KenaiPen said:
So what's your answer to what do you think they should have done?
Another Alternative? The one now doesn't have stellar ratings...classic rock? Already one...ditto on the rock/active rock with KWHL; three A/C's; two CHR's; five news talkers - six if you count KTZN...two straright ahead country...a non-com AAA, an Adult Hits that stradles the classic hits/AC world...can't forget one of the last remaining commercial classical stations in the country...smooth jazz...rhythmic A/C. Let's not forget K-LOVE and KAFC too...plus an Adult Standards. Pretty crowded field for a market of this size...so what are you brilliant ideas? Or is it simply you don't a country-rock hybrid?
Kenai - I'll tell you what my brilliant idea is, but I'm not getting into a pissing match with anyone on here. 24 hours ago you were trying to tell me that the sister station of KFAT and the Buzz might go CHR (and compete against themselves), or sports instead of the classic rock/country hybrid. Clearly you don't have all the answers either.
I am a former employee of NNB, and X-Rock, I left of my own volition and on good terms with the company, it was a compensation issue that was met with greater pay and opportunity at one of their competitors. I am and was always a believer in the X-Rock format, and believe they should have stayed with it. You can't judge a station's success until you've got a four book average, thus I don't think anyone will ever know the strengths and weaknesses of that format. My answer for 96.3 - stick with X-Rock, do some research, make X-rock better, here's what was wrong with X-Rock:
1) Glenner and Jerry - Small market, Anchorage hating morning show that was broadcast from outside Anchorage. Syndicated mornings have never, and probably will never work here.
2) Poor music selection - For any four song music set, you could pick out at least one, sometimes two songs that should not have been there. There's no reason that a station that had been around for less than a year should be playing 'deep cuts' in afternoon drive like Ted Nugent's 'Fred Bear'. Play the hits, drive cume, build TSL, then introduce a broader base - not the other way around.
3) Marketing - it was non-existent, so many folks I talked to asked 'What station are you on?' I'd answer 'X-Rock 96.3' and be met with a blank stare.
4) The Alaska Wild - again new station, breaking away from their new rock format for several hours at a time for....football. To further complicate the matter, six months before the new season starts they introduce the 'Coaches Show' a 30 minute talk show in MORNING DRIVE (on a supposedly music intensive show)about a football team that hasn't and won't play a football game in 6 months! You know why ESPN Sportscenter is successful????? Well, they don't do THAT for starters! Baseball season they're talking about baseball, football season, football, etc.
5) Engineering. X-Rock 96.3 sounded phenomenal when it went live on November 1, 2006, crystal clear stereo, punchy processing, but not over processed - it sounded awesome. By March, 2007 their engineer had 'adjusted' all that. One problem we had was a whine in the background if everything wasn't punched into program and audition on the board, they were working on putting a new output board into the console, which took several months but eventually got resolved. What didn't get resolved were issues with the STL and transmitter that caused another component to literally scream over the music, especially quiet parts of songs, you couldn't fight through that interference even if you loved that station. In short, the engineer was asleep at the wheel, the station sounded like garbage from last spring up until Sunday night at 10. I'd place the lion's share of the blame for that station's success in his lap and the GM that allowed it to happen. It would've never happened with a Morris or Clear Channel station, and it's highly unlikely that TATI would allow it either. You'll note that now the signal sounds great again, *sigh*.
Even though the station sounded bad from an engineering stand point, their new PD came in late January and tightened up the list, had tweaked the imaging, and X-Rock finally started to sound like it was headed in the right direction. As an ex employee working for the competitor I was still pulling for that station, if for no other reason than I enjoyed the music and the on-air presentation. The voice guy (Steve Stone) was perfect for that station, and I thought that 'Everything that Rocks' was one of the best positioning statements in the market - short, sweet, to the point. I felt this station was ready to go into the spring book with a fighting chance, Anchorage might have a little rock battle on its hands - then 'T minus'...
This new country/classic hits format is on the air in other markets, and it's not working. As far as not being 'formulaic' in nature...I'm curious what you're basing that on. This is every bit as much of a 'format' as K-Bear's, KASH's, Magic's. They would be unable to use 'The Wolf' as their branding if they didn't stick to some semblance of the format that they now have licensed for the station, much like Movin' and Bob - it is consultant driven (even though it's 'untamed radio'!).
I'll tell you why KWHL is successful. It's not because KWHL is this unbeatable forcefield of rock and roll greatness, they are live and local - and they're always out on the streets, always. You don't go weeks on end without seeing or hearing about them, chances are good that if it's happening they are there and they have a huge presence! In short, KWHL is cool, KWHL is your friend, KWHL loves you and you love KWHL. KWHL is also the heritage rocker, I grew up with them, so did my friends, and their's, etc. Conversely, NNB thought they could farm out the morning show, truck in talent from other markets (both the midday girl and afternoon drive guy have THICK Michigan accents), have no presence on the streets, have poor sound quality and kick KWHL's ass. Not going to happen, not now, not ever.
96.3 should've stuck with X-Rock, but they should've done it right. The Everything that Rocks format filled a niche. This new format takes KBear, KASH, Fox and Kool - puts them in a proverbial blender and hits puree. They'll likely do better than they did with X-Rock because this is a country town, but this won't cause concern anywhere else in the market. I wasn't wrong about 96.3 the Wolf or anything that it entails, and I won't be wrong about this station. See you in 18 months when we're guessing the next format!
BTW Kenai - really not trying to start a huge deal here, just giving my opinion - sorry if I come off like an arrogant jerk!
