October 22, 2021
Other than the format you’re in, what other radio formats intrigue you the most and why?
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Adam Rivers, WKCI: ALT. I think there’s an interesting balancing act in programming the old with the new music. R Dub, Z90: I’ve always wanted to do an all Bossa Nova format. Not joking here. There are a couple “cocktail lounge” formatted stations in existence today: Lots of Dean Martin, Sinatra, Tom Jobim…that would be so rad! I mean, groovy, baby. Java Joel, WHBC: CHR is still my fav format- Constantly changing. Also love classic/adult hits – It’s the stuff I grew up with, but feel like that format is getting stagnant with the same 250 songs that tested 15 years ago. Burn your research and start from scratch ya pussies! And I do enjoy me sone News/Talk. Another format that needs to change it up a bit.
Lee Abrams mediavisions: One of the joys at XM, and in the new digital era, is executing more niche-like formats such as Jazz, Comedy, Blues, Reggae, and many other eclectic formats too narrow for FM radio. I’m also drawn to any format that is stagnant by integrating new angles and thinking. If I had to pick one it would be older skewing Rock that offers tremendous depth and a root audience that remains passionate about quality music. Rick Vaughn, KENZ: Regional Mexican. Always puts me in a good mood. Kid Jay, KGGI: COUNTRY! I’m a hip-hop head with a country soul!
Drew Heyman, WHYI: ALT. I really like the music. It would be some good guy radio.
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Mike O’Donnell, WKRZ: My dream format is Urban AC because I love the music, but I haven’t come across that yet in the markets I’ve been involved with throughout my career. I also like inventing hybrid/specialty formats for markets that are a little different, or for stations that have to be placed in positions to be a wedge between a competitor. Dom Theodore, Radio Animal Media Strategies: I work with several formats, all of which I love, but I’m really intrigued by a couple of formats that I have in my head but are not currently being done.
Josh Wolff, WAEB: I’ve worked in the AC format for a long time, and while I love CHR, I still have a deep interest in AC. Mike McVay, McVay Media: Classic Rock because it’s a favorite format of mine and I grew up on Rock. It’s easy for me to program the format because I know the music so well. News/Talk because it’s always different. That and Sports Talk have something new every day to focus on. They’re two formats heavily dependent on great talent. I enjoy working with great talent and I enjoy coaching great talent.
Guy Zapoleon, Zapoleon Consulting: Honestly, I love all formats besides my specialties CHR and Hot AC. I worked with AAA, AC, Alternative, Active Rock, Country, Dance R-CHR, Urban, and Urban AC during my time as SVP of Research and Strategy for iHeart. Brilliant basics apply to all formats, BUT at the same time each format has its own quirks and is unique and fascinating. Plus, formats vary by market and competitive situation. Buzz Knight, Buzz Knight Media: I’m fascinated by formats that have a unique position and have incredible brand loyalty. Two that come to mind are Hispanic and Christian. These can be low cume formats with audiences that give them great Time Spent Listening. Bob Patrick, WXLK: National Sports Talk. I like the Dan Patrick’s of the world. |
Jammer, WEZB: Classic Hits because it’s the Bomb Ass $#!t!
Fish, WKRZ: Urban and Dance. I love Hip-Hop and Urban music, and I’m a big Dance fan. Those formats are always consistently evolving.
Jagger, KCHZ: Two that I really like are Classic Hits (all the 80’s and 90’s songs you really love), and Sports/Talk because who doesn’t love talking about your favorite teams and being in constant touch with the pulse of the passionate sports fans in your city. Chris Michaels, FM100: Of course, Top 40 since that’s where I got my start, but I also love Rock/Alternative. Max Volume, KOZZ: Alternative. I’m a child of KROQ… |
Rich Davis KDWB: I’ve always liked Active Rock, I’m still a little bit of a rocker at heart. Classic Hits is a pretty good format. I also love Sports/Talk and we have one of the best sports stations in the country in KFAN. They perform very well consistently. It’s so much more than just a sports station. You can’t talk about sports 24/7 and the talent we have there really does a great job being a lifestyle station, almost as much as being a Sports/Talk station.
Joey Brooks, WKSS: I currently work with just about all formats. In the Country format, I’ve enjoyed working with Country artists a lot. They’re great to work with and truly make radio a priority. I’m enjoying getting to learn the News/Talk and Sports formats. I haven’t worked with those in the past and it’s been fun because there’s a lot more moving pieces which makes it exciting.
Valentine, WBHT: Country is a unique format relative to the fans, and the passion level for that format intrigues me. The one I really think is fun, although I haven’t seen if succeed yet, is this whole Throwback concept. Love it because you have such an extensive library of hits to draw from.
Orlando, WLLD: I love the Alternative / Modern Rock format, of old, because that format rivals finding new stars and giving them a stage like our Rhythmic/Hip Hop world.
Jana Sutter, WXXL: Alternative because personally I’m a fan of the music. Country because I hear they do things a little differently over there. The artists care about radio, and I like the way the labels collaborate on major releases and coordinate impact weeks so they don’t collide with one another…oh yea, I really like the music as well.
Matt “MJ” Johnson, WPLW: Sports/Talk and News/Talk because they are very similar to music formats. They have their A and B stories each day. The content, although it’s spoken word instead of music, still has to hold an audience. So the level of how “interesting” it could be has to be much further beyond what music stations have to do, while still establishing a common stationality thread through it all. I’m just licking my chops to, once I graduate CHR, get into that world.
Jonathan Shuford, WRVW: I think any kind of Adult Hits format is fun because it’s music I grew up with. Being in Nashville, Country is interesting because it’s just a totally different animal. I currently also program a Classic Rock station and I’m enjoying the experience. It’s a throwback, not just musically but promotionally as well. There are a lot of promotional things I can’t do on Top 40 anymore that I can get away with on Classic Rock.
Toby Knapp, WASH: Sports/Lifestyle Talk and Country. I think there’s something really spectacular about what they do at some stations where they fuse sports, which I love, and lifestyle, which I also love. I’ve heard some shows which do it really, really well. Also, Country. The passion the artists have for their fans, and radio, and vice-versa is just so refreshing… and, I find that I love the music, too! Amazing artists in the Country world. And, besides, those are the only formats I’ve not really ever done over the course of my career… so… checking ‘em off the list intrigues me, too, personally and professionally.Next Week’s Question Of The Week:
Which consumer brands are most effective in messaging about their products and services as a part of their overall marketing strategy (and what do you admire about them most)?
e-Mail your responses to: jodorisio@deanemediasolutions.com or bburke@deanemediasolutions.com
