radio memories...

[mikepe]

What do these radio stations have in common? There are two...

All these radio stations are considered pioneering, trailblazing and a cut above the rest when it comes to programming.

So what's the second thing in common?

Thank you very much for your kind words, Jay. My passion for radio has really made me study the medium "deeply," to the extent that, to prove that "scientific" radio programming is the secret of it all, I took the job of programming XFM, turn it around into a popular smooth jazz/variety station from a very focused chill out type music station. Well, I am fully satisfied and have proven to myself that well studied, correct and creative programming techniques work.

I finally got a copy of the "survey" that was commissioned by another radio station for them to study their market and position. Although not an official Metro-wide survey, the "reading," done by Nielsen, shows the Top 20 FM stations in Metro-Manila based on TARPS for Q2 2009 (about May). XFM placed 16th right behind Wave 89.1 and above 99.5 RT. Crossover, our nearest competitor is No. 19th. Dream FM is in the lower 20 position. The Nielsen reading looks this way: 1 to 10, are all the "local" stations with Love Radio as No. 1, Energy, Yes FM, even RJ on top 10. No. 11 to 20 are the "niched" stations with Magic as No. 11, Monster as 12, Mellow 94.7 as 13, NU107 as 14, Wave as 15th, XFM 92.3 as 16th, RT is 17th, Jam is 18th. Crossover is 19th, and finally Max FM, 20th. Based on niched station ratings, XFM is No. 6 overall, which is a pretty good showing. In a short span of less than a year, for the station to achieve such a position, with meager resources, no DJs and personalities to push it, depending mostly on the music played (smooth jazz?, RnB? and some jumbled up "surprises") and lots of creative strategies, it was a feat.

I have relinquished the programming of XFM to the group of Francis L. starting Sept. 1. What you are hearing is not anymore my direction, however, strains of the previous set-up are still much dominant. Starting Oct 1, XFM evolves into something different. Meantime, I am exploring new media, particularly the internet where the next frontier of radio listening will be. Mediascape, the sister company of NBC, owners of XFM, is embarking into the exploration of new media (internet, satellite, cellphones), and that is where I am busy right now - looking at models, opportunities, programming and creative directions, audiences and what have you. The next phase is exciting. I have been talking with the Campus, WRock and The Edge guys. We are conspiring to promote the band as a force to reckon with in the future.

Meanwhile, the quest for new radio life goes on - people say radio is dead. I am doing studies, researches and experiments and finding new approaches and thinking. Let's see where all these things will lead us to.

FWIW

[j5bata]

Wow...Sir Mike! You are definitely making feats in an industry that has faced the challenges of change time and again. I wish you and the rest of the team the best of luck since starting out in new media is certainly no easy task.

I'm already keeping my ears lock to XFM to anticipate any noticeable changes before the 1st of October.

[Jay P. Mercado]

Thanks for the ratings update Mike. I'm quite interested with this, particularly those that you left out in the Top 10. Let me surmise a guess as far as the rankings are concerned:

1. Love Radio 90.7
2 Energy FM 91.5
3. Yes FM 101.1
4-10. RJ 100, 102.7 Star FM, 93.9 I-FM, 96.3 EZ Rock, 97.1 Barangay LS, 97.9 Home Radio, 101.9 DWRR
11. Magic 89.9
12. Monster RX 93.1
13. Mellow 94.7
14. NU 107
15. Wave 89.1
16. XFM 92.3
17. 99.5RT
18. 88.3 JAM
19. Crossover 105.1
20. 103.5 MAX
21-25. DZFE 98.7, DWBR 104.3, 105.9 (forgot the call sign), 106.7 DREAM-FM

Would you be able to list down the rankings from #4 to #10? It should be interesting, especially how EZ Radio made a dent on the rankings at this early stage. Of course, its predecessor, WROCK, was similarly doing well in the ratings game prior to the sale of the station but it should be interesting how the new Elizalde network is doing well.

I'm also interested with how RJ 100 ranked. I've always felt that there was a market niche for the adult market that plays music from the 60's to the 90's. RJ has never been known to rank highly in the surveys, even during the time when rock music was very mainstream. Nonetheless, RJ has been quite consistent in the past 7 to 8 years already and its a wonder that they have maintained this ranking despite the advent of the I-Pod.

