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WLS-FM 94.7 Revisited

Posted by Hunter <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/chicagomediachat/info/user=Hunter' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on May 7, 2024, 7:44 pm

It's been a while since Todd Cavanah took over the programming of WLS-FM. Looking at the recent playlist, it's quite interesting.

1. This station does not rock as much as it used to before Todd arrived.
2. There's plenty of pop music and it includes music by Cher. An artist rarely if ever heard on WLS-FM in the past.
3. A number of songs recently played include:

Let it Be--The Beatles (1970)
If I Could Turn Back Time--Cher (1989)
Believe--Cher (1998)
Iris--Goo Goo Dolls (1998)
Unwell--Matchbox Twenty (2003)
Torn--Natalie Imbruglia (1997)
Brown Eyed Girl--Van Morrison (1967)

All of these songs must test well, and this is why they are played.

Once cannot argue with success. In the last four Nielsen PPM ratings surveys, WLS-FM has climbed.

3.0 to 3.3 to 3.5 to 4.0.

Say what you will, the musical adjustments seem to be working. It's not my cup of tea. The real test is the billing. How much does WLS-FM bill?

Regarding the music, it appears both ends of the demographic have attempted to be served.

The Beatles and Van Morrison all the way up to Cher and Matchbox Twenty.

Re: WLS-FM 94.7 Revisited

Posted by Jeremy Andrews <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/chicagomediachat/info/user=Jeremy+Andrews' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on May 7, 2024, 8:02 pm, in reply to "WLS-FM 94.7 Revisited"

They played a lot of Cher when it still had an Oldies format up until Cumulus took over from Citadel

Re: WLS-FM 94.7 Revisited

The others are typical of Classic Hits stations around the country. They probably have consultants, and as you mentioned testing

Re: WLS-FM 94.7 Revisited

Posted by WYTZZ95FM <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/chicagomediachat/info/user=WYTZZ95FM' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on May 8, 2024, 11:15 am, in reply to "WLS-FM 94.7 Revisited"

Hi Hunter, this is not aimed at you, but the station you referenced.

Typical Todd. Play it safe. No gut instinct. No reading the market. He trusts the computer data. No more, no less, job security.

The 7 songs you listed. Where are the black artists? Classic Hits or Classic (some of the) Hits? Is it really success when you are a wannabe of WDRV The Drive? 🤷‍♂️ 🤷🏾‍♂️ 🤷🏼‍♀️ No creativity, just suck off the tit of your competition beating you every month.

Terrestrial radio sucks. It is all the decision makers fault. They are constantly trying to redefine what happened, revised reality. Wouldn't a Classic Hits station have the #1 song from the 80s and 70s at least on low rotation? They are digging themselves in the grave, permanently. Anyone telling you they are still the KING having 20+ minutes of stopsets and have several avenues of competition compared to 20 years ago, are on bad drugs, or simply trying to save their jobs until they retire.

Z

Re: WLS-FM 94.7 Revisited

Posted by Jeremy Andrews <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/chicagomediachat/info/user=Jeremy+Andrews' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on May 8, 2024, 11:23 am, in reply to "Re: WLS-FM 94.7 Revisited"

There are black artists but obviously they're limited. Just looked at the playlist on their website. I don't think they played many of these in recent years. At least not much.

Fugees - Killing Me Softly. B96 played it when it was new.
Gloria Gaynor - I Will Survive
Michael Jackson (several)
Whitney Houston - I Wanna Dance With Somebody
The Whispers - Rock Steady
Rockwell - Somebody's Watching Me
Whitney Houston - I Will Always Love You
Eddy Grant - Electric Avenue
Haddaway - What Is Love

Re: WLS-FM 94.7 Revisited

Posted by John from Wisconsin <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/chicagomediachat/info/user=John+from+Wisconsin' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on May 8, 2024, 6:42 pm, in reply to "WLS-FM 94.7 Revisited"

Let it Be--The Beatles (1970)
If I Could Turn Back Time--Cher (1989)
Believe--Cher (1998)
Iris--Goo Goo Dolls (1998)
Unwell--Matchbox Twenty (2003)
Torn--Natalie Imbruglia (1997)
Brown Eyed Girl--Van Morrison (1967)

So much for "#1 for the 80's..." (and Classic Hits.) 70/89/98/98/03/97/67 above shows ONE 80's song. My 2 cents.

When I heard the station, it was lifeless. Maybe it's better now, but the 8 minute long stop-sets will kill you! THAT, is the gorilla in the room.

Re: WLS-FM 94.7 Revisited

Posted by Rockola <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/chicagomediachat/info/user=Rockola' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on May 21, 2024, 7:10 pm, in reply to "Re: WLS-FM 94.7 Revisited"

Lifeless is a good word. Some of the recent adds don't work for me either, but maybe it's just me? The new jingles just aren't right either. Short, sweet, simple updated versions of the old LS-FM jingles (approx 1984-86 era) would have been fine. Or better yet- just use the old ones!

Re: WLS-FM 94.7 Revisited

Posted by WYTZZ95FM <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/chicagomediachat/info/user=WYTZZ95FM' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on May 21, 2024, 8:21 pm, in reply to "Re: WLS-FM 94.7 Revisited"

The jingles are pretty cool. I give Todd credit for it. Radio companies WILL NOT pay for jingles these days. He obviously wanted to go with a new set and they paid for them. He did not want to rehash the same ones he used on KHITS and which WLS-FM did when they moved back to WLS-FM and started moving away from "True Oldies".

I agree, I wish they would go back to the old ones. Never get old. WLS, WLS-FM, Z95, WXXY 80s Channel, Kicks Country, KHITS, Kiss LA and a ton of Hot Hits stations that used PAMS and sonovax back in the day!

Z

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