WBOS now Radio 92.9 Listener Reaction Update
February 5, 2008
It’s been a little more than 2 days since I first posted about the WBOS format change. Since then, I’ve had over a 1000 page views from (I’m guessing here) somewhere in the vicinity of 700-800 unique vistors. Plus, I’ve received about 50 comments. I think that’s pretty good for two days! I’d like to thank all the people who took the time to share their thoughts. I’m looking forward to receiving many more comments as more people realize what’s going on.
If you’ve read the comments, you’ve likely noticed that the overwhelming majority of people are sad and disappointed about the changes. They are also upset at the lack of respect that WBOS has shown them.
Seriously, in what business (besides radio) would a company make a radical change to its only product without warning, cut off its communication channels, and still expect people to do business with them? If someone knows of another example, please let me know about it.
The fact is that it’s quite likely that WBOS/Radio 92.9/Greater Media doesn’t actually care about its listeners…maybe they haven’t realized that listeners=customers...
Clearly, the station wanted to move forward with this change regardless of the impact on the current listener base. However, they could have preserved at least some of their goodwill by engaging in an authentic, human conversation that doesn’t insult our intelligence…perhaps something to the effect of:
Dear Customers…We’re about to change our station format…We’re really excited about bringing you these changes, and we’ve got a great line up, especially if you like…x, y, and z bands…etc., etc….We realize that some of you will be disappointed and for that we are truly sorry. We hope you’ll give the new station a chance…We value our relationship with you, and so we’ll be available 24×7 to answer your concerns. You can email, call us or text us. Or, you can visit our brand new site and participate in an open forum discussion about the changes. Also, just to let you know, all of your favorite DJ’s have been well taken care of. They are like family to us and making the decision to let them go was difficult for all involved…etc.
Site Update: Some time on Monday afternoon, Radio 92.9 added a playlist feature to its one page site. However, since last Friday at 6pm, it appears that the station has not provided a way for the general public to comment on the format changes. As I mentioned earlier, if you received the VIP email you would have had a link to a feedback form. Just for the record, I actually overlooked the email the first time around and had to retrieve it from my Deleted Items folder.
For more background, please read my previous posts. And, please share your opinions here!
February 5, 2008 at 10:50 am
It didn’t take long for me to notice the format change. I noticed a difference in the music being played, so I pulled up WBOS’ website, and was met with a single page with no information on it at all. I then Googled “WBOS” and saw a story in the Herald on-line about the format change.
After listening for a couple of days, I’m searching for a new station to be the mainstay on my radio dial. I’ve always been a fan of radio, and was happy to find WBOS when I moved to Boston two years ago.
Last night I had WBOS on while relaxing at home. After an hour or so, my girlfriend and I looked at each other with the same conclusion – the type of music being played was giving us a headache. While we used to be able to turn on the radio and leave it set to one statioon, we were now flipping back and forth to find palatable music.
I suppose it is progress, but I’m sorry to see WBOS go.
February 5, 2008 at 10:56 am
I for one am pissed! Pissed. I’ve worked in radio, I know how it operates, but holy crap, talk about changing from what your target audience wants.
How soon before George Knight and his Sunday morning show are kicked to the curb? Blues on Sunday?
I have seriously felt for the last 5 years that BOS is the only station I can bother to listen to on the dial, now even that option is gone. no wonder the only music playing in my house or my truck is my ipod and things I chose. Not a single station in this city has a thing worth listening to. Not to mention listening to the 12 commercials in betwixt the crap music.
BOS has thrown in the towel and I have thrown in listening to radio. I guess it is of to internet streaming now. good work guys. Hope you enjoy the 90’s.
February 5, 2008 at 11:03 am
[Apologies for the length and cross-posting]
To: info@greatermediaboston.com
Cc: info@wxrv.com
WBOS – how to ruin a good thing
To the Greater Media management –
I have to assume I’m not the only one contacting you regarding your misguided “retooling” and effective destruction of WBOS. You had a great radio station; you had a hugely supportive and loyal listener base. That you would simply throw all of that out in the vain pursuit of a few more percentage points is, no simple terms, idiocy.
I’ve listened to WBOS for all the years I’ve lived in Boston. I’ve attended summer concerts, Earthfests, and even consumer feedback meetings, all of which gave some appearance that WBOS (no mention of “Greater” Media) actually cared about their listeners. I was livid (and vocally so) last year when you switched to “all music” for about fifteen minutes. Again, I must not have been the only one, because, sure enough, we heard the return of the djs, albeit in reduced capacities, and gone were some of my favorites. The two reasons I listened to 92.9 (past tense!) were the mix of music and the personalities, for the same reason: both were smart, adult, local, never obnoxious and they spoke to my tastes.
But since I’m five years outside of your “target demo”, I’m out of luck. I’ll have to pray the wind is coming from the right direction and try tuning in to The River, suffer through some of Mike’s more pop mix (fine sometimes, but it was never WBOS’ fine blend of rock, alternative, pop and classics), bear up under WERS’ adorably collegiate local programming or just abandon the airwaves altogether and listen to satellite. So if that was your aim, to alienate the old fogeys among us (you know, the ONES WHO ACTUALLY TUNE IN TO RADIO!), congratulations. Good luck with ripping the earbuds out of that 18-34 “dude” demo, or drawing them away from satellite and Internet; that’ll be your real battle, as opposed to simply maintaining your existing listener base. Good strategy!
