MusicMaster Blog

By Sean Ross

They were subtle, but when the early ‘70s airchecks of Dan Mason and Bob Pittman were played from the stage at Radio Show 2014 in Indianapolis earlier this month, you could hear differences in their influences.

Mason was channeling the tail end of the Bill Drake era of top 40 – big, bold, and “Boss Radio.”

Pittman was a product of Buzz Bennett (whom he acknowledged from the stage), whose “Super-Q” era of top 40 upped the ante, even more high-energy than its predecessor, but also even tighter than Drake. And Drake had been attacked by jocks from a generation previous for his tightness.

Pittman was one of the key PDs in the next iteration of top 40. WNBC New York was one of a handful of AM top 40s that kept the tightness of “Super-Q” but with a far more conversational delivery, a nod to the influence of FM rock radio and its lower-key presentation.

The station that came to call itself “W-NNN-BC” did well enough to push past (and outlast) the legendary WABC, already an odd presentational holdover from the pre-Drake era. By the time WHTZ (Z100) brought Top 40 to FM in New York and sent WNBC looking for another franchise, Pittman was already at MTV (which, ironically, helped foster the top 40 resurgence that made Z100 possible).

The next chapter of WNBC is familiar to anybody who read or saw Private Parts. WNBC, already the home of Don Imus, adds Howard Stern and turns to more personality. Kevin Metheny, who had also programmed a handful of low-key WNBC-like AM top 40s, became Stern’s public foil, but also deserves credit as his co-conspirator. Stern famously mocked “W-NNN-BC,” but by that time, it was one of the few Pittman-isms left.

The clash was more fraternal than generational. Pittman, Metheny and Stern were all around the same age and all influenced by ‘70s rock radio. The PDs and the morning man had just taken vastly different things from it.

If you’ve made your way through all of this radio history, it’s worth mentioning that every so often somebody writes an article or makes a comment on a convention panel that says, basically, “Enough with all this talk about radio history.”

You would think the people making those comments would be 25-year-olds, but they’re almost always radio veterans of the Pittman/Stern generation (and from both camps). New talent has other outlets. They don’t need radio. The 55-year-olds do, and I’ve always felt like some are trying to demonstrate their continued currency by going after the weakest people in the room – hobbyists and those who have been nudged out of radio and have the temerity to be upset about it.

And yet, the battles of 30 years ago are playing themselves out on the air today. Team Howard was winning until the advent of PPM measurement. Today’s tight, low-key radio predates Pittman’s return to radio, but there’s a lot of W-NNN-BC in radio’s present D-NNN-A. The promotional flair of Pittman’s MTV era is visible on iHeart Media’s concert stages. What happens between the records after 10 a.m. is brief and conversational.

And that’s why nobody should be ashamed of knowing or discussing radio history. Those who know radio history know that neither “less talk” nor more personality ultimately saved music on AM. The biggest AM programming problem – too many commercials – was never addressed by AM in a sustained, meaningful way. The technological issue, for most stations, was eventually insurmountable. Today’s equivalent of the AM-to-FM transition is traumatic for broadcasters largely because it’s not an inside job. We don’t own most of the “FM stations” as well. But when we do, we are saddling them with AM spotloads.

Here’s some good news. In the late ‘70s/early ‘80s, the viability of top 40 – not just on AM – was in question as well. The consultant credited with reviving it, Mike Joseph, preceded Bill Drake as a prominent programmer. The “Hot Hits” format he created had elements of Drake (in its brassiness), Bennett (energy level), and Pittman (tightness). WABC, too (jingles). Joseph’s WCAU-FM Philadelphia was as disciplined as any early-‘80s “liner card” radio station, but a lot more entertaining. Playing only currents kept WCAU contemporary. And no 17-year-olds knew they were hearing a throwback.

Being able to draw on 50 years of successfully entertaining and engaging an audience is the thing that broadcasters have in their quiver while newer, better-funded, consumer-press favorites like Apple, Beats Music, and Google continue to sort it out. It is only when you think of broadcasters’ track record as the limit of our offerings that invoking history becomes self-indulgent or a study in denial. Much of radio’s history is useful. None of it is enough.

Ironically, what I am most often nostalgic for is that radio used to offer something new on a regular basis. Great new hit songs every Tuesday. Another new station that galvanizes the business every nine months. Attack radio geeks from the dais if you will, but geekery in general is also about obsession with the new, and it’s a salable commodity these days. But broadcasters are not the ones offering it these days. We need to go back at least long enough to reclaim radio’s self-reinvention. And we need to do it to move forward.

Update:

Shortly after the release of “Private Parts” the movie, Kevin Metheny gave me one of my best Billboard interviews, talking candidly about his tumultuous relationship with Howard Stern at WNBC.

