Obxervations on WAKY 103.5

[Scott Cason]

Over the last couple of days, I have had a chance to listen to the new WAKY. Let's just say I'm less than impressed. Having historic call signs is one thing (I'd love to have a station with the WPLO, WMAZ or WMJM callsign), however if all they are going to do is read liners and play jingles and sweepers between songs, I would just as well go back to XM. A jingle and/or sweeper between EVERY song gets to be quite annoying after a while.

It amazes me that broadcasters just don't GET IT. It wasn't just the music that brought WAKY and WKLO to ratings success, it was what went on BETWEEN the songs. Cousin Brucie, Skinny Bobby, The Duke and all the guys of that generation had personality. They kept the listener entertained and listening to see what they were gonna say next. There are too many other choices out there now. A 50 minute music sweep with nothing but liners and jingles isn't gonna attract attention when XM and Sirius have 150 channels of programming.

I'll give them another week. If they are still doing the "voice track" bit like they have the last couple of days, then I'm going back to WFPK and XM.

Scott

[bruiser]

That was my observation. The personalities involved were just as important as the music.

[Chad]

I have to say that since I got XM back in February I have not listened to anything from the Louisville area...and have not missed a bit of it. At least the announcers on the XM 60's station are exciting and they play a whole lot more than the same old 300 songs. I have heard many songs that I have not heard since Joe Donovan left the airwaves almost 10 years ago. Louisville area radio just sucks now, period.

[Scott Cason]

Check out WFPK, Chad. 91.9

[Chad]

Yes. How could I forget them. Thanks. I wonder if WKAY 103.5 will really get daring and play some songs that were hits in Louisville but not elsewhere in the country. It would also be nice to have them to Louisville's version of the Top 5 at 5 as we all know many songs in our Top 30 were great but never get heard anymore.

[bruiser]

You put WKAY instead of WAKY. Actually, WKAY was the call for a station in Glasgow. Funny how things turn out sometimes.

[mmcwill]

I can only agree on how tiring the present rigid and mechanical format sounds. I was extremely excited to read the article in C-J talking about WAKY's return, but a little more than disappointed in the sound and feel of the station as it is so far. Mostly, it feels the DJs are controlled by the computer which a song starts exactly 12 seconds after the last one ends. The DJs get a few words in, then a sweep and then its on to the next song. There's no time for the listener to mentally "breathe."

I sent Les Cook, the PD, an email with a few "suggestions" (admittedly shortly after the station changed over to WAKY) and his reply was that change was on the way.

Les, I hope you've been reading these posts, and don't "play as much music as you can," but become a personality driven station with something to say to the listeners.

I think everyone agrees, we want the Big 79WAKY 103.5 to succeed....but listen to the old tapes!

[Scott Cason]

I think the "play as much music as you can" programming attitude is the problem. If all I want is music, there's XM and my Ipod. I have over 50 gig of music on this computer. I don't want to hear just the d**n music! Why can't they get that? I want to hear personalities that are funny and engaging and that gives me a reason to listen to their stations. Playing 50 minutes of nothing but music and jingles between the songs isn't a reason. There are too many other choices out there for me and other listeners. If Les is programing the station for maximum music, it won't help their ratings. They won't stand out in the Louisville market and they will continue to be sub-Top 10.
It's not that the jocks are controlled by the computer mmcwill, it's that the station is voice tracked. I can guarantee you that aside from the morning show, everything else is tracked because like you observed, everything is a little bit too perfect.
Well, their week for me is almost up. And they have pretty much fallen in line with every other station in Louisville. Sorry guys, but famous call letters won't get you anything. They have an excellent chance to do something different, but like every other broadcaster they are choosing to play it safe....and cheap. Which explains the sad shape of the radio industry today.

[John Quincy]

Even though it has cost the jobs of hundreds of my brothers and sisters in broadcasting, there's virtually nothing wrong with voicetracking from the listener's perspective -- when it's done correctly by air people who have real personalities.

