99.1 Wmyx

[WITI6fan]

REALLY? ALREADY?

YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME.

(P.S. To find out what I'm talking about, turn on the radio and tune to WMYX and you'll figure it out.)

[Tom Snyder]

When they do this, they absolutely KILL in the ratings.

I hate it on a personal level, but as a former Milwaukee radio Program director, I can't blame them.

[WITI6fan]

When they do this, they absolutely KILL in the ratings.

But have they ever switched this early? I can see the good ratings if they switched on or shortly before Thanksgiving, but not before Halloween is even over.

[markd]

I don't even have to tune to the station to know what you're talking about and I do agree with you that it's early.  I think they do it earlier and earlier every every year now.  I remember thinking the same thing last year but I don't think it was this early.

[klwillis45]

I'd much rather TNT start playing a movie on continuous loop.

In HD of course.

[Tom Snyder]

If I recall correctly, last year both the Mix and 95.7 switched on November 1st, but the next day 95.7 switched back. MYX stayed with it.

[techguy1975]

But have they ever switched this early? I can see the good ratings if they switched on or shortly before Thanksgiving, but not before Halloween is even over.

Last year they flipped on 11/1.  Since the 1st is a Saturday this year, they flipped on the 31st.  I doubt they'll go any earlier than that next year

[uwgrad]

I for one won't be listening to either station until it gets closer to Christmas.  December 1st at the earliest.  The two things that really annoy me though are the limited playlist, and that they go back to regular music the day after Christmas.  I know that most people are still having Christmas celebrations in the week after the 25th.  I would really like to still have them playing Christmas music until New Years.

[John L]

Why don't they just completely change the format to 24/7 Christmas Music all year long?   So if its February, or May, or 100 sweltering degrees in July suffering heat stroke while still listening to Christmas music on WMYX.

-John L.

[UncleMeat]

If I recall correctly, last year both the Mix and 95.7 switched on November 1st, but the next day 95.7 switched back. MYX stayed with it.

Tom, maybe you can answer this: how much of the early switch is from advertising/sponsor pressure?  IE - playing Christmas music gets people in the Christmas shopping mood...

[Tom Snyder]

It would seem plausible, but I never got any pressure from the advertisers directly or through the salespeople to try to get people in the mood by playing Christmas music.

Everything that goes on the air is geared to facilitating sales by increasing the ratings and driving up the ad rates.  At WEZW we did Christmas music because we were the only ones in town who did, and we started the day after Thanksgiving because it was just tradition.  We had huge ratings, and Christmas music helped us maintain those ratings. WMYX now dominates the ratings period this time of year with a spike that helps sales sell ads, and helps increase revenue by letting them charge even more.

[lori]

The first time MYX switched to Christmas music before Thanksgiving, about 4 years ago, I switched to XM Radio, and I haven't switched back.  I am NOT ready for Christmas music before Thanksgiving.

[Tom Snyder]

The first time MYX switched to Christmas music before Thanksgiving, about 4 years ago, I switched to XM Radio

It wasn't Christmas music that did that for me, but I've been a satellite radio subscriber for so long, I can't remember the last time I even turned on an FM radio.

[UncleMeat]

It wasn't Christmas music that did that for me, but I've been a satellite radio subscriber for so long, I can't remember the last time I even turned on an FM radio.

I'm the same way, although I will probably give up on Sirius soon.  The *only* channel I listen to is NFL Radio (and only the morning/evening drive programs).  The music has slowly gone to more and more of an FM radio format.  Even many of the niche channels (ie - the indy rock ones) are playing music that can also be found on MTV or Top 40 radio (or iPod commercials).  They've basically moved toward getting the largest audience share possible on all channels, when in the past they really had some unusual programming available for those who did not have mainstream tastes.

[/vent]