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WMID Interrupting The Music

J

John1

I used to enjoy listening to WMID from Atlantic City via. tunein radio but at some point I tuned in & they were running Limbaugh instead of the classic oldies. I'm assuming this is on the over the air signal too? No mention of this show on their website. It is a real interruption to such a music-intensive oldies format. With other all-conservative talk stations in town like 1020 & 1450, & two oldies competitors on FM that listeners can tune away to, why are they interrupting the music for a program they don't even promote as being on the station? Is this something the owners 'force' them to carry? I would think the WMID classic oldies would be a great 'feel good' background station for a lot of businesses, but not with 3 hours middays interrupted for talk that would not be good general background for a shop or restaurant.
 
A lot of small oldies stations carry at least one syndicated show to offset the costs of playing music from 50 years ago since most advertisers don't want to sell to that demo. Imus is syndicated on many such stations to help cover costs so it's not surprising to hear that WMID is doing the same thing.

Even if WMID only plays that music for 21 hours a day instead of 24, the listeners are still lucky to have the station.
 
In my opinion, there's no benefit in airing Limbaugh or any nationally syndicated talk show on a music station. In airing Limbaugh, the station owners have to pay a hefty price for the rights to broadcast the program which can be heard on a plethora of stations.

A better move would be to broadcast a nationally syndicated music program that matches the taste of the station's listening audience.

To broadcast Limbaugh on a oldies music station is like temporarily switching to rock on an urban rhythmic station. They don't mix. :)
 
I'd prefer continuity over a little extra revenue...in a market like the shore with so many little boardwalk & side street shops, offices & small restaurants the 'good time oldies' of the WMID playlist with no jocks & few commericals would make ideal background music, but any talk show would not, especially the 'love it or hate it' kind. So instead when the shop owner hear extended talk they tune to WIBG-FM or WTKU for 'oldies' & never tune back.
 
WMID airs Rush because it gets ratings. If you get a chance to look at the last ratings book, check out middays Mon-Fri. It was the most listened to daypart at WMID. Love it or hate it, it helped them as far as Arbitron is concerned. A side benefit for them is that it limited WOND's all over numbers.

Is it good radio? Hmmmm. Define good....
 
Dear RE-20,

Regarding radio, I would equate the word good with being "consistent" during the dayparts.

I'm surprised their listenership grows during the afternoon as I suspect they lose most of their music loving audience to another station. It is possible they already lost them a long time ago by chopping up their format.

I would still believe overall numbers would grow and WMID listeners would be much more satisfied if the owner chose to broadcast music 24/7. Am I correct in this assertion? I don't even think Goat Rodeo Cowboy knows the answer. :D
 
It just doesn't make sense. Are the ratings Rush brings in worth it to interrupt their regular format?
You turn to WMID expecting oldies and there is three hour talk block in the middle of the day. It is
like going to McDonalds expecting a Big Mac and Fries and for a few hours a day they are selling fried chicken instead of burgers.

As other posters have stated, the Jersey shore, especially during the warmer weather is the ideal place for a soundtrack of "feel good" music. Of course, many remaining AM music stations run sporting events, so that too is an interruption of the music, but that's usually at night or weekend afternoons,so it is not as jarring as having a three hour talk show in the middle of a weekday.
 
It's AM, in 2013. If it makes money, and doesn't blow your audience away, do it.
 
What can you expect from that company. They been inconsistent for years with their stations. I would love to see a new company take over so we can see something new with their stations.
 
I meant that sarcastically. Gary is a smart businessman (remember, this is a business and the goal is to make money). WMID got a ratings boost with Rush. The midday outperformed all other dayparts by a WIDE margin. I'm sure he is making money off the move. After all, he has to pay for Rush - no barter on this one.

I don't believe that Gary is as concerned with programming continuity as he is with turning a profit. There are other AMs around the country who are doing similar things. Such is the stuff of AM radio in 2013.
 
WMID doesn't have a news service, so at Rush's 1:00 and 2:00 breaks they play a couple of songs. Music interrupting talk interrupting music.
 
He sucks for listeners. Nobody wants a political talk show on a music station, the two don't go together. He doesn't care about WMID listeners. His company got to be the worst in America. His stations have very tight playlist.
 
Or perhaps this is a forbearing of a full out flip to syndie talk to make inroads against WOND? Or, at least flip the stringer signals and break up the 1230/1340 simulcast.
 
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