Alternative and Triple A Radio in Atlanta

[Dan6053]

Okay, this is my last time ranting about AAA and Alternative Radio in Atlanta. What I have learned is that there is NO reason why Atlanta cannot have a AAA or Alternative Radio station. First, I am told that AAA only works in cities that are more liberal. Then why the hell does Mobile Alabama have a AAA station called 92.1 the ZEW pronounced (zoo) FM since the early 80s. I used to listen to it when I was growing up and guess what it is still there. Why does Nashville, TN have Lightning 100.1 FM and it has been around for years. Why does Knoxville, Tn have I 105 and all of these stations are in the deep bible belt south and have been around for years. Why does Savannah have Quality Rock 106? The one thing these stations do have in common is that they are all COMMERCIAL radio stations but INDEPENDENTLY owned. Corporate America has ruined radio. Don't hand me the BS about there are no really popular songs on the ALT charts. Again, why the hell then are all these radio stations surviving in the Southeast and are all indepent and are commercial stations. I am done with this forum and now I have purchased 3 XM radio subscriptions. I now listen to the Spectrum on XM. Yes, the sound quality sucks but it is better than the 9th largest radio market in America(Atlanta) can provide me.

 

[RadioDoogie]

When the top 99 of the 90s countdown played on 99X on New Year's Eve of 1999, Alternative radio and music as we know it pretty much started to die a slow death and is pretty much dead now. I miss the alternative era in the early 90s but those days are gone now and Pop music seems to be the hot ticket these days.

 

[TheBigA]

Corporate America has ruined radio.

Only for you. Fans of Urban music don't think so. Fans of country don't think so. Most other major formats don't think so.

And if you look in some other markets like Minneapolis, you'll see the AAA station is owned by Clear Channel. Go to LA and the Alternative station is owned by CBS. There's a second Alternative station there, and it's owned by Clear Channel. Go to Dallas, and the Alternative station is owned by Clear Channel. Houston? Clear Channel. I can go on. So I don't think you can generalize about corporate radio.

 

[danman425]

Some corporations can put on a hell of an alternative or AAA station, however I disagree that alternative and triple A "failed" here. It wasnt the format itself that failed, but rather how they were programmed. Especially when cumulus is at the hand of providing alternative, you're pretty much out of luck.

 

[atlantaboy]

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Wow, those statements are completely untrue...

A year and a half ago, Dave was the second-highest rated AAA station in the COUNTRY - and before Dave, 99X's ratings were fine

Each format hasn't been given a chance to exist in the ATL market (in years) without the other competing with it

The real issue: CBS and everyone else involved in that decision doesn't want to admit that they made a HUGE mistake - this past September the 92.9 frequency had a 2.5 share (under Dave, with 99X taking some of its audience), and now the 92.9 frequency has a share of 0.7 :

 

[jabba17]

Alternative lost me when they turned their back on 80s alt. When I have the car with the XM, my two favorite stations are Underground Garage and First Wave.

 

[atlantaboy]

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That ratings period was from October 11 - November 7, and Dave flipped on October 24 - that means over half of that ratings period was The Game

For all we know, Dave could've scored a 2.5 from October 11-October 24, and then The Game scored a 0.2 from October 24 - November 7, thereby plummeting the share for 92.9 down to 1.1 for that ratings period

 

[TheBigA]

For all we know, Dave could've scored a 2.5 from October 11-October 24, and then The Game scored a 0.2 from October 24 - November 7, thereby plummeting the share for 92.9 down to 1.1 for that ratings period

Keep in mind that the PD and GM of the station get minute-by-minute breakdowns of the ratings, so they know the exact figures before and after the format change. It's not a guessing game for them.

 

[atlantaboy]

For all we know, Dave could've scored a 2.5 from October 11-October 24, and then The Game scored a 0.2 from October 24 - November 7, thereby plummeting the share for 92.9 down to 1.1 for that ratings period

Keep in mind that the PD and GM of the station get minute-by-minute breakdowns of the ratings, so they know the exact figures before and after the format change. It's not a guessing game for them.

But they didn't receive this information until two weeks after their station had already disappeared

Supposed the minute-by-minute breakdowns HAD shown that Dave was up before the flip, and the Game was way down after the flip - it was already too late, and the decision had now been more than 2 WEEKS OLD

It's not a matter of "guessing", it's a matter of admitting a mistake had been made weeks after CBS had already put months of time, money, and energy into this decision

Unless you mean that PDs get live breakdowns of ratings on a daily basis - in any case, the decision had already been announced, so even if Dave was way up in ratings on October 23, and CBS was aware of it, it was too late to take back the decision

 

[TheBigA]

It's not a matter of "guessing", it's a matter of admitting a mistake had been made weeks after CBS had already put months of time, money, and energy into this decision

Just because you don't like the results doesn't mean it was a mistake. If it was, CBS has demonstrated a willingness to reverse a bad format flip. They've even hired back previously fired talent.

 

[atlantaboy]

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Sorry, but this is a legitimate reason to hate corporate radio - the implication is that if Dave had been independently owned, or owned by CC or Cumulus, it would still be on air getting ratings around 3.0 (with 99X now out of the picture)

 

[atlantaboy]

It's not a matter of "guessing", it's a matter of admitting a mistake had been made weeks after CBS had already put months of time, money, and energy into this decision

Just because you don't like the results doesn't mean it was a mistake.

It's not a matter of my opinion...