For instance, the midday jock on my AC station is one of the best jocks in this market, and her voicetracked breaks sound just as sparkling and have as much engaging content as her live ones. She works as hard at her recorded breaks as she does her live ones. But if you take the typical liner card reading, "that was, this is" jock (which I have a tendency to be) you're going to end up with voicetracks as dull as dirt -- especially if the goal is to get in the production room and knock out his/her show as fast as possible.

Yes, voicetracked breaks have fewer (if any) mistakes compared with live ones. If I end up stepping on a vocal when I'm doing a voicetrack, I'll redo it. Most listeners would prefer not having jocks talk while the singer is singing.

If you have jocks who actually have personalities, they'll be good on the air whether their breaks are live or voicetracked. Just because a show is voicetracked, it doesn't mean you don't have to do show prep. The good ones will always prepare.

"Back in the day" most of a DJ's job was not entertaining the listener, but handling the actual mechanics of keeping the VU meters bouncing. Carts and records had to constantly be pulled, played and put away. You'd barely have time for a bathroom break. Now, since nearly everything that's done in a radio station's control room is done by computer (the spots and songs are already selected and segued for you) sometimes voicetracked breaks are better because you don't have to wait 5, 10 or 15 minutes before actually doing something. When you're recording a bunch of breaks one right after another, your mind stays sharper and you can concentrate on what you're saying. Of course, as I mentioned before, the good jocks will put some time and effort into their voicetracks; the mediocre ones will rush right through them with just the basics.

It ain't the technology. It's the people.

[Max]

admin said:

It ain't the technology. It's the people.

...couldn't have said THAT better myself, given this thread's topic.

[Max]

And I think that's as much of what Scott's saying as it is with the technology, which is really what's taken the enjoyment out of radio, enabling the few who are on the air to have all the fun...and keep re-recording until they get it perfect, giving us the impression they are really hot stuff...and yes, I'm addressing the folks who, as I've been told, have what seems like 50+ edits within one spot. Someone referred to this as 'ronnie radio', a phrase I've only learned recently. Voice-tracking can either be a useful tool or merely a tool with which to cover up shortcomings (not you, John! )

[mikegriffin]

One thing missing in the discussion of voice tracking and that is showcase studios and talking live on request line and that effect over what goes on the air. There is a direct feedback that is missing. And with a station like WAKY in it's hey-day it was a big factor.

[GilHerbigJr]

Well guys, I just want to say that I think WAKY is is doing a Great Job!
WASE use to play a better variety of music than RKA and now they are playing songs from the original WAKY days (59-83) that I haven't heard or thought of in years. I like hearing all of the old and redone jingles especially. Also I just want to say that if you listen to some of the airchecks from the old WAKY from Greats like Johnny Randolph and Jason O'Brian (to mention a few) not every break was something funny or witty...a lot of times they would just give the song title and artist and do a PSA or liner and go into the next song. Yes it was always upbeat and I think Les Cook and Michael Marvin sound upbeat during their breaks also.
I think they are doing a Great Job and as time goes on things will get even better.
Remember...The original WAKY wasn't built in just 2 weeks.

[Chad]

I actually heard "Medicene Man" by The Buchannan Brothers the other night and was very surprised but then Michael Marvin was on the air and I know he tries to play some songs like that when he can. It was nice to hear a song that was #1 in Louisville but not a big national hit. We need more of these type songs. Any study of the surveys from 1966-1972 shows that Louisville had a very unique taste in music as many songs were big here while not nationally.

[John Quincy]

You might be interested in this Roger Moon blog about the new WAKY along with the responses:

64.151.143.34/wordpress/?p=34

[kevin502]

I know that the average drive time keeps the same old songs in rotation. But man, I sure wish one of these oldies stations would break loose with some less listened too tunes.

I think WAKY 103.5 does a good job and I am not complaining (yes you are) but if you wanna really blow people's mind --play a song like this?

www.youtube.com/watch?v=exzwmcAFW4Y

[bruiser]

That song's too wimpy for the wack to play. LOL