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BEN-FM's expanding playlist

A

atthestars

I don't know how recent this is, but I LOVE a turn that BEN-FM has been taking, adding in a decent amount of 90's Alt into their playlist.

Some of these may be spiked in for their "Blast From the Past" weekend, but hearing them play "Bound For The Floor" by Local H, "Fall Down" by Toad the Wet Sprocket, and "Open Up Your Eyes" by Tonic has been great, plus Psychedelic Furs, Echo & The Bunnymen along with a healthy diet of Nirvana, STP, Green Day, (what other Adult Hits station plays Brain Stew??) Collective Soul & more.

As Radio 104.5's target years skew into the 2000's... it's nice to see Ben FM picking up songs that Y100/WDRE made popular, and not just sticking to the typical "Jack-FM" type music selection.

Hopefully this move helps the ratings some.
 
I love BEN-FM! Literally, not just repeating their slogan lol. This station should have massive ratings!! If I were the owner, I'd thrown on some good active, younger hosts and keep that playlist going. I'm begging them to do that- because I really believe that station would have amazing ratings if they just make themselves a little less like an iPod on shuffle and more like a radio station but with that same playlist.
 
It'll be interesting to see if adding these songs helps. For the past couple of years it has sounded like an '80s station-- and a better one than most of those *actual* '80s stations that popped up 15-18 years ago. The fact that BEN-FM isn't cluttered up with talky DJs all day is an asset.

It's been a few years since I've seen real music research, but I would guess Local H and Linkin Park appeal to a different listener than does Kajagoogoo.
 
I actually love the sound of a dj talking over the song, but some like and some do not. I like Ben-FM's direction. The 90s are becoming the darlings of fm radio and Ben-FM is out in front. It also blocks WOGL from playing more 90s music. I think it is a great move. I would love to hear Ben-FM be an all 90s radio station like the Gen-X radio stations of a few years ago.
 
2.9 3.0 3.0 3.1, not that impressive, I would bet if new owners take over, they will be the only casualty.
 
eddieedwards said:
2.9 3.0 3.0 3.1, not that impressive, I would bet if new owners take over, they will be the only casualty.
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New owners? Huh?

In any case, the station is in the mid to low 4's in 25-49 and 25-54. That is well inside the top 10.
 
AM/FMRAINMAN said:
I actually love the sound of a dj talking over the song, but some like and some do not. I like Ben-FM's direction. The 90s are becoming the darlings of fm radio and Ben-FM is out in front. It also blocks WOGL from playing more 90s music. I think it is a great move. I would love to hear Ben-FM be an all 90s radio station like the Gen-X radio stations of a few years ago.
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Pretty much every Gen-X station turned into pretty miserable failures. Most tried to focus on the pop side of that era, and that music was a bit all over the place. And stations that focus on one certain decade seem doomed to be too narrow in focus (minus Sirius XM)

I like BEN-FM's move of adding some 90s Alt as it plays into the market history. A lot of kids who were in high school from 1994ish to 2000ish, listening to WDRE and Y100 are now 30-40 years old. In my high school, Y100 was hands down more popular than Q102 at the time. I know that's a small sample to use, but I do like this move. They're not alienating any of their older end of the demo, while pulling in the younger end by knowing what the market was playing back in the day.
 
DavidEduardo said:


New owners? Huh?

In any case, the station is in the mid to low 4's in 25-49 and 25-54. That is well inside the top 10.
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How can you make a statement like that, when in the same breath you are bashing and denouncing WRFF for its great ratings, and that its not making money, FYI, its making more money than BEN and many other stale Philadelphia formats. If you have a distaste for the Alternative format and any station that programs it, just say so, because it seems every time its brought up you have to debunk it.
 
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atthestars said:
That's coming from another thread musing on the possibility of Greater Media putting stations up for sale.
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The only discussion of a Greater Media sale has been referent to the Charlotte, NC, properties. Greater Media has a small cluster there (2 FM, one AM) and there have been speculations that it is not big enough to gain critical mass in the market. A "like kind" trade to fatten up another cluster in exchange for the Charlotte stations would make the most sense and shield the transaction from capital gains.
 
