Altoona's Mix 94.7

[mock3]

It appears as though the rumors on this board were true.

As I drive around Hollidaysburg this morning, I flip off the XM and flip on the FM. I'm in the process of analyzing all the radio stations in the region. But I've only been in town since Friday, so it will be a few more days before I post any of my thoughts. In most markets, I run a script and import playlist data from yes.com into Excel. (Cheaper than mediabase.) Then I have my computer set up to arrange that data so that I can view song frequency, year, etc. I can't do that here because yes.com does not have these stations. That means I can only listen and get an idea about the music library from what I hear. Perhaps I can get some old music logs...if you have any logs for me, please feel free to email them to [email protected] Thanks in advance.

I got off track for a moment...so I scan past 94.3...still Q-94: Classic Rock. It seems the playlist has been freshened up since the last time I tuned in. I heard some Bryan Adams....good tune!

I hit scan and move up to 94.7....coming through my stereo is the mainstream AC format from Jones Radio. For those of you who forgot, this is the same feed that was on WQHG 106.3 in Huntingdon back in the middle 90s. I enjoyed it back then, I still enjoy it as long as they do not burn out that Plain White Tee's record. It appears as though Altoona has an AC back...after way too many years. This will impact Froggy and Waly (pretty much a gold based AC...I love the new Waly...best sounding station in Altoona), but will need to become more local to have a significant impact. I do hear Mix 94.7 Local Weather from my peeps at The Weather Channel Radio Network, but other than that, there does not seem to be a local mention...even in the liners. Of course it has only been on the air a few hours, so I won't post any more opinions yet. Check back in a few days. I must say that I am excited to hear AC radio on the FM while in the area.

 

[clangham]

Just checked the WBXQ website and the change is noted at the top. Can't seem to find a new one for WBRX.

 

[shilton]

Just checked the WBXQ website and the change is noted at the top. Can't seem to find a new one for WBRX.

Only problem I see is that 94.7 filled in a lot of holes that 94.3 didn't seem to penetrate so the 2 signals actually worked well together but I think this is a very smart idea nontheless. The Q's been quite stale for years though, so I hope they really did freahen things up.

Altoona has needed an A/C outlet for ages. Now...that only leaves State College with no real A/C? Anyone care to pick up the bat and take a swing? Seems there is a definate gap to be filled.

 

[amradioiii]

Why? Why? Why? Why? Why???? ??? ???
If they were going to take the time and make such an effort, plus use 94.7 which has a better signal in Altoona than 94.3 from Patton, why no go Country? Why further divide the rock based radio market???????????????? Why Dave Why? Will this pull more ratings for Barger? Probably. Will it hurt their main competition? Not as much as a good Hot Country.

 

[mock3]

Word on the street is that Rich Dennis will be coming to do mornings on Mix 94.7.

I also heard a liner on Mix 94.7 saying something about no need to worry about worts here. (The funniest part is that it happened to fire after a Big and Rich song). I know that I wasn't worried...but it is comforting to be reassured...as long as that doesn't air too many times and get old fast. Liners that are that memorable could get old very fast. I have to admit that I never worried about worts when I listened to Froggy either.

 

[shilton]

Word on the street is that Rich Dennis will be coming to do mornings on Mix 94.7.

I also heard a liner on Mix 94.7 saying something about no need to worry about worts here. (The funniest part is that it happened to fire after a Big and Rich song). I know that I wasn't worried...but it is comforting to be reassured...as long as that doesn't air too many times and get old fast. Liners that are that memorable could get old very fast. I have to admit that I never worried about worts when I listened to Froggy either.

Rich will do well. He was always a well liked talent and long overdue for a return after his unfortunate personal troubles. Glad to see he is on his feet again and coming along better. I bet the fomat will suit him just fine. I for one am glad its not Country. AC's been a gaping hole on Altoona since Mix 104.9 was killed off to make way for Majic, then Rocky.

 

[listner1]

Don't forget that Jones AC is also on WTRN in Tyrone. TRN even has that added processing feature that makes it sound like it's being played through a tin can! So nobody will know it's even the same network! And How can Barger top the WRTN 10am news with Jean & Betty! Where else can you get the police blotter verbatum, the obits, Jean's weather commentary, the listing of every Church event in Tyrone for the week, and they Tyrone trivia question which only those 80 years of age or older could possibly answer.

