Stickman, the fact that you would rant and rave just becuase another station got some compliments says a lot about you. Also that was really low for ripping on Cross because he is in Waterloo. The market size does Not always indicate the qualify of talent. Sometimes the best jocks/pds are people that stay put in smaller markets becuase they care about their station and that community. Again, I think KFMW is a great station.
> Michael,
>
> I do not work for KRNA, KFMW, or any other eastern Iowa
> radio station. I'm not saying that I never have...just that
> I do not at this time. I do know a lot about radio and the
> promotions/marketing/sales "game". All I was trying to say
> in my last post was that it was incredibly irresponsible for
> you to not take any responsibility for a show that you are
> promoting. In your response, you STILL do not. It doesn't
> surprise me. All nestled in your little corner of the
> world. Safe and sound in a market that isn't even a blip on
> the largest of radar screens. Enjoy Waterloo Michael. I'm
> sure this short paragraph will produce yet another
> Napoleonic mega-response that is long on wind and short on
> substance. Don't pull a muscle patting yourself on the back
> my friend. And YOU have a great Christmas. If I see you at
> one of your station's upcoming shows in Cedar Rapids, I'll
> be sure to stop and say hello. You do go to the shows you
> are so proud of...don't you?
>
>
> > Stickman, do you work at KRNA? Your so worried about
> (BLEEP)
> > that doesn't concern you. However, I'll sucker in and
> reply.
> >
> >
> > Listen, so the Ill Nino show bombed. I'll take ALL the
> > responsibility. Okay? Better? We should have played Ill
> Nino
> > 100 times a week and given away 1000 tickets to ensure
> that
> > there would be people there. Does that make it right for
> you
> > now? I don't know why you are choosing to pick on KFMW
> over
> > one show. Why aren't you talking about all of the other
> > shows KFMW has been associated with this year that KRNA
> was
> > not? I don't hear you complain about any other show KFMW
> > "presented" - especially Rockstock on Labor Day weekend.
> One
> > show that didn't do well out of the 15 we sponsored in
> 2005?
> > I'll take those odds. I wasn't skirting responsibility for
>
> > the failure of the Ill Nino show. It simply didn't do
> well,
> > but I can guarantee that if KRNA had sponsored the show,
> the
> > result would have been the same. It has nothing to do with
>
> > WHO sponsored the show.
> >
> > Being musically aggressive doesn't mean success whatsoever
>
> > and your putting words in my mouth because I didn't say
> that
> > it did. If you can't handle or accept the fact that KFMW
> is
> > a successful rock station, then I can't do much about
> that.
> > Success means making money and having the numbers to back
> > that up to an advertiser. KFMW has had both of those stats
>
> > for a number of years. If a radio station isn't making
> money
> > and is flipping formats every couple of books, that would
> > indicate failure....KFMW hasn't changed format in years
> and
> > the last time we tweaked the format was March 2000....I
> > believe that's almost 6 years ago?
> >
> > There was no "ratings glitch" in Cedar Rapids. KFMW had
> > never beat KRNA (12+) in Cedar Rapids before, and
> obviously
> > the programming that was on KRNA wasn't appealing to the
> > demo and they flipped to KFMW. Pretty simple. If KRNA is
> > beating KFMW from now on, then I guess that would be
> pretty
> > normal for the market. However, I should also point out
> that
> > KRNA didn't even show in the Waterloo Arbitron...and
> that's
> > the first time that has happened in the 8 years I've been
> > here. Is that a "ratings glitch" too? I should also point
> > out that you are only talking 12+ numbers...do you want to
>
> > go over the target demos, or do you not have access to
> > those? With our target demo, Men 18-34, Rock 108 is still
> > ranked #1 in Cedar Rapids in afternoon drive and nights.
> >
> > I shouldn't have to educate you Stickman, seeing as how
> you
> > seem to also have all the answers, but pulling numbers in
> 4
> > markets indicates people enjoy listening to the station.
> If
> > the station sucks, people aren't going to listen (see
> KRNA's
> > 2.5 share in Cedar Rapids a couple of books ago as an
> > example). KRNA is a much better rock station now than 2
> > years ago and the numbers back that up. I am fine with
> KRNA
> > and their success. It looks as if your the one who's so
> > upset by this. Hell, up until recently, 3 out of their 5
> > on-air jocks were former KFMW jocks. It indicates that
> > whatever they are doing is working and I can't say that
> I'm
> > upset by that, it means Active Rock is a healthy format.
