Formats maximumradio definition of formats Thu May 17 06:58:24 2001 While it may be true that the pie can only be sliced so thin in terms of format duplication from station to station one has to understand that in fact CHR-Pop is a format-Hip Hop is a format-Jammin Oldies is a format-Dance is a format-Urban Contemp is a format-Urban AC is a format and in Rock there are several real format divisions as well : AAA, Classic,Mainstream,etc. Talk radio has it's divisions in terms of conservative, hot, business etc. One of the critical factors in format placement is the potential to move listeners and to use a format that is a winner in other markets and is under or not represented in your market.When groups like Clear or Cox go head to head with very similar formats it is based upon their financial strength to battle it out as well as the fact that the formats in question are very market share dominant. There may be a hole in the market for a CHR-Pop or a "good" Rock station but there is also a hole for Jazz(well rated in many markets),Country(might work with heavy promotion and events but is even in decline on the Mainland), Dance(in very few markets like NYC WKTU owned by Clear) (WPYO owned by Cox Orlando), Classical(well rated in many markets), or even Spanish(checked out the Hispanic population in the State?).The "big boys" own stations in all of the above formats. The market has 3 distinct Rock stations and perhaps another could make some waves. Perhaps a CHR/Pop could have some market impact.Most of us in the industry tend to make value judgements on formats based on our own taste and experience just like real listeners rather than taking a clinical unbiased arms length view based on empiracle data.This is a human trait. Were it me I would do something not currently in the market. We each make our choices. What I can't understand is why some contributors have to "run down" a format or a station that they compete with or that is a musical form that they don't care for. I have been in markets where everybody is like a "radio family" going out for meals and caring about one another as people because we were in radio and that transcended format, age, and competitive employers. Perhaps one of these days I will throw a party so we can all meet and hopefully develope a comradarie and acceptance of one another and our thoughts and lifestyles that seems to be lacking. ----------------------------------------------------- Anonymous formats Fri May 18 04:47:13 2001 It doesn't really matter what formats are broadcast,if their playlist is only 200 or 300 songs deep,with heavy rotations. The pie can only be sliced so many ways, and there really aren't very many PROFITABLE stations here. Lots of niche markets available,but you'll only get a 2.0 or a 2.5 if really lucky.Jazz has been tried here off and on for over 30 years>The same people who didn't go to Gabe's jazz club on Kapahulu,didn't listen to jazz radio.Big band has a very small following,country is big on military bases,but they don't get sampled,so their ratings always suck. Plus,country is a very haole format. Same with classic rock-a steady 2.0 to 2.5,but no room to grow. The older formats are not where the advertisers want to spend their bucks. We may have the disposable income,but the listener numbers are too small for korporate amerika to achieve their mandated 15 to 20% increase annually... ------------------------------------------------------------------- maximumradio Salem and format changes Wed May 16 20:43:58 2001 It ain't gonna happen here...at least not with Salem. Salem means Christian related programming or conservative news/talk. True that they have owned and operated some stations that were non traditional such as KALC, Denver with an alternative rock format but that was sold to Emmis. When Salem buys a station outside of one of their standardized formats they either change the format, operate it long enough to sell the intellectual property or entire facility, or take it dark while they look for a purchaser. Ivan makes me smile because Crawford-another long term Mainland Christian broadcaster has begun to reformat their stations in some cases to Big Band(Denver-560) as well as Urban Contemp(Gary-Chicago 92.3)and a very Gay aimed 70s & 80s Disco format in suburban Chicago(102.3)and frankly if they and not Salem owned those properties here we might well have see some unusual changes. Don't laugh however, there are enough other Honolulu radio properties for sale that any number of format changes might just happen depending upon who buys what and Big Band or Country or even Jazz and Classical might show up on the format scene. * .