Air106 format pitch (originally conceived in 2002, updated 2008)
The “Air is All Around You” promo campaign: (to be voiced by non-professionals)
paced with a sort of ebb and flow, filled with both music and sounds that determine location. the consistent vibe concerns a body that is abruptly paused and self-aware– exactly what “air” should be: dually. a cause to dance and a cause to take notice of what is “all around you”.
(#24)
take my hand
concrete promised land
grin wide shout
bronzeville is alive
air is all around you…air 106 FM, chicago
(#6)
ginger sunset
arresting attention
at Marquette and Western
air is all around you…air 106 FM, chicago
The Beauty of Air is the inclusivity of its sound approach… nothing is off limits, so long as it grasps hold of the overlying goal: enriching life through a common groove.
Air 106′s identity is rooted in a progressive attitude, and a politically engaged frame of reference. A music-based format, between songs are fully embedded mini-newscasts:
PAN, or Progressive Action News, rite with music and bright ambient sound. The stories are short (perhaps two minutes) but are narrative-based, and often more about ongoing stories and profiles than reactionary blurbs chronicaling events because “air” is about connecting with humanity and community in a meaningful way.
Example PAN stories:
“Who’s Driving Our Buses?”
“Chess Kings: The men of North Avenue Beach Chess Pavillion”
“Muntu Dancers make a Difference in Englewood Community”
Music is perhaps best described as “urban alternative”—that is a homogenized blend of cutting edge and deep groove that is less about “color” than “soul”. Jazz to House to Soul to Rock, no genre is off-limits, but all music maintains a rhythmic, melodic quality (and much of it has either been sampled, or is ripe to be). A sound at once familiar to the hip-hop generation, in many cases, the sample is simply allowed to breathe.
Examples of Music:
“Tonight’s Today” — Jack Penate
“Funky Nassau” — Beginning of the End
“What’s the Use” –Jamie Lidell
Signature Events (branding becomes a movement of sorts):
The air106 annual hog farm (a 3-Day music festival/marketplace/workshop) fly the flag with various artists, vendors from around the city & world, and more… air comrades, unite
The air106 Clam Bake at the Dunes, July 4th Weekend
The air106 March to Remember, 3rd Saturday in March–We will tie on green bands and march for our community’s unity, for remembrance of our collective pasts, and for our progress in the year to come.
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Sound Philosophy, 88.3FM WIUS “The Dog”
Four words that were the guiding principles of Urban Programming on 88.3 the dog:
Heritage, Forecasting, Quality, and Balance
1. Heritage—No music is an island, especially Hip-Hop & R&B.Maintaining allotted space for “Old Gold” helps enrich and enhance the listening experience.
Old Gold falls under three categories:
- Power Gold—Music between three and ten years old which is still instantly recognizable to core listenership.May not have been in top ten; but was very popular. (i.e.—“Brokenhearted”—Brandy & Wanya Morris, “Candy Rain”—Soul IV Real, “Video”—Junior Mafia, “Bad Boyz”—Shyne f/Barrington Levy).
- Throwback Gold—Records ten to twenty years old.Records in which the hook or chorus is instantly recognizable to core listenership.(“Stay”—Jodeci, “Bonita Applebum (Remix)”—Tribe Called Quest, “Can You Stand the Rain”—New Edition, “O.P.P”—Naughty by Nature, “Everybody, Everybody”—Blackbox)
- True Old Gold—Over twenty years old.Here hits are mixed with songs that were sampled for current or power gold hits (Very, very effective blend)(“I’ll Be around—Spinners, “Tell Me Why…”—Willie Hutch [sampled for “Stay Fly”—3 Six Mafia],)
The blend of old gold varies by daypart.A & B increase as night progresses.C is used sparingly for greatest effect.No more than an average of 10% of on air-play.
2. Forecasting—Based on previous hits and the natural progression of identifiable trends, what is the next sound?Because our survival is based on abstract popularity rather than a concrete bottom line, we must forge into the NEXT sound, in addition to spinning the current hits.Heavy rotation is in response to listener reaction, not charts. 10-15% of on airplay should be forecasting.
3. Quality—We will not play a record that is beyond the realm of taste simply because it is a hit.This is simply a matter of positive media representation.Overly graphic language, disrespectful terminology, or overt buffoonery (i.e.—“Whoop Dat Trick”) is not tolerated because in a small town, we are the only mass media representation of “Urban” culture.Overly is defined as composing over 1/3 of the song.“Bad” records are not automatically played.We are not impressed because (“IT” rapper here) dropped a verse.History tells us that 99% of the aforementioned records disappear off the face of the earth in a couple of months, anyway.Again, we are free to do this only because there is no bottom line.Quality records are ones we can without doubt get behind.QR’s of the past include “Stay Fly”—3 Six Mafia (added August 2005), “The Corner”—Common f/ Last Poets (added February 2005), “Love”—Keyshia Cole, “Tell Me”—Bobby Valentino.
4. Balance—We attempt to play a wide variety of “urban” music that might not get play on a mainstream station.Approximately 20% of the playlist should be devoted to such music.This is important in crafting a diverse, well rounded sound. (i.e. “Wanna Love You Girl”–Robin Thicke (added November 2005), “Crazy”– Gnarls Barkley (added February 2006), “Hot Stage Lights”—Van Hunt (Added March 2006), “Lovin It”–Little Brother (added September 2005), “Chiquita”—Hashbrown (added September 2005)).
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Soul’s Horizon was an old school/deep groove program that benefitted from host Ayana Contreras’ passion for vinyl.Having acquired nearly 1,600 LPs and hundreds of 45s, Ayana takes pride in playing artists such as Roy Ayers, The Sandpebbles, The Counts, Windy City, The Dells, Crown Heights Affair, Donald Byrd, Lost Generation, Beginning of the End, and Black Ivory.The common denominator is that, as the show’s tagline puts it, Soul’s Horizon specializes in “The Music that Hip-Hop was Built Upon”.
