Airwaves: December 9, 2005
Simply Fabulous
Even programmer Brad "Martini" Chambers is a bit
surprised that the Fabulous 690 is still around. Seems that the Mexican
equivalent of the Federal Communications Commission is about as efficient as
our own. Which is a good thing in this case ... it keeps a good format on the
air, and it gives one of the few reasons to switch on the AM band.
No one really knows when the station will be transferred to the new owners in
Madrid, Spain. Which means no one really knows when the current standards format
will disappear. First it was expected by November, then the end of the year.
Now the good money says early in 2006 ... but it could be next week. Or today.
The Fabulous 690 is one of those rare stations that does something extremely
special. As listeners will attest, the station and its personalities are more
than just a jukebox, they are your friends. Your companions. In many ways the
music, though timeless and classic, is secondary to the overall presentation.
This station lifts you up when you're down and it is a great way to share your
day.
Chambers obviously "gets it," which explains why I get so many emails
lamenting the station's pending demise. And not just from "seasoned citizens," mind
you. Many letters come from people far younger than the expected demographic,
due in part to the timeless nature of much of the music, as well as the popularity
of many standards from current artists.
But does it have to be that way? Are we destined to lose a great thing? I certainly
hope not. If owner Clear Channel were smart -- and in many ways they are
-- they'd find a way to keep this station around. My suggestion would be to put
the format on one of CC's many FM signals. I'm not a betting man, but I would
make this bet: The Fabulous FM would be a hit among a wide age demographic,
attract a listener higher-than-average affluence, hold an amazingly loyal audience
that would appreciate the station and its advertisers, and would be one of the
more successful stations in the city both financially and in the ratings.
And if Clear Channel doesn't do it, they'll be passing up a good thing that just
may end up in the hands of a competitor. Remember that the ABC Radio stations
are for sale, and Infinity has a few underperforming FMs in town. Clear
Channel should do it before someone else does. And if no one does, it's another
reason to give the gift of XM or Sirius satellite radio to yourself
or someone you love this Christmas.
Followup
So far the mail is generally against the idea of believing what your favorite
radio personalities are trying to sell. Some letters brought images of the traveling "snake
oil" salesman.
"It would be interesting to see if Bill Handel actually paid for
his driveway," said reader Bob Murphy, adding "the FCC should require
the host to disclose any monetary gain received by the personality in exchange
for their testimonial."
Bill Hayes mentioned that the "insane quantity of commercials, including
those that are 'personally endorsed,' has diluted any potential quality or truth."
Giving an opposing view was Don Prieto, who said he'd "buy stuff that is
sold by Paul harvey, Gary Owens and Rush Limbaugh -- all for different
reasons, but mostly on the trust of the individual and the significance of the
product."
This is all fascinating to me because the fact is, personal endorsements work.
If they didn't, stations wouldn't offer them and advertisers wouldn't use them.
But I still can't help wondering, as Bob Murphy alluded, how much free stuff
or special treatment some of the personalities get in exchange for their endorsement.
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Copyright © 2005 Richard Wagoner and The Copley Press.
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