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springfieldnewsnut
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Posted: Fri Jun 27th, 2008 03:44 pm |
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In no way, shape, or form do I mean any disrespect to anyone in the Springfield region who works in radio with this topic.
I have been a member of this forum for a while and the previous radio forum that went away, and I had always heard people say how Springfield radio sucks and this and that. I never really understood completely. But, I just returned to Springfield last week from living in St. Louis for almost a year. Now I seem to understand what they're talking about.
Why can't Springfield have some decent radio stations that aren't country or poorly compiled adult contemporary stations? Stations like Y98 and Movin' 101 have actual music from today and it's not full of "I wanna like you up and down like a lollypop" music. I don't really understand everything since I've not worked in radio before, but does it cost too much for stations like 105.9 and 95.5 to have a selection of music that reflects today's (not those who can't get out of the 70s and 80s stuff that I've heard ever since I was a kid growing up in little po-dunk Mountain Grove, MO) adult?
It's sad, but I'm honestly considering satellite radio.
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Respect the history of radio
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Posted: Fri Jun 27th, 2008 06:12 pm |
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So what would you program?
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AdamWest
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Posted: Fri Jun 27th, 2008 10:39 pm |
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| Go Satellite...you won't be disappointed! Everything you want (except local) and more. If you are into diversity...satellite will please you.
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Jamie Turner
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Posted: Mon Jun 30th, 2008 11:46 pm |
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To answer your question newsnut, no, it doesn't cost any more for stations to obtain newer music. It takes time and effort though, and a body to call record labels and keep up with the music.
As for libraries, R&R and New Music Server have some free services stations can utilize to download music for free. New Music Server is my favorite. Radio Express charges $75/month, TM isn't too far behind.
Q102, Power, Wolf, KT, and Z do a great job of keeping up. When it comes to new music, I've been told that it's a West Coast thing. "Here in the ozarks people aren't concerned about new music". I've heard that 'till I want to puke. I continue to hear from older individuals "new music isn't that great". Did your parents like The Beatles, did they understand Zeppelin?
I would like to see a Y98 (HOT AC) hit the airwaves in town. I've noticed that most Females 25-40 are not ready for Fleetwood Mac or Celine Dion. I watch what CDs they buy in the store. I ask where they heard these songs. Usually it's mySpace or YouTube. 95% of the time it's mySpace. I had a customer the other day ask me the same question about our local radio market. She recently moved from St. Louis.
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Desdinova the Super Villain of the Ozark
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Posted: Tue Jul 1st, 2008 06:38 pm |
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Jamie Turner wrote: Q102, Power, Wolf, KT, and Z do a great job of keeping up. When it comes to new music, I've been told that it's a West Coast thing. "Here in the ozarks people aren't concerned about new music". I've heard that 'till I want to puke. I continue to hear from older individuals "new music isn't that great". Did your parents like The Beatles, did they understand Zeppelin?
My esteemed co-worker Mr. Turner has made several very good points that I agree with but let me expand on some of it. If you read my blog you know that nothing grinds my gears like people saying "Ozarkers don't like that" or "We can't do that hear in the Ozarks." Someone, I think it was Morris James, brought up recently how KICK dominated the pop market in the 60 and early 70s and KWTO-FM dominated the late 70s and 80s. We had T40 (which in some ways is like Hot AC) in Springfield and we had a T40 in Lebanon. Then suddenly, the "we can't do that anymore" thing hit.
This seems to be a Southwest Missouri thing. You have Y-107 in Columbia, KLOZ in Eldon and KFLW in Ft. Wood, who are all doing the kind of radio I grew up with hearing out of Springfield. Yet Springfield, with the exception of the stations Mr. Turner mentioned (and yes, I'm counting where I work) boring and stuck in the early 90s world of lite AC, country and talk. Also I hear people in the industry say T40 is "old school." If you noticed a few weeks ago on All Access (and RAB had some of this info) a group did a study that showed while the younger audience like Ipods, they still say they depend on radio to learn of new music. Of course, I've heard some in this market say, "Let the kids listen to Ipod, we keep with the older listeners."
Which brings me to another point that Mr. Turner made, this radio market needs to learn who the listeners are. We are trying to force old stereotypes on to younger listeners. I know people in this industry who think that women 24 -45 are June Cleaver-like moms who never talk above a whisper and cry during Barry Manilow songs. HA! Most of the women I know that age have at least one tattoo and can't stand Barry Manilow. People in this market always say that "People don't like the 80's." People in my age bracket like the 80s, it is just nobody really does it right around here. They program Lionel Richie, Whitney Houston and Air Supply which is what radio force fed us back then, instead of Duran Duran, Quiet Riot, Loverboy, Prince, Michael Jackson that people in MY AGE GROUP liked.
