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Analyze a Station Day

OC Radio Geek

OC Radio Geek

Recently, there has been much talk on the board about what makes good radio, why the industry is the way it is today, complaints about playlists, and rumors of stations flipping. Why don't we all take a day, choose a station, and analyze it! I think it would be fun and also really interesting to see what everyone comes up with. There are so many smart radio people on this board so let's do this! Think of it as a fun homework assignment.

So everyone chime in and choose your station.

I choose AMP 97.1
 
Okay, thanks for participating! ;D
 
Analysis on KROQ

It seems that KROQ is in trouble compared to past years. The station is only .1 on top of competitor KYSR in audience shares and below KYSR in cume. Why is this bad for KROQ? KROQ has lived on to be the top rock station in LA for the past decade. KROQ has fought off various "competitors" over these decades such as the old 107.1, 103.1, 94.3 and Pirate 100.3 but this might be the first time the station is actually facing a real competition from KYSR.

Why?
Let's compare playlists for a second:


Last 3 Songs on KYSR:
Dave Matthews Band: Funny The Way It Is
Green Day: Brain Stew/Jaded
Kings of Leon: Use Somebody

Last 3 Songs on KROQ:
Green Day: Know Your Enemy
Incubus: Love Hurts
Blink 182: Josie

Top Songs on KYSR:
Silversun Pickups: Panic Switch
The Airborne Toxic Event: Sometime Around Midnight
The Fray: Heartless
Kings of Leon: Use Somebody
MGMT: Kids

Top Songs on KROQ:
Silversun Pickups: Panic Switch
Linkin Park: New Divide
MGMT: Kids
Kings of Leon: Use Somebody
The Fray: Heartless

Okay, so you might be thinking, all the songs just listed are virtually the same on both stations, then why is KYSR above KROQ?

Did you see how KYSR plays Dave Matthews Band? If you see the playlist, see how it also plays more than just one song by The Fray, Jason Mraz, Joan Jett, The Ramones, Garbage, Echo and the Bunnymen, Collective Soul, No Doubt etc.
KYSR attracts a more diverse audience than KROQ. KYSR focuses more on women and different age audiences than KROQ. That's why KROQ might be on top of KYSR and that's why the cume is larger for KYSR. I know David had said that targeting women in the PPM is a bad idea but its working out for KYSR.

ALSO...
-KROQ has been playing the same recurrents for the past few years while KYSR seems to have a fresh outlook to the recurrents playing more 80's and more 90's variety in recurrents.
-KYSR has a fresher sound and imaging that attracts more that want a break from what KROQ's doing
-New music is lacking due to the fact that Indie left the airwaves on KROQ. Weatherly relied on Indie 103.1 for the new adds to KROQ.
-Weatherly has been focusing on AMP, not KROQ. How can we see this? Look at how much less songs KROQ has been adding since AMP launched.
-More talk, less music. With K&B on from 5pm-6pm, this could effect KROQ with the fact that KYSR is airing commercial free music if the listener wants music.
-KROQ used to play indie acts and fresh new pop punk acts, but it seems that they're not doing much of that anymore.

What's GOOD at KROQ?
-Although they don't have much momentum as a station anymore in keeping things very fresh, KROQ still has it's sphere of influence for other stations around the U.S. (For example: Heartless by The Fray. KROQ started playing it after KYSR was playing it and automatically, tons of stations were on the bandwagon. Other examples, 21 Guns by Green Day, Help I'm Alive by Metric, etc.)

So basically to sum it all up
KROQ is still the same station we listened to a few years ago, playing mostly the same artists, same songs with hint of new music. And they have some tough competition...
 
OC Radio Geek said:
Recently, there has been much talk on the board about what makes good radio, why the industry is the way it is today, complaints about playlists, and rumors of stations flipping. Why don't we all take a day, choose a station, and analyze it!
I choose AMP 97.1
Click to expand...

OCRG...Here's my quick two cents wrt AMP Radio 97.1 - A solid station that represents the professionalism expected in a major market like LA. Very tight playlist, strong ratings, aggressive online viral strategy, lacks a bit of swagger, but is still finding/developing its personality (witness no AM Drive host yet).
 
Kroq and 98.7 are statistically tied because they are pretty much the exact same station, both with good signals and big marketing muscle.
There's not much distinguishing them from each other.

Of the songs you list as tops songs on both stations, let's take a look at songs and bands that would never have seen the light of day if it wasn't for Indie 103.1 breaking them.

