97.1 The River Flooded the Competition in 2021

[megahertz]

Seeing WSRV #1 6+ for December prompted me to take a deeper look over the last year. They were #1 or #2 18-49 for 11 months of 2021. 25-54 they were no lower than #3 for the year. My 18-34 data is a little spotty, but they were #1 at least one month and top five at least three months of 2021.

The data doesn't lie. It's not just old, out of demo people listening to "classic" radio. Quite the contrary. A large part of the Atlanta in-money demo that advertisers are seeking are locking their radios to 97.1. With this undisputable data, it seems ludicrous to me that someone hasn't tried classic hits, classic alternative, or some other non-current music format on one of the severely underperforming signals.

Thoughts?

 

[jabba17]

Seeing WSRV #1 6+ for December prompted me to take a deeper look over the last year. They were #1 or #2 18-49 for 11 months of 2021. 25-54 they were no lower than #3 for the year. My 18-34 data is a little spotty, but they were #1 at least one month and top five at least three months of 2021.

The data doesn't lie. It's not just old, out of demo people listening to "classic" radio. Quite the contrary. A large part of the Atlanta in-money demo that advertisers are seeking are locking their radios to 97.1. With this undisputable data, it seems ludicrous to me that someone hasn't tried classic hits, classic alternative, or some other non-current music format on one of the severely underperforming signals.

Thoughts?

I've said before that Atlanta is missing a classic/adult/variety hits station. River's playlist is 95% classic rock, stuff that would have been heard primarily on AOR back in the day, not Top 40. And B98.5 has abandoned what little they had left in their playlist.

And someone will inevitably tell me why I am wrong.

Classic alternative starts getting into the realm of narrowcasting IMO. Do you play college radio stuff from the 70s and 80s? Grunge, etc. from the 90s? Classic MTV New Wave hits (now you're getting into classic hits territory for the stuff that did actually chart)? AAA (hello, 92.9 Dave FM)? How deep do you go (deep cuts don't test as well)? Not all of this stuff plays nicely together, and then you're in stiff competition with Spotify and other streaming when someone wants a narrowcast. Cumulus couldn't figure out how to make that one work with their various post-99.7 versions of 99X.

Kicks and Y106/Eagle even had a classic country show, but that's now a thing of the past. And Kicks didn't do well when they had their "90s to today" playlist, which ought to have worked all day. And Clear Channel tried their "Legend" format briefly, albeit on 96.7.

 

[Lotologist492]

I still believe the reason the ATL market does not have an AC / variety hits station is all the big players are very busy, entrenched in other format wars and do not want to relinquish any fight(s) in favor of a format flip. And this has seemingly been the case for a good long while. It is for this reason Atlanta's "official listen at work" station is a hot-AC, and it has only gotten hotter since 2012. The lone exception was in late-2015 the translator on 98.9 aired AC for the week after Christmas, branded as "Warm 98.9". Alas, it was a decoy for zombie-99X.

Interesting point on The River and no challengers for that format in spite of the runaway ratings they enjoy.

 

[jabba17]

I thought that Star would grab the "classic hits" format when they flipped, but they've seemed to have taken a rather narrowcast approach with their classic rhythmic format. Then again, 104.1 was successful with that for years until they moved to a more-successful currents format.

If you've never listened to Star 94.1 HD-2 it's classic hits, and a treat. Audacy streams it, so you can get it on a computer or phone as well. So they do know how to put together a good classic hits playlist. It centers on the 80s but with plenty of 70s and 90s material as well. Then there's Cox's 103.7 Chuck FM which is also classic hits, which can be received in the NE suburbs but not across the metro.

Audacy calls Star 94 HD-2 "the classic sound of Star". To be more accurate it's really "the classic sound of 94Q", but much of their listenership wouldn't get that.

 

[RoddyFreeman]

I thought that Star would grab the "classic hits" format when they flipped, but they've seemed to have taken a rather narrowcast approach with their classic rhythmic format. Then again, 104.1 was successful with that for years until they moved to a more-successful currents format.

If you've never listened to Star 94.1 HD-2 it's classic hits, and a treat. Audacy streams it, so you can get it on a computer or phone as well. So they do know how to put together a good classic hits playlist. It centers on the 80s but with plenty of 70s and 90s material as well. Then there's Cox's 103.7 Chuck FM which is also classic hits, which can be received in the NE suburbs but not across the metro.

