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2025 Seattle Radio Predictions
- Thread starter DMK
- Start date
I can't see 98.9 getting out of 2025 without a format change, but I also think it'll be after Christmas 2025. It's true that they're in a better position now than they were with AAA, but they still haven't recovered their previous audience from the first go round with country. The AAA format lasted 14 months, I give the Bull about 21. If someone gave me $300 to bet that a format Seattle doesn't have will come to the market in 2025, I'd put that on classic alternative. Most of the music on those stations is from the time when Seattle was a major part of the global music universe, and Seattle doesn't have a station playing that music full time.
I think it would be a horrible idea for 98.9 to make any flips. They do country extremely well, and they should focus more on building the brand than trying to build something else from scratch. Compare 98.9 and 100.7, 98.9 is sounding arguably a lot better. I truly believe that this station stands a chance of winning the country battle if they stick with what they are doing. I think the issue here is that not enough people are even aware that it’s there. I’ve noticed more advertising for it lately, which is a good move. If I were Hubbard, I’d think about hitting the advertising hard in spring right when country starts to have a large amount of appeal.
Audacy does a great job with some of their stations (KISW being at the top of the list), but they’ve also been known to cheap out. We’ll see if 100.7 continues to stay dominant when a competitor is starting to sound more local (and overall a lot better).
Classic alternative would be splitting the ratings with 107.7 at this point. KEXP has also emerged as an alternative powerhouse. 107.7 has had to retreat a bit, and focus more on classic alternative already.
Audacy does a great job with some of their stations (KISW being at the top of the list), but they’ve also been known to cheap out. We’ll see if 100.7 continues to stay dominant when a competitor is starting to sound more local (and overall a lot better).
Classic alternative would be splitting the ratings with 107.7 at this point. KEXP has also emerged as an alternative powerhouse. 107.7 has had to retreat a bit, and focus more on classic alternative already.
I always thought 107.7 should have taken the 99X route (Atlanta) and just dived in fully to the heritage. Hire Marco Collins and image around what made it famous.
I'll have to give both stations a listen on back to back days. When I heard 98.9 in October, I was not impressed. Side rant, why do PDs think it's a good idea to only insert imaging every other song? That's what the Bull was doing when I heard them last, and it made for an incredibly boring listen. In fact, when I hear this from a station I listen to online, chances are I'm never coming back to that station. There are some exceptions to that rule, but not many, and those that do exist are usually in small towns, or at least from stations attempting to sound a bit small town, KXXO being an example.
Seriously curious, why would you want imaging between every song? There's not enough of it on most stations to be fresh. I can't listen to stations that do that for long. I like when two compatible songs segue. I find it wearing to be reminded between every single song what I'm listening to, it doesn't inspire me to spend more time with them. So I seek out the stations you avoid, for that exact reason.
I think there is a Classic Alternative HD2 in the area (unless that's been yanked off the airwaves, as happens with so many HD2's these days), and although I used to listen to KFOO-FM when they were Classic Alternative (and KGRG1 as well), perhaps that ship has sailed to Spotify and Pandora, along with a lot of other 'classic' formats that do not necessarily deliver ratings and revenue except for a few outliers.
KNDD plays a ton of classic alternative anyways. KEXP owns the new music space. Look at 99X Atlanta and tell me that wouldn't be a similar basis to lean in and own their heritage in the city that gave us grunge (and changed the sound of "alternative" radio, arguably into what later caused it to lose its way in the late 90s, but I digress.)
Many, if not most, stations operate this way, which is why the exception is especially boring. Then again, there are stations that do image every other song that are just as boring for whatever reason.
Nothing really is going to happen huge in the market this year is my prediction. I think there will be format tweaks but nothing as big as Emma, Hank, and The Bull along with BJ leaving after only being on for 9 months. I could see one station maybe trying to take on KISW, but it's a longshot. Maybe we'll see some tweaks in the south sound like KXXO or KRXY doing format tweaks, both stations have new Program Directors and they're very mom and pop owned stations, maybe one of them is for sale if the owners are finally looking to cash out.
I believe stations will put a lot more focus on selling their streaming and podcasting products and accompanying OTA support.
Seems like there's always some of those, but outside of Audacy, I think there will be fewer of those this year than we saw in 2024.
The question nobody is asking: Which station will feature Kokomo on its playlist??
I love how these discussions always seem to devolve down to "what I would do if I was the program director" or "here's what I think they should be playing that they are not". The actual professionals on this board know just how ridiculous that kind of conversation is. That ain't where the money is and at the end of the day it's about that.
And Kokomo Klock is reset for yet another year. It's a tradition unlike any other...
