WMT FM & KDAT Begin Holiday Music 11/7

[mediawatcher]

Two Cedar Rapids based FM stations went to holiday music format yesterday. WMT FM was the first in the day followed by KDAT by mid-day. ZZZZZZZ. Perhaps next year they will start at Labor Day or just leave the programming in place all year round. Good thing we live in a country of choices.

 

[boatermik]

> Two Cedar Rapids based FM stations went to holiday music
> format yesterday. WMT FM was the first in the day followed
> by KDAT by mid-day. ZZZZZZZ. Perhaps next year they will
> start at Labor Day or just leave the programming in place
> all year round. Good thing we live in a country of choices.
>
I can almost hear the knife cutting flesh as they slit their own wrists! Ratings suicide. I hear the complaints ALL OVER town! Three different groups of women (all in target demo) launched the same complaint at various stops in my day. Z102.9 has to be all smiles! Idiots.

 

[DeanSB]

> > Two Cedar Rapids based FM stations went to holiday music
> > format yesterday. WMT FM was the first in the day followed
>
> > by KDAT by mid-day. ZZZZZZZ. Perhaps next year they will
> > start at Labor Day or just leave the programming in place
> > all year round. Good thing we live in a country of
> choices.
> >
> I can almost hear the knife cutting flesh as they slit their
> own wrists! Ratings suicide. I hear the complaints ALL
> OVER town! Three different groups of women (all in target
> demo) launched the same complaint at various stops in my
> day. Z102.9 has to be all smiles! Idiots.


I have to agree.

I think it's still a tad too early to be playing Christmas/Holiday music just yet.

If I ran a station, I would play an Autumn Mix during the months of September, October, and November.

Here is a list of the songs that I would play.

Bear in mind, these songs I'm about to list in this playlist are songs which were popular during the Autumn months of years past.

Some of them were popular in the Springtime, but the sound or melody of those songs make them qualified as songs that fit the "Autumn" sound too!

