Does anybody happen to know.....

[Marv]

...how many all-eighties staions are still out there?

I know that that format and most others have been ruined by Infinity's and Clear Channel's overreliance on research and addiction for cost-cutting, and I was just wondering how many of those stations are still out there these days?

[reception]

KQMQ Honolulu still plays lots of 80's hits but they have been playing current Hot AC stuff for the past year. Their website still mentions "80's and more" but they don't even mention that on air anymore. They need to update it. KQMQ is even on the Mediabase panel as 'Variety Rock,' but its one of those show gold stations.

[tico]

There are seven:

KHPT Houston
KSTJ Las Vegas
KXCL Yuba City
WBPT Birmingham
WDPT Dayton
WMXQ Jacksonville
WPOI Tampa/Saint Petersburg

Give it a few years, all of them will be gone.

[Marv]

There should be LOTS more all-eighties stations out there, but that's what happens when an overreliance and addiction to consultants and research enters the picture.

Playlists get reduced, radio stations gets safer and become more predictable, and eventually changes formats.

Given the dreadful shape of the CHR/Pop format these days, compared to what it was during the eighties, it's too easy NOT to understand, unless you're being pulled around by the nose of those almighty dictators of research, which most of us are these days.

[tico]

There were a lot more 80s stations, like WMAX Atlanta and KBZT San Diego. What made 80s stations die off so quickly, in my opinion, was that the format was too narrowly focused. Outside of Michael Jackson, Madonna and Prince, most 80s stations were too rock-based. If it were more wide open, like the Jack format or even CHR, it would've had a longer shelf life.

I could also add that having a hot AC or adult-leaning CHR in 80s markets may've made life tougher for 80s stations. In the case of KBZT, they had KFMB-FM (in its Star 100.7 days) and KMYI. KMYI plays a healthy dose of 80s music (thus its "My 80s, My 90s, My Music" slogan). Mixed in with today's music, there probably was no real demand for it.

[Slinky]

Even if the 80's stations were balanced, no radio format has survived on one decade alone. Even Oldies stations have always been 50's/60's or 60's/70's.