Commercial CCM in Houston

[CinnamonRoll]

Browsing the boards, I came across this post on the religious board.

http://www.radio-info.com/mods/board?Post=612965&Board=religious

Basically it says that many commercial secular AC stations are losing their female audience to Christian AC stations and some may be considering an effort in the Christian format in an effort to regain that audience.
There was speculation recently that COX may try CCM here after flipping a rock outlet in Tulsa.
Clear Channel is doing it in Austin next week.
Could anyone see this happening here?
We all know The Point has horrible numbers so they could be a possibility.
I don't know how MIX is doing in their demo, but the 12+ numbers are in the middle of the road, so I don't see MIX flipping any time soon, especially since they just signed on Sam Malone.
Would I be correct in assuming that the in demo numbers for MIX would be better than their 12+ numbers?
I would assume that would be the case for most any station.

<P ID="signature">______________
Because you dance to disco but you still like rock.</P>

 

[dabomb]

I wouldn't count on either Cox, Cumulus, or CC on launching a Christian AC format. Although Mix's numbers are now in the toilet as well, I wouldn't count on the local folks pushing for any change. (I do have a sneaking suspicion that some higher ups are going to be closely monitoring Mix's decline and be making some local management changes by the second quarter of 2006). Cox will keep things par for course. Once Cumulus takes over KRBE, I would only expect internal management changes. Their setup will be similar to CC's with all their stations in one building.

 

[hot_mic]

Can't see CC flipping any stations to a Christian AC format. You've got the Jewish "mafia" over there calling the shots. Kopelman, KC, Brezner in promotions (plus on-air folks like J.P., Malone, Garfield, Warner).

They'll give Mix a chance to grow (though KBME better do something fast).

> I wouldn't count on either Cox, Cumulus, or CC on launching
> a Christian AC format. Although Mix's numbers are now in
> the toilet as well, I wouldn't count on the local folks
> pushing for any change. (I do have a sneaking suspicion
> that some higher ups are going to be closely monitoring
> Mix's decline and be making some local management changes by
> the second quarter of 2006). Cox will keep things par for
> course. Once Cumulus takes over KRBE, I would only expect
> internal management changes. Their setup will be similar to
> CC's with all their stations in one building.
>

 

[rbrucecarter]

> You've got the Jewish "mafia" over there calling the shots.
> Kopelman, KC, Brezner in promotions (plus on-air folks like
> J.P., Malone, Garfield, Warner).

Hey if there's money in it, they will do it. I haven't heard KSBJ in a while, so I don't know if they are programming to win back teens and young professionals again. If they are not, they are vulnerable in that area. A solid Hot-AC / Christian CHR could really bite into their audience.

 

[TheClearAnswer]

You might want to check this out:

http://www.z102austin.com/ - It's not z102 anymore:

"Welcome to Austin’s brand new radio station, 102.3 The River.

We’re a different kind of station that aspires to a different set of values. A station that offers a positive music alternative to the kinds of music you hear everywhere else. This is the new 102.3 The River, now with all Christmas music.

After Christmas you’ll hear artists like Mercy Me, Avalon, Natalie Grant, Steven Curtis Chapman, Jars of Clay and others, with songs that inspire and encourage.

102.3 The River, ‘Positive Music, Safe for the Entire Family’"

Shouldn't any good programmer put faith aside for ad sales?

-TheClearAnswer out!
"We can tell our values by looking at our checkbook stubs." ~Gloria Steinem


> Hey if there's money in it, they will do it. I haven't
> heard KSBJ in a while, so I don't know if they are
> programming to win back teens and young professionals again.
> If they are not, they are vulnerable in that area. A solid
> Hot-AC / Christian CHR could really bite into their
> audience.
>

 

[Mediafrog]

> http://www.z102austin.com/ - It's not z102 anymore:

Hasn't been Z102 for a while now; more recently Channel 102.3 "World Class Rock."

> "Welcome to Austin’s brand new radio station, 102.3 The River.

The bare bones website would seem to indicate that "The River" will flow for only a short time, probably to be replaced by "La Preciosa" which is zooming up the latest DFW arbitrends.

 

[rbrucecarter]

> 102.3 The River, ‘Positive Music, Safe for the Entire
> Family’"

I will be interested in your numbers for teens, college, and young professionals. To them, you are probably as relevant as a Spanish station.

> Shouldn't any good programmer put faith aside for ad sales?

Faith is fine, but if its not meeting the needs of the audience, support won't come in for non-comm, and ratings won't be good for commercial. I say this over and over again:

Low ratings = low effectiveness of the station in reaching people.

A church with low "ratings" gets less in the offering tray. A church with better "ratings" gets more in the offering tray. As long as the teaching is good - no compromises on scriptural matters - I would rather go for good ratings than bad. How? By listening to my listeners, who are my customers. Meet THEIR needs, not what I think their needs should be. And not what a bunch of 65 year old men on a board of directors think should be on the station. You can get a super spiritually minded ivory tower board of directors and program to them - it doesn't mean you will get ratings.

 

[CinnamonRoll]

> To them, you are probably as relevant
> as a Spanish station.

How are Sapnish stations not relevant?
Some of them do quite well from what I've seen.<P ID="signature">______________
Because you dance to disco but you still like rock.</P>

 

[William_Yeager]

> > To them, you are probably as relevant
> > as a Spanish station.
>
> How are Sapnish stations not relevant?
> Some of them do quite well from what I've seen.
>
Teens and young professionals don't exactly flock to Christian AC-especially the males. Teens who are into CCM typically listen to acts like Sanctus Real, Third Day (and not just the ballads that Christian AC plays to death), Jeremy Camp (see comment about Third Day), Kutless, Day of Fire, BarlowGirl, etc., etc., etc. Many Christian ACs relegate music that caters to the 15-24 set to a few hours on the weekend, but those shows don't always do that well. Christian AC, like secular AC, is all about F 25-54.

Speaking of Houston and CCM, there's a pretty good Christian band that hails from Houston: Inhabited.<P ID="signature">______________

</P>

 

[rbrucecarter]

> Many Christian ACs
> relegate music that caters to the 15-24 set to a few hours
> on the weekend, but those shows don't always do that well.

yes, because the time slot is terrible.

> Christian AC, like secular AC, is all about F 25-54.

yeah, I am still sure those 25 year old women are knitting and sewing with their radios on the same old fogie music 54 year old grandmothers listen to. Making their patchwork quilts. Cooking covered dishes for the book club.

25 year old women I know are either listening to Christian rock (if available) or secular rock. Its more fun - like them.

The problem with Christian rock / CHR / Hot-AC is that its not done on a consistant enough basis to attract an audience. Would kids / college / professional listen to a secular station that programmed 4 hours of their music on Saturday night, and the rest of the time played "beautiful music of your life"? NOT going to happen. Put the same format on dependably 24/7 - the music is sufficiently high in quality it would catch on. Most kids are so burned out on the same 40 songs over and over again its no wonder they prefer iPods. Put something dependable on the air that gives them an alternative, the newness of the songs alone will make it fly. And - a dirty little secret the record companies hope you never find out: most kids really don't like the gross sexual lyrics, the hate speech, the bigotry, the drug use in the music. They like the musical style and the appearance of the artist.