103.9 : New Format Speculation?

[redsfan1966]

This flip for me, is at the very least disappointing and at the most, frustrating. With the exception of 97.1 The Fan; Columbus' FM dial is now horribly boring. I liked TalkFM; I didnt listen all the time; but enjoyed turning to it when I was disinterested on whatever 610 or WLW was airing at a particular time. I am a fan of Mark "The Shark"'s and Jeff Logan--but will admit the morning show wasn't exactly my "cup of tea" with the celebrity and gossip news mixed with sports. I also did enjoy listening to Michael Savage, who I may not agree with completely on politics, but did find entertaining. I also liked Dan Patrick at 9am---so I hope 1230 picks him up instead of re-airing the soon departed Steve Czaban show at the same time.

I'm sure Mark "The Shark", Kelly Quinn and even Logan will hang on in some capacity--they and Ronni Hunter have been with NABCO through so many changes I'm sure even they cant remember all of them.

 

[xmusicmatt]

What bird are they using?

It's apparently the Dial Global Classic Hits format. Not sure whether it's the turnkey version or a more customized one. Details:

http://www.dial-global.com/DGTotal/overview.php?format=7

The format on 103.9 sounds very canned... They do have the local inserts but there are times where the network imager will play for instance "Happy Holidays from Classic Hits" then a song starts... sounds very generic to me. Also noticed that after some commerical breaks it would go back to the network early and you'd get the last 30 seconds or so of network song before the rejoin imager played and a new song started..

 

[Nu_Roo_2]

What bird are they using?

It's apparently the Dial Global Classic Hits format.  Not sure whether it's the turnkey version or a more customized one.  Details:

http://www.dial-global.com/DGTotal/overview.php?format=7

I know I'm gonna get ripped for this but... This is what you get when you let a woman program a Classic Hits format. What a complete and total disappointment. I agree that the Kool Gold format sounds much, MUCH better than this.

Don't know what you think of the Brew, but their PD is also a woman, Laura Lee.  She's also been the PD of Radio 106.7 since its inception, although that one has used a national CC music list ever since it switched to a more typical Alternative sound

 

[dawg4life]

What bird are they using?

It's apparently the Dial Global Classic Hits format. Not sure whether it's the turnkey version or a more customized one. Details:

http://www.dial-global.com/DGTotal/overview.php?format=7

I know I'm gonna get ripped for this but... This is what you get when you let a woman program a Classic Hits format. What a complete and total disappointment. I agree that the Kool Gold format sounds much, MUCH better than this.

Don't know what you think of the Brew, but their PD is also a woman, Laura Lee. She's also been the PD of Radio 106.7 since its inception, although that one has used a national CC music list ever since it switched to a more typical Alternative sound

Okay, foot in mouth because I'm not that mad at the Brew or at 106.7 but Dial Global's Classic Hits format is just HORRIBLE!

 

[gabigley1]

For the record...in one day shy of a year, the number of news/talk stations in Columbus went down from four to one.

The reason two of them have left news/talk is because they tired and failed at competing with WTVN. The WVKO-AM GM said WTVN needed competition when he started Progressive Talk, WVKO-AM back in December of of 2007. WTDA, 103.9 tried a new locally produced talk show with a revamped talk show lineup through out the day and gave up on it after only 90 days on the air. Will WTVN ever have to worry about competition?

I'm sure Mark "The Shark", Kelly Quinn and even Logan will hang on in some capacity--they and Ronni Hunter have been with NABCO through so many changes I'm sure even they cant remember all of them.

Kelly Quinn is doing local news this morning. Is Mark "The Shark" still with NABCO?

 

[gabigley1]

Speaking of Kelly Quinn, this is what she has to say about the demise of their morning talk show on 103.9.
This is from her Facebook account entitled: Morning Talk FM with Shark, Logan & Kelly

LOL Samantha, this is Kelly...that first post wasn't from me. I understand being frustrated by the change. We don't make the decisions, we just abide by them. I know you know that. We loved doing the show and will really miss it. Thanks for your nice words. And this "Merry Christmas" is from me.
Yesterday at 4:57pm

 

[RSKaz]

Any format (subject to be "fine tuned" at a later date) other than the failing and antiquated neocon "hate radio" can only be a good thing.

 

[alans613]

This change reminds me of when WBNS-FM flipped to Hot AC in 2001, and in the rush to fill the Oldies void, 107.9 went to the most horrible sounding satelitte Oldies format that i've ever heard(Ironically enough 107.9 flipped AGAIN when 97.1 left music radio behind) :'(. It sounds like 103.9's format change was decided on rather quickly. Hopefully Shark and Logan land on their feet somewhere else in the NABCO building.

 

[V.Riley]

I don't know about Logan, but I heard Shark doing a Sports update on my way to work this morning, and Kelly is still there doing the news.

