Thursday, December 9, 2010

To Sweep Or Not To Sweep...

Music sweeps have been around since the Drake era. The Drake stations would clear out the spots for a 5 or 6 music sweep. We would use our More Music logo between each song. Our stop sets were reduced to 4 an hour. Listeners loved it, so we kept doing it, increasing the number of consecutive songs in non-traffic hours. Music stations have made a living out of their music sweeps, increasing the number of tunes over the years to as many as a dozen or so. Just recently, programmers and advertisers alike are questioning whether or not to kill sweeps and go back to a normal (6 or more) number of stop sets...

Just yesterday, Yvonne Lacey, Fox Broadcasting Media Supervisor, questioned "commercial-free" music blocks. Radio-Info reports that Lacey opened the Arbitron Client Conference in Baltimore by saying that Fox often needs to buy spots at very specific days and times to promote a one-time-only broadcast for TV. That relates to radio too. Lacey says the message that a "commercial-free" position sends to listeners is this: "This music block will end and then we'll hit you with a lot of commercials." Fox, like other radio users, is interested in "blended marketing efforts" and integration into good programming. That might even include sponsoring a commercial-free zone. Lacy also challenges radio to "capitalize on being a real-time medium", rather than "trying to catch up to other mediums" like Pandora, Slacker and Last.fm. Lacey says "they're all great, but they're not as engaging as real-time radio." ...

Lacey raises some interesting points. When we first reduced the number of stop sets, no other radio stations were doing sweeps - now, every music station does. I agree with her idea of selling music sweeps and I would also advise stations to cut down the number of songs in their sweeps and add more stop sets. Playing 12 in a row doesn't impress listeners anymore when Pandora and others are juke boxes. Use more mini-sweeps. Two or more consecutive songs is still a sweep. As long as you're not stopping for spots after ever song, I doubt that they'll tune you out. Just cut down on the number of spots in each stop set...

10 Timeline Memories:
1.1793] Stop the presses: ‘The American Minerva’ becomes New York’s first daily newspaper. It’s founded by Noah Webster who gives us our first dictionary. Webster also loved the bible, which he didn’t write…
2.1907] Sealing the deal: Christmas Seals go on sale for the first time...
3.1940] The first FM radio timebuy: The Longines Watch Company signs the first FM radio advertising contract with experimental W2XOR in New York City. Longines is located in Switzerland…
4.1958] Birchers rejoice: The ‘John Birch Society’ is formed in Indianapolis (IN) by Robert H.W. Welch Jr. and 11 others, as an anti-communist society…
5.1967] Wedding Bells: Lyndon Johnson’s daughter Lynda (Bird) marries Marine, Charles Robb in the White House. Robb will become Governor of Virginia. They celebrate their 43nd anniversary today...
6.1975] Drop Dead New York: President Gerald Ford signs a $2.3 billion seasonal loan authorization to prevent New York City from defaulting despite his “Drop Dead” message to New York...
7.1977] Face-off: The Lakers Kermit Washington punches Rudy Tomjanovich in the face during a game. Tomjanovich would need facial reconstruction and collects $2 million from the Lakers in a settlement. Washington is fined $10,000 and suspended for 60 days. Rudy T. eventually forgives Kermit…
8.1979] ‘Happy Trails’: Religious broadcaster Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen dies from natural causes at 84…1981] Orioles lead singer Sonny Til dies from a heart attack at 51…
9.1990] Vote for me: Lech Walesa wins Poland’s 1st direct presidential election in the country’s history…
10.2008] Blago busted: The governor of Illinois, Rod Blagojevich, is arrested on federal corruption charges. He will be removed from office in January, 2009…

Music Memories:

"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":
Shayne Graham (33), Brenda Graham (39), Felicity Huffman (48), Donny Osmond (53), John Malkovich (57), Dick Butkus (68), Beau Bridges (69), Dame Judi Dench (76), Buck Henry (80), Dick Van Patten (82), Dina Merrill (85) and Kirk Douglas (94)...

Timeline Countdown: 12 days until winter, 14 days until Festivus, 16 days until Christmas, 22 nights until New Year's Eve and 30 days until the NFL Wild Card Playoffs...

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