97.7 Chuck FM Greenville

[awp69]

They're running a TV spot for Chuck.  I believe it can at least surpass Shine pretty quickly.  CC should've done this or Classic Hits with 96.7, but they have their heads up their arses.

Definitely.  They had even more room for something like this or Classic Hits after the WMYI adjustment back in the summer.
Sad when a translator with a smaller signal has more potential than a fully licensed class A.  Not to mention it's programmed better.

I'd bet more people are already listening to Chuck than Shine.  Cox is doing a good job.

I guess I'd have to look at the playlists for Classic Hits vs. Adult Hits, but the more I listen to Chuck, the more I feel like it is more "classic". Not saying I don't like it. And I definately think it's well programmed, but for some reason I still liked Charlie more. Guess it seemed more "hip" (pretty sad when a 42 year old uses a word like that to describe a station). I love most of the 80s, 90s and occassional 2000s, they play, but they do hit the 70s pretty significantly (and occcassionally 60s). Guess they just seem to be aimed a slightly older target group than Charlie was. I find myself flipping away from it more than I did with Charlie. I hear quite a few good songs that I haven't heard in a while but others that I also haven't heard in a while and wished I wasn't hearing again.

Again, not dishing the station, I definately see it easily outshining Shine (...sorry, couldn't resist). And it's a good station that will be on my presets, but I just occassionally get the feeling that I'm listening to a straight AC station with a much bigger playlist (and not much of the slow stuff). Most of these named stations like "Dave FM" in Atlanta, etc., seemed more like Charlie so I guess I thought all of them would be pretty similar. Suppose there's some variations in these "variety" stations.

 

[tylerSC]

Well, as I said in another thread, would like to see Cox put their Neal Boortz and Clark Howard programs on a signal here, especially since they border the Atlanta market where they originate from flagship station WSB. Meanwhile, the Chuck FM translator is an interesting experiment, so we'll see how that lasts.

 

[freqdev]

i agree that the station has a good signal in your car but with 250 watts at work listening will be difficult because it won't penetrate buildings even the class c stations have that problem i applaud cox for trying to market and make money (value added) from a translator it is a different approach

 

[carolinaradio]

i agree that the station has a good signal in your car but with 250 watts at work listening will be difficult because it won't penetrate buildings even the class c stations have that problem i applaud cox for trying to market and make money (value added) from a translator it is a different approach

Yeah, they encourage online streaming at work quite a bit on the air.
The translator method is interesting and gaining popularity, especially with niche or cheaply run formats. I think this is the first attempt Cox has made at it.

 

[carolinaradio]

They're running a TV spot for Chuck. I believe it can at least surpass Shine pretty quickly. CC should've done this or Classic Hits with 96.7, but they have their heads up their arses.

Definitely. They had even more room for something like this or Classic Hits after the WMYI adjustment back in the summer.
Sad when a translator with a smaller signal has more potential than a fully licensed class A. Not to mention it's programmed better.

I'd bet more people are already listening to Chuck than Shine. Cox is doing a good job.

I guess I'd have to look at the playlists for Classic Hits vs. Adult Hits, but the more I listen to Chuck, the more I feel like it is more "classic". Not saying I don't like it. And I definately think it's well programmed, but for some reason I still liked Charlie more. Guess it seemed more "hip" (pretty sad when a 42 year old uses a word like that to describe a station). I love most of the 80s, 90s and occassional 2000s, they play, but they do hit the 70s pretty significantly (and occcassionally 60s). Guess they just seem to be aimed a slightly older target group than Charlie was. I find myself flipping away from it more than I did with Charlie. I hear quite a few good songs that I haven't heard in a while but others that I also haven't heard in a while and wished I wasn't hearing again.

Again, not dishing the station, I definately see it easily outshining Shine (...sorry, couldn't resist). And it's a good station that will be on my presets, but I just occassionally get the feeling that I'm listening to a straight AC station with a much bigger playlist (and not much of the slow stuff). Most of these named stations like "Dave FM" in Atlanta, etc., seemed more like Charlie so I guess I thought all of them would be pretty similar. Suppose there's some variations in these "variety" stations.

