Carpenters on the Radio in 2012!

[Jamesj75]

In some recent posts, people have been discussing whether certain songs were heard on the radio when they were released, such as "Goofus" (which I did hear on the radio in 1976).

There is a radio station in Tampa, FL (WDUV; 105.5 FM; http://www.wduv.com/) that plays oldies, the bulk of which are from the 1970s. The Carpenters are prominently featured in the rotation. This has been the number 1 Arbitron-rated station in the Tampa Bay area for years. I don't understand why more cities don't model the success of this station.

Are there similar stations out there?

 

[Harry]

The reason why WDUV is consistently number one is due to sheer raw numbers of listeners. If one were to look at that station's demographics, that is qualifying the audience on age, gender, etc., I can guarantee you that you'd find them rather deficient in the "money" demo - 24-54 adults. A station like WDUV attracts a largely older audience, and since the Tampa Bay area is filled with retirees, you can easily see from where they draw their numbers.

I worked in Philadelphia radio for a lot of years, and one of our stations for a good portion of that time was a middle-of-the-road adult station much like the music on WDUV, skewing perhaps even a little older with some big band stuff at times. The station drew huge numbers, big audience - but they were nearly all 65 and older. And advertising agencies and advertisers do NOT seek older audiences under the perception that older adults tend to be set in their ways, resistant to advertising techniques. So, when these agencies look at radio stations, they look for those that have strong 18-49 or 25-54 audience rankings, depending on their client's wishes.

So while WDUV is consistently number one, they do so in the "beauty contest" of listeners of the age of 6+, with nearly all of them skewing from 65+.

I do occasionally listen to WDUV. They're signal is strong enough to reach us here in Central Florida, especially in the car. So I know that they play Carpenters once in awhile.

Harry

 

[song4u]

I used to listen to Big-L (London) radio on the internet, and that was the only place I ever heard Carpenters songs on a regular or by request basis, except during Christmas time. People from various towns in England would call and ask for Jambalaya to be played!

XM's 70's on 7 used to play Carpenters songs occasionally, but only certain DJ's.

Kool FM Phoenix (oldies station 60's-80's) never plays them except during Christmas time.

40+ years later and it's still not generally considered cool.

 

[aaflyer98]

I only hear them on the Radio at Christmas.

 

[Jamesj75]

I do occasionally listen to WDUV. They're signal is strong enough to reach us here in Central Florida, especially in the car. So I know that they play Carpenters once in awhile.

Harry

Thanks for the further information, Harry! I also live in central Florida (Orlando)---so, we're neighbors!

I have to relate an interesting experience on this topic. During much of the 1970s, I lived in Tampa, before moving to Orlando. Now when I travel to that area (rather often), I hear in Tampa songs that were being played in Tampa when I lived there in the 1970s. It is surreal and bizarre---and, at the same time, rather cool! Of course, I can also listen to WDUV online as well as occasionally receive the station on the car radio. Shades of yesterday once more...

 

[mr J.]

JAMESj75-I've been living in Tampa for about a year and I listen to WDUV ("the dove") regularly.They play 60's/70's/80's pop,and they do feature a good rotation of Carpenters tracks."We've only Just Begun","For All We Know","Superstar" and "Rainy Days And Mondays" get the most airplay-but they do alternate "It's going to Take Some Time","Solitaire",and "Sing" into the playlist.They don't play any post-1975 tracks.They use the 1997 remix of "begun",and the 1985 remix of "Rainy Days".(the best mixes of both tracks).

 

[toeknee4bz]

Thanks for the further information, Harry! I also live in central Florida (Orlando)---so, we're neighbors!

I have to relate an interesting experience on this topic. During much of the 1970s, I lived in Tampa, before moving to Orlando. Now when I travel to that area (rather often), I hear in Tampa songs that were being played in Tampa when I lived there in the 1970s. It is surreal and bizarre---and, at the same time, rather cool! Of course, I can also listen to WDUV online as well as occasionally receive the station on the car radio. Shades of yesterday once more...

I envy you guys, as well as my uncle who lives in north Tampa. Unlike your area, my area in North FL (Palatka is in the middle surrounded by Jacksonville, Gainesville, St. Augustine and Daytona) is flooded with all of this thump-and-bump rap crap, dance hiphop, headbanger and country. Hardly any older stuff that we like, and that's why I just don't even bother to play radio anymore.

 

[GaryAlan]

A radio Station near The Villages, Florida, played the Ella-Karen Medley this past week!
I nearly drove off the road

 

[Harry]

A radio Station near The Villages, Florida, played the Ella-Karen Medley this past week!
I nearly drove off the road

Was it an AM station?

 

[GaryAlan]

This was 89.5 FM, they play lots of jazz, big band, Sinatra, Ella, lots of interesting oldies.

 

[mr J.]

Interesting that the Karen-Ella medley gets some airplay.

There's a (traditional) jazz station in New York that plays "A Song For You"(remix) on a regular rotation-they also play "This Masquerade" and "Little Girl Blue".Same type of station as 89.5 FM in Florida-Ella,Sinatra,Tony Bennett,Rosemary Clooney,Miles Davis,etc.

 

[Harry]

The PD of our old AM station in Philly used to like that "Karen-Ella Medley". It was a nostalgia-oldies station and he played it a number of times before the format changed a few times.

Harry