Another Free-FM bites the dust! Can Phoenix be far behind?!?

[azradiobuff]

Well I am a fan of Free FM but I know not everyone else is. I like it because its something different on the radio. Its not the same ol boring toaster talk on KTAR and its not the non stop polticial talk on KFYI. Its not the same old 12 in a row on any music station we have, its different. Yep its not everyones cup of tea but I like it.

I did inquire with allaccess today and they said phoenix is on the watch for a flip but they have not heard anything concrete yet. They also said the Free FM NY hosts only found out a couple hours before the flip so its highly unlikely anyone will know in advance.

I hope it sticks around but if it dosen't, was fun while it lasted.

I agree. The talk format is still the future, but the name "Free FM" is stupid and CBS mishandled it. More local hosts would have been better. Also I know quite a few people working at the station and it seems that everyone is aware of the flip. The most common formats being tossed around are either hip hop, or a "movin" type deal with a mix of rock and hip hop hits. I'm sure it will be one of those and I'm sure it will get a one share.

 

[KMGX]

Well I am a fan of Free FM but I know not everyone else is. I like it because its something different on the radio. Its not the same ol boring toaster talk on KTAR and its not the non stop polticial talk on KFYI. Its not the same old 12 in a row on any music station we have, its different. Yep its not everyones cup of tea but I like it.

I did inquire with allaccess today and they said phoenix is on the watch for a flip but they have not heard anything concrete yet. They also said the Free FM NY hosts only found out a couple hours before the flip so its highly unlikely anyone will know in advance.

I hope it sticks around but if it dosen't, was fun while it lasted.

You believe FREE-FM is different than any other talk format? Sure, it's not toaster-talk, sure it's not political talk, but it's bathroom, Howard Stern wannabe immitation talk. 10+ hours of Tom Leykis, 4 hours of Frosty, Heidi and Frank giving us the latest on Los Angeles, with Adam Carolla with radio has-been Danny Bonnadouchebag... seems like a very repetitive and NOT AT ALL DIFFERENT kind of talk to me.

Big O and Dukes is the only even semi-decent show on Free-FM... and even that is questionable... but at least they're growing as talents. Their weekend lineup is just a loop of their weekday programming, of which 8 hours is in the can... just awful decision after awful decision.

As for the format change: If they go with hip-hop or a "movin'" format, that would be just as much a disaster. Have some common sense and bring back the Zone, make a REAL alternative station... not the Modern AC type of "Edge" format. Develop LOCAL talent, make the station something that can actually bond with the community a little bit... you know, like radio did before ClearChannel owned everything.

 

[Ford]

The talk format is still the future, but the name "Free FM" is stupid and CBS mishandled it.

If the talk format were really the future, then I don't think the name is the problem. Hell, if the content was compelling, they could have called it "Cheese Sandwich FM" and it would have pulled better numbers.

That said, CBS did mishandle that whole mess. They tried a cookie-cutter approach to the format, over-estimated the appeal of the shows they hired across the board, and apparently over-estimated the audience for an all-morning-show format.

Some folks liked it, but that's not enough.

azenergyfan said "its not everyones cup of tea..."

That's the problem, and moving forward, the solution is to find a cup of tea that appeals to a lot more people.

 

[Ford]

Have some common sense and bring back the Zone, make a REAL alternative station... not the Modern AC type of "Edge" format.

You forget that, at the height of their ratings success, the Zone was never a REAL alternative station. Under Maranville/Mannion the Zone was (musically speaking) a safe, tightly formatted Modern AC. It was unique to Phoenix with the local personalities and presentation, but the music was pretty mainstream.

 

[Radioguy2006]

CBS need to purchase a AM radio station in the Phoenix market to move the FREE FM format to AM and flip 101.5.

Maybe Radio Disney 50,000 watts KMIK 1580 AM might be worth buying.

The new station would be call 1580 The Buzz "Arizona Talk Alternative

 

[LassoG]

Have some common sense and bring back the Zone, make a REAL alternative station... not the Modern AC type of "Edge" format.

You forget that, at the height of their ratings success, the Zone was never a REAL alternative station. Under Maranville/Mannion the Zone was (musically speaking) a safe, tightly formatted Modern AC. It was unique to Phoenix with the local personalities and presentation, but the music was pretty mainstream.

....and after Howard it was lower rated than Free FM is now.

 

[azradiobuff]

Have some common sense and bring back the Zone, make a REAL alternative station... not the Modern AC type of "Edge" format.

