xm411.com - FM's Ever-Shrinking Playlist

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Flash Starman
XM Rules my life

Joined: 07 Feb 2004
Posts: 646
Location: New York, NY
Primary Radio: Pioneer Inno

FM's Ever-Shrinking Playlist

I found the following article in today's New York Daily News . Last year, WCBS-FM, New York's oldies station, dropped its doo-wop and oldies countdown shows. Now, its playlist is getting smaller. Shocked

quote:
A nuggets-only policy for 'CBS golden oldies

By David Hinckley
New York Daily News

If WCBS-FM listeners think they've been hearing their favorite songs a little more often the last few weeks, that could be true.

On the other hand, it also could be true they aren't hearing a couple of their favorites at all.

WCBS-FM (101.1), long the most popular oldies station in the country, has tightened up its playlist, says program director Joe McCoy.

"We want every song to be a great song," says McCoy. "I've thought for a few years we could be playing our best songs a little more often."

The WCBS-FM playlist now focuses on perhaps 500 songs, almost all from the 1964-1975 era. The station steps outside that core for specialty shows like Norm N. Nite's Sunday night "Heart of Rock 'n' Roll" and Mike Fitzgerald's "Monday Night '70s," but during the day, when WCBS-FM is looking for morning and office listeners, it sticks to the basics.

Because this is the era on which WCBS-FM has focused for years, McCoy says the changes are the kind of tweaking and tightening that program directors do all the time.

The practical effect has been to eliminate most remaining vestiges of pre-Beatles songs as well as some late-'70s and early '80s songs, mostly slow adult-contemporary-style tunes, that had been sprinkled into the rotation over the last couple of years.

The changes follow the arrival at WCBS-FM of Steve Rivers, vice president of programming at parent Infinity.

They mirror changes made at a number of Infinity oldies stations around the country, which has led some WCBS-FM fans to fear that their station is sounding more like a generic oldies station - when part of the success of WCBS-FM has always been that it has a very distinct New York flavor.

But like other oldies stations, WCBS-FM has suffered a ratings decline in recent years as its audience grows older, moves away and is not replaced by as many younger listeners.

So the question is what music mix can draw some of those new listeners while also serving the longtime loyal core.

In New York, that balancing act is compounded by the launch of the new "Mix" format at sister station WNEW-FM (102.7 FM). Mix, an adult-contemporary station, goes back to the early '80s for some of its songs, and presumably Infinity doesn't want a lot of overlap.

Whatever the motivation, McCoy says the listener is ultimately well served.

"Who could have a problem," he says, "with hearing 'Baby Love' a little more often?"

I do, Mr. McCoy. That is why I got XM Satellite Radio. Smile

http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/story/175874p-153136c.html

Mon Mar 22, 2004 6:53 pm

GatorDJ
XM Rules my life

Joined: 08 Feb 2004
Posts: 839

Oh my.

Either they really don't get it, or McCoy is saying what he thinks corporate wants to read in the papers.

To me, the attitude shows incredible contempt for the listener, as in "Don't tell us what you want to hear, we know what's good for you."

And terrestrial radio's audience will get smaller and smaller and smaller.....

Mon Mar 22, 2004 7:51 pm

tdevine
XM411 Nut!

Joined: 08 Feb 2004
Posts: 130

Someone dropped WCBS-FM in a cold pool! Laughing

~Travers Exclamation

Mon Mar 22, 2004 11:17 pm

NIN Fan
XM411 Regular

Joined: 12 Feb 2004
Posts: 71
Location: Layton, Utah

SHRINKING playlists? MORE repetition? I think the XM subscriber rate will go up in that area. It's hard to imagine that someone would prefer to listen to the same songs over and over. Confused

Tue Mar 23, 2004 3:28 am

Bama-Buddy
XM411 Community Leader

Joined: 07 Feb 2004
Posts: 1444
Location: Dolomite, Alabama
Primary Radio: SkiFi Boombox

I grew up in New York City and WCBS was one of my favorite channels. It seemed like it was always on so I grew up on the oldies music. What a shame that WCBS has gotten a smaller playlist, but it's not surprising. In this day of Clear Channel and contant repetition all of the once-good FM channels are either changing their format or have gotten worse in quality.

FM (and AM) radio stations are so out of touch with how a radio station should be that it makes me even more happy that XM exists.
_________________
You can check out http://xmbootcamp3.blogspot.com to read my XM blog!