Liz Phair - Headache
Liz Phair - Supernova
Armand Van Helden - Koochy
Armand Van Helden - Hear My Name
Eurythmics - I Need A Man
Deborah Harry - I Want That Man
Saraya - Back To The Bullet
The Escape Club - 20th Century Fox
Tracy Chapman - Crossroads
The Cult - Edie
The Hooters - Brother Don't Walk Away
The Hooters - Satellite
Rush - Time Stand Still
Yes - Love Will Find A Way
Yes - Walls
Steve Winwood - Valerie
Tiffany - I Think Wo're Alone Now
Debbie Gibson - Shake Your Love
INXS - Need You Tonight/Mediate
INXS - Disappear
ABC - When Smokey Sings
Mr. Mister - Something Real
The Bangles - Hazy Shade Of Winter
The Bangles - Set You Free
Cyndi Lauper - True Colors
Cyndi Lauper - I Drove All Night
Fleetwood Mac - Little Lies
Fleetwood Mac - Everywhere
Wang Chung - Everybody Have Fun Tonight
Wang Chung - Let's Go
Billy Idol - Catch My Fall
Billy Idol - Rebel Yell
Billy Idol - Don't Need A Gun
Honeymoon Suite - I've Got A New Girl Now
Billy Brannigan - Maybe Tonight
Bryan Adams - Run To You
Madonna - Like A Prayer
Madonna - The Power Of Good-Bye
Madonna - Don't Tell Me
One 2 Many - Come Downtown
Vixen - Love Made Me
Boy Meets Girl - Waiting For A Star To Fall
Kim Wilde - You Came
Billy Joel - We Didn't Start The Fire
Paula Abdul - Cold Hearted
New Kids On The Block - Cover Girl
Alice Cooper - Poison
The Beach Boys - California Dreamin'
Cher - Just Like Jesse James
Nenah Cherry - Man-Child
Alias - Tears Don't Put Out The Fire
E'Nuff Z'Nuff - The New Thing
Neil Young - Rockin' In The Free World
Janet Jackson - Rhythm Nation
Diving For Pearls - Give Me Your Good Lovin'
David Bowie - Blue Jean
Scorpions - Send Me An Angel
Stage Dolls - Lorraine
Living Colour - Type
Faith No More - Falling To Pieces
U2 - Even Better Than The Real Thing
U2 - Desire
U2 - Numb
U2 - Lemon
U2 - New Year's Day
U2 - Beautiful Day
U2 - Stuck In A Moment (You Can't Get Out Of)
Ace Of Base - Never Gonna Say I'm Sorry
Ace Of Base - All That She Wants
Boy Krazy - That's What Love Can Do
Patti Scialfa - As Long As I Can Be With You
RTZ - All You've Got
10,000 Maniacs - Because The Night
Boston - I Need Your Love
Boston - What's Your Name?
Deep Blue Something - Breakfast At Tiffany's
Metallica - Enter Sandman
Ozzy Osbourne - No More Tears
Ozzy Osbourne - I Just Want You
Ozzy Osbourne - Perry Mason
Enya - Orinoco Flow (Sail Away)
Enya - River
Enya - Storms In Africa (Parts I and II)
Enya - On Your Shore
Enya - Evening Falls
Enya - Anywhere Is
Kansas - Fight Fire With Fire
Alphaville - Forever Young
Yaz - Situation
Erasure - Chains Of Love
Erasure - Always
Marc Cohn - Silver Thunderbird
Marc Cohn - Walk On Water
Marc Cohn - Strangers In A Car
Live - I Alone
Live - Dolphin's Cry
Live - Simple Creed
Live - Overcome
John Cougar Mellencamp - Dance Naked
Captain Hollywood Project - More And More
Weezer - Undone (The Sweater Song)
Weezer - Buddy Holly
Weezer - El Scorcho
Sass Jordan - Sun's Gonna Rise
Roxette - Sleeping In My Car
Gin Blossoms - Allison Road
Peter Gabriel - Digging In The Dirt
Peter Gabriel - Games Without Frontiers
Snap! - Rhythm Is A Dancer (Radio long version with rap)
Tori Amos - Caught A Light Sneeze
Tori Amos - Silent All These Years
Tori Amos - Winter
French Affair - My Heart Goes Boom
White Zombie - Electric Head Pt. 2: The Ecstacy
Rob Zombie - Dragula
Rob Zombie - Feels So Numb
Def Leppard - Stand Up (Kick Love Into Motion)
Kate Bush - Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)
Kate Bush - Hounds Of Love
Deadeye Dick - New Age Girl
Tamperer & Maya - Feel It
Tamperer & Maya - If You Buy This Record
DJ Rap - Good To Be Alive
Eagle-Eye Cherry - Save Tonight
Wheatus - Teenage Dirtbag
Basement Jaxx - Romeo
Basement Jaxx - Rendez-Vo
No Doubt - Underneath It All
Duran Duran - Too Much Information
Duran Duran - The Violence Of Summer
Duran Duran - Ordinary World
4 Non-Blondes - Spaceman
The Cure - Just Like Heaven
Eels - Novacaine For The Soul
Europe - Cherokee
Europe - Open Your Heart
Godsmack - Serenity
Fatboy Slim - Going Out Of My Head
KMFDM - Megalomaniac
Bjork - Joga
Keith Sweat - Twisted (Sexual Healing Remix)
Alanis Morrisette - Ironic
Our Lady Peace - Superman's Dead
Oasis - Wonderwall
The Original - I Love You Baby
Cornershop - Brimful Of Asha
Alana Davis - 32 Flavors
Fuel - Hemmorhage (In My Hands)
Ludacris - Move
The Verve - Bittersweet Symphony
Led Zeppelin - Over The Hills And Far Away
Linkin Park - Breaking The Habit

The only times I wouldn't play this playlist is during Oktoberfest (when I would play German-ethnic music, as well as music from popular German music artists), or during Halloween (when I'd play scary/Halloween-themed songs).

Otherwise, I would play THIS playlist during November until midnight on the Wednesday night before Thanksgiving.

I wouldn't start playing Christmas/Holiday music until 12:01am on Thanksgiving morning.

DeanSB2004<P ID="signature">______________
Dance Music RULEZ!! </P>

 

[radioDK]

I am speechless...that is truly amazing.... wow! They already flipped to Christmas music. Seriously? Last year, WMT-FM flipped over the day after T-Giving and it worked great for their ratings. This seems a bit early!

> Two Cedar Rapids based FM stations went to holiday music
> format yesterday. WMT FM was the first in the day followed
> by KDAT by mid-day. ZZZZZZZ. Perhaps next year they will
> start at Labor Day or just leave the programming in place
> all year round. Good thing we live in a country of choices.
>

 

[mediawatcher]

> I can almost hear the knife cutting flesh as they slit their
> own wrists! Ratings suicide. I hear the complaints ALL
> OVER town! Three different groups of women (all in target
> demo) launched the same complaint at various stops in my
> day. Z102.9 has to be all smiles! Idiots.
>


I agree with your assessment. This morning the target demo in one CR dentist office was complianing about the two stations going to a holiday mix early. The target demo's office changed their music listening to Z102.9 as of yesterday.

