Month: May 1994

Music Daze

5/27/1994

If you’re in the record business, Mondays are manic, Tuesdays you panic, Wednesdays are for paperwork filing, Thursdays you’re smiling and dialing, Fridays you hurry and on the weekends you worry. Why? Because radio does the music on Tuesdays. And therein lies the rub.

Why Tuesdays?

It is a fact that our business is abnormal in almost every facet. But our work week sometimes seems way out of whack. Is there a single day in any other industry that is as important as Tuesday is to ours? Does Reebok get that load of shoes on Tuesday? Does Apple incorporate their new software procedures on Tuesday? Do the airlines only fly on Tuesdays? Does the stock market depend on Tuesday’s Dow Jones to gauge the week? Does the Defense Department only go to war on Tuesdays? (Hold that thought. After a cursory check, it seems that an inordinate number of the USA’s actual police actions did begin on Tuesday. Maybe there is a hidden connection with the CIA.)

Most industries begin their weeks on Mondays and end on Fridays. Isn’t this how we invented weekends?

Not the radio and record industries. No. Hell, no. We may be dragged kicking and screaming into the norm some day in the future, but not, by God, this week.

With all the changes going down in our industries in the Year-Of-Our-Clinton 1994, some on the record side thought it might be time to push the envelope even further. Why not, they asked, have radio report playlist changes on another day? What day, I asked. Thursdays, they said. Why? Because if radio stations reported adds on Thursdays, we could leave early on Fridays and relax all weekend.

There were other considerations, of course. If radio added records on Thursdays, then record companies would have three solid days for set-up and pressurization. Now, record companies usually schedule set-up meetings on Wednesdays. Targets are set on the same day. Thursdays and Fridays are spent calling radio. But it’s sometimes hard to convey the urgency of an add that won’t happen until the following week. Programmers have an easy out on Thursdays and Fridays. The famous, “Looks good…call me next week” phrase has led more than one promotion person down the road to sin and destruction. Plus, even if you get a commitment, the programmer then has the weekend to think about it and possibly have a change of heart. Or worse, it gives a promotion person from another label two full days to fly the programmer to Hawaii and offer a better deal.

Thursday adds would work better for many record companies. But what about radio?

Ah. And therein lies another rub.

Several months ago, I wrote a tongue-in-cheek Editorial that questioned why radio began doing music on Tuesdays. I made up quite a compelling story that became gospel to may in the industry. The real story isn’t so black-and-white.

Radio began doing music on Tuesday years ago for one simple reason: It works best for radio. Radio generated requests beginning on Mondays. Radio needed weekend requests to make the tabulations accurate. Ditto for sales. Weekend sales information was crucial to determine the hottest records.

Times haven’t changed that much.

In the past several months, as different trade magazines have jockeyed for position with the diminishing influence of R&R, many have tried to dictate to radio. All have tried to mandate different policies under the guise of being “good for radio.” Fortunately for Network Forty, few of these trades bother to ask radio. We always attempt to reflect radio’s position. And we continue to do so.

After canvassing radio programmers from the smallest markets to the latest, the consensus is that Tuesday is still the best day for radio to prepare music.

Why?

The answers vary.

Comfort plays a big key. Programmers are comfortable the way it is. Radio programmers; weeks have been set up to do music on Tuesday for years.

Along with the comfort comes the simple fact that it ain’t broke, so why fix it?

Although SoundScan provides data on Wednesdays, most radio stations still receive their in-house research either on Mondays or Fridays. Either way, Mondays are generally spent reviewing the research. Final decisions are made on Tuesdays.

It’s important for radio to add new music on Tuesday or Wednesday. This gives programmers several weekdays to daypart songs if necessary or to determine the strength of new music via requests or on-air sound. The information will then be used to decide whether or not to schedule the songs over the weekend. This lead time is necessary.

Another important fact concerns music scheduling. There was a time when new records were just put in the control room and the jocks played them when they wanted. No longer. Each day of music is now carefully scheduled in advance. Music directors need time to input the new songs into their music scheduling software. They also need time to actually schedule the music. If music were done on Thursdays, music directors would have to schedule Friday’s music late Thursday night, then turn around and schedule three complete days (Saturday, Sunday, Monday) in one day…Friday, when everyone wants to get out early.

With changes prevalent in the industry today brought on by Plays Per Week, BDS, SoundScan and other retail research, programmers are constantly searching for the special edge that will make them winners in the their market. They have no time for unnecessary wallpaper touch-ups (such as changing music days) that have little to do with their daily operation.

As one major-market programmer said, “I’ll be happy to give the industry my adds and rotations on Thursdays. But I’ll continue to do them on Tuesdays just like always.”