I know of a station in town who a few years ago had a marketing survey conducted among people "over 45" from "a high income bracket" to find out what they wanted. Among the questions were "What are some of your favorite artist?" The answers these people gave included Janis Joplin, the Rolling Stones, Jefferson Airplane, Bob Dylan etc. The GM and sales staff decided not to use the information because they felt the people interviewed were "a bunch of damn hippies." No the research wasn't flawed. Look at the cast of Easy Rider. One guy plays the grandpa in movies, the other plays a retiree and the third one does commercials about "planing for retirement."
Another problem is we are trying to impress our peers rather than find listeners or advertisers. There is a station here in town with a liner that says "What would you co-workers think if you were listening the music they play on those other stations?" Well, if my co-workers don't like my choice in music they can kiss my @$$. I don't want to a "family friendly" radio station and I don't want to "stand up for what is right." Sorry I don't kiss up to anybody, why would I want to listen to a station for brown-nosers? There was a station here a town a few years ago running ads bragging that they were playing the Spice Girls or Marilyn Manson. At the time, both of those were very big artist. Nothing like promoting that you are out of step with young people.
Also, what is wrong with up tempo music. Most of the stations around here play slow, mushy stuff. Gag!
Could we also do a funny local morning show rather than pipe in something from another city? I could do a morning show that can be funny with out being downright raunchy. Granted, I might offend people, but if you read my blog you know the people I offend have it coming.
Don't get me started on lack of promotion or creativity in ads.
Here is why I will really offend some people. The problem is there are people in this industry who have either been in charge too long or are too old and need to retire. Times change the audience changes. If you don't like the current pop culture/music world, do us a favor and get out of the business! If you don't like to listen to it or can't sell it, please go home.
I like old music and new. There is a place I eat often has a Touch Tunes jukebox. If I hear a new song on there I like, I write down the name of it. Mr. West sort of had a good idea, but more for those in the industry. Instead of fighting XM and Sirus look at what they do right and what they do wrong. They play a wide variety of music, old and new, yet they don't have local information or personalities.
Sorry if this was long, but it could have been worse. I could have posted a link to some far right website and an unflattering picture of Hillary Clinton with the title "Bad News For the Old Media."
Last edited on Tue Jul 1st, 2008 08:13 pm by Desdinova the Super Villain of the Ozark
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ken371
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Posted: Wed Jul 2nd, 2008 09:16 pm |
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Hanging out (guitar lick) Down the Street ...Same old thing... we did last week.... Greetings from the Coffey County Library in Burlington Kansas. No Cds just the seek button and some thoughts... One.. would it kill the Cave to play some upbeat music in the morning or do you assume your entire audience smokes weed for breakfast. Chuckie B sounds like he reads Mr.Mikes posts for show prep. VDJ Shattenkirk, Lord dude how thin is the air you dream up stuff to be paranoid about. Still not as bad as the nut on 107.1 who compared Obama to Hitler. Ok outside the 417, you know in the exhilaration of a road trip even old songs you can hear everyday in Springfield have a new energy. But, I did hear alot of songs I thought gee why doesnt so and so play that. Panama Jack and his show is good and a Springfield station should grab him. Altogether I am sure if I still lived here in Caboose town and listened to these same ol stations everyday I would complain sooner or later... Have a nice day 
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Hoopman
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Posted: Thu Jul 3rd, 2008 01:02 pm |
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| The people running Springfield radio are just LAZY!! There are sooooo many things that could be better! Since I left the business a few months back I've listened to just about everyone, and I can tell you there's not much to be proud of! KGBX, Alice, and Star(ugh) might as well simulcast. Musically, you really can't tell who you're listening to half the time. Star lags WAY behind in the talent pool, making the others more tolerable. And you know, I find Woody fairly entertaining. Power plays the same songs over and over. My daughters listen so I now know every song, and you know it's bad when you sing along to "I Kissed a Girl and I Liked it" with your 2 teen-age daughters! Yikes!?! I like Bass a lot, but really surprised they are playing currents. Classic Country can still be a gold mine in this town if someone would do it right. If I were KT, 106.7 would change to "Ranch 106" and I'd hire some former KT guys like Stevens and Richmann and go to town with Real Classic Country...60's thru 80's!! There you go Rex, let me know if you need a PD for this one!!
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Desdinova the Super Villain of the Ozark
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Posted: Fri Jul 4th, 2008 03:56 am |
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Hoopman wrote: If I were KT, 106.7 would change to "Ranch 106" and I'd hire some former KT guys like Stevens and Richmann and go to town with Real Classic Country...60's thru 80's!! There you go Rex, let me know if you need a PD for this one!!
