WXRK-FM, 92.3 NOW, has been doing progressively well since Rick Gillette has taken the reign at WXRK a few months ago. Since then, the station has sounded less urban and rhythmic than it did a year ago with a crowded urban base in the NYC Market.
My question: considering where the direction of where CHR/Pop is right now, what kind of changes would you like to see at 92.3 NOW? Add a new show for the mornings and/or nights? This is NOT for people to comment on "Well, I want 92.3 WFAN-FM" or "I want a dance station." Leave those comments for an another post. What do you want to hear on 92.3 NOW? Do you want a carbon copy of Z100, KTU?
A few things they should do are the following:
1) Call Letters: Changing the call letters for the station would identify the station to be progressively moving a direction that would attract the massive radio audience out there. For instance, a few years ago when WNEW-FM was not WWFS, CBS Radio at the time took a serious approach and changed the call letters so people can identify with the station more. Therefore, for 92.3 NOW, what should it's call letters be? WTFY (stands for Top FortY)? WPOP (stands for POP)? This is important to create a better station and would let people know, CBS is serious about keeping NOW around.
2) Radio Shows: Let's face it. The shows currently on NOW are not appealing to people outside MAYBE Cannon's Countdown on Sunday Mornings, but that's where radio goes to die, who's listening to radio at this time in the week? The station wants to be live and local and they still can, but you have to throw people with a show where they can identify the station as they got that show. They sort-of had it with Nick Cannon to no success because this was Cannon's first try at it. For instance, Z100 has Elvis Duran, WCBS has Dan Taylor, WKTU has Paul Cubby Bryant. You need something.
I would suggest a look, not a definite hit at, Zach Sang & The Gang:
http://www.zachsangandthegang.com/
They just started in July 2012 wanting to target a young audience demographic. An additional plus, they're part of the CBS Radio family. They broadcast live from the CBS Radio Station reserved for Howard Stern before he left 92.3 on 57th Street in Manhattan, New York. They come on 7-11pm Monday through Friday. I believe giving a spot for the morning would definitely give NOW a chance to mix up the morning race as they try to fight off other morning shows.
3) Identify: I'm probably repeating here, but identify is important. Get a dang jingle package, WXRK! Something that sings, that rocks to get people listening and committed. I'm not talking Radioworld (Z100 and KTU have that), but a respectable jingle package to get NYC noticing the station.
Another part to the identify is probably including a unique show to the mix during any part of the day. I would suggest the morning, perhaps get Dunkin Donuts to sponsor a 4 hour commercial-free top 40 music morning. More music mornings to go against talk that happens in the morning and leave the radio shows for the afternoon and night?
In the end, WXRK needs to find a way to attract an audience and KEEP them. They're a station that can attract 3.5 million listeners one month (June) and 3.0 in the next (July). What are your suggestions? Again, no, I want dance radio or WFAN-FM. Let's have a serious discussion as this is a discussion board on suggestions for WXRK-FM (92.3 NOW).
My question: considering where the direction of where CHR/Pop is right now, what kind of changes would you like to see at 92.3 NOW? Add a new show for the mornings and/or nights? This is NOT for people to comment on "Well, I want 92.3 WFAN-FM" or "I want a dance station." Leave those comments for an another post. What do you want to hear on 92.3 NOW? Do you want a carbon copy of Z100, KTU?
A few things they should do are the following:
1) Call Letters: Changing the call letters for the station would identify the station to be progressively moving a direction that would attract the massive radio audience out there. For instance, a few years ago when WNEW-FM was not WWFS, CBS Radio at the time took a serious approach and changed the call letters so people can identify with the station more. Therefore, for 92.3 NOW, what should it's call letters be? WTFY (stands for Top FortY)? WPOP (stands for POP)? This is important to create a better station and would let people know, CBS is serious about keeping NOW around.
2) Radio Shows: Let's face it. The shows currently on NOW are not appealing to people outside MAYBE Cannon's Countdown on Sunday Mornings, but that's where radio goes to die, who's listening to radio at this time in the week? The station wants to be live and local and they still can, but you have to throw people with a show where they can identify the station as they got that show. They sort-of had it with Nick Cannon to no success because this was Cannon's first try at it. For instance, Z100 has Elvis Duran, WCBS has Dan Taylor, WKTU has Paul Cubby Bryant. You need something.
I would suggest a look, not a definite hit at, Zach Sang & The Gang:
http://www.zachsangandthegang.com/
They just started in July 2012 wanting to target a young audience demographic. An additional plus, they're part of the CBS Radio family. They broadcast live from the CBS Radio Station reserved for Howard Stern before he left 92.3 on 57th Street in Manhattan, New York. They come on 7-11pm Monday through Friday. I believe giving a spot for the morning would definitely give NOW a chance to mix up the morning race as they try to fight off other morning shows.
3) Identify: I'm probably repeating here, but identify is important. Get a dang jingle package, WXRK! Something that sings, that rocks to get people listening and committed. I'm not talking Radioworld (Z100 and KTU have that), but a respectable jingle package to get NYC noticing the station.
Another part to the identify is probably including a unique show to the mix during any part of the day. I would suggest the morning, perhaps get Dunkin Donuts to sponsor a 4 hour commercial-free top 40 music morning. More music mornings to go against talk that happens in the morning and leave the radio shows for the afternoon and night?
In the end, WXRK needs to find a way to attract an audience and KEEP them. They're a station that can attract 3.5 million listeners one month (June) and 3.0 in the next (July). What are your suggestions? Again, no, I want dance radio or WFAN-FM. Let's have a serious discussion as this is a discussion board on suggestions for WXRK-FM (92.3 NOW).
