Star's New Imaging & Formatics

[RoddyFreeman]

Listening to Star 94-1 over the past week or so, it sounds like PD Jerry McKenna's vision for the station is now in place in terms of music, imaging and formatics. As has been discussed here, Star is playing a lot of throwbacks from the past 30 years. Hot AC is a very recurrent format, and the station plays a lot of current and recurrent product. Star also plays songs that seem too old to be called recurrents but too recent to be called throwbacks, meaning a few years old; not sure whether those fit into one of the aforementioned categories.

Interestingly Star is playing artists that they didn't play when they were popular: Nelly, Shaggy, OutKast, Christina Aguilera and others. 95-5 The Beat used to play them as did Q100 when it first signed on at 100.5.

The station has lots of new imaging, calling itself both "Atlanta's Best Music" and "The Pop of Atlanta." Maybe somebody who's more of a programming strategist could comment on the wisdom of using both slogans. For the past several years, the imaging voices on Star have been Neil Wilson and Rachel McGrath, two of the best. I'm still hearing Rachel on some things and Neil once in a while. But I'm hearing a new female voice. So I'm not sure where Star is headed with its imaging voices.

Star does sound different musically than any of the other stations going for (just about) the same female demo.

Nothing has changed in terms of talent and times. It does sound like they have a new voice doing production, i.e. spots, spot tags and PSA's. The station seemed to introduce their previous production voice about 7 months ago, who sounded a little too hyper, but that's just my opinion.

I still think they'll need to make some changes/adjustments to their talent and time slots to get to where they need to be. I expect that to happen, but time will tell.

 

[RoddyFreeman]

I forgot to mention that Star 94-1 plays 2 hours of music commercial free at 9:45AM. This might give a little boost to the ratings, but if Star is trying to out-B B98.5, it's not going to work. B98.5 is widely perceived as the station that should be played in the office and in retail businesses, and that perception is too well entrenched to be changed.

 

[HerbTarlek]

One thing I heard that I thought was interesting and not something I had heard before were promos explaining who they were to the audience. Like an 'about me' or bio on a website. This is who we are, this is what we do.

The morning show is painfully bad. PAINFUL.
Madison James does not fit in at middays.

All new morning show, Hobby to middays, Kannon with a K 3p - 7p and ??? at night.

Hire me.

 

[TheBigA]

One thing I heard that I thought was interesting and not something I had heard before were promos explaining who they were to the audience. Like an 'about me' or bio on a website. This is who we are, this is what we do.

Probably not a bad idea....new generation coming up who have no idea....

We all get to define who we are.

 

[RoddyFreeman]

This is who we are, this is what we do.

Wasn't that MSNBC's slogan for quite a while?

 

[Amigo981]

I still don't know why they have jingles that feature the old 4 note logo when Star 9 4 1 should now cover 5 notes. Sounds really rushed.

 

[HerbTarlek]

Madison Jaymes is off middays on Star, now on V.

Does this mean that they are finally moving Jen Hobby to middays? Or will JoJo take that slot?

Also, when did Mark Owens become the full-time traffic reporter on Star 94?

 

[DoctorRadio997]

The airstaff is a mess, none of them are strong. Madison James in midday was certainly a disaster. Maybe she'll sound better on V. I was surprised at how she just didn't work in midday considering her time at B98.5. But every time I heard her do a break on the air it's like she had no idea what song she was about to talk over. It's like she wasn't listening in her headphones, I've never heard anything like it.

 

[RoddyFreeman]

Madison Jaymes is off middays on Star, now on V.

Does this mean that they are finally moving Jen Hobby to middays? Or will JoJo take that slot?

Also, when did Mark Owens become the full-time traffic reporter on Star 94?

I wouldn't hold my breath about Jenn Hobby doing middays. Entercom is not going to pay the salary she commands while they have been voice-tracking middays in market after market.

 

[HerbTarlek]

I am sure they will move her to middays to ride out the rest of her deal and to keep some endorsement partners happy when they bring in a new show who will take those endorsements over.

I agree with the above post. Something is wrong with the way that station sounds. Kannon, who is quite talented, sounds awful. The mix is off or something.

 

[JohnM.]

All of these changes does this mean it’s possible that Star flips or just a modified lineup to attract listeners? Stars HD2 throwbacks music is awesome. Wish it was the main station music.

 

[RoddyFreeman]

Madison Jaymes is off middays on Star, now on V.

Does this mean that they are finally moving Jen Hobby to middays? Or will JoJo take that slot?

Also, when did Mark Owens become the full-time traffic reporter on Star 94?

If Madison is off middays on Star, she must have forgotten to tell the station. They know nothing about it. She does also do some work for V.

I've noticed Cox is also using some employees on multiple stations. I heard Reggie Beas on Kiss and B98.5, and Rene Washington on B98.5 and The River.

 

[HerbTarlek]

But do those other stations have the same person working shifts at the same time? Madison doing middays for two stations simultaneously would be a new low for the industry.

She is nowhere to be found on the Star website. She was there a couple of weeks ago.

 

[BoboKnight]

But do those other stations have the same person working shifts at the same time? Madison doing middays for two stations simultaneously would be a new low for the industry.

She is nowhere to be found on the Star website. She was there a couple of weeks ago.

Is it all that different from Debra Green being on 97.1 The River at the same time she’s also on Mark Arum’s WSB show between 7 and 8?

 

[RoddyFreeman]

But do those other stations have the same person working shifts at the same time? Madison doing middays for two stations simultaneously would be a new low for the industry.

She is nowhere to be found on the Star website. She was there a couple of weeks ago.

Are you talking about weekends or fill-in? Ramona Debreaux still does middays on V during the week as far as I know.

It's not quite the same thing, but does anyone recall when Jordan Graye was doing middays on B98.5 as Jordan Graye and afternoon drive on The River as Kate McCarthy?

Even though her bio was on the Star website, Madison James was always considered the interim midday person. She was never shown on the schedule on the website. I believe her great grandfather was the 4th president of the United States.

 

[RoddyFreeman]

But do those other stations have the same person working shifts at the same time? Madison doing middays for two stations simultaneously would be a new low for the industry.

She is nowhere to be found on the Star website. She was there a couple of weeks ago.

Well, Mr. "Tarlek's" worst fear has come to fruition. It's Saturday, and Madison James is on both Star 94-1 and V-103. Either she's voice-tracking at least one of the shows or she just bought a great new pair of sneakers.

 

[TheBigA]

It's Saturday, and Madison James is on both Star 94-1 and V-103.

Of course my first question is how much sharing of audience is there between the two stations? Probably not much.

Talent shouldn't get too locked into a format. If you're good at connecting with an audience, that ability should transcend a genre.

If you want a career that lasts more than ten years, you need to be able to adapt and evolve as you age and as music tastes change.

 

[HerbTarlek]

Roddy,

You don't have to put 'Tarlek' in quotes. It's clearly not my real name. It's a character from an old radio-based TV show.

It's a nom de plume.

Herb