“Did we endeavor to bring Howard into compliance with NBC standards and practices? Yes, we did. Did we drive Howard up a wall? You bet. Did he know that we were going to do it before he agreed to come work for us? Absolutely. Was there ever a sinister insidious plot to force him into compliance with our small-minded criteria that would have stripped his art of all its programming potency? . . . Absolutely not. We had a vested interest in his success,” Metheny told Billboard in 1997.

It was that discussion in part that shaped my above characterization of Metheny, who died Friday Oct. 3, a few days after the above article was posted, as Stern’s co-conspirator, not just his nemesis. Over the next 30 years, Metheny would continue to program both well-tuned music stations in every conceivable format and full-service talk stations, putting him at various times in both the galvanizing personality and “tight-and-right” camps.

The reaction to Metheny’s death confirms that many of those on one side or another are still fighting those battles today. One of the WGN Chicago personalities who clashed with Metheny during his tenure opened up the phone lines on Saturday to ask if it was sometimes appropriate to speak ill of the dead. According to reports, Stern mustered appropriate sympathy for Metheny and his family before turning more critical.

Even during Metheny’s lifetime, I felt bad that Stern’s public derision, in “Private Parts” and elsewhere, was allowed to become such a part of the public record on a non-celebrity’s life. I’d prefer the many positive reminiscences on Metheny’s facebook page to stand as the definitive public record. What emerges is that if you respected the art/science mix of radio programming, Metheny respected you and the feeling was usually mutual. Stern just happened to be in another business.

And now it really is time for broadcasters to move on from the battles of 1983. It is dismaying that a 25-year-old doesn’t want the airwaves bad enough to fight for them, but perhaps there’s just no need to grapple over custody of an infinite dial. Sirius XM, Stern’s current home, proves that with its wide range of offerings – mainstream and niche. Any appropriate battle for broadcasters is, at this moment, with the outside world.

By Drew Bennett

One of the most common phone calls we get is how to change a layout. Many times, our customers have been so conditioned to accept the layout they are given in a music scheduler like DOS or other Windows-based software that some of them don’t even know they have the choice of what fields to see or not see on the screen! (más…)

IBC, the largest multimedia show in Europe, was held between September 12-17. MusicMaster could be seen at the different stands of our partners like Enco, Scisys, David Systems, AVC and Netia. Kevin Hopkins, Andreas Wissmeyer and Rainer Eichhorn of ON AIR Digital were there to show MusicMaster and meet a lot of our existing clients. Also Jean Claude Frick, Mathieu Habegger and Michael Buholzer of Swiss Media Partners have been there to help on the MusicMaster side.

Like every year, it was a great event and we want to thank all our users and partners who helped and came to see us, shake hands and discuss the future of our industry. It was a pleasure! See y’all next year!

The lovely Marion Grabler of Bremmedia and Rainer Eichhorn at the David Systems booth

Rainer Eichhorn and Gene Novacek of Enco are happy about the deep integration with MusicMaster

The guys are all right: Michael Buholzer, Jean Claude Frick, Rainer Eichhorn, Greg Podsiadlo, Mathieu Habegger and Andi Wissmeyer at the end of a long day on the convention floor

The great looking MusicMaster direct search window inside the Netia system. This gives users perfect song replacement access with full Rule functionality from within the the play out software. Very cool!

Christian music programmers, speakers and artists from around the world gathered in Central Florida’s “City Beautiful” for 3 solid days of connecting God’s Word with God’s people in early September in Orlando, Florida.

MusicMaster’s Marianne Burkett, Jerry Butler and Shane Finch joined hundreds of participants eager to engage the culture with positive music and a message of hope.

On Friday, September 5, MusicMaster Sales and Support Director Shane Finch (below) presented “The Artistry and Science of Music Scheduling” with Christian’s cutting edge music programmers.

“Momentum” presents many opportunities to socialize with old friends and MusicMaster clients. Pictured below left to right are MusicMaster Scheduling Consultant Jerry Butler, Actor and VSR Record Executive Terry Silverthorn, MusicMaster Scheduling Consultant Marianne Burkett, JOY-FM General Manager Jeff MacFarlane, MusicMaster Sales Director Shane Finch.

Christian music superstar David Crowder (below center) shares a “Momentum” moment with MusicMaster’s Shane Finch (below left) and wife Jana Finch (below right).

Three days of MusicMaster education, entertainment and enlightenment enhanced the fall Radio Show at the Indiana Convention Center and Downtown Indy Marriott in the middle of September.

MusicMaster happily consorted with automation partners ENCO, OMT and Wide Orbit on the exhibit hall trade floor, and hosted a festive hospitality evening for clients and chums.
MusicMaster Scheduling Consultant Jerry Butler (below left) demonstrates Optimum Goal Scheduling to a potential radio programming partner.