> It
> > also vindicates what Rock 108 has been doing for almost 6
> > straight years.
> >
> > Happy Holidays. May you be a little less angry and
> > overwelmed by Rock 108's success. There's bigger things in
>
> > life to get so upset about.
> >
> >
> >
> > Michael Cross
> > OM/PD
> > KFMW-FM
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > > I LOVE it how some people say "I hate posting on this
> > board"
> > > - and then go on to write a small thesis on what they
> feel
> >
> > > is right or wrong with other's posts. That being said,
> > and
> > > even though Michael Cross begrudgingly posted the first
> > time
> > > - SIX PARAGRAPHS WORTH - I do have some questions to his
>
> > > post and hope he can answer.
> > >
> > > 1. Since when does being "agressive" mean being
> > successful?
> > > With the flip-flopping of KRNA over the past several
> years
> >
> > > (rock to classic rock now back to rock) what station
> > > wouldn't be successful? I know it's only been a year (2
>
> > > ratings periods I believe), but KFMW and KRNA have
> > basically
> > > switched positions 12+ in CR...with KFMW now at the
> bottom
> >
> > > and KRNA now back up in the top 5. I would love to know
>
> > if
> > > Michael Cross attributes that swing to a "glitch" in the
>
> > > ratings system. Or...is it now that he has competition
> > > (albeit it a "restricted, corporate constricted
> station")
> > > why isn't that "aggressive" approach showing positive
> > > results in Cedar Rapids?
> > >
> > > 2. If a station, say for example the afore-metioned
> > > "renegade" KFMW, doesn't think bringing a band like Il
> > Nino
> > > into Cedar Rapids for a Tuesday night concert is a good
> > idea
> > > - why be associated with it at all?? Why not say "we'll
>
> > > pass on this one"? Why hold a LIVE REMOTE? Your
> comments
> >
> > > that your radio station "can't be held responsible" if
> > they
> > > are "playing the band, giving away the tickets, etc...."
>
> > is
> > > ridiculous.
> > >
> > > Let me make this simple for you. If I'm a business, and
>
> > the
> > > only form of advertising I choose to use is your radio
> > > station to PROMOTE my business. And I have you give
> away
> > my
> > > product (ie - tickets), and talk about my business, and
> > run
> > > commercials for my business and NO ONE SHOWS UP TO MY
> > > BUSINESS...I, as that business owner would say "using
> that
> >
> > > radio station did NOTHING for me." And...if said radio
> > > station supposedly had a listener base that was into my
> > > product I was selling (ie - a band like Il Nino)..and
> was
> > > THE ONLY station that played that artist...and no one
> > showed
> > > up...I would have to lay a nice sized chunk of blame on
> > that
> > > radio station. Isn't that the station's goal "to bring
> > > people to the show"?? How can you say "we promoted it,
> we
> >
> > > ran the commercials for it, we showed up and did a live
> > > broadcast...but we wash our hands of the fact that no
> one
> > > was there." To me...that's VERY near-sighted and VERY
> > > irresponsible. If there had been 1,000 people at the
> > > show...would you also have said you had "nothing to do
> > with
> > > the turnout?" Remember...you cannot take the accolades
> if
> >
> > > you do not take the criticism.
> > >
> > > 3. Since when does "pulling numbers" in four markets
> make
> >
> > > you a successful station? Doesn't that just mean you
> have
> > a
> > > big stick with a lot of wattage behind it??? Sure I'd
> > tell
> > > people if I were working for a station that was heard in
>
> > > half the state. However, I don't think I'd associate
> that
> >
> > > with being successful. There's a difference between
> being
> >
> > > top rated and just having "ratings".
> > >
> > >
> > > > As much as I hate getting involved with conversations
> on
> >
> > > > this board, I'll go ahead and set myself up for some
> > > > comments with a reply to this recent post...
> > > >
> > > > For one, "Michael Cross" doesn't claim that stations
> > that
> > > > are corporate owned do not have the freedom to be
> > > musically
> > > > aggressive. It's a proven fact. Check out
> > > >
www.radioandrecords.com and call up any Clear Channel
> or
> >
> > > > Cumulus station's playlist and compare it to KFMW's.
