The Big Event

A couple of situations led to this post. Recently VH-1 Classic has been showing the multi-part "History of Rock & Roll". Watching it one night it got me wondering why television has taken over something that radio used to do so well in the past. On TV its just a show. With radio its an EVENT.

It's the event - over a weekend or longer that can attract long TSL.

I know we do specials like The Memorial Day Top 500 - or Classic Rock A to Z. Both still very valid, IMHO. But I was thinking beyond that. While watching VH-1, The Bill Drake/RKO "History of Rock & Roll" came to mind - albeit for Top 40 Radio.

Then this past Tuesday - while going through boxes in my basement storage looking for something unrelated, I came across a notebook binder full of CDs. An monumental AOR/Classic Rock special titled "The Official History of Rock & Roll"...produced by Infinity and distributed by ABC Radio Networks in late 1989. Fifty hours covering 35 years of the genre - from 1954 through the British Invasion - and starting with 1967 - a focus on album artists and releases up through then current day 1989.

It was a terrific special - very well produced - and I was proud to air it.

I believe the time is ripe for Classic Rock Radio to repeat a big event like this. In the right market it could even take on a local or regional flavor.

The Big Event. A lot of work. And another "difficult to duplicate" attribute for your radio station.