Sometimes, trade magazines tend to run on their own, hidden agendas. We all need to remember that Tuesday is playlist day because it is best for radio. What works best for radio works best for Network Forty.

Besides, we have a hidden agenda. If add day was move to Thursday, we couldn’t take Friday off!

Showtime

5/13/1994

Somehow, it all made sense. The Las Vegas Strip…Siegfried And Roy…$4.95 steak and lobster buffet…Tony Orlando in concert…the Chicken Ranch…white tiers in a glass cage…the Hitmakers Convention. Las Vegas lost Wayne Newton, but it gained Barry Fiedel…if only for a weekend.

Actually, Las Vegas, with or without Barry or any convention, is a perfect place for the radio and record communities to gather. The hype is turned way up, millions are spent promoting meaningless images, sleaze is evident everywhere, billboards boast slogans, there are hundreds of great restaurants, thousands of games are available, American Express is honored everywhere and cash plays. But best of all, there a re lots of places to hide.

Any visit to Las Vegas starts with a plane trip. And the flights themselves tell all. On the way over, the plane is filled with excitement. Laughter is prevalent, people are quick to share their winning philosophy, the guy beside you willingly offers his “can’t miss” roulette system, the pleasing aroma of cologne and perfume fills the air, clothes are pressed, fresh and often brand new toasts are offered, conquests are promised and, more often than not, the passengers break into applause when the wheels touch down on the runway. The return flight is quite different. There is little talk…only grunts and grumbles. The atmosphere is more like a funeral. Most passengers are asleep or in states of depression. Drinks are gulped quickly. And the air is full of sweat and thick with the smell of defeat.

But in between those flights, the world is yours…and all that’s in it. If you consistently hit 14 and get a 7. Or roll 6 the hard way three times straight.

The actual Hitmakers convention was secondary to all of the other things going on in Las Vegas. And maybe that was the way it should be. It was a good place to be if you were a radio programmer from a smaller market. With at least a 15-to-1 ratio of record folds to those in radio, if you could actually add a record somewhere, the odds were good that you might be treated with some modicum of respect.

The panel exhibiting the most fireworks was the “Face To Face” gathering Saturday afternoon. Those in the audience got “up close and personal” with several programmers and a couple of members of the trade press. Many questions were asked (including at least two disjointed seemingly drug-induced ramblings) and none were adequately answered, although a consensus could have been mustered that more cash could stimulate more airplay.

The main point, if there was one, was that now more than ever before, each radio station in each market looks to individual statistics to determine whether or not to add a record. “Top 10” and “Most Added” seem to play a significantly smaller part than ever before when adding records. How a record fits the particular station’s format and how well the record is selling in the local market are the important criteria. The audience missed what I believe was a significant point. More and more radio programmers are using their own criteria and “gut” instincts in formulating their playlists. For years, those in the record community abhorred research and computer facts when used by radio station to make record decisions.

Now, with PPWs, BDS and SoundScan, the record community is using research and computer facts to convince radio programmers to add records. Those arguments are falling on deaf ears.

Record promoters cannot depend on generalized research to convince radio programmers to add their records. Specific knowledge of individual stations and markets are the keys…if indeed, there are any real keys.

On the flip side of the coin, radio programmers must view a single’s track record nationally. It stands to reason that if a record is selling and performing extremely well across the country, at least it bears consideration for play on your station. When I was programming, I always kept an eye on national charts, not to decide my playlist, but to make sure I wasn’t missing something viable. National airplay and sales are particularly important because your audience is exposed to product (through music videos, syndicated shows and other outlets) that wasn’t available in years past. Although you might make decisions on what is best for your radio station and your audience, don’t believe that you are their only source of service. Consider all factors when making a decision.

Random thoughts and observations: Daniel Glass was picked up at the airport by some long-haired guys in a Four-By-Four; Todd Cavanah needs to work on his golf swing, but he’s got the cursing part down pat; Burt Baumgartner is a class act; Ken Benson will laugh if the jokes are funny; Marc Benesch has perfected his “Houdini” routine; Bruce Tenenbaum is getting there; Barb Seltzer works the big rooms better than anyone and Dale Cannone works the alleys; Tony Novia could be one of the smartest people in radio; Mark Bolke wasn’t serious; Jerry Blair “you no plan;” Bob Greenberg had a birthday; Jeffrey Blalock stands tall, but Bruce Reiner slouches taller; Bill Pfordresher can’t throw dice (neither could anyone else); Dave Robbins has quietly turned WNCI around; Dave Ferguson is the best kept programming secret in the country; Chuck Field is second; Charlie Walk looks good in cowboy boots; Greg Thompson and Valerie DeLong work radio; Rick Stacy didn’t want to talk about trades; Joel didn’t either; Mark Gorlick and Bruce Schoen were separated at birth; Hilary needs a new last name; Michael Marti has a new hair stylist; Laure Holder is Seattle’s shining star; Louis Caplan knows exactly what he’s doing; Marc Rather bets the don’t pass line; Dave Shakes gave good advice to a questioner who didn’t listen; Ron Geslin can stay up past midnight; Justin Fontaine can also; Craig Coburn actually won money; David Leach hit ‘em long; Joe Riccitelli spent Friday night downtown; Steve Richards had a great “thinner” story; Billy Brill is a story himself and Hix still hits ‘em dead right under pressure.

