93.3 WTPT

[RadioOCD]

I can't believe no one has mentioned this. In the past week, I haven't heard ANY classic rock music on 93.3 The Planet. The stuff you would usually hear on Rock 101 (Led, AC/DC, Hendrix, VH) appears to be gone. Everything I hear is from 90's alternative, grunge mixed with today's modern rock. I even heard Dishwalla "Counting Blue Cars" during the afternoon last week! And this was followed by a Violent Femmes, Puddle of Mudd, and Beck song. Even though the hard rock is still there (Which is fine by me), I am hearing more 90's alt mixed in than before and SANS the classic rock.

 

[carolinaradio]

I never listen to The Planet, so I wouldn't know if they've made any changes. I usually listen to X-98.5 these days (who, as I was actually coming here to post, is sounding FANTASTIC!).

X-98.5 is the reason they've done this. I'll check them out in the morning. It was past time the 70s/80s stuff was gone, but I guess X-98.5 lit a fire under them to do something. They've had "new" rock all to themselves for too long. It's been posted over and over what a terrible rock station The Planet is -- they're obviously taking Cox's new Alternative station seriously. I think The Planet is quite vulnerable. It's hard to imagine them sounding nearly as good for my tastes as X does (and I don't expect them to, as I prefer Alternative to Active Rock), but it can only be an improvement.

 

[RadioOCD]

Yeah, it was quite shocking to hear "Blister in the Sun" and 2 songs later hearing "Counting Blue Cars" on Planet lol. I still like this station, and I like alternative too. But I agree, the overload of classic rock defeated the purpose of the "New Rock" slogan.

 

[awp69]

Interesting that The Planet is actually responding. I've been enjoying 98.5 and, at first, there seemed to be no changes to The Planet (tuned in a few times just to see if they were). Might have to listen a little more out of curiousity.

Although The Planet may have taken away the 70s/80s (as they should have), I still have a feeling they're never going to incorporate all "new" rock. Doubt you'll ever hear Of Monsters and Men, Coldplay or Imagine Dragons on The Planet. My only fear is that they change just enough to keep some of their old listeners from jumping ship to X98.5.

Don't want X98.5 to change much at all even though I've been put off by an occassional song choice that seems to be aimed at The Planet's loud trash (pretty sure I heard Rob Zombie yesterday and some other undecipherable song at another point). But overall X has been sounding great and I hope they can stick it out in the long run.

 

[CrazeeCarroll1]

I am out of market and can only listen to The Planet via the web, but if they are changing things up some that is a good thing for them. They have been around for just shy of 16 years which in today's radio world is pretty good...

 

[awp69]

I am out of market and can only listen to The Planet via the web, but if they are changing things up some that is a good thing for them. They have been around for just shy of 16 years which in today's radio world is pretty good...

Agree that changing things like taking older rock off a station, they themselves call "New Rock" (even though it's Active), is a good thing. But still think they'll have to do other things if they want to fend off X-98.5. The Rise Guys is still an absolutely abysmal morning show and something that at least IMO be of benefit to X98.5 for people who don't want to listen to it.

They've been around for 16 years, but their ratings have plummeted throughout the years because they have been stagnant.

 

[awp69]

Took a peek at what The Planet played today so far and it seems like they just kind of took out any 70s/80s and plugged in some more '90s alternative - Jimmy Eat World, Blink 182, Weezer, Local H, Dishwalla. Definately an improvement, but the concentration on hard rock remains - Disturbed, Shinedown, Tool, Metallica, Marilyn Manson, Five Finger Death Punch, etc. Also got the Beastie Boys in there, of course, which I only note because after playing them almost hourly, I haven't heard them hardly at all on X-98.5 in the past week. Only "currents" on The Planet today -- at least from alternative rock charts -- were Green Day's "Oh Love" and Black Keys' "Gold on the Ceiling".

Again, as carolinaradio mentioned, The Planet's technically an Active Rock station to begin with so I don't see it changing much as far are newer music is concerned. But it is interesting that they plugged in more '90s alt (they always played '90s grunge).