 

[YEKIMI]

I will give credit to WODB for airing Tom Kent. Although he is a satellite product, at least he is live, and for what it's worth, he is in Ohio...if that counts as semi-local.

Tom Kent does his show out of his basement from his home in Broadview Heights, just south of Cleveland. I remember listening to him on WGCL back in the late 70s; he's also doing evenings on WMJI now.

And when are they going to change the Oldies 107.9 sign by the tower on I-71? It just makes me laugh when I drive down from Northeast Ohio and still see it there. Just pull the damn thing out of the ground already if you can't put the current format info on it.

As far as WTDAs new format goes......I'm listening online and it's nothing different at all, same crappy music I can hear on half a dozen other stations. Hitting the snooze alarm, wake me up in three months when they change the format again.

 

[gabigley1]

The Columbus Dispatch did a story on their new Classic Rock format here: http://www.dispatch.com/live/conten...LL22.ART_ART_12-22-09_D1_4IG0HI1.html?sid=101

Mr. Hal Fish is quoted as saying this is the the most popular rock format in Central Ohio. If that is the case, this new format should propel WTDA near the top of the ratings in no time.

 

[dawg4life]

His exact quote:

"Our research has shown over the years that this is the most popular rock music in central Ohio."

Riiiiiiight.

Go ahead and keep telling yourself that Hal.

 

[Nu_Roo_2]

Any format (subject to be "fine tuned" at a later date) other than the failing and antiquated neocon "hate radio" can only be a good thing.

What evidence do you have that right wing talk is failing? I would hope that eventually its ultra-predictability would cause burn-out and kill it, but I have seen nothing suggesting that's happening. Indeed having a big nemesis in the White House would seem to be manna from heaven for the indignant ranting, no? So what data supports your contention?

 

[Nu_Roo_2]

While 103.9 has sounded like the same old stuff much/most of the time, I have heard numerous songs that I don't recall hearing on Columbus radio for ages. E.g., there was one overnight stretch where they played Wild Night (Van Morrison), Living in the Past (Jethro Tull), and two nuggets by the Jefferson Airplane (one was Pretty as You Feel...I forget the other).

 

[Nu_Roo_2]

This change reminds me of when WBNS-FM flipped to Hot AC in 2001, and in the rush to fill the Oldies void, 107.9 went to the most horrible sounding satelitte Oldies format that i've ever heard

Anyone recall how long it was until they became live & local (until moving to 104.3, anyway)? Was it when Saga bought it?

 

[V.Riley]

I know it was about 2 - 3 weeks before 107.9 started playing local news and traffic, however after Kelly Quinn went to Eagle I stopped listening to 107.9 as I figured they weren't going to switch back to the format I preferred. I pretty sure they were local before SAGA bought the station.

 

[jakej]

While 103.9 has sounded like the same old stuff much/most of the time, I have heard numerous songs that I don't recall hearing on Columbus radio for ages. E.g., there was one overnight stretch where they played Wild Night (Van Morrison), Living in the Past (Jethro Tull), and two nuggets by the Jefferson Airplane (one was Pretty as You Feel...I forget the other).

Yeah, well, anyone can have a steady diet of those types of tunes on "Secrets", if he or she wants (steady for one hour on Monday, Thursday, and Friday nights, that is!). Since I can't get my monthly chuckles from our Arbitrend ratings anymore, Hal's latest move will have to suffice, and it easily does. Gotta love the way Tom Taylor puts it in today's Taylor On Radio-Info: "Before the talk format, WTDA had a three-year run as a classic hits 'Ted', and before that it was a classic rock 'Eagle'."
How's the saying go -- those who forget the past are condemned to repeat it?!

 

[Nu_Roo_2]

I tried 103.9's stream and found that the announcers sound distorted and the stream's music all comes from one channel. Anyone else? I could see how the first issue could possibly be related to my own settings, but certainly not the latter.

 

[Nu_Roo_2]

While 103.9 has sounded like the same old stuff much/most of the time, I have heard numerous songs that I don't recall hearing on Columbus radio for ages. E.g., there was one overnight stretch where they played Wild Night (Van Morrison), Living in the Past (Jethro Tull), and two nuggets by the Jefferson Airplane (one was Pretty as You Feel...I forget the other).

Yeah, well, anyone can have a steady diet of those types of tunes on "Secrets", if he or she wants (steady for one hour on Monday, Thursday, and Friday nights, that is!). Since I can't get my monthly chuckles from our Arbitrend ratings anymore, Hal's latest move will have to suffice, and it easily does. Gotta love the way Tom Taylor puts it in today's Taylor On Radio-Info: "Before the talk format, WTDA had a three-year run as a classic hits 'Ted', and before that it was a classic rock 'Eagle'."
How's the saying go -- those who forget the past are condemned to repeat it?!

Taylor also said that TDA's COL, Westerville, is north of the Columbus metro. Huh? When did they make the market so much smaller?