People expecting to hear golden oldies on 103.5 may be surprised to hear 1980s dance music duo The Pet Shop Boys instead. Oldies 103.5 switched format Aug. 20 to BOB-FM, a station that prides itself in playing a wide range of artists - the station's slogan is "We'll Play Anything!" Industry experts say the station's broad format reflects a nation-wide shift for radio stations.
Traditionally, the trend has been to target specifically defined populations with radio stations geared toward listeners of one particular genre, said Michael Kackman, assistant professor of radio-television-film at the University.
"I wonder, though, if BOB-FM is trying to get people who aren't locked into a particular demographic," Kackman said. "It's definitely an experiment in moving towards a different model."
Bob Sinclair, the station's namesake and CEO of Sinclair Communications, said his station will appeal to a broader audience and advertising base.
"We're trying to break the mold that has infected corporate radio over the last few years," he said.
His company operates two other BOB-FMs in Santa Rosa, Calif., and Norfolk, Va.
The idea of an expanded playlist is not such a new concept for younger listeners, said John Gross, a RTF senior and station manager of UT's student radio station.
"[Apple's] iTunes is definitely a force to be reckoned with in radio," he said. "It's changed the way people listen to music, and in a lot of ways that's more appealing than someone playing you the top 40 songs over and over."
The vice president of marketing for the company that used to operate Oldies 103.5, Scott Gilmore, said he also thinks personalized computer technology has influenced radio stations.
"BOB is a reflection of people putting playlists on their own computers, and because of this, they have different expectations when listening to the radio," Gilmore said.
Bob Lewis, program director of BOB-FM, acknowledges that "you can't be everything to everybody," but listeners should be excited about the new format.
"There isn't a station in town that plays all the Hootie and the Blowfish hits," he said.
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