[BC] Oldies Stations

[Barry Mishkind]

At 09:58 AM 12/18/05, Steve wrote
>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.
     ...
>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.

         The problem between what you and Stanley
         see at the station level is that there are
         a small percentage of people who call
         stations ... and if you programmed entirely to
         those who want "something different" you
         would blow off the other 95% of the listeners.

         There is a place for "different" ... but the
         bulk of the ratings will not be there. Ever.
         ("Do you want to know what I really really want? ... ")

>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.

         He was a genius. Of course. But to parallel the processing
         threads, his "clutter reduction" was misused by
         many stations, which merely hired people who could
         read the 3 x 5 cards.  They had no personality. Almost
         all of the Drakers had personality... some HUGE
         personalities .... even under the strict rules of
         the Drake format.

         Now, of course, we have people told to VT five
         hours of time in one hour of paid time. Those
         other four hours produced personality - in those
         that had it - but now usually only produce money.

         There ARE good VTers. Just not very many ... even
         at the satellite network or DSB level.

>I've heard a lot in here about "Content" but very little about
>"Presentation." Here's a novel idea. Let's mix the two.

         Bingo!

         The best talent in the nation delivered
         by satellite relay will be beat
         by local talent that is reasonably adept,
         but gets out into the community and
         REALLY feels the city.

> > 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.

         I've often expressed dismay at the lack of
         knowledge of current events by the
         younger generations.  But, if they are
         not taught in school, and the radio
         they listen to has no news, no public
         affairs, how are they to be anything
         but isolated people driving around in
         their huge metal containers with their
         tinted glass, DVDs, MP3s, and ipods?

>One of the basic problems I see is nothing is thought through before it hits
>the air.

         Few things matter very much, and nothing matters at all.


>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.

         ... and who KNOWS something.

>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.

         With few exceptions, stars have at least the
         public personna that they actually care about
         their fans. They realize someone is really out
         there.

> >So, you get what you put into it.
>
>Yes...but there's just not enough "putting" going on.

         Bang!