I agreed with you up until this point. This is part of the problem with this market. The changing of a nitchee format or format we don't care for to a format that we have too many of. I hear this stuff all the time "They ought to change Q102 to talk or country. Then I'd change Alice to talk also Journal should change Power to talk or country." How many talk stations do we need? How many country stations do we need? How many station do we need that play (in the words of the great philosophers Beavis and Butthead) wuss music?
You have a great idea for a classic country station. I think all of those guys should be back playing older country music, but I wouldn't take away 106.7. I'd suggest 104.1 since it is just a simulcast 1260. That would be more logical.
Ken mentioned the energy of radio compared to other markets. Since I was a kid traveling out of town, I noticed that the audio quality in cities like St. Louis, Kansas City, Tulsa and OKC was cooler sounding. Better processing I guess.
Also, a colleague said "I've worked in four different markets, but the listeners in this market are some of this biggest weenies I've ever seen. I said something on-air about I felt that kids didn't get enough sugar. I had about ten complaint calls on the studio line and there were three to the front desk. One lady said she was going to turn me in to the FCC. What is with these people?"
The sad fact we take the small silly complaints serious and make our stations sound wimpy. We need to grow some balls and stand up to these people. A little rebelion never hurt anyone. 
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Sneaky Snooper
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Posted: Fri Jul 4th, 2008 07:22 am |
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Desdinova the Super Villain of the Ozark wrote: Hoopman wrote: If I were KT, 106.7 would change to "Ranch 106" and I'd hire some former KT guys like Stevens and Richmann and go to town with Real Classic Country...60's thru 80's!! There you go Rex, let me know if you need a PD for this one!!
I agreed with you up until this point. This is part of the problem with this market. The changing of a nitchee format or format we don't care for to a format that we have too many of. I hear this stuff all the time "They ought to change Q102 to talk or country. Then I'd change Alice to talk also Journal should change Power to talk or country." How many talk stations do we need? How many country stations do we need? How many station do we need that play (in the words of the great philosophers Beavis and Butthead) wuss music?
You have a great idea for a classic country station. I think all of those guys should be back playing older country music, but I wouldn't take away 106.7. I'd suggest 104.1 since it is just a simulcast 1260. That would be more logical.
Ken mentioned the energy of radio compared to other markets. Since I was a kid traveling out of town, I noticed that the audio quality in cities like St. Louis, Kansas City, Tulsa and OKC was cooler sounding. Better processing I guess.
Also, a colleague said "I've worked in four different markets, but the listeners in this market are some of this biggest weenies I've ever seen. I said something on-air about I felt that kids didn't get enough sugar. I had about ten complaint calls on the studio line and there were three to the front desk. One lady said she was going to turn me in to the FCC. What is with these people?"
The sad fact we take the small silly complaints serious and make our stations sound wimpy. We need to grow some balls and stand up to these people. A little rebelion never hurt anyone.
Nothing and I emphazise NOTHING in radio *should* stay the same forever. Its like when KTXR modernized its playlist a couple years ago (before those awful timeless love songs), it was starting to show signs of life (FINALLY) and then Mr Meyer put that crap on it and set it back about 20 years.
I'm all for Bass adding SOME currents. Why? Say Garth comes out with a new hit, that is going to be a classic, why not? If a song is good enough to eventually be played on Bass, why not introduce the audience to it now? There's that pesky evolution thing that killed Oldies radio. Oldies got to the point where they were stuck in at about 1965 or so and wouldn't go past that. Bass is doing a good job of evolving. Listeners don't mind new stuff IF it is compatible with what's there now.
I've said it before and I'll say it again. When you do a format, put people behind it who have a PASSION for the type of music played in that format. The listener will notice this, trust me! Don't shove Ryan Seacrest or Delilah down my throat, give me someone who sounds like they're having the time of their lives on the air!
When I was in college, I tried to do college radio and I stunk at it. Why? I didn't like the format (alternative) and it REALLY showed. Over the years I've done various formats and been exposed a number of different genres, and I can tell you with blatent honesty that there are about 3 formats I'm comfortable with and could do REALLY well since I know (and am comfortable with) the music. College radio is part of why we don't have that much new talent entering the biz today. In my case, since I could not segue to the NPR station on campus (who had a format I was comfortable with) without a stop at the Alternative format of the campus radio station. Hence why I changed majors.
KKJO in St Joe is a classic example of a station with talent that for the most part gets it. Competently programmed, air talent that has alot of energy and passion. Not to mention the music is current..more current than what alot of stations play (I've heard them put callers on the air from KC and have fun with the fact they play more modern stuff..and stuff KC stations wont play) The energy on KKJO shows and its part of their success.
