My letter to the radio station Big 105 AND their response

Hi There,

I've recently started listening to your station during my workday (due to the "beat the banker" contest, which he hung up on me by the way) and have a few questions or tips for you about your songs and play lists.

1. Why do I hear "How Bizarre" by OMC everyday? This song was released in 1997 which is a decade ago and I didn't like it that much that year let alone 10 years later and here we are still listening to it. I understand I need to suffer through Alanis Morisette and Barenaked Ladies so that you can meet your CanCon quota but as far as I can tell OMC is not Canadian...

2. Speaking of CanCon: I'm sure there are more than 5 successful Canadian artists so why do we hear such a limited variety of them? I understand that this is a time consuming request but maybe you could start featuring new, non-top 40 Canadian artists like once a day or one a week? Especially during the 9-5 time. P.S. - Please do not interpret this as a request to hear more Celine Dion or Shania Twain.

3. Perhaps you have a non-repeat work day but the same work day seems to play Monday to Friday! And even if you played the same artists they do sing more than one song so we shouldn't have to hear the same song day in & day out…

3. The whole clip of "this is new music" and the teaser song clip, then the actual song playing is really annoying. If you're going to be playing the whole song right away I don't need a teaser clip.

Overall I have been enjoying your station, the Dj's have a good energy and are funny and entertaining. I bring these points up because while you may be Red Deer's best station, I'd like you to be one of the best in Alberta.

Thanks & keep up the good work.

Crystal Nelson

Hi Crystal:

Your FAX was passed on to me for my review. After reading it my first thought was ‘Wow’! You listen a lot. In fact, in the radio world you’re what we’d classify you as a ‘heavy’ radio user. You’re rare, but it also explains most of your concerns and questions.

As a broadcaster, you represent the ‘perfect’ listener because it sounds like you listen all the time. I noticed on your FAX that you work in an office setting which, I’m guessing, means the radio is on most of the time. However that does create issues of its own. Radio stations are never designed for ‘heavy’ listeners because they make up such a small percentage of the overall audience (In the last BBM ratings survey there were less than ten ‘heavy’ listening ballots out of a 400-ballot return). An average listener would listen for 2-4 hours per week, so compare that with how much you’re listening and you’ll get the idea. I also get the impression you know a little about radio and music since you make reference to Cancon percentages and top-40 artists. As a radio programmer you have to play familiar artists and familiar tunes which means the biggest songs by the biggest artists to have the greatest impact…and remember I only get 2-4 hours per week to make that impression with the average person. Playing unfamiliar tunes, generally, only appeals to fans of an artist or true audiofiles. One of the best analogies I’ve heard is comparing unfamiliar music with being at a concert. In a crowd of 20-thousand you’ll have your die-hard fans, your average fans, and those who got free tickets. When the band plays a new song you’ll notice the crowd goes quiet and people get up to go to the bathroom or get in the beer line because they’re unfamiliar with the tune. Our experience has shown that humans are creatures of habit. They like what they know and generally don’t have a tolerance for something new…and it gets worse the older they get.

Trust me, playing unfamiliar tunes by non top-40 artists would be the death knell of the station, and I’d be banging on your door looking for a job within a year.

With regard to OMC’s HOW BIZARRE. This was interesting. I checked how many times this song was played since Jan. 1/07. We’ve played it a total of 18-times spread over 24-hours a day/seven days a week. If I break it down to strictly office listening (8:30a-5p; Mon-Fri), it’s been played eight times in seven weeks. I kid you not!!! However your perception is it’s being played everyday. Since you said you didn’t care for the song when it came out I would think this one song simply rubs you the wrong way.

Finally, I’ll be honest. I love the ‘New Music’ teasers. We’ve been doing them for about eight months and you’re the first person who’s voiced a concern. I think the best compliment we’ve received on them is that recently CKGY started doing EXACTLY the same thing. Since we’re the only station in Western Canada that presents our new music in this manner we know where they got it from.

Crystal, I truly appreciate your comments. I wish there were more listeners like you who’d take the time to tell me their thoughts on our station(s). Please keep in touch. If I can ever help to clarify things for you, be sure to drop me a line.

Jim Hall