 

[awp69]

Why can't these forums have a longer edit time  ???  Seems like I always want to add to a previous post and feel stupid adding more and more posts to a thread.

Anyway, I listened a bit and I can't see how this is really going to help The Planet. Yes, they should have let go of the '70s/'80s long ago -- that's a given. But the thing is the '90s alt songs they're adding are more mainstream than the new songs they play. So anyone liking those older '90s songs are not likely going to be the same people who like the headbanging stuff they're still playing. Seriously Dishwalla and Tool? It'd be different if the station was playing some more mainstream rock from today. But, with little exception, they aren't. Even if you look at the Rock charts, they're almost exactly the same as the Alternative charts right now. But The Planet ignores 90% of new rock ...still because it isn't hard enough.

X plays some harder songs, but it's spread out through mostly mainstream alternative/rock. The current mix on The Planet is today's hard rock and yesterday's more mainstream "lighter" rock. Just won't work IMO. Maybe keep some current listeners but don't see it attracting listeners away from those who have wanted something more mainstream like X-98.5 (and, yes, it's alternative, but with songs crossing over to CHR fairly regularly now, I consider it almost mainstream rock at this point.).

 

[upstate29651]

(and, yes, it's alternative, but with songs crossing over to CHR fairly regularly now, I consider it almost mainstream rock at this point.).

CHR is not rock. As what currently passes for alternative is absorbed into CHR, expect less play on rock stations.

G

 

[awp69]

(and, yes, it's alternative, but with songs crossing over to CHR fairly regularly now, I consider it almost mainstream rock at this point.).

CHR is not rock. As what currently passes for alternative is absorbed into CHR, expect less play on rock stations.

G

I understand that CHR is not rock, but if you look at the current Rock radio charts there's only a few different songs compared to what is on the Alternative charts. So all I'm saying is what is considered today's popular rock bands (chart wise) don't always jive with the Planet's harder rock attitude, which is fine if that's what they want to be. I just wouldn't call them an all-encompassing station for representing the various styles of rock these days.

 

[carolinaradio]

Interesting that The Planet is actually responding. I've been enjoying 98.5 and, at first, there seemed to be no changes to The Planet (tuned in a few times just to see if they were). Might have to listen a little more out of curiousity.

Although The Planet may have taken away the 70s/80s (as they should have), I still have a feeling they're never going to incorporate all "new" rock. Doubt you'll ever hear Of Monsters and Men, Coldplay or Imagine Dragons on The Planet. My only fear is that they change just enough to keep some of their old listeners from jumping ship to X98.5.

Don't want X98.5 to change much at all even though I've been put off by an occassional song choice that seems to be aimed at The Planet's loud trash (pretty sure I heard Rob Zombie yesterday and some other undecipherable song at another point). But overall X has been sounding great and I hope they can stick it out in the long run.

I still question whether there is much audience overlap between The Planet and X. As someone who enjoys X and probably 80% of what they play, I can't imagine listening to The Planet for any substantial amount of time. X-98.5's listeners seem more like the type that just would not have listened to the radio around here until now (if they wanted Alternative rock). I don't really think X will have much effect on The Planet, that's why I've thought their attacks and criticisms of The Planet were a little extensive. It's notable that X started playing commercials last weekend. They have improved so much since they started with that Classic Alt. sound.

The removal of the 70s and 80s rock was long overdue. They have Rock101 to handle those eras just fine. I don't see it having much effect on the station, though, other than making the station sound more cohesive (and now some of these 90s songs are a little eyebrow raising). I think the removal of the older music that did not fit and the addition of some of the strange Alternative songs will be a wash for them. They still have The Rise Guys and company, and SOUND like absolute crap. X sounds way better and much cleaner, even when playing something "loud." Planet sounds like...noise and distortion.

It's sort of notable that WKLS in Atlanta dropped Active Rock for CHR last week. I'm sure they sounded better than The Planet (not a huge Active Rock expert here), but I wonder if it's any indication of the format's future. Of course, 99X went away last week as well.

 

[awp69]

Of course, 99X went away last week as well.

Didn't know this. Wonder if they'll go online only again. Ashame to see. I spent some years in Atlanta after college listening to 99X.

