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Connoisseur Completes Alpha Deal

MarkW said:
I cannot confirm if that significant playlist shift was initiated on the local level or if it was initiated by the new guard at the corporate level.
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More likely a response to declining ratings. They playlist is now a lot tighter.

I see they recently played "Shout" by Tears For Fears.
 
TheBigA said:
More likely a response to declining ratings. They playlist is now a lot tighter.

I see they recently played "Shout" by Tears For Fears.
Click to expand...

Prior to the change, the station mostly played crunchy, guitar-driven rock hits from the grunge era to the early 00s. It shared a lot in common with 99.5 KISS in that regard (a station owned by an entirely different company, of course). Very little music newer than the early 00s or older than 1991 was played. No currents or recurrents were ever played. Most song selections were testosterone-laden. I considered the station to be much more of an Active Rock Gold format than alternative.

Now, 106.3 The Core sounds more like a standard fare alternative station but with a more adventurous library than, say, Detroit's WDZH. Some currents & recurrents have been added to the playlist. Some of the library titles bring sister station 95.9 The River to mind.
 
MarkW said:
Their 106.3 WGER in Saginaw, MI made a noticeable programming change (for the better, in my opinion) the Thursday before Labor Day weekend.

I cannot confirm if that significant playlist shift was initiated on the local level or if it was initiated by the new guard at the corporate level.
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Connoisseur had nothing to do with it. Phil Becker was still making programming decisions up until he was informed last week that he would not be retained.

In comparing music logs, it appears as if two songs per hour were adjusted. Not as much a major programming change as a music adjustment.
 
Budget cuts due to the Connoisseur-Alpha merger given as the reason why a local DJ is released:

radioinsight.com

Alexa Neo Exits 103.1 The Wolf Long Island

Midday host Alexa Neo has exited Connoisseur Media Country "103.1 The Wolf" WWWF Bay Shore NY. Neo was the first
radioinsight.com radioinsight.com

Neo said that her position was eliminated due to budget cuts associated with the closing of Connoisseur’s acquisition of Alpha Media. She commented, “I was told that they were very pleased with my work but unfortunately needed to make some tough decisions due to budget cuts.”
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lanceventa said:
Connoisseur had nothing to do with it. Phil Becker was still making programming decisions up until he was informed last week that he would not be retained.

In comparing music logs, it appears as if two songs per hour were adjusted. Not as much a major programming change as a music adjustment.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the info.

I do listen to the station online semi-regularly.

The change is more substantial than two songs an hour. Pull a log from a week or two earlier and then compare again; I suspect you'll see a more substantial change.

This isn't just a question of gold slots versus current / recurrent slots, but also one of musical styles. The station had a much harder rocking edge a few weeks ago. Think White Zombie, Godsmack, Disturbed, Tool, Korn, etc.
 
Here is an hour from this morning. I've asterisked the songs the station never would have played prior to its recent musical adjustment:

EVERY MORNING | Sugar Ray*
10:54am
Tongue Tied | Group Love*
10:51am
Bullet With Butterfly Wings | Smashing Pumpkins
10:46am
Sex on Fire | Kings of Leon
10:38am
Welcome To Paradise Green Day
10:34am
Face Down | The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus*
10:31am
BELIEVER | Imagine Dragons*
10:21am
Fly Away | Lenny Kravitz
10:18am
Move Along | All American Rejects
10:14am
How Soon Is Now Smiths*
10:09am
Somewhere I Belong | Linkin Park
10:06am
Possum Kingdom | Toadies


Now, here is an hour from Monday, August 25:

Bodies | Drowning Pool*
8:56pm
Enter Sandman | Metallica*
8:51pm
Short Skirt/Long Jacket | Cake
8:42pm
Spoonman | Soundgarden
8:37pm
LOSE YOURSELF | Eminem
8:33pm
Cold Hard Bitch | Jet
8:24pm
Stinkfist | Tool*
8:19pm
Slither | Velvet Revolver*
8:14pm
DECEMBER | Collective Soul
8:10pm
Savior | Rise Against
8:06pm
Californication | Red Hot Chili Peppers

(I've asterisked the songs unlikely to be played following the music adjustment)
 
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TheBigA said:
Prior to the change, it was Alpha's lowest rated station in the cluster.

The latest book was released on August 8, 2025.
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Yup. It's been the laggard of the cluster for years, dating back to its Hot AC days as Mix 106.3.

The change to (mostly) 90's rock as 106.3 The Core produced decent numbers for about a year to maybe 18 months. The numbers have since slid quite a bit since peaking.

A lot of people in the region love Z93, the heritage Active Rock outlet. That station has always featured a local morning show and is very visible in the community.

I've found the length of the commercial breaks on both Z93 and The Core to be unbearable at times, with The Core being a slightly worse offender. (Disclaimer: I've not listened to WKQZ online for at least a year.)

I've not come across another Rock station anywhere in the state that packs as many commercials in a typical hour as those two stations. I've always found commercial break length on WRIF, WGRD, Q106, Banana 101.5, WIRX, 89X, and Rock 105/95.5 to be reasonable.

Saginaw / Bay City never had anything resembling an alternative rock station at the format's zenith in the 90s, so it's interesting to me that the market is finally getting one in the year 2025. (Midland was perhaps within range of CMU's Modern Rock 91.5, but I am unsure. WMHW increased power and became a Class C3 at some point within the past 25 years and certainly reaches Midland these days, but the format is now AAA.)
 
Reading between the lines on some of the personnel promotion announcements, I feel some of the constant WW1 feeds that Alpha initiated in some of the smaller markets last year will end, with programming being done via the old Premium Choice model. Already saw a hiring post for jocks to work multiple formats in multiple markets. I may be over thinking it, but programming may be shifted to completely in-house product.

We're Hiring: Program Directors, On-Air Personalities, Promotions Directors & More - connoisseurmedia.com
 
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TheBigA said:
Connoisseur is asking the FCC for a 100% foreign ownership waiver in its holding company.

radioinsight.com

Connoisseur Media Seeks 100% Foreign Ownership In Its Holding Companies

Connoisseur Media has requested that the FCC allow Connoisseur Media Holdco, Inc. to exceed the 25% limit on foreign ownership.
radioinsight.com radioinsight.com

The limit is 25%. The limits are to prevent foreign countries from buying US airwaves.
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I wonder how much Connoisseur is willing to pay Mr. Carr's boss for the privlege. (I wish I didn't have to even wonder about this.)
 


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