Most ridiculous radio station formats

[bandit957]

What are the most ridiculous formats you've ever heard any radio station have?

In the mid-'90s, an AM station in Cincinnati did something called "retro radio", which was traditional pop standards sung only by modern artists. They might play Phil Collins or Rod Stewart singing some old song that was big in the 1930s.

For a whole year back in 1988-89, WCVG had an all-Elvis format. It wasn't just a stunt. That was a permanent format at the time. I know Elvis was a legend, but he got a whole station for a whole year!

Later I read that there was a station in Alaska that played only whale sounds. I also read that there was a station somewhere that played nothing but rap music with a preacher loudly preaching over it.

[golden eagle]

We have a radio station here in Jackson that tends to change formats every few months. It started out about a couple of years ago playing Neil Diamond's "Cherry Cherry" , then played "Blurred Lines"  by Robin Thicke, followed by a few months of the live version of "Hotel California" , followed by a few months of R&B oldies, then an adult mix of music, and now to their current hard rock format. I'm gonna guess they'll be country before the end of the summer.

[GCrites]

Columbus had an all Disco station for a year or two in the late '90s. Just '70s American Disco -- nothing else even remotely related like funk, post-Disco, pop, R&B etc.

[Life in Paradise]

In addition to the all-Elvis station, I believe for awhile there was an all-Beatles station.  That at least gave you the option of the group songs, the solo careers of the four members, and some remakes by some other artists.

One of the craziest formats on a serious side back in the 80's was the "It's Hot" format.  We in radio had a lot of snide comments for that format.  Basically all they did was play Billboard's top 50.  The top 10 would be played like every two hours or so.  It might be hot, but it got old real fast. 

[triplemultiplex]

What are the most ridiculous formats you've ever heard any radio station have?

Conservative talk radio.
<rimshot>

[roadman65]

One station in Tampa would always knock their competitor Thunder FM for playing wimpy songs.   Because both were rock at the time one station called The Bone, had a program director who disagreed with Thunder's playlist and defined the term "Wimpy" to their format.  This person thought that it had to be hard or better as Thunder played anything popular that was classic rock.  However, one day I caught The Bone playing one of the wimpy Thunder songs and wrote an email to him.

At least he admitted that I caught him playing a wimpy song as he wrote back "So you caught me."

[Verlanka]

One of the craziest formats on a serious side back in the 80's was the "It's Hot" format.  We in radio had a lot of snide comments for that format.  Basically all they did was play Billboard's top 50.  The top 10 would be played like every two hours or so.  It might be hot, but it got old real fast.

That's basically what CHR radio is now.

[DandyDan]

Pretty much anything religiously oriented. CCM is an awful form of music. When I lived in the Chicago area, and I believed in the whole religion thing, there was a station, which I believe was affiliated with one of the religious colleges there, which would play Christian rock, but then they had a specific time period dedicated to Christian rap.

[inkyatari]

We had a radio station in Chicago at one time that played a mix of oldies with new stuff. Their format was, for example, like Tom Petty, followed by Frank Sinatra, followed by Panic! At the Disco.  I actually loved the format, as it introduced me to rat-pack era and modern era stuff that I never would have given a shot.

[bandit957]

We had a radio station in Chicago at one time that played a mix of oldies with new stuff. Their format was, for example, like Tom Petty, followed by Frank Sinatra, followed by Panic! At the Disco.  I actually loved the format, as it introduced me to rat-pack era and modern era stuff that I never would have given a shot.

This would actually be workable. I sort my MP3 collection so it mimics a variegated format like this.

[inkyatari]

We had a radio station in Chicago at one time that played a mix of oldies with new stuff. Their format was, for example, like Tom Petty, followed by Frank Sinatra, followed by Panic! At the Disco.  I actually loved the format, as it introduced me to rat-pack era and modern era stuff that I never would have given a shot.

This would actually be workable. I sort my MP3 collection so it mimics a variegated format like this.

Every night at 9 PM, they had a hour where listeners presented their 9 favorite songs.  I actually got on once.

I can't remember all of them, but I recall

-She Blinded Me With Science / Thomas Dolby
-Steppin' Out / Joe Jackson
-We're Not Gonna Take It / Twisted Sister

[bandit957]

When I was in high school or college in the early '90s, I read about a station in Hawaii that based their playlist on ballots submitted by listeners, and played all kinds of music. Listeners could also vote for songs they didn't want to hear, and these votes were subtracted from the song's vote totals.

This sounded like a great station, but I never got to hear it, because I've never been to Hawaii.

[SP Cook]

There is a definition of terms needed.  Does "rediculous" mean:

- People that say or do things I don't approve of.  (conservative talk radio, religion, etc.)

