Why has Hot AC and Oldies totally disappeared from charlotte radio? I was in Nashville for 2 1/2 months and noticed this variety still exists. In fact I find the variety of music stations in nashville way better than here. Their Mix 92.9 plays more variety of AC than lite 102.9 and k-104.7 combined. Their 96.3 Jack station plays more variety of classic rock than 99.7 the fox and 95.7 the ride. Why can't charlotte get a Jack station, HOT AC station and an Oldies station?
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107.9 the talk station and 96.1 the new beat
- Thread starter hschutte
- Start date
Not enough competition, too many other near-by markets and blocked moves. 105.3 will help.
M
mediaspeaks
Guest
If those formats made money, they would be on the air
Charlotte has 2 HOT AC's.... and there will never be an oldies station (as we know them) on the regular band. When HD-2 and 3 arrive, there will be more formats
Charlotte has 2 HOT AC's.... and there will never be an oldies station (as we know them) on the regular band. When HD-2 and 3 arrive, there will be more formats
mediaspeaks said:
I would love to see the proof that a dance / Rap format is making more money for Clear channel than Magic 96 was. I can see that there may be other formats that might make them more money, but I just cannot see how advertisers would be interested in the dance / rap / Party crowd that much. And that one idiot from "the Beat" that was on Friday night football last year (C. J. The DJ) just makes me sick.
Here in Morganton, there is not a single oldies station available for listeners. We are outside the coverage area for the triad stations and also for WOXL in Asheville. Since the demise of Magic 96, I have turned over to XM Satellite radio and listen very little to terrestrial (Clear Channel / Infinity) Juke box radio. The only listenable music station in the area for me now is 95.7 "The Ride".
M
mediaspeaks
Guest
jtudor said:
Magic was Number 12 .... The beat has been #2,3 or 4 ..... any more proff needed???
South 21 just isn't the same without Magic 96.1. 
Yes, oldies is moving to AM, like Standards did. From there, it will fade away and become something you hear on the weekend on college stations.
Urban is a tough sell though. It's best to compare $$$ instead of ratings. I still think The Beat is bringing-in more money though. Magic's listener base is becoming less desirable to advertisers.
I'm guessing 105-3 will become Spanish, but if it doesn't, it will provide some competition in the market. Charlotte still feels under-radioed to me. If you live in Charlotte, you also don't have many outside signals as alternatives and the few you do have are weak signals in the city. For those who like to DX, it is a good place for it, as long as you live away from north Charlotte or Gaston County. ;D
Yes, oldies is moving to AM, like Standards did. From there, it will fade away and become something you hear on the weekend on college stations.Urban is a tough sell though. It's best to compare $$$ instead of ratings. I still think The Beat is bringing-in more money though. Magic's listener base is becoming less desirable to advertisers.
I'm guessing 105-3 will become Spanish, but if it doesn't, it will provide some competition in the market. Charlotte still feels under-radioed to me. If you live in Charlotte, you also don't have many outside signals as alternatives and the few you do have are weak signals in the city. For those who like to DX, it is a good place for it, as long as you live away from north Charlotte or Gaston County. ;D
mediaspeaks said:
Yep, I need lost more proof (correct spelling btw). Ratings are not the proof that I want. Ratings do not mean they are making more money, they especially do not mean that the station is making more profit, or for that manner, any profit. Ratings are necessary for a station to make money, but high ratings do not necessarily equal high income, high profit, or any profit for that matter. Ratings just mean that a lot of people are listening, they may not be the audience that the advertisers want. 250 thousand listeners who would not buy my product under any circumstances would not convince me to buy advertising on a station, but 10,000 listeners who are likely customers for my product would cause me to buy time on that station.
And like it or not, all radio stations owners are in the business to make a profit among other goals. However, profit (or at the very least break even) is the one goal of a station owner that will force them to make change faster than anything else.
For a company like Clear Channel, though, market share (in the form of higher ratings) correlates directly to increased revenue. A station ranked #3 will most obviously bill more than a station ranked #12. Agencies and local major advertisers make bigger buys on stations with better ratings. Period, paragraph.
I think we all hate that Magic 96 is no more. However, we have to remember one of the cardinal rules of radio...that we program based upon what our potential listeners want rather than what we ourselves want to hear. In the long run, Clear Channel made the decision that they could make more money and attract more listeners with their "Beat" format than with Oldies. Turns out, they were very right and it was a smart business move, no matter how much the rest of us don't like it.
I think we all hate that Magic 96 is no more. However, we have to remember one of the cardinal rules of radio...that we program based upon what our potential listeners want rather than what we ourselves want to hear. In the long run, Clear Channel made the decision that they could make more money and attract more listeners with their "Beat" format than with Oldies. Turns out, they were very right and it was a smart business move, no matter how much the rest of us don't like it.
jtudor said:
CC ran Magic into the ground by taking away the things that made the station unique. People who worked there will tell you that.
It's amazing to me that Rap is still popular. People used to complain about Disco....amazing! Now to have a hit record all you need are some music loops and sombody to chant. The uglier, meaner, and tasteless you make the words the better! They always used to say gangsters controlled the record business, looks like they're even in the studio now.
I'm not sure who the 2 hot A/C's are. When 107.9 plays music I would call that Hot A/C but if you are talking about Lite and K-104.7 I would call them 70'soldies-A/C based. I worked at Lite from 1990-1994 when the format was soft A/C and I don't hear either station playing very much of the '80's and '90's hits. Maybe the songs didn't test well. Both stations seem to have early Elton John and Billy Joel in heavy rotation. To someone younger than we are these are the oldies stations!