In most cases the target demo's discussion is not about the music but the early start.

As stated by someone earlier -- ratings and advertiser satisfaction will tell.

 

[doug237a]

Any station that goes to all Christmas music is making a stupid move this early. I would never start playing any until Thanksgiving and then only 1 per hour, gradually increasing until Christmas morning when I hit the solid-wall to wall music until noon, kick-back to 4/per hour until the 26th and kill it until next year. Not all listeners in your target get off on Christmas music since not all of them are Christian. Granted we program to the broad base of the target, but driving away others isn't worth the potential benefit of "All Christmas-All The Time".

> > > Two Cedar Rapids based FM stations went to holiday music
>
> > > format yesterday. WMT FM was the first in the day
> followed
> >
> > > by KDAT by mid-day. ZZZZZZZ. Perhaps next year they will
>
> > > start at Labor Day or just leave the programming in
> place
> > > all year round. Good thing we live in a country of
> > choices.
> > >
> > I can almost hear the knife cutting flesh as they slit
> their
> > own wrists! Ratings suicide. I hear the complaints ALL
> > OVER town! Three different groups of women (all in target
>
> > demo) launched the same complaint at various stops in my
> > day. Z102.9 has to be all smiles! Idiots.
>
>
> I have to agree.
>
> I think it's still a tad too early to be playing
> Christmas/Holiday music just yet.
>
> If I ran a station, I would play an Autumn Mix during the
> months of September, October, and November.
>
> Here is a list of the songs that I would play.
>
> Bear in mind, these songs I'm about to list in this playlist
> are songs which were popular during the Autumn months of
> years past.
>
> Some of them were popular in the Springtime, but the sound
> or melody of those songs make them qualified as songs that
> fit the "Autumn" sound too!
>
> Liz Phair - Headache
> Liz Phair - Supernova
> Armand Van Helden - Koochy
> Armand Van Helden - Hear My Name
> Eurythmics - I Need A Man
> Deborah Harry - I Want That Man
> Saraya - Back To The Bullet
> The Escape Club - 20th Century Fox
> Tracy Chapman - Crossroads
> The Cult - Edie
> The Hooters - Brother Don't Walk Away
> The Hooters - Satellite
> Rush - Time Stand Still
> Yes - Love Will Find A Way
> Yes - Walls
> Steve Winwood - Valerie
> Tiffany - I Think Wo're Alone Now
> Debbie Gibson - Shake Your Love
> INXS - Need You Tonight/Mediate
> INXS - Disappear
> ABC - When Smokey Sings
> Mr. Mister - Something Real
> The Bangles - Hazy Shade Of Winter
> The Bangles - Set You Free
> Cyndi Lauper - True Colors
> Cyndi Lauper - I Drove All Night
> Fleetwood Mac - Little Lies
> Fleetwood Mac - Everywhere
> Wang Chung - Everybody Have Fun Tonight
> Wang Chung - Let's Go
> Billy Idol - Catch My Fall
> Billy Idol - Rebel Yell
> Billy Idol - Don't Need A Gun
> Honeymoon Suite - I've Got A New Girl Now
> Billy Brannigan - Maybe Tonight
> Bryan Adams - Run To You
> Madonna - Like A Prayer
> Madonna - The Power Of Good-Bye
> Madonna - Don't Tell Me
> One 2 Many - Come Downtown
> Vixen - Love Made Me
> Boy Meets Girl - Waiting For A Star To Fall
> Kim Wilde - You Came
> Billy Joel - We Didn't Start The Fire
> Paula Abdul - Cold Hearted
> New Kids On The Block - Cover Girl
> Alice Cooper - Poison
> The Beach Boys - California Dreamin'
> Cher - Just Like Jesse James
> Nenah Cherry - Man-Child
> Alias - Tears Don't Put Out The Fire
> E'Nuff Z'Nuff - The New Thing
> Neil Young - Rockin' In The Free World
> Janet Jackson - Rhythm Nation
> Diving For Pearls - Give Me Your Good Lovin'
> David Bowie - Blue Jean
> Scorpions - Send Me An Angel
> Stage Dolls - Lorraine
> Living Colour - Type
> Faith No More - Falling To Pieces
> U2 - Even Better Than The Real Thing
> U2 - Desire
> U2 - Numb
