“I think everyone is just going to be stunned by what comes next at WSIX.”

[jetfli]

From today's Taylor on Radio-Info newsletter comes this quote from "one clued-in Nashvillian": “I think everyone is just going to be stunned by what comes next at WSIX.”

Is this hype for a new morning team? Would you really take Market 44's leading country outlet, even minus its longtime king, and do something "stunning" with format? Or would something "stunning" simply be not doing much of anything with it in the wake of the reign of a radio hall-of-famer? Would they dare follow a nationwide trend and move WLAC in, to allow it an FM signal? (Limbaugh, Hannity, and Beck -- on FM right close by on the dial to 99.7 -- would the result do better than the hit they'll be taking on Country without House?)

 

[Signal_Faded]

I just read this in Taylor's morning trades as well...and my immediate thought was an FM talk flip. WLAC, despite it's line up, has not been able to beat WTN and many of their shows are getting beat badly in the prime 25-54 demo. A good FM stick would change the playing field dramatically.

 

[NashvilleNative]

The question is....if they were crazy enough to ditch country, could they take on 92.9 without cannibalizing the River too much? If another talk station moves to FM kill me now (unless it takes 105.9). I was trying to think of any CC stations that could use a signal upgrade, but they're all stellar as is. For no more wattage than used, the River is a beast!

 

[TheBigA]

Clear Channel has too much invested in country, company wide, to flip a station in Nashville to another format. If you look at them nationally, they have country stations in markets that are being beaten by other country stations, as in San Diego, St. Louis, and Atlanta, and they don't care because it gives them presence in the format in the market.

 

[Tibbs4]

I say it aint flippin'. I think BigA is pretty much right. And, I am tired of agreeing with you...79 years old, right? ;D

I can't say I think it's a stellar choice to give up the format the second Gerry finished with the Bee Gees to put on Country Christmas, but it is an interesting and unique stunt of sorts and whether KDF and WSM-FM can capture and keep the listeners will remain to be seen. It seems to me that it's a chance to give KDF the #1 spot by a share or two and slide WSIX in along WSM-FM for a "tie". Gerry's departure will take a share or so away. WSIX will do the rest of the damage themselves or not. That will remain to be seen, as well. I venture that they're not done, yet.

The trend toward FM's picking up the AM talk is certainly valid. I think the hype here will be
a let down to those thinking this is the big one. See previous paragraph.

And since NRQ is the ratings powerhouse in the cluster, 105.9 isn't going anywhere because it's as strong(er/est) as ever been. That's the station that just blows my mind. How can it have so many lives with no new music! Interestingly, the PPMs showed some amazing info from November
with who the top three male dominated stations are.

While on that note - why hasn't anyone even discussed the 6+ ratings that are available on here?
Lots of crazy things happening in this market and not much discussion. I'll try to start something stupid and unfactual asap.

 

[dlf]

How about Carl P. Mayfield returning to host the morning show? If I remember right, his "exit" from WSIX was not amicable.

 

[TheBigA]

The trend toward FM's picking up the AM talk is certainly valid.

I agree, but this is why CC hasn't gone FM-Talk in lots of markets like NYC. I suggest they'd love to put a country station on in the big apple too, but which station do they blow up? That's the case in Nashville, and since WLAC is a heritage signal, it's not completely dead yet, so they have no reason to move it to FM. Especially when the demos for the programming are so old, and won't improve simply by moving it to FM.

 

[Tibbs4]

That's right. The game has changed. A lot of the logic on here is the "old" mindset of beating the competition at all costs. 0n a rational level, it makes sense to move the powerful line-up of LAC to FM to compete equally with 99.7, but you then take away a key element of the cluster for sales -- a Nashville country station --- and CC doesn't want to be in this market and admit they have no country format presence. Plus, in today's market, the cost of launching an AC to try to hurt Mix or take on talk vs. WTN would be somewhat prohibitive. WLAC-FM would garner about a 5 probably. WSIX as country would average, post House, about the same. If CC flips WSIX to AC that would be the biggest shock and surprise to me in years. And if they did, what would the ratings be? About the same as WSIX country. In other words, it's easier to take your place in the pack than to try to be the lead dog. Years ago, even in a stand alone world, everyone wanted to be #1 and the trucks full of money would back up their efforts. In a world of be seen and be heard, corporate radio sure has settled for the "me too" logic of coasting along in the middle as long as everyone else does and knowing that the leader will come and go. I don't always agree with not stirring the pot, but I do understand it from the corporate fiscal mindset standpoint.
Who has fired a shot in this market since Jack?

