As someone who lived in Florence for many years, I wonder if the market could support am adult alternative station aimed at the 25-54 demographic. One that plays everything from old stuff like "Mexican Radio", "Beds Are Burning" (80's) to "Tahitian Moon", "Champagne Supernova" (90's) to 2000's artists such as Radiohead, Muse, and more mainstram stuff like Train & the Fray etc. There are a lot of people in the area that I used to come across that would love that format, but I don't know if it's enough to be ad supported. I realize that the majority of Florence radio listeners prefer their country, diva pop and rock anthems. Besides, the Buzz did last several years in the '90's. Perhaps someone will give it a shot.
-
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
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
Could Florence Support An AAA Station?
- Thread starter Mendoza Line
- Start date
If the advertising support is there, any format can work.
It all boils down to how much revenue a station can pull in.
BTW: I've love for Florence to have a AAA (and a CHR again).
Robyn
It all boils down to how much revenue a station can pull in.
BTW: I've love for Florence to have a AAA (and a CHR again).
Robyn
This is more Modern AC, not AAA.
And no, not in Florence. It didn't work on Hilton Head.
G
And no, not in Florence. It didn't work on Hilton Head.
G
I really don't know if Flo Town would support AAA, but I am willing to bet that a format simular to XRY in Columbia would do pretty good. CC1
R
Radio-X
Guest
It depends on the signal and how you connect with the listeners.
Putting a harder-edged AAA is not a good idea. Two competing active rockers.
Putting a more "classic" based AAA may work. A little 70's prog rock or punk tune, heavy on the 80's and 90's lighter alternative with a touch of new music (25%, 60%, 15%, respectively).
The key with AAA is getting that listener loyalty. I'd think with a strong street team and avoiding treading into other station's formats, it could do fine. "Fine" meaning you'll make more money on other formats, but the bills will still get paid, etc, etc.
As mentioned above, AAA is a pretty tough format to do right. I think the biggest problem is duplication of music or just plain boringness. It's done deliberately, but one of my biggest pet peeves are these plain liners on AAA stations where they say "It's all about the music...(insert station name here)" That can make a really cool station sound like NPR in an instant.
Like I said, any station playing such a breadth of music has to watch itself. It can be done, though! Smaller southern markets have AAA stations that do just fine.
Radio-X
(Laments still about the loss of AAA in Savannah/HHI)
Putting a harder-edged AAA is not a good idea. Two competing active rockers.
Putting a more "classic" based AAA may work. A little 70's prog rock or punk tune, heavy on the 80's and 90's lighter alternative with a touch of new music (25%, 60%, 15%, respectively).
The key with AAA is getting that listener loyalty. I'd think with a strong street team and avoiding treading into other station's formats, it could do fine. "Fine" meaning you'll make more money on other formats, but the bills will still get paid, etc, etc.
As mentioned above, AAA is a pretty tough format to do right. I think the biggest problem is duplication of music or just plain boringness. It's done deliberately, but one of my biggest pet peeves are these plain liners on AAA stations where they say "It's all about the music...(insert station name here)" That can make a really cool station sound like NPR in an instant.
Like I said, any station playing such a breadth of music has to watch itself. It can be done, though! Smaller southern markets have AAA stations that do just fine.
Radio-X
(Laments still about the loss of AAA in Savannah/HHI)
Thanks for the replies. It could possibly work, as was mentioned above. But Florence has a history of not supporting things, from sports (Blue Jays baseball, Pride hockey), to independent record stores (Manifest), to radio station formats (they all seem to change every 2-3 years). Florence music listeners, as a whole, prefer the familiar. Which means that any AAA station would have to be watered down to fit the market, which kind of defeats the purpose. Not to mention that many of those who prefer an eclectic mix may already have Sirius/XM, or stream music online at home via Pandora etc.
