Christmas Flips on WERZ and WYNZ.

[wpxt]

Today when I got in the car both 107.1 WERZ and 100.9 WYNZ were playing christmas music. When I got home I went on werz.com and then y1009.com and found that they both flipped yesterday.

WERZ played Say by John Mayer at 3:00pm and at 3:05pm went Christmas with Have a Holly Jolly Christmas by Burl Ives.

WYNZ played Gimme Some Lovin' by The Spencer Davis Group at 4:54pm and at 4:56pm went Christmas with The Christmas Shoes.

[Jimc]

If Nassau had the stations they'd be playing the song song over and over on a seemingly endless loop.

Ho Ho

[True Grit]

Way too soon (for me, anyway)

[Jimc]

Not for advertisers.

Talk to Wal Mart and Target!

[splicer38]

Bah Humbug!  WAY too early!  sprinkle in some for flavor until the week of Xmas maybe.  How many times can we hear Grandma go runover...?  Although the "12 Pains of Christmas" I could listen to over and over again!  Hey, maybe do a Country christmas hour... Christian Christmas hour... comedy Christmas hour, traditional, instrumental... that might be different... AND STILL WAY TO EARLY!

[Chuckigo]

So i'll get whomped upside the head - but I like the way we used to do it - all-Christmas weekends, with a traditional smattering through the week.  a tune every other hour after t-day.  then one an hour.  then two an hour.  then all-Christmas in the days leading up to...
there is an upside, though, as anyone in a format that plays oldies/classic hits will tell you: Aretha and the Beatles sound SO MUCH BETTER on 12/26.  it's really a nice break for those of us on the air working the songs that really don't change. 
i feel bad when we lose a handful of listeners to other stations prior to the holidays (the few weeks OUT), but getting closer, the regulars are still with us (P1's) and there are some new names/faces hopping on board.
the challenge in this type of approach, i feel, is to remain true to your basic format (ie: core artists) while still working in the other influences of the genre to keep the format sounding fresh.
have to wonder if Mary was ticked when the Angel of the Lord told her it was gonna be a boy... what if she and Joseph wanted to be surprised? ("Mary Did You Know" - fav version by Kenny & Wynonna)

[adbuyer1]

Chuck:

I completely disagree.  It is the P1's you are MOST at risk of losing and there with it your AQH Ratings and Shares.  Your P1's aren't your P1's because of Christmas music!!  That makes no sense to assume they'll stay with you.  They're your P1's because of the Oldies and Classic Hits that you play. When you abandon that with three or four weeks left in your ratings book, for YOUR format and two clear competitors in your market, that is totally playing Russian Roulette.

[Seltzer]

The Christmas tactic is best utilized by the A/C stations because it is primarily WOMEN who are the ones who can't wait for Christmas music to arrive once in the chill of November.

WERZ----WHOM-----yes

WYNZ----No        Will alianate the male audience

And it works best with the more Mainstream A/C stations

[Chuckigo]

Chuck:

I completely disagree.  It is the P1's you are MOST at risk of losing and there with it your AQH Ratings and Shares.  Your P1's aren't your P1's because of Christmas music!!  That makes no sense to assume they'll stay with you.  They're your P1's because of the Oldies and Classic Hits that you play. When you abandon that with three or four weeks left in your ratings book, for YOUR format and two clear competitors in your market, that is totally playing Russian Roulette.

and I will completely disagree with your assessment.  Do you have daily interaction with our P1 Audience?  I do - and they are all still there. 

again - read my original post.  i don't agree with the flip.  i prefer the old-school things.

[Nelz]

I believe Seltzer is right on the money...emphasis on the money.

Personally, I enjoy Christmas music directly after Thanksgiving. The official kickoff for me is when Santa makes his appearance at the end of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, followed by "Black Friday." I'm the guy who walks out of the studio bellowing Crosby's "White Christmas, or Cole's "Christmas Song." And bellowing quite badly I might add. Just ask my cringing co-workers.

In addition, Christmas ushers in another opportunity to reach out and help families, especially kids, who are in dire straits. Yes, public service. Oh, the stories I could tell of Christmas wishes fulfilled. C'mon, it's all about the kids. Somehow, somewhere we totally lost sight of that.

And honestly, humbuggers can tough it out for a few short weeks. Sorry, True Grit. In fact, we should protect the humbuggers. There should be an FCC law that reserves the all-Christmas format for AC stations only. Other stations would be allowed to sprinkle in the occasional Christmas song, and be authorized to totally flip on Christmas Eve and Day, and not before. 

As an advertiser, however, you better believe I'd be placing my dollars with the all-Christmas formats--it's where the shoppers ears are tuned. Cha Ching!

I strongly believe the all-Christmas format is an elemental part of the grease that keeps the economic wheels turning and people employed.   

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Happy Hannukah, and Happy New Year.