WOGL Rebrands at Big 98.1

[101tm]

Is it just me, or are Audacy’s recently played lists buggy? I’ve been trying to compare WOGL to some of the other Audacy stations and the recently played list is only half music. It’s like liners are being counted as recently played songs. The rest is a bunch of filler like this so it’s hard to get a full picture of what the others are playing:

• Played at 8:03 pm EDT
  Nobody Plays More '80s
  The Drive at Night
• Played at 8:03 pm EDT
  94.7 The Drive
  Spanky is On Air
• Played at 8:02 pm EDT
  Nobody Plays More '80s
  The Drive at Night
• Played at 8:01 pm EDT
  Nobody Plays More '80

Example: https://www.audacy.com/947thedrive/listen#recently-played

 

[pjc1961]

Yes, the Audacy playlists are buggy.
In fact, a few weeks ago there was a thread on the Los Angeles board about a perceived change in Saturday morning programming at KRTH (based on the playlist that appeared on their website).
Turns out the playlist that appeared on KRTH's site and other Audacy music-formatted stations on that Saturday morning were taken from a two-hour period on Tue. February 15, 2022 on WXRT (Adult Album Alternative) Chicago.
I happened to see that same stray playlist show up this past Saturday when looking at WOGL's playlist.

 

[ScottBurns]

I was thinking about this yesterday. If any station in the market is going to be effected by Big 98.1, it's going to be BEN-FM. I don't think Audacy is going to suddenly switch tracks and head in a more rhythmic direction. But it might not be a bad idea for BEN to try it because I really think BEN's audience is going to like what Big is doing (if they ever discover it).

Is it just me, or does BEN-FM lean much more Rock than other Variety Hits stations? For a comparison, I am thinking of Big 103/Boston, which is owned by Audacy. The latter plays some '90s rap.

 

[Miguelito]

Is it just me, or does BEN-FM lean much more Rock than other Variety Hits stations? For a comparison, I am thinking of Big 103/Boston, which is owned by Audacy. The latter plays some '90s rap.

I can't say that I've compared them to other Variety Hits stations but I don't have the impression that BEN is particularly negligent on the non-Rock stuff. Plenty of Rock there, don't get me wrong. But I just quickly scrolled through their playlist for the past five hours and I see artists like Michael Jackson, Outkast, Earth Wind and Fire, Fugees, Deniece Williams, Madonna, Aretha Franklin, Club Nouveau, Wham, Young MC, Eddy Grant, Dazz Band, Cyndi Lauper, Montell Jordan, ABBA, Laura Branigan, and TLC.

I hear the station occasionally but I didn't realize how often they play Michael Jackson. It's like, a lot! Maybe the station isn't named after Ben Franklin, but is actually named after little Michael's pet rat.

 

[ScottBurns]

I can't say that I've compared them to other Variety Hits stations but I don't have the impression that BEN is particularly negligent on the non-Rock stuff. Plenty of Rock there, don't get me wrong. But I just quickly scrolled through their playlist for the past five hours and I see artists like Michael Jackson, Outkast, Earth Wind and Fire, Fugees, Deniece Williams, Madonna, Aretha Franklin, Club Nouveau, Wham, Young MC, Eddy Grant, Dazz Band, Cyndi Lauper, Montell Jordan, ABBA, Laura Branigan, and TLC.

I hear the station occasionally but I didn't realize how often they play Michael Jackson. It's like, a lot! Maybe the station isn't named after Ben Franklin, but is actually named after little Michael's pet rat.

Perhaps I worded it wrong; I think BEN-FM plays more Rock than other Variety Hits stations, and they certainly don't play some of the Rap I have heard on stations like Boston's Big 103. The latter, for what it's worth, plays a lot of Michael Jackson too.

 

[Miguelito]

Perhaps I worded it wrong; I think BEN-FM plays more Rock than other Variety Hits stations, and they certainly don't play some of the Rap I have heard on stations like Boston's Big 103. The latter, for what it's worth, plays a lot of Michael Jackson too.

I promise I am not arguing with you. LOL. I just decided to take a look at Big 103's playlist and I am seeing mostly Rock and very little in the way or Rap or Rhythmic. I mean, I just scrolled a few hours so I certainly could have missed something but the first thing I saw that could potentially be considered Rap was Vanilla Ice. A bit further down, I did see "The Next Episode" by Dr. Dre & Snoop Dogg which is a song I wouldn't mind hearing but which I don't think BEN-FM touches. Also, I love that Big 103 just played "Butterfly" by Crazy Town. I guess that song tests well up there? Seems to me like an "Oh Wow" title and we know what has become of those!

