Could Clear Channel Hi-"Jack" WWBB/B-101??

[Joseph_Gallant]

In recent months, several markets have lost longtime oldies stations. Some of those former oldies stations have flipped to "Jack"-type formats.

Today (June 3rd) might go down in history as the beginning of the end of the oldies format: New York's WCBS-101.1, the first (as far as I know of) oldies station in the country, the best-known and best-programmed oldies station of them all, did the unthinkable. At 5 P.M. EDT, they dropped their 33-year oldies format in favor of, you guessed it, "Jack".

At the same time (4 P.M. CDT), WCBS's sister oldies format in Chicago, WJMK-104.3, also dropped oldies and also went "Jack".

Until today, many in and out of the industry thought that WCBS/WJMK owner Infinity was a strong supporter of oldies radio. Certainly more so than Clear Channel (owned of WWBB-101.1, a/k/a "B-101"). Many of the former oldies stations who recently dropped the format were Clear Channel Properties.

Could WCBS-FM's decision to drop oldies for "Jack" lead Clear Channel to flip B-101 to a "Jack"-type format??

Some reasons why I think it could happen:

(1) Several Clear Channel stations, as noted above, have moved away from oldies.

(2) "Jack"-type formats are very hot right now. Stations in other markets are racing each other to launch "Jack"-type stations. Perhaps the reason WCBS-FM dropped oldies so abruptly today was that perhaps another broadcaster was about to flip one of their New York stations to a "Jack"-type format.

(3) Providence does not have a "Jack"-type format at the moment.

(4) If Clear Channel hesitates in flipping one of their local stations to a "Jack"-type format, they may get "beaten to the punch"---perhaps very soon.

Is "Jack 101 1/2" (or "Bill 101 1/2"?) (or "Buddy 101 1/2"?) the future of what we now know as B-101??

 

[ScottBurns]

I see no reason for B101 to be the station that would ultimately be flipped. In B101, Clear Channel still has a relatively good performer. Of all of the stations in its Providence cluster, clearly WSNE is the weakest link and has the format that most clearly approximates "Jack." In other words, it would be much less of a gamble for Clear Channel to flip WSNE, a station that has also suffered from an identity crisis of some sorts, than to flip WWBB, which has gained some Heritage over the past 15 years.

 

[jockitch]

> I see no reason for B101 to be the station that would
> ultimately be flipped. In B101, Clear Channel still has a
> relatively good performer. Of all of the stations in its
> Providence cluster, clearly WSNE is the weakest link and has
> the format that most clearly approximates "Jack." In other
> words, it would be much less of a gamble for Clear Channel
> to flip WSNE, a station that has also suffered from an
> identity crisis of some sorts, than to flip WWBB, which has
> gained some Heritage over the past 15 years.

I agree with your comments about B101 in spite of the format shift over the last couple of years. From what I've sampled in listening,Coast's no rules music isn't as adventurous as what some of these Jack/Mike stations are playing & the trainwrecks really aren't there. It's basically music you already hear on HJY & B101. Maybe it's an evil plot to confuse people into thinking they're listening to HJY or B101.

 

[jeffryan]

> I see no reason for B101 to be the station that would
> ultimately be flipped. In B101, Clear Channel still has a
> relatively good performer. Of all of the stations in its
> Providence cluster, clearly WSNE is the weakest link and has
> the format that most clearly approximates "Jack." In other
> words, it would be much less of a gamble for Clear Channel
> to flip WSNE, a station that has also suffered from an
> identity crisis of some sorts, than to flip WWBB, which has
> gained some Heritage over the past 15 years.

I agree for a few reasons. If Providence lost B101, an extra format hole would exist besides oldies - classic rock/hits. But more importantly, B101 (and also WSNE for that matter) perform well in the target demos and billing has not been an issue with either station. Clear Channel would be best advised to leave both stations as-is.

 

[jeffryan]

> I agree for a few reasons. If Providence lost B101, an extra
> format hole would exist besides oldies - classic rock/hits.
> But more importantly, B101 (and also WSNE for that matter)
> perform well in the target demos and billing has not been an
> issue with either station. Clear Channel would be best
> advised to leave both stations as-is.

Not to mention that Infinity and other owners trying this "Jack" format are taking a huge gamble with an un-proven format. I read an interesting article (forget where) that these ipod-esque radio stations are largely in response to the variety found on satellite radio. FMQB reported that terrestrial radio lost 9 million listeners, 8.2 millon of them going to satellite radio. And Howard Stern hasn't even shown up yet.

Interesting theory. Makes sense. Broadcasters are beginning to fear the threat of satellite radio. The only difference between Jack and satellite radio is that on satellite, all the variety isn't jammed on to one station. The variety is in the fact that there are so many channels to choose from... not the 5 or 6 stations that a given owner may own in a particular market.