Re: Formats (was: imus to land on wsjz)

["Bump Martin" <LJNF40C@prodigy.com>]

>> I had asked that question before.
>>
>> NAC is "New Adult Contemporary"
>
>Curious. What would a format be called (now) that essentially mirrors
>the Soft AC playlist of the 80s a la WSSH or WMJX (of that time) if it
>were to be replicated today, with emphasis away from 90s?

There are some variations among the "AC Format Family"...

A "Lite" or "Soft" AC, such as WLTW-NYC, or the former WSSH is a very
conservative version.  Picking songs for their texture (or lack thereof) as
opposed to picking 'mega-monster-testing' songs.  Lite/Soft AC's tend to
sound a bit like jelly-fish.  Nice and Mushy with no backbone.  Sometimes,
they are so conservative, that these stations play no currents at all, just
to play it safe.  These stations usually do very well 35+.  Jocks tend to
sound like automatons.

A 'Mainstream AC' tends to play a much wider variety of songs.  From
Springsteen to Ricky Martin from Bette Midler to Natalie Merchant.
Anything that the contemporary/CHR/Urban stations play that passes the test
for the adults and does well with the 25-54 demo can get aired.  They can
usually play a lot of crossover songs from other formats as well.  WMJX
would probably be a good example of a 'Mainstream AC'.

A "Hot AC"  usually puts all there music thru a tempo filter.  Emphasising
only songs that are uptempo.  There tends to be more emphasis on newer music
(They usually share a lot of songs with the CHR stations).....but again,
it's for what appeals to adults.  Sometimes these stations can do pretty
well 18+34 as well.  (The old Mix 98.5 was a good examply of this.)

"New AC" is somewhat new in the last few years.  What WBMX is doing now.
Almost ALL currents....and emphasising the "alternative" side of new music
for adults.

(Although NAC was/is sometimes referred to stations that play a healthy dose
of 'new age' music...as that 'was' the "new adult music" for awhile.....I
think most of these stations have morphed into the traditional Contemporary
Jazz formats now.)

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