Their signal isn't great for sure. I never listened to 94.7 before the Block but there are pockets in Manhattan where the signal is bad. Would be hard to penetrate some of those steel buildings depending on location. As country it mattered less since most fans were in NJ anyway but with an urban format it matters more not having a city grade signal.
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94.7 The Block
- Thread starter BJSteigner
- Start date
In its first book in the summer of 1983, CHR station WHTZ was very close to last place in the Arbitron ratings. As this clipping from the New York Daily News (12/31/83) shows, Z100 did everything it could to go "from worst to first," and it succeeded.
I can't remember exactly where it was, but I seem to remember it in the high 3-share range.
I understand its last year as 104.3 K-Hits billed just over $6 million. I don't know how well it has done since, but David says it's billing more today. As he has access to that and I haven't had access to Miller-Kaplan in over a decade, he's most likely right.
Granted, The Block is probably doing around $0 right now since it's commercial-free, but I can't imagine it will get anywhere near 104.3 K-Hits or 104-3 Jamz billing unless it really improves!
I don't think it'll ever get the numbers WBMX Chicago gets due to signal issues in parts of Manhattan although can't speak to billing which is presumably more in New York.
I wouldn't write off the Block this early though.
Their current playlist is too tight so presumably once the 25,000 commercial free songs come builder is over they'll hopefully put some more effort into the station
But the three weeks ended with a 0.8 in the final week. If they continue to get that range, a 1.4 is not happening.
That is terrible. Perhaps contributed to the tight playlist..? Imo you can't have such a tight playlist if you're playing throwbacks. To hear the same 90s hit once every 2 hours is too tight with massive burn out factor. Audacy seems to have put the Block on juke box and walked away. I'm sure they'll do some tweaking after the holidays but seems like the programmers don't actually know how to program. They're missing an awesome opportunity to build cume. If you look at Facebook comments people are frustrated with the tight playlist and btw KTU is promoting throwbacks more than ever and says it outright.
A reminder that we're in holiday mode. They're not going to spend time on this station now. The work begins in January.
25,000 songs in a row but who's counting? 😉
If you can leave it on 24/7 and not get the urge to turn it off
or turn the dial because of commercials then it's well worth it, the station wins either way...
If you can leave it on 24/7 and not get the urge to turn it off
or turn the dial because of commercials then it's well worth it, the station wins either way...
HOT 97 has definitely increased the throwbacks.
Music works differently. Most people have favorite songs they never tire of, no matter how many times they're played. No one watches the same football game several times a week for months or years on end, but enjoying a song hundreds of times during its chart run then thousands more times as a recurrent or oldie/classic hit/throwback is very common. You may not "get it" because, obviously, your mind isn't wired that way, but rest assured that out there in the world of the average human being (rather than the music/radio obsessive), most minds are. That's why the Top 40 concept worked. That's why the oldies concept worked. That's for whom commercial music radio is being programmed.
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Somebody's not impressed with the high ratings of WCBS-FM (or other classic hits stations)....
But people will gravitate towards a style of music they are fond of, be it new or old; 80s music just happens to have lasting power among the masses. There are plenty of people over 25 who aren't fans of the emo influenced current music. Not everyone wants to hear that Mood song over Take On Me or Thriller.
Not to mention under 25 as well.
It seems quite possible the average hip hop fan in this area will be satisfied with the throwbacks played by the urban stations that have been around for a long time, especially if they add some more than they played in the past. I believe for example, that WBLS recently started playing some older hip hop tunes. A day before the flip from Country on 95.7, I heard a dj on WKTU say they were adding more throwbacks.
Perhaps The Block will be a third or fourth preset among urban music listeners. My guess is that TSL will be on the low side.
Perhaps The Block will be a third or fourth preset among urban music listeners. My guess is that TSL will be on the low side.
That's OK. If they're competing in a race with WBLS and WKTU, they're in good company.
Audacy just flipped their Los Angeles CHR to a simulcast of their all news station. NYC is the only market where they do all news that doesn't have an FM counterpart. Stay tuned.
May foreshadow a less bright future for Alt. Hey, at least there is still WFUV.
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