Fuel's programming is weak, and could certainly benefit from more females artists. The format is a great idea, but their announcers, particularly middays and evenings seem to be falling short. Energy is sounding tight, but I had assumed they would, considering their track record. I could care less about the music, but they are definately a contender.
As for X, it's a niche. Their 18-34 numbers last time around were pretty damn impressive. It was laughable at times watching CJAY program to compete. Kim Mitchell, Arcade Fire and Default didn't seem to mesh so well in the same stop set.
Calgary is just another pissant market run by pissant corporations that have no interest in Radio as a communicative medium - only as another way to generate revenue (not that there's anything wrong with that).
I'd be proud to wear the "Negative Nancy"-hat as these well-meaning, but hardly well-versed managers succumbed to the influence of consultants and corporately-acceptable trends a long time ago. I am, after all - a critic.
None of these people either impress or intimidate me as I've already made my bones - and more. Plus, I have met very few executives who are even willing to discuss the nuances of broadcast communications. Some, because they really don't care and some because they can't handle the intricacies that such a conversation would entail. Others have difficulty because any change-in-course would represent a negation of their past positions and experiences and, Lord Gawd, we just couldn't have that!
The stations truely do suck. And suck large.
Their approach is sophomoric, predictable, mundane and utterly unappealing on any human, intellectual, emotional or communicative level.
However, the point can still be made that these comments are about an industry that must make comparisions and compete on a comparitive basis to do well. I appreciate how that is legitmate - just not very appealing.
My name is Ronald T. Robinson. And I know what it is.... to Kill! Over and over again.
What does sadden me, however, are the lost opportunities.
Radio has become a medium of marketing - not communications. Unfortunately, audiences have picked up on this distinction, albeit: intuitively... and Radio remains the "weakest sister" of all advertising medium. Odd, perhaps, for a medium that enjoys the greatest penetration.
When posters can only speak to music mixes, it demonstrates to me how much of a once-great, communicative medium has been lost.
Hahaha all of you make me laugh. I can't wait until you can solve the on-going mystery of what a good station is!!!! Now I guess I can't say all of you, just all the bitter people on here that have been fired at one time or another. Please share your answers with all of us when you get the formula and figure it all out. "pissant market" and "Pissant corporations," now what have each one of these self proclaimed "pissant corporations" done to you before Pave?? Turn that from upside down buttercup, it'll be okay, if you stress so much you're going to give yourself a heart attack, now you don't want that do you???? Pave, you seem to have all the answers, as do many people on here, but you in particular. So let's hear them so maybe one of the consultants that are helping program the stations happen to read this and they can take your advice.
This thread is not about Me - any more than a discussion of Classic Rock is.
My intentions were to establish that: a.) I have a legitimate set of Radio experiences and b.) corporate Radio is stuck in the glue. (That corporate Radio is stuck has hardly ever been challenged.)
As to my philosophy: Beyond some commercially-viable premises, I keep almost all of those discussions out of our commercial-production enterprise. That enterprise is targeted at small and medium-market retailers - users of Radio.
Meanwhile, the archives of PSR are replete with discussions on the methodologies and nuances of broadcast communications.
Hahaha all of you make me laugh. I can't wait until you can solve the on-going mystery of what a good station is!!!! Now I guess I can't say all of you, just all the bitter people on here that have been fired at one time or another. Please share your answers with all of us when you get the formula and figure it all out. "pissant market" and "Pissant corporations," now what have each one of these self proclaimed "pissant corporations" done to you before Pave?? Turn that from upside down buttercup, it'll be okay, if you stress so much you're going to give yourself a heart attack, now you don't want that do you???? Pave, you seem to have all the answers, as do many people on here, but you in particular. So let's hear them so maybe one of the consultants that are helping program the stations happen to read this and they can take your advice.
The Dude Abides
I'm just a (former) listener and even I laugh at the suggestion that any consultant would lower themselves to take advice from someone with 30 or more years experience. One of the few industries it seems that the more experience you have the closer to the rocking chair they push you.
The attitude is more than prevalent in your condescending post.
So with every graduating class of snotnosed consultants who know everything, this industry starts from scratch, repeating the fukcup$ of every class before it and ignoring the experience sitting in the booth or in a sales chair. Or maybe even in that rocking chair!!!
And they wonder why listeners are tuning out by the thousands
Wow... and I mean... WOW!! I've enjoyed reading the posts of many of the authors on this thread for quite a while now and I've often found them informative and educational, perspectives from a wide range of experience. But the attitude towards these new stations seems to be a bit harsh.
Pave, Paddyboy et al - wouldn't a radio station be deemed successful if it generates loyalty, affection and passion from its target audience? Seems that very quickly both Energy and X have done that. Energy catering to the portion of society that embraces American Idol, Survivor and Let's make a deal. Pretty big percentage.
X... yeah, from an old-school radio purist point of view... doesn't sound nearly as polished, the jocks are way less structured etc. But, if the first book was any indication, their listeners sure have seemed to embraced them. And isn't that what it's really about? Modern rock, gentlemen... built for a generation most of us have little hope of understanding anymore. Except you flamethrower.
Call out the corporations all you want, of course they're in it to make a buck. But really, how is that different from the indies of a generation ago? Because last I checked, no one who has sold out in the last few years split their sale proceeds with the staff who helped them build it.