- A "stunt", which is a short term format that draws attention to a coming format change (all-Elvis, all-Manalow, all-whatever).

or

- An actual legitimate format that somebody actually thought was a good idea, but which does not work in that market?

To me, it is the third of those.  In the age of automation and common ownership of multiple stations, this can mean lots of things.  I have heard Spanish, "urban" (black), Catholic, Jewish, classic country, and other such formats in places where the demographics just don't work.  Some station owner just has 5 or 10 stations and tosses up such a format on his weakest stick without even trying.  Another bad format is just to not try, if there are two country stations and you are #3, TRY SOMETHING ELSE, the market is saturated for country.    Same with rock or whatever. 

Leaving those aside, the worst format to me is no format.  We have a station, one of the best signals in town, that is currently "Tailgate radio" which is just a random mix of songs across all genres.  Pointless.

[bandit957]

- An actual legitimate format that somebody actually thought was a good idea, but which does not work in that market?

This is what I meant. The all-Elvis station here was actually designed as a permanent format, not just a stunt.

But it was replaced with another ridiculous format: business news. Even in a Big Business city like Cincinnati, it got no listeners. They should have brung back CLU 132!

For music stations, I like to have a real variety.

[SP Cook]

This is what I meant. The all-Elvis station here was actually designed as a permanent format, not just a stunt.

But it was replaced with another ridiculous format: business news. Even in a Big Business city like Cincinnati, it got no listeners.

I do not understand business news as a format.  On a solid AM daytime station, with a full-time FM repeater.   Carrying the Bloomburg radio format, which is just somebody reading the stock prices and a few commentators.  Anybody who is that deep into the stock market has access to the internet, and probably CNBC and the Fox Business Network, and probably Bloomburg's own TV channel, even at work.  Again, just a station owner with maybe half the stations in town, tossing up something to take up space rather than trying.

[hbelkins]

What are the most ridiculous formats you've ever heard any radio station have?

Conservative talk radio.
<rimshot>

You almost got it right. Liberal talk radio has always been a huge failure. Air America went nowhere. (What was the name of the female talk host who was supposed to be the left's version of Rush Limbaugh, who famously flopped? I've forgotten her name.) The late Alan Colmes' show was not well-received.

[bandit957]

All I remember about Air America is that they fired one of their best hosts because she disagreed with a conservative. Air America was hardly liberal.

[inkyatari]

You almost got it right. Liberal talk radio has always been a huge failure. Air America went nowhere. (What was the name of the female talk host who was supposed to be the left's version of Rush Limbaugh, who famously flopped? I've forgotten her name.) The late Alan Colmes' show was not well-received.

Problem with Air America was how they went about starting the network.  They should have started smaller - a few syndicated shows here and there, vs. starting a whole network. Lower startup costs.

[kevinb1994]

One of the craziest formats on a serious side back in the 80's was the "It's Hot" format.  We in radio had a lot of snide comments for that format.  Basically all they did was play Billboard's top 50.  The top 10 would be played like every two hours or so.  It might be hot, but it got old real fast.

That's basically what CHR radio is now.

Indeed, this is quite true.

[kevinb1994]

Pretty much anything religiously oriented. CCM is an awful form of music. When I lived in the Chicago area, and I believed in the whole religion thing, there was a station, which I believe was affiliated with one of the religious colleges there, which would play Christian rock, but then they had a specific time period dedicated to Christian rap.

I'm with you on this one.

[kevinb1994]

We had a radio station in Chicago at one time that played a mix of oldies with new stuff. Their format was, for example, like Tom Petty, followed by Frank Sinatra, followed by Panic! At the Disco.  I actually loved the format, as it introduced me to rat-pack era and modern era stuff that I never would have given a shot.

Sounds like something I would like!

[kevinb1994]

When I was in high school or college in the early '90s, I read about a station in Hawaii that based their playlist on ballots submitted by listeners, and played all kinds of music. Listeners could also vote for songs they didn't want to hear, and these votes were subtracted from the song's vote totals.

This sounded like a great station, but I never got to hear it, because I've never been to Hawaii.

Neither have I, but that would make for an awesome format!

[NWI_Irish96]

Christmas music, except between Black Friday and Christmas Day.

[kevinb1994]

Christmas music, except between Black Friday and Christmas Day.

I'm sure many will agree with you.

[nexus73]

For those of you who want familiar mixed with "never heard it before", listen to "Underground Garage" on Sirius.  The combo makes this station easy to listen to for a long drive.  It would make a great on-air format.

Loved the genuine disco format mention on this thread. 

Rick