[BC] "all new" format

[Steve]

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Harold Hallikainen 
  To: Broadcasters' Mailing List 
  Sent: Friday, January 27, 2006 9:02 PM
  Subject: Re: [BC] "all new" format


  I haven't tried listening to the station yet, but I don't think it's
  necessary that "the listener be the PD." What I had in mind is a music
  director who listens to all the submissions and selects the good stuff to
  air (just like at a typical station, but without the payola). There's a
  lot of good stuff out there that has not been picked up by the big
  recording companies (and a lot of bad stuff that has been picked up). I'm
  not really familiar with sports, but I think there are "farm teams" where
  the great players are discovered. The same thing could be done with such a
  station.

  It might be interesting to do on a national basis. Accept submissions
  nationwide and build a few 24 hour per day formats around the formats. It
  could be distributed by satellite and internet. Make it available to
  stations for free by selling national ads and leaving openings for local
  ads.


  Points well taken but the bottom line (at least in my book) is to attract as many listeners as possible. I will go to my grave knowing and believing this. Yes, I'm from the old school. PLAY THE HITS! :) I believe the Jack format(s) are finding that out quickly. However, it's obvious niche programming can work and that is clearly evident with all the cable channels. BUT you have to have several to support the ones that are weak. The cash cows support the others. As for commercial content Rich, correctly, pointed out that (I say it differntly but it's the same) anything that stops the flow of the intended content is a perceived interruption. 

  Take a listener to the side, away from peers, and you'll hear a totally different story. When he/she returns to the herd it all changes. A listener is actually in a void when it comes to what they like because they really don't know what they like and want to be told and we, as programmers, are the ones to tell them. When we tell too many of them "wrong" we suffer the consequences (ratings).

  You said above to select the best of the submissions. Aren't we right back at the beginning? This is what we do as M.D's/P.D's. Select the best from what is submitted to us. We get a bunch of product everyday dumped on our desks. We are given suggestions by promoters. We select from the best submissions. You see? We keep coming back to the same place everytime. Now I'm not implying you said this, (and you didn't) but programming by committee does NOT work.

  Excuse the ramblings. I'm dragging up dead brain cells and reactivating them. :) Harold, in many ways this is the old Chicken and the Egg bit. 

  One last point. Even Mozart (his 250th birthday is today so why don't we celebrate) didn't make money on the stiffs he wrote. He may have thought it a masterpiece but the public was the litmus test. (in his case, the Prince of Austria as well) 

  Thoughts? 

  Steve
  Steve Walker Productions