My Personal Lament
Posted by Allan Sniffen on June 04, 2005 at 16:11:29:
I've spent a lot of time on this board explaining what the reasoning might be behind this format change. And I've listened to JACK for hours. I think you must do that if you're going to discuss a format. Listen first, evaluate second.
But now I want to post my own feelings about this format change separated from discussions about demos, business or programming strategies.
I've been a fan of Top 40 radio my whole life (as my web sites demonstrate). One reason is the personalities. Dan Ingram, Cousin Brucie, Ron Lundy, Dan Daniel, Ed Baer and so many more.
In particular I am a huge fan of Harry Harrison. To me, Harry has been a constant in my life. He's always been there. A positive, friendly and consistent voice who is a real person. He's a friend on the radio.
Today my friend was not there. And, even worse, he won't be back.
Each one of us probably has something they particularly liked about CBS-FM. Having the rug pulled out is hard. For me it's Harry, for you it may be someone or something else.
Radio, when it works, does it by being more than a jukebox. Those who do it well respect that and their audience. CBS-FM always seemed to do that. Yes it was a business and, yes, I understand that. But no one ever said that a business couldn't also be a friend.
So now we have a format that touts itself as having no DJ's.
In this era of IPods, that seems like a bad decision to give up on what radio
can be by having real personalities. But, even if it does turn out to be the
greatest format to ever hit New York, Harry Harrison won't be on the air next
Saturday. Or the one after that. Or ever again on 101.1. For me that's a
personal loss and is truly sad. In the great heaven of lost formats, this one
hurts more than most.