Channel 945 - Trainwreck - Someone please help me understand!

[lovejamminoldies]

It's hard to say, is anyone in the 945 studios these days? Maybe someone from CC could help me out with this. We all know Channel is Premium Choice now. It's VERY hard to listen to the radio these days. 945 - corporate. 1029 - might as well be. Their imaging and music is terrible. Back to 945, their imagers are now so generic it's unbelievable that CC is letting this happen. "All The Hits and Nothing but The Hits" going straight into songs. No station ID at the end of the imagers. Music is TIRED. Here's my look on things...

I e-mailed with Darren Davis... Premium Choice OM and he left it at, "Premium Choice is optional for each market. WDKF doesn't have to run PC 24/7 or run it at all? It saves money and is a ratings booster." How well is PC working in each market that runs it 24/7? Not that impressive from what I'm seeing. There are some very talented people in the CC Dayton building. With Jeff Stevens and Brian Michaels overlooking 945, I'm not sure how long PC will last.

I was looking at old numbers, checking out the old websites, and listened to old TOH's from KISS FM and the old Channel 945. IMPRESSIVE the big city sound they had. It's sad that a lot of small markets are able to avoid this, but WDKF has to sound like crap. Let's also not forget The Beat... that's when 945 had its best numbers, as a Rhythmic CHR. Ryan Drake was doing a pretty good job at PD before they all got canned due to PC. Sad to see the local sound they had go.

What do you think the future is for 945? Could we see some change happen? Ever? Does anyone else care about the only CHR we have?

 

[gr8oldies]

Supposedly ready to be sold along with 106.5 if a buyer is ever found. CC will put minimal money and effort into it until then. So what markets have those mom and pop CHR stations?

 

[lovejamminoldies]

945's been rumored to be sold FOREVER. Back when Drake was running things. So, it's hard to believe that.

The markets I've found to be the most popular PC stations are:

Channel 945 in Dayton
104.5 The Cat in Lexington
102.3 KISS FM in Albany, NY

They run Premium Choice 24/7. There are probably others, but I know those 3 were the first to get it.

 

[KevinFodor]

945's been rumored to be sold FOREVER. Back when Drake was running things. So, it's hard to believe that.

The markets I've found to be the most popular PC stations are:

Channel 945 in Dayton
104.5 The Cat in Lexington
102.3 KISS FM in Albany, NY

They run Premium Choice 24/7. There are probably others, but I know those 3 were the first to get it.

Jammin:

The most likely reason the station hasn't sold is because of the down economy we've been going through. No stations have been selling hardly at all. No one wants to pay the ridiculous prices some companies want right now...and chances are it'll take a big return of advertiser spending and cash flow improvement on some of these properties before buyers with big bucks will come looking.

And, just my opinion, no one big is going to jump through hoops to get 94-5. Or 106.5 for that matter.
Any suburban Class A station is vulnerable to attack from a bigger stick...and 106.5 is too far out of Dayton to be a real player, as has been proven by format after format. (Smooth Jazz got some numbers...but few advertisers.)

When a company is caught in a position such as this, the most logical and obvious solution is: run it as cheaply as you can with what you perceive to be the best possible programming you can afford.

Until you can find either a broadcast company willing to part with a lot of money...or a "sucker". We'll see which one comes along in time for these stations...

You have a lot of passion about radio, Jammin, and I respect you for that...but you need to learn something about how radio works as a business. To assume the station isn't going to be sold because there isn't a buyer in what's been the worst economic downturn in decades...is just flat illogical.

 

[gr8oldies]

Can CC stay above market cap indefinately? Maybe they can just keep them forever saying no one would buy them.

 

[KevinFodor]

Well...just my two cents...

That might be a convenient excuse for now and I can see logical reasons to allow them for the time being to continue to operate as they are right now. Once the economy improves, the reason for the exceptions disappears...

Of course, by then the FCC could possibly decide to relax ownership caps again. And who knows what they're going to rule on the cross ownership issues? We'll all just have to wait and see. From what I've read online, I'm not necessarily seeing a commission intent on clamping down...

