99.3 WJZS Goes Satellite Hot AC

[jlehmann]

Last night I noticed WJZS playing Hot AC music that they normally wouldn't play, and then went to their website.

http://www.993wjzs.com/

I'm not sure when this change took place, but it seems that they've dropped their unique, somewhat similar to WCIB format, and have gone Hot AC, off the bird.

 

[McRadio]

Yes it's the semiannual flip. What'll it be for February'10?

 

[DG02816]

who knows and who cares anymore???

 

[Rick]

They are using Citadel Media's (formally ABC Radio) "Today's Best Hits" Hot AC network:

http://www.citadelmedianetworks.com/article.asp?id=341457
(scroll down to "Hot AC - Today's Best Hits)

http://www.todaysbesthits.com
(site for listeners to get a customized local station website)

If you enter in your local zip code, it doesn't yet redirect you to a custom Variety 99.3 site yet. I also am noticing that some stopsets are sending out dead air (as I post this, a 60 second network spot aired followed by ABC News update, and then dead air where a mandatory local stopset is supposed to be inserted via a sub-60 Hz signal tone). There is another station in northern New England that uses this network. I can't remember which one though.

 

[aqualung]

Well there goes the theory that locally owned music stations can offer something different and still survive yet stay local. I swear within five years the only live shifts in RI will be morning drive. I don't even think there'll be local tracking after 10AM. It'll all be bird feed.

 

[Rick]

Hmm, I take back what I said about www.todaysbesthits.com not showing the local customized 99.3 page. I cleared my cookies and restarted my browser and then went to the site entering Block Island's zip code of 02807, and I then received the customized page.

I know aqualung, I agree. It's too bad, but with technology and the recession, radio is simply going in that direction. I dislike it as much as the next guy, but it's gotten to the point that I am not surprised anymore when things like this happen. I can only hope that part of it has to do with the economy and some local fun and exciting radio may return in the future.

Side note, in central and southern RI, Variety 99.3 is basically competing with Coast 93.3 for their share now. Both are Hot AC and satellite delivered (well, except for mornings and mid-days on 93.3). When are we going to see a CHR war?! That would be fun! I'd love to see it in Boston too.

 

[jazzjock]

I'm not sure when this change took place,

Midnight Saturday Aug 1st..

Guess Kenny was wrong with his predictions WPRV was the next to change format!

Jazzy!

 

[Skynet74]

Within two years I think the only people left on the radio will be Ryan Seacrest and Rush Limbaugh. All you little local yokels are going to be gone. I'm getting sick of hearing myself say it...... but a computer and a satellite dish. That will be the radio station of the future. 99 percent of radio will originate from people sitting in a studio either in New York or Los Angeles. For most of you this is the time to figure out what your second career choice is going to be. That especially goes for anyone who is working overnights (if there is even anyone left). You'll be the first ones to go. Even WBZ in Boston was a hair away from going to satellite overnights. Through some kind of miracle those plans were delayed. Notice that I said delayed and not canceled? I still think it's only a matter of time before those plans are put back on the table. It's just the way the business is going.

I know that WPRO likes to gloat about being Live and Local. But eventually the orders will come down where even they will go all satellite. You can't fight the corporate office. They only care about one thing. $$$ Dollar signs $$$ . The second they figure out how to get equal ratings for less money.... Guess what happens to you? Chop Chop slash slash. Time to save the cash cash. That is especially true in this economy. There is no loyalty in Radio. There used to be. But not anymore. Any out of work DJ's want to chime in and back me up? How many former radio personalities have been sitting home staring at a wall for the past year? I'm scared to hear the actual number.

OK I'm sounding like a broken record. Anyone with half a brain already knows this stuff anyway. I think I'm posting this more for the kids thinking about getting into radio. You might want to think twice. It's not going to be easy street for you. Radio has changed into a horrible business with zero stability and things are only going to get worse. Go join a band. That's probably your best chance at being a success on the radio. It will pay a lot more too.

 

[Rick]

Well said, John. Of course I hope you will be wrong about WBZ and WPRO, and that they will keep overnights and local talent respectfully. I suppose only time will tell how far the axe falls.

 

[Kenny Atkinson]

I'm not sure when this change took place,

Midnight Saturday Aug 1st..

Guess Kenny was wrong with his predictions WPRV was the next to change format!

Jazzy!

Now Geoff if you look through all the older threads from about 6 months ago I said this was going to happen and we had a back and forth on it.Seems that I was right again.

As for WPRV,This business thing is not going to last long.A tweaking of bird-feed Talk shows will happen.I dont know of anyone that listens to WPRV.At least with True Oldies some people tuned in including myself.

 

[jimmyone]

well now gone from 3 stations to two....WROR for entertainment & music..and WGBH....sad state of affairs..

