Re: [IRCA] Air America update

["David Gleason" <david@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I know lots of oldies stations have disappeared lately, although this is
mostly an FM phenomenon. The prospects are that some AMs may take this
format up, especially in suburban and smaller markets where ratings are not
the prime driver of ad sales.

However, to say that the death of oldies formats has to do with the age of
the sellers is to miss the main point... one which dictates nearly all major
market format gyrations. In rated markets, most billing is what is called
"transactional" which means that it is negotiated based on rate and ratings.
In this situation, most advertisers of consequence have ad agencies or ad
departments who call the shots. The advertiser has a specific age target,
and very seldom is it outside the 18-49 or 25-54 age groups, and usually is
a small part of that spread.

So, a station goes to Mr. Advertiser with mostly 55 and over listeners. If
the advertiser has a target that does not include over-55, the station will
not be considered, no matter how good the seller. In many cases, the ad
agency has been told by the client's marketing department what to select as
age targets, and the agency can do nothing about this... the product was
probably designed for a specific age and the packaging is designed for
appeal to that age, etc. 

Station sellers in such situations are only negotiators to make the
advertiser happy on price vs. delivery goals. They have no ability to change
the marketing plan of a product or service that was decided several if not
many levels above the buying process. 

This is why Beautiful Music died, why standards is a niche format, why
Spanish AMs have disappeared in the big Hispanic markets, etc. There is no
demand, and the selling process can not make old or undesirable demos
attractive if the client is not looking for that audience. 

>From an AM DX perspective, many formats that do not work any more on bigger
FMs can migrate to AMs in the market or surrounding it, or to rural areas,
where clients are by necessity broader in targeting because their local
markets are smaller and they have to reach everyone to make a living.  


-----Original Message-----
From: irca-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:irca-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]
On Behalf Of LAWRENCE STOLER
Sent: Saturday, October 01, 2005 6:11 PM
To: Mailing list for the International Radio Club of America
Subject: Re: [IRCA] Air America update

In this day unless you are consistent with what you offer in commercial 
radio especially with so many choices available to obtain music and 
information instantly, you are in trouble as far as making money.

Many people that own stations and make decisions today are not radio people.

They want an immediate return on their investment and as a result don't give

formats a chance to develop an audience.  Also many do not really know how 
to properly sell or promote a radio station in the community they are 
supposed to serve.

Some people go out and try to sell oldies and they are younger than the 
music they are trying to promote to potential advertisers.  That is one of 
the reasons some have given up on this music and they didn't have to.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Patrick Martin" <mwdxer@xxxxxxxxx>
To: "Mailing list for the International Radio Club of America" 
<irca@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Saturday, October 01, 2005 7:00 PM
Subject: Re: [IRCA] Air America update


> Mike,
>
> That is so true. One problem with AM radio today, is they can't comment
> to a format. One thing really makes people mad, as with the old KKSN
> 97.1 in Portland. They had a huge following and were in the top 10 for
> years. Several months back they changed format. They cut the local DJs
> down and moved the  oldies format to 910. I think the FM is something
> Jack FM. I am not a big FM listener. But I know of so many that were
> really unhappy.  Some AM stations have changed format two or three times
> in one year. How do you get listeners when you do that?
>
> Patrick
>
> Patrick Martin
> Seaside  OR
> KAVT Reception Manager
>
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