> U2 - Lemon
> U2 - New Year's Day
> U2 - Beautiful Day
> U2 - Stuck In A Moment (You Can't Get Out Of)
> Ace Of Base - Never Gonna Say I'm Sorry
> Ace Of Base - All That She Wants
> Boy Krazy - That's What Love Can Do
> Patti Scialfa - As Long As I Can Be With You
> RTZ - All You've Got
> 10,000 Maniacs - Because The Night
> Boston - I Need Your Love
> Boston - What's Your Name?
> Deep Blue Something - Breakfast At Tiffany's
> Metallica - Enter Sandman
> Ozzy Osbourne - No More Tears
> Ozzy Osbourne - I Just Want You
> Ozzy Osbourne - Perry Mason
> Enya - Orinoco Flow (Sail Away)
> Enya - River
> Enya - Storms In Africa (Parts I and II)
> Enya - On Your Shore
> Enya - Evening Falls
> Enya - Anywhere Is
> Kansas - Fight Fire With Fire
> Alphaville - Forever Young
> Yaz - Situation
> Erasure - Chains Of Love
> Erasure - Always
> Marc Cohn - Silver Thunderbird
> Marc Cohn - Walk On Water
> Marc Cohn - Strangers In A Car
> Live - I Alone
> Live - Dolphin's Cry
> Live - Simple Creed
> Live - Overcome
> John Cougar Mellencamp - Dance Naked
> Captain Hollywood Project - More And More
> Weezer - Undone (The Sweater Song)
> Weezer - Buddy Holly
> Weezer - El Scorcho
> Sass Jordan - Sun's Gonna Rise
> Roxette - Sleeping In My Car
> Gin Blossoms - Allison Road
> Peter Gabriel - Digging In The Dirt
> Peter Gabriel - Games Without Frontiers
> Snap! - Rhythm Is A Dancer (Radio long version with rap)
> Tori Amos - Caught A Light Sneeze
> Tori Amos - Silent All These Years
> Tori Amos - Winter
> French Affair - My Heart Goes Boom
> White Zombie - Electric Head Pt. 2: The Ecstacy
> Rob Zombie - Dragula
> Rob Zombie - Feels So Numb
> Def Leppard - Stand Up (Kick Love Into Motion)
> Kate Bush - Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)
> Kate Bush - Hounds Of Love
> Deadeye Dick - New Age Girl
> Tamperer & Maya - Feel It
> Tamperer & Maya - If You Buy This Record
> DJ Rap - Good To Be Alive
> Eagle-Eye Cherry - Save Tonight
> Wheatus - Teenage Dirtbag
> Basement Jaxx - Romeo
> Basement Jaxx - Rendez-Vo
> No Doubt - Underneath It All
> Duran Duran - Too Much Information
> Duran Duran - The Violence Of Summer
> Duran Duran - Ordinary World
> 4 Non-Blondes - Spaceman
> The Cure - Just Like Heaven
> Eels - Novacaine For The Soul
> Europe - Cherokee
> Europe - Open Your Heart
> Godsmack - Serenity
> Fatboy Slim - Going Out Of My Head
> KMFDM - Megalomaniac
> Bjork - Joga
> Keith Sweat - Twisted (Sexual Healing Remix)
> Alanis Morrisette - Ironic
> Our Lady Peace - Superman's Dead
> Oasis - Wonderwall
> The Original - I Love You Baby
> Cornershop - Brimful Of Asha
> Alana Davis - 32 Flavors
> Fuel - Hemmorhage (In My Hands)
> Ludacris - Move
> The Verve - Bittersweet Symphony
> Led Zeppelin - Over The Hills And Far Away
> Linkin Park - Breaking The Habit
>
> The only times I wouldn't play this playlist is during
> Oktoberfest (when I would play German-ethnic music, as well
> as music from popular German music artists), or during
> Halloween (when I'd play scary/Halloween-themed songs).
>
> Otherwise, I would play THIS playlist during November until
> midnight on the Wednesday night before Thanksgiving.
>
> I wouldn't start playing Christmas/Holiday music until
> 12:01am on Thanksgiving morning.
>
> DeanSB2004
>

 

[17meters]

> Any station that goes to all Christmas music is making a
> stupid move this early. I would never start playing any
> until Thanksgiving and then only 1 per hour, gradually
> increasing until Christmas morning when I hit the solid-wall
> to wall music until noon, kick-back to 4/per hour until the
> 26th and kill it until next year. Not all listeners in your
> target get off on Christmas music since not all of them are
> Christian. Granted we program to the broad base of the
> target, but driving away others isn't worth the potential
> benefit of "All Christmas-All The Time".
>