I never could understand throwing away the 50+ audience. At 50+ I still find that advertising helps me make buying decisions. How else will I know when something new comes out? I don't have time to watch much TV so radio is a good way to reach me if you program a format that I like. Using current logic it's only a matter of time before they start saying 50+ doesn't listen to the radio.
As for ratings....look how they are done. About the same way they were done 50 years ago! How accurate is that? It's all where the diaries land. Most stations in Charlotte go up and down in the ratings like yo-yo's.
This is the same old arguement it never changes. If you like what's on the radio good for you but I think there is a lot of room for improvement.
M
mediaspeaks
Guest
Yes, I made a typo ...proof has 2 -o's ....thanks for letting me know
Proof is in the ratings, nothing more nothing less. Last time I checked, station revenue was a direct relation to the stations rating. With Non Trad revenue in the mix these days.... a stations profit margin may mave based on the sales team.
Proof is in the ratings, nothing more nothing less. Last time I checked, station revenue was a direct relation to the stations rating. With Non Trad revenue in the mix these days.... a stations profit margin may mave based on the sales team.
i dont want to be insulting, but it sounds like the only basis for these complaints about 96.1 is that you're pissy because your favorite kind of music isn't everyone elses. there is great money in the 18-34 audience if it's done right. thebroker said it best, it was a smart move wether we like it or not.
C
CCX
Guest
For those who are unaware, 94.1 "Hitz94" out of the Greensboro market, has a city-grade signal in Charlotte. The station is now Hot AC. If you haven't listened lately, you might like it. They've made some interesting changes in the last month.
Big_Ben said:
I agree with you. Still is "The Beat" that much different than "Power 98" or "Kiss 95.1"? Magic had a unique format for what it's worth but to ad agencies and radio sales people if you're over 50 you're just taking up space.
I don't buy the arguement that the 50+ audience doesn't buy based on what they hear on the radio. Most of the over 50 crowd has more money than the average 18-34 year old, but I've said all this before and it's like talking to the wall.
Hey, believe me, I'd rather hear oldies than rap any day too, but that's the reality of popular music today. Heck, even rock stations are disappearing at an amazing clip. I sound like my father more and more each day in that I can't stand what the kids are into these days, but I digress....
Yes, 50 year olds have stronger buying power than the young ones. 50 year olds are also set in their ways and very loyal to the products they buy. Advertisers know this, and know that it's easier to persuade younger minds to try their products before they get set in their ways down the road.
Oldies atations are disappearing everywhere because of that, just like easy listening and standards are a rarity these days. Classic hits and classic rock are the 'new oldies'.
As for Hot AC's, Hitz 94 has been mentioned already. May I also suggest 97.3 in North Wilkesboro, which comes in pretty clear in the Queen City as well. Sad thing is that it's a satellite feed and STILL sounds fresher than many local stations here. Go figure!
Yes, 50 year olds have stronger buying power than the young ones. 50 year olds are also set in their ways and very loyal to the products they buy. Advertisers know this, and know that it's easier to persuade younger minds to try their products before they get set in their ways down the road.
Oldies atations are disappearing everywhere because of that, just like easy listening and standards are a rarity these days. Classic hits and classic rock are the 'new oldies'.
As for Hot AC's, Hitz 94 has been mentioned already. May I also suggest 97.3 in North Wilkesboro, which comes in pretty clear in the Queen City as well. Sad thing is that it's a satellite feed and STILL sounds fresher than many local stations here. Go figure!
Ratings don't always translate into revenue - and conversely. Problem with oldies as a format these days is the demo is getting older and outgrowing the advertiser demand (at least those who buy by the numbers). Too bad most stations don't understand direct selling. It is an art that has slowly disappeared from the industry.
I have no doubt that a well done oldies station can bring customers to businesses, but you are not going to find a lot of ratings riven business going to the format!
I have no doubt that a well done oldies station can bring customers to businesses, but you are not going to find a lot of ratings riven business going to the format!
I agreee with a couple of comments made earlier...and Clear Channel is notorious(at least with 2 NC stations) about letting a station--seemingly intentionally die--so they can blame its failure on ratings so they can flip it. It's been noted that Magic was allowed to go down hill for a few years before the format flip. Same is true for WWNC in Asheville. Before its flip to News-Talk a few years back, they seemed to be letting its full-service, personality-driven format "die". Maybe a year or so before they flipped to news-talk, I was driving through Asheville about 9 or 10pm and punched up WWNC--I was shocked to hear country from satellite. It just didn't sound right to not hear a warm(local) body on WWNC--even at night.
Eric
Eric
I can not get hitz 94.1 or 97.3 on my dail in charlotte. In fact, no where can I can get them in charlotte. The reality is that charlotte radio has changed dramatically. I have been in Nashville for several weeks now and I find their stations better than in charlotte. Their oldies station did switch to classic hits rather than hip hop recently. But, it still sounds better than 95.7 the ride {supposedly classic hits format}, which plays too much overplayed rock songs like 99.7 the fox. Something needs to be done to bring in quality radio stations into charlotte that could play less hip-hop and more variety. A good choice would be a Jack format.. Nashville has that too.
C
CCX
Guest
hschutte - You need to get a new radio! If you can't pick up Hitz 94.1 in Charlotte, something is wrong! It comes in loud and clear even south of Charlotte!
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