B105 weird music

[anti-em]

let's put this here

why don't we talk about how the "morman brain trust" has lost almost 4 shares of country listening?

I miss Ken and Kitty

 

[BobointheH20]

With all due respect to the eloquent and well-thought posts about what makes country "country", could it be that the format has become too diluted and bastardized by artists outside what is typically considered country? Maybe that's why B's numbers aren't holding up any more. When you as a listener can't identify with what is coming out of your radio anymore, or it is so diversifed by artist, sound or subject you can no longer relate, aren't you going to turn out?

Personally, I give the country music industry big props for having the guts to move away from the redneck contingency it's been catering to for the past few years. But just like rock music, which has splintered into oldies, alt, metal, classic, etc., maybe a country station like B can't expect to continue to serve the entire pool with the broad description "country". The audience has splintered, and radio will have to as well.

 

[KFodor]

With all due respect to the eloquent and well-thought posts about what makes country "country", could it be that the format has become too diluted and bastardized by artists outside what is typically considered country? Maybe that's why B's numbers aren't holding up any more. When you as a listener can't identify with what is coming out of your radio anymore, or it is so diversifed by artist, sound or subject you can no longer relate, aren't you going to turn out?

Personally, I give the country music industry big props for having the guts to move away from the redneck contingency it's been catering to for the past few years. But just like rock music, which has splintered into oldies, alt, metal, classic, etc., maybe a country station like B can't expect to continue to serve the entire pool with the broad description "country". The audience has splintered, and radio will have to as well.

Your short answer: no.

Last time I looked at "B's" ratings, they were top 3 25-54. In one book not too awful long ago, they were #1 25-54.
Considering changing of ownerships and a challenging Cincinnati radio market which includes at least one reasonably signaled format competitor, B is not doing badly. I will agree, though...any slip in programming execution could cause a negative effect, if that happened.

Also...where have you been, Bob? Radio has been splintering since the 1980's at least. However, country has not splintered as much as you think. The "country legends" format can get you an audience. Most of that audience, though, is 55+, and there is some advertiser resistance, there.

"Americana" is also there...a small percentage of the crowd. It gets a, roughly 3.5 share on a Class A in Farmer City, Illinois (which is not awfully bad for that market). But, the majority of the country audience, by far, is with the current mainstream format.

 

[quitnow]

let's put this here

why don't we talk about how the "morman brain trust" has lost almost 4 shares of country listening?

I miss Ken and Kitty

The Star was a special station in all. It was no holds barred country radio, morning to night at the end. It's a formula not may country stations are willing to try because of who the country listeners are perceived to be , but they (Susquehanna, before the sale) did a VERY well in-depth market study and it was amazing! If the people of Cincinnati could have seen it they would have fallen over. The "perceived as being" column was huge (meaning the market isn't really as it appears to be). A lot of people claim certain things, but when taken to task aren't that way in their lives.

That last staff they had was willing to say and do anything to attract that audience, and management's "you are professionals, just don't lose our license" attitude was big. The mission was to use the study to pull from B, Q, anywhere they could...and they did. Ask around town, and look at the trends of that first Fall book they (Star, was on 94.9), B was in trouble (if memory serves me right, .4 separated the two).

"Urban country" is different than traditional country. It's city people listening to country, and Star got that. "Call us," "Talk to us," "Your opinion matters to us," front to back Star was willing to say and put everything on the air that came in from a listener standpoint and still play more music. Remember that annoying counting they did? It was amazing!! Personality and more music...something "the suits" say can't be done. Why do you think the station trade happened? Star was ready to go Wolf on 94.9 and kick ass. Entercom knew this, proposed a station trade because they aren't really an "oldies" company ('GRR and had people on the hook who had a hand in GRR's past) and were looking to sell anyway. That deal (Entercom to Bonneville) wouldn't have happened if B had actual competition, thus the trigger was pulled at the 12th hour. It was on, and off and on and off, and back on again up to the day the deal was done.

If this business was about radio and not money Star, or should I say Wolf as it would be now on the 94.9 frequency, would be ahead and B would be...well B...as they have been, are now, and will continue to be without any real competition. Safe, boring, non headline making radio...especially since "The Church" owns them.

As for Ken, he's in San Francisco now and loves it! Kitty, she's another story. Still in Allentown, which is where they came here from, and looking for a gig (they went back). They are both good, talented people. I hope she lands on her feet after whatever happens at the station she's at.