MusicMaster Founder and President, Joe Knapp (below right) visits the ENCO booth and meets a fellow music enthusiast, Jerry Phillips (below left). Jerry is the owner of Big River Broadcasting in Florence, Alabama, and father to the lovely Halley-Phillips Yeager of Big River. Oh, and he’s also son of legendary Sun Records Founder Sam Phillips.

A stormy summer night in Indy couldn’t keep the revelers away from the jammed MusicMaster hospitality suite at the Downtown Indianapolis Marriott. The highlight was sharing some time with radio legend Scott Shannon of CBS-FM and Scott Shannon’s True Oldies (below center). Radio’s best friend Art Vuolo (below far right) had created a video montage of Scott’s long radio history.

This amazing moment, captured by MusicMaster VP/Media Laurie Knapp, includes (left to right) Sean Ross of Ross On Radio, Steve Resnik of RAMP, Shannon, MusicMaster Founder Joe Knapp, and Art Vuolo.

Heather Boethin, Local Sales Manager and Digital Resource Sales Manager of Cox Media, Tulsa (below left) shares a laugh with Scott Shannon of CBS-FM (below right).

Jill Sorenson and Aaron Taylor visited the great city of Portland, Oregon for the annual Public Radio Program Directors (PRPD) Conference at the beginning of September. They had an opportunity to visit with many clients discussing how MusicMaster makes their scheduling a breeze. They still squeezed in time to wander the city block known as Powell’s Bookstore and drool over Voodoo Donuts. Really, click on the link if you’ve never seen a Voodoo doughnut! Kudos to host organization Oregon Public Radio (a MusicMaster user) for their hospitality. We look forward to visiting Pittsburgh where the 2015 conference will be held. Until then, a few photos of our MusicMaster friends:

1 – Schnitzer Theatre
2 – The PRPD opened with the March Forth Marching Band
3 – Rik Malone (KFDC), Aaron Taylor, Bill Lueth (KUSC and PRPD Board Member)
4 – Aaron Taylor and Cheryl Dring (WDPR)
5 – Matt Abramovitz (WNYC) and Jill Sorenson
6 – Aaron Taylor and Chris Wienk (WMHT)
7 – Suzanne Bona (Sunday Baroque) and Jill Sorenson

Por Sean Ross

No había ninguna intención de “empujar la encuesta” mi dentista. Pero que lo estaba viendo por segunda vez en pocas semanas, y la misma canción estaba jugando en AC WLTW (Lite FM) de Nueva York, “Dark Horse” de Katy Perry. Así que le pregunté, “¿que opinas sobre esta canción en Lite FM?”

“¿Quieres decir?”

He intentado expresarlo tan neutral como sea posible. “No es el tipo de canción que solían jugar”.

“Sí, tienes razón,” dijo.

Tuve una sesión más con él. En la próxima cita, estaba jugando la estación clásica WQXR.

Relacioné esa historia con un colega que está casado con un médico. Conducía a trabajar y salió “Única chica (en el mundo)” de Rihanna. Esto incitó a anunciar que su oficina había cambiado a Oldies/Greatest Hits WCBS-FM después de quejas de los pacientes mayores.

Durante el transcurso del verano PPM mediciones Nielsen, WCBS-FM fue de 6-6-6 6-plus. Durante ese mismo período, Lite fue abajo 6-7-6 . Ese es el tipo de abajo mes muchas emisoras que estarán encantados con, por supuesto. Coincide con un comunicado de prensa declarando que Nielsen clásicos (que sigue siendo el Arbitron designación tanto las estaciones de los antiguos clásicos, el formato tiene la palabra “Greatest Hits”, y suave Rock clásico, tanto las salidas) para ser el ganador del malestar “Formato de Verano 2014” crown, en base a su crecimiento.

Desde un programador WLTW Jim Ryan tomó la riendas de la CBS PD-FM, e incluso antes, la intención de la estación ha sido bastante claro: asumir el formato espacio ocupado por Lite-FM. Los ‘ 80s, una vez que algo tolerado de mala gana grandes éxitos los oyentes, son casi el carril del centro, y el destacado recientemente contratado mañana el hombre Scott Shannon está asociado con esas canciones así. Los ’60, han desaparecido prácticamente, y principios de los ‘ 70s son ahora de una vez por hora.

No es que abiertamente WLTW ha distanciado de su posición anterior, o completamente ankled los ’70. Todavía juegan un puñado, y escuché “Eres tan bella” de Joe Cocker hace un tiempo. Yo no puedo hablar por nadie, pero el formato que parece ser la de “grandes canciones que la apelación a las mujeres adultas.” En la medida de PPM era, hay una tendencia de algunos programadores de ignorar sutilezas de textura en favor de satisfacer cume. Y Lite FM siempre ha sido un poco agresivo en ese sentido.