I've blocked the CC music channels from my radio (including WSIX)!

Tue Mar 23, 2004 10:05 pm

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		Author	Thread
		Flash Starman XM Rules my life Joined: 07 Feb 2004 Posts: 646 Location: New York, NY Primary Radio: Pioneer Inno	FM's Ever-Shrinking Playlist I found the following article in today's New York Daily News . Last year, WCBS-FM, New York's oldies station, dropped its doo-wop and oldies countdown shows. Now, its playlist is getting smaller. quote: A nuggets-only policy for 'CBS golden oldies By David Hinckley New York Daily News If WCBS-FM listeners think they've been hearing their favorite songs a little more often the last few weeks, that could be true. On the other hand, it also could be true they aren't hearing a couple of their favorites at all. WCBS-FM (101.1), long the most popular oldies station in the country, has tightened up its playlist, says program director Joe McCoy. "We want every song to be a great song," says McCoy. "I've thought for a few years we could be playing our best songs a little more often." The WCBS-FM playlist now focuses on perhaps 500 songs, almost all from the 1964-1975 era. The station steps outside that core for specialty shows like Norm N. Nite's Sunday night "Heart of Rock 'n' Roll" and Mike Fitzgerald's "Monday Night '70s," but during the day, when WCBS-FM is looking for morning and office listeners, it sticks to the basics. Because this is the era on which WCBS-FM has focused for years, McCoy says the changes are the kind of tweaking and tightening that program directors do all the time. The practical effect has been to eliminate most remaining vestiges of pre-Beatles songs as well as some late-'70s and early '80s songs, mostly slow adult-contemporary-style tunes, that had been sprinkled into the rotation over the last couple of years. The changes follow the arrival at WCBS-FM of Steve Rivers, vice president of programming at parent Infinity. They mirror changes made at a number of Infinity oldies stations around the country, which has led some WCBS-FM fans to fear that their station is sounding more like a generic oldies station - when part of the success of WCBS-FM has always been that it has a very distinct New York flavor. But like other oldies stations, WCBS-FM has suffered a ratings decline in recent years as its audience grows older, moves away and is not replaced by as many younger listeners. So the question is what music mix can draw some of those new listeners while also serving the longtime loyal core. In New York, that balancing act is compounded by the launch of the new "Mix" format at sister station WNEW-FM (102.7 FM). Mix, an adult-contemporary station, goes back to the early '80s for some of its songs, and presumably Infinity doesn't want a lot of overlap. Whatever the motivation, McCoy says the listener is ultimately well served. "Who could have a problem," he says, "with hearing 'Baby Love' a little more often?" I do, Mr. McCoy. That is why I got XM Satellite Radio. http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/story/175874p-153136c.html
		Mon Mar 22, 2004 6:53 pm
		GatorDJ XM Rules my life Joined: 08 Feb 2004 Posts: 839	Oh my. Either they really don't get it, or McCoy is saying what he thinks corporate wants to read in the papers. To me, the attitude shows incredible contempt for the listener, as in "Don't tell us what you want to hear, we know what's good for you." And terrestrial radio's audience will get smaller and smaller and smaller.....
		Mon Mar 22, 2004 7:51 pm
		tdevine XM411 Nut! Joined: 08 Feb 2004 Posts: 130	Someone dropped WCBS-FM in a cold pool! ~Travers
		Mon Mar 22, 2004 11:17 pm
		NIN Fan XM411 Regular Joined: 12 Feb 2004 Posts: 71 Location: Layton, Utah	SHRINKING playlists? MORE repetition? I think the XM subscriber rate will go up in that area. It's hard to imagine that someone would prefer to listen to the same songs over and over.
		Tue Mar 23, 2004 3:28 am
		Bama-Buddy XM411 Community Leader Joined: 07 Feb 2004 Posts: 1444 Location: Dolomite, Alabama Primary Radio: SkiFi Boombox	I grew up in New York City and WCBS was one of my favorite channels. It seemed like it was always on so I grew up on the oldies music. What a shame that WCBS has gotten a smaller playlist, but it's not surprising. In this day of Clear Channel and contant repetition all of the once-good FM channels are either changing their format or have gotten worse in quality. FM (and AM) radio stations are so out of touch with how a radio station should be that it makes me even more happy that XM exists. _________________ You can check out http://xmbootcamp3.blogspot.com to read my XM blog! I've blocked the CC music channels from my radio (including WSIX)!
		Tue Mar 23, 2004 10:05 pm