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Wioq hd-3?
- Thread starter Gunsmoke
- Start date
Now the HD-3 readout is repeating what the HD-2 says. Would be nice for a Standards format to appear, kinda like the Strip but isn't that a CBS brand. Philadelphia has always supported a Standards format, so I cannot understand why it never surfaced on any HD-2, when down South where it isn't as popular it's on many subs.
If Philadelphia always supported a Standards format, there'd be one on the air in the commercial band right now.
Not really, PEN had fantastic ratings and a large loyal following, same as WQEW and WNEW in tha apple but remember that old worn out line, we hear over and over. The demos they attract are not advertiser friendly, and many young people do enjoy the format, Many times they scored a 4.0 or higher, ratings wise. Plus, why is Classical and other poor showing formats on subs.
The old worn-out word for those young people is "outliers." They exist in great number only anecdotally and somehow never seem to show up in the ratings, whether PPM or diary.
Had being the operative word. Heck, they were the top music station at one point. Then those faded away....faded away (to put it bluntly, albeit euphamistically).
There's great truth to "you can't get blood from a stone." Advertisers just aren't going to pay for an audience they don't want--and the advertisers pay the bills. Period. Funeral homes and direct response "remedies" of dubious benefit won't pay the bills. Whatever handful of younger people actually (a) knew of WPEN and (b) listened to it as the overall ratings declined, it wasn't enough to stay afloat with that format. It happens. EZ101 had huge numbers at one point--and beautiful music is (with precious few exceptions that have their own unique circumstances) dead and buried on terrestrial radio.
A big audience, which WPEN most clearly did not have at the end, means nothing if no one wants to buy it. It's like stocking a store full of beautifully merchandised products no one will actually purchase. The doors will close quickly.
"If Philadelphia always supported a standards format, there'd be one on the air in the commercial band right now" is literally true. When the core listeners were no longer there, WPEN was not being supported. WHAT was not supported (in any meaningful numbers). Always kind of implies by definition it would continue. It hasn't.
All of which also ignores that, unless feeding a translator, sub channels are the proverbial tree in a forrest that no one hears falling.
Standards formats in the last twenty-five years have appealed almost exclusively to persons over 55, and in the last decade, to those over 70. Anyone who grew up in the pre-rock and roll era was born before WW II and is not targeted for radio advertising by and significant clients. The very few younger persons who listened were not an efficient way of reaching 25 to 54 year olds (or younger) as advertisers suspected that most of that listening was forced listening caused by an older person being in control of the radio.
Classical is on subchannels of mostly public radio stations because classical, and to some extent jazz (see recent community funding and purchase of a jazz and talk station in Seattle) are supported by donors. Standards, with only one or two exceptions (Bob Bittner's interesting small stations in New England being examples) can't get donor support.
How about the Fanatic WPEN 97.5, which has had a Classical format on their HD-2 for years, since they utilized an HD-2, and it's a commercial station, not College, listener supported or public. I don't know too much about Classical music but a friend of mine who is into it said it's a very good product, and sounds very researched.
Philly has some decent HD channels that program real oldies,all 70s and Smooth Jazz. Standards would be nice. WOGLs HD4 is unique..all Phillies all the time. LA's KKGO uses their HD channels nicely 50s 60s oldies on 2 and Standards on 3. In New York CBS runs their sports radio on both their HD3 and 4 channels. Why? Standards and oldies would be most welcome on the HD subchannels.
What might that format consist of? Reruns of the previous day's game and "classic" old games? Recorded interviews with present and pest Phillies? Phillies talk with a live host taking calls -- on an HD subchannel?
Wmgk hd-2 does a nice job with oldies, wogl likewise with 70's, Wbeb could dig deeper with their 80's stab, but it's nice to hear the old mtv cuts. WIP(WYSP), hd-3 sounds good if you like hair metal and harder rock, wxtu should put classic country on their hd-2 instead of new country and why have Disney on the 3 when wjbr has it on their 2. WRFF is nice with active on their hd-2. WIOQ does pride on their 2 for the gay community, jazz on 106.1 hd-2, Spanish on powers hd-2, the strange one is 96.5, pulse on their 2 but Philly talk on the 3 whatever that is, the strip would fit nice. A nice mix of jazz and classical on wrti's signals when the 1 is jazz the 2 is classical. Wmmr has live rock on their 2, dance club music on Ben hd-2. Das older rap hip hop on their 2, wstw had to unload graffiti radio which was unique for Spanish on the 2 and gospel on the 3. The Philly market has some good subs which bring defunct formats back to life, but they could do more by bringing in other music formats.
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