Tylerbreeze said:
How can you make a statement like that, when in the same breath you are bashing and denouncing WRFF for its great ratings, and that its not making money, FYI, its making more money than BEN and many other stale Philadelphia formats. If you have a distaste for the Alternative format and any station that programs it, just say so, because it seems every time its brought up you have to debunk it.
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I haven't seen David once bash Alternative, he has only stated facts. Alternative rates well in Philadelphia, but has a very tough time converting that to billing. While on the other hand, Ben-FM rates very well in the demo, and is able to monetize that. Advertisers have a preconceived image of Alternative listeners, and that causes non-well established Alternative stations troubles selling their listener base to advertisers. He has frequently said that long-established Alternative stations such as KROQ bill well, but new entrants to the format have big difficulty converting ratings to cash.

He has also stated that WRFF is the lowest billing full-power FM station in Philly, which means it bills less than WBEN. That's just a simple fact.
 
Tylerbreeze said:
How can you make a statement like that, when in the same breath you are bashing and denouncing WRFF for its great ratings, and that its not making money, FYI, its making more money than BEN and many other stale Philadelphia formats. If you have a distaste for the Alternative format and any station that programs it, just say so, because it seems every time its brought up you have to debunk it.
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a) WBEN outbills WRFF by more than the double.
b) While WRFF has a power ratio of 0.3, WBEN has very close to a 1.0 ratio.
c) WBEN's format typically outperforms alternative where the alternative station does not have heritage status (meaning classic events, well known "image" talent, a strong morning show, etc).

I did not say WRFF is not making money. I said that it is the lowest billing full signal non-rimshot FM in the market, and gave a logical reason why based on the same facts presented here. FACTS.

It's not my opinion of the format that matters... it is what advertisers perceive. And they are not buying WRFF in proportion to its ratings.
 
What exactly IS the advertisers' perception of alternative/modern/active rock listeners? Slackers living at home with the parents, still looking for the first real job? Minimum-wagers working behind the counter at Burger King and selling drugs on the side? Snarky cynics who buy only generic products and reject any advertising messages? Any or all of these? Is the perception accurate? If not, why do advertisers believe it? And is there reliable evidence of the buying habits of listeners to new rock?

I'm from two generations previous, and while I understand that more rhythmic genres have cut into rock's fan base among the current generation, I find it puzzling that the rock die-hards that remain are somehow far less worthwhile to advertisers than people of the same generation who are listening to beat-heavy, upbeat pop or aggressive, thumping rap. What has happened?
 
BRUSSTAR said:
It'll be interesting to see if adding these songs helps. For the past couple of years it has sounded like an '80s station-- and a better one than most of those *actual* '80s stations that popped up 15-18 years ago. The fact that BEN-FM isn't cluttered up with talky DJs all day is an asset.

It's been a few years since I've seen real music research, but I would guess Local H and Linkin Park appeal to a different listener than does Kajagoogoo.
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Kajagoogoo? Was that the band that had the 80's hit, "Too Shy?"
 
Advertisers all aim to get significant shares of the millennial market. Alternative radio is right in this sweet spot. Per The New Yorker: millennials are relatively young, single, college-educated and earning upper middle class incomes as white-collar professionals, managers and executives. Many millennials live in luxury apartments and condos in fast-growing cities, including a number of college towns. Many are under 35, single and earning above-average incomes as white-collar workers. They commute to work in sporty subcompacts, and nearly half hold college degrees. Hold fast-track jobs in finance, information services and the arts. Are almost twice as likely as average Americans to have graduate degrees. Earn dual incomes if married, as it's a given that both spouses work.
 
EasyBakeOven said:
Advertisers all aim to get significant shares of the millennial market. Alternative radio is right in this sweet spot. Per The New Yorker: millennials are relatively young, single, college-educated and earning upper middle class incomes as white-collar professionals, managers and executives. Many millennials live in luxury apartments and condos in fast-growing cities, including a number of college towns. Many are under 35, single and earning above-average incomes as white-collar workers. They commute to work in sporty subcompacts, and nearly half hold college degrees. Hold fast-track jobs in finance, information services and the arts. Are almost twice as likely as average Americans to have graduate degrees. Earn dual incomes if married, as it's a given that both spouses work.
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This is a definition of Millennials that is in disagreement with the most-used definition which is simply "anyone born after 1981 to 1982 who is now over 18."

There are millennials in Appalachia, SW 8th St in Miami, Westchester County and Cicero. They are rich or poor, Black, white or Hispanic; some are Asian or Persian or Russian. They are an age group, without distinction for anything else, just as everyone born from 1946 to the early 60's was a Baby Boomer and the ones in between are Gen Xers.

The hot formats for Millennials are Hot AC, CHR, Urban, Regional Mexican and today's Country. Contemporary Christian reaches many Millennials in parts of the country, although that format is much broader and includes Gen X listeners as well.
 
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