 

[lovejamminoldies]

Well, CC sure is making a lot of changes to 1065. Three formats within the last few years.

945 has always been CHR-oriented but it sucks it has to stay PC with all the local talent in the building.

 

[alans613]

Well, CC sure is making a lot of changes to 1065. Three formats within the last few years.

945 has always been CHR-oriented but it sucks it has to stay PC with all the local talent in the building.

The only format that ever came close to working on 106.5 was Smooth Jazz(Which I still miss greatly)...CC saw a trend in the country where several SJ formatted stations were dying and all of a sudden it means that SJ on 106.5 became no more. Sad.
When 94.5 The Beat launched in August 1996(and flipped from Oldies 94.5 WDOL), they went into a full-blown on-air war with Z-93...I even remember some of the office workers got on the air and said they left Z to work at 94.5 The Beat...also The Beat hired Mojo, Big Momma(Who later changed his on-air name to Soldier Boy) and Vern from Z right after their departure from there(Rumor had it that Mojo got fired for not wanting to play "Macarena" by Los Del Rios). Also their first PD was former Z PD Jeff Ballentine(Around this time Z was really in disarray with the revolving PD chair just starting with the departure of Louis Kaplan and the arrival of Mary Franco). They were an AWESOME Rhythmic CHR that introduced me to such tunes as "Pony" by Ginuwine and "My Boo" by The Ghostown DJs(When's the last time you heard THAT tune on Dayton airwaves?). Former overnight and midday Zeejay Shawn Stevens did afternoons over there for awhile in '98. Then things just sputtered along until they flipped with the rest of CC CHRs in August 2000 to KISS-FM(First song was "Get Ready 4 This" by 2Unlimited). Then of course on March 30, 2005, they flipped to Channel 9-4-5 with local talent on the station...sad to see what has happened to 94.5 over the past year or so.

 

[alans613]

Oh yeah...one more interesting note on ratings...I believe it was Summer or Fall of 2002 when KISS-FM beat Z in the ratings 3.3-2.9. That should've NEVER happened...but it did. Dino Robitalle was PD during this era and on the air 2-6PM as well.

 

[lovejamminoldies]

The Beat was great... and KISS FM was pretty good too! As I got older and started to appreciate radio, I remember listening and having the flip to Channel 945. KICKED Z-93'S ASS and eventually beat them in the ratings and ran them out of the city. This is with local talent... will it ever come back? Can it ever come back?

 

[alans613]

The Beat was great... and KISS FM was pretty good too! As I got older and started to appreciate radio, I remember listening and having the flip to Channel 945. KICKED Z-93'S ASS and eventually beat them in the ratings and ran them out of the city. This is with local talent... will it ever come back? Can it ever come back?

They didn't quite kick Z's ass...3.3 to 2.9 isn't a huge victory by any means. Channel wasn't the reason Z flipped, a change in ownership was. It was Mainline's idea to flatline Z-93 and to launch Fly 92.9.
The Beat in the early days was great, but eventually it delved into a not-so-great Top 40/Rhythmic hybrid. Kiss-FM was OK...not great though. Z was always great, even on its worst day. 94.5 would always knock Z-93 for its heritage, but that's what made Z great-It didn't change its name every couple years and was one of the most well-known Top 40 stations in the country. Anyhow, 94.5 wasn't always live and local back in those days either. I know Dino Robitalle was, and so was Leslie Beale, but the morning show was piped in(Valentine/T-Man/Valentine), and so was the night show, so basically middays and afternoons were l&l. Compare that to Z-all live and local 24/7(They even had an off-the-air person in there overnights) until the day they left the airwaves on Nov. 1, 2007.
Channel will never be live and local again under CC. PC is here to stay. :-\

 

[lovejamminoldies]

2.9 for a killer signal heritage CHR is unacceptable. Channel might not have been the reason Z flipped, but I'm sure Main Line wasn't happy about Channel grabbing those numbers. I wouldn't say Z was always great. Z was better back in the day, even when KISS FM was around. On its way out, Z wasn't sounding all that good and that's why it suffered. Channel was just more fun to listen to. More music, fun jocks, and the contests helped. Z never got the credit it deserved because of HOT 1029 being in the building. 945 was live and local when it signed on with Channel 945. When Wes McCain left, it got bad. Drake took over and things started being ran cheap. That's why live-and-local 945 isn't here now. CC Corporate got tired of it.

