I'm back from Cali, but no that's not the evidence. You'll get Cali stories tomorrow.
This is the evidence. Thanks to Marty for catching it so that I could figure out one day later why they were playing Aerosmith's "Walk this Way" instead of anything by Dion, the Standells or essentially any quality oldies song you've ever tapped your toe to (whether you'll admit it or not).
New York City radio is awful. It's station upon station of the same mindless drivel over and over again. There is absolutely no room for new artists or eclectic mix. It's top 40, or adult contemp top 40. There are stations like K-Rock that pass themselves off as alternative, but more often than not just play whatever band will be playing the Hammerstein Ballroom that weekend or the Garden that month. Q104.3? Classic Rock is fine (Q104 was the only classic rock station in NYC until 101.1 FM switched formats), but could you hit me with something a little more challenging than your daily lineup of Zepplin, Floyd, Zepplin, Floyd, Queen, Zepplin, Floyd, Beatles, Zepplin, Floyd, Steppenwolf. Z100? Blow me.
I certainly didn't grow up listening to the songs spinning on 101 when they were released, but they became a part of my growing up. My parents listening to it. Me cooking to it. Me dancing in the kitchen while cooking to it.
And so goes 101.1 WCBS-FM New York, home of one of the American made art forms in one of its earliest stages. And you, in your other cities, thinking you've still got that one station that no one else has? This is New York City. If you can make it here, you can make it anywhere. And if we don't have a station like your cute little station, start worrying.
And apparently, we won't be able to hear that song anymore unless someone's recapping the Yankees game of the previous night.
Cousin Brucy, we need you now more than ever.
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3 comments:
I tried to post this over at rob's blog too
I too was very surprised that CBS FM has left the airwaves. What was surprising to me was that not only was CBS FM still the highest ratest odlies station in the nation, but that it was something like the 8th highest rated station in NYC. HOWEVER the true demise of the station was not that people were not tuning in - it was that people who were tuning in were consdiered undesirable listeners. Advertisers did not want to pay for ads that would apparently only be heard by individuals upwards of 50, 60, etc.... It really seems to me that the advertising business is horseshit. How could the 8th highest rated radio station in NYC have trouble finding advertisers? Do they really think their new format will draw in better advertising dollars? The only explanation ive heard was something along the lines of those older individuals are set in their ways and advertising is ineffective. I find this hard to believe, but that was the explanation i heard.
Howdy. Brucie is on Sirius now...Stern is on XM...don't you get the feeling they're just trying to make us pay for everything we like?
To Feds:
It really seems to me that the advertising business is horseshit.
Yep.
It's common knowledge in the commercial entertainment industry that the target demographic you want to hit is adult males 18-49. It's also a common misconception that advertisers are trying to sell you a product. Really, what they're trying to do is establish brand identity (putting a product into your head as a favorable idea). They don't want you to watch a Mentos commercial and say, "Hey, I want to go buy Mentos right now." They want you to see the ad, chuckle, get to the check-out line at the supermarket (which you will invariably have to do), see the Mentos, and unconciously say, "Hey, those are good." This is why commercials are littered with big-breasted blondes (every beer commercial ever) and catchy gingles (1-800 Mattress, anyone?). And why satisfaction surveys for these companies will always ask "How did you hear about us?" Just to get the ad to effectively stick.
And it's perceived that males 18-49 are the breadwinners. They statistically make the most money, and as such are catered to the most. It's completely sexist (again, beer commercials) and age-ist (ever wonder why "old people commercials" aka denture cream, centrum with zinc, etc... air during the morning) and every other -ism you can think of, and it's all because "that's the way it's always been."
And so, the demographic that 101.1 WCBS-FM catered to was not fiscally desirable, because they aren't the breadwinners anymore and are closer to death than the 18-49 counterparts. The advertisers won't pay top dollar because the older demographics can't buy that many more Fords or drink much more beer. And the 18-49ers probably said in some surveys and focus groups that they wanted more music from when they were in high school. More Aerosmith. Hence, the switch.
To Rob:
Stern's on Sirius as well. Opie & Anthony are on XM.
And yes. Subscriptions are the new way to exploit the unrepresented. I only hope that when I finally subscribe to satellite radio after conceding NYC radio a lost cause, I'll have the voice of Cousin Brucie to sooth me.
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