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BEN, the wave of the future?

B

BrianT

Guest
Ben appears to be doing very well, 7 months after it first signed on. The numbers and demographics show well, all the people I know who listen to BEN love it, and the bottom line savings must be healthy. Does anyone else think or feel that this is the way radio will eventually end up?
 
Re: No.

> Ben appears to be doing very well, 7 months after it first
> signed on. The numbers and demographics show well, all the
> people I know who listen to BEN love it, and the bottom line
> savings must be healthy. Does anyone else think or feel
> that this is the way radio will eventually end up?
>
No.

Let history be your guide:

Jammin Gold
Max
Mix
Ben

"New" formats in Philly traditionally do well for a brief period (2 years max - no pun intended). Look at Wired and WRNB...flashes in the pan that are slowly fading away...Wired is just about cooked after 2 years, and WRNB has lost a significant portion of their audience already. BEN will eventually go the way of Mix and Max.

Herritage, compelling programming and niche always wins. KYW, WDAS, WIP, WXTU, B101, WUSL...they are top rated stations for a reason. <P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by Wexler on 10/21/05 03:47 PM.</FONT></P>
 
Re: No.

I fully agree. Owners WANT it to work for obvious reasons: $$. But the weird music mix will only work over a short period. If people want to hear an ipod, they will play their ipod. With what THEY want to hear. The current blend may (and will) work for awhile, but not long term, as per the examples you present.

> > Ben appears to be doing very well, 7 months after it first
>
> > signed on. The numbers and demographics show well, all
> the
> > people I know who listen to BEN love it, and the bottom
> line
> > savings must be healthy. Does anyone else think or feel
> > that this is the way radio will eventually end up?
> >
> No.
>
> Let history be your guide:
>
> Jammin Gold
> Max
> Mix
> Ben
>
> "New" formats in Philly traditionally do well for a brief
> period (2 years max - no pun intended). Look at Wired and
> WRNB...flashes in the pan that are slowly fading
> away...Wired is just about cooked after 2 years, and WRNB
> has lost a significant portion of their audience already.
> BEN will eventually go the way of Mix and Max.
>
> Herritage, compelling programming and niche always wins.
> KYW, WDAS, WIP, WXTU, B101, WUSL...they are top rated
> stations for a reason.
>
 
Re: No.

> > Ben appears to be doing very well, 7 months after it first
>
> > signed on. The numbers and demographics show well, all
> the
> > people I know who listen to BEN love it, and the bottom
> line
> > savings must be healthy. Does anyone else think or feel
> > that this is the way radio will eventually end up?
> >
> No.
>
> Let history be your guide:
>
> Jammin Gold
> Max
> Mix
> Ben
>
> "New" formats in Philly traditionally do well for a brief
> period (2 years max - no pun intended). Look at Wired and
> WRNB...flashes in the pan that are slowly fading
> away...Wired is just about cooked after 2 years, and WRNB
> has lost a significant portion of their audience already.
> BEN will eventually go the way of Mix and Max.
>
> Herritage, compelling programming and niche always wins.
> KYW, WDAS, WIP, WXTU, B101, WUSL...they are top rated
> stations for a reason.
>
I see some differences between BEN and the other formats that existed on 95.7. First of all, Jammin' Gold was such a niche format that it had a burnout factor. I think people got tired of hearing the same 70s rhythmic tunes over and over again. Max 95.7 was a mix between Y100 and Q102, being a Modern AC. In other words, people in Philly had an alternative to listen to other than Max 95.7. The same could be said about Mix 95.7. They had competition from 96.5 The Point and Alice 104.5, which were all considered Hot AC.

Now, let's look at BEN. This station fills a niche in the market. With a playlist that exceeds 1,000 songs, there isn't a burnout factor involved with the variety hits format. What is BEN's competition? I would imagine that B101 and Sunny 104.5 are its primary competitors, being that these two stations have the most overlap with 95.7. Granted, MGK also has some overlap with this station but they're owned by the same company. Who else is playing the music from the 80s and 90s that BEN is playing (i.e. Madonna, Sheila E., Debbie Gibson, Belinda Carlisle, Duran Duran, Simple Minds, Counting Crows, REM, 2 Unlimited, Matchbox 20, etc.)? Playing these types of artists fills a nice in the market, especially the rhythmic stuff from the 80s and 90s. There's also NO Hot AC in the market, and BEN plays a lot of the Hot AC artists too.

Given the situation in the market right now, I think BEN can be a player in the game. If stations like The Point and Alice were still around, they would be competition for BEN. However, much of the music heard on 95.7 is exclusive to that station.
 
