There was no warning. Nothing was said about imminent change. They just went straight into the Beastie Boys "Fight for Your Right" and like that, an historical place on the New York radio dial was gone. Dead. Murdered by corporate radio.
The new format is something called Jack (which I believe is owned by Infinity). They tout it as "playing what we want" but that's just so much bullshit. No one plays what they want on commercial radio anymore. It may sound like they're playing what they want because Beastie Boys will be followed by Pink and Def Leppard and Derek and the Dominoes, but it's all just a computerized playlist.
K-Rock switched to the same type of format, playing what they call an eclectic collection of rock, but what I call formulated pandering.
I understand that commercial radio stations are in deep shit, trying to compete with satellite and iPods. Every move like the CBS move is a business decision. When I lost WNEW, K-Rock, Q104 and WLIR, I was sad for each of them. But not like this.
An old friend has died. I may not have visited this friend as often I used to, but it was nice knowing it was out there if I ever needed to feel the comforting warmth of my childhood.
It's time to load some doo-wop and 50's rock and roll onto the iPod. Too bad I can't recreate that echoing DJ voice to play in between songs.
Article comments
1 - Marc Moss
I never had the pleasure of listening to WCBS. In fact, when I began reading this post, I thought it siad WCSB, a Cleveland college radio station that I used to listen to whenever I could get a signal down in Akron when I lived in Ohio. But your point is well taken. I midd real radio. I have traveled the country coast to coast in the past year, and it saddens me to hear the homoginization of radio. Every station sounds the same, no matgter what town you're in. Same songs, same commercials, same announcers. Amoment of silence for WCBS.
2 - The Proprietor
I happened to comment on this yesterday, as I too was saddened by the format change. Perhaps the last vestige of the glory days of New York's rock radio is gone (unless you count the little ossified bits of Scott Muni that WAXQ parceled out to us in his twilight).
A business decision indeed, and as I pointed out on another thread yesterday, it's interesting that WCBS-FM falls victim to the short-term bean counter view, when its' Arbitrons and demographics were far superior to those of the NYC classical station, WQXR (and to reiterate, the only quibble I have with WQXR is that it is stodgy; classical music can be fun and enjoyable).
While WCBS-FM was an institution, I think there were faults in the playlists that may have led to its downfall. Had they stuck with the more eclectic model of its early days where a show like "Doo-Wop Shop" was possible and flourished, I think it would've generated more interest. WCBS stayed in the comfort zone, playing the same Motown songs ad nauseum until they stopped being fun, no Beatles other than what was on the red and blue albums, not to mention completely ignoring Stax. Part of the problem with WCBS as I perceive it was that they went by what was on the Billboard charts, rather than what was more important to the progression of music in those wonderful decades. WCBS could certainly play Sinatra followed by the Stones, but then you'd get tracks that should be napalmed - things like "Sugar Shack" and "Mr. Lee" being two of the more egregious examples of annoying records WCBS played. Things like Kai Winding's "More" - a nice MOR record, but what the heck did that record have to do with rock?
For all of its faults, it was a bit of a time capsule, and it was about the only way to explain to the young'uns what radio was like before Clear Channel and Infinity lobotomized it. I shall miss WCBS-FM.
3 - Daddypundit
Not living in New York I wasn't exposed to WCBS but love the oldies format. It's a genre that's difficult to find in today's world of pre-programmed computerized playlists. Thankfully Infinity had the good sense to startup WCBSFM.com which plays the same music on the web. I've been streaming it often at work and love it.
4 - artur j. caputo
It's NOT only the music,movie's , entertainment in general has turned to no talent garbage, if the truth be told. That goes for the actors, writers, and now becoming more evident with young kid "executives" at the radio stations who weren't exposed to the talent and good music in their lifetime. They only know garbage ,so that's what they want to give you.It's about controling the money, the profits. Look who is controling "American Idol"the corporations Sadly, the people don/t know what is happening to them.It shows you what kind of people are behind the change at CBS. Heartless, unfeeling, dirt bags. You have to be if you reject the beautiful music called Doo WOP. The slime is winning.They want the kids to be heartless, unfeeling and bad. Hence the slaughter in Iraq . Families being killed and raped by 21 year old American kids - Heartless and unfeeling. Music helps shape personality. Think about what is happening to us, all for money.!!!!!