Florence as had a few reasons to distrust radio such as WHLZ 92.5 when it was a depended on and trusted station in both the Florence and Manning markets. I was there when this went down and was told that WHLZ was shifited to 100.5 as a small market station so the sale money from the Apex sale could be used to rebulid another station recently bought in another state at the time. When I asked the parent company what about the great loss of listeners that was caused by the change I was told that they would have many more listeners at the bebuilt station in the other state than what they were loosing here and that some day this area would get over it, life is tough. Florence soon switched to 92.9 but the trust in a station took a long time to rebuild and as for Manning it is still a subject that is best left alone with a lot of people even today. So building trust in a radio station is harder in some markets than others, some will except change much easier than others.
R
Radio-X
Guest
DudeFan said:Mixing classic rock in with AAA, unless you are a heritage station like KBCO or KFOG, is the quickest way to tank a AAA station.
I just don't know. WMMO/Orlando and WRHQ/Savannah are (sorta) AAA stations. The technical term is "Rock AC", but when you include a lot of classics, you're probably guaranteed a somewhat small but highly consistent rating. Both of those stations just sorta stick, and any change to the format has (thus far) been a disaster.
Now most (WRVA-FM/Raleigh, WUMX/Charlottesville, VA, WYSK-FM/Fredericksburg, VA) have either not had enough time to really develop a following, or in the case of the last one, just sorta floundered for a few years with a 2-share and flip.
Now, given the fact that Florence is smaller than these markets, you may be right. I just feel an obscure AAA format would tank much quicker than a good Rock AC esp. in a place such as Florence.
But I do agree that doing a traditional AAA station with a lot of new music then lots of 60's-70's artists is not too smart. You either gotta go mostly old school or mostly new school.
Radio-X
DudeFan said:Mixing classic rock in with AAA, unless you are a heritage station like KBCO or KFOG, is the quickest way to tank a AAA station.
Come to Savannah & listen to 105.3 to be proven wrong.
G
or listen online: www.wrhq.com
Good for you all for being in the format 20 years!
You all are a heritage station, which fits my observations. I should have been more clear. If you are a heritage AAA, the classic rock/AAA is not a kiss of death. If you are a sign on, however, complete bust. I have not seen a successful sign on with a Classic Rock-based AAA. Raleigh, Cincinnati, (both gone) even the Sound in LA has been underperforming, with KYSR pretty much stealing the thunder that KSWD should have had. The Birmingham AAA could have made it, had Dave Rossi not decided to steer in it in a "too hip for the room" execution.
If you are talking mid-40's and under, Van Morrison, Eagles, Elton John are not "Alternative." They are either oldies, AC, or mild Classic Rock to folks. In Columbia, for example, you can tune to 94.3 (pop Classic Rock), 96.7 (Variety AC), 98.5 (Oldies/Classic Pop), 102.3 (Classic Rock, but only dayparted and on a particularly "soft day"), 106.7 (AC - Warm/Variety/Gold?) and hear all three of those artists.
You all are a heritage station, which fits my observations. I should have been more clear. If you are a heritage AAA, the classic rock/AAA is not a kiss of death. If you are a sign on, however, complete bust. I have not seen a successful sign on with a Classic Rock-based AAA. Raleigh, Cincinnati, (both gone) even the Sound in LA has been underperforming, with KYSR pretty much stealing the thunder that KSWD should have had. The Birmingham AAA could have made it, had Dave Rossi not decided to steer in it in a "too hip for the room" execution.
If you are talking mid-40's and under, Van Morrison, Eagles, Elton John are not "Alternative." They are either oldies, AC, or mild Classic Rock to folks. In Columbia, for example, you can tune to 94.3 (pop Classic Rock), 96.7 (Variety AC), 98.5 (Oldies/Classic Pop), 102.3 (Classic Rock, but only dayparted and on a particularly "soft day"), 106.7 (AC - Warm/Variety/Gold?) and hear all three of those artists.
- Status
- This thread has been closed due to inactivity. You can create a new thread to discuss this topic.