Re: No.

> I fully agree. Owners WANT it to work for obvious reasons:
> $$. But the weird music mix will only work over a short
> period. If people want to hear an ipod, they will play
> their ipod. With what THEY want to hear. The current blend
> may (and will) work for awhile, but not long term, as per
> the examples you present.
>
> > > Ben appears to be doing very well, 7 months after it
> first
> >
> > > signed on. The numbers and demographics show well, all
> > the
> > > people I know who listen to BEN love it, and the bottom
> > line
> > > savings must be healthy. Does anyone else think or feel
>
> > > that this is the way radio will eventually end up?
> > >
> > No.
> >
> > Let history be your guide:
> >
> > Jammin Gold
> > Max
> > Mix
> > Ben
> >
> > "New" formats in Philly traditionally do well for a brief
> > period (2 years max - no pun intended). Look at Wired and
>
> > WRNB...flashes in the pan that are slowly fading
> > away...Wired is just about cooked after 2 years, and WRNB
> > has lost a significant portion of their audience already.
>
> > BEN will eventually go the way of Mix and Max.
> >
> > Herritage, compelling programming and niche always wins.
> > KYW, WDAS, WIP, WXTU, B101, WUSL...they are top rated
> > stations for a reason.
> >
>
While people are turning to alternate sources to hear their music, such as the Ipod and Satellite Radio, the bottom line is that they have the PAY for these other options. People might want the variety of music, but not pay the $12/month or 99 cents a song to get it. Terrestrial radio is free and convenient. It's much easier to listen to your favorite radio station at home, at work, and on the go versus using a satellite radio or an Ipod. So, not only are people turned off by Ipods and Satellite Radio by the cost, but also the lack of versatility.
 
Re: No.

> While people are turning to alternate sources to hear their
> music, such as the Ipod and Satellite Radio, the bottom line
> is that they have the PAY for these other options. People
> might want the variety of music, but not pay the $12/month
> or 99 cents a song to get it. Terrestrial radio is free and
> convenient. It's much easier to listen to your favorite
> radio station at home, at work, and on the go versus using a
> satellite radio or an Ipod. So, not only are people turned
> off by Ipods and Satellite Radio by the cost, but also the
> lack of versatility.
>

Then, Sirius comes out with "Super Shuffle 12" and shows the radio industry its worth it to buy a sat receiver and put terrestrial radio on life's F**KO List!<P ID="signature">______________
I've done it all...HOO HOO...tell 'em, Fred!
FOX News Alert: YOU SUCK!!! Ya like apples?</P>
 
Re: No.

> Given the situation in the market right now, I think BEN can
> be a player in the game. If stations like The Point and
> Alice were still around, they would be competition for BEN.
> However, much of the music heard on 95.7 is exclusive to
> that station.
>

Agreed! "BEN's" presentation actually is one of the additional elements that makes it exciting and "fresh" to listen to unlike "Jack" in NYC. "BEN" is filling a void in Philly as opposed to "Jack" where they are competing with 'PLJ, WAXQ, and WXRX to some extent. I do NOT think that this is a short-term success but a long term one if they keep it "Fresh." Give me something exciting to listen to and I WILL!

Keep up the Good Work "BEN"...Sir!
 
Re: No.

> > Given the situation in the market right now, I think BEN
> can
> > be a player in the game. If stations like The Point and
> > Alice were still around, they would be competition for
> BEN.
> > However, much of the music heard on 95.7 is exclusive to
> > that station.
> >
>
> Agreed! "BEN's" presentation actually is one of the
> additional elements that makes it exciting and "fresh" to
> listen to unlike "Jack" in NYC. "BEN" is filling a void in
> Philly as opposed to "Jack" where they are competing with
> 'PLJ, WAXQ, and WXRX to some extent. I do NOT think that
> this is a short-term success but a long term one if they
> keep it "Fresh." Give me something exciting to listen to and
> I WILL!
>
> Keep up the Good Work "BEN"...Sir!
>
That's a good way to put it... FRESH! With such an extensive playlist, the station seems to retain its uniqueness. I enjoy listening to BEN just because of the variety and every song is a hit.
 
> Ben appears to be doing very well, 7 months after it first
> signed on. The numbers and demographics show well, all the
> people I know who listen to BEN love it, and the bottom line
> savings must be healthy. Does anyone else think or feel
> that this is the way radio will eventually end up?
>
I don't think it's "the" wave, it's just "a" wave. I, for one, love it--for the first time in I don't know how many years, my clock radio and shower radios are set to 95.7, not 101, where they had been since Y100 moved from its initial sound to modern rock.
 
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