WN HERE Jacobs Contends That Radio Has Gotten Used to Ignoring Its Listeners
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AIRPLAY THIS WEEK IN MONITOR: Rick Dees Exits KITS Los Angeles p.2 Hollywood Helps WEDR Win Miami R&B Warp. 20 (.R FEBRUARY 13, 2004 We Listen To Radio VOLUME 12 NO. 7$6.99 Is Neo-Radio The One? by Bram Teitelman Classic alternative. Classic modern. Modern gold. Whatever the name for it, in the opening ))) weeks of 2004, the not -quite -trend of modern rock stations re-examining their playlists to add more gold and playing different currents has been a topic among radio and records people. Jacobs 1'11 Media president Fred Jacobs, however, says that fl what has been going on is less a format -specific !. I trend and more a way of thinking. He's also got another name for it "neo-radio." Jacobs says that the only true classic modern station is Infinity's KQRI (K -Rock) Seattle (which was joined by KXOA Sacramento, Calif.'s flip to '90s as "Howard 93.7" after the inter- view). -The whole thing is very much a mis- I N I I& 0 1) U (: I N G nomer," Jacobs says. "We think that neo- radio transcends for- mats and speaks more directly toward how radio stations are actu- ally listening to their JACOBS listeners and respond- ing. It's very much a grassroots, listener -driven ed7.6% movement that involves rethinking a lot of the basic givens and paradigms." R LA WN HERE Jacobs contends that radio has gotten used to ignoring its listeners. "What many programmers and consultants have done is listen to people complaining about the lack of variety and the Continued on page 35 Big D & Bubba Cover Drive Time by Ken Tucker As if hosting a nationally syndicated country morning show wasn't enough work, last fall Big D & Bubba added a local afternoon show to their repertoire. The team left its flagship station, WYNK Baton Rouge, La., in October and moved to WSIX Nashville for afternoons. But the two didn't leave their morning show behind. Big D & Bubba now originate from a specially designed studio at WSIX-the same studio where the duo does its p.m. drive show. &4,4" - aa/i.<25 For its first shift of the day, the pair, along with executive producer Patrick Thomas, arrive at 4:30 a.m. and remain until 11:00 a.m. CT, since See Ju_ie perfor-lil at CRS the duo is syndicated in four time zones. They It return a few hours later to do their afternoon Call yourrep forBreak Down Here"Tour Details shift on WSIX. While the duo was happy to live and work in Baton Rouge, a job in Nashville was on its short list. "We said if we ever left it would be for Hous- et,71.6C/X/ © MINClify ReCord,..1 I )iVisi011 of U MG Recording.. lit,. ton, Atlanta, Dallas or Nashville [but only] if it was Continued on page 29 Milt* RADIOACTIVE Canadian Stations Don't Know FEBRUARY 131 2004 Jack (Or Bob) About New Music II by Larry LeBlanc on these stations-albeit with their older cata- 'Idol' -Like Contest Hits The Dial log-are veteran Canadian artists such as Lee Commercial radio stations with names like Aaron, Randy Bachman, Chilliwack, Gordon It was only a matter of time: "American Idol" has come to radio. Clear Channel, Sony Music and "Jack," "Bob," "Joe" and "Dave" are sending Lightfoot, Valdy and former Platinum Blonde Winterfresh gum have launched Radio Star, a 14 -week talent search that begins Feb. 16. chills through Canadian labels seeking to frontman Mark Holmes. Led by such popular The winner receives a Sony Music recording contract, a $50,000 wardrobe/makeover prize from launch new music while being welcomed by bands as Rush, Loverboy, Trooper and the Clear Channel and a contract with the William Morris Agency. He or she will also appear as an open- Canada's music veterans. Guess Who, many Canadian acts continue to ing act at WHTZ (Z100) NewYork's and KIIS-FM Los Angeles' respective holiday Jingle Ball concerts. Inaugurated by the launch and sizable suc- tour heavily backed by significant radio support Clear Channel stations in about 50 markets will promote the contest for three weeks on -air, online cess of CFWM (Bob -FM) Winnipeg, Manitoba, by these stations. and at remotes. Each week, participating stations select an entrant to submit to Sony Music's panel three Nears ago, nine stations have since flipped Aaron says, "The last couple of years I've seen of judges. Beginning in March, "American Idol" host Ryan Seacrest and Z100 morning jock Elvis from top 40 or adult a greater flow of royalties from radio airplay. At Duran will host a weekly, one -hour Radio Star special on Clear Channel stations nationwide for 10 top 40 to a hybrid the same time, young people are rediscovering weeks. Listeners can vote for their favorite artists