94.5 Lake FM (formerly WKTI)

[bork]

So another radio station switches formats. Now 94.5 is going to a Jack format, playing everything under the sun. I haven't really listened to KTI since Reitman retired. http://www.945lakefm.com/

 

I'm just recalling all of the radio stations from my youth and how most have changed now. 93 Q FM, 94 WKTI, Z 95, Light 97, Hot 102, Lazer 103, 104 WEZW. Sports games and talk radio are about all I listen to on the radio now.

[homer]

101 WRKR - they used to have the "aaaaoooogah" olympics each night.

[patrickgpe]

I think internet is changing everything. Since any niche format is easily found with internet radio, every radio station is playing very similar playlists in order to entice as many listeners as possible instead of catering to people who enjoy music out of the main stream.

[hawing]

What was WKTI's format before today? (asking from outside the Milwaukee market)

[bork]

What was WKTI's format before today? (asking from outside the Milwaukee market)

"Hot Adult Contemporary", i.e. Same 10 songs all day long.

[trwi7]

I'm actually listening to it right now because the station I normally listen to (95.7 WRIT) started playing Christmas music on Halloween which is just brutal. First song I hear is You can dance if you want to by Men at Work. Not exactly what I was looking for.

[hawing]

I'm actually listening to it right now because the station I normally listen to (95.7 WRIT) started playing Christmas music on Halloween which is just brutal.

Oh, 95.7 I recognize. That's one of the Milwaukee stations we have preset in the car (the S.O. likes the 70s music). So both they and 99.1 are all Christmas now?

Did Milwaukee need two Christmas stations? That's a rhetorical question, no need to answer.

 

Edit: Not to go all 80s on you, trwi, but it sounds like you heard "Safety Dance" by Men Without Hats. That's actually one of my favorite 80s pop songs. Men at Work sang of the land down under and inspired a brief vegemite craze in the U.S.

OK, I'll shut up now.

[trwi7]

I don't know about other stations but 95.7 literally started on Halloween. I'm fine with Christmas music for a couple weeks before Christmas, but two months before? Sorry, can't deal with that. Even a little after Thanksgiving is too early.

 

Good music now. Manfred Mann's Earth Band. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

[bork]

Apparently, when WRIT went all Christmas on Halloween, WMYX immediately went to Christmas as well. I love Christmas songs, but not before Thanksgiving.

[hawing]

The switches these two stations made to Christmas were documented here by the Journal Sentinel.

 

Per that link (and following it to the third station's website), apparently B93.3 will switch on November 13.

Thus a week from today, Milwaukee will have three radio stations broadcasting all Christmas music; and probably all with super short playlists that don't do the holiday genre justice.

 

In a weak attempt to steer this back more toward the original topic, I'm not a fan of sudden radio station format changes.

[owbc]

If this is similar to 93.1 The Lake in Madison, it's a good move.

 

I absolutely hate Christmas music except the week of Christmas, but they wouldn't do it if people didn't listen.

[trwi7]

I absolutely hate Christmas music except the week of Christmas, but they wouldn't do it if people didn't listen.

95.7 actually did a poll last year on when they should start Christmas music. I think a week before Christmas ended up winning so that's when they started. They left a phone number this year to call and tell them what you think about Christmas music right now. Based on last year's results, I can't imagine too many people are happy about the switch, especially this early.

 

Must say though, I've been listening to this station and I'm very impressed. Listening to Tempted by Squeeze right now. Haven't heard this song for a while and the last time I heard it was for that Heineken commercial.

[ewizabeff]

I just don't like the idea of a FM radio station without on-air personalities. I have satellite radio and internet radio for that.

[TracyThom]

I just don't like the idea of a FM radio station without on-air personalities. I have satellite radio and internet radio for that.

 

Actually, I love radio without on-air personalities. I listen to FM radio for the music, not to hear what the DJ plans to do on the weekend.

