• 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

WBUF

No surprise at all that Nik Rivers has been fired; the music since the format transition has been the handiwork of WWBN PD, Tony LaBrie, out of Flint.

No reason to pay a guy to program 1 station in a middle-sized market when one of the most important aspects of the programming (the music) isn't even under his control.
 
MarkW said:
No surprise at all that Nik Rivers has been fired; the music since the format transition has been the handiwork of WWBN PD, Tony LaBrie, out of Flint.

No reason to pay a guy to program 1 station in a middle-sized market when one of the most important aspects of the programming (the music) isn't even under his control.
Click to expand...
What exactly did he do as Brand Manager? Since the gig only lasted 9 months, it was pointless to hire him at all.
His predecessor Crowley left for a better job in Charlotte, so he may have known what was coming.

Town Square doesn't have any competent strategy for WBUF. Their management is committed to that dreadful Beer morning show and a playlist that repels listeners...
 
I'll make this point again: When WBUF switched over to rock, they SHOULD have taken some tips from CHTZ(97.7 HTZ FM)on how to do a rock station correctly. Yes, HTZ FM is part of Bell Media, but you don't have a history of over 30 years of being a rock station without some idea of what to do with that format. Near as I can tell, HTZ is live and local from early in the morning to early in the evening. And the playlist is a HELL of a lot better.
 
ckg279 said:
HTZ is live and local from early in the morning to early in the evening. And the playlist is a HELL of a lot better.
Click to expand...

Remember that WBUF had NO air personalities before the format change, and it got better ratings. Regarding the WBUF playlist, its changed several times in the last two years.
 
TheBigA said:
Remember that WBUF had NO air personalities before the format change, and it got better ratings. Regarding the WBUF playlist, its changed several times in the last two years.
Click to expand...
That's correct. JACK performed better with minimal effort.
Live & Local doesn't necessarily mean better. WBUF is neither anyway. The problem is a bad morning show and bad music. WBUF is now airing the exact type of morning show that the JACK sweepers used to mock.

WBUF keeps changing its playlist because it's not working.
I have no idea what demos they targeting with the current product. There are other options, but of course that would mean OLD listeners...
 
Nik Rivers, formerly PD at WBUF and WLKK, is moving to Rochester in a few weeks:

https://news.****************/cgi-bin/rol.exe/headline_id=n42966

Stephens Media Group names Nic Rivers as Operations Manager for its three-station cluster in Rochester, NY, effective December 16. Rivers, the former Program Director for WZNE in Rochester, is returning to the building as Operations Manager for the cluster, this time overseeing programming for all three of the Stephens Media properties. Most recently, he served as Program Director for WLKK/Buffalo.
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
leethalweapon said:
A question for those in the know. Stephens Media (Rochester) aren't part of the Arbitron ratings, so how do they measure performance without official data?
Click to expand...
While they can’t use Nielsen (no longer Arbitron) data for sales, I am sure that they have friends at agencies that show them the numbers. Non-subscribers are listed in the data that paid agency and subscribed station clients get.

And agencies can use that data to negotiate buys, so the one thing the station does not have is the dir etc delivery of data and the right to use it in sales presentations.
 
WBUF has a relevance problem. Same as WLKK. That’s what happens when you try to copy a market leader as a jukebox . There is no effort, no passion, no community involvement, nothing. Just an empty frequency playing non market exclusive music. I just looked at the advances for this weeks ratings and to no surprise, they are getting even worse. Doesn’t take a genius to figure out why
 
DavidEduardo said:
While they can’t use Nielsen (no longer Arbitron) data for sales, I am sure that they have friends at agencies that show them the numbers. Non-subscribers are listed in the data that paid agency and subscribed station clients get.