Bajo Ryan, WLTW siempre jugaba canciones que parecieron abollar la definición del formato del AC Dominante también, algunos de los cuales más tarde se hicieron estándares del formato. La diferencia es que “los Daños Por tanto Bien” vinieron cuando era más de una década vieja, no menos de unos años, como Perry. La canción que juega contra Rihanna en la CBS – DE era “el Salto” de Van Halen, una grapa del AC por un una vez – acto afilado que ha tenido tres décadas para ablandarse.

Como los principales AC lidia con la gran cantidad de canciones en Top 40 Mainstream y caliente AC son apelando a las mujeres adultas, Lite FM que se encuentran en transición ha agruparlos mejor que la mayoría. Sin embargo, cada AC, no importa lo poco que ha traído los oyentes, se enfrenta el peligro de un formato evolución – nuevos oyentes, y engrosar en la primera, pero un día el viejo los oyentes va a decidir esta ya no es su estación de radio.

El peor de los casos es en los mercados en los que un éxito cada vez mayor de Adultos formato Top 40 cumple con la clara 25-plus apetito de “ahora” entre las mujeres adultas. Los Oldies/Greatest Hits agarra el formato” y después “franquicia: todavía lo suficientemente grande para por lo menos a unas pocas estaciones en cualquier mercado. Esa situación aún no existe en Nueva York, donde WLTW es mucho mayor que la caliente estaciones CA. También no existe en los mercados, tales como Atlanta, Houston, o en Washington, D. C. , en donde, a pesar del éxito de WCBS-FM, KRTH (K-Tierra 101) Los Angeles, y otros, no hay ningún propietario está dispuesto a considerar los grandes éxitos con un formato viable señal. Y en los mercados, tales como Long Island, en San Diego, y Hartford, Conn. , nuevos propietarios han dirigido lugares de “Grandes Éxitos” a una más Bob- y el gato-FM de formato como Grandes Éxitos para adultos.

Sin tener en cuenta cómo el formato del AC Dominante se bordea, no tiene sólo el ritmo y era para tratar con, sino también el asunto de corrientes. Las rotaciones en el Mayor formato de Éxito se han hecho más valientes últimamente, después de éxito de KRTH, cuyos años 80 de poder pueden jugar más de 25 veces por semana. Pero WLTW es hasta 35 veces por semana en corrientes de poder. Esto no es mucho, pero es bastante que podría notar la audiencia de la misma canción en dos visitas consecutivas a una estación que nunca hizo esto.

Hay una posibilidad más inquietante. Con radio difusión TSL continúan disminuyendo, por mayoría de las cuentas, es posible que un formato con apelación de 45-54, como Oldies/Greatest Hits, se dañaría menos que otros, formatos orientada a jóvenes. Casi cada salida Greatest Hits parecía impresionante en los primeros días de PPM cuando no todos los objetivos demográficos fueron así como indexación. Yo siempre la raíz para el formato, pero espero que no volver a esos días.

No estoy contra ACs continuando a contemporizar. Ayudo a las estaciones con ella todo el tiempo. Estoy fascinado con estaciones como WALK de Long Island, Nueva York y KYXY San Diego que parecen ACs caliente en sus actuales rotaciones (98 x una semana en caso de KYXY), pero tienen las bibliotecas de un brillante AC. También juegan corrientes cuando están calientes, no después de dos meses de saturación en múltiples estaciones de rivales. En ese sentido, son muy similares a la exitosa ACs alemán que a menudo terminan tocando canciones como “Little Talks” o “La suelta” antes de radio estadounidense AC llega a ellos.

El peligro de que la corriente principal AC es atrapado entre las posiciones. Como investigador, yo trabajo con estaciones en las que la respuesta a ” ¿le gusta la música actual” no es necesariamente el mismo que el de “hay que jugar mucho de ti”.

El peligro para el formato Greatest Hits es que algunos operadores no pueden estar interesados no importa qué tan bien lo hace. Me parece un mal momento para privar a los oyentes más enamorado de radio, pero esa práctica sigue.

By Marianne Burkett

I have many clients who also happen to be programming consultants… and the times, they are a changing. Now that MusicMaster is thoroughly saturating the Music Scheduling world – many consultants want to know what the advantages are and what are the differences between MusicMaster and the other Music schedulers on the market. (más…)

Jesus Rodriguez and Aaron Taylor visited MusicMaster clients Spanish Broadcasting System (SBS) during their Los Angeles visit to see if night DJs really have the most fun. They got the opportunity to hang out with DJ Pato and his show doing big things in the LA market.