 

[carolinaradio]

Of course, 99X went away last week as well.

Didn't know this. Wonder if they'll go online only again. Ashame to see. I spent some years in Atlanta after college listening to 99X.

When WLKS/96Rock/Project 96.1 went to CHR, the 98.9 signal 99X had been on went to Active Rock as The Bone, thus no more 99X. It was only a shell of the station it was in the 90s, though.

 

[awp69]

Of course, 99X went away last week as well.

Didn't know this. Wonder if they'll go online only again. Ashame to see. I spent some years in Atlanta after college listening to 99X.

When WLKS/96Rock/Project 96.1 went to CHR, the 98.9 signal 99X had been on went to Active Rock as The Bone, thus no more 99X.  It was only a shell of the station it was in the 90s, though.

Yeah, I read more about it in the Atlanta forum. Still kind of sad. I was there in 1991 which I believe is when they first went on the air. At the time, they were somewhat of a pioneer station that was looked upon highly around the country. I left Atlanta in '93 and came to Greenville. But due to a job loss, had to go back to Atlanta for a job in the early 2000s. Even then, they were starting to sound more generic and added some more of what I now think of as the harder "active" rock into the mix. They still were a good station though. Then when they got booted completely. I was glad to see the staff put up a fight by launching their online station, which eventually led to an HD radio feed. Then, finally, back to the airwaves on 98.9. It seemed they had gotten back to the mix that made them successful to begin with (still not as good as Radio 104.5, but they were still better than the slide they had in the 2000s). I haven't been following the ratings there, but obviously the relaunch over the past few years wasn't successful.

As for X98.5, I agree that they shouldn't pose a direct threat to The Planet, which IMO is hanging on by a thread anyway, but I do see some posts on Facebook that make it sound like there were some people defecting from the Planet that were still offended by the constant bashing of The Planet in their promos (which I also agree were a little overboard.) But I get kind of miffed when I see posts asking them to play more of things like Metallica and Incubus. That's the kind of stuff I think X98.5 is a breath of fresh air to get away from (stay with The Planet if you want to hear more hard rock!).

 

[Scooter Lesley]

Due to an apparent void left by the departing 103X, in April of 1996, and the obvious failure of the youth oriented, Q-Country, THE PLANET assumed the latter frequency, and began on September 13th, 1996. In the beginning, it was...indeed...a Rollin' Sack Of Hell, and at one point, was beating WROQ, then Programmed by the king of nothing, Ken Carson, and allegedly, Fred Jacobs, of Jacob's Media. Under it's original ownership, Head Planeteer, Zack Tyler was in the process of steamrolling their very existance! Fast forward to today, at present, nothing could be further from the truth. As you know, Entercom has several stations that aren't getting it done. MAGIC 98.9 has reasonably good air talent, but an Awww-ful playlist. However, the problem with WTPT is two fold, suffering a double nintendo. Not only and Awww-ful playlist, but one of the worst air staffs that I have ever had the displeasure of hearing. So, if changes are on the move,...ANYTHING will be...
an improvement! In the beginning, I do remember them reporting their playlist to the trades, under the format, "Modern Rock". Where this "Active Rock" label came from, is beyond me. However, I ask...are they the same or are they two different formats, and if so, then someone...
Please...explain to all of us what differs.

 

[awp69]

Where this "Active Rock" label came from, is beyond me. However, I ask...are they the same or are they two different formats, and if so, then someone...
Please...explain to all of us what differs.

Don't know where the term came from but in another thread elsewhere on this forum someone basically described it as "Hard Modern Rock" mixed with "Metal", I guess that's more "active" than plain old modern rock. That's fairly accurate in what The Planet used to be anything that was thrashing in today's music along with Metallica, Ozzy Ozborne and the like. That's why I think the addition of '90s alternative to the mix is not really something that's going to help because it kind of stands out just as the older '70s/'80s music did.

 

[chrocket87]

(and, yes, it's alternative, but with songs crossing over to CHR fairly regularly now, I consider it almost mainstream rock at this point.).

CHR is not rock. As what currently passes for alternative is absorbed into CHR, expect less play on rock stations.

