Now that Real Oldies WGVU-AM 1480 has been on the air for a while, what are your thoughts on what you hear today?

As I said in another thread, I've yet to hear the same song played twice. My schedule has me listening to Bob Mason the most with Bill Bailey a close second.

Bob plays so many songs I've not heard in years and many more I've never heard. I am surprised at the number of local bands that were around here in the 60's. On my way back and forth to work every day, I used to drive past the old "The Note" building on Gun Lake and could not help but think about all the great music that was played there......I'm just a bit too young to have been a part of that.

Listening to Bill Bailey is like listening to Bruce Grant, the very first radio personality I remember (I hope Bill knows this a sincere compliment). If you don't get Bill's jokes, you're either too young to know why they are funny or too old to remember why they are funny.

I really hope the station is getting the community support they deserve. Keep up the great work !!!!!

First let me say, I'm 60 and I LOVE oldies.

Bill Bailey is way to full of himself. Sometimes sounds uninterested.

I wish they would balance the music better so that (at times) there would not be so many STIFFS in a row. Is it onn reel tape - so it's impossible?

WHY does the news start at '02 and not straight up?

Please define stiff for me. If it is what I think it is, this not typical mdern Grand Rapids radio with a 25 song playlist and the same song played 8 times a day. Once a song has been played I don't want to hear it for at least a few days. This isn't WODJ reincarnated, this much more close to what I grew up with as it should be.

It used to be this way when they first signed on, but I think they have the mix down. It's usually a familiar hit every third song.

The news starts at :01 because that's when NPR starts its newscasts.

Personally, I wish to hell they'd ditch the NPR remnants and just focus on the music.

I have to wonder: is the "listener-supported" model working? I wonder how much money they're actually pulling in from that, and if it's viable long-term.

If it's as small an amount as I suspect, they should go commercial and hire a couple of crack salespeople (there have to be some available after all the cuts at other stations, IMO).

And no more wine-and-cheese tasting, $250-a-plate fundraisers. That's like the United Mine Workers trying to raise money by holding a concert by the New York Philharmonic.

Phillyb, you might be on to something. The station is too music focused for my liking. There is very little entertainment value. The jocks are really just basic announcers. While most of that music is before my time....I've heard old airchecks of when that music came out and the songs are surrounded with hype, energy, contests, promos and fun. This is not the case with WGVU.

Radio1 said;I've heard old airchecks of when that music came out and the songs are surrounded with hype, energy, contests, promos and fun. This is not the case with WGVU.

I was THERE when the "hype" was on. WGVU is using the same model that "Hit Parade' radio wanted. The age group of people who like Dion, Del Shannon, Danny & the Juniors, and the Association" are mostly over 60. They were Dick Biondi and Ron Riley fans. We don't need the hype. Gimme the music!

phillyb, you have got to be kidding. Remember when the WGVU folk ran WKBZ in Muskegon as a "commercial" station? It was for a couple of years in the '90s. They couldn't sell a life insurance policy to a dying man or a Jessica Simpson-lookalike hooker to a prison inmate.

Hi... long time caller, first-time listener....

Thanks for the comments and such. It's been a blast putting Real Oldies together over the past year.

Yes, I'm still tweaking it. And yes, the presentation is by design. I, too, loved the screaming disk jockeys... when I was a teenager. Not so much now. I've worked with several radio hall-of-famers - I don't want to go into a name-drop session, but I can tell you that in almost every case THEY don't sound like their old airchecks, either, and there's a reason for that. I don't think the audience wants to be shouted at anymore. Had we built a station for aircheck collectors to enjoy, we'd have a fairly tiny audience. As it was, we received the longest time spent listening of any station in the GR Spring book.

Without divulging financials, we *did* finish the first year in the black. In this economy, I'm proud of that.

Hints? Suggestions? Questions? I'm at okellyle@gvsu.edu .

-Len

PS - Phillyb... does the price you quote on those tickets go up every time you tell the story? It was $50. It was also a television fundraiser. TV runs promos for me, I run promos for TV.

Len, some comments/questions:

1) The breadth and depth of the playlist is excellent. Do you continue to add to what once was "over 5,000 songs" when the format launched a year ago?

2) Regarding the previous comments about the presentation of the Real Oldies format, I think that a jingle package would greatly enhance the sound of the station. However, I do know something like that costs money. Still, some Real Oldies jingles could go a long way in livening up the overall presentation (and do so without hyperactive jocks, etc.).

3) Also, it's been good to hear Tom Wyant on 1480/850. He did a great job at WFGR, and so I hope you can get him on the air more in the future.

Len, congrats on you TSL. Who held the title of the longest time spent listening before you took it?

I don't think the audience ever liked to be shouted at. But I believe the audience does enjoy an air talent with loads of energy. I'm sure the audience still enjoys the screaming guitar on Johnny B. Goode, the raucous voice of Mick Jagger on Satisfaction and the pounding piano keys of Jerry Lee Lewis.

I think I know of some of the hall-of-famers you may have worked with. I think they are HOF's because of their sound on-air during their Top 40 days.

I was in grade school listening to Bill Bailey. He was by no means a screamer....but the energy he had between songs 9pm to 1am on WLS was phenomenal.

John Landecker was on fire when he worked evenings at WLS, his first go-round.

In fact, I was in-studio with John during the WLS Rewind a couple years ago...and the energy in the studio and CR was electrifying! It was like I was 16 all over again!

These are just a few of the air talent that knew how to excite the audience!

Sorry if I got the ticket price wrong.

And I'm glad the AMs are "in the black". I do appreciate your wide, deep playlist.

But beware of the "oh, we're a PUBLIC BROADCASTING STATION (said with chin in air) " atmosphere in the building.

Most oldies listeners wouldn't listen to WGVU-FM's jazz under any conditions, and I don't think WGVU-TV is #1 on their lists for TV viewing, either.

THOSE are the people you will have to attract and maintain if WGVU-AM is to be a success. And right now, most of them don't even know the AM stations exist--they're still listening to WLCS or WFGR, even if they aren't crazy about what's being played on those stations.

You need to find a way to branch out BEYOND the East Grand Rapids, used-to-be-a-preppie-in-my-younger-days-30-years-ago demographic, and (especially in Muskegon) find a way to attract and maintain the blue-collar audience that doesn't give a rat's ass about "PUBLIC BROADCASTING." And under WGVU's business approach, you must then get them to send you money.

It's a tough road. But I think you can do it. As long as the Powers That Be at WGVU-TV/FM don't get in your way.

Please someone tell Bob Becker that "Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You" was recorded by Frankie Valli -- not the Four Seasons. I've heard him do this more than once during the past year at 1480.

Just some tidbits of information from my perspective.

Bob is not entirely to blame for the Four Seasons on Can't take my eyes off you. Is listed in the computer at 1480 as the Four Seasons, not Frankie Valli. Now I know that is a Frankie Valli solo effort, but if it is listed in a computer that way, it is an easy mistake to make.

Music is being added on a Daily/Weekly basis. 5000 is a nice round number, I believe there are more than that now.

Nice jingles would be a welcome addition to any oldies station. I'd like to buy a new car too. but, Budget, Budget, Budget!