Chuck FM definitely is more on the classic side for an Adult Hits station. Last artists have been Huey Lewis, Johnny Rivers, Eddie Money, Blink 182, Human League, Warren Zevon. Again, I can't blame them. Classic Hits/Oldies is a pretty big void in this market (even bigger since MY quit the 70s/80s weekends when they changed) and they're taking advantage of it. Charlie was definitely more modern, variety driven, and off the wall.

The 'variety hits' stations all vary. Some are more rock leaning, some are older, some are AC leaning. Dave-FM in Atlanta is literally a rock station.
This has already outshone Shine!

 

[awp69]

Chuck FM definitely is more on the classic side for an Adult Hits station. Last artists have been Huey Lewis, Johnny Rivers, Eddie Money, Blink 182, Human League, Warren Zevon. Again, I can't blame them. Classic Hits/Oldies is a pretty big void in this market (even bigger since MY quit the 70s/80s weekends when they changed) and they're taking advantage of it. Charlie was definitely more modern, variety driven, and off the wall.

The 'variety hits' stations all vary. Some are more rock leaning, some are older, some are AC leaning. Dave-FM in Atlanta is literally a rock station.
This has already outshone Shine!

Yeah, Dave probably is more of a rock station (but it's been years since I've listened to it). There's a lot to like about Chuck. Don't mind a lot of the 80s and 90s they play, but some of the bands that are a bit more in-tune with my age group -- particularly during my college years -- are what I'm missing. I remember Charlie playing things like R.E.M., U2, New Order and even Nine Inch Nails (yes, as much as I bash the Planet, this is one harder group that I actually like). I think I've heard U2 once on Chuck. There were plenty of songs I didn't like on Charlie too, just less of them. I'll still be listening to Chuck (especially until MY comes back with real music). It is a well-programmed station and I agree with you that the mix they are playing is probably what is needed most with MY now leaning more modern.

 

[KyleSmith1988]

Just barely able to pull it in somewhat here east of Cowpens & west of Gaffney...WCOS & WPEG are much stronger and
both easily bleed onto 97.7. If I walk around a little with my Grundig I can find a spot where I can hear it even inside my house.

Not bad for this area...I'll be in Spartanburg / Boiling Springs tomorrow and I'll see how it does there.
Looks like they are broadcasting from atop Paris Mountain...Speaking of which, I've been having some trouble receiving the
NOAA weather radio station from up there on 162.55 Mhz in the past few days...I wonder if this new signal has something to do with it.

I hope someone else does something with one of their signals to compete (96.7, 93.3 or 106.3) are just a few I can see working.
If they brought back Charlie on 106.3 I can see it like a neck & neck battle...with 106.3 winning because of the stronger signal.

 

[awp69]

If they brought back Charlie on 106.3 I can see it like a neck & neck battle...with 106.3 winning because of the stronger signal.

Just a matter of my tastes, but I also would chose Charlie just for its more modern leaning mix. Don't see that happening though and definately not on 106.3 which has been doing well with WORD. If it did happen, it would be on 93.3 or 96.7. I would think two "variety" stations are pretty rare in the same market even if they have different leanings.

Kind of ironic though that I had wished Charlie had survived and now Chuck comes, but it just isn't quite the same. Good variety, but guess not targeted towards my generation as much.

 

[carolinaradio]

106.3 won't be changing, watch them do very well in 2012 with a big election year. Yes, the two biggest flip contenders are 93.3 and 96.7, but who knows if they ever will. 96.7 especially has missed some opportunities.
I've never seen a market with two variety hits stations. Somebody could do something that would overlap with Chuck (classic hits, or maybe a rock format that borrowed a lot from the 80s).
I've heard Chuck play R.E.M., and U2 as well, but they've been pretty safe songs. There is an even bigger void for 70s/80s now than when Charlie was on the air, so that may have something to do with it also.

No Delilah or John Tesh on 97.7, either! I replaced the 101.1 preset with 97.7 in the car.

 

[awp69]

No Delilah or John Tesh on 97.7, either! I replaced the 101.1 preset with 97.7 in the car.

No Delilah is definately a plus! Hoping when MY comes back after Christmas, she's gone from their station as well.

97.7 replaced 96.1 on my presets .... at least until 96.1 ever gets its stronger signal back. If it does, then I'll put that back on and replace Magic with this.