-----------------------------------------------------------
Top Songs on KYSR:
Silversun Pickups: Panic Switch
The Airborne Toxic Event: Sometime Around Midnight
Kings of Leon: Use Somebody
MGMT: Kids

Top Songs on KROQ:
Silversun Pickups: Panic Switch
MGMT: Kids
Kings of Leon: Use Somebody

--------------------------------------------------
These bands would not be on the radio anywhere if it hadn't been for Indie 103.1
Soon Kroq and 98.7 will have to think for themselves and grope in the dark to discover the gems that Indie brought to light.
Then what will they do? I'd say whoever can start mining some of that Indie talent pool will have an advantage.
 
I agree....Indie is definitely an important aspect to alternative music.
 
I'm not referring to ratings. I'm referring to their impact on the genre.

The bands stated would not be on the radio anywhere if not for indie.

Without Indie breaking new artists the programmers of Kroq and 98.7 will not be able to scoop up the hits that Indie discovered.
 
I'm so tired of people saying Indie never made an impact on alternative radio! Almost every PD in Alternative Radio, even Kevin Weatherly would say that Indie impacted alternative radio by actually giving independent bands a chance. If they succeeded on Indie, they could succeed on ANY station in the U.S. Indie 103.1 was one of the first radio stations in the U.S. to play and rotate regularly the Kings of Leon, Modest Mouse, The Killers, Franz Ferdinand, Death Cab For Cutie, MGMT, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Silversun Pickups, TV On The Radio, Lily Allen, Arcade Fire, Arctic Monkeys, Bloc Party, The Bravery, Cold War Kids, Santigold, Feist, The Kooks, do I need to list more? One PDs for other stations saw that a certain new artists hit #1 on Indie, they would create a buzz in the industry. Just check out the Promo Only CDs as an example. After Jan. 2009, the CDs are obviously lacking fresh alternative music and are containing more....ACTIVE ROCK. Active rock is active rock. Active rock is NOT alternative. What made alternative stations ALTERNATIVE. I'm sure if Indie was still on the air, KROQ would sound different leading to every other station sounding different. I honestly think the reason why alternative stations are leaving the air is because Indie left. So to everyone that doubts it, go ahead. All I know is that you know nothing about ALTERNATIVE radio.
 
radiojomo said:
I'm so tired of people saying Indie never made an impact on alternative radio! Almost every PD in Alternative Radio, even Kevin Weatherly would say that Indie impacted alternative radio by actually giving independent bands a chance. If they succeeded on Indie, they could succeed on ANY station in the U.S. Indie 103.1 was one of the first radio stations in the U.S. to play and rotate regularly the Kings of Leon, Modest Mouse, The Killers, Franz Ferdinand, Death Cab For Cutie, MGMT, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Silversun Pickups, TV On The Radio, Lily Allen, Arcade Fire, Arctic Monkeys, Bloc Party, The Bravery, Cold War Kids, Santigold, Feist, The Kooks, do I need to list more? One PDs for other stations saw that a certain new artists hit #1 on Indie, they would create a buzz in the industry. Just check out the Promo Only CDs as an example. After Jan. 2009, the CDs are obviously lacking fresh alternative music and are containing more....ACTIVE ROCK. Active rock is active rock. Active rock is NOT alternative. What made alternative stations ALTERNATIVE. I'm sure if Indie was still on the air, KROQ would sound different leading to every other station sounding different. I honestly think the reason why alternative stations are leaving the air is because Indie left. So to everyone that doubts it, go ahead. All I know is that you know nothing about ALTERNATIVE radio.
Click to expand...

While Indie cred was good amongst industry folk, the fact that it never really took off shows that it wasn't wanted by the greater public. Even if it had a bigger stick, I doubt it would have gotten above 1.5 as it was too broad.

I'd be willing to put the kiss of death on KROQ. I believe 98.7 will eventually take over KROQ, especially now that Kevin & Bean are syndicated. As an outsider who listens to streams almost everyday, I find myself coming back to 98.7 all the time, because of the variety that the format offers.

The next commercial (top 10 market) station to do an Indie style format will be the station that injects (music) life into the Alternative format. All that is needed is a management team who know how to make it financially successful.
 
One other difference that hasn't been addressed so far is that I think it's fair to say that KROQ leans a little more toward active rock still than KYSR. Maybe it's an artifact ok KYSR's old modern AC roots. Case in point: KROQ was playing a lot more Metalica from their latest album. KYSR also breaks new music before KROQ... They're playing music from some fairly well known acts such as Manchester Orchestra, Matisyahu and Depeche Mode that hasn't made it to KROQ.

Since Indie isn't around anymore maybe eventually the noncoms will gain some more influence. For example, The Current (KCMP/Minneapolis) plays an Indie like format - the majority of the format is indie rock music - but they also play much more than that and are maybe not quite as trendy either.
 
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