Audacy calls Star 94 HD-2 "the classic sound of Star". To be more accurate it's really "the classic sound of 94Q", but much of their listenership wouldn't get that.

I really enjoy Star 94 HD-2 and listen in the car via my phone. It's really analogous to the Classic Hits stations (i.e., WLS-FM) in other markets. The only thing close to Classic Hits on FM is FOX FM at 102.1. It's a well-programmed station, but I consider it to be midway between Star 94 HD-2 and The River, leaning a little to the rock side of Classic Hits. And of course, it's only 80 watts (at a decent height).

 

[megahertz]

Classic alternative starts getting into the realm of narrowcasting IMO. Do you play college radio stuff from the 70s and 80s? Grunge, etc. from the 90s? Classic MTV New Wave hits (now you're getting into classic hits territory for the stuff that did actually chart)? AAA (hello, 92.9 Dave FM)? How deep do you go (deep cuts don't test as well)? Not all of this stuff plays nicely together, and then you're in stiff competition with Spotify and other streaming when someone wants a narrowcast. Cumulus couldn't figure out how to make that one work with their various post-99.7 versions of 99X.

I get it. Obviously, classic hits would be a much bigger draw than classic alternative. Just wishful thinking.

99X on 97.9 did about as well as OG 97.9 is doing - around 1.0 6+ share with a cume of ~250k. Moving to 99.1 and then finally to 98.9 drastically reduced ratings due to the significant interference that 97.9 doesn't experience. 98.9 is unlistenable even in Sandy Springs most of the time since they had to reduce power a few years back.

 

[RoddyFreeman]

One thing about The River that has always surprised me is it throws such a strong signal into Atlanta from probably 55-60 miles away. Not sure if the old Fox 97's signal was as good in Atlanta; might have been, or it may just be the high level of engineering at Cox. Of course, FM car radios these days are really excellent at pulling in signals.

 

[jabba17]

Don't forget iHeart has restarted 96 Rock as an online station on iHeartRadio. I guess if they wanted to test it out, they could put it on 105.7.

 

[jabba17]

One thing about The River that has always surprised me is it throws such a strong signal into Atlanta from probably 55-60 miles away. Not sure if the old Fox 97's signal was as good in Atlanta; might have been, or it may just be the high level of engineering at Cox. Of course, FM car radios these days are really excellent at pulling in signals.

In the early 80s 97 FOX was hard to pull in in the metro area, unless you got out to Forsyth or Hall County. I used to play around with my radios to get the best signal, as they had a markedly different playlist than Z-93 and a lower spot load. But when they moved in around 1982-1983, they made a major upgrade to their signal. WWID Wide 107 (106.7) was always a lot easier to pick up, if only because there wasn't much competition at that end of the dial.

I just looked up in Broadcasting Yearbook; in 1980 both WWID and WFOX were 100kW at 540' HAAT. So good power but a rather short stick, about a third of where they each are today (WAKL on the Fish Stick and WSRV on the Chateau Elan tower).

I think by the end of the decade (if not sooner) 97.1 had their massive signal. I remember picking up Fox 97 in Columbia, SC in 1991.

Keep in mind that WSRV is one of only two full class C's in ATL, and second only to WAKL (the other full class C) in HAAT.

I also checked Google Maps; it's only a 45-mile drive from Five Points to Chateau Elan (driving miles, not crow flight miles).

 

[Mitch Brewer]

I like Chuck FM. It's a hard catch in most of Atlanta but they have an interesting mix. Sometimes I don't even understand the mix between one song and the next but I usually like them all. Also, I like TOSOTR. Weak signal but a nice mix of music.

 

[acheron1982]

I'm 39 years old. My personal choice is alternative music and always has been but my second choice has always been classic rock. In the original post, the success of 97.1 is in part trying to make an argument for a true classic hits station and there is a suggestion that it would perform similarly. I disagree.

First, I think Atlanta needs a classic hits station that focuses on top 40/pop hits of the 70s, 80s, and 90s. I personally wouldn't listen to it but I know plenty of people that would and I think it would definitely make money. However, I don't think you can compare a classic rocker to a true classic hit station from a stats perspective. I'm going to listen to Pink Floyd and Heart way before I'm going to listen to Abba or The Carpenters. I'm going to listen to REO Speedwagon and Styx way before I'm going to listen to 80's Chicago and Whitney Houston.

