Boring Edmonton Radio

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Boring Edmonton Radio

Postby Enterprise » Sun Mar 05, 2017 1:35 am

Why do I hear virtually the same music on three separate classic hits/rock stations in Edmonton, AB? On two occasions, I heard the same songs playing at the same time on two stations. How pathetic is that? When you consider all of the hit music produced over a 10-20 year period, I find it difficult to understand why these stations can't diversify their playlists better. Overplayed classic hits like John Mellancamp's Jack and Diane or Steve Miller's Take the Money and Run are good examples. Conversely, the only station that plays Shattered by the Stones in Edmonton is CKUA. I didn't see that coming! Today's country music is as uninteresting as it comes; however, there appears to be significant wiggle room to accommodate a classic country-hits format. What an opportunity for a struggling station to carve-out that niche!
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Re: Boring Edmonton Radio

Postby jon » Sun Mar 05, 2017 1:14 pm

Enterprise wrote:there appears to be significant wiggle room to accommodate a classic country-hits format. What an opportunity for a struggling station to carve-out that niche!

Admittedly, I don't listen because I was never a C&W fan, but I thought CFCW was still doing classic country hits. Whatever their format is called, they are getting killer ratings in Edmonton for an AM station that is still more identified with Camrose than Edmonton: #6 overall in the last book, beating out the CBC.

Your comment about "three separate classic hits/rock stations" has me scratching my head, as I can see crossover between UP and Capital, but not much with K-97. Or did you have another set of three in mind?
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Re: Boring Edmonton Radio

Postby Rocky » Mon Mar 06, 2017 4:00 pm

It's easy to forget 95.7 CRUZ FM
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Re: Boring Edmonton Radio

Postby jon » Mon Mar 06, 2017 4:08 pm

Their big billboard budget should have reminded me.
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Re: Boring Edmonton Radio

Postby Enterprise » Sun Mar 12, 2017 12:43 am

Camrose's CFCW-AM is an anomaly in today's radio market. I used to work with a long-time announcer from that station.
Their all-over-the road format and "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" approach to music programming is and continues to be a
direct kick in the berries to consultants who insist that they change to a more conventional format
(same 800 songs played over and over and over). I am not a huge country music fan; however, there is an enormous
inventory of untapped great music from the 1980-2000 period that no longer receives airplay. During this time, bands like Alabama,
Brooks and Dunn and singers like Garth Brooks changed the sound of country music forever. The cascading effect of that sound made
way for a whole new generation of singers and songwriters that can still be heard in today's music (although legends like George Jones
would be rolling in their graves if they witnessed the lasers and dry-ice that accompany some country music concerts).
Edmonton has one FM country music station. It has and continues to enjoy a comfortable market-share in a Country format; however,
it sounds like current and re-current hits dominate it's playlist. CFCW-AM listeners are overwhelmingly rooted in rural Alberta.
There appears to be an incredible opportunity (Harvard) to carve-out an urban audience with a classic country hits format (1980-2000)
from a struggling mess like CRUZ-FM.

CRUZ-FM, despite their dismal ratings, had a good sound when they re-branded to CRUZ. Veteran announcer
Gary James brought maturity and depth to a station that up to that point had all the appeal of sticking a fork in one's eye and twisting.
For a classic-hits station, their on-air personalities sound too juvenile for the demographic they're trying to attract. I know because I am
in that demographic. Unfortunately, I can't see them making much of a gain on their 2.3 or so share in Edmonton. 'Just sayin'...Thx
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Re: Boring Edmonton Radio

Postby pave » Wed Mar 22, 2017 11:50 am

Rest assured: All the necessary research has already been done - and by bigger brains than any of ours.
Now, move along to your homes. There is nothing more to be seen here.
Further, audiences are to be manipulated - not served.
Problem is: There are no effective manipulators in corporate radio - just slugs, thugs and bullies.
(Perhaps that's a tad harsh.)
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