 

[Whiplash]

While Rich Dennis may be in the mix for mornings, don't count out another former Altoona personality who had huge ratings in the 90's. I like his chances of returning to the airwaves.

 

[fryman]

With that impressive list of titles...PD, MD, mobile DJ, I'm aghast that this business has survived since that gentleman got out of the business. Especially the mobile DJ gig. And then he saves an operation from bankruptcy...this guy should seek the GOP nomination for president! As far as busint WTRN, whoever did that piece of handywork should be ashamed. Cary Simpson is probably one of the most knowledgable guys in the business and one of the brightess. He runs (and has been running radio the way it was run when "radio was radio". Don't knock someone who is still trying to do local. Beware, a former Altoona broadcaster may be returning to kick all your collective asses! Talk to Barger.

 

[clangham]

With that impressive list of titles...PD, MD, mobile DJ, I'm aghast that this business has survived since that gentleman got out of the business. Especially the mobile DJ gig. And then he saves an operation from bankruptcy...this guy should seek the GOP nomination for president! As far as busint WTRN, whoever did that piece of handywork should be ashamed. Cary Simpson is probably one of the most knowledgable guys in the business and one of the brightess. He runs (and has been running radio the way it was run when "radio was radio". Don't knock someone who is still trying to do local. Beware, a former Altoona broadcaster may be returning to kick all your collective asses! Talk to Barger.

Don't be jealous Fryman. Radio and my DJ service was fine during my college days and I am proud especially of my talents in the OLD days at WPRR/WVAM and WHPA/WKMC. The automation systems ran pretty darn smooth. I learned a lot, music wise and business wise, but I needed to move on and start my own numerous retail businesses, which have been very profitable over the past 15 years, so I could afford my Mercedes and other toys. Anyone who knows me knows of my success.

You are right, Cary is one of the businessmen I learned a lot from. Very respectable the whole way around.

And if I decide to run for President and win, I will make sure your welfare support is cut off. You can get a job as a frycook cooking fries at the local burger joint.

BTW, why hide behind your username, use your own name.

 

[Spackler1]

While Rich Dennis may be in the mix for mornings, don't count out another former Altoona personality who had huge ratings in the 90's. I like his chances of returning to the airwaves.

Huge ratings in the 90's? I remember Altoona radio in the 90's and can't imagine who it could be. The 1990's wasn't exactly the golden age of local radio in Altoona. Steve Willett was already gone by the early 90's. Darrell Ray was out of radio by 1991 or so. Calib James didn't have what anybody would term "huge ratings". McKay was long gone by then.

 

[Whiplash]

So being rated #2 to Froggy with double digits in morning drive are huge numbers to you in this day and age? Wow, ok!

Calib knocked off Sean McKay off his roast in his first year in the market. And I saw the numbers.

 

[Harlow]

That wasn't the Real Sean McKay that Calib knocked off.

The real Sean McKay was in the early to mid 80s with Tom Riley and was pulling probably 50 shares with the Mighty 1290 with Kelsey doing middays and Jay Randall doing nights.

 

[Whiplash]

Good point, but at that time WFBG was such a powerhouse, that anyone would have had those kind of rating numbers.

BUT, when Calib hit Mix 104.9, he quickly knocked everyone off except for Froggy. So while you stick with the legends you grew
up listening to, you have to give him credit as one of the strongest and highest rated morning guys in Altoona radio history.

He would be a tremendous edition to Mix 94.7. And another point is he's tied into the old MIX in the market as a brand. Before Mix 104.9 was blown up by 4ever, it was doing very well in the ratings, and it was killed off because it was getting to close.

Why was it doing so well? It was well programmed, and as any good more show does, it pulled the rest of the station with it.

 

[Spackler1]

His history in the market and in the format are not a factor at all, because nobody in the market remembers Calib James. Ask people in the market if they remember Sean McKay, and many will remember. Rich Dennis, certainly. Even Steve Willett would probably have a decent amount of recognition. Calib James wouldn't be a blip on the radar.

