Christmas music in OKC

[Undertaker]

According to my sources (which are shakey at best) Bob FM is supposed to be going all Christmas again.  But then I heard thier morning show say that they were not going all Christmas. Does anyone have any idea if this could be true?

[Zero Zagnut]

I heard they were going "all Kwanzaa" after Thanksgiving. Or maybe all "Ramadan"[EDIT] 


[EDIT-offensive content]

[OKCRadioGuy]

Ahhhh just like the good 'ol days..  Looks like we're back to LANCEing posts. LOL!

[Watercooler]

lots of rumors going around the water cooler here on the 6th floor, Mr and Mrs Bastida Clause and all the little little elves have been slaving, and Bastida Clause asking what everybody wants for Christmas. While Mrs Bastida Clause makes homeade cookies in the oven the elves sit on Bastida Clause lap and tell him what they want for Christmas. 


Here is a list that he has so far.

Mike-Brand new HD transmitters for all the stations.

Leo-The Katt to quit playing nickelback and more zepplin.

Ron-The Mullet.

Phil-A bigger studio to work in.

Stacy-A new sweater for the holidays.

Steve-Self defence course so when anyone at clear channel wants to fight I am ready.

Tony Z- Beer money.

Pork-Two weeks vacation.

Still more to come as this Christmas story of Mr and Mrs Bastida Clause continues right here on Radio-Info.com 


Yours Truly
The 6th floor watercooler


 

[Undertaker]

Tuned in to BOB this morning and once again I heard them say that they were not going to do Christmas music. So I guess that is the final word on it.

[Radio55]

Maybe it's just me, but why would a station promote something they ARE NOT going to do?  Seems counterproductive to me.  Just play your format and handle the calls as they come in... but DON'T promote a negative. 

Stations could simply play all Christmas beginning at 6am Christmas Eve and continuing Christmas day until, say 7pm.  Beginning Christmas music now is just, well, dumb.  I don't see the programming reasoning behind doing it this early.

Your thoughts?

[NightAire]

For me, and I think a lot of people, the Christmas "season" starts the day after Thanksgiving.  Hearing ANY Christmas music on the radio before this seems just...  weird, and out of touch.

Sure, we may go Christmas shopping before then, may hear Christmas music in the local store (especially on the decorations isle), but the radio is a bit of a different beast.

A few years back I heard somebody with some experience say that when you play Christmas music before Christmas, more than 4 carols an hour make your regular tunes sound out of place, and less than 4 carols make THEM sound odd.  When I've heard 4 Christmas songs an hour (YES, each separated by about 15 minutes, please!), it's consistently been a great mix.

92.9 KBEZ in Tulsa in the past has had all-Christmas weekends, and that was pretty cool because on the weekends you're more likely to be Christmas shopping or putting up decorations or entertaining.  I expect they weren't original with the idea, but it's a good one.

I don't mind a station that goes all-Christmas starting the weekend before Christmas, but some wait until Christmas Eve and that works for me, too.

Why stations are so quick to get OFF of Christmas music is beyond me...  lots of people have Christmas evening meals, they're traveling after having Christmas with the family...  dumping the carols at noon or even 6pm is incredibly frustrating to me.  If you're worried about burn, don't start playing them right after Halloween!!!   

Of course, the reason stations start Christmas music in, say, August, is so they can "own" the position of "Oklahoma City's Christmas Music Station..." a position, I think, sounds pretty silly on November 1st.

Of course, they didn't ask me.  They never do.   

Is it possible the BOB promo was something to the effect of, "while the other guys burn you out on Bing Crosby, Gene Autry, and Manheim Steamroller, we're giving you the gift of HITS" or something to that effect?  That seems more like a positive than a negative.

[Watercooler]

I the 6th floor watercooler say we shall see good tidings of great joy coming very soon!!!  It maybe today or maybe not?? 

[Radio55]

Hey Nightaire....

"Owning" the "position" of Christmas music... now, that cracks me up.

Stations should simply play Christmas music when people EXPECT TO HEAR IT... Start the week of Christmas and perhaps continue through midnight Christmas night.  Considering the "burn" factor, these songs "burned" years/decades ago, so playing them too soon could be a turn off for lots of folks.  I'm not even in the business anymore.... why I still care? I have no idea. But hey, I still like CARTS! 

Enjoy your opinions very much. 

[NightAire]

Radio55,

Thanks for the kind words.  I love the conversation...  and let me tell you, some of the best opinions come from people who got out of the business while they could...  being TOO passionate about this business can make it tough to hang on to employment in today's climate.   

The idea of "owning" the Christmas "image" is that, apparently AC numbers go through the roof in November / December when they go all Christmas (does that say something about the programing the rest of the year?).  It apparently happens in almost every market, and the station that gets there "first" gets all the TSL.  I'll bet it's also a cash cow...  who's going to be the Grinch who didn't buy Christmas liners?  Additionally, it appears a you get a bit of a "lift" in ratings following your all-Christmas stint:

http://www.edisonresearch.com/home/archives/2006/04/christmas_music.php

Ironically, before this was ever "The" thing to do, 98.5 in Tulsa was a CCM called Love 98 / KCFO-FM.  They were the only station in town that would go all-Christmas the day after Thanksgiving, and the other stations laughed...  but they got a huge boost for three weeks, year after year because CCM and secular listeners both came to hear the carols other stations weren't playing.

...I still like carts, too...  don't have a player, but I've got about a dozen of the tapes still in a box here at the house.