[BC] Selective advertising

[Rich Wood]

------ At 12:29 AM 12/29/2005, Steve wrote: -------

>I've turned down MANY a spot but more because of the way it was
>produced and would clash with the sound of the format (Classical). 
>And yes, I would
>turn down a spot for the local hip-hop joint. Since I've worked in the
>Top 25 markets the local hip-hop place wouldn't even know we existed. So, I
>really didn't have to deal with that one. However, if the local hip-hop
>joint's manager wanted to advertise with us because he's a closet Classical
>music listener and loves us I would tell him where to better spend 
>his dollars and point
>him to the right station(s) in the market. I've done it. I'm sure there are
>some in this group who remember when WFMT (one of two commercial Classical
>stations in Chicago at the time) did only live commercials. It was a hoot
>hearing them do a McDonald's commercial live. They also used the "stuffy"
>approach to classical music announcing which I abhor.

Classical and Easy Listening were the first formats to watch 
commercial content carefully. Those were the days when ad agencies 
had several versions of a spot and you could choose which best fit 
your format. It may be Urban legend but there's a story about WQXR 
getting Pepsi to cut a special Classical version specifically for the 
station. It was when Pepsi actually believed someone older than 12 
used their product. I think I heard it, a Baroque approach that 
sounded great and was probably more effective because it didn't 
insult the listener.

Fortunately for WFMT most of their advertisers were stuffy banks and 
financial institutions. Their music selection and audio quality were 
among the best ever, though I was more comfortable with the more 
natural approach of WNIB when I visited Chicago. I always found it 
funny that Studs Terkel, hardly stuffy, found a home there.

I did some unofficial consulting (I worked for food. Mario bought me 
lunch) for WNCN, New York. I was PD of WPIX-FM at the time. They 
wanted to break away from the stuffy "He composed it for the greater 
glory of God" approach. Most composers composed for filthy lucre. 
They hired some AC jocks and taught them pronunciation. Sometimes it 
didn't work, though they often beat the WQXR-AM/FM combo. WQXR 
countered by hiring Mike Joseph (Hot Hits) as a consultant. Mike did 
a great job of humanizing WQXR without making it amateurish. Warren 
Bodow was the GM. I thought it was a brilliant move. Mike simply 
knows programming.

I used to have some heated conversations with Robert J. Lurtsema 
after he took over Morning Pro Musica at WGBH, Boston, when I went 
back to WJIB (I still did WGBH-TV Booth). He believed Classical music 
was so exalted that a Classical listener would listen to anything at 
any time. He couldn't comprehend that the Wagner Ring was longer than 
most commutes. Even a single work in the cycle was too long for 
morning drive. It only gave you time to hear the skinny lady sing.

Rich


Rich Wood
Rich Wood Multimedia
Phone: 413-303-9084
FAX: 413-480-0010