KGY shifts music format

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KGY shifts music format

Postby skyvalleyradio » Thu Feb 20, 2014 12:04 pm

Full-service KGY 1240 Olympia has shifted their music from AC to 60's/70's oldies, but retains their local-centric approach. This includes hourly CBS news, an hourly local newscast/weather & play-by-play sports (local, regional, national). Calling themselves 'the new KGY 95.3', they don't even mention AM 1240 anymore, preferring to push the FM translator. The hour I auditioned via their stream was impressive: nice 'spot' load with plenty of sponsor/station tie-ins, 10 full min. of news every hour, traffic & twice hourly weather. Listening, I couldn't help but wonder if THIS is the route I'd love to hear 'NW pursue. On a personal level, I didn't find the music tracking 'deep' - only the Billboard Hot 100, which I burn out on pretty quickly. The only oldies station I'll listen to continuously is KSWB Seaside which tracks very deep for an oldies outlet. Good job KGY - worth a listen if you enjoy a full-service station! BTW, the "dry" imaging liners sure sound like Vancouver Island voice pro Greg Peacock!! :rockon:

http://www.kgyradio.com/
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Re: KGY shifts music format

Postby jon » Thu Feb 20, 2014 1:35 pm

skyvalleyradio wrote:On a personal level, I didn't find the music tracking 'deep' - only the Billboard Hot 100, which I burn out on pretty quickly.

Unless they had research from Focus Groups that shows that it "Tests Well with Our Target Demographic", most Oldies stations I've heard over the last 15 years won't go with a song unless it made #1 or #2 on the Billboard Hot 100. In fact, back then I had an argument with a Music Director for an Oldies station who was of the "350 Song Universe" theory, and seemed to think that the best Oldies format only played selected #1's from the Billboard Hot 100, and nothing less.

Once you get past the '50s, when the Hot 100 was dominated by MoR station playlists, you'll be pleasantly surprised at what charted on the Billboard Hot 100. Of course, album cuts changed all that by the mid-'70s. But, in between, you'll find some pretty obscure stuff that charted on the Billboard Hot 100.

All that said, glad to see the KGY still, today, leads the way on how a local station can super-serve its City of License. All from an AM graveyarder and low powered FM repeater.
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