 

[Whiplash]

Man you are wrong on that. Sorry but Rich is known more for his jail time than on the air time.

Sean is a legend, but like all legends in this business in most Western PA markets, they are mostly forgotten.

 

[ameyer]

Ok Sean Who?

Bailey who?

Rich Dennis I remember a little from PRR.

My point is that whether you were in radio 3 years ago or 10 years ago, the chances of anybody remembering you are slim. Not a bust on Steve but when he came back to the airwaves did anyone care? No not really. My point! The people who remembered him have mostly moved on or just forgot about him.

So who cares who this person is, the fact is if they had an impact in Central PA before they better work extra hard to do it again, cause no one is going to remember who they are.

 

[Harlow]

Good point AJ

The overall population of the State College market don't know who I am when I make an appearance here and there when I go home.

People didn't remember who Matt Haywood was either.

I will say that Calib was a good jock. How did he do on the Frog? Didn't they move Kelsey back to mornings?

There are some who will remember Rich Dennis from WVAM when he was halfway decent, some will remember him from WPRR where he was terrible in the morning by himself and needed Tommy to basically do the show for him.

More will remember him for his run-ins with the law than him on the air.

If you look at some of the jocks that came in and out of Altoona, Rich Dennis doesn't even show up in the top-20.

Roger Corey, Dick De'Andrea, Scott St. John, Tommy Edwards, Jim Hatch, Dave McCall, Darrell Ray, Stephanie Walsh, Kelsey, Jay Randall, Sherlock, Dave Shannon, McKay, Tom Riley, Steve Clark, Tony Booth, Stan Davis, Hilton, Danice Bell, Jim Price, Jerome Epple and Bob McCarty. Then you go to Casey O'Day, Bill Kurtis, Bill Piccarillo, and so many more have more on-air talent than Rich Dennis ever had. He had his success doing country before there was a Frog.

If I was building a station from the ground up, my choice to be the first person on the air would not be who is rumored in either place. Calib hasn't been on the air in Altoona since the mid-90s. People worry about the TSL being at 3 hours max, do you really think someone is going to remember a jock from around 10 years ago.

Altoona will never change. The Frog will be #1, as long as Roger and Dick are together WALY will be strong and Tommy and Bithell will do well on ROCKY.

There is my little discertation.

 

[shilton]

I was in Altoona today and I sampled Q94 and Mix 94.7. First thing I noticed was something must have happened cause both station's signals seemed "cleaner" and stronger than before. Sounds like good processing perhaps and something obviously was done with the sticks. I noted WBRX's ID was "Cresson, PA" but I thought 94.7 was licensed to Patton. Did they swap sticks or something?

I did notice that Q94 still has liners saying "doublepower Q94" which obviously makes no sense since they are now operating on one frequency. You'd think that they would have killed those off the bat, but I only heard 2, so perhaps they slipped through the cracks undetected as of yet.

As for Mix 94.7, sorry to say it didn't blow me away. Far too much lean on the sappy 70's for my taste. The station seems to imply the best of the 70's, 80's, 90's and now but I heard like 5 70's tunes back to back to back and the obviously prepackaged jock left little to be desired as well. I mean other than morning drive, who cares what time it is. 3 times I heard him crack the mic and say "its 10 before the hour, 5 after the hour, etc". I know the format is very music driven but heck, you could get an automation system, load it up with cd's and go jockless and get more bang for the buck (plus you'd have more control over the programming as well). I have heard some of the Jones programming, but this one drew a yawn from me.

I know its still fresh and new, but I hope Barger will think of localizing a bit, getting some local talent on-air and perhaps even taking over the programming in-house. When I think back to the sound of Mix 104.9 and the sound of Mix 94.7, its not even close. Mix 104.9 blew em away. I wish Mr. Barger the best of luck in correcting that situation.

 

[Whiplash]

Well, lets wait and see who the new morning person is.

Whether they've been in the market recently, gone for awhile, or new to the marketplace, it will take promotion to establish them anyway.

Its gonna be tough to duplicate Mix 104.9 in its prime, with or without a satt. network.