Yep, an area radio station just switched their format through Christmas Day.
Roanoke’s Q99FM (WSLQ) made their annual seasonal format change from their normal Adult Contemporary at 5 AM today. This is the fifth year that Q99 has switched to the all-Christmas music format. We talked to Jim Murphy, Program Director for Q99, and he told us that the listeners really have grown to love this temporary format. He said that the listeners’ complaints really pour in on the first day, but the majority of listeners’ calls are in favor of the change. He also said that the station’s advertisers look forward to this special programming season.
Murphy said that the original idea for the relative long-term Christmas music programming came from the days after the 9-11 terrorist attacks. He said some radio stations switched to the all-Christmas music format as a way to give their listeners a way to relax and to take their minds off of life’s concerns.
You can listen to Q99’s programming over the internet on their website. Q99 features one of the longest running morning show’s in The Breakfast Club with Dick Daniels & David Page. Daniels just celebrated his 20th year on the air, and in radio terms, that’s an eternity!
Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
Any word on why Nov 16th? I would think the day before Thanksgiving would be perfect start date. I love Q99 and like Christmas music but 7 weeks is a little much!
It’s despicable to play endless loops of happy, in-your-face Christmas music before Thanksgiving(or even AFTER Thanksgiving for that matter), generally it’s a sign a lazy program director (or NO program director). WMAG 99.5 has been doing this for several years and because of it, we no longer listen to this station.
A big part of the problem, other than the fact that it’s F’ing obnoxious, is that there are only so many actual “Christmas” songs, so you end up with a lot of repeats and different versions of the same song.
Then of course there are what I like to call the “Anti-Christmas” Christmas songs. One example being the “Dying Momma’s Christmas Shoes” ballad which always gets me in the spirit of wanting to blow my brains out! The “Starving Children of the World” Christmas song which was created by a cadre of millionaire recording artists to make the rest of us feel guilty for having food. Then there is the always unpopular John Lennon “How dare you celebrate Christmas you capitalist bastards?” Christmas song featuring Yoko Ono howling the back-up vocals.
michelle
I love Christmas music and enjoy listening to your show!!!! Thanks
Haven’t heard Amy Grant Tender Tennessee CHRISTMAS!
Wait until the day after Thanksgiving, that is long enough to lessen to Christmas music, that’s when I will tune back in. Even Christian radio stations don’t play it that soon,you are running it in the ground, I have talked to a lot of people who agree with me, way too soon. They said that they wasn’t going to listen to your station anymore either. You want to have music like that, play christian music during that time period since Christmas is all about GOD.
I love that you play Christmas music early every year I look forward to it