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Jacksonville - Real Country 105.3 FM is no more....

T

TattooedPriest

Due to insufficient advertiser support, Jacksonville's Real Country 105.3 FM is dropping the Classic Country format as of 06/01. Though they didn't wait until 06/01, looks like they've gone to a format that is currently similar to WAPE 95.1 or WNWW 97.9 for now. We will have to see if they flip it for something else next Sunday or not. Plenty of folks liked the music, just that the 6,000 watt station couldn't reach all of Jax metro to get their audience.

Boomer was let go on May 9th and waited until the 21st to let the public know after the station posted on their Facebook page that they were changing formats.

Apparently the midday DJ, Woody Carlson will stay on with the new format.

https://www.facebook.com/realcountry1053?ref=stream&hc_location=timeline

https://www.facebook.com/boomer.jacksonville?hc_location=stream


I guess I'll leave it on a preset button on the car for now, but I gotta change the station on the clock/radio to something else when I get woken up.
 
Thank you Tattooed Priest for posting this announcement and providing the links.

RdsRadio4, in another post, thought something like this would happen. Over the years I’ve referred to 105.3 as format du jour because of the frequent format flips. OK, they have a limited signal. But isn’t there such a thing as planning?

Consider listener impacts. There is a promise of personality radio. The music appeared to fill a programming hole. We’ve seen the same old press release that thanks the listeners but it’s all an item on a checklist. And don’t think the average listener is an idiot.

Consider talent impacts. Bring in folks like Boomer and A.J. Davis whom I would bet were thrilled to be back on the air with a gig. It only lasted months. Before that, there was Adult Hits. That format lasted a couple of months. They brought a jock in, then canned him almost immediately. Does this make any kind of economic sense to any of you?

Consider impacts to the Jacksonville radio market. Continue to screw around with listeners and I’d add sponsors too and there is a diminishing of the medium in my opinion. Do you believe Jacksonville radio has a great reputation? There are certainly bright spots. Your call. My opinion of this market is well-documented. Frequent flips at the same station don’t help the market reputation wise.

Too many times, I’ve talked of a market that is way too fragmented and super-served in some formats. I said 4 country stations were too many and one would have to go away. Well, I was right. There may have been a programming hole, but wouldn’t you want to get local sponsor interest up front? It was pretty big news Boomer and even A.J. were back. That did create listener buzz so why did that not translate into a win-win? Is there any accountability in sales or marketing/promotions?

Consider agency buys. Clients usually go two deep. There may have been a different target audience. OK, but add a very fragmented upper 25-54 into the equation and a limited signal to the mix and what would anyone expect? Another reason I’ve been making the case to replace a format in upper 25-54 that is not unique enough or is in a super-served music genre such as rock and country.

Folks, planning is key. Case in point, look at what Cox Media did with a translator and Hip Hop. An incredible launch and an instant success – that’s how you do it. I think they were #1 in 18-34 if I remember correctly. They did it despite the signal. Others do it too.

Personally, I’m as frustrated like you wouldn’t believe about this radio market because common sense falls on deaf ears. Witnessing format flip insanity every few months at 105.3 doesn’t help. I’ve grown very radio-fatigued.
 
The problem wasn't that this was a country station in an over-served country market. The problem was that it was a CLASSIC country station aiming at an over-served over-50 market. Too many stations aiming at aging boomers, not enough advertisers wanting to reach them. That's why there aren't more classic hits stations either.
 
There are two major points to my analysis. 1. The 105.3 frequency has seen an incredible number of format flips. Some skewed young. It didn't matter. 2. Planning. An over-served 50 market existed 5-6 months ago as it does today when Classic Country returned. I question the logic and the business, economic and consumer impacts to decisions made that apparently lack research and planning. Perhaps I wasn't clear. Now you know.
Lastly, I have no idea what you mean regarding classic hits. The format is in virtually every major market.
 
JohnJax said:
I question the logic and the business, economic and consumer impacts to decisions made that apparently lack research and planning.
Click to expand...

Maybe the owner should sell the station to Clear Channel. Then you'd get lots of planning and research. By the way, I think they'd end up with this as the format.
 
Looks like the new format is CHR after all. They ran a NASCAR race on Sunday (sounded like it came in on a phone line)...Then around 5 the hits came back on.
 
I know this station is under the radar of most people but I see that Mediabase is considering the format as Hot AC. I believe this might be the first Hot AC station in the Jax market since Mix 103 on 102.9 back in the 90's.
 
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