Admittedly, I had never heard of Big 103 but I'm glad you brought it up because, based on their online playlist, I dig it!

 

[ScottBurns]

I promise I am not arguing with you. LOL. I just decided to take a look at Big 103's playlist and I am seeing mostly Rock and very little in the way or Rap or Rhythmic. I mean, I just scrolled a few hours so I certainly could have missed something but the first thing I saw that could potentially be considered Rap was Vanilla Ice. A bit further down, I did see "The Next Episode" by Dr. Dre & Snoop Dogg which is a song I wouldn't mind hearing but which I don't think BEN-FM touches. Also, I love that Big 103 just played "Butterfly" by Crazy Town. I guess that song tests well up there? Seems to me like an "Oh Wow" title and we know what has become of those!

Admittedly, I had never heard of Big 103 but I'm glad you brought it up because, based on their online playlist, I dig it!

Perhaps I am overstating the amount of Rap on Big 103, but here are examples of songs I have heard on Big 103 that I have never heard on BEN-FM:
1. "Gin & Juice" - Snoop Dogg
2. "O.P.P." - Naughty by Nature
3. "California Love" - Tupac
4. "Hypnotize" - Notorious B.I.G.
5. "Jump Around" - House of Pain

Big 103 definitely is Rock-based. But they plan a great deal of Rhythmic and Rap titles that, like you said, BEN-FM would not touch.

 

[Miguelito]

Perhaps I am overstating the amount of Rap on Big 103, but here are examples of songs I have heard on Big 103 that I have never heard on BEN-FM:
1. "Gin & Juice" - Snoop Dogg
2. "O.P.P." - Naughty by Nature
3. "California Love" - Tupac
4. "Hypnotize" - Notorious B.I.G.
5. "Jump Around" - House of Pain

Big 103 definitely is Rock-based. But they plan a great deal of Rhythmic and Rap titles that, like you said, BEN-FM would not touch.

All songs I would enjoy hearing on BEN. I guess they have data saying that I'm the only one!

 

[Rich_M]

Perhaps I am overstating the amount of Rap on Big 103, but here are examples of songs I have heard on Big 103 that I have never heard on BEN-FM:
1. "Gin & Juice" - Snoop Dogg
2. "O.P.P." - Naughty by Nature
3. "California Love" - Tupac
4. "Hypnotize" - Notorious B.I.G.
5. "Jump Around" - House of Pain

Big 103 definitely is Rock-based. But they plan a great deal of Rhythmic and Rap titles that, like you said, BEN-FM would not touch.

All songs I would enjoy hearing on BEN. I guess they have data saying that I'm the only one!

I second/third this. Bring all these over to BEN, please!
Edit: or OGL, I don't care either way.

 

[101tm]

Since Ben FM is locked in to a competition with WOGL, I don’t think they’re going to go too “out there” and add hip hop if WOGL has not.

The nicest thing about adult hits is that similarly to AC, it can be adjusted “as needed” depending on the competitive forces in the market. You’ll notice KCBS-FM in LA has a quite different sound and is much heavier on newer music (or was the last time I checked), and is successful along with KRTH which is right down the hall.

Jack FM in Dallas is more of a “mainstream” adult hits station in that there’s nothing notable about its direction, which has kept 98.7 KLUV on an older and less rock heavy lean. However looking at recent numbers they might want to re-examine the situation in Dallas considering KLUV’s mediocre numbers of late.

 

[ScottBurns]

Since Ben FM is locked in to a competition with WOGL, I don’t think they’re going to go too “out there” and add hip hop if WOGL has not.

The nicest thing about adult hits is that similarly to AC, it can be adjusted “as needed” depending on the competitive forces in the market. You’ll notice KCBS-FM in LA has a quite different sound and is much heavier on newer music (or was the last time I checked), and is successful along with KRTH which is right down the hall.

Jack FM in Dallas is more of a “mainstream” adult hits station in that there’s nothing notable about its direction, which has kept 98.7 KLUV on an older and less rock heavy lean. However looking at recent numbers they might want to re-examine the situation in Dallas considering KLUV’s mediocre numbers of late.

The thing I love about the format is that it’s wide and it isn’t so repetitive, unlike, say, Classic Hits or Hot AC. Dallas’s Jack is also pretty Rock heavy.