[BrewCrewForever]

Another reason why I'm thinking more and more about just staying in radio part-time for fun and not going for a full-time gig. All those on-air people at KTI were dumped just like that.

[hawing]

If this is similar to 93.1 The Lake in Madison, it's a good move.

I think it's more like Madison's "Charlie FM."

 

When I was in high school and college, the FM station in Monroe did Christmas music right (in my opinion). At the time it was an "easy listening" station, really kind of stodgy; but the day after Thanksgiving it would start to play a little bit of holiday music, then gradually increase the percentage until it was mostly holiday by like December 20. The station has since changed ownership, but I liked that pattern better than the two-month binge strategy employed at many stations nowadays.

[DHonks]

I just don't like the idea of a FM radio station without on-air personalities. I have satellite radio and internet radio for that.

 

Ewizabeff,

I actually felt XM radio felt too much like an MP3 player and was glad when they added radio hosts a few years back. It sounded less hollow, fake, and computer-generated.

[patrickgpe]

i agree dhonks, i had xm and you really don't find out about local concerts and happenings. there is something that can be said about local programming. I eventually canceled it for that reason, even though fm1021 and radio milwaukee seem to be the only stations around town that are even close to the music i enjoy.

[JimH5]

It is pretty remarkable, in that they were the #1 or #2 station for so many years.

 

I guess Milwaukee grew tired of Phil Collins records.

 

As for the whole all-music, pre-programmed stuff. . .there's nothing special about that. I don't need wacky banter around every song, but it would be nice to have a local voice, telling me what's happening locally. Concert info, Summerfest appearances, weekend activities, weather forecasts, etc.

 

That kind of stuff gets lost when it's just a random shuffling of songs.

[bork]

It sounds like they will have on-air personalities beginning next year, but they will have a lesser role than before.

[bjkrautk]

I'm actually listening to it right now because the station I normally listen to (95.7 WRIT) started playing Christmas music on Halloween which is just brutal. First song I hear is You can dance if you want to by Men at Work. Not exactly what I was looking for.

For what it's worth, that would be "Safety Dance" by Men without Hats. (What....somebody has to be the '80s pop music snob, and I spent way too much time watching Mtv back when it had music on television.)

 

Good music now. Manfred Mann's Earth Band.

....

Must say though, I've been listening to this station and I'm very impressed. Listening to Tempted by Squeeze right now. Haven't heard this song for a while and the last time I heard it was for that Heineken commercial.

That's how the format works; play a bunch of random songs, and hope that people stick around through the songs they don't like (and the commercials). It's basically an iPod shuffle with ads interspursed. I say that as the kind of consumer that music stations hate; I listen if there's a song that I like, or I jump around looking for the next good song. I only listen to commercials when they're more enjoyable than the alternative(s).

[Patrick425]

I listened to it a little yesterday. Their ads and promotions make it sound like they really play an eclectic mix of songs. Not really. It's still just a bunch of songs that I've already heard a thousand times. Milwaukee radio is why I have XM. I used to listed to a station out of San Francisco (KFOG) online alot. They truely have an eclectic mix of music. Here is a link to some songs they have recently played:

http://www.kfog.com/listen/justplayed.asp

I would love to see Milwaukee get a station like this.

[hawing]

For what it's worth, that would be "Safety Dance" by Men without Hats. (What....somebody has to be the '80s pop music snob, and I spent way too much time watching Mtv back when it had music on television.)

I beat you to the 80s-pop-music-snobbery when I edited my reply #6 yesterday. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif

[patrickgpe]

patrick, we do have radio milwaukee 88.9, its not all rock, but its a good variety of songs.

 

http://radiomilwaukee.org/playlist.asp

[Patrick425]

patrick, we do have radio milwaukee 88.9, its not all rock, but its a good variety of songs.

 

http://radiomilwaukee.org/playlist.asp

Wow...I had no idea. I'm guessing that it's less than 3 years old (I purchased XM about 3 years ago).