Hubbard spent a lot of money to get it done right. They hired experienced & knowledgeable local people who the audience should have embraced. But they didn't.
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KPNW back to Country?
- Thread starter TimmyWA
- Start date
Hubbard spent a lot of money to get it done right. They hired experienced & knowledgeable local people who the audience should have embraced. But they didn't.
I agree in the sense that I really wanted to see KPNW take off and succeed. While I’ll still argue that the potential was there, I can’t blame them for flipping the switch if they had any foresight that 101.5 would be flipping to country. They could either continue to experiment, or hop back into a format that they know will work. In the end, they decided to go with the safe option.
My hope is that they put the same amount of energy into “The Bull” as they put into KPNW. Towards the end of the first run of “The Bull,” it felt like the programming got a bit lazy. The Bobby Bones show really wasn’t likeable, and I personally would have done everything possible to keep the mornings show local (in an effort to give the station more of a competitive edge with The Wolf).
This can definitely work (and win) with the right about of investment.
The reality is they won't have to. It'll be a 2 share station out of the box.
And it will bring The Wolf down to about the same range.
KGON went on the air in 1974 and I would have to say that KINK stayed competitive with them until about 1976 and then began evolving although "Lights Out", the impetus for the NAC format began in 1973. That puts KINK as a AAA station for about 48 years!
Not necessarily, The Wolf could conceivably drop a point or two while the new guys compete for second place. It wouldn't be the first time that listeners prefer the incumbent.
Looking at the ratings prior to KNUC's flip to AAA, the two stations were about even. Bringing back Fitz, who is the heritage talent, might even give The Bull and edge.
I think they absolutely could have the edge. Add in a good afternoon show that’s local and this station instantly starts looking better. Not that there’s anything wrong with the afternoon show over on The Wolf per se, but it feels like you’re listening to an impersonal national feed.
Why does everyone think the Bull has the edge here? Remember that Hubbard hired Fitz when they initially launched the Bull. The thread was started on this board in May 2018 and he lasted what, two years before they brought in Bobby Bones? Why would that not happen again? Sure, it made complete sense to flip out of AAA especially if there were rumors of a competitor coming into the market, but given that even with Fitz in the morning the first time, the best they could do was be roughly equal to the Wolf.
That would be true if there weren't a third station in the mix and I'm not saying that it couldn't still happen but all else being equal, I think the home team has the advantage.
I’m not sure we should look at their first run as a shining example of their potential. They (Hubbard) tried a morning show that didn’t really take off. Fitz returned, but then COVID hit, which really messed with the entire industry across the board. While I’m not able to confirm the exact timeline, I believe Bobby Bones started appearing on 98.9 shortly after the pandemic began. At that point, they had really fallen behind and were no longer that competitive.
We’ll have to see what happens now. We’re in a completely different timeline, and now will be able to see what Hubbard can do with it. If they make the right moves, there’s no reason why it (98.9) can’t succeed.
He could probably do the show from Texas if that’s the case. I think listeners would still think of him as being local though. The programming would still be more local than Bobby Bones, which was not local at all.
With voice-tracking so prevalent these days, major market stations actually have a huge advantage over the small markets. Few, if any of the listeners of a Seattle station, for example, have any idea where the morning talent lives. In a small town, listeners see their favorite personality at the grocery store and local events.
The Bull will bring the Wolf down from a 7.1 to a 2?
Medium markets, too. In a recent Radio Insight piece on WMLL, in the Manchester, NH, market, there's this quote from the Saga station's brand manager, implying that not only are the on-air personalities going to be in Manchester, but so will be all decisions on the country station's playlist:
“In an era where more and more stations are using out of state remote voice trackers, syndication, and corporate playlists, we are so fortunate and thrilled to offer local talent and local programming to super serve southern New Hampshire.”
Live Free Country Sets On-Air Lineup Headed By Tommy Jordan & Laura Stelchook In Mornings - RadioInsight
Saga Communications’ “96.5 Live Free Country” WMLL Bedford/Manchester NH has debuted its full on-air lineup. WMLL, which flipped to Country last December, will be anchored by Tommy Jordan and Laura Stelchook in mornings. It marks a return to the company for Jordan, who previously hosted mornings...
radioinsight.com
Average day in Grays Harbor?
"Hey look its boss Bill in the checkout line. Hey what about that Jason aldean song I heard on Bigfoot Country and what about Beyonce?" Can I borrow a few bucks for some smokes?"
That's pretty much what happens. I had a friend who spent his whole career in a small town from age 14 to 47, when he died. He was a local celebrity!
It depends. Some people seek that out, and some don't. I remember not long ago the morning guy at the local rock station did a M&G at a local store. He just wanted to chat with the folks. Others use their celebrity to hide behind the microphone. They don't post pictures, they don't engage, even on social media, because they're afraid of what that'll lead to. It's more about the personality than the market. I seem to recall the folks at KMPS liked to get out among the folks.
It used to be the norm during the summer to see local dj's doing remote broadcasts. 3-4 stations would set up at the Puyallup or Evergreen State Fairs, car dealerships, etc. Outside of KISM up in Bellingham I can't recall the last time I heard some doing a remote broadcast. I think it's interns doing the fair circuit these days.
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