From Signpost:
When they tried this with WHTT, they didn't blow up an established heritage radio station to do it, they were up against a much more loosely run Kiss 108, and Jam'n 94.5 didn't exist. and they STILL failed. This will go down as a massive blunder.
Just a little history lesson. In the 80's CBS was looking to go to an oldies format in boston like they had in NY. Back then WHTT was the only property CBS owned in Boston. (pre-Westinghouse purchase of CBS)
There was some NY corporate poltics involved and WHTT was blown up but instead of going to oldies a coup occurred at Black Rock and the loser was sent to Boston with a format designed to fail...the format failed...and when it did the loser in the corporate battle was fired and WODS was born.
The long transition to oldies had nothing to do with WHTT "failing" as a CHR, it had to do with CBS trying to establish an oldies format nationally. Yesterday's demolition of WODS, which IMHO could be called a Heritage Station, has everything to do with demographics getting too old to be attractive to advertisers.
Unfortunately the change to CHR was done at the expense of some very talented professionals that certainly could make a CHR format a ratings and advertising leader.
Let the debate begin!