 

[JH_Radio]

To me, an interesting Adult Hits station is 105.1 WSBW "The Goat."

 

[JH_Radio]

I mean Stained "Right Here" to the temps "The way you do the things you do?"
Ben would never do this.

 

[Rich_M]

I don’t think they’re going to go too “out there” and add hip hop if WOGL has not.

I think that's a recurring theme here. Too afraid to play anything outside a rigid playlist, while being so repetitive I can't stand to listen more than a few hours a week. How many listeners are really scared off if a playlist contains a handful of more adventurous tracks, vs. listeners who don't come back because they've heard Jack and Diane/Free Fallin'/Hotel California for the 7th time this week. 🤷‍♂️

 

[ScottBurns]

I think that's a recurring theme here. Too afraid to play anything outside a rigid playlist, while being so repetitive I can't stand to listen more than a few hours a week. How many listeners are really scared off if a playlist contains a handful of more adventurous tracks, vs. listeners who don't come back because they've heard Jack and Diane/Free Fallin'/Hotel California for the 7th time this week. 🤷‍♂️

Well said. The extremely tight playlists turned me right off. It makes nearly all radio boring to me.

 

[TheBigA]

How many listeners are really scared off if a playlist contains a handful of more adventurous tracks, vs. listeners who don't come back because they've heard Jack and Diane/Free Fallin'/Hotel California for the 7th time this week. 🤷‍♂️

Do you want to know the statistics? The percentage of people who want occasional adventurous tracks is about 7-9% compared to the majority who want songs they know & love. Why do you think this station does so well? You don't program to the minority.

This isn't a hobby. People who program this station aren't guessing. They're working off known numbers.

BTW statistically people who want deeper playlists are also older than the people who want the familiar favorites. So there is no upside. These changes at WOGL are aimed to bring down the average age.

 

[PTBoardOp94]

I think that's a recurring theme here. Too afraid to play anything outside a rigid playlist, while being so repetitive I can't stand to listen more than a few hours a week.

But that's exactly who radio is programming for: People who listen to any individual station for just a few hours a week. The national average for daily radio listening is about 1.5 hours, and they listen to 4-6 separate radio stations in a week.

So if Big 98.1 has only a few listeners who listen more than 10 hours a week, that's fine.

 

[Rich_M]

You're quoting ratings and stats as if the medium is on an upswing or even in its heyday. In my 41 years no one has ever asked me or anyone I know which radio stations I'm listening to or what I'd like to hear. The number of people who ever get a radio survey (and can be bothered to respond to it accurately - remember, what people say they want and what they actually want are two different things) seems to be a very small sample size.
It's pretty clear they're looking for quick ratings over maximizing future listenership.

1. Play a concise heavy rotation playlist to give new listeners the vibe of the new station
2. Get some promising initial ratings
3. Fail to adequately expand and freshen playlist
4. Listeners get bored and go elsewhere
5. Ratings lag - flip the format!
6. Repeat until the carcass turns into a talk or religious station

I'm not asking for deep tracks, just a wider variety format of multiple genres and decades that were somewhat high on the charts. This could easily produce a 500 song playlist without a single unfamiliar track.

 

[AbrahamJSimpson]

Playing garbage tracks most people you survey tell you “no” to us quite literally not maximizing future listenership.

 

[TheBigA]

You're quoting ratings and stats as if the medium is on an upswing or even in its heyday. In my 41 years no one has ever asked me or anyone I know which radio stations I'm listening to or what I'd like to hear.

Just because you haven't been asked doesn't mean research isn't done. There are companies (one across the river in NJ) that spend all of their time doing market research. They're not making this up. If you want bigger playlists, there are lots of hobby stations that you can stream. Or pay for Sirius. Radio stations today are trying to attract advertisers, and this is what they have to do to get them. They're not happy about it. But advertising is their only revenue stream. If they could sell subscriptions, they'd program differently.

I'm not asking for deep tracks, just a wider variety format of multiple genres and decades that were somewhat high on the charts. This could easily produce a 500 song playlist without a single unfamiliar track.

Once again, the issue here isn't strictly ratings. WOGL gets great 6+ numbers. The problem is the bulk of the listeners are over 50, and that's becoming a problem for sales. The way to bring down the average age is to tighten the playlist and play the hits more frequently. That's the model also used for younger-targeted formats such as CHR and country. The programmers have to find a way to lose some of the older listeners. This is what they've decided to do. You want a bigger & more diverse playlist? Listen to B101.