Here's my order of flipping if all turns to normal:
1. 102.5
2. 97.7
3. 96.1 (when there's a decent signal)
4. 93.7
5. 107.9 (again when I get a decent signal)
6. 93.3 (yes, as bad as it is, it's a last resort hoping to catch something like the occassional Green Day or the like. More often than not, however, I switch right back off).

So even though Chuck isn't quite as good for my tastes compared to Charlie, it'll still be second on my stations.

 

[freqdev]

ever stood in a club nodding your head, but really didn't like the music? that's this station.

 

[carolinaradio]

I like the new station. There are some weird songs every now and then, but overall, it's pretty good. I think variety hits programmed this way would have more potential here than Charlie (not much comparison, though, considering they have about half of the signal Charlie did). Of course they are all on bigger signals, but the format has fared well in nearby markets like Columbia, Charleston, and Greensboro. I think Chuck's music lean (old) is smart given the current radio landscape here.

Oh, and answering my own question, 97.7 will be rated. CC's 2 translators in Birmingham are, and it's a diary market. Will be interesting to see if Cox goes any further in the translator business here - right now, that's really their only way to expand in this market.

 

[awp69]

No Delilah or John Tesh on 97.7, either!  I replaced the 101.1 preset with 97.7 in the car.

No Delilah is definately a plus! Hoping when MY comes back after Christmas, she's gone from their station as well.

97.7 replaced 96.1 on my presets .... at least until 96.1 ever gets its stronger signal back. If it does, then I'll put that back on and replace Magic with this.

Here's my order of flipping if all turns to normal:
1. 102.5
2. 97.7
3. 96.1 (when there's a decent signal)
4. 93.7
5. 107.9 (again when I get a decent signal)
6. 93.3 (yes, as bad as it is, it's a last resort hoping to catch something like the occassional Green Day or the like. More often than not, however, I switch right back off).

So even though Chuck isn't quite as good for my tastes compared to Charlie, it'll still be second on my stations.

Just as an aside, 96.1 seems much stronger today. Not sure if they finally fixed their trasmitter issues or if it's just the weather (sometimes on rainy/cloudy days I do get stations I don't always get clearly otherwise). So now 97.7 replaced Magic for me on my presets (and 96.1. is back on).

 

[freqdev]

I like the new station. There are some weird songs every now and then, but overall, it's pretty good. I think variety hits programmed this way would have more potential here than Charlie (not much comparison, though, considering they have about half of the signal Charlie did). Of course they are all on bigger signals, but the format has fared well in nearby markets like Columbia, Charleston, and Greensboro. I think Chuck's music lean (old) is smart given the current radio landscape here.

Oh, and answering my own question, 97.7 will be rated. CC's 2 translators in Birmingham are, and it's a diary market. Will be interesting to see if Cox goes any further in the translator business here - right now, that's really their only way to expand in this market.

i don't disagree with anything you're saying here, but for those who loved and have given kudos to 96.7 when it was rock forget that the best it could do was a 2 share on average and served the purpose cc put it on which is definitely better that what it is doing now. it is a 700 watt station and i am not sure that a 250 watt station will do much better. after all the marketing money can buy, it is still a 250 watt station with a website and stream. i am not sure that is attractive to an advertiser which is what someone with a spreadsheet wants to see. the audience for this play everything format is already gone and are in the ipod generation.

 

[carolinaradio]

i don't disagree with anything you're saying here, but for those who loved and have given kudos to 96.7 when it was rock forget that the best it could do was a 2 share on average and served the purpose cc put it on which is definitely better that what it is doing now. it is a 700 watt station and i am not sure that a 250 watt station will do much better. after all the marketing money can buy, it is still a 250 watt station with a website and stream. i am not sure that is attractive to an advertiser which is what someone with a spreadsheet wants to see. the audience for this play everything format is already gone and are in the ipod generation.

I can't disagree with you either. With Chuck-FM, though, Cox has literally no overhead (unlike The Buzzard)- they are probably paying no extra staff to run it, and can probably sell some kind of advertising for it, so it will be a bonus. As for ratings, who knows. Maybe 96.7 didn't do better because the new rock format isn't extremely popular here. 93.3 frequently can't crack a 4 share, look at its signal, although the execution is poor. No matter what the format is, 96.7 will never be a major player due to being a class A, but it can add value to the cluster.