SEPTEMBER: Dave has a 2.5 share
NOVEMBER: Half Dave/Half the Game has a 1.1 share
DECEMBER: The Game has a 0.7 share

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what's going on here

As was mentioned, CBS is apparently on a "nationwide mission" to flip formats to FM Sports - they are NOT going to admit that they made a mistake, at least not until it's absolutely necessary

 

[TheBigA]

Sorry, but this is a legitimate reason to hate corporate radio - the implication is that if Dave had been independently owned, or owned by CC or Cumulus, it would still be on air getting ratings around 3.0 (with 99X now out of the picture)

The other way to look at it is if CBS owned more stations, they would have the ability to offer more format diversity.

It also ignores the fact that no other owner has jumped on the format now that it's available. So it's unlikely that another owner would ignore the potential of a 3 share format, especially when there are lots of stations getting less.

As was mentioned, CBS is apparently on a "nationwide mission" to flip formats to FM Sports - they are NOT going to admit that they made a mistake, at least not until it's absolutely necessary

In 2005, they were also on a mission to add Jack to all their markets. It didn't work, and they reversed the decision. They also had a mission to add FreeFM in all their markets, and they reversed that change too. So in fact they HAVE admitted mistakes before.

 

[atlantaboy]

In 2005, they were also on a mission to add Jack to all their markets. It didn't work, and they reversed the decision. So in fact they HAVE admitted mistakes before.

Here's their problem though at this point - if they admitted a mistake and flipped 92.9 back to any other format, that would be the END of their "nationwide mission" to create FM Sports stations, because they would lose their credibility with potential investors in other markets, many of which might be more sports-oriented than Atlanta

They may have admitted a mistake with the Jack format, but it meant halting the spread of the Jack stations in ALL markets

 

[TheBigA]

They may have admitted a mistake with the Jack format, but it meant halting the spread of the Jack stations in ALL markets

No, because CBS still has Jack in LA and Dallas.

 

[atlantaboy]

They may have admitted a mistake with the Jack format, but it meant halting the spread of the Jack stations in ALL markets

No, because CBS still has Jack in LA and Dallas.

Halting the SPREAD of Jack stations, in other words, once they admitted mistake, they didn't flip any more stations in the future

You've got a point about no one else jumping on the format hole, though

 

[TheBigA]

Halting the SPREAD of Jack stations, in other words, once they admitted mistake, they didn't flip any more stations in the future

They actually stopped the spread before they reversed any stations.

You've got a point about no one else jumping on the format hole, though

Yes, I know.

 

[Louis_009]

Looking for AAA Music in Atlanta its on http://www.eavradio.com/ former 92.9 Dave FM Margot is running the new internet radio station. Its also on Tune In Radio App as well and EAVradio App coming soon. Its on the air now...

 

[MRFLASHPORT]

Okay, this is my last time ranting about AAA and Alternative Radio in Atlanta. What I have learned is that there is NO reason why Atlanta cannot have a AAA or Alternative Radio station. First, I am told that AAA only works in cities that are more liberal. Then why the hell does Mobile Alabama have a AAA station called 92.1 the ZEW pronounced (zoo) FM since the early 80s. I used to listen to it when I was growing up and guess what it is still there. Why does Nashville, TN have Lightning 100.1 FM and it has been around for years. Why does Knoxville, Tn have I 105 and all of these stations are in the deep bible belt south and have been around for years. Why does Savannah have Quality Rock 106? The one thing these stations do have in common is that they are all COMMERCIAL radio stations but INDEPENDENTLY owned. Corporate America has ruined radio. Don't hand me the BS about there are no really popular songs on the ALT charts. Again, why the hell then are all these radio stations surviving in the Southeast and are all indepent and are commercial stations. I am done with this forum and now I have purchased 3 XM radio subscriptions. I now listen to the Spectrum on XM. Yes, the sound quality sucks but it is better than the 9th largest radio market in America(Atlanta) can provide me.

I gave up on corporate radio and went to streaming. My car radio has a USB input, line in and can stream directly from my cellphone. TuneIn Radio Pro is a great app, and I can get whatever formats I want from around the world, and ignore the corporate sleaze bucket crap radio wasteland that fills the AM and FM dials in this market.

Don't bother complaining, all the corporate radio stooges and apologists will come on here and defend their dying industry. They, like their Bain Capital buddies, are destined to suck up every last available FM channel through their Radio Assist Ministry scam and fill it with garbage no person with an IQ higher than 60 wants to hear.

So stream on! East Atlanta Village radio can be found on TIR.

 

[Dan6053]

You know, one of the things I see on this forum is that many of the folks on here are in the radio business and work for Clear Channel, Cumulus or some of the other corporations that have ruined radio. Again, Montgomery, Alabama has a HUGE, I mean HUGE african american community, yet, WOW!!! They have two alternative fm commercial radio stations. 104.9 fm the Gump and 93.9fm the Tiger. Again, if the alternative format and AAA format is dead then WHY THE HELL are all these commercial radio stations thruout the country surviving, INCLUDING THE SOUTHEAST. Again, just so you know I am not lying, look these stations up! 92.1 FM the Zew in Mobile, Alabama. 105.1 fm I 105 in Knoxville, Tennessee, 100.1 Lightning 100 fm in Nashville, TN. Quality Rock 106 in Savannah. 92.5 FM the River in Boston. The posts on these websites will not address the issue and keeps moving away from why this format is not in Atlanta, but again, there is no reason!! I have gone to several businesses in the affluent areas of Atlanta including John's Creek, Dunwoody and Buckhead. Guess what they have playing in their businesses and restuarants?? Let's just say I heard Muse, Munford and Sons, Silversun Pickups, Bob Mould, MGMT, Avett Brothers, old Smiths music. Oh, and guess what. All these AAA artists where the format is supposedly dead have released their material on VINYL. Wow!!! I went to a music store in Alabama and bought most of these on vinyl. Most of the defenders of Atlanta radio on here are a bunch of idiots!