Jeff Stevens and Brian Michaels have the power to bring back 945 if they want... will they? Doubtful. Especially if PC shows good results. They could at least run a different PC log, they have about a million CHR logs. The one on now is extremely boring. Should go with the New CHR or Wild log considering 945 always has been rhythmic-leaning.

 

[KevinFodor]

2.9 for a killer signal heritage CHR is unacceptable. Channel might not have been the reason Z flipped, but I'm sure Main Line wasn't happy about Channel grabbing those numbers. I wouldn't say Z was always great. Z was better back in the day, even when KISS FM was around. On its way out, Z wasn't sounding all that good and that's why it suffered. Channel was just more fun to listen to. More music, fun jocks, and the contests helped. Z never got the credit it deserved because of HOT 1029 being in the building. 945 was live and local when it signed on with Channel 945. When Wes McCain left, it got bad. Drake took over and things started being ran cheap. That's why live-and-local 945 isn't here now. CC Corporate got tired of it.

Jeff Stevens and Brian Michaels have the power to bring back 945 if they want... will they? Doubtful. Especially if PC shows good results. They could at least run a different PC log, they have about a million CHR logs. The one on now is extremely boring. Should go with the New CHR or Wild log considering 945 always has been rhythmic-leaning.

But, Jammin ' - you need to remember the so-called "CHR" market was fragmented by the entry of Hot 102-9 and its' appeal to young people, so Z would not get a 10 share even if it was at its' peak. The frequency had also been damaged by Radio One's lack of attention and investment into it.

Mainline, in my humble opinion, probably couldn't have cared less about 94-5's 3 share. They were more concerned about what Z's 50 KW signal could be...in another format.

You're also underestimating the need for a cluster to conserve its' resources in light of a bad economy...with Mix 107-7 and Lite under attack by Fly...do you support your "big sticks" or spend money on a "flanker"? Don't tell me, let me guess...you let the flanker succeed or fail on its' merits and spend your money on stations that can actually make them money.

That's radio reality these days...

 

[lovejamminoldies]

Kevin, you make a lot of sense with that. I miss Z-93... I used to make fun of it a lot especially when 945 just sounded a lot better... but you miss it now when you don't have a good CHR. HOT 1029 is #1 all across the board. 12-17, 18-24, 18-34... they always have been. It's the Rhythmic format. 945 can't compete with it. Rhythmic CHR is just the preferred selection of music. Why do you think you see so much Rhythmic popping up on the Top 40 charts? It works! It causes Adult CHR's to have to be more risky as well. I guess with Fly doing damage to the CC stations, you spend a lot more time with Mix and Lite, but if you're gonna keep 945 - you might as well quit trying to make it a Mainstream CHR station. Nobody listens to it. If they want pop/rock, they'll go Mix. If they want hip-hop, they'll go 1029. 945 has ALWAYS been a rhythmic-leaning CHR... this PC CHR is not working and is hurting them overall. Their morning show and Seacrest is keeping it alive ratings-wise. Jeff and Brian, if you're reading this, put the "Wild" Premium Choice music log on Channel, you'll see better results. You'll be able to share with 1029 listeners like the old 945 that beat Z that one book.

 

[Tom Wells]

One person's trainwreck is another person's masterpiece.
Of course, some are more picturesque than others.

I enjoy a good trainwreck, and if I liked "naming" stations, (I don't) I would seriously consider
calling my pt 15 "Trainwreck Radio".

 

[TANKSBACK]

Sorry alans613, I don't believe Mojo got fired for refusing to play the Macarena. If you ask the right people you'll find a lot of creedence to the story that he left because he was being chased by the police, just like when he left Baltimore. I will not comment on the charges and allegations but there are people on the Baltimore board who might.

