Re: Jammin' Oldies mean quick jammin' burnouts

["Bill O'Neill" <billo@erols.com>]

Tim/Ohio writes:

> The expected the burn-out cycle should be about one year.
> Remember....probably 50% of these songs
> have been played for 20+ years on oldies stations anyway....so,
although
> the biggest Motown/RnB-crossover hits of the 60's & 70's, they've
> already had heavy exposure.

I agree that the 'embers' of overexposure are easily fanned by a new
cozy home among 300-600 other taxi-tested singles.  However, we have
to couple that with the contrastingly lower personality profile
vehicle that today's stations present versus the singles' original
packaging that radio was.  Along with the high burnout rotations when
they were new, there was some other focal points for the listener,
e.g., locally 'known' voices, contests, remotes, gimmicks.

We could kick back with confidence that radio has "matured" beyond the
sound of the AM-to-FM transitional period, but I have to wonder if the
music that was successful at that time owes some of that success to
the spirit in which it was delivered.

Bill O'Neill

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