> >
>There are many non-Christians who still like 'Holiday Music'...Most people like to hear some Christmas music. But..I agree...This is way to early folks.
Playing all Christmas this early is smacks of stunting. I cannot believe that a radio station would literally put their format on ice for practically 1/6 of the year to 'stunt' with Christmas music. This just shows that programmers are fresh out of ideas when it comes to programming. If WMTFM goes all Christmas..wouldnt it be good idea for KDAT to make a big deal about how theyu're 'Not Going to Play Christmas music til December?

Lemmings..(stupid bird that jumps off cliffs because the lemming in front of them jumps off a cliff)

 

[DISgraced]

> Playing all Christmas this early is smacks of stunting. I
> cannot believe that a radio station would literally put
> their format on ice for practically 1/6 of the year to
> 'stunt' with Christmas music. This just shows that
> programmers are fresh out of ideas when it comes to
> programming. If WMTFM goes all Christmas..wouldnt it be good
> idea for KDAT to make a big deal about how theyu're 'Not
> Going to Play Christmas music til December?
>
> Lemmings..(stupid bird that jumps off cliffs because the
> lemming in front of them jumps off a cliff)
>

Most all-christmas music stations make for a ratings bonanza in the fall. If the fall book shows a boost...especially in the second half, then it would be a stroke of genious and you'll all be eating your hats...

If not, then there'll be a job opening somewhere...

Win win...

 

[radioDK]

Re: The Situation Period....

#1 - Holiday Music after Christmas has always been a big success in pretty much any "White People" Market.

#2 - The decision by Dick must have been that he didn't want to miss out on his usual ratings boost come Christmas time by surrendering over to Mix. If he didn't make the aggressive reaction in the same day, then when Christmas finally rolled around he might loose a lot of his listeners during christmas season because Mix would have spent two weeks associating themselves as the Christmas station in town.

#3. you have to remember that in a smaller market like CR there is No "November only book". So JJ probably has his eyes on the Fall book. This means even if some people are pissed about the Christmas music they still will associate Mix as the Christmas station, so when they finally are in the mood for Christmas music they will think of Mix. This is when the Book will start up... So...the question is "will people be so pissed at Mix for moving to Christmas music early that they won't listen during the Christmas season?"


Given these points of data here is my conclusions...
I call WMT-FM and KDAT books flat meaning no growth or major loss of market share. You have to remember that the ratings system is crap and both of the PDs are vets that know how the rating system works. They are both trying to play the system by getting an early start positioning their stations for the Christmas season. However, I think the move is too greedy. A small junk of Cedar Rapidians will be lost to country and top 40 formats. Unfortunately, since both KDAT and WMT made the move, there will be no clear loss of share by either station to their direct competitor(KDAT made the safe move). If KDAT had stayed in normal format then it would be interesting seeing how things played out, but since they made the same move there is no clear definition between the two stations. In the end once Christmas season rolls around and the book starts up both stations will get the typical gain of listeners during Christmas season, but I think they will have aleinated a equal amount of loyal listeners.

My prediction: WMT-FM/KDAT's normal Christmas growth will be offset by a sizeable chunk of people being aleinated by the stunt. Look for market share gains from KHAK and KZIA next book.

One more tidbit...No one is getting fired over this..both PD's are way to high up on the coporate ladder to get the boot for a stunt like this in market 214. Unfortunately, both PDs are Not looking at the desires of the community and quite frankly are trying to play the system that they know all to well to make more $$$. This is the awful world of commercial radio.


> > Playing all Christmas this early is smacks of stunting. I
> > cannot believe that a radio station would literally put
> > their format on ice for practically 1/6 of the year to
> > 'stunt' with Christmas music. This just shows that
> > programmers are fresh out of ideas when it comes to
> > programming. If WMTFM goes all Christmas..wouldnt it be
> good
> > idea for KDAT to make a big deal about how theyu're 'Not
> > Going to Play Christmas music til December?
> >
> > Lemmings..(stupid bird that jumps off cliffs because the
> > lemming in front of them jumps off a cliff)
> >
>
> Most all-christmas music stations make for a ratings bonanza
> in the fall. If the fall book shows a boost...especially in
> the second half, then it would be a stroke of genious and
> you'll all be eating your hats...
>
> If not, then there'll be a job opening somewhere...
>
> Win win...
>