Re: WPLM

[Dan Strassberg <dan.strassberg@worldnet.att.net>]

At 09:47 PM 12/31/98 -0500, you wrote:

>I suppose before long, we'll see just what WPLM has in mind, so I'd better
>get my comments out before they are proved wrong.
>
Well, regardless of whether station management decided themselves what music
the station was going to play, or whether management actually used the
listener input that they had solicited, _saying_ that the music mix is what
the listeners wanted is probably not a bad idea. That way, if the listners
_don't_ like what they hear, management can say "hey, don't blame us; it was
_your_ idea." During the "stunting" period, Sunday was 100% Sinatra and I'd
guess that WPLM used at most 40 of the 1305 recordings that Sinatra made.
Monday, they added Streisand. It sounded to me as if the number of Streisand
cuts didn't exceed 20 and may have been lower. Tuesday, they added Tony
Bennett. Wednesday, they added Nat and Natalie Cole. Thursday brought
(heaven help us) Neil Diamond.

If the postings at Airwaves are correct, the swing-based standards format
that Chancellor initiated at KABL (Oakland/SF) and is now exporting to KLAC
(Los Angeles) is truly trans-generational. That Chancellor would invest in a
standards-based music format on two of its major market AMs certainly says
good things about Chancellor (the first good things I've heard about the
company since I can't remember when). Allegedly, the format is working in SF
and Chancellor has high hopes for it in LA. Chancellor owns WXKS (AM), and
if WXKS weren't hampered by a nighttime signal that is inaudible in most of
the market, the format might also work on that station. After all, Boston's
large college population should be a prime market for a swing-based format.

Hmm. At the risk of sounding like Joseph Gallant, maybe Chancellor should
buy 1200 from Fairbanks and sell 1430 to the Asher family (even if the
Ashers are willing to pay only $1.00 for it) under the condition that the
Ashers move WESX from 1230 to 1430. This would greatly improve WESX's day
signal and would make way for the proposed move of 1200 to the WEZE site at
Wellington Circle. (Currently, that move is impossible because of prohibited
overlap with WESX.) Chancellor could then move WXKS (AM) to 1200 with 50
kW-U DA-N. Although the night signal west of Wellington Circle would still
be poor, it would be a lot better than the 1430 night signal, and would
probably be good enough that a station perceived to have an exclusive format
could do OK.

As someone (Larry Weil, I think) commented, it sounds as if WPLM is aiming
at a predominantly female audience (my guess is women 35-50). This leaves a
rather large hole for another standards-based format with proven ability to
attract younger listeners. If Chancellor has such a format (and several
posters at Airwaves insist that Chancellor does), putting the format on a
Chancellor station that has historically been the market's standards
station, seems like a sensible move. They'd bring along the older audience
and attract new listeners that ad agencies might actually be willing to pay for.

- -------------------------------
Dan Strassberg (Note: Address is CASE SENSITIVE!)
ALL _LOWER_ CASE!!!--> dan.strassberg@worldnet.att.net
(617) 558-4205; Fax (617) 928-4205

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