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Why oldies station didn't have to die
Chicago Sun-Times ^ | 6/7/2005 | Robert Feder

Posted on 06/08/2005 6:49:08 AM PDT by Mike Bates

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To: Mike Bates

All we have here is damned oldies stations. That or country < shudder >.


21 posted on 06/08/2005 7:16:13 AM PDT by Straight Vermonter (John 6: 51-58)
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To: NotSoFreeStater

Rouse & Co were due to be booted years ago.


22 posted on 06/08/2005 7:18:12 AM PDT by stevecmd
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To: OXENinFLA

Oldies Bump


23 posted on 06/08/2005 7:18:32 AM PDT by ActionNewsBill ("In times of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act")
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To: Mike Bates

"When big corporations have bad news to announce, they often hold off until as late as possible on a Friday afternoon."

Guess we know this idology. Releasing bad news late at night or even surpressing bad news is all the government does.

Businesses are required to report good or bad news at specific dates and times - that, btw is why the stock market goes up and down.


24 posted on 06/08/2005 7:19:16 AM PDT by edcoil (Reality doesn't say much - doesn't need too)
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To: Mike Bates
As a former Chicagoan born in 1952, I really appreciated your piece on WLS.

My earliest musical memories are of listening to Ron Riley and Art Roberts (RIP) - often late into the night with a transistor radio under my pillow.

However, I've never fallen into the rut of listening to the oldies stations with their constant rehashing of the same old warhorses. It's been an ongoing mission of mine since the '70's to find good new music on non radio sources, and believe me, I've found plenty.

25 posted on 06/08/2005 7:22:58 AM PDT by Uncle Fud
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To: edcoil

Even worse. WXKS "Music of your Life" which played Big Band Era music became Air America.


26 posted on 06/08/2005 7:23:11 AM PDT by massgopguy (massgopguy)
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To: edcoil

Even worse. WXKS "Music of your Life" which played Big Band Era music became Air America.


27 posted on 06/08/2005 7:23:48 AM PDT by massgopguy (massgopguy)
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To: Mike Bates
No big deal. You want oldies? Get yourself a satellite radio. I have XM and enjoy commercial free music from the 40's thru the 90's whenever I want to indulge myself. It's the future, folks and I believe within 10 years none of us will recognize commercial radio as compared to today.

I also believe the canceling of the oldies format, which is after all subjective (what exactly is an oldie?).I think the main reason for the ax is they were not hitting the demographics they wanted. In the end it's all about the dollar.
28 posted on 06/08/2005 7:37:01 AM PDT by Eagles Talon IV
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To: Mike Bates
When Jack first came to Dallas, I listened to it a bit because the music they played seemed to cover a much wider range of styles and times than most stations. It was the first time in more than a decade that I'd heard a Boomtown Rats' song on the radion. Unfortunately, I noticed after listening a while, that while their playlist is broad, it is not deep at all. By the time I'd heard that same Boomtown Rats song for the third time, I'd pretty much head their entire playlist.

There seemed to be a lot of promise, but ultimately, like all radio, they failed to deliver. My musical tastes span all genres from bluegrass to classical, to modern metal. I wish I could find a radio station similarly broad. I don't even mind so much listening to music I don't particularly care for if I know that I'll most likely have some affinity for the next tune if I hang in there.

Methinks there is a marketing opportunity out there.

To those lamenting the conversion to JackFM of the stations mentioned, be glad you didn't have to endure the conversion of 101 KLOL in Houston from one of the best hard rock stations in the nation to a mexican/salsa station this year.

29 posted on 06/08/2005 7:37:44 AM PDT by zeugma (Democrats are Varelse...)
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To: Mike Bates
My dentist always had WCBS-FM on in the office. Apparently he still has that station tuned in. While I was there yesterday, after a few songs, his assistant said to him "What kind of music do they play on this station?"

Methinks infinity made a bad call on this one.

30 posted on 06/08/2005 7:38:08 AM PDT by CaptRon (Pedecaris alive or Raisuli dead)
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To: Mike Bates

"new coke"


31 posted on 06/08/2005 7:39:52 AM PDT by longtermmemmory (VOTE!)
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To: jeremiah

You have nailed it right there. Ratings are not as important as demographics.

While it seems unfair, I have to think that the advertisers know what they want an they are the customers when it comes to radio.


32 posted on 06/08/2005 7:40:04 AM PDT by sharktrager (The masses will trade liberty for a more quiet life.)
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To: sharktrager

I'm 42 years old and I love the new Jack station. Finally, I have a station that actually plays music I like during the AM and PM commutes. No stupid DJs and their idiotic banter, no useless traffic reports.

Sorry to all you fans of "really" oldies radio (lke I said, I'm 42 and CBS played music that was too old even for me).


33 posted on 06/08/2005 7:52:31 AM PDT by hepcat620
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To: sharktrager

I'm 42 years old and I love the new Jack station. Finally, I have a station that actually plays music I like during the AM and PM commutes. No stupid DJs and their idiotic banter, no useless traffic reports.

Sorry to all you fans of "really" oldies radio (lke I said, I'm 42 and CBS played music that was too old even for me).


34 posted on 06/08/2005 7:53:19 AM PDT by hepcat620
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To: Mike Bates

It is a shame. The era of "top 40" style 60's and 70's radio indeed seems over.

If CBS FM gets higher advertising rates, then good for them. I won't be listening. It seems to have switched to a format already done better by other stations.

I'd tell the locals to listen to New Jersey 101.5 on weekends for a similar sound.

Also entertaining is http://musicradio.computer.net/ , a site which recalls the glory days when WABC 77 was the number one top 40 station, before it whitched and became the number one talk station.

Oh well.


35 posted on 06/08/2005 7:58:35 AM PDT by cvq3842
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To: hepcat620
Personally I can't stand oldies radio or DJ's that jabber all the time.

That said, I am also not a fan of Jack, because the mix is heavy on songs I just don't care for.

It's a business, and I do not fault the owners for doing what makes them the most money.
36 posted on 06/08/2005 8:20:22 AM PDT by sharktrager (The masses will trade liberty for a more quiet life.)
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To: Mike Bates

I won't mourn. If it was that dear to me, I would put together a business plan to start my own oldies station.

The first step would be to buy up all of the oldies infinity is no longer using.

The biggest complaint I have about these oldies stations is that they have these top 500 polls and they always seem to be the same 500 songs they have been rotating ad infinitum.


37 posted on 06/08/2005 8:26:36 AM PDT by Sensei Ern (Christian, Comedian, Husband,Opa, Dog Owner, former Cat Co-dweller, and all around good guy.)
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To: wrathof59
Dick Biondi is the man, he was an icon in the 1960's on WCFL-AM, I still listen to him on the weekends on Magic, he's a throwback to the DJs of the 50s ala wolfman jack.

Wish I could tune him in; I listened to Dick Biondi, Wolfman, Emperor Hudson and others in the 60s on KRLA in Los Angeles and still have great memories of late-night tunes on a tube radio as a kid.

38 posted on 06/08/2005 8:31:13 AM PDT by Hank Rearden (Never allow anyone who could only get a government job attempt to tell you how to run your life.)
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To: Mike Bates

With the demise of WCBS-FM in NY, I have no reason to leave the all-news AM stations....


39 posted on 06/08/2005 9:19:35 AM PDT by NativeNewYorker (Don't blame me. I voted for Sharpton.)
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To: Eagles Talon IV

Better still - get an iPod or other MP3 device and listen to what you want, when you want.


40 posted on 06/08/2005 9:34:04 AM PDT by ambrose (...)
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