Whoa!
It seems that last week’s Editorial about charts and trades struck a nerve.
For the better part of a year, Network Forty has been printing facts about the industry in general and R&R in particular. We questioned the R&R reporter base; it changed. We attacked the “Parallel System:” R&R dropped it. We pointed out the irregularities in the R&R charts; R&R debuted a new series of charts.
R&R made all these changes with no mention of Network Forty. It was like R&R was the old AM station with the big cume and Network Forty was the upstart FM with nothing but an attitude. Ignore them and they’ll go away. Right?
Last week, R&R blinked. To put it in radio terms (after all, Network Forty is made up of nothing but radio people), R&R reacted to Network Forty‘s promos.
R&R Publisher/CEO Bob Wilson sent a letter to R&R‘s radio reporters. In the letter, R&R attacks the credibility of Network Forty and BDS.
First, I would like to personally thank Mr. Wilson for the publicity. Since Bob mentions no other chart (except the Billboard chart derived from BDS information), it is obvious that the Publisher and CEO of R&R believes that Network Forty and BDS are the only competition.
Bob, we thank you for your endorsement.
It is true that Bob believes R&R‘s charts are superior to both Network Forty and BDS. Hey, it’s his publication. We won’t fault him for thinking his stuff is the best. He’s wrong, of course.
A number of his observations are wrong as well. Before writing the letter, maybe Bob should have checked with Joel Denver. Joel is familiar with dogs that don’t hunt. It’s evident that Bob has released another group of hounds that can’t find the rabbit.
To wit: The letter accuses Network Forty of being a mystery because we have “…no reporter list, no playlists, no back-up every shown.” Aw, Bob, you should have done your homework. Network Forty produces a laminated page of all reporting stations each quarter. This laminate is sent to all our subscribers. Since Bob doesn’t subscribe, he didn’t get this laminate. Heck, we’ll send him one anyway. Since it provides phone numbers and contacts, R&R might finally be able to talk with people in radio. That would be a switch.
Selected playlists are reprinted in Network Forty each week. To save trees, we don’t print them all. No one has the time to read playlist info from all of our 267 reporters…a universe that is 50% larger that R&R‘s. As far as back-up, Network Forty provides the only regional break-outs of PPWs. Network Forty provides the only in-depth analysis of record activity with our exclusive “Next Forty” information. Since R&R ripped off Network Forty‘s Plays Per Week label, perhaps R&R would like to steal these ideas, too.
Bob defends R&R‘s refusal to accept faxed playlists by saying that faxed lists are easy to fabricate. Like a phone call to R&R isn’t? Hey, Bob, the truth is, many in radio have been phoning those fabricated playlists for years. That’s why BDS became popular in the first place.
In the letter, R&R has the gall to call Billboard’s Hot 100 suspect because of a mysterious formula of plays and sales. The only thing more mysterious than R&R‘s formula for tabulating charts is the origin of the Black Hole.
R&R takes exception to the fact that Network Forty and BDS use no weighting in formulating charts. Bob says, “Do you actually go along with a play in New York or Boston being given equality to a play in Tyler, Texas?”
We realize more people hear a record played in New York than in Tyler. We also know that programmers recognize the difference. A programmer understands that a record added on Z100 means more than an add in East Jesus, Nebraska. They don’t need a chart to tell them that. In fact, programmers don’t need charts for finite reasons. No programmer looks at any chart and copies it as he own. Each market is different. Good programmers look at “real” charts to see how a particular record is doing and/or make sure they aren’t missing anything. Network Forty has never said weighting is bad. Network Forty did say that the obviously bloated weighting of R&R puts far too much emphasis on major markets. Since most majors play fewer songs than smaller markets, weighting majors in a disproportional manner can cause stagnation and make it harder for new records to get an accurate test. Which, in the end, hurts radio. And records.
The real reason for the R&R letter is obvious. R&R is about to change the way their chart is compiled. Again. R&R will, Bob says, “…install the new formula with the next reporter change in a few weeks.” R&R will also begin accepting faxed playlists as soon as they develop a “fax verification system.” Speaking of mysteries, is this like the RQC (Reporter Qualification Committee) R&R debuted a few months ago?
Once again, soon after heralding its innovations as the best in the business, R&R changes them because the R&R system simply won’t hunt (see: “this dog…). Whatever R&R implements, a short time later, R&R will devise yet another silly formula that Joel will say is the best ever, then try to shove it down radio’s throats. When will R&R notice that radio isn’t swallowing anymore?
R&R wasn’t the only publication that got a little bent out of shape because of the Network Forty Editorial last week. One of the honchos at Hits took exception to my comment that nobody reads Hits. He demonstrated his professionalism and maturity be personally calling to tell me he was going to “stick his dick in my ass.”
I love the guys at Hits and I expected a reaction, but hardly these extremes. I’m going to have to pass on your offer, fella, but I’m sure someone of your obvious talent and personality will have no trouble finding a willing partner.
Even Gavin took umbrage with my comments. Bill called several times, but didn’t leave a number where I could reach him.
As radio pays more and more attention to Network Forty and BDS, it is clear that R&R is resorting to desperate measures to try and hold on to the dominant position it held for so long. Like a ballplayer staying past his prime, R&R tries new deliveries, curves, sliders, tricks and gimmicks to hide the fact that it has lost the fastball.
It once was only R&R. It’s quickly becoming just Network Forty and BDS. Maybe it’s time for R&R to crawl up on the porch and let the big dogs run in the streets.