 

[deltas69]

i'm just a dumb old guy who's only shot at glory was an AM daytimer in a cow pasture years ago..but book in and book out for a long time..it's been MIX 92.9 on top of the heap...with so many country stations fragmenting the radio pie..why hasn't someone tried to take them on ?? Taylor (not so) Swift..is the same on whatever station plays her..so with the talent part of the equation now gone (Gerry)..seems to me the pie suddenly has equal size slices...so why hasn't a station attempted to de-throne MIX 92 Nine..?? ???

 

[jetfli]

Big A and Tibbs2, logic is definitely on your side. However, I'm curious as to what you two would guess would be that which would make everyone "stunned by what comes next at WSIX.” Since you don't see the possibility of a format change, which of the other thoughts I threw out there do you think is in the works? A bold new morning team? Going with status quo sans Gerry? Or do you think the comment is just hype on someone's part? Or something else? What do you see coming that would set mics for "stun"?

 

[DToTheJ]

... CC hasn't gone FM-Talk in lots of markets like NYC. I suggest they'd love to put a country station on in the big apple too, but which station do they blow up? ...

Clear Channel's FM cluster in New York - yes, all five stations, including the previous format revolving door that used to be 105.1 FM - are all doing pretty well for them, to flip any of them to news/talk. Let alone country.

Now, as for this big bombshell that is to come on 97.9 FM in Nashville... What's Coyote McCloud doing these days? Just asking...

 

[kr0nic]

Dean Warfield is coming back to WSIX, according to what he posted on his Facebook.

 

[wprt949]

the all new rush radio 97.9 ??

 

[Journeyman]

they have country stations in markets that are being beaten by other country stations, as in San Diego, St. Louis, and Atlanta, and they don't care.

And there in a nutshell, the problem with 21st Century radio.

 

[TheBigA]

they have country stations in markets that are being beaten by other country stations, as in San Diego, St. Louis, and Atlanta, and they don't care.

And there in a nutshell, the problem with 21st Century radio.

I disagree. It provides an alternative for listeners in those markets. Otherwise, the heritage station would simply have a monopoly.

 

[LouPickney]

I had figured that Big D and Bubba (who do afternoons on WSIX along with their syndicated morning show) were biding their time until Gerry House was ready to retire to take the WSIX morning slot. It is strange that the station hasn't made an announcement yet about its future morning show plans, particularly with the presumptive heir apparents already in house and also with the curious statement that everyone will be stunned with what is coming next there.

It's an interesting situation with WLAC facing signal issues in the outlaying areas that don't impact WTN. I've seen first-hand a WLAC listener drive through a static-filled area and, frustrated, flip over to WTN. Of course 105.9 WNRQ-HD3 simulcasts WLAC, but for most drivers that isn't an option, not with HD radio struggling for placement in new automobiles and almost all the cars currently in the market not being HD-equipped.

Still, it would be stunning for WSIX to drop its legacy country format or relegate it to an HD2 channel. And if WSIX was going to flip to FM Talk, you'd figure they wouldn't keep the Big 98 imaging and the jocks in place ahead of the change. But being stunned doesn't necessarily mean a flip will happen, and it will be interesting to see how it plays out.

 

[Journeyman]

they have country stations in markets that are being beaten by other country stations, as in San Diego, St. Louis, and Atlanta, and they don't care.

And there in a nutshell, the problem with 21st Century radio.

I disagree. It provides an alternative for listeners in those markets. Otherwise, the heritage station would simply have a monopoly.

Not necessarily. In a market driven driven by success and not corporate dividends, the station that is programmed the best wins. Back in the day I worked for many a smaller station that knocked off a giant.

 

[TheBigA]

Back in the day I worked for many a smaller station that knocked off a giant.

Back in the day, music wasn't as fractionalized as it is now. There is no "best" any more. There are "favorites." When you play the audience's favorites, they listen. The minute you play something else, they go to the competition. And nobody has the same favorites. So the best you can count on is to get a portion of their attention for a portion of their day.

And this is not to say that CC isn't spending lots of money trying to knock off #1 in those markets. They are. They absolutely want to win. But they are also making lots of money as #2. And the goal always has been to make more money.

 

[Tibbs4]

Conspiracy Theorists will have their hearts broken if the words heard on the Big 98 are true...
"Country music returns the 26th, but until then, enjoy the Big 98 Country Christmas." Please
don't make that proof that Coyote McCloud or Carl P. Mayfield are returning to take on PPM.

 

[jetfli]

Conspiracy Theorists will have their hearts broken if the words heard on the Big 98 are true...
"Country music returns the 26th, but until then, enjoy the Big 98 Country Christmas."

So maybe we're going to be STUNNED that Dean Warfield will be Gerry's replacement? It's beginning to look more like the "stunned" comment is nothing more than hype...