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2005 Year In Review

N

NotSoSilentBob

Guest
What a year in Nashville radio! It almost rivals the span of May 1998-April 1999 as one of the most active in the market's history.

Let's see...

The year started off with The Fan stirring up the Sports Talk pot, but time proved that accomplished nothing but a disappointing 2004 Christmas for the Blazin' staff.

The Wolf briefly took the crown from WSIX. Then, as we made our way into spring, KDF continued to falter, making the country race a 2-way battle between WSIX & WSM-FM (or so it would seem).

It was pretty much a consensus that Star 97 was on its last legs. We just all thought Active Rock was Cumulus's choice for 97.1's new format.

Then came May 12. I think it's fair to say we were all blindsided by Jack's emergence, and Cumulus made (for once) the right move in quickly picking up all of Oldies 96.3's broken pieces and reassembling them at 97.1. Throughout the rest of the year, the Oldies format remained alive and well in Nashvegas. (Here's a radio yo-momma joke...with a twist: Yo radio station was soooooo bad, they changed the format TO oldies!)

The rest of the year, it was all about Jack, and how he stole all the women from his sister's room down the hall at Mix.

Other 2005 observances:

Somebody put a stick in Cromwell's behind and they:
1) changed the format of The Party to something worse
2) sued Clear Channel and WON! (how in the hell...)

Sebastian left WSM-FM well after it peaked, but it's still doing better than it has since WKDF made its move in '99.

The Buzz still plays Nashville's New Rock First, but only because nobody else plays it.

The Zone canned Hallerin Hilton Hill, and replaced him with the equivalent of dead air: reruns of old interviews.

The Beat made a move up, as was expected with the absence of Blazin.

92Q fired their PD and then proceeded to get lower ratings.

The Christian stations (Fish, Way-FM, Solid Gospel) are still doing their thing and hardly getting noticed, although kudos to Way-FM on expanding their empire in 2005, getting full power stations in Colorado, Kansas, South Georgia/North Florida, and Washington/Oregon.

The River is inching back toward prominence, looking to quash Clear Channel's plans to eventually make it 107.5 Kiss FM like most of their other CHR stations.

===

2006 Predictions:

Format change for 106.7 to Active Rock, once Cumulus gets those COL's sorted out and can give some more power to WNFN

107.5 becomes Kiss FM and Clear Channel goes on an all-out marketing blitz. The station will rise to the top 3 again if this happens.

The Zone will continue to suck, even though they'll get The Fan's only listener (Jetfli) back.

South Central will continue to do some format tweaking with Mix & Jack, to try to get Mix's numbers back up.

(getting bold here)

Near the end of the year, Citadel will finally sell to Cumulus and 103.3 & 104.5 will come into the fold, and Cumulus will sell off 92.1 & 106.7. The Active Rock format recently put into place on 106.7 will move and bring back Nashville's Pure Rock 103 KDF. WTN will again become an all-purpose talk station, where George P. & crew will return to afternoons. 104.5 will assume 92Q's old format.<P ID="signature">______________
Bob
Moderator, Nashville board
Radio-Info.com--Always Tuned In

"I don't spread rumors, but I sometimes make outrageous speculations with no factual basis."</P><P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by NotSoSilentBob on 12/22/05 03:41 PM.</FONT></P>
 
Nice recap of a very interesting year in Nashville radio, but why are you having all these active rock fantasies?

WKDF is not going back to rock.

Why would 106.7 go to active rock, when the format already exists on The Buzz?
 
> The Christian stations (Fish, Way-FM, Solid Gospel) are
> still doing their thing and hardly getting noticed

> The River is inching back toward prominence, looking to
> quash Clear Channel's plans to eventually make it 107.5 Kiss
> FM like most of their other CHR stations.
>
> ===
>
> 2006 Predictions:
>
> The Zone will continue to suck, even though they'll get The
> Fan's only listener (Jetfli) back.

> Near the end of the year, Citadel will finally sell to
> Cumulus and 103.3 & 104.5 will come into the fold, and
> Cumulus will sell off 92.1 & 106.7.


You callin' me a Fan Listener, boy??!! Them's fightin' words!!!

Comments on your observation's and predictions:

From research I've seen in the past, Fish is Nashville's #2 CCM, with Way well in front, but not a contender since they're unrated due to residence at the left end of the dial. But people listen to Way in numbers that are anything but unnoticable -- up and down but always top 10 if they were rated.

Last time I discussed subject with a CC employee, the KISS name isn't thought to play well here because of previous usage in the market. Still, most anyone who would be in the target group wouldn't have been around then.

As for Citadel, look for it to merge this year, not sell. Cumulus won't be in the picture.
 
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