[BC] Oldies Stations

[Steve]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Stanley Adams" <stanleybadams at yahoo.com>

Hi Stanley and those interested in programming. The other engineering. (I
know I'm going to get killed on this one)

While I tried not to get into the programming fray it's one of those
subjects I love to talk about. (I can't help myself..Four Tops...1965) Here
are some of my thoughts for what they're worth.

My format specialties (likes, preferences) are Oldies and (believe it or
not) Classical. (I'm an old rock jock that was raised around the music and
happen to have a fairly good command of language rules) That being said:

> This problem is the same one that all stations who force themselves
> into a narrow field (even oldies Polka) would face. That is, there are
only
> so many songs to go around.

First something to ponder: "How many songs would be the right number of
songs to go around?" Give me a number.

First we have to eliminate those stations who "block" programmed until the
around the mid 50's (or so). It was noticed by a couple of PDs from that era
that people liked to hear a select group of songs over and over. You
probably know about the story of the PDs who were sitting in a
bar/restaurant and saw people approach the juke box and play certain songs
over and over again. This gave birth to what we know as Top-whatever. I
believe it was 30 at first then the competition said "If those guys are just
playing the Top 30 we'll play the Top-40. Ergo, the term. Nuff said. By the
way, the same is true for the Classical music listener. In both cases let's
call it "Basic Rep" (I know I'm using the classical term but it applies to
both). So, I guess we can blame the juke box for people's behavior as the
juke box can only have, as you say, "so many songs to go around". And they
did go around and around and around.

Now, at the risk of this becoming a mini-novel, let's eliminate the eras of
presentation. That's simply evolution. For instance Bill Drake said there
was too much mindless chatter and "The Music" was what the listeners wanted.
So he cleaned it up the structure and told the jocks "if ya ain't got
nothing to say...shut up!" (I paraphrase here) For the naysayers who say
Drake really wasn't a genius....fine.

> Nevertheless, it is the same music all the time and is in need of a lot of
> revision in my opinion.

How would you revise it?

Back to using Drake as an example. He added older music (older top-40) to
the mix. Now he could spread out the current hits. Now enter those on this
great list who say..."But he was the only game in town". Oh, was he?

I've heard a lot in here about "Content" but very little about
"Presentation." Here's a novel idea. Let's mix the two. Not a new or novel
idea at all. Earlier I said he "Cleaned it up". I don't know about you but
I'd rather ride around in a clean car rather than a dirty, junked up one. So
do most people. Is it safe to say most like clean and few like clutter and
dirt.

> In our town here, we have a 'Music of your Life' station and I like
> listening to it because it is the sort of radio I like except for
> it's lack of news or chatter. It also sounds good on my old radios.

Good. Presentation. Basic "tenants" of radio are thrown out the window for
the sake of what? Let's cut the news and the one-on-one and slam on the
music. Now you're saying I'm contradicting myself. No. I'm saying it's all
about how you balance your elements. Like news and chatter.

One of the basic problems I see is nothing is thought through before it hits
the air. Oh I'm sure there are a lot of empty meetings for the sake of
having meetings but what comes out of them? Not too much from what I'm
hearing on the radio. I'm well aware one can think and analyze something to
death but some thought should be put into any format. I think EVEN Rich Wood
would agree with that point. :)

> I would love to see the days when larger market stations do as come of the
> older small town stations do or did; why not play a Maria Carey, then an
old
> Eagles, and even a little Bob Wills San Antonio Rose or Pop a Top by Jim
Ed
> Brown or George Strait, and the like.

>  I mean a good general audience such as those who listen to oldies
> (50/60's, 70's, 80's or whatever) can tire of most any format unless
> the PD is inventive and they are not linked to the average computer HD or
satellite.

Do you use the word "General" as in, for the sake of using an overused word,
"Masses"?

Since the subject is Oldies (hate the word but for the sake of discussion
we'll use it) one of two things can (and do) occur. A song is an oldie for
those who remember it when it first came out. To others, those under the age
of 50, they are just songs they just haven't heard. Albeit, we've not seen a
rush of teens to oldies formats, they do get their share.

> While I do not like alternative music as a rule, one of the reasons that
> this format niche has worked so well is that it is fresh to the youth and
> they will stay for a long time, and it usually has informed announcers
with
> it.  And most oldies stations today use announcers much younger than the
> people who grew up with the music so all they do is minimum chatter and
> so we have 'More Music More Often' which is obnoxious to many listeners.

I agree in part but not in whole but we'll let that one go for now.

You've come full circle. Probably the only thing that's changed in the last
2000 years is we've moved the bathroom from the outside of the house to the
inside. Good concept when it's cold. :)

Presentation again. Relating to your audience is not having someone who is
22 putting together or announcing  for a station that he can't relate to.
The reverse is true as well. Another basic tenant that has been thrown out
the window.
I DO believe the listener wants someone who's IN CHARGE.

Let's not forget this is "Show Biz" and there are certain things the
listener expects from us. Yes, they do want to be led by someone who knows
what they're doing. I've always believed radio should be bigger than life.
The very idea we should play second fiddle to Broadway or Hollywood! :) Even
Howard Stern knows that. Listening to your neighbor going on and on about
this and that and something else gets boring. So...the mix of a little
"conversation" and "show biz tid bits" is what brings the whole thing
together.

Many have forgotten that Showbiz is like a puzzle and if we don't put the
right piece in the right place it won't paint the picture. But, sadly, many
incessantly try to jam that piece that won't fit and then finally give up
and leave it out of the puzzle. It's like leaving a surgical instrument in
the patient. Not a good idea.

>So, you get what you put into it.

Yes...but there's just not enough "putting" going on.

I broke my promise and turned this into a mini-novel but it is Sunday so you
can file this with the funnies or look at it as the column you didn't read
in the New York Times. :)

Steve