Albany format MIA

[bad_segue]

It's been a while since anyone contributed thoughts on what format is missing in the Albany market.

This time instead of just saying AAA, Dance, Classic Country, and so on pick a frequency that could be a potential flip by the end of the year such as 96.7, 98.3, 102.3, 104.9, and 105.7. Consider signal strength, penetration, directional, and so on so forth and explain why your choice of missing format would be the best choice.

Before someone points out WEXT 97.7 as being AAA please keep in mind that the station is an abomination. There is no convincing me that an amateur voicetracked station that doesn't even have a studio and runs solely off a server at WMHT with the biggest clusterf**K I've ever heard of music is good. It's terrible. The Metroland loves it but they also love cross dressing prostitute performance artist mimes - because they are "hip" and "elitist" but don't tell them that because it isnt' PC and it hurts their little pea brains. Back to the topic of EXT and when I listen how I feel that it is an insult to every radio professional that has ever lived or aspired to be one. Even WRPI 91.5 sounds better than "EXT".


Flame away.

 

[4dude]

Adult Urban is definetly missing.....

96.3 and 102.3 are complete trash and dont even come close to an URBAN format in my opinion..

 

[StanWayBack]

Have you HEARD real urban formats??

It's gritty to say the least. I wonder if an up and coming urban radio jock can go a month without a stabbing in chicago. I just had a layover there last month. I scored an eight-ball, an ounce of shrooms and a handful of crack just for visiting the chicago bus terminal bathrooms.

 

[BoomerBuzz]

The last time I looked, the Black community comprised 6.2% of the Albany/Schenectady/Troy metro population and the Hispanic community was at 2.6%. Why would anyone expect an Urban-formatted station that was designed for a metro with a high density Black or Hispanic population (eg. NYC, LA, Chicago,DC) to work in a market whose tastes are informed by white suburban tastes? The only way that stations like JAMZ and KISS can succeed is to satisfy 18-30 year olds who live in places like Clifton Park, Colonie or Niskayuna and who want something that feels more "funky" than FLY.

As for format flips, "Classic Country" skews too old so it wouldn't make much sense to go that route. WTRY-FM has seen pretty consistent performance, not great but not bad, so why take a chance and change it to something that might show the same or worse results? WBZZ's performance has been disappointing and it wouldn't be a big surprise if Chuck & Kelly's contracts weren't renewed but Regent is rumored to be on the block so it's unlikely that they'll flip the 105.7 signal to something else.

To be honest, flipping any of the formats in the market brings to mind the old "deck chairs on the Titanic" analogy. Seems like everybody should be focusing on transitioning from their broadcast radio mindsets to
a more apt digital media distribution platform perspective.

 

[Gus Bus]

A true Hip Hop station could and would work in the Capital Region. If you think back to the days that Jamz was actually a Hip Hop station, you know the days when Sugar Bear was at the helm and all the jocks fit the format(clearly not the case now), they were set to beat FLY. Upper management would never allow that to happen so they decided to put their nose where it didn't belong and flip the station to the garbage that it is now. With a new PD on the way to Jamz as we speak, be on the lookout for it to possibly become what it once was.

 

[bad_segue]

"Gus Bus" did you read your post before posting it?

Why would upper management be putting their noses where they don't belong? They own both stations and what fool would allow the weak 6k signal to beat the heritage 50k signal.

Also history seems to be different in your head as the ratings were never that great and even if they had become great it's a product you can't sell. Like it or not business owners associate that kind of station with exactly the sort of behavior it's artists and listeners exhibit. Need I remind you of Biz getting shot five times at the studios in Latham? How about the more than a handful of shootings and stabbing connected with the old Jamz.

As someone above said in a nice way, which you obviously missed - they had to "whiten" up the station to make it sellable.

 

[Voice Track]

It's been a while since anyone contributed thoughts on what format is missing in the Albany market.

This time instead of just saying AAA, Dance, Classic Country, and so on pick a frequency that could be a potential flip by the end of the year such as 96.7, 98.3, 102.3, 104.9, and 105.7. Consider signal strength, penetration, directional, and so on so forth and explain why your choice of missing format would be the best choice.

Before someone points out WEXT 97.7 as being AAA please keep in mind that the station is an abomination. There is no convincing me that an amateur voicetracked station that doesn't even have a studio and runs solely off a server at WMHT with the biggest clusterf**K I've ever heard of music is good. It's terrible. The Metroland loves it but they also love cross dressing prostitute performance artist mimes - because they are "hip" and "elitist" but don't tell them that because it isnt' PC and it hurts their little pea brains. Back to the topic of EXT and when I listen how I feel that it is an insult to every radio professional that has ever lived or aspired to be one. Even WRPI 91.5 sounds better than "EXT".
Flame away.