My point is that comparing a 70's Classic Rocker to a 70's Classic Hits station is like comparing 99X or Rock 100.5 to Q99.7. You can't assume a station that plays AC/DC is going to get a similar group of listeners as one that plays Boy George.

 

[101tm]

Keep in mind no successful In a top 50 market is going to play ABBA (other than “Dancing Queen” or The Carpenters, though. Most have abandoned almost all of the early 70s and play more 90s than 70s now. The biggest difference is you’ll have more pop new wave from the 80s, Whitney Houston, Madonna, Cyndi Lauper, Prince, Elton John, some slower pop songs/ballads etc but most successful classic hits stations have more of a rock lean, although more personality than The River.

The River isn’t truly classic rock, but it’s definitely not classic hits in the traditional sense. The format was obviously heavily researched by Cox as they seem to be the only ones doing it and doing it successfully - look at Jacksonville, Houston, Orlando, and even Tampa to a degree.

Due to The River, Atlanta is unfortunately not likely to ever get a traditional classic hits station. It’s unfortunate because there is a void for a lot of 80s and 90s stuff with B98.5 being almost early 2000s-today, and Star being a semi mess mainly playing rhythmic. A Jack FM type station could cover these voids as well. The most I can see is maybe Audacy blows up Star 94 and would hopefully start over with a whole new brand, or iHeart does something at 105.7. Cumulus seems dead set on rock at 100.5.

The market is just pretty much gridlocked. Cox and Urban One aren’t going to change anything, Cox doesn’t need to, Cumulus seems to do alright with what they have. If there’s any kind of variety hits or classic hits format, or ANYTHING to change, it’s going to either go on 94.1 or 105.7.

 

[jabba17]

What Audacy is doing with Star 94-HD2 70s-wise tends to be more upbeat material, primarily from the disco era forward. It's mostly disco/rhythmic hits (that have stood the test of time) as well as upbeat non-rhythmic hits from the second half (or even the last third) of the decade. There's no soft AC from the 70s; indeed, there's not really any soft AC material at all from any time period. They've eschewed pretty much all "AM gold" from the first half of the decade.

Very interestingly, they seem to avoid pop ballads altogether from any time period (with the exception of powerful rock ballads from AOR acts that carry a lot of presence). It's almost like they have deliberately avoided programming the station to sound like a 1980s/1990s AC station and instead much more like a late 70s/80s CHR, with a lot of energy, but the playlist seems to be much more deliberately curated than a "we play everything" Jack-type station.

 

[Gregg.]

Atlanta has to be one of the most unusual radio markets in the U.S. It's #7 but in some ways, it lacks things found in medium-sized radio markets...

--97.1 WSRV is not quite Classic Rock. It calls itself Classic Hits, even though all the songs are rock. It doesn't use jingles like a Classic Hits station and its DJs are more laid back than Classic Hits DJs.

--98.5 WSB-FM is not quite AC. It is hotter than most AC stations but it's not as contemporary as a Hot AC.

--103.3 WVEE had once been Atlanta's clear Urban leader, often #1 across the board. But it's been dropping in recent years and shares the Urban audience with two Urban AC outlets.

--Atlanta has THREE Christian Contemporary stations with full power, all in the commercial band. 104.7 WFSH is a commercial station owned by Salem, 106.7 WAKL is a non-commercial K-Love outlet and 93.3 WVFJ runs the non-commercial Joy FM network.

--Atlanta has no true AC station like WLTW or KOST and no full power secular station that switches to Christmas music.

--Atlanta has no Classic Hits station like a WCBS-FM or WLS-FM.

--Atlanta has no Classical station. Nearly all large markets have a non-commercial Classical outlet.

--Atlanta has only one AM station that adequately covers the entire market at night. Atlanta has seven AM stations that run 50,000 watts in the daytime (640, 680, 750, 1010, 1080, 1160, 1550). But only WSB maintains that power at night. Most of the others drop off a cliff, several to less than 100 watts.

 

[LegalTender]

Due to The River, Atlanta is unfortunately not likely to ever get a traditional classic hits station.

MyFoxFM 102.1 is reasonably close.

80W at 800 feet its undoing.

 

[victorres43]

Atlanta has to be one of the most unusual radio markets in the U.S. It's #7 but in some ways, it lacks things found in medium-sized radio markets...

--97.1 WSRV is not quite Classic Rock. It calls itself Classic Hits, even though all the songs are rock. It doesn't use jingles like a Classic Hits station and its DJs are more laid back than Classic Hits DJs.