through a dedicated Web site. Finally, Radio Star format of '60s/'70s/ their parents' music." judges will select three finalists, before choosing a winner. '80s/'90s and to- Former Guess Who/Bachman Turner Over- day's hits that oper- drive guitarist Randy Bachman adds, "Between DEES BOOTS WERE MADE FOR WALKING Keeney, was most recently market manager for ates under the Jack, the Guess Who, Bachman Turner Overdrive KIIS mowing mail Rick Dees annum It III oil Infinity/Philadelphia. Bob, Joe or Dave and Trooper [which Bachman produced], I was the air Feb. 10 his exit from the station that same AC WSUY/country WNKT Charleston, S.C., monikers. told by one station that I was 22% of their day. Dees, a fixture at KIIS since 1982, will con- APD/MD/afternoon driver Eric Chaney be- There are now playlist. I was just amazed." tinue to host countdown show "Rick Dees' comes station manager of WSUY. He retains his Jack-FMs in British Meanwhile, labels Weekly Top 40," which CC's Premiere syndicates previous duties. Columbia's Vancou- bemoan the loss of to 350 stations nationwide. Ryan Seacrest is Arbitron has reissued the Cheyenne, Wyo., fall AARON ver and Victoria Cal- stations that had expected to take Dees' seat at KIIS. ratings book after six returned diaries A% found gary, Alberta; To- previously played to have come from media -Ali' 1.11(11 Itischolds. ronto; and Orillia, new music. Unlike in BUSINESS & MANAGEMENT Ontario; Bob-FMs in Ontario's Ottawa, London the U.S., there isn't 111(111'41-A Joan Gerbenfing exits Nassau FORMATS: 'HOWARD 93.7' DEBUTS and Brockville; a Joe -FM in Kingston, Ontario; an abundance of sta- Broadcasting, Jersey Radio Network and Nassau ktive KXOA Sacramento, Calif., Ili' ,s1( 90s - and a Dave -FM in Kitchener, Ontario. tions in individual Media Partners after a intensive classic modern format as "Howard The format-which is the same despite the markets in Canada, quarter -century with 93.7." The station is named for its morning man, differing names-is now in every Canadian and there are fewer the company, most re- Howard Stern, whose syndicated show aired non- major market except Halifax, Nova Scotia and thrmats to work with. cently as president. She stop while the station was stunting. The outlet the mostly French-speaking province of Que- BACHMAN Furthermore, while continues as a consult- has applied for the call letters KHWD. bec. Format flips include those by many previ- these new hybrid sta- ant until the end of Modern WZZI (Z101) Roanoke, Va., flips to ously top 40/adult top 40 powerhouses that tions play some re- ,s_ March. G. Daniel Hen- oldies. The staff remains. had been significant in developing new music cent Canadian music, playlists are usually rickson will take the Country WBJZ Appleton, Wis., flips back to in Canada. restricted to such acts as Nickelback, Nelly Fur- reins at Nassau. smooth jazz after slightly more than a year in Jeremy Summers, director of national pro-tado and Sarah McLachlan that have attained ( itadel has acquired the format. motion at the Interscope/Universal Music international recognition. six stations in Lan- Country WXOF (Country Fox) Homosassa, labels at Universal Music Canada, says, "The EMI's Ross asks, "Where do you start to GERBERDINGcaster and Erie, Pa., Fla., flips to classic rock as "Fox 96.3." The staff upside of those stations is that they have break an act? Also, are we getting any young from Regent Commu- exits, including 47 -year radio vet Larry "Mac" brought [older] people back to the radio. The listeners into radio? Probably not; they are nications. In exchange, MacMillan and PD Sean Schwartz. Tom Stoessel downside is that they are not playing any newgoing to the Internet." Citadel has traded its five -station cluster in Bloom- of adult top 40 sister WXCV adds PD duties for music [from] within the past year." Coincidentally, Ross is also a beneficiary of ington, Ill., to Regent. In the deal, Citadel the station. "Dave, Bob and Jack; they are all the same," airplay on these new stations. He was the drum- acquires WIOV-AM-FM Lancaster and Erie sta- EMI Music Canada's VP of national promotions mer in Canada's leading modern rock band of tions WXTA, WRIE, WQHZ and WXKC plus a PROGRAMMING: SALKOWITZ EXITS and media relations Derrick Ross adds. "They the '70s, the Spoons. cash payment. Regent gets Bloomington stations Shim, 01 programming operations Joel only play two or three currents, like Avril Lavi- "I get more phone calls from radio pro- WBNQ, WJBC, WBWN, WTRX and WJEZ. In Salkowitz \ ill exit the satcaster at the end of the gne, which may be a year old." grammers telling me they are playing more related news, Regent has also completed itsmonth.