Flamethrower... let's see... for fun... 100 or so staff gone through over the last 10/15 years out there in Vic... 12 million sale... split 50/50... that's about 60K for each staff. What did you do with your cheque? OK, totally made up numbers there, just having some fun.
And if I think back many years ago to my early days in the business, I'm pretty sure I remember my owner driving off in his Mercedes while the evening jocks were trying to pool together money for a package of noodles and some sauce.
Not complaining, just sayin' is all.
Oh... I forgot Fuel in my rant... hmmm... go figure.
However, I'm sure you can appreciate how the comments of some senior, Radio-people here have a basis in some history - a history where station management revelled in the communicative/performance/entertainment factors which Radio used to represent. Plus, there was usually enough staff around to attempt to deliver.
No doubting of the sincerity or enthusiasms of the Talents being shown at the newer sticks - just the execution and the lost opportunities.
And the responsibility for those factors are shared by both Talent and Management.
X... yeah, from an old-school radio purist point of view... doesn't sound nearly as polished, the jocks are way less structured etc. But, if the first book was any indication, their listeners sure have seemed to embraced them.
Yeah, the alt-rock fans have sampled the station, but how many will stick around? Keep in mind that the number of returned BBM ballots is notoriously low, and that a suprisingly small number of ballots can swing your share wildly in one direction or the other. For a station to launch with little or no street buzz, they did very well, but they'll see that share remain static (like their signal ;p) or drop now that the initial curiosity tuning will have passed. Key to any sustained success for X92 is to fix the signal; a clean, static-free signal that can be tuned anywhere in the metro area is a must. Then they need to work on the product being pumped through that static-free signal. The couple times I've listened will driving through Calgary in the past few months, it really sounds like they're using somebody's MP3 collection as a source for a large percentage of their library, the sonic quality between tracks can be shocking. I'll refrain from commenting on the air staff, they were having technical issues with equipment, trying to deal with some mic problems.
Lite 96 (and Jack) better be scared, as Energy will be taking a large chunk of the soccer-mom's. Good signal, and the music works for the most part; the MD just needs to work on placement of some of the 80's gold so the programming flows better. And inside the next two years, once there's the complete turn-over of the air-staff, the jocks should sound really, really good.
I'd love to comment on Fuel, but didn't have time on the last trip to tune in. The concept of a AAA is quite appealing, I just wonder how much Bruce Cockburn is used to fill their quota???
I really like Energy myself. I agree with Willy that there 80's should be placed better, that will come in time. X92 everytime i listen to them I always hear the same song, must be my bad timing I guess. Fuel is alright, I really like BJ Shannon hes pretty cool.
However, I'm sure you can appreciate how the comments of some senior, Radio-people here have a basis in some history - a history where station management revelled in the communicative/performance/entertainment factors which Radio used to represent. Plus, there was usually enough staff around to attempt to deliver.
No doubting of the sincerity or enthusiasms of the Talents being shown at the newer sticks - just the execution and the lost opportunities.
And the responsibility for those factors are shared by both Talent and Management.
Radio has become painfully formulaic and, as an industry, has taken overt steps to diminish "live" Talent. What Talent that remains performing "live" has also been restricted in terms of content and time-on-mic.
Attention to commercial-production has been sublimated to, essentially, a price/item mentality.
These step all represent the "lost opportunities" to which I refer - opportunities to attract, hold and more effectively influence an audience through other than the programming of Music.
Managent has no clue as how to respond to these challenges and I believe this is not an overstatement.
They really don't know.
Hell, it doesn't even occur to them there might be alternatives to the templates they have created and by which they so stalwartly stand.
This is the case particularly with the most recent generation of station managers and programmers.
They attempt to "tweak" when what is required are extraordinarily bold, broad strokes.
This, unless they are satisfied with their (comparitively) piddly, little ratings-knudges.
Is there ANYTHING that gets your stamp of approval ?
I swear if Jesus walked across the water of the BOW River, you would post a thread entitled "Why Can't Christ Swim"?
You might be a decent producer, Ad Agency or whatever. But your constant, negative cracking here is unsulting to many who love it and made it a career. Can things be better, sure. I think, in fact I know, the future of Radio is in good hands with the thousands of people who make it happen everyday in markets large and small.
Canadians still LOVE radio. It might not be "like it used to be" but very little is. Radio formats are driven by listener needs and wants. If they want Classic Hits, Mainstream Rock, AC, Country or whatever...there will be a station trying to fill that need. Local Radio stations and their staffs still bust their behinds to be part of the communities they serve. Food drives, lending a hand where its needed, getting behind worthy social issues....Radio does it everyday and does it with pride.
Potshots from the anonymous cheap seats that it's all some sort of Corporate money grab are A. Untrue and B. Revealing
Your right Flamethrower, not very dudely of me at all, but on the other hand eevn the Dude can get Fired up from time to time. Now as for X, a buddy I went to school with works there and he said the signal is weak because they are using a temporay tower for now. AS for the talent on the station, anytime I have tuned in I have enjoyed what I have heard. Not the typical ronny radio coming across as you would hear on say CJAY. Rather than complain about the new stations, I think everyone should be thankful this market FINALLY has something new to listen too. Great having X, Energy and Fuel in the city. THis market has lacked radio for many years and now that it's hear, most seem to complain. I really don't get that.
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