The Weekend Classic Rock FM

41° - clear at 8:09am

Happy Friday!

Earlier this week I was made privy to Chicago's September PPM release. WDRV a solid #1 P25-54, in a 2-way tie for #3 P12+ (with WLS-FM) and #3 P18-49. All numbers M-Sun 6a-12mid. Congrats again to PD Patty Martin.

Around the dial:

Hot Moms 2008! Who doesn't like Hot Moms? New York's Q104.3 (which scored well in PPM too!) repeating their successful Hot Mom contest. Great web promo. Winner gets 5 grand. There's two age groups (under/over 35).

See the finalists so far plus a video message from the 2007 winner here. A great promotion that's right on target with the demo.

Meanwhile...WGRF/Buffalo is searching for Buffalo's sexiest Bills fan. A great promotion as 97 Rock is the flagship station of the team. See the contestants here.

The People's Hall of Fame. WNCX/Cleveland is putting together their own listener-voted rock Hall of Fame. A great website promotion that can engage listeners. See it here.

Very nice! WKLH/Milwaukee midday goddess Marilyn Mee wrapping up Storyteller Week. The stories behind the songs from the artists themselves. And you've been wondering what to do with all those old "In The Studio" disks in your file cabinet! Check out the audio here.

Last Band Standing. Clear Channel's KUFX/San Jose underway with their 5th annual Last Band Standing contest. Competition is between local classic rock cover bands. This can work in almost market large or small and costs almost nothing to pull off. Details here.

Have a great Friday.

WNCX/Cleveland + How Deep Is Your List?

66° - overcast/light rain at 11:35am

Good Morning. Yesterday was day 3 of the summer number rollout.

In Cleveland classic rock WNCX posted its best 12+ numbers in over a year (like sister WZLX/Boston - mentioned here Wednesday). The CBS classic rockers appear to be kicking some serious ass!

Added: Listening casually today to WNCX - its totally plugged into Cleveland. Liners done by members of the Indians. Afternoon drive hosted by local music legend Michael Stanley (yes, that Michael Stanley). A radio station with soul and character.

I can't recall the last time I heard "The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway" on classic rock radio, except during an A to Z.

I did have an "oh wow" moment listening to WNCX's stream today: A song (and a band) that I haven't heard since the mid-70s. As soon as it began to play my ears perked up though I couldn't identify.

Quickly maximizing the streaming player window - there it was - title and artist: "Back To The River" by Cleveland's own "The Damnation of Adam Blessing". TOO COOL. Used as internet fill to cover a stopset on the stream.

Later: Michael Stanley Band's "My Town" as fill. Self-indulgent mode now "off". But thanks 'NCX....its great to be excited about listening to the radio.

How deep is your list? Edison Media's Sean Ross has posted a great piece on comparing classic rock playlists between terrestrial and satellite radio.

Comparing playlists on some XM and Sirius channels to New York's WAXQ, Sean notes:

"...the satellite services were a lot less eccentric than their reputation. The most aggressive among the Sirius and XM channels had four "oh wows" per hour--meaning that even in satellite radio, somebody is thinking about giving the listener that well-balanced quarter-hour that is such a tenet of terrestrial programming."

Sean also observes - casually that when he does hear satellite radio playing, its typically the mainstream channels, not the "deep tracks". Read here. Lots to read and digest.

Supplementing Sean's piece are comments from some respected names in the business...

Consultant Greg Gillispie: "Properly displayed and positioned, terrestrial radio should use deeper tracks. Doing so can certainly create talk...and hopefully we all know what WOM can do!"

"...there are stations - and one large market station is scary - that won't stay tied in with topics of interest. A major day-in-history event, big artist b'day, etc. go without a short feature or in some cases even a brief word."

Programmer JJ Duling: "It is possible to play the hits AND provide the occasional "WOW!" song to keep it fresh and Programmers who aren't boxed in by typical radio definitions do just that every day."

Very good food for thought. The hits are the hits. But I'm one for throwing in the occasional deep cut or "wow" - especially with the right setup and/or staging; the local market dictates. Thanks to Sean Ross for providing the forum for discussion.

The Weekend Classic Rock FM

left: looking east from my home 8:30 this morning.

Here Comes The Sun. Perhaps spring is finally arriving here in Mid-Michigan.

Its Friday the 13th. What, me worry?

Promotions: WNCX/Cleveland kicks off its spring book workforce promotion on Monday with listeners winning a "20th Anniversary Work Shirt" and a chance at a $5000 each week for 4 weeks. The Work Shirt - a great idea!

WODE/Easton, PA kicks off their Workforce Payroll next Thursday with $99/an hour - plus a shot at an insurance-backed Million Dollar jackpot. Looks like they picked up some NTR revenue with the contest too!

WDVE/Pittsburgh conducted a "Hairband Idol" contest at local clubs. And they've got video on their website.

Out & About: The other day this blog mentioned a few stations getting out shaking hands and kissing babies. I see that WKLH/Milwaukee's Dave and Carole are doing their morning drive show live once a week at "their favorite businesses around town". A great way to kick off the book! Today they're at the "Crew Operations Center" of Midwest Airlines.

Thank You. To Lee Arnold and his kind words about this blog.

I-Man: On Wednesday I wrote: "I don't feel its going to be quite that easy for Imus this time".

But I never imagined it going this far.

Fred Jacobs sums up Don Imus this morning on his blog: "terrestrial radio has just lost another star it cannot replace".

Great words. I've always lived by this - and its nice to see in print: "Tell the truth, tell it completely, and tell it immediately." - Dan Edelman (via Dave Martin).

More here Sunday Morning. Have a great weekend.