Questions that weren’t asked: What did Barry do with his white shoes? Where was Bobby Poe?

Questions that weren’t answered: Are there any radio people at this table? Who’s picking up the tab? Is that guy eating the lobster with a station? Why are we here?

And the only question I care about: Was I funny or what?

Just The Fax

Welcome to the Hotel PPW.

Now that R&R has finally come to the party, (invitations were sent out over two years ago…it took them that long to RSVP) Plays Per Week have become the standard throughout the industry.

All the charts that matter (The Network Forty, Billboard and R&R) use actual airplay for calculation. However, The Network Forty’s Plays Per Week charts are the best in the business. Bar none.

Why? It’s simple, really.

Billboard uses BDS to determine their charts. While BDS is recognized by many as the ultimate measure of airplay, it is a fact that BDS does not monitor many radio stations that are extremely important in determining the success of a record. Billboard misses many stations that impact record sales. Their chart is incomplete.

R&R’s charts have inherent problems. The weighting system is totally out of whack. (That’s another editorial by itself.) R&R has already dropped the weighting system used on the Alternative chart and most in the industry believe the weighting will soon be dropped from the Top 40 charts as well. R&R’s reporting universe is only slightly larger than BDS and creates the same limited picture. But R&R’s major problems exist because of the way information is gathered. R&R does not accept faxed PPW information. R&R depends upon phone calls from reporters to determine Plays Per Week. That practice opens a window of opportunity for easy alteration by those who would report inaccurate airplay.

The Network Forty has the most accurate and most complete Plays Per Week information available. The Network Forty has the most complete universe of radio stations available. BDS monitors only the larger markets. R&R “allows” only 170 reporters. The Network Forty gathers reports from over 250 radio stations across the country. And it isn’t just the number of reporters that makes The Network Forty PPW system the most accurate, it’s the methodology.

With the help of many in the industry, The Network Forty invented PPWs over two years ago. (Its fine that R&R has begun utilizing PPWs as the basis of their charts. It would also be nice if they gave credit to The Network Forty for the original idea, but we understand that R&R wants everyone to believe they discovered PPWs. R&R has never let facts get in the way.) We recognized early on that the industry wanted a chart based on airplay, not playlists. We also recognized that the most accurate way to gauge actual airplay is to accept computerized print-outs from music scheduling software. Anything less makes it easy to manipulate supposed airplay.

Although everyone in our industry pays lip service to honesty, it is a fact that there are individuals who still “play for pay” for station promotions or other considerations. Without faxed, computer print-outs, manipulation is easy and the industry would be right back where it was before the advent of PPWs and BDS.

By accepting faxed PPWs, The Network Forty guarantees that airplay manipulation is minimal. R&R cannot make the same claim.

The Network Forty verifies our data by spot-checking music logs from selected stations against the computer-generated airplay reports. The Network Forty also monitors selected radio stations by listen lines or actual listening. The Network Forty pays more than lip service to honesty. We take these added steps to ensure the accuracy and integrity of our charts, because that’s what the industry wants. Stations that attempt to manipulate airplay information are warned once, then monitored weekly. Those that don’t comply by reporting accurate PPWs are deleted from The Network Forty reporter universe. Four stations have been dropped this year.

Any trade magazine that doesn’t take these necessary stops runs the risk of printing flawed data. Trade magazines that want accurate charts should insist on computer-generated music scheduling print-outs via fax. It makes manipulation almost impossible.

Take a taste test.

Billboard’s charts give an accurate gauge of airplay. But Billboard doesn’t monitor all markets. The supply is limited.

R&R has too many additives (flawed weighting, add factors, etc.) and can be harmful to your health. R&R takes information from only 170 stations. R&R doesn’t accept computer-generated airplay reports by fax. R&R accepts information only over the phone, allowing reporters to “make up” or “guesstimate” airplay. In other words, there’s no list of ingredients on the label. You don’t know what you’re drinking.

The Network Forty has been producing a Plays Per Week chart for over two years. We have 256 reporters…more than any of the others. And The Network Forty accepts computer-generated airplay reports by fax to ensure that ours is the most comprehensive and accurate data available.

It’s a slam dunk.

The Network Forty is the winner. It tastes great and is more filling…and it is better for you.