And agencies can use that data to negotiate buys, so the one thing the station does not have is the dir etc delivery of data and the right to use it in sales presentations.
Click to expand...
David, that is not correct. Non Subscription stations do not appear in the ratings, anywhere, even at the agency level. They are non existent unless they are minority owned non-subs
 
Buddy Shula said:
David, that is not correct. Non Subscription stations do not appear in the ratings, anywhere, even at the agency level. They are non existent unless they are minority owned non-subs
Click to expand...
Funny, but I see lots of non-subscribers in the reports I get. Nielsen has revised its policy several times in the last couple of years, and since I don't follow diary markets much any more, there may be differences there.

I just pulled up the LA November book and there is no commercial station I believe has met the minimum reporting standard that is not listed. A couple even appear with 0.0, meaning they showed in at least on daypart but did not average enough for a rating of just under 0.01 (or a share of 0.1).

I looked at Buffalo (commercial only) and the only no-shows are WDCX, WDCZand WTOR. All those seem like likely no-shows, anyhow. WDCX did show in Fall of 2020, but got zips since then. WDCZ showed in Summer and Fall of 2021, but nothing since. WTOR does not show ever, but given the target and the signal, that seems logical.
 
Buddy Shula said:
WBUF has a relevance problem. Same as WLKK. That’s what happens when you try to copy a market leader as a jukebox . There is no effort, no passion, no community involvement, nothing. Just an empty frequency playing non market exclusive music. I just looked at the advances for this weeks ratings and to no surprise, they are getting even worse. Doesn’t take a genius to figure out why
Click to expand...
WBUF has combined the worst possible playlist and a bad morning show. The results show that this is a losing formula. WBUF and WLKK aren't relevant to Radio users and irrelevant to everyone else. Corporate Radio lacks the competence to try a fresh approach, so they'll just continue down the road to Obsolescence...
 
I don't think the playlist is bad. The morning show from Grand Rapids, on the other hand, is absolutely holding the station back, in my opinion.
 
MarkW said:
I don't think the playlist is bad. The morning show from Grand Rapids, on the other hand, is absolutely holding the station back, in my opinion.
Click to expand...
playlist is hit or miss.
everything that rocks - you will hear,
well everything. and that is not good,
simply because song to song, you will have people checking out or coming back

the 15 minute drive in the AM, allows me to tune into hot wings... it's meh,
 
tbolt909 said:
WBUF has combined the worst possible playlist and a bad morning show. The results show that this is a losing formula. WBUF and WLKK aren't relevant to Radio users and irrelevant to everyone else. Corporate Radio lacks the competence to try a fresh approach, so they'll just continue down the road to Obsolescence...
Click to expand...

the morning show :
would it be "better" if you were subjected to it for a full 2 weeks. hear me out,

listening to ( fill in name' s morning show ) first time,
oh that's the host and the second voice is the co-host. I firmly believe if you got "used" to free beer. wings, by the way of someone having their way in the office or car ride
one might be able to catch
the personality of the show as I'm not sure who is who ☆ but for me, the second voice on the show is really cool - like his chill vibe

your favorite didn't become your most tolerable / favorite from only listening to
the show once...
but I would not say I'm a fan of 92.9,
my ¼ hr drive to work and the play list
give me reasons to check out.
but they have kept my attention on occasion
 
Radio-Board-Op said:
the 15 minute drive in the AM, allows me to tune into hot wings... it's meh,
Click to expand...

Radio-Board-Op said:
the morning show :
would it be "better" if you were subjected to it for a full 2 weeks.
Click to expand...
Your posts are a bit confusing. It seems like you're not sure if YOU even like the show. The low ratings indicate that people aren't interested in being "subjected to it".
Town Square is stubbornly committed to the Beer Show, but you can't force folks to "subject themselves to it"...
 
Last edited:
If I find myself listening, by hitting a preset for 92.9 when others playing commercials;
I will give them the benefit of the doubt, esp for the voice is not hot wings.

usually a song or of a break will be when I find something else. However - if the station, the only one coming in or is left on
I could see me tolerating it enough to come around but that effort will not be done my most, if anyone.

they definitely are a take it or leave it morning show. and, most are leaving
 
Status
This thread has been closed due to inactivity. You can create a new thread to discuss this topic.


Back
Top Bottom