You forget that, at the height of their ratings success, the Zone was never a REAL alternative station. Under Maranville/Mannion the Zone was (musically speaking) a safe, tightly formatted Modern AC. It was unique to Phoenix with the local personalities and presentation, but the music was pretty mainstream.

....and after Howard it was lower rated than Free FM is now.

that's true. "The Zone" was a flop, I could barley listen to the 6 jimmy eat world tracks they played. It won't be a rock format. I was at a free fm event in mesa this past weekend and an INTERN was talking about the format flip. I'm not sure what they are doing over there if unpaid employees know about the format changing. I chuckle to think of upper management scurrying around acting as if they are working in secrecy. Here's hoping they get on with it.

 

[Ford]

....and after Howard it was lower rated than Free FM is now.

Not even close. After Howard it was a mid 3 to a 4 share station. Free FM is a 2 share everywhere except possibly Leykis.

 

[hotpatrick2004]

K-rock in new york went back to what they were why not kzon.They just might make the edge a better station.The edge was better when kzon was a music station.

 

[Radioguy2006]

Maybe 101.5 LOVE FM Classic Dance/Motown and Disco. This might work to be up ratings at KZON.

 

[KOHS]

Maybe 101.5 LOVE FM Classic Dance/Motown and Disco. This might work to be up ratings at KZON.

Maybe 101.5 can be MOR format from yesterday, hire puker jocks, use record players instead of CD's/computers and have Les Nessman read the news.

 

[azradiobuff]

here's another little tid bit (i'm board at work usually): I called the 97.1 Free FM buisness line during the FHF show on friday. I said I was concerned that the station in Phoenix was going to drop the show and I wanted to be able to continue listening. Well, after bouncing around to a few people, I finally got on the line with a nice lady that gave me the 97.1 website address and the "listen live" link and was told "...whatever happens down there you can listen online. Tell your friends in Phoenix." Not much, but certainly not a denial!

 

[azradiobuff]

another little tid bit. I called KZON earlier today and asked to speak with someone in sales about purchasing some time on the Tom Leykis show. I won't say the sales persons name, but she flat out told me that Leykis may be the only talk show on the station in month, so it would be a great investment. I told her I would get back to her. Seems like its common knowledge.

 

[azenergyfan]

Hmm I wonder if they would put Big O and Dukes in the morning but they would have to play 3-5 songs and hour. I do enjoy Adam in the morning but Bonaduce is like nails on a chalk board. FHF to L.A. for Phoenix in my opinion. Too bad they couldn't of gotten Kid before he signed at KTAR.

 

[crguy]

If CBS was going to axe the Phoenix version of Free(fall)FM, that they could/should bring back the Alternative Rock. The Edge [EDIT]right now and if ZONE did the right music and got on some personalities without the liner cards and that damn "I'm too cool" attitude, they'd kill off 103.9 the mosquito.

When the old Zone was at its best they had Holmberg in the mornings before he went to kkkkupd and saved that station. The station was still owned by clear channel and Paul Peterson was the PD, they sounded pretty damn good and they were hitting sanduskkky pretty hard. I think steve smith became the pd and that pretty much killed the Zone. I think CC wanted to kill it since they had to spin it off...is that why they made it suck? lol.

[EDIT-vulgar content]

 

[halloaaryn]

When the old Zone was at its best they had Holmberg in the mornings before he went to kkkkupd and saved that station. The station was still owned by clear channel and Paul Peterson was the PD,

Are you sure CC owned KZON?

 

[Realist]

When the old Zone was at its best they had Holmberg in the mornings before he went to kkkkupd and saved that station. The station was still owned by clear channel and Paul Peterson was the PD,

Are you sure CC owned KZON?

I believe KZON was owned by AM/FM and was spun to Infinity before AM/FM got swallowed up by Clear Channel.

 

[sledge350]

didnt chancellor own kzon kmle and koy at the time?

 

[jimmysharpe]

Don't forget...Chancellor also owned KISS 1230! We called it the station in the closet - not because it hadn't embraced its sexuality, but because it was actually a...station...in...a...closet - between the KYOT and KOY studios.

That was a fun time. I got to the Zone in February of '96. By the time 1999 rolled around, I had worked for Sundance, Chancellor and AM/FM...all while at the same station...I miss consolidation. *sigh* :'(

 

[azradiobuff]

The evening show on KZON has some sort of "war" going with Doug and Wolf. They have a video up on you tube of a "protest" they staged at the KTAR studios. If you read the comments, there are several people claiming Free FM's days are numbered. You can only assume the hosts on KTAR know of the flip and are either commenting on the video themselves, or having listeners do it. Way to keep it under wraps, KZON. See for yourself.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LaucSdYwp_M