| “We’ve got about another five more years in the format”-Legendary GM Harvey Pearlman (1992) Turns out, formats are covered in Teflon. Legacy talent – not so much. Covid-19 has moved the waypoint for some of us. Not all. Flashback – December 1992. They are beating the death drum from for gold – based formats. As the new Program Director of Infinity’s Oldies 104.3 WJMK, those words echoed like an unwarranted virus. Unwarranted – it was. History demonstrates that GREAT Oldies stations like K-Earth, K-LUV and CBS-FM wore Teflon as they marched through the decades, becoming printers of money for Infinity then CBS – now Entercom. Now, 28 years later, the same can be said – just a different title. Classic Hits. Legendary programmers like Joe McCoy, the late Mike Phillips and Chuck Brinkman find their seats occupied with a new generation of smart Classic Hits strategists like Jim Ryan,Jay Cresswell and Chris Ebbott. But the results are just as large. In Los Angeles, K-EARTH sits on top of the jammed-packed Los Angeles market at #1, Dallas’ K-LUV is a consistent Top 3 and CBS-FM is consistently in the Top 3 – now just a ½ share from #1. Not one person is crowing that Classic Hits (Oldies) is receding. The format roars. Tom Kent adds affiliates like a spring rainstorm. So WHY is Classic Hits is still flexing muscle? Memories. Music and talent that printed memories from the creative Golden Age – in deep and wide in our collective cortex. Today – NOW – Is your brand creating memories? What you do today is a memory embedded – forever. Gold-based formats are like a warm blanket in a winter freeze. When the country has a virus, it’s chicken noodle soup with grilled cheese. The Teflon shield around Classic Hits – is stronger than ever. If you need a resource partner, call us. Next Week: Legend |
