• Get involved.
    We want your input!
    Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.

    After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
    If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.

    After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
    https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/

    Thanks in advance and have fun!
    RadioDiscussions Administrators

Classic Country for Columbus?

C

chad43358

Think there is a chance we will ever see it again? I just saw a thread in the Cincinnati board where locally owned and programmed 105.9/106.7 took the number 2 country spot in the ratings, beating a corporately-owned "Nash Icon" brand.

On a recent trip to Georgia this past week I found 98.5 in Lexington, KY which brands themselves at 98.1 The Bull WBUL Icons @ 98.5. It is 98.1's HD2 station on a low power channel, and their playlist seems good.

I know I'll get some backlash considering the last "classic country" format didn't survive, but for those of us who know classic country knows that WHOK's playlist was far too cookie-cutter for the genre. Trying to compete with WCOL didn't help them either. There is a massive void in classic country music in the area that has caused me to turn the radio off in the Columbus area. Unfortunately WCLT 100.3 is too far East to be fully listenable to us on the West side, not to mention they are not really "classic country" in my eyes.

IMHO there are far too many "classic hits" type stations in Columbus. I tried talking to a small radio group in the area about flipping to classic country. They sent me an email reply with the manager's number but he fails to return calls. I even offered to help out with programming!

I guess for now I will have to continue listening to my own playlist on my phone...
 
chad43358 said:
IMHO there are far too many "classic hits" type stations in Columbus. I tried talking to a small radio group in the area about flipping to classic country.
Click to expand...

Keep in mind that "classic country" today is 80s & 90s. Some Randy Travis and Alabama with Garth Brooks and John Michael Montgomery.

Anything older will mainly appeal to over-65s.
 
Absolutely. I felt as if WHOK leaned too far into the 60's and 70's. Don't get me wrong, I love Cash, Waylon and Willie but they are more like the fine wine that shall only surface at the right time. However, there is a massive void of untouched late 80's, 90's and early 2000's country that a lot of people grew up with and loved and quite frankly have sort-of forgot about. Not to mention that era produced a massive amount of hits that appeal to those of us who don't like hearing the same song day in and day out, which allows for a massive playlist.

I'm 30 years young and spend 30 hours of my 40 hour work week in a truck. There are many more like me who have bought a Wal Mart FM transmitter to broadcast a playlist from my phone.
 
I think I remember you suggesting this format a few years ago, perhaps on a signal between Columbus and Dayton? I remember a few downplaying the idea but I'll say this, when I lived in Houston I occasionally listened to a classic country format there and I'm not even much of a country fan. Lots of iconic songs and others that were pretty good. I don't see why it wouldn't succeed, especially in rural areas. People might enjoy it more than they think on first glance, but programmers just aren't willing to take all that many risks unfortunately.
 
schmave said:
People might enjoy it more than they think on first glance, but programmers just aren't willing to take all that many risks unfortunately.
Click to expand...

I'd suggest playing new songs by new artists is far riskier. Owning a radio station itself is quite a risk.

The main risk in playing old songs is the audience is older. If so, the question is are advertisers willing to take a risk?
 
Problem who is going to do it – I don’t see iHeart doing it – as much as I honestly think their running Sports on 105.7 is a waste – 105.7 would be a good “Classic Country” complement to WCOL which is heavy on currents.

I don’t see Saga doing it – they seem happy with the Rewind Simulcast at 103.5/104.3 and with Sunny, QFM and Mix’s format.

Radio One – they won’t touch country for sure. (Even though I think their wasting 106.3 simulcasting 107.5 it hasn’t helped them in the PPMs)

Not sure how NABCO’s stations are doing but they seem happy with their Rocker Blitz, Jack FM and 920/95.1’s formats. (though 920/95.1 would be a good place for Classic Country – WMNI was country for years – live and local before flipping to ABC’s “Real Country” format off satellite then their multiple styles of “easy” music).
 
schmave said:
I think I remember you suggesting this format a few years ago, perhaps on a signal between Columbus and Dayton? I remember a few downplaying the idea but I'll say this, when I lived in Houston I occasionally listened to a classic country format there and I'm not even much of a country fan. Lots of iconic songs and others that were pretty good. I don't see why it wouldn't succeed, especially in rural areas. People might enjoy it more than they think on first glance, but programmers just aren't willing to take all that many risks unfortunately.
Click to expand...

Yup, that was me. Still trying to push for it. My idea was for the folks at Alpha to swap formats between 101.5/102.9.

