So long, ’60s. Oldies radio has left you behind

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So long, ’60s. Oldies radio has left you behind

Postby radiofan » Mon May 19, 2014 4:25 pm

Popsmacked: So long, ’60s. Oldies radio has left you behind
By Joel Rubinoff


Say goodbye to the '60s.

It's been nice having them around, on oldies radio, even as their anarchic spirit has dulled and diminished with the passage of time.

Take care, Jefferson Airplane and The Doors.

Sayonara Sgt. Pepper and Jumpin' Jack Flash.

See you in radio heaven, Strawberry Alarm Clock, with your incense and peppermints, reliving the Summer of Love for all eternity.

Yes, it's true. As the baby boom demographic continues its undignified march toward obsolescence, oldies radio has retrofitted its mandate for a new generation.

From a business perspective, it makes sense. Who wants 65- to 70-year-old listeners? Their kids are grown, their homes are paid off. Dammit, they don't buy anything.

So the focus moves to the '70s, with a branch plant in the '80s, and a token '60s tent-pole — one song an hour — that will be casually eliminated when the last boomer limps off to retirement.

Read the full story: http://www.therecord.com/whatson-story/ ... ou-behind/
Those who danced were thought to be quite insane by those who couldn't hear the music.
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Re: So long, ’60s. Oldies radio has left you behind

Postby Blabbermouth » Mon May 19, 2014 5:50 pm

radiofan wrote:Popsmacked: So long, ’60s. Oldies radio has left you behind
By Joel Rubinoff




From a business perspective, it makes sense. Who wants 65- to 70-year-old listeners? Their kids are grown, their homes are paid off. Dammit, they don't buy anything.

/


That's ridiculous. Once your house is paid off is the time you actually DO start spending money. Advertisers who ignore the largest segment of the population (with by far the most disposable income) are missing a once in a lifetime opportunity.
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Re: So long, ’60s. Oldies radio has left you behind

Postby hagopian » Mon May 19, 2014 6:21 pm

Younger demos are loaded with debt. The Boomers have cash, and spend.

The fallacious arguments burying the Boomers are spewed by Grad school schnooks, who wouldn't know a Shure from a Strat.

The end is nigh for stupidity, because everyone is having a hard time selling.

The economy is very shaky and it is going to get ugly. Cyclical. This one will be painful.
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Re: So long, ’60s. Oldies radio has left you behind

Postby pave » Mon May 19, 2014 6:22 pm

This is typical, corporate-radio short sightedness.
The justifications are weak and maudlin, and they don't stand up.

What they really mean is that they don't have a rat's-ass clue as to how to serve this audience.

It's true, Boomers have more money than God and they can still be tricked - just not by the same old approaches.
Plus, corporate also forgets or ignores that 60 is the new 40. This is no revelation either.

Give me a station that plays '60's-1990 and I'll demonstrate how to own the market.
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Re: So long, ’60s. Oldies radio has left you behind

Postby hagopian » Mon May 19, 2014 8:09 pm

Pave, well said.
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Re: So long, ’60s. Oldies radio has left you behind

Postby 45 RPM » Mon May 19, 2014 8:20 pm

So, rather tan appeal to an auience who still listens to the radio, or would like to, these pinheads would rather target an age group that doesn't listen to the radio anymore.

How brilliant.

Sad thing is, when they realioze their mistake, we won't be coming back because we'll have found alternatives.

R.I.P. Radio.
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Re: So long, ’60s. Oldies radio has left you behind

Postby bigbry » Wed May 21, 2014 11:27 am

Here's an interesting article about the "Boomers" that no one can seem to attract... http://www.mediapost.com/publications/a ... ation.html
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Re: So long, ’60s. Oldies radio has left you behind

Postby hagopian » Wed May 21, 2014 1:30 pm

I think we have to remember that most of the asshats that run stations now, are inexperienced, and probably overwhelmed.

It was hard enough running ONE station, try taking on an entire cluster.

"Brand Manager" - don't make me laugh.

Canada made a huge error in following the US model, of allowing many sticks to be owned by the same company, in the same market.

In the end, no one will care about radio.

The kids I know, don't listen. They have an iPod, or smartphone or tablet with THEIR music on it. Why would they listen to the overplayed CRAP that most stations stubbornly cling to?

Cue up "It's Over" - by Roy Orbison.

(*who?) LOL
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Re: So long, ’60s. Oldies radio has left you behind

Postby pave » Wed May 21, 2014 1:33 pm

Great info, bigbry. Lost, of course, on the framagees grandes.
This is a radio market that would be grateful, and respond gloriously - just to be treated like intelligent grownups.
Programming, commercial production, promos and marketing responsibilities, which would all have to be dramatically improved, would be overwhelming tasks to corporate radio - even as the ground is littered with nuggets the size of a senior's prostate.
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Re: So long, ’60s. Oldies radio has left you behind

Postby Bigbangboom » Wed May 21, 2014 4:04 pm

Though i don't disagree that the 65+ market has money and will spend it, let's not fully blame Radio Management and programmers for not going after the market. How about the buyers?

Agencies are going after the MONEY demo - 25-54 adults leaning women. If the 55+ or 65+ demo was so spendthrift, wouldn't CISL be sold out - all the time? If there was revenue to justify the format, it would be done.

Just my take - Radio is programming where the Revenue is - it has done that always. Radio is a business meant to make money - it's been that way always.
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Re: So long, ’60s. Oldies radio has left you behind

Postby pave » Wed May 21, 2014 10:33 pm

Radio can't find its head with both hands 'cause its head is up its ass.
The real "money demo" is 50-plus.
Meanwhile, nobody is handing out awards to agencies for being able to do much more than come up with some brilliant creative from time-to-time.
Otherwise, even for them it is still the tail wagging the dog and they do it to keep the doors open.
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Re: So long, ’60s. Oldies radio has left you behind

Postby tuned » Wed May 21, 2014 11:13 pm

The older demo's don't spend money like younger folks on frothy crap that is mostly marketing hype. Radio stations just follow the money and if they thought there was more $$$ in catering to geezers they'd be all over it. Advertisers are allegedly more interested in females because they make most of the "buying decisions" or perhaps because they are more easily sucked in by ads.
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Re: So long, ’60s. Oldies radio has left you behind

Postby pave » Thu May 22, 2014 4:43 am

Since radio is still #5 on the media-buy list, it is up to radio-types to, indeed, find their asses and to quit regurgitating all the "demo-dogma" that has been soiling the landscape.

Radio can't appreciate anything but the younger demo as it is the easiest to approach - at least in the short term. Young folks are finding the radio as almost a non-medium.

Radio doesn't sell to older demos because... they simply don't know how.

Rationalisations and justifications for radio's inability to communicate (sell) effectively won't put a single dime into anybody's jeans.

I have been a bonafide grownup for a long time. Radio has been unable to convince me to buy much, trick me into buying or massage/influence me into buying something.

Other media has - and I am almost always surprised.
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