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WPEN: Why did anyone think it could work?

E

eGillCVI

Guest
When and where was the last time a mass-appeal music format debuted on the AM band and was successful?

I still can't believe anyone thought it was viable here in Philly--especially a format which has already been thriving on FM (whether you like it or not) for 15 years!
 
> When and where was the last time a mass-appeal music format
> debuted on the AM band and was successful?
>
> I still can't believe anyone thought it was viable here in
> Philly--especially a format which has already been thriving
> on FM (whether you like it or not) for 15 years!
>
Whatever they were drinking, I'd like to try some...that's mighty powerful stuff.

For crying out loud, they could have saved money and gone with a soft satellite format than launching Oldies 950...

There are few of us who would listen to music on AM anymore...I will still listen through static to hear WEEU in the few minutes they play music on the weekends, but I know I'm in the minority!
 
> When and where was the last time a mass-appeal music format
> debuted on the AM band and was successful?

Was Wilmington's WJBR (AM 1290) successful with the Westwood One adult standards format before switching to sports-talk in 2003? As The Ticket, I don't think it's registering at all in the ratings, is it?
 
It's an asterix in the most recent Arbitron book, but who cares about that? The spot load was light under the old format: One Buick dealer (apparently a trade-out), retirement communities, nursing homes, insurance, financial planning. Anybody checked the station out? Do they have a spots?

Success is not measured in ratings; success is measured in sales dollars.

>
> Was Wilmington's WJBR (AM 1290) successful with the Westwood
> One adult standards format before switching to sports-talk
> in 2003? As The Ticket, I don't think it's registering at
> all in the ratings, is it?
>
 
> When and where was the last time a mass-appeal music format
> debuted on the AM band and was successful?
>
> I still can't believe anyone thought it was viable here in
> Philly--especially a format which has already been thriving
> on FM (whether you like it or not) for 15 years!

But WOGL has evolved, and some may not like the classic rock that seems to be on the rise at WOGL. WOGL isnt really oldies - but people's habits die hard. So unless Oldies 950 appears on one of WBEN-FM's digital channels, the format dont stand a chance for the follwing reasons:

A)Poor signal - my computer equipment emitts more RF than 950's daytime signal.

B)Allmost no advertising - I havent seen any TV, no print, and only 1 billboard for WPEN.

C) Horrible audio quality - C-QUAM sounds better on analog sets, and HD on AM may be good, there are more C-QUAM sets than HD sets.

D) "Real oldies" isnt real oldies - WOGL sounded best when it had a good mix of 50's/60's/70's - WPEN would have been smart to use archive.org to get the old WOGL Top 500 & tweak it.

GM would be really smart to put oldies on one one of their HD channels - if they moved Oldies 950 to one, I'd buy a HD radio tommorow...<P ID="signature">______________

AOL IM: wnjoldies or jamminoldies105
CBS-FM lives at http://67.83.125.155:8010
Oldies Board co-moderator</P>
 
> There are few of us who would listen to music on AM
> anymore...I will still listen through static to hear WEEU in
> the few minutes they play music on the weekends, but I know
> I'm in the minority!
>
WEEU actually still plays some music in AM & PM drive on weekdays (except Talk Tuesdays PM drive) and still sounds very old-school "full service MOR" in those time slots. There are still area stations with music on AM, WBCB, WPAZ, WBUD, WKAP, depending where you are.
 
AM1290 was never a revenue success as Standards. But from 10am until 4 in the afternoon (at one point) it beat both WDEL and WILM in the ratings. At one point, in total weekly audience, it beat 'ILM and 'DEL.

As with WPEN, the sales reps had no idea how to sell it and really did not try. With Sports, it is doing better $$-wise, but no audience. The spots seem to be mostly trade-outs or Blue Rock sponsors.

> It's an asterix in the most recent Arbitron book, but who
> cares about that? The spot load was light under the old
> format: One Buick dealer (apparently a trade-out),
> retirement communities, nursing homes, insurance, financial
> planning. Anybody checked the station out? Do they have
> a spots?
>
> Success is not measured in ratings; success is measured in
> sales dollars.
>
> >
> > Was Wilmington's WJBR (AM 1290) successful with the
> Westwood
> > One adult standards format before switching to sports-talk
>
> > in 2003? As The Ticket, I don't think it's registering at
>
> > all in the ratings, is it?
> >
>
 
> > There are few of us who would listen to music on AM
> > anymore...I will still listen through static to hear WEEU
> in
> > the few minutes they play music on the weekends, but I
> know
> > I'm in the minority!
> >
> WEEU actually still plays some music in AM & PM drive on
> weekdays (except Talk Tuesdays PM drive) and still sounds
> very old-school "full service MOR" in those time slots.
> There are still area stations with music on AM, WBCB, WPAZ,
> WBUD, WKAP, depending where you are.
>
I was driving up to Kutztown for a KU football game in 1996 and I tuned to WPAZ. They had a polka show on. This was late morning.

Isn't WPAZ a daytimer?

ixnay
 
> > There are few of us who would listen to music on AM
> > anymore...I will still listen through static to hear WEEU
> in
> > the few minutes they play music on the weekends, but I
> know
> > I'm in the minority!
> >
> WEEU actually still plays some music in AM & PM drive on
> weekdays (except Talk Tuesdays PM drive) and still sounds
> very old-school "full service MOR" in those time slots.
> There are still area stations with music on AM, WBCB, WPAZ,
> WBUD, WKAP, depending where you are.
>
True, and I ended up not saying what I meant to about WEEU...the only time I can listen to them is on the weekends, and that's when I tune in. I love the old style full-service presentation, just wish they didn't have so much sports.
 
> I was driving up to Kutztown for a KU football game in 1996
> and I tuned to WPAZ. They had a polka show on. This was
> late morning.
>
> Isn't WPAZ a daytimer?
>
> ixnay
>
In '96 I think they were AC Lite 1370 but are now Oldies 1370. They still have some talk & specialty shows, especially weekends (like a 1 hour old time country show hosted by a local classic country singer Saturdays 10am) but play oldies in other time slots. They are still listed as a daytimer but I thought I've heard them post-sunset at reduced power, but Radio Locator doesn't show that.
 
WPAZ is a class D station. They have post sunset authorisation of 52 watts.


Dave Gardiner

WVCH 740

Chester/Philadelphia
 
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