Clearly that didn't happen, and now Dayton has full power 105.9 to compete with 101.5.
 
While I somewhat enjoy their current format, I've been really surprised that WMNI hasn't returned to their country roots with a classic country format. I have no idea how successful the current format is, but I don't think classic country could be a drag and could possibly be a nice plus for them. Especially with the translator they have with a halfway decent signal.
 
Sorry for the confusion. It's been a while since I made the suggestion and forgot what it was.

My suggestion to Alpha was to send "Hot" to 92.9 and Classic Country to 102.9 since 102.9 reaches the "void" of any country options other than 92.3 (west of Columbus.) Then send whatever 92.9 had at that time to 101.5. The backlash I received was that 102.9 doesn't serve the Columbus market which I understand to be true. However it does cover some of the Columbus market as well as the Dayton market.
 
While 102.9 does not officially serve the Columbus market, they have a very good signal in the western suburbs. I have known quite a few people over the years around here who prefer their format to that of the Columbus R&B stations, or at least in addition to them. I cannot think of another signal that covers the counties between Columbus and Dayton better than they do.
 
schmave said:
While 102.9 does not officially serve the Columbus market, they have a very good signal in the western suburbs. I have known quite a few people over the years around here who prefer their format to that of the Columbus R&B stations, or at least in addition to them. I cannot think of another signal that covers the counties between Columbus and Dayton better than they do.
Click to expand...

Yep with that 50 kW pumped out from a tower west of Springfield they kind of hit both Columbus and Dayton. I can listen to them in the car in Columbus, OH without much difficulty in most areas.
 
chad43358 said:
Sorry for the confusion. It's been a while since I made the suggestion and forgot what it was.

My suggestion to Alpha was to send "Hot" to 92.9 and Classic Country to 102.9 since 102.9 reaches the "void" of any country options other than 92.3 (west of Columbus.) Then send whatever 92.9 had at that time to 101.5. The backlash I received was that 102.9 doesn't serve the Columbus market which I understand to be true. However it does cover some of the Columbus market as well as the Dayton market.
Click to expand...

hmmmm, 102.9 moving to 92.9 would cause a "VOID" as you say. I've never understood why people so disregard the Urban and Rhythmic formats so.
 
dj_kandre said:
hmmmm, 102.9 moving to 92.9 would cause a "VOID" as you say. I've never understood why people so disregard the Urban and Rhythmic formats so.
Click to expand...

Not exactly. What I meant was if 102.9 picked up Classic Country, they would fill a void that currently has no access to classic country (areas west of Columbus.) In Marysville I can pick up 102.9 out of Springfield, and 95.5, 105.3, 106.3, 106.7, and 107.5 out of Columbus that all have rap/r&b of some sort. I'm not an expert in the genre so I can't tell you what's different from one station to the other, other than 105.3 which is "throwback." I've heard the same songs on the others mentioned.

My point is, areas West of Columbus are flooded with R&B.
 
A station serving the Dayton-Springfield market is not interested in "filling to void" in the Western outskirts of Columbus. They aren't part of that market.
 
chad43358 said:
Not exactly. What I meant was if 102.9 picked up Classic Country, they would fill a void that currently has no access to classic country (areas west of Columbus.) In Marysville I can pick up 102.9 out of Springfield, and 95.5, 105.3, 106.3, 106.7, and 107.5 out of Columbus that all have rap/r&b of some sort. I'm not an expert in the genre so I can't tell you what's different from one station to the other, other than 105.3 which is "throwback." I've heard the same songs on the others mentioned.

My point is, areas West of Columbus are flooded with R&B.
Click to expand...
Flooded, huh? LOL
1 Urban AC
1 Throwback (Classic Hip Hop)
and 2 competing Mainstream Urban (one of which simulcast on 2 signals)
I wouldn't consider that "Flooded."

Also of all those, there is ONLY 1 class B, the rest are all class A's and a class D translator. Those 3 different formats do serve Columbus.
102.9 is a class B which airs a CHR Rhythmic format (I know it may sound similar but it is different.) That class B serves Dayton and Springfield.
I mean there are people who actually listen to these various formats. As a veteran mobile DJ who has a 20+ year career serving a lot of suburban and rural areas, a lot of which have little to no access to terrestrial urban, hip hop or r&b radio, that music has an audience and I'm talking all ages and races. :)
I think those formats need more class B and C stations to reach out and fill actual "voids" in a lot of these areas. :)
 
Status
This thread has been closed due to inactivity. You can create a new thread to discuss this topic.


Back
Top Bottom