G

I understand that CHR is not rock, but if you look at the current Rock radio charts there's only a few different songs compared to what is on the Alternative charts. So all I'm saying is what is considered today's popular rock bands (chart wise) don't always jive with the Planet's harder rock attitude, which is fine if that's what they want to be. I just wouldn't call them an all-encompassing station for representing the various styles of rock these days.

Define Rock radio. If we're talking the Rock or Active Rock, there's very little overlap with Alternative anymore. They couldn't really sound any more different from Alternative radio. Looking at Mediabase, the Rock and A/R charts only share a handful of tracks, whereas they shared many of the same titles in the middle part of the last decade.

 

[awp69]

Define Rock radio. If we're talking the Rock or Active Rock, there's very little overlap with Alternative anymore. They couldn't really sound any more different from Alternative radio. Looking at Mediabase, the Rock and A/R charts only share a handful of tracks, whereas they shared many of the same titles in the middle part of the last decade.

Guess I was looking at the Billboard radio charts for Rock and Alternative and they shared probably 75% of the same tracks. But mediabase is probably more accurate in terms of radio reporting.

 

[carolinaradio]

Yeah, I read more about it in the Atlanta forum. Still kind of sad. I was there in 1991 which I believe is when they first went on the air. At the time, they were somewhat of a pioneer station that was looked upon highly around the country. I left Atlanta in '93 and came to Greenville. But due to a job loss, had to go back to Atlanta for a job in the early 2000s. Even then, they were starting to sound more generic and added some more of what I now think of as the harder "active" rock into the mix. They still were a good station though. Then when they got booted completely. I was glad to see the staff put up a fight by launching their online station, which eventually led to an HD radio feed. Then, finally, back to the airwaves on 98.9. It seemed they had gotten back to the mix that made them successful to begin with (still not as good as Radio 104.5, but they were still better than the slide they had in the 2000s). I haven't been following the ratings there, but obviously the relaunch over the past few years wasn't successful.

As for X98.5, I agree that they shouldn't pose a direct threat to The Planet,which IMO is hanging on by a thread anyway, but I do see some posts on Facebook that make it sound like there were some people defecting from the Planet that were still offended by the constant bashing of The Planet in their promos (which I also agree were a little overboard.) But I get kind of miffed when I see posts asking them to play more of things like Metallica and Incubus. That's the kind of stuff I think X98.5 is a breath of fresh air to get away from (stay with The Planet if you want to hear more hard rock!).

I don't think 99X got even a 1 share, but remember, it came back on a much weaker signal.

It's funny that Greenville has gone from one of the worst markets for radio in the southeast to, actually, one of the best, as far as variety goes. With the recent changes at 102.5, the sign-ons at 97.7 and 98.5, and the impending changes at 94.5 (which will cause changes at 106.3), things certainly aren't quiet here. That was my main gripe here for so long, nobody ever tried anything new. Can't say that now. I honestly think radio here is better than it is in Atlanta, despite its much bigger size.

I would rather X-98.5 stay away from the harder rock if it was not successful on Alternative the first time around. The Planet has that covered just fine. I don't really think the inclusion of these harder acts helps any. I also can't help but notice how much better 98.5's audio quality is than 93.3's - great fidelity/range, very clean sounding. 93.3 just sounds like noise.

 

[awp69]

It's funny that Greenville has gone from one of the worst markets for radio in the southeast to, actually, one of the best, as far as variety goes.  With the recent changes at 102.5, the sign-ons at 97.7 and 98.5, and the impending changes at 94.5 (which will cause changes at 106.3), things certainly aren't quiet here.  That was my main gripe here for so long, nobody ever tried anything new.  Can't say that now.  I honestly think radio here is better than it is in Atlanta, despite its much bigger size. 

Yep, I said exactly the same thing over in one of the Atlanta threads. With all the recent flips there, it sounds like the radio market is horrendous there now. Although the new 102.5 was a step in the right direction, the additions of Chuck and more particularly in my case, X-98.5, have all made this market change dramatically. I used to miss Atlanta radio (not that it was the best market, but it was far better than GSP). Now, I'm glad I'm here and not there.