I’m thinking of a sound like the 1960s-1970s KVI, an adult sound, but with a modified Oldies format. If I were Program Director of a great metropolitan radio station, my Oldies station would not use the term “Oldies”. The station would play Billboard’s popular hits from the 50s, 60, and 70s. There would be an occasional song from the big band era, instrumentals and a rare jazz tune, not “Smooth Jazz.”
The personalities would refer to the call letters on station breaks, not a moniker or mascot.
A playlist of 4,000 songs (minimum) to choose from, would be the basis of the record library (digitized of course). There would be no restrictions on what music is chosen by the jock, hour by hour, so long as it was within the record library, and not played twice in one day. There would be no recounting of the year a song was released or artist info. I find that to be boring. That was done in the “History” specials and that is where that belongs. The music would play and the jocks would talk about local happenings and whatever personality they can inject, without horns, buzzers or morning zoo effects.
Songs that have been “tested” by focus groups and played to death on other radio stations, would be restricted to minimum play.
There would be hourly news, with a sports recap when warranted, plus traffic and weather.
Ideally, there would be LIVE jocks 24/7. But, it could be automated if necessary.
That’s just part of what I have envisioned.
Of course, I would have won the lottery and have 300 million dollars to play with, until the ad revenue started rolling in.
And, of course, the money would be hauled in on pallets. Advertisers would be lining up to get airtime. The station would be heavily promoted.
Don’t wake me, I’m dreamin’.
Moe Howard – I’m Broadcasting (0:02)
Lou Robbins — Admin/Editor | Airchecks
KTOY | KVAC (WA-1974) | KDFL (WA-1975) | KTTX (TX- 1976) | KWHI (TX-1976) | KONP (WA-1977) | KBAM (WA-1978) | KJUN (WA-1983) | KRPM (WA-1984) | KAMT (WA-1986) | KASY (WA-1988) | KBRD (WA-1989) | KTAC (WA-1990) | KMTT (WA-1991) | KOOL (AZ-1994)
Just like the olden days. When sponsors thought it meant something to have a live read or endorsement by the jock.
“The Sound of the city, the city by the sound”
Warm friendly conversational personality adult presentation. No shouting. No liners. Classic fifties and sixties jingles, including the long ones. No focus groups allowed. No ten, five or three in a row. Two in a row requires live separator. No segues!
Studio phone line must be answered! Talk to the fans!
Variety. Variety! At least 18,000 songs in the library, 1948 through 1971. Songs from Billboard’s R & B, MOR and Easy Listening charts. Any song played more than once in three weeks would require five hours of separation from the time it was last played. No day-part restrictions on any song. Same programming 24/7. Four hour shifts every day and night of the week.
Every jock, every hour, would be required to play one song he (I said “He”) had never played before or, even better, never even heard before. Variety. Variety! Every record played would be five to ten years newer or older than the previous one.
Local and network news live every hour.
Remotes with $500.00 per hour talent fees.
The long ones, like: KVI ‘Sound of the City’ / KJR ‘Sound Citizen’-Jet City Song https://www.qzvx.com/kvi-audio/
Sounds like fun, but not economically feasible. Only about 50 records from the 60’s test well, let alone older than that. Advertisers that would line up might be so old that they wouldn’t be around before the ink dries. Too much competition from so many sources. The good old days are just that unfortunately. Fun to dream, but I believe your talking about the Titanic. I dream of the same thing so sorry to pop our Hindenburg!
I thought the blimp would be the next big thing in air travel. What do I know?
I would play whatever oldies get downloaded or streamed the most, and anything that ever sold a million records. A few thousand, maybe
Top 40 stations stuck with their weekly survey of the most popular tunes and were successful. That formula still works with CHR.
Mine, counter-programming you, WOULD embrace artist info, though at least not the same over-used info everyone has heard to death. And those snappy, “because we’re the station that actually CARES about the music you love.” And start by playing 10,o00 in a row, with no repeats.
Actually, I’d take the money and disappear, so your dream is safe. 🙂
Yeah, I think the stunting is unnecessary. Have the format in place, ready to roll, day one. With you out of the way, spending your money in some exotic location, that removes my direct competition.