[BC] WCBS-FM

[Mike McCarthy]

I'll take a 1.7 12+  and 4.0 in 25-54 over 3.4 12+ and 2.0 25-54 any day.

12+ numbers are simply totals which give the <<<whole>>> picture.  Smart 
marketers know which parts of the picture are the best to go after.  THAT'S 
SMART PROGRAMMING.  While I despise what CBS did to WCBS and WJMK, it's 
well rooted in research.  The Oldies format is growing old with the people 
who grew up with the music.  The same as what is now MOL/EZ did with the 
previous generation in the 70's/80's. There isn't any aggressive money in 
that demo anymore.

As for the "Anything" large library formats.....take a look at KQRS, 
MSP.  Top station in the market 10 years running.  They play a library of 
over 4000 songs.  When they did the same on CD94.7 here 10 years ago, the 
station spiked to a 5+ share 12+ in two books.  In demo was +1. So then ABC 
had to fiddle with it and here we are 4 format changes later.

It's the result of a successful PD who knows how to rotate songs in and out 
of a large library which makes a station truly a ratings success.  Many 
have yet to figure it out.....and rely too much on surface research and not 
on real observation.

MM

At 12:57 PM 2/4/2006 -0600, Steve wrote

>Steve:
>
>There is a school of thought that says one should read a message from the 
>end to the beginning as the end contains the essence of that message. That 
>being said:
>
>Steve Wrote:
>
>I haven't heard WCBS-FM, but I'm an adult (mid 50s) and kind of like the
>new "variety hits/adult hits" format.  The clone we have in the Boston area
>("Mike FM") has a button on my car radio.  The smart-a** liners get old,
>but I enjoy the music.  How long can you pound away with the same old Dion
>& 4 Seasons songs anyway?
>
>
>Well, apparently you can pound away at them quite often. First off, do you 
>know the history of "hit" or Top-40 radio? If so, then you know it was 
>found people played songs with some sort of rapidity.(Jukebox 
>observation). As Rich Wood, who I respect as a grounded, objective 
>programmer, pointed out that those who have huge playlists lose. I'll let 
>the ratings speak. So, this repeat cycle doesn't cut it with me or with 
>any program director in his right mind. If you program a nostalgia 
>(Oldies) station correctly you can keep the burn down AND achieve your 
>objective of steady ratings. CBS-FM did that, after they became trusted as 
>a source of good Oldies, by adding in the roots of that music in the form 
>of doo-wop and the like.  If, indeed, the Boston station is a clone 
>(wouldn't be hard to clone an iPod on acid) and it moved from what would 
>be a successful format to the current Mike FM format then we should have 
>seen a decline in ratings. (I don't know the stations format history) Now, 
>if you were the big guy in charge and saw your numbers literally cut in 
>half in a short period of time (as in the case of WCBS-FM in just one or 
>two books from a 3.4 to a 1.7) I would be concerned. This translates to 
>loss of revenue. Does it not? Now, in a market like New York you can still 
>make money with a 1.7 but you're not making the money you did with that 3.4.
>
>I relegate the Jack, Mike formats to those heard on college stations where 
>ratings are not an issue. In our business, they are.
>As long as you enjoy the station then that button on your radio will be 
>reserved as a choice. When the numbers fall then that button will be 
>changed or left to the new format, if you happen to like it.
>
>Steve
>Steve Walker Productions
>
>
>
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