I appreciate you starting this topic. I disagree with you about WEXT. For what they appear to have to work with, I would say that they are doing a competent job with it, and they are a welcome addition to my presets. Every AAA station is different. In the distant past, Albany had 104.5-WXLE. They were a decent AAA station under Program Director Zeb Norris, but an abomination under the other programmers that ran it, and out of business they went. Vermont's WEBK, was a quality AAA station much of time, but sadly now it is country. For as minimal an operation as you claim WEXT to be, I have no problem with it and listen to it frequently. What do you want WMHT to do with it? Sell it to some more religiou$ broadcasters so we can have another outlet for contemporary superstition or crazed preaching??? For that matter, I also listen to WRPI alot, and have since 1969...The format that I would love to see appear in this area would be Scott Shannon's "True Oldies" or an equivalent. WTRY is unlistenable for that format anymore. If I tune to an "Oldies" station, I want to hear the Beatles, The Stones, Herman's Hermits, The Searchers, The Supremes, The Dave Clark 5, Dusty Springfield etc...Not Madonna...As a matter of fact, I replaced my WTRY preset with WEXT...Between 105.7, and some of the low rated Class As around here, someone should do this format on FM. And no...don't tell me that the format is covered by WTRY and WKLI. I can't listen to either one...I highly doubt that any changes will come to 96.7, 98.3 or 102.3.
While I would hate to see it happen, I wouldn't be surprised to see 104.9 flip...but to what I can only imagine...maybe a simulcast of 590...

 

[Johnny_45]

We all know WEXT sucks. Fly 92 is the only local station in a position to become a POWERHOUSE but of course, Morrell and company will drop that ball. They DON'T get it --- never have, never will!

In regard to this: The last time I looked, the Black community comprised 6.2% of the Albany/Schenectady/Troy metro population and the Hispanic community was at 2.6%. Why would anyone expect an Urban-formatted station that was designed for a metro with a high density Black or Hispanic population (eg. NYC, LA, Chicago,DC) to work in a market whose tastes are informed by white suburban tastes? The only way that stations like JAMZ and KISS can succeed is to satisfy 18-30 year olds who live in places like Clifton Park, Colonie or Niskayuna and who want something that feels more "funky" than FLY.

A REAL HIP-HOP station would kill the competition! I have a photograph of JAMZ "target" - a 24-year old WHITE single mom with one or two kids who loves black men! JAMZ disssed SUGAR BEAR big time!

The real question: How the hell does WGNA continue to be #1 - are we really in east Bumf**k after all????

 

[Johnny_45]

Re: Albany format MIA
« Reply #4 on: July 28, 2008, 09:24:42 am » Quote

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DON'T BET ON IT - JAMZ IS GETTING WHITER - DIRECTIVE ISSUED TO JOCKS "Make sure you promo WHITE A true Hip Hop station could and would work in the Capital Region. If you think back to the days that Jamz was actually a Hip Hop station, you know the days when Sugar Bear was at the helm and all the jocks fit the format(clearly not the case now), they were set to beat FLY. Upper management would never allow that to happen so they decided to put their nose where it didn't belong and flip the station to the garbage that it is now. With a new PD on the way to Jamz as we speak, be on the lookout for it to possibly become what it once was. artists during stopsets."

 

[Zeb Norris]

Quoting Voice Track...

"I appreciate you starting this topic. I disagree with you about WEXT. For what they appear to have to work with, I would say that they are doing a competent job with it, and they are a welcome addition to my presets. Every AAA station is different. In the distant past, Albany had 104.5-WXLE. They were a decent AAA station under Program Director Zeb Norris, but an abomination under the other programmers that ran it, and out of business they went."

Wow, someone remembers me! Thanks!

RE WEXT, look, non-com AAA is quite different from commercial AAA. Non-coms don't have to care about ratings, they just need a loyal and monied audience who like the station enough to donate. Whole different ball of wax.

I'm programming WNCS/WDOT/WRJT "The Point" in Northern Vermont these days (we stream at www.pointfm.com). For AAA it's pretty tight; 600 song library, under 30 currents. Just this morning I heard from a listener who moved up here from the Albany area who was happy to have found us, but who is a HUGE fan of WEXT.

If WEXT generates the kind of passion she had from even a small audience they'll do fine. With non-coms, it's not about mass appeal, it's about money. And for them, money means making passionate listeners.

Just my 2 cents.

Zeb Norris