WCRN drops AP Network News; largely drops Swing format

[SteveOrdinetz]

Dan Strassberg wrote:
>For sure, whoever originates this format isn't going broke paying the
>"talent." Today, I heard a (very young sounding) announcer refer to New
>York's Greenwich Village and pronounce the W. Will somebody please tell me
>what the generic name of the Unforgettable format is? It's really heavy on
>what I'd call '50s AC. Just as I've characterized NAC as Kenny G 24/7, this
>sounds kind of like Ricky Nelson 24/7. Not as offensive as rap or heavy
>metal, maybe, but it doesn't win any prizes for good taste (or singing on
>key; I could believe that all the music is played a half tone flat on
>purpose--or maybe the satellite is leaving earth orbit and this is the
>Doppler effect ;>).


Jocks who are not even close in age to the target demo have always been a 
bit of a peeve of mine (though I've been guilty of it myself)...whether 
it's some 22 year old playing oldies or standards or 60 year olds trying to 
do CHR.  As far as the songs sounding flat, I've noticed that on several CD 
reissues where the originals that we're familiar with were pitched up, but 
the re-issues are the "correct" speed, thereby sounding flat & draggy.

>It would be interesting to know which came first--WCRN's decision to mostly
>dump the Swing format and all but one member of its air staff--or the exit
>of the one sponsor, National Glass, which appeared to be buying, far and
>away, the heaviest spot load. Did the Carberry's hire a consultant to tell
>them that, by dumping Swing and picking up Unforgettable, WCRN would attract
>a (slightly) younger audience (albeit one whose taste is all in their
>mouths)? Or did the Carberry's figure that out all by themselves? Next stop,
>a return to brokered religion? A sale of the station? Or was this strictly
>an economy move to keep the station alive and in the family?


Do we even know that this was a paid account, or maybe just trade?  I know 
we've been thru this before, but a swing format doesn't tend to appeal to a 
very economically desirable demo....my guess was that it was a pretty tough 
sell.  Trying to make it with a standalone AM is hard enough without trying 
to do it with a music format.