[j5bata]

Thanks for the ratings update Mike. I'm quite interested with this, particularly those that you left out in the Top 10. Let me surmise a guess as far as the rankings are concerned:

1. Love Radio 90.7
2 Energy FM 91.5
3. Yes FM 101.1
4-10. RJ 100, 102.7 Star FM, 93.9 I-FM, 96.3 EZ Rock, 97.1 Barangay LS, 97.9 Home Radio, 101.9 DWRR
11. Magic 89.9
12. Monster RX 93.1
13. Mellow 94.7
14. NU 107
15. Wave 89.1
16. XFM 92.3
17. 99.5RT
18. 88.3 JAM
19. Crossover 105.1
20. 103.5 MAX
21-25. DZFE 98.7, DWBR 104.3, 105.9 (forgot the call sign), 106.7 DREAM-FM

Would you be able to list down the rankings from #4 to #10? It should be interesting, especially how EZ Radio made a dent on the rankings at this early stage. Of course, its predecessor, WROCK, was similarly doing well in the ratings game prior to the sale of the station but it should be interesting how the new Elizalde network is doing well.

I'm also interested with how RJ 100 ranked. I've always felt that there was a market niche for the adult market that plays music from the 60's to the 90's. RJ has never been known to rank highly in the surveys, even during the time when rock music was very mainstream. Nonetheless, RJ has been quite consistent in the past 7 to 8 years already and its a wonder that they have maintained this ranking despite the advent of the I-Pod.

I believe 105.9's call letters are still DWLA-FM.

I'm liking Easy Rock for a certain extent. Their choice of songs are becoming consistent with the format they inherited from WRock and are actually putting in new songs (foreign and good OPM). One thing the station need to improve on I guess is how its DJ's present themselves.

There those who still laugh at the end of every sentence, speaking in "pilit" English and code switch a lot between English and Filipino during spiels (not sure if this one is a bad thing but shouldn't they just stick to one language medium so listeners won't get confused/turned-off on what they're talking about?).

[mikepe]

The order goes:

Love Radio
101.9 For Life
Energy Pangga
YesFM
Barangay
iFM
WROck
StarFM
RJ100
Home

No figures on the lower 20.

[j5bata]

^Surprising performance on the part of 101.9 considering Love and Yes make a power duo in the ratings game which in past articles I've read that they both occupy the no. 1 and no. 2 position.


Speaking of 101.9, they're finally using their old jingles again but looks like they dropped the words "For Life!" which usually follows after the call-numbers. They haven't done this since the station officially dropped their call letters,"WRR", in their branding more than 2 years ago.
------
And talk about recorded spiels...Wala pang naglalive na DJ sa WRR ngayon so I'm guessing may bago silang pakulo.

[j5bata]

Radio Stations in Metro Manila

This a little something I cooked up a few months back but got to piece them all together a few weeks ago. Might become a blast from the past in the coming years

Stations featured:
-Jam 88.3
-Wave891
-Magic 89.9
-90.7 Love Radio
-91.5 Energy FM
-XFM 92.3
-Monster Radio RX 93.1
-93.9 i-FM
-Mellow 94.7
-96.3 Easy Rock
-Brgy. LS 97.1
-97dot9 Home Radio
-DZFE 98.7 The Master's Touch*
-99.5RT
-RJ 100
-Yes! FM 101.1
-101.9 For Life!
-102.7 Star FM
-103.5 Max FM
-DWBR 104.3 Business Radio
-105.1 Crossover
-RJ UR 105.9
-106.7 Dream FM
-NU 107
-107.9 U-Radio

[karirista]

I believe 105.9's call letters are still DWLA-FM.

Right they still are. Pero when they sign-on or sign-off wala silang whatsoever identification, they just play the RJ guitar version of Lupang Hinirang.

I'm liking Easy Rock for a certain extent. Their choice of songs are becoming consistent with the format they inherited from WRock and are actually putting in new songs (foreign and good OPM). One thing the station need to improve on I guess is how its DJ's present themselves.

There those who still laugh at the end of every sentence, speaking in "pilit" English and code switch a lot between English and Filipino during spiels (not sure if this one is a bad thing but shouldn't they just stick to one language medium so listeners won't get confused/turned-off on what they're talking about?).

This is the issue of Easy Rock since they rebranded/switched from WRocK. Wala namang problema sa music nila eh, they hit the right market and the right people.

You hit the nail right in its head re: the DJs. In fact they're just like the English version of their sister stations Love and Yes; everyone speaks in pilit English (as if they're not really comfortable with it since all of them worked with either Love or Yes except for Denise when she was with Dream, pero hindi naman daw sya ganun magsalita nung nasa dream pa sya), and their laughs (isa pang pilit) at the end of each sentence/statement is very MBC -- this is the stark similarity with al MBC stations in the metro.

