Re: WPLM

[Keith Barry <abarry19@idt.net>]

  It's a little after midnight, and the new liners on WPLM bill them as
"Easy 99.1"... Some of the announcements include names of artists they plan
to play, I assume, as they're still on the
Sinatra-Streisand-Cole-Bennett-Diamond-Dionne Warwick format. From what I've
heard, with names like John Pizzarelli, Ella Fitzgerald, Mel Torme, Dean
Martin, and Tony Bennett, the station almost sounds like it will partially
fill the void left by WQEW's untimely demise. Alan Anderson (sp?), GM of
WPLM mentioned in one of the prerecorded announcements that there would also
still be some smooth jazz mixed in with the format.   
  Right before midnight, WPLM ran a "simulated concert", with recordings of
live perfomances by Neil Diamond and Barry Manilow (ouch...). Right now, it
sounds as if they're waiting for Tower Records to open so the playlist can
be expanded!
  As for the simulcast situation, there are two IDs that I've heard - one
for AM and FM, and another for WPLM-FM only. I imagine that the simulcast
situation will be much the same as it was with smooth jazz - Bloomberg on
the AM during the day, simulcasts on weekends and nights. I've heard some
"Financial Updates" also running on WPLM-FM simulcasting with the AM format.
I wonder if WPLM is trying to compete with WOCN-FM and WQRC?

                                                Happy New Year,
                                                Sincerely,
                                                Keith W. Barry 

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.
>
>WPLM has been inviting listeners to call a toll-free number or fax or
>e-mail requests, and the general manager said in a promo this evening that
>they were listening to the requests and going out and buying the CDs. 
>While I'm not going to take that literally, it sounds as though they are
>using listener feedback to decide what to play, within their resources. 
>Which means that at least it's not going to be a satellite service.  So
>far, there seems to be a sameness to the music that I'm finding rather
>annoying -- perhaps because there's so much Sinatra.  Presumably, as they
>"build a better radio station, record by record, artist by artist," this
>will change.
>
>BTW, while most of the legal IDs I've heard have been WPLM-FM IDs, I did
>hear one this evening which said "AM & FM."  One of the things yet to be
>seen is whether and to what extent there will be AM-FM simulcasting.
>
>Tuesday evening, their signal was quite strong in my car, driving out Route
>9.  Last night, it wasn't, and tonight, driving around Brookline and
>Brighton, it wasn't very strong.  I don't know much about how atmospherics
>affect FM signals, but current conditions don't seem to be good for FM
>propagation.  (I've also had trouble getting WCRB in my office again the
>past few days.)
>
>I'm not quite sure WPLM-FM will end up sounding like, and I don't know how
>much they're planning to spend on advertizing, but one thought does occur
>to me.  What sort of audience could our friend Bob Bittner attract if he
>had the same programming, with an FM signal and a promotion budget?
>
>-- 
>=======================================================================
> A. Joseph Ross, J.D.                                     617.367.0468
> 15 Court Square                                  lawyer@world.std.com
> Boston, MA 02108-2503                   http://world.std.com/~lawyer/
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>

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