I’ll keep listening to George Knight’s sunday morning show, bittersweet as it it will be, for what I’m predicting will be the short time his pride and dignity can suffer it. I know I couldn’t do it, but then, I don’t have a baby to support. I know that he does, because like the warm, community-based on air talent WBOS used to employ, he shared this with us. And it was wonderful to be a part of it. And that’s gone.
Spitefully, I hope to, and expect to, tune in to 92.9 in the coming weeks and find that it’s changed yet again, maybe this time to all-sports talk or the latest in French disco. Both of which would interest me more than your current programming. Again, I say, way to go.
Gravely disappointed,
Anthony Reed
cc:
Boston Globe
Boston Herald
WXRV
Various WBOS Memorial blogs
February 5, 2008 at 11:34 am
The customers of radio stations aren’t listeners, they’re advertisers. That little bit of information makes a lot of the apparently-moronic things they do sensible.
Some demographic consultant told WBOS that they’d be able to charge more for ads with their new format than with their old format. Money talks.
February 5, 2008 at 11:47 am
I am so disgusted with WBOS and “Greedy” Media. I have been a faithful listener since inception, and despite various personnel changes, DJ firings, program managers etc. I’ve also been a VIP member all along and got very tired of emailing them about the broken links, misspellings and incorrect info on the website, and how the updates never went thru. I noticed that they left their website totally in hands of their college interns. There was no quality control at all. I always completed all my surveys and emailed comments and suggestions to Dana, John and George on a weekly basis. I guess I was never really a member after all, and they have left me in a fog. I have deleted BOS from my pre-sets and forwarded a ton of nasty emails to Greedy Media.
I am hopeful that if we really try, we can convince Greedy Media to give us back our station. It would be a gracious move on their part and it certainly would BOOST ratings. Isn’t that what they want?
I’m so sad, and so so disappointed,
Kathy J
February 5, 2008 at 1:24 pm
“…maybe they haven’t realized that listeners=customers…”
For broadcasters, advertisers=customers, not listeners.
February 5, 2008 at 1:48 pm
Great post. I’ve worked in Boston radio and this is my experience too. The morning crew was just fired one day and the station flipped from Classic Rock to Disco. They don’t care.
Since then it flipped three more times.
February 5, 2008 at 5:19 pm
Eh…I don’t think that I’m listening to radio all that often.
My favorite so far is WZBC, although other stations do play some interesting music from time to time.
February 5, 2008 at 5:55 pm
Yet, I do agree that sudden change of format for any radio station is unfair, to say the least.
February 6, 2008 at 3:03 pm
To echo some other comments, I am 28 and totally unexcited to listen to the alternative rock that was popular when I was in middle and high school. I’ll have to try out some of the other stations that others have mentioned . . .
February 11, 2008 at 10:21 am
I have lived in boston my whole live….I lived and enjoyed Charles…if you have to ask his last name your not old enough. I lived through all the genrations of all the FM radio…..I have been listening to BOS for five or more years….I have no problem with a little tweeking….but what they did here is bizarro world.
I liked the DJ’s they only talked when they had something to add, they weren’t yelling at you and you felt as though you knew them and their families. They were a value added. The gormat was good. I am outside in age of even their demo, even then, but would listen to all the music , I bought songs and CD’s by bands I had never heard of before listen to BOS. I simply can not believe they took this whole great product and blew it up!!!!! for what this ne 92.9 is TRASH!!!! I’d ask what they were thinking….but it is obvious they were not thinking…..JBGOODE
February 14, 2008 at 10:29 am
I am so sad! WBOS has been my station for as long as I can remember. The new format is horrendous, ear splitting crap!
Does anyone know what happend to the DJ’s?
I need a new station!
February 16, 2008 at 12:45 pm
If I wanted cold, sterile satellite radio, I would invest in it. Why change a great thing. My concern — what about the amazing BOS Earthfest??
April 4, 2008 at 7:04 pm
I too am so upset. I live in RI and this was my favorite station.
I miss easy listening on Sunday. Someone took a good thing and ruined it. So you have lost another listener. It’s sad.
April 9, 2008 at 2:42 pm
I agree with all of the comments. I’ve been a faithful WBOS listener since they began the station, many years ago when I stopped listening to WBCN, John B I got your Charles reference. I thought I moved the radio dial and was having a problem finding my favorite radio station. I kept getting crap for music when I tried to tone into WBOS. If any one knows of a descent radio station that plays similar music to what was WBOS. Hopefully someone at 92.9 is seeing these comments.
May 21, 2008 at 9:19 am
Nice to have a spot to air opinion.My girls and I miss the previous format of music and the support of a responsible social and environmental conscience.I don’t kow how many listeners they have gained but I do know they have lost a few.Between BOS and WXRV I could hear some great new and local stuff not found elsewhere.The new sound is more hard edged than I care for. The River,92.5,now stands as our,(thankfully),last best resource.
May 27, 2008 at 7:49 am
Did anyone go to the Earthfest hosted by Radio 92.9? I didn’t. If so, did anyone “shout out”, “We want our BOS back”? I’ll check back to see if anyone went and comments on the atmosphere there.
June 17, 2008 at 1:18 am
Why don’t you try some podcasts. That is all I listen to now. I never turn on a radio at all. There are hundreds of great podcasts just waiting to be downloaded and listened to whenever you want. You become your very own program director and you can stop crying in your milk !
January 17, 2009 at 8:19 pm
i now listen to 92.5 the river
reminds me of wbos