionado, oldies,
> generally, should be all inclusive of, and encompass the
> full conceptual meaning of the word, which unless you are of
> half a mind, you probably would, and correct me if I'm
> wrong, require, and desire, the full book of knowledge, and
> all it's compliments.
> Now regrettably, with today's federal communication act
> of 1776, being the general rule of thumb, the prevailing
> monolith monopolistic radio corporations of America, feel
> that they can bend, shape and spoil the true meaning of
> these complete catalogue words, while, you, the captivated
> radio audience, are hyped completely out of existence.
> Because a closer examination of these entities will find a
> complete lack of capacity to implement a successful format,
> that is regarded by the conceptual handle, and term,
> "oldies".
> When Don Imus, said that WCBS-FM, can't play 'in the
> still of the night' forever, they are right. That's why they
> crashed that format. By playing the wrong material, you see,
> they invariably lost their compass.
> But does that stop the installed corporate psychology.
> Not at their company.
> One night last November, before Hy's departure from WOGL, I
> was driving him home from the station, this particular
> Sunday night, and we were listening to the Harvey Holiday
> audio insert show, when we heard Harv introduce "the all
> time greatest oldie. This" he said as he played 'in the
> still of the night'" is the song to end all songs". And in a
> way, he was right. And as I was about to throw up, I
> remarked to my father, it's time you get the hell out of
> there.
>

 

[OldNumber7]

There's an old rule in business that rules modern radio programming -- never overestimate the collective wisdom of the many customers you are trying to reach. In other words, market to the least common denominator. A familiar example is "smooth jazz;" the jazz purists know a lot of it isn't really jazz, but it's a format that plays music that many people in the target demo often call "jazzy."

It's sort of the same thing with "classic hits" and "classic rock." MGK switched the label and dropped some of the pop crossovers largely to prevent anyone else from grabbing the "rock" positioning, but also because even the softer stuff they already had been playing was regarded by many in the target demo (esp. females) as "rock."
The station doesn't want to play the kind of rock that rock purists like (e.g. the classic rock that REALLY rocks) but they don't want any other station to play it, either. Just like with Smooth Jazz, many of the rock purists will listen to MGK because there is no place else to go.---- But they better not find out about Sirius: Five different classic rock stations, including The Vault (very deep tracks) and Buzzsaw (C.R.T.R.R!),