Re: even more format changes...

[Mike Thomas <nostatic@earthlink.net>]

I think the 20 year cycle is part of it, but I think it also has to do with
the fact that there is a big hole in a lot of markets for a station
targeting 30-somethings.  Many Hot AC's such as WBMX and WXLO locally, have
added more 80's titles to their playlists, and in Mix's case, they have done
well.  WBOS has also seen improved numbers since they put in more 80's
songs.  I think the format would do well in Boston, so we'll have to see if
anyone decides to go for it.

CHR, Alternative and Active Rock skew young, and Classic rock, AC and oldies
focus on older listeners. All 80's shoots right down the middle of all these
formats demographically. 80's specialty shows have been extremely popular at
Hot AC's for quite some time now, so it seems that the time is right for
this format to go 24/7.  The demos are desirable, 25-44, both male and
female.  Done correctly, it could have legs.

Mike Thomas

Howard Glazer wrote:

> Ron Gitschier wonders about the '80s format explosion.
>
> I'd imagine it's happening because the start of the '80s is now two
> decades removed from the current year and the music can now be
> classified as oldies. Fans of this music are now in or moving into their
> thirties, prime buying years in the eyes of Madison Avenue.
>
> Also, traditional oldies stations have added the music of the '70s --
> the whole decade, not just the pre-disco years -- to their playlists but
> have pretty much left the '80s alone (while dropping all but a few songs
> from the '50s, whose listeners don't buy anything anymore, according to
> advertising dogma). Most of the pre-hip-hop and pre-grunge music of the
> '80s (Phil Collins, Duran Duran, Men At Work, etc.) doesn't work at CHR
> anymore, so a programming void exists.
>
> This format may have a longer lifespan than the '70s format, IMO, if
> only because the '70s format was hatched late in the '90s and almost
> immediately co-opted by oldies-formatted stations. I don't think today's
> oldies stations would want to add a lot of '80s music so soon after
> adding all those '70s hits.
>
> Howard
>