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WJDX-FM is stunting

J

JeffSteele

Earlier this morning, WJDX-FM (no longer branded as 105.1 The River) began stunting.

I'm guessing its new format will be revealed...as early as 12 pm today?
 
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REAL 105.1

As I assumed, WJDX-FM's new format was revealed shortly after 12 pm.

It's hip-hop.

Now the station is branded Real 105.1.
 
JeffSteele said:
As I assumed, WJDX-FM's new format was revealed shortly after 12 pm.

It's hip-hop.

Now the station is branded Real 105.1.
Click to expand...

They were changing it every hour this morning. Early it was Magnolia 105.1 then Alt 105.1, then something about a cat, then America 105.1, then they started playing Hip Hop.
 
I think this is an overkill. I believe iHeartRadio saw Alpha Media cannibalize the black market (no pun intended and I am black) and wanted to get a piece of the pie. 95.5 is iHeart’s most popular local brand, and I can see 105.1 being sold in a combo with 95.5.

The overkill part is another hip-hop station in the market. Since I do like hip-hop, I will tune in at times. But 97.7, 99 Jams and G 100.9 (albeit a throwback hip-hop and R&B) already corner the market. Going after Kixie 107 might’ve been a better solution.
 
I should also point out that the Real may be around for a while simply because of the format, but what may hurt them is no local presence. That’s not gonna work against DJ Finesse, Mister Mane or Big Mama Drama.
 
https://news.****************/articles/n38799/iHeartMedia-Flips-WJDX-Jackson-to-The-New-Real-1051

Here is the official statement on WJDX as Real 105.1 FM.
 
golden eagles97 said:
Will 105.1 continue to simulcast New Orleans Saints football with 620, and will they still play Christmas music this year?
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On a hip hop station? Heck no.
 
golden eagles97 said:
I should also point out that the Real may be around for a while simply because of the format, but what may hurt them is no local presence. That's not gonna work against DJ Finesse, Mister Mane or Big Mama Drama.
Click to expand...

While I agree that local presence can be somewhat significant, it's not the end-all-be-all. The only listeners who care deeply about "live and local" are the handful of Super P1 listeners that every station has (plus us radio nerds). What matters to all listeners - and matters the most to the majority - is content. Say what you want about iHeart, but hip-hop is one of the formats that they do well. They have the resources to execute a quality hip-hop station and make it sound local.

Further, they have quality hip-hop programmers - some of the best in the format - who bring a lot to the table. The fact that 'JMI is a heritage station will help some but not as much as many people think. Heritage status doesn't matter as much as it used to.

Before anyone chimes in with "but Jackson is different," allow me to point out that everybody thinks their market is different. If we use this logic, then no sort of syndicated programming would do well except in their home markets.

It may be short-lived, but with the resources that iHeartRadio has with hip-hop, I would be shocked if it didn't at least compete.
 
Jonathan said:
While I agree that local presence can be somewhat significant, it's not the end-all-be-all.
Click to expand...

Local presence means more than local DJs. One problem I see with stations that have local staff is they don't use that staff to promote the station, to interact with listeners, and to build a relationship. That's what local presence is, and iHeart knows how to do local presence without local DJs.
 
Jonathan said:
While I agree that local presence can be somewhat significant, it's not the end-all-be-all. The only listeners who care deeply about "live and local" are the handful of Super P1 listeners that every station has (plus us radio nerds). What matters to all listeners - and matters the most to the majority - is content. Say what you want about iHeart, but hip-hop is one of the formats that they do well. They have the resources to execute a quality hip-hop station and make it sound local.

Further, they have quality hip-hop programmers - some of the best in the format - who bring a lot to the table. The fact that 'JMI is a heritage station will help some but not as much as many people think. Heritage status doesn't matter as much as it used to.

Before anyone chimes in with "but Jackson is different," allow me to point out that everybody thinks their market is different. If we use this logic, then no sort of syndicated programming would do well except in their home markets.

