That time of year, seeing and hearing the promos for Red, White, & Boom and WNCI. Thought it would be an attention getting thread title(don't call the FCC/FBI)! Who would've thought 20 years ago WNCI would be #5 in the ratings? So many years of WNCI and WTVN being 1 and 2. Is it music, on-air talent, the way ratings are done these days? Do they need to quote "Blow things up?" I know the history, but should iHeart pair Red, White, & Boom with the higher rated WCOL? Should NBC4 request that? County Music, Fireworks, America... Sounds 4th of July to me!
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Should WNCI go Boom?
- Thread starter localandlive
- Start date
If you look at the bigger picture, CHR as a format is underperforming around the country. Part of it is the fact that the broadcast radio audience is getting older. Part of it is that pop music has become less consensus and more individual. The Taylor Swift fans don't necessarily like Nicki Minaj.
On the other hand, country music is more of a consensus format, which is why you see WCOL at #1. The format also does well with younger demos, thanks to Ella Langley. I've written in other places that CHR is making a mistake by ignoring Choosing Texas. That song is huge with younger audiences, and is among the most played at WCOL. Meanwhile iHeart owns both WNCI and WCOL, so it doesn't matter to them.
It's the format...
In the #1 Market in America - NYC - Z100 hangs out in the top 5 stations with AC, News and Classic Hits doing better. Even worse in LA where KIIS FM does not even crack the top 10 in the "public numbers"
Since it's flip to Country in 1994 WCOL-FM has always been a strong performer - Nationwide knew what they were doing when they flipped that monster signal to Country.
I don't foresee iHeart touching either WCOL or WNCI. They pretty much have both the CHR and Country format(s) locked up in Columbus market.
In the #1 Market in America - NYC - Z100 hangs out in the top 5 stations with AC, News and Classic Hits doing better. Even worse in LA where KIIS FM does not even crack the top 10 in the "public numbers"
Since it's flip to Country in 1994 WCOL-FM has always been a strong performer - Nationwide knew what they were doing when they flipped that monster signal to Country.
I don't foresee iHeart touching either WCOL or WNCI. They pretty much have both the CHR and Country format(s) locked up in Columbus market.
In most markets you have maybe one or two stations playing Country. You have CHRs, Rhythmic CHRs, Hot AC, AC, Alternative, Classic Hits, Variety Hits all sharing some music and audiences. That's why very rarely anymore do you see the CHR leading the market unless it is also filling another format hole like being the defacto Hot AC (like WKRZ Scranton) or has a monster morning show it doesn't dominate like the format did in the 60s through 80s before many of those other formats started branching off.
WNCI is one of iHeart's most successful stations in the company. It's the #1 CUMEing station in the market. Just because its down in 6+ the past few months means little.
One of those they did tweak today moving it to a nationalized music log. But that's not the purpose of the format for most of the company's markets.
iHeart sells national marketing and musical artist partnerships by offering the national reach they provide. WAKS and WKFS do what they're supposed to do within those confines and the cluster sales strategy. WKFS in particular is never going to dominate in 6+ due to signal limitations.
WAKS and WKFS have the same PD and MD.
HitNation is the mainstream, Kiss is more adult, Power is younger/more Rhythmic.
There is also Pop Hits which looks to be even more adult than Kiss but not quite Hot AC.
I also noticed all four of the national CHR stations air the nightly New Hit List at 11pm, the Saturday evening Enrique Santos show all iHeart CHR stations air, the KPop show Sundays at 8pm and the iHeart Countdown Sundays at 10pm. HitNation even airs Elvis and Pop Hits airs The Fred Show.
When I see the call letters WNCI I automatically think of Cincinnati. Just a random thought! Kind of like if Knoxville had a WNSH I’d think of Nashville. Sorry to stray off topic a little.
Yet power kiss and hit nation all play Elvis Duran. You would think Jubal would be on power and for Kiss they would have John Jay and Rich and for Hit nation they would have Elvis. Pop 2K should be Valentine in the morning.