• Get involved.
    We want your input!
    Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.

    After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
    If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.

    After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
    https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/

    Thanks in advance and have fun!
    RadioDiscussions Administrators

Biggest Waste of a 100kw Signal in Birmingham Radio History

C

Charles35080

Without being privy to anything more than the 12+ ratings that are posted on the 'Net, I think it's safe to say that the current incarnation of WZRR may be one of the worst uses of an FM signal in Birmingham radio history. I know we all have read about Cumulus' commitment to the Nash FM and Nash Icon brands, but after 18 months, it's becoming more and more apparent that this format has failed to gain any traction in this market.

I know it's been discussed ad nausem on this board, but realistically, what format would work? Anything else that would be tried would probably be another "me too" format, but are there any of the top dogs in the market that are truly vulnerable?
 
The issue is how well the station is billing, not so much how it rates. However, I can't imagine 99.5 is billing particularly well.

When it comes to biggest failures in history, the change of WKXX 106.9 from CHR to country as WBMH (and later WIKX) seems to rate up there to me.
 
As much as it pains me to to say it...talk simulcast of WAPI-AM (as WAPI-FM). If that occurred, it would be the second time that WAPI-FM has been on 99.5 (which was probably fifty years ago now). Doing talk on 99.5 would be a definite signal improvement over the former WAPI-FM at 100.5 and could give WAPI-AM a more level playing field to compete against WERC. What other possible format holes could there be, other than classic country? That might be an option since WZRR is already doing country, with a good portion of their programming being 80s country. If WZRR went the classic country route, they could retain some of their listeners, albeit there aren't a lot of them given WZRR's dismal ratings.
 
Last edited:
Kent said:
The issue is how well the station is billing, not so much how it rates. However, I can't imagine 99.5 is billing particularly well.

When it comes to biggest failures in history, the change of WKXX 106.9 from CHR to country as WBMH (and later WIKX) seems to rate up there to me.
Click to expand...

That would have been my #1 choice. #2 would have been WRKK/WQUS as country.
 
passtheword said:
As much as it pains me to to say it...talk simulcast of WAPI-AM (as WAPI-FM). If that occurred, it would be the second time that WAPI-FM has been on 99.5 (which was probably fifty years ago now). Doing talk on 99.5 would be a definite signal improvement over the former WAPI-FM at 100.5 and could give WAPI-AM a more level playing field to compete against WERC. What other possible format holes could there be, other than classic country? That might be an option since WZRR is already doing country, with a good portion of their programming being 80s country. If WZRR went the classic country route, they could retain some of their listeners, albeit there aren't a lot of them given WZRR's dismal ratings.
Click to expand...

It's been a long time since I spent time in the Magic City, but if their local slate of talkers is as interesting as it was the last time they were on FM, I'd vote for 99.5 to become WAPI-FM again, too. To be fair I was pretty crispy on conservative talk about that time, but the WAPI folks seemed a little bit more entertaining than the syndicated showcase on some of the other talk stations.

Cumulus could even differentiate the AM & FM by putting a full slate of syndicated talk on the AM and letting the FM be the home of all local, or mostly local. But I doubt they'd give it time to grow roots, since they pulled out of that type of setup in Pensacola years ago.
 
Charles35080 said:
That would have been my #1 choice. #2 would have been WRKK/WQUS as country.
Click to expand...

In the past year, 99.5 has has garnered the lowest ratings in its 38 year history. WZRR's current 12+ numbers are even worse than the station's first attempt at country in '82-'85 as WRKK/WQUS.
 
... so there's a wasted 100kw signal in Birmingham. Birmingham doesn't have a strong Rocker. How about AOR? Like Cumulus's WKSM 99Rock in Ft. Walton Beach, Gulf 104 Tallahassee, or The Fox in Montgomery.

It would seem flipping an under performing big stick to Political Talk until Christmas Music season would be a hot idea in some market.

NASH seems to have killed the identities of WXBM Pensacola and WYZB Fort Walton. Locals now either listen to Cat Country, Highway 98 Country or "some other country station."
 
I have a feeling that NASH is doing that everywhere, not just here on the coast. :cool:

99.5 being anything other than classic rock just boggles my mind since that's what it was from the time I was "radio sentient" until I moved away many moons ago. 99.5 just IS classic rock in my mind, even though once The Eagle came along I never listened to Rock 99 again because 106.9's sound quality was simply so superior in every way. I dunno who engineered the Cox station in the 2000s but they deserve the golden ear award for Kiss, Jamz and Eagle's sound back then. They were phenomenal. I mean, as phenomenal as FM can sound, which isn't that great.

I have a feeling that no matter what format the station tries at this point, it will fail because Cumulus. I've said it before and I'll say it again: pretty much all their success stories come from buying already successful stations and not touching them. Anything they touch goes to Hades in a Handbasket. WZRR, WXBM, WCOA-FM, that talk abomination in Atlanta. I'm sure there's one in every market.

So the best thing I think could happen to 99.5 is for EMF to buy it and turn it into a K-Love repeater because God knows Cumulus ain't the answer.

(And my completely biased diss-like of Cumulus continues unabated.)
 
tomservo said:
I have a feeling that NASH is doing that everywhere, not just here on the coast. :cool:

99.5 being anything other than classic rock just boggles my mind since that's what it was from the time I was "radio sentient" until I moved away many moons ago. 99.5 just IS classic rock in my mind, even though once The Eagle came along I never listened to Rock 99 again because 106.9's sound quality was simply so superior in every way. I dunno who engineered the Cox station in the 2000s but they deserve the golden ear award for Kiss, Jamz and Eagle's sound back then. They were phenomenal. I mean, as phenomenal as FM can sound, which isn't that great.

I have a feeling that no matter what format the station tries at this point, it will fail because Cumulus. I've said it before and I'll say it again: pretty much all their success stories come from buying already successful stations and not touching them. Anything they touch goes to Hades in a Handbasket. WZRR, WXBM, WCOA-FM, that talk abomination in Atlanta. I'm sure there's one in every market.

So the best thing I think could happen to 99.5 is for EMF to buy it and turn it into a K-Love repeater because God knows Cumulus ain't the answer.

(And my completely biased diss-like of Cumulus continues unabated.)
Click to expand...

i kinda liked the poor sound quality of Rock 99 that was left over from the dick broadcasting days. I dunno why. But yea the summit stations definitely win the best sounding award. Even for me, 100 miles out, all the way up on the TN line, Eagles sound quality is fantastic, paired with the blowtorch signal.
 
Status
This thread has been closed due to inactivity. You can create a new thread to discuss this topic.


Back
Top Bottom