Even the revamped WLS-FM in Chicago does a great job of catching the energy and passion that Top 40 of yesteryear! (What the heck took them so long to do it right!?)
If you're going to do decent radio, cater to the local tastes and local sensabilities. What works in St. Louis or KC won't necessarily play here.
Did I menton LOCAL? That's the key to it. Give the listener what they want and you'll get them. And the ad dollars will be right behind them.
A format requires more than just music to work. It requires engaging the listener to the point where its the only station they even know exists. Radio in general today doesn't do that.
I come back to Curt Brown and KTTS. Curt (and his staff) knew how to tailor the Ranch formula to Springfield. KTTS NEVER and I repeat NEVER sounded like any other GEB station. Yes, it was the Ranch, but it was Springfield's radio ranch, not Tulsa's, Omaha's, Sherveport's, or Wichita's. And it succeeded.
I'm convinced KTTS could have (for the most part) played ANY genre of music and been as successful as it has been. I, for one, would have loved to have heard KTTS as a MOR, AC or Top 40 station with its presentation!
This brings up why KTTS was so successful. The decisions about KTTS were made on Grand Avenue, not in Wichita.
As an industry, we rely WAY too much on consultants and corporate brand managers and not enough on gut feeling and instinct. This is definately the case in Springfield today in a number of areas. Where those are I'll leave to y'all to decide.
The bottom line is the forces of the market will be what forces change. If you can't draw the listeners and advertisers, you're forced to change.
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Hoopman
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Posted: Fri Jul 4th, 2008 12:48 pm |
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| In total agreement with making the decisions locally and not let consultants or marketing companies make them. Those people outside thie market know nothing about the people who live and work here and actually listen here. I never had a consultant at KT. Curt conversed with Mike & Mike in Wichita and THEY all 3 made the decisions. At my most recent gig, it was all consultants and research companies who, in my opinion, ruined it all! At KT, we kept everything local, including what we did on the air and we did it well!
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DB
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Posted: Fri Jul 4th, 2008 02:37 pm |
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| KTTS was top 40 in 1971. " Radio 14 takes you down in music" At that time they had officer Mike who was Buck Tindle of SPD that was painted on the safety van for years. When they switched to "The Ranch " and went country they did not lose one listener. The News Weather and Sports with good Jocks and road shows is what everyone loved, they could have played 1800 gospel and had the advertisers and listeners. Don Paul was great at meeting and greeting. I can remember seeing them at Cotters RX and they were dressed as you would think of a ranch hand right down to the red bandanna. I still have a boot from the top hand of the day ( Another great promo) Someone will learn that that concept would all work today. I bet KTTS was one of the few that had generations ALL listen to them. And listen to WLS and KICK and KWTO-FM. Although it was hard to stomach with the 2 song taped automation. But at the top and bottom of the hour back to KTTS for the news. In a traffic jam or see a fire truck or police running down the street KTTS,Black cloud KTTS. $14.00 for the top news tip of the week. I wonder did they have any bloopers or have anything go bad they wish they would not have done? They were the only station that got by having blue lights on the news-cars for the 48 hour news-team Pony Express news. But all the command staff at SPD also listened and most law enforcement and fire called in the station the minute something happened. We just may have grown up with the best of the best. Can it be done again. You Betcha.
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DB
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Posted: Fri Jul 4th, 2008 02:46 pm |
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By the way timing was everything. News top and bottom of the hour with local first and a little national ending with..Mobile News units are enroute to >>>> We will break in when we have more information. 15 after weather 20 and 50 after Officer Mike later go patrol. 45 after brief weather and sports. And everyone knew the times. At work folks would gather at the water cooler "radio" at those times and of coarse the breaking news intro would cause a good stir. Legendary sounds of KTTS was another reason. Weather vane and sports intro it was the perfect world.
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Hoopman
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Posted: Fri Jul 4th, 2008 03:29 pm |
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| It was a fun to be a "Ranchhand!" I sometimes got aggravated with Don Paul but now realize he was a true gem! You say it can happen again...I don't think the times of KTTS in the 70's, 80's, and 90's will ever be re-created. Too much has changed in the biz, and someone from Wisconsin or Seattle would tell them it would never work!
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Monte Schisler
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Posted: Sat Jul 5th, 2008 02:44 pm |
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| Mike, I think we could make it happen again. It would be worth a shot trying anyway.
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Hoopman
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Posted: Sat Jul 5th, 2008 03:11 pm |
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| If you can keep the consultants and research companies out you're probably right. And yes, it would be fun, but that's why I left the business..it just stopped being fun!
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