It may be short-lived, but with the resources that iHeartRadio has with hip-hop, I would be shocked if it didn't at least compete.
Click to expand...

I, too, will be shocked if 105.1 isn’t competitive. They have a signal in par with WJMI. Definitely an advantage that 97.7—as many kudos as you can give them for trying to compete—doesn’t have.

As far as iHeart hip-hops that do well, a number of them are stations that were already doing well prior to being under iHeart/Clear Channel, like WGCI Chicago, K97 Memphis and Q93 New Orleans. Of course, I’m not dismissing stations like Power 105.1 New York (where the incoming Breakfast Club originates) or 101.1 the Beat Nashville, which were created under the iHeartRadio umbrella.
 
I think hip hop is overkill also. You also failed to mention the tiny WONG 1150/105.5 in Canton that recently went to hip hop. WPBQ 1240/94.3 also plays hip hop at certain times of the day. "The Bridge" 87.7 plays similar music as "The River" did. Maybe they can grab some of 105.1s disgruntled listeners. But they need to restore the signal on 970 AM. they can't legally turn on 99.1 until it is fixed. Jackson has become mostly a nearly all Urban market. 90.1, 93.1, 780 AM, 94.3, 1240 AM, 95.5, 97.7, 99.7, 100.9, 100.5, 103.5, 1300 AM, 105.1, 105.5, 1150 AM, 107.5, and 1370 AM are all some sort of format aimed at a black audience. Even Y-101 plays mostly rhythmic or pop music with hip hop mixed in also. That is a lot of signals. BTW. and please don't bombard me with snarky comments because of my post.
 
I didn’t mention the Canton station since you can’t hear it in Jackson.

Jackson has one of the largest black populations by percentage of any radio market in the country, which would explain the high number of stations targeting black audiences. I count 12 radio stations in Jackson that does such. I counted AMs with FM translators (like 780 & 93.1) as one. You can stretch it to 13 if you count WJSU. I don’t consider jazz as a black format per se, but I won’t have a problem counting it since it originates from an HBCU. You can even go to 15 if you count the aforementioned Canton station, along with another Canton station, WMGO. That’s quite a bit for a medium-sized market with over a half million people.
 
TheBigA said:
Local presence means more than local DJs. One problem I see with stations that have local staff is they don't use that staff to promote the station, to interact with listeners, and to build a relationship. That's what local presence is, and iHeart knows how to do local presence without local DJs.
Click to expand...

Absolutely, that was partly my point (though it wasn't clear, which I now realize). Perception is reality.
 
Pat3 said:
Jackson has become mostly a nearly all Urban market. 90.1, 93.1, 780 AM, 94.3, 1240 AM, 95.5, 97.7, 99.7, 100.9, 100.5, 103.5, 1300 AM, 105.1, 105.5, 1150 AM, 107.5, and 1370 AM are all some sort of format aimed at a black audience. Even Y-101 plays mostly rhythmic or pop music with hip hop mixed in also. That is a lot of signals. BTW. and please don't bombard me with snarky comments because of my post.
Click to expand...

The reason for that is likely because roughly 48% of the Jackson market is African American, and I would say when the new census comes out that percentage is going to be higher. No snark intended on my part, merely pointing out a fact.
 
In addition to Hip-Hop, blues r&B and soul, you've also have several stations playing black gospel either full time or part time. I understand why there are so many black stations but It's just too much competition. It may spread the listeners out too thin. I think someone should try grabbing some of the old "River" listeners by going with classic hits, oldies or even soft AC even if the audience is getting old. Maybe one of the smaller stations could try it if they get their lunch eaten.
 
Jonathan said:
The reason for that is likely because roughly 48% of the Jackson market is African American, and I would say when the new census comes out that percentage is going to be higher. No snark intended on my part, merely pointing out a fact.
Click to expand...

The Nielsen 12+ population of the MSA (Metro Survey Area) is Total 420,000 Black 204,000. That is with the 2020 update from the Census' PEP annual revision.
 
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