--98.5 WSB-FM is not quite AC. It is hotter than most AC stations but it's not as contemporary as a Hot AC.

--103.3 WVEE had once been Atlanta's clear Urban leader, often #1 across the board. But it's been dropping in recent years and shares the Urban audience with two Urban AC outlets.

--Atlanta has THREE Christian Contemporary stations with full power, all in the commercial band. 104.7 WFSH is a commercial station owned by Salem, 106.7 WAKL is a non-commercial K-Love outlet and 93.3 WVFJ runs the non-commercial Joy FM network.

--Atlanta has no true AC station like WLTW or KOST and no full power secular station that switches to Christmas music.

--Atlanta has no Classic Hits station like a WCBS-FM or WLS-FM.

--Atlanta has no Classical station. Nearly all large markets have a non-commercial Classical outlet.

--Atlanta has only one AM station that adequately covers the entire market at night. Atlanta has seven AM stations that run 50,000 watts in the daytime (640, 680, 750, 1010, 1080, 1160, 1550). But only WSB maintains that power at night. Most of the others drop off a cliff, several to less than 100 watts.

Also must add:

• For several, non-consecutive years, Atlanta lacked a mainstream CHR (from 1992-1999 and 2006-2012).
• The Atlanta cluster may be one of iHeartMedia's weakest in a large or major market. Cox has a stronghold in Atlanta.
• Urban ACs in the South tend to lean towards softer soul sounds. Not so much the case in Atlanta, even though WALR used to be an urban oldies station.
• For a well-educated market, WABE tends to underperform. This contrasts with the likes of WUNC and WAMU.

 

[RoddyFreeman]

Also must add:

• For several, non-consecutive years, Atlanta lacked a mainstream CHR (from 1992-1999 and 2006-2012).
• The Atlanta cluster may be one of iHeartMedia's weakest in a large or major market. Cox has a stronghold in Atlanta.
• Urban ACs in the South tend to lean towards softer soul sounds. Not so much the case in Atlanta, even though WALR used to be an urban oldies station.
• For a well-educated market, WABE tends to underperform. This contrasts with the likes of WUNC and WAMU.

WUNC and WAMU are ratings steamrollers. I listen to WABE/NPR and don't perceive them to be biased, but the markets where the NPR station gets top ratings are very liberal: Austin, Portland, Seattle, Piedmont Triangle, Washington, DC., San Francisco.

 

[victorres43]

WUNC and WAMU are ratings steamrollers. I listen to WABE/NPR and don't perceive them to be biased, but the markets where the NPR station gets top ratings are very liberal: Austin, Portland, Seattle, Piedmont Triangle, Washington, DC., San Francisco.

Phoenix, San Diego, and Nashville are all conservative for urban areas, and NPR performs robustly in these places. (Although NPR woefully underperforms in Houston, St. Louis, and the Inland Empire, amidst a fairly strong news/talk presence in the former two.)

Also, NPR isn't doing too shabby in Charlotte and the Piedmont Triad.

 

[jabba17]

Also must add:

• For several, non-consecutive years, Atlanta lacked a mainstream CHR (from 1992-1999 and 2006-2012).
• The Atlanta cluster may be one of iHeartMedia's weakest in a large or major market. Cox has a stronghold in Atlanta.
• Urban ACs in the South tend to lean towards softer soul sounds. Not so much the case in Atlanta, even though WALR used to be an urban oldies station.
• For a well-educated market, WABE tends to underperform. This contrasts with the likes of WUNC and WAMU.

WABE used to be the classical outlet until they went full-time NPR. I think they still have classical on an HD-2 signal.

iHeart's problem in Atlanta is that they have only two market-covering FMs, both of which do respectably. The rest of their FMs don't cover the market (they haven't done as good a job as Cox at moving their rimshots into town, not sure what they can do about that, though), and they don't have a class A clear channel AM station either.

 

[secondchoice]

Almost every market has quirks. One of Atlanta’s is the lack of “market covering signals” That could be another thread but I will leave that to someone else. According to the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce website* 720,000 people have moved into the market since 2010. We are clearly under signaled. The new population alone is bigger than the total El Paso TX market or over half of the Jacksonville FL market.

IMHO all the “Corporate” clusters with good signals are making enough money that the lost revenue from a flip cannot be recovered in a quarter. Why endanger a quarterly bonus?

* https://www.metroatlantachamber.com/resources/reports-and-information/executive-profile