 

[alans613]

Sorry alans613, I don't believe Mojo got fired for refusing to play the Macarena. If you ask the right people you'll find a lot of creedence to the story that he left because he was being chased by the police, just like when he left Baltimore. I will not comment on the charges and allegations but there are people on the Baltimore board who might.

Yeah, I know, that's a radio "Urban Legend" that I heard about the Mojo/"Macarena" incident. I never did believe it. From what i've heard about Mojo over the years, being chased by the cops doesn't surprise me one bit. I do remember him coming to my high school and pissing off the faculty there with his raunchy act during a "Prom Promise" remote. We went from class act Sean Roberts in '95 for Prom Promise to uncouth and unprofessional Mojo in '96.

 

[alans613]

945's been rumored to be sold FOREVER. Back when Drake was running things. So, it's hard to believe that.

The markets I've found to be the most popular PC stations are:

Channel 945 in Dayton
104.5 The Cat in Lexington
102.3 KISS FM in Albany, NY

They run Premium Choice 24/7. There are probably others, but I know those 3 were the first to get it.

Jammin:

The most likely reason the station hasn't sold is because of the down economy we've been going through. No stations have been selling hardly at all. No one wants to pay the ridiculous prices some companies want right now...and chances are it'll take a big return of advertiser spending and cash flow improvement on some of these properties before buyers with big bucks will come looking.

And, just my opinion, no one big is going to jump through hoops to get 94-5. Or 106.5 for that matter.
Any suburban Class A station is vulnerable to attack from a bigger stick...and 106.5 is too far out of Dayton to be a real player, as has been proven by format after format. (Smooth Jazz got some numbers...but few advertisers.)

When a company is caught in a position such as this, the most logical and obvious solution is: run it as cheaply as you can with what you perceive to be the best possible programming you can afford.

Until you can find either a broadcast company willing to part with a lot of money...or a "sucker". We'll see which one comes along in time for these stations...

You have a lot of passion about radio, Jammin, and I respect you for that...but you need to learn something about how radio works as a business. To assume the station isn't going to be sold because there isn't a buyer in what's been the worst economic downturn in decades...is just flat illogical.

Kevin, you couldn't have said it any more perfectly. 94.5 is-and always will be-a flanker for the big signals. Why put a bunch of time and effort into a station that doesn't have a great signal to start with? Also right on with your position on Z-93...Radio One started killing off Z with Hot's launch. I'm not privy to numbers, but i'm sure Fly is keeping Mix and Lite on their heels...which is why I think that CC launched Big 106.5.

 

[lovejamminoldies]

Is it me or has Hot 1029 always sounded bland and plain? Ever since it launched... it's had a limited airstaff, half-ass imaging, and slow on music. The ratings speak for themselves, but based on what I hear, it's not like Hot is SLAMMIN and they left Z out to dry. Both stations sounded bland. I always preferred 945 because of the fun that came with the jocks, imaging, and music.

 

[DaRealDrake54]

Man I have read allot and I like what I see!! But I just want to clarify that 94.5 got cheap because they cut our budget to "NADA"! You know at one point I was on the station 24/7...Litterally!!! So hard to go from such a big sound, a live staff, and a somewhat decent budget, to Drake, E, and Ike B.! It was all corporate, not what CC Dayton wants at all. Yes 945 is a flanker station, yes it is only 6000 watts, but man it sounded good. We walked the line, listened to listeners, and had fun. Maybe you don't do that on other stations, but on a CHR you're supposed to. You can get down to the youth's level, especially if you were one of them!! I hate how conservative things can get you know? But the real tragedy is about all the great talent in CC Dayton and across the country that got let go. Sucks. It also sucks that I can't be in that studio and talking threw that mic, but that's neither here nor there! It is the only Top 40 in town now, and truly has potential to do at least a 4-5 share. Corp. just won't or never would allow us to do "us". But hey it's a business, and that's how business works.