When is it too early for Christmas music?

[danikayser84]

Last year, not one but two of our stations here in Albany, NY (98.3 WTRY and 105.7 WBZZ/now WQSH) went Christmas on November 1... which I thought was way too early at least IMO...

I know of a few stations that went all-Christmas in late October, I think a few as early as Columbus Day even... but, where do you draw the line when it comes to Christmas music? I'd personally consider the line to be either a week before Thanksgiving or around Veteran's Day... any earlier and I'd consider it "too early"

[flashback]

to me before dec 1 is too early.or is that too radical?

[nocomradio]

Honestly, I am not a Scrooge, but before December 25 is a little too early. Just sayin'............

[landtuna]

Christmas Eve

[andrewduong77]

CBS Radio's KVIL/Dallas-Ft. Worth went all-Christmas starting the 3rd week of Nov which is in the middle of November and they don't stop playing Christmas till the 3rd day after Christmas (Dec 28).

ClearChannel's KODA/Houston went all-Christmas around Thanksgiving and stop playing Christmas right after Christmas day right on Dec 26.

Renda Broadcasting's KMGL/Oklahoma City went all-Christmas around Thanksgiving and stop playing Christmas right after Christmas day right on Dec 26 as well.

I think switching to all-Christmas before Thanksgiving is too early. It would be more reasonable if AC stations just sprinkle Christmas music into their playlist starting on Dec 1 and then play all-Christmas starting the eve of Christmas.

[the golden boy]

Anytime before Thanksgiving is too early. Even then, I think stations shouldn't go all-Christmas until maybe the week of Christmas. Sure, the ratings may say otherwise, but do people really wanna hear 'round-the-clock Christmas music for weeks on end?

Might as well start on Labor Day.

[andrewduong77]

Anytime before Thanksgiving is too early. Even then, I think stations shouldn't go all-Christmas until maybe the week of Christmas. Sure, the ratings may say otherwise, but do people really wanna hear 'round-the-clock Christmas music for weeks on end?

Might as well start on Labor Day.

True, I believe they should do it this way: Start sprinkling Christmas songs into the playlist the week before Christmas and then play all-Christmas 3 days before Christmas.

[Kelly Watts]

My feelings on Christmas music, (there will now be a 30 second pause while all of you say "Who cares?")
When i was programming I would start the day AFTER Thankgiving adding 1 to 2 cuts per hour.  The next week I would increase it, and over the four week period I would keep adding until Christmas week was 100%.  The Christmas night I would decrease back to 2 per hour for a few days. 

I would also hold the real special (think heavy and traditional) Christmas Muisc for Christmas eve (noon on) and Christmas Day, till 6 PM and sell Christmas greeting announcements during that time.  THAT was a good money maker, and with the excepion of regular advertisers, all were CASH in ADVANCE!

I do think it depends on the stations format, and how willing you are to play artists from other types of music during the season. 

[imhomerjay]

The short answer: when more listeners tune out than tune in.

[Gregg]

There's two answers... one for listeners and one for salespeople and advertisers.

Listeners may want to wait till Thanksgiving Friday or Dec. 1.  But AC stations, especially in markets where more than one station flips to Xmas music, want to be first.  You want advertisers to start hearing the music in the store or office and realize they've got to buy time on the station NOW.  You know the ratings go up for Xmas music.  I've never heard a story where a station was HURT by playing Xmas music or playing it too early.

A few years ago, three stations in Philadelphia switched to Christmas music on or around Thanksgiving: the market's top AC (and often #1 overall) WBEB. The market's CBS Oldies station WOGL. (This was the year all CBS Oldies stations went all-Xmas in December except in Dallas where CBS also owns the big AC station.)  And the market's upstart AC station, WNUW, which had just flipped from Smooth Jazz.  How did they finish in the December ratings?  They were all in the Top 3.

1)WBEB 2)WOGL 3)WNUW.  It was WNUW's highest ratings ever.  When they went back to regular AC music after the holidays, their ratings sank and they are now All-Sports WPEN-FM.

So when you hear an AC station switch to Bing Crosby and Nat King Cole before Thanksgiving, don't give them a hard time.  They're doing it to be first and to get the advertisers on board. 

Gregg
nh153@mail.com