Re: Tight Play Lists

[rickganley@juno.com (Rick A Ganley)]

Mike Thomas writes with great wisdom:

>Do I see the day of 1000+ song playlists again?  No.  But I do think if
we
>want to keep our listeners from straying to other music medium, we just
might
>have to give them what they are asking for--more variety.

>Mike Thomas
>WXLO & Premiere Radio Networks 

Wow! Give the listners what they want???? Why, it's genius, I tell ya!

Mike, you,my good man, are WAY to smart for this industry. 

See if this sounds familiar:
Let's play the same song every one else is playing right out of the box.
I mean, it's not a very GOOD song, we know it doesn't  have any 'legs',
but we'll play it anyway, 'cause THEY'RE playin' it, and besides,
his/her/ their last single was "a hit" (that phrase means very little
today).
I think we've all met PD's like this... the ones who haven't held or
attended a music meeting in a dozen years... programming by consultant or
trade lists alone. While I can clearly see why a CHR in a very
competitive market maintains 200 titles or less at one time, a good
progrmmer grooms that title list CONSTATLY... rotating gold in and out to
resist "the burn". 
And why an Alternative or Active Rocker or Classic Rocker or AAA would
cut their playlist down to under 300 titles baffles me. It really does.
Yeah, I know that research shows that people want familiar titles while
they say they want "variety" (again, a virtually useless word now), but
with a zillion signals in every market, there's gotta be room for a
couple of stations that don't follow the mob.

I know what you guys are thinkn'.... idealist on the loose!

And you're right. Just dreamin'.

Now where's my CD player remote.....

- -Rick Ganley

------------------------------