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Writer's Block: On the Airwaves
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Heh, I started to address this when the Top 5 Things You'd Buy After Winning the Lottery thing was going around Facebook earlier this year. Below is what I've jotted down this summer when thinking about starting my ideal station:
Mission
Be the Huntville's community's radio station. The station is to integrate itself into the community as much as possible and will take an active role in creating constant events in downtown Huntsville. Because of the diversity of the city, the station will feature a Classic Top-40 primary format supplimented by large block programming. A listener may not like what we play all the time, but at some time during the week we will be must-listen radio.
The call-letters and "name" of the station will be focused on something unique or special to the Huntsville area: The Spring (I like the possible interpretations the various style DJs can use), Rocket City Soundsystem, The Music Mill...
Facility
Find and renovate a facility in downtown Huntsville. Top choice is probably to put the station in 200 West Courthouse Square (the large tan bldg...think it used to be Compass Bank Bldg). I would try to put a large neon sign on the top of the building facing Big Spring Park (like WKDF has in Nashville) and/or add a ticker around the base of the south and east sides of the building so people at the spring or in the courthouse square can read it. It would be nice to have the studios on the main floor with the large windows and have speakers around the "wrap around porch" area of the building. Microwave at top of bldg will send signal to tower on MonteSano or south to Brindlee Mtn (may get a good deal from WRSA to rent tower usage).
Programming
Basic Music Format:
The primary programming for the station will be "Classic Top 40." I define that as 50% "oldies" (50's-80's), 25% recent oldies (90's to last year), and 25% new. I want people to be able to hear Ohio Players, followed by Christina Aguilara, followed by Girl Talk, then to the Beatles before a commercial break. My preference would be to have a music library available for the DJs and basically give them 3 songs they have to play per hour and they select the other 8 or so songs from the radio station's or the DJ's own library along the basic categories I detailed as my formula for "Classic Top 40." DJs will be strongly encouraged to play as many requests as they can and make sure to mention that the songs were requested.
Music Blocks:
The "Basic Music Format" would be M-F from 4am-7pm. The only variation on that may be a lunchtime block for workers and an "After School Special" block from 4-4:30pm that will be the station's clone of TRL. Saturday and Sunday afternoons would also be the "Basic Music Format."
From 7pm-4am (as well as weekend mornings) would be divided into programming blocks. I would like to see a variety of music blocks as well as music-related programming (interviews, remotes from performances) during this period. Basically, I'm aiming for diversity and letting the DJs work on the details for their blocks.
DJs:
There are two primary factors in hiring DJs - 1) knowledge and passion for music and 2) creative use of on-air time. I want the DJs to share in the programming of music, so I want to ensure they know what they are playing, can share info on the music with the public, and have an ear for what b-sides/deep cuts/new music would work best in their playlist for the entertainment of the listeners. I want DJs to have the freedom to talk on the mic and not have a stopwatch running...but I will hire DJs that know when they have a worthwhile bit and when they should just drop the bit and say a few words. I have a romantic love for the overnight talk host (Art Bell, George Norry) and would certainly be open for someone to spend half or more of the overnight hours pontificating and/or taking calls.
Heh, I started to address this when the Top 5 Things You'd Buy After Winning the Lottery thing was going around Facebook earlier this year. Below is what I've jotted down this summer when thinking about starting my ideal station:
Mission
Be the Huntville's community's radio station. The station is to integrate itself into the community as much as possible and will take an active role in creating constant events in downtown Huntsville. Because of the diversity of the city, the station will feature a Classic Top-40 primary format supplimented by large block programming. A listener may not like what we play all the time, but at some time during the week we will be must-listen radio.
The call-letters and "name" of the station will be focused on something unique or special to the Huntsville area: The Spring (I like the possible interpretations the various style DJs can use), Rocket City Soundsystem, The Music Mill...
Facility
Find and renovate a facility in downtown Huntsville. Top choice is probably to put the station in 200 West Courthouse Square (the large tan bldg...think it used to be Compass Bank Bldg). I would try to put a large neon sign on the top of the building facing Big Spring Park (like WKDF has in Nashville) and/or add a ticker around the base of the south and east sides of the building so people at the spring or in the courthouse square can read it. It would be nice to have the studios on the main floor with the large windows and have speakers around the "wrap around porch" area of the building. Microwave at top of bldg will send signal to tower on MonteSano or south to Brindlee Mtn (may get a good deal from WRSA to rent tower usage).
Programming
Basic Music Format:
The primary programming for the station will be "Classic Top 40." I define that as 50% "oldies" (50's-80's), 25% recent oldies (90's to last year), and 25% new. I want people to be able to hear Ohio Players, followed by Christina Aguilara, followed by Girl Talk, then to the Beatles before a commercial break. My preference would be to have a music library available for the DJs and basically give them 3 songs they have to play per hour and they select the other 8 or so songs from the radio station's or the DJ's own library along the basic categories I detailed as my formula for "Classic Top 40." DJs will be strongly encouraged to play as many requests as they can and make sure to mention that the songs were requested.
Music Blocks:
The "Basic Music Format" would be M-F from 4am-7pm. The only variation on that may be a lunchtime block for workers and an "After School Special" block from 4-4:30pm that will be the station's clone of TRL. Saturday and Sunday afternoons would also be the "Basic Music Format."
From 7pm-4am (as well as weekend mornings) would be divided into programming blocks. I would like to see a variety of music blocks as well as music-related programming (interviews, remotes from performances) during this period. Basically, I'm aiming for diversity and letting the DJs work on the details for their blocks.
DJs:
There are two primary factors in hiring DJs - 1) knowledge and passion for music and 2) creative use of on-air time. I want the DJs to share in the programming of music, so I want to ensure they know what they are playing, can share info on the music with the public, and have an ear for what b-sides/deep cuts/new music would work best in their playlist for the entertainment of the listeners. I want DJs to have the freedom to talk on the mic and not have a stopwatch running...but I will hire DJs that know when they have a worthwhile bit and when they should just drop the bit and say a few words. I have a romantic love for the overnight talk host (Art Bell, George Norry) and would certainly be open for someone to spend half or more of the overnight hours pontificating and/or taking calls.