I saw the ratings (12+) and - what the hell?How did 97.1 The River get those ratings?On the AC front, River sister B98.5 did slightly better than 94.9 Lite. But both are dramatically down. And 96 Rock also tanked as well.Both B98.5 and Lite went all Christmas. While Lite enjoyed huge Winter gains the last few years they did so, B98.5 got pounded. Looks like both stations are on the recieving end of a hammer. I am sure that the 25-54 demos, male and female, confirm this.Cox also stated that B98.5 would be protected because the River would target men. However, it appears that the gender split is 50/50. There is a lot of playlist overlap between the River and B98.5.I think Cox should take B98.5 more toward an upbeat hot AC direction. WSB-FM is suppost to be Cox's pride and joy FM-wise. As for Lite, they should focus more on currents, and hire a live and local midday and afternoon DJ.As for 96 Rock (The River was intended to compete directly with them), it is over for them. A no-music morning show and Braves games, it is a lose lose. The station's ratings are dependent on Braves games.Even with only 300 songs, Cox has a hit on it's hands. I anticipate the ratings will settle down after the inital buzz.
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97.1 The River kills three birds with one stone
- Thread starter jal41
- Start date
Congratulations to the River, although I don't listen, they did something right (maybe all those TV spots they aired). I think, however, that it's way to premature to throw in the towel over at WKLS. I have been listening more & more. I started listening more primarily because of the "Workforce payroll" contest they have running now, but I find myself enjoying the music now more than ever. Now with new afternoon drive jock Jennifer Reed, gives me yet another reason to listen, and of course the Braves never sounded better than it does in FM stereo. 96rock has been around Atlanta too long to give up now. They'll turn it around
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Dude... You sound like you work at 96rock! The workforce payroll? That's only been used like a MILLION times in radio over the last 15 years. And if the "I'm hot for radio" voice of Jennifer Reed does it for you, you're an easy target.Word is CC is thinking about going to ALL talk BEFORE DaveFM flips to FreeFM. Reg guys in the morning, Braves at night, fill in middays and afternoons and you might just do better than a 2 share!jimbo722 said:
No (dude), I don't work in radio at all, just a listener with an opinion. Dave to flip to FreeFM? I've only been hearing that rumor for a year now. And why would CC go to all talk with 96 when they tried that with Real Radio...and it didn't work.gotta go, they might call my name this hour. Man, I hope I win, since they didn't call my birthday this morning on Star94. Come to think of it, I guess I am an easy target. 
Thanks for hearing me out, dude.
Thanks for hearing me out, dude. I think Lite is fine. B needs a few adjustments. I would like to see them lean younger. I've suggested a Hot AC WSB-FM on this board for years. It would also work well with a smaller playlist.Yes, The River's ads are generating a lot of those numbers, but the older demos (those looking for 60's and 70's) have little on the radio dial to listen to. I've talked to one listener tired of the small playlist. When the TV spots are gone and listeners hear the same songs over and over, we'll see how the ratings are. It's good for listening in the car, but not for extended periods of time (at work). I like the idea and feel the playlist needs expanding and COX should use TV advertising (at least on WSB-TV news) as a reminder.
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First of all...Dave has ONE more book. If they don't take it up, they are done. Listen today, they have already tweaked the music. 2nd, A year ago, FreeFm wasn't around...but the reason why it's a viable solution to CBS' problem here is: Opie And Anthony (They will sign on to more stations soon, and they would beat the Reg guys in the morning with men)And REAL RADIO didn't work cause they didn't promote it at all. Plus, the talent was weak. Although I loved Scott Ferrall. Reg guys, plus some local talk talent (and not just politics) plus the Braves, I think it would be ok. We'll see.Thanks for hearing ME out!jimbo722 said:Dave to flip to FreeFM? I've only been hearing that rumor for a year now. And why would CC go to all talk with 96 when they tried that with Real Radio...and it didn't work.gotta go, they might call my name this hour. Man, I hope I win, since they didn't call my birthday this morning on Star94. Come to think of it, I guess I am an easy target.
Does anybody remember Dave FM's first book? It, too, was huge (albeit not as big as the River's) but has sloooowly tanked. Anybody who thinks the River's debut book was realistic or long-lasting has a lot to learn about Arbitron and listening habits. There's absolutely no way a 300 song classic rock format will survive in the long run. The format is DEAD. You may remember something called Z-93.
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troone
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Would hate to see Dave go...I really love the music. Always a nice surprise..always an "oh wow" cut....I do not...do not...do not understand why they're plummeting. In a town full of 35 year old yuppie professionals, the audience for this format has to be there.It's easy to blame their morning show, I guess. Completely forgettable every day. Just a bad idea that I predicted here the day it launched in September 04. I dont know why the suits dont move Stevie B to afternoons where he'd sound better and could ride out his contract (not that he'd accept the move without a huge fight). Move Mara to mornings with some other male voice and get Margot in at mid-days.
