"Classic Soul"(was Re: WBOS adds '70's to playlist)

[Mark Shneyder <mshbc@bu.edu>]

On Mon, 7 Jul 1997, Michael Tuminelli wrote:

> 
> Can you elaborate on this format with some examples? It sounds
> interesting.
> 

WRKS 98.7FM(better known as KISS-FM) plays "Classic Soul", a format built
around R+B hits from the 60s,70s and early 80s(eg, Sly & Family Stone, Earth 
Wind & Fire, Stevie Wonder, Aretha, Marvin Gaye , etc). The station has 
attracted a healthy audience, at one point capturing the top spot in the 
NY ratings.Its audience is mostly Afro-American baby boomers and others 
who reject hip-hop and hip-hop-inflected R+B. New songs rarely make the 
KISS-FM playlist, and when they do( which is only after substantial 
testing) they are pop standard bearers such as Toni Braxton, Anita Baker 
and Babyface. When Indinapolis-based Emmis bought 'RKS back in December '94
and overhauled the format(it was previously CHR/Urban) and added
celebrity jocks such Isaac Hayes("Isaac In The Morning"), Roberta Flack
and husband-and-wife singing team of Nick Ashford and Valerie Simpson it 
became most talked about radio station in NYC.

Kiss-FM's corporate cousin and one-time competitor is WQHT 97.1FM(aka Hot 
97) which in contrast has targeted younger urban demos by playing modern 
hip-hop artists such as the Fugess and Snoop Doggy Dog, and R+B with a 
strong hip-hop influence - artists including Mary J. Blige, Brandy and R. 
Kelly.

Emmis, which owns both Kiss-FM and Hot97,  added its third NYC station
in mid-May - NAC/Smooth Jazz WQCD "CD 101" 101.9FM. Emmis acquired a 3-year 
option to purchase 'QCD from Tribune Co. and beagn operating the station
under time brokerage agreement on July 1.'QCD is worth about $160 million
and Emmis is looking to swap with Tribune for some of its other stations 
sometime down the road....Emmis plans no format changes for CD101...

I find the "Classic Format" refreshing every chance I get to hear it...Hey,
at this point, Boston market sounds so unbelievably flat, any 
non-standard  format is music to my ears...:-)

- -Mark

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