 

[DToTheJ]

Guess Kenny was wrong with his predictions WPRV was the next to change format!

As for WPRV,This business thing is not going to last long.A tweaking of bird-feed Talk shows will happen.I dont know of anyone that listens to WPRV.At least with True Oldies some people tuned in including myself.

Here's something that baffles me: In Washington, DC's latest PPM, the "True Oldies" station there, WJZW, ranks 22nd. Their webstream? 40th place! Not bad for a bird feeder in that regard...

 

[Kenny Atkinson]

Guess Kenny was wrong with his predictions WPRV was the next to change format!

As for WPRV,This business thing is not going to last long.A tweaking of bird-feed Talk shows will happen.I dont know of anyone that listens to WPRV.At least with True Oldies some people tuned in including myself.

Since they went the route of getting programming from Citadel I would have just picked up True Oldies.Not unless WKNL is a threat with its already in place presence.
Anything that has ever aired on 99.3 never went for anything other than South County

Here's something that baffles me: In Washington, DC's latest PPM, the "True Oldies" station there, WJZW, ranks 22nd. Their webstream? 40th place! Not bad for a bird feeder in that regard...

 

[radiojay1]

Like 95.9 WCRI, the 99.3 WJZS signal from Block Island only clearly reaches the south coast towns of South County and Newport County, RI including the city of Newport. Once you go a few miles north of these towns and the city of Newport, powerhouse 99.1 WPLM in Plymouth starts to interfere with WJZS, and 95.9 WATD in Marshfield, MA starts to interfere with WCRI. However these stations can be heard well in most of New London County in southeast CT, because there is no interference from adjacent stations or stations on the same frequency.

 

[Numo]

Sky is absolutely right. Radio has been trending this way for some time now and it is sad. If you look at WSNE I think that their day shift is the only local they have. The rest is bird feed and that crap they have in the morning is just awful. Ryan Seacrest is not much better, I don’t even tune into that station anymore.

It is sad that this is the way radio is going, even 92ProFM transmits bird feed in the evening...shameful. It has gotten to the point that I listen almost exclusively to Satellite. If I am going to get out of town bird feed at least I can get radio that is designed for the target audience and not hodgepodged and even better...commercial free. The one thing that terrestrial radio had over the satellite counterpart is being local specific...that is going away.

 

[Skynet74]

It is sad that this is the way radio is going, even 92ProFM transmits bird feed in the evening...shameful. It has gotten to the point that I listen almost exclusively to Satellite.

Pro-FM transmits off the bird at night now? It's been so long since I listened to that station that I didn't even know. It's either WBRU in the car or WPRO for me. I'll switch to WBZ on occasion. That's it. A three dial pre-set in this town would make me happy. Everything else is garbage. Similar to you... I've got the satellite radio on here at home. It has a built in wireless transmitter which feeds a signal to every other room. It's nice to have. However the big winner in my eyes is the internet. You get streaming from hundreds and hundreds of stations. I've got my computer hooked up to my Stereo. I just pick a format from any station in the world and I am good to go. The only reason I even keep the satellite radio is because they keep throwing free months at me whenever I try to cancel. That's their choice. But I would honestly be more upset to lose access to internet radio than I would be to lose satellite radio. There are so many choices on the internet that it is mind boggling.

 

[za-rex]

I've sampled some internet stations but haven't done any hooking the PC up to anything so I don't do that much listening. At least in this area I wonder if the Providence stations are even aware of how to program against the other alternatives and down deep inside just program against other terrestrial stations because that's who they're competing against for ad dollars. I wonder if the future programmers in radio are not going to have radio backgrounds because it limits their way of thinking. I can tell you that if you're in radio you have a hard time thinking of anything but radio and today's programmers have an antiquated skill set.

 

[wknd92]

Pro-FM isn't off the satellite at nights, they are VT'd. Seacrest isn't off the satellite on SNE, either, they are cut up breaks of his morning show.

 

[Skynet74]

Seacrest isn't off the satellite on SNE, either, they are cut up breaks of his morning show.

While they are busy cutting.... is there any chance they can cut him out? On the Los Angeles board I read that Ryan was complaining because his flagship station told him more music and less talking. I tend to agree with them. But that's just me being a smart ass.

 

[Kenny Atkinson]

Seacrest isn't off the satellite on SNE, either, they are cut up breaks of his morning show.

While they are busy cutting.... is there any chance they can cut him out? On the Los Angeles board I read that Ryan was complaining because his flagship station told him more music and less talking. I tend to agree with them. But that's just me being a smart ass.

His flagship station told him that.That's stupid.Like him or not he is big.He has jumped into the shoes of Casey CAsem and Dick Clark.Who in thier right mind would tell him what to do after working for those two legends.