Dallas has never really been on the cutting edge or music, in my opinion. Sure, we get a lot of concerts…but they are all very mainstream. Dallas seems content to stick with the norm.
Now, I never thought I’d say this about a Clear Channel venture, but something good has changed on the radio in Dallas. KZPS (92.5 on the dial) has ditched it’s classic rock format and moved in a new breed of “Outlaw Country” as it’s format. What does this mean to the listener? Well, you’ll stop hearing the same three Jethro Tull songs over and over again and instead will be set up with music as widely ranged as Bob Dylan, The Old 97’s, ZZ Top and Willie Nelson (who serves as the stations spokesperson). Think, heavy on the Southern-Based blues, rock and alt-country and you’ve got the format in a nutshell.
Now, what makes this all a little more different is the fact that the station is starting out to air…well, without commercials. Instead, the station has opted to have blocks of programming sponsored by different companies throughout the day. Basically, they are going with an integrated marketing approach in which the DJ would discuss the company and it’s product during a break, rather than dot the entire hour with varied commercials.
The concept isn’t new, by any means. In fact, most tv and radio was originally sponsored by a single product. Soap Operas, after all, got their name from this practice. But, ditching the over-commercialized annoyance that is modern-day radio is certainly a change of pace. It’ll be interesting to see how the decades-old concept works on the idea that it is new and “cutting edge”. All I know is that I’m glad for the change when listening to one commercial for, say, Southwest Airlines, than the same annoying Kia ad 45 times a day.
Now, I never thought I’d say this about a Clear Channel venture, but something good has changed on the radio in Dallas. KZPS (92.5 on the dial) has ditched it’s classic rock format and moved in a new breed of “Outlaw Country” as it’s format. What does this mean to the listener? Well, you’ll stop hearing the same three Jethro Tull songs over and over again and instead will be set up with music as widely ranged as Bob Dylan, The Old 97’s, ZZ Top and Willie Nelson (who serves as the stations spokesperson). Think, heavy on the Southern-Based blues, rock and alt-country and you’ve got the format in a nutshell.
Now, what makes this all a little more different is the fact that the station is starting out to air…well, without commercials. Instead, the station has opted to have blocks of programming sponsored by different companies throughout the day. Basically, they are going with an integrated marketing approach in which the DJ would discuss the company and it’s product during a break, rather than dot the entire hour with varied commercials.
The concept isn’t new, by any means. In fact, most tv and radio was originally sponsored by a single product. Soap Operas, after all, got their name from this practice. But, ditching the over-commercialized annoyance that is modern-day radio is certainly a change of pace. It’ll be interesting to see how the decades-old concept works on the idea that it is new and “cutting edge”. All I know is that I’m glad for the change when listening to one commercial for, say, Southwest Airlines, than the same annoying Kia ad 45 times a day.
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