Great ideas!I also like Dave-FM. If they could just do something with mornings, things could turn around. There is so much competition... (Insert my "Alive" idea for 96.1) ;DCOX will need an expanded playlist and on-air talent if they want to keep good ratings at the River. The River needs to be seen more around town. They also need to remind potential listeners and newcomers (Atlanta is a fast growing market) The River exists. I don't think they are willing to invest in it. I've said this many times. It takes money to make money.
Dave does need a stronger morning show, but not Mara Davis. Infinity tried her with Dunham in the last days of Z-93 after they fired Moby. She's a great mid-day talent and should stay there. If they're smart, they should go after the talent that Cumulus is getting rid of. River's got to also step up in the diversity category. TV ads will only take you so far. A larger music library will take 'em a little bit further, but if they don't have good talent that keeps listeners tuned in..... hasta la vista, baby. If they don't do these things, Atlanta radio will be all "Buzz".
Because FreeFM would still have to work harder to suck as RealRadio allegedly did, especially without having one host doing several shows under different names.jimbo722 said:
"Word is CC is thinking about going to ALL talk BEFORE DaveFM flips to FreeFM. Reg guys in the morning, Braves at night, fill in middays and afternoons and you might just do better than a 2 share!"Move WGST over to 96.1 The ratings will soar compared to what GST gets right now. Regular guys, Rush, and then see if you can get a feed from Gary Burbank. Then you have the Braves at night. bingo! Oh and how about something neat like Dr. Demento on the weekends sometime. That would be a hoot. But I am sure it will never happen. What to do with 640? I have two words for you.....REAL OLDIES!! Ok I'll get out of my own Fantasyland and get back to reality. None of what I said will ever happen. If it does Hell will have frozen over already.
[/quote]First of all...Dave has ONE more book. If they don't take it up, they are done. Listen today, they have already tweaked the music. 2nd, A year ago, FreeFm wasn't around...but the reason why it's a viable solution to CBS' problem here is: Opie And Anthony (They will sign on to more stations soon, and they would beat the Reg guys in the morning with men)And REAL RADIO didn't work cause they didn't promote it at all. Plus, the talent was weak. Although I loved Scott Ferrall. Reg guys, plus some local talk talent (and not just politics) plus the Braves, I think it would be ok. We'll see.Thanks for hearing ME out![/quote]I think the reason Real Radio stunk is becaus 105.3 signal strength stinks. they didn't have 105.7 to work with which did so-so for Planet Radio. Planet Radio was a bad idea but having WGST programming on FM wasn't. AM should have switched formats altogether and it would have worked out very well. Because 105.7 covers much more Metro terriotry than WGST does during the day, let alone at night when it is swamped by WSM.
I thought B98.5 should gone hot AC, too. Five years ago, I thought they'd be a lock to do it. That would be a great battle between them and Star 94.I wonder what's taken Cox all this time to put some effort behind making 97.1 work. Where was this effort when it was 97.1 Jamz? Even though another urban station wasn't really needed, they would've been more successful if it were given half the effort that's being put behind the River.Mr Winston-Salem said:
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Whats ironic is Cox has put zero (other than the TV ads) behind the launch of River. Zero. And I figure that the TV blitz was paid for with the money they've saved on jocks. So, a net-net on that.As for B competing hot AC against Star, that would be crazy. You've have to fire and replace your air-staff and re-educate (I dont see Kelly & Alpha getting any hipper) and then re-brand heavily after 20 reasonably successful years. Lite AC is a great economic model for B and Lite. I've always wondered what their MDs and PDs do for 40 hours each week!
Yes, the morning show on DAVE is boring and childish. Time to stop beating a dead horse over there. Margot is ok, but she spews a bunch of useless information that no one really gives a crap about. The playlist is ever so small one day i was listening (yes I do listen on occasion) and they played the police, 3 differnt songs within 4 hours... HELP I'm not sure who is programing that station but It seems as if they don't have a clue all around.
B98.5 would not necessarily have to reimage or dump staff to go hot AC. For the most part, it would just be a shift in music from Elton John, Phil Collins, Sheryl Crow and Kelly Clarkson to Green Day, Gwen Stefani, Sheryl Crow, and Kelly Clarkson.I think a KRAV (Cox hot AC sister in Tulsa) is what is in order here. It would be so minor, no one would really notice (OK, if you replace 150 of 250 songs, people will notice).Hot AC's work with older airstaffs all of the time. WKCX/K98 in Rome (which is about to go bust pending sale to GPB) has a good morning show, and the hosts are in their 40s and 50s. If it can work in a small area, it can work in a major metro area just as well.If Cox wants a small playlist, hot AC will work better than mainstream AC for this.troone said:
>I think a KRAV (Cox hot AC sister in Tulsa) is what is in order >here. It would be so minor, no one would really notice (OK, if you >replace 150 of 250 songs, people will notice).Some looking at back ratings indicates that KRAV hasn't set the woods on fire over the years in Tulsa. Looking back 20 - 25 years, it has always been hosed by the (now Cox) leaders, K95 and KRMG.
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