This will be interesting to watch, nonetheless.

 

[KyleSmith1988]

I heard 97.7 Chuck ID as "WJMZ Anderson in HD - W249CB Six Mile."
I thought the COL was changed to Greenville. Paris Mountain is 30 miles away from Six Mile.
The old site and definitely the new site are almost in the fringe of the signal contour.

I'm still having problems receving NOAA Weather Radio 162.55 on Paris Mountain...
I'm pretty sure this new station going on the air has something to do with that...Hopefully it gets fixed.

 

[wnc40]

"the audience for this play everything format is already gone and are in the ipod generation."

Freqdev, I disagree. The audience may be gone for now but if the station is programmed right, then the audience will return. Case in point. WSMW in the NC Triad. Entercom does a great job with this station, cool morning show and a great mix of music. It pulls down excellent ratings on a 100,000 watt stick. I think a station like 98.7 Simon would do well in GSO but it would have to be on one of the big signals to be successful I believe. Entercom has a very well programmed and executed cluster in the Triad with 93.1 the Wolf, WQMG, 102 Jamz and Simon.

 

[carolinaradio]

I heard 97.7 Chuck ID as "WJMZ Anderson in HD - W249CB Six Mile."
I thought the COL was changed to Greenville. Paris Mountain is 30 miles away from Six Mile.
The old site and definitely the new site are almost in the fringe of the signal contour.

I'm still having problems receving NOAA Weather Radio 162.55 on Paris Mountain...
I'm pretty sure this new station going on the air has something to do with that...Hopefully it gets fixed.

The original license is still Six Mile, but they are operating under a construction permit to broadcast from Greenville. Maybe when you broadcast under a CP, you still ID by the original COL?
Maybe the NOAA station is having to operate under reduced power?

 

[more kilowatts]

I heard 97.7 Chuck ID as "WJMZ Anderson in HD - W249CB Six Mile."
I thought the COL was changed to Greenville. Paris Mountain is 30 miles away from Six Mile.
The old site and definitely the new site are almost in the fringe of the signal contour.

Folks, feel free to correct me but I believe W249CB started out as a translator for WTBI-FM, owned by Tabernacle Baptist College and at one time was located on Six Mile mountain, just outside Six Mile. I am just speculating here but a few years back, WTBI-FM moved from 91.7 to 91.5 and increased their ERP to 22.5 kW, so they no longer had a need for the translator. Tower Above Media and Ted McCall is listed as the current owner. Even though the COL is still Six Mile, the "old" translator, with 190 watts ERP, is now located at the WELP-AM transmitter site, about 2 miles outside of Easley on Hwy. 8 toward Pickens. The "old" location is only about 12-15 miles from the "new" Paris Mountain site as the crow flies. So are they transmitting from the old site, hence the W249CB Six Mile ID, or are they broadcasting under their CP from the new site?

 

[freqdev]

I can't disagree with you either. With Chuck-FM, though, Cox has literally no overhead (unlike The Buzzard)- they are probably paying no extra staff to run it, and can probably sell some kind of advertising for it, so it will be a bonus. As for ratings, who knows. Maybe 96.7 didn't do better because the new rock format isn't extremely popular here. 93.3 frequently can't crack a 4 share, look at its signal, although the execution is poor. No matter what the format is, 96.7 will never be a major player due to being a class A, but it can add value to the cluster.

This will be interesting to watch, nonetheless.

agree. cc has no overhead with the satellite christian format either. every dollar is a bonus including what usc pays them to carry sports.

"the audience for this play everything format is already gone and are in the ipod generation."

Freqdev, I disagree. The audience may be gone for now but if the station is programmed right, then the audience will return. Case in point. WSMW in the NC Triad. Entercom does a great job with this station, cool morning show and a great mix of music. It pulls down excellent ratings on a 100,000 watt stick. I think a station like 98.7 Simon would do well in GSO but it would have to be on one of the big signals to be successful I believe. Entercom has a very well programmed and executed cluster in the Triad with 93.1 the Wolf, WQMG, 102 Jamz and Simon.

i agree that it has some ratings potential on a 100,000 signal. that is not the case here. i should have said that the audience for this station is the ipod generation and will not hang antennas in their workplace to hear a 250 watt station