Tama ka rin dapat merong one-language medium din dyan, but since we all know that MBC is a supporter of speaking Tagalog and OPM, I highly doubt this will happen. Atas pa nga ata ng MBC na mag-Taglish na rin sila sa Easy Rock eh. Sa puntong iyon dun lang naeerode ang magandang nagawa ng 96.3 frequency...

[j5bata]

^with regards to OPM, okay naman if they support as long as they filter out the bad stuff like bad cover songs and not overflowing of pop ballads from the likes of Sarah Geronimo etc (I like her though pero ginagasgas na ng ibang himpilan iyung mga kanta kaya nakakasawa na pakinggan. They should play more than just her ballads)

[j5bata]

96.3 WRocK's Sunday Light Rock in Love circa 2002: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ay3t95gaG8

[James Ty III]

Guys, how true is the rumor that 103.5 MAX FM will become a dance music station?

[j5bata]

^It already is one.

[James Ty III]

Menchu Antigua is one of MAX's DJs.

[j5bata]

Menchu Antigua is one of MAX's DJs.

Kilala ata siya doon as Scarlet

[j5bata]

Last weekend ko lang napansin na iyung building na lagi naming dinadaan ng pamilya ko along Ortigas papuntang SM Megamall, iyun pala ang dating Philcomcen Bldg. Mukha na talaga siyang condemned.

Bakit kaya sinara iyung building nung araw?

[karirista]

Luma na lang talaga ang building tas mahina daw pagkakagawa. That was during the time radio stations started to move out of that place.

Hanggang ngayon hindi pa rin yon ginigiba. That's because one of the government agencies continue to hold office there.

[James Ty III]

Kilala ata siya doon as Scarlet

Menchu told me about that when I saw her at the Mega Tent in Ortigas last Saturday for a Smart BRO event.

[mikepe]

Last weekend ko lang napansin na iyung building na lagi naming dinadaan ng pamilya ko along Ortigas paputang SM Megamall, iyun pala ang dating Philcomcen Bldg. Mukha na talaga siyang condemned.

Bakit kaya sinara iyung building nung araw?

The former owners had a huge debt with GSIS, I believe. The government took over (sequestered) the building. The new owners decided to just close the building because of many reasons, and its construction is not one of them. The way the building was constructed is very good. As a matter of fact, it suppose to withstand high earthquake levels. The tower starts from the ground level. The building wraps the tower. But it has passed its usefulness stage as a communication tower (Philippine Communication Center or PhilComCen). There are taller buildings in Metro-Manila where communication antennas are better placed. Furthermore, it is now dwarfed by taller buildings beside it. Antennas in it will no longer have the line of sight advantage. Moreover, Antipolo is now a good alternative because of easy access and higher ground. The building was to be developed into a condo/multi-use building but the development partnership I believe suffered as a result of the previous Asian financial meltdown.

FWIW

[j5bata]

^ I see...I just hope they'd turn it eventually into a NHI landmark. It's too bad of a waste if they're going to demolish it or leave it dilapidated.

[j5bata]

Listening to WRR right that's being rumored to undergo a rebranding next week as well. First time my ears glued back to this station for almost a whole day since I tuned out 2 years ago.

Currently, the station is in transition mode: playing automated music with some DJ's doing live airchecks, and airing teasers about October 1.

Programming is pretty much the same before the transition: Pop, dance and novelty dominates early mornings, noontime, and mid-afternoon to early evenings while standards, ballads and other mellow music are being played during mid-to-late mornings, early afternoons and late nights.

WRR is also playing their old jingles but are "stripped" of both the station call letters and their signature "For Life!" shout. I'll go for this than the irritating "jeepney barker" shout they've been playing sometime after "Bespren" replaced "Alam Mo Na 'Yan!" as the station's brand-name.

And 24 months since it debuted last September 2007, WRR finally retired their long-running station ID jingle, "Alam Mo Na 'Yan!" performed by Yeng Constantino and the Itchyworms.

And to think it was only a few weeks ago when I mentioned in this thread that I've been waiting for WRR to do so.

I remember when WRR was still sporting The Jimmy Bondoc-Jolina Magdangal version "For Life!" as their Station ID jingle, they used to have this contest where they let listeners call in and sing the jingle on the DJ's cue.

Hinihintay ko na lang ang time na finally ay ireretire na nila ang "Alam Mo Na Yan!" jingle nila (Performed by Yeng Constantino and Itchyworms). Ever since they dropped "Alalalalam Mo Na Yan" from the station' branding, they shortened the jingle to a good 2 minutes.