> > > Having
> > > > been in broadcasting for 25 years, I do know a little
> > bit
> > > > about this business and I also know from working for
> > > > corporations and 'mom & pops' that there is a huge
> > > > difference. I don't have corporate PD's or consultants
>
> > > > telling me what to play. They do.
> > > >
> > > > In regards to KFMW's sponsorship of concerts in Cedar
> > > > Rapids, anyone who's on this board is probably either
> in
> >
> > > > radio or unemployed and bitter about not being in
> radio,
> >
> > > > which means we should all know how concerts work.
> Unless
> >
> > > you
> > > > are in a medium or major market, odds are good that
> you
> > > > aren't spending the money to bring in concerts. Not
> many
> >
> > > > stations have the $100,000 it would cost to bring in a
>
> > > > national act with support, security, hotels, lights,
> > > meals,
> > > > sound and everything included.
> > > >
> > > > If you don't know how the "Presents" thing works at
> > > concerts
> > > > and you're in radio, then you need to brush up on your
>
> > > > knowledge of radio broadcasting. That being said, we
> > also
> > > > don't make the decisions to bring in certain bands at
> > > > certain clubs on certain nights. That's all done by
> the
> > > > promoter and the club. However, Rock 108 plays Ill
> Nino
> > > and
> > > > as far as I know, KRNA does not. So, to use KFMW in
> this
> >
> > > > case was obvious. However, we did not think bringing
> in
> > > Ill
> > > > Nino on a Tuesday night with a record that isn't
> selling
> >
> > > was
> > > > a very good idea.
> > > >
> > > > If a club wishes to bring in a band and chooses Rock
> 108
> >
> > > to
> > > > promote the show, then we do the best we can do to
> help
> > > the
> > > > club have a successful night. If the club doesn't have
> a
> >
> > > > successful night, then there are reasons why. Blame
> the
> > > > ticket price or whatever, but it's tough to blame the
> > > radio
> > > > station who's playing the band, running the spots,
> > giving
> > > > away the tickets and holding a live remote. Ill Nino
> was
> >
> > > > thrilled with us regardless of the poor turnout.
> > > >
> > > > In regards to the last line of your post of defining
> > > success
> > > > in a market, we are the only FM rock station in Iowa
> > that
> > > > pulls Arbitron numbers in Mason City, Dubuque, Cedar
> > > Rapids
> > > > and Waterloo/Cedar Falls. With those kinds of numbers,
>
> > I'd
> > >
> > > > say Rock 108 is more than successful, book after book,
>
> > > year
> > > > after year - without one single format change in
> almost
> > 6
> > > > straight years. How many rock stations can make that
> > > claim?
> > > >
> > > > None.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > Michael Cross
> > > > OM/PD
> > > > KFMW-FM
> > > > Waterloo/Cedar Rapids
> > > > 319-234-2200
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > > Hold on a sec, first Michael Cross says that
> stations
> > > that
> > > >
> > > > > are corporate owned (KRNA included) don't have the
> > > freedom
> > > >
> > > > > to do what they want. And now "Joe6Pack" says KRNA
> is
> >
> > > > > "copying" KFMW? Which is it?? If you ask me,
> neither
> >
> > > > > station invented the Rock format and everyone
> "copies"
> >
> > > > > everyone. And as for your comment about KFMW
> > > "dominating
> > > > by
> > > > > bringing in shows to 3rd Street, etc..."..I know
> those
> >
> > > who
> > > >
> > > > > have brought in those shows, and KFMW hasn't paid A
> > DIME
> > >
> > > > to
> > > > > do that. So it's the promoters that bring in the
> > shows
> > > > and
> > > > > then choose KFMW to promote them. Which, by the
> > turnout
> > >
> > > > at
> > > > > Tuesday night's Ill Nino show in Cedar Rapids (of
> > which
> > > I
> > > > > was in attendance) of MAYBE 100 people might not be
> > the
> > > > best
> > > > > thing to do. Being successful in a market has to do
>
> > > with
> > > > > revenue and ratings - last I checked - not who is
> the
> > > > > welcoming station for a band. Just a few thoughts.
> > > > >
> > > >
> > >
> >
>
<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">
Edited by radioDK on 12/08/05 10:03 AM.</FONT></P>
