Countdown to WFMX Flip

[Big_Ben]

Well, it's nearing the supposed deadline or at least the planned timeline when CC flips FMX. (I've heard mid to late July) I know there was a long discussion about the fate of FMX in the 94.5 thread, but it's been a while. What is everyone thinking now? Still thinking Hispanic? Hot Talk? CHR? I've also heard a similar format to 100.7 THE RIVER in Raleigh. Thoughts??

 

[tropicanamedia]

The market won't support Spanish FM's. "La Preciosa" is Kicking some butt, even getting ratings in the marginal areas Raleigh??. The format for FMX is being kept under a very tight lip.

 

[johnqdoe]

The market won't support Spanish FM's. "La Preciosa" is Kicking some butt, even getting ratings in the marginal areas Raleigh??. The format for FMX is being kept under a very tight lip.

I dunno if you can say the market won't support 2 Spanish FMs....but it's safe to say CC won't compete against themselves. Some kinda Urban AC is my bet

 

[Big_Ben]

I agree, two spanish FMs under the same roof would not be a good idea unless it's reggeton or somthing. I doubt Urban AC will be it either, because QMG is such a force. (and one of my favorites in the market!) Tropicana is right, La Preciosa is tearin it up! From reading some other threads, I think Tropicanamedia MIGHT just spend some time in PAI park?? hmm...

 

[jcolletta275]

I'm guessing either CHR or active rock.

Firstly, I know KZL has grown a bit lax lately in terms of CHR formatics, so I wouldn't put it past CC to take them on. However, KZL is still a strong force, and I doubt Dick is going to let anyone challenge them without a huge fight. If the new FMX format is CHR, look for KZL to start sounding fresher and much younger.

Secondly, everyone but me seems to think active rock isn't a viable format in the Triad. Being in the target demographic, I know otherwise. There's a huge potential audience here that's gone untapped since WXRA flipped. WKRR and WVBZ certainly aren't doing anything to help them, and the closest active rock station anyone has to listen to is WEND. This would be the wisest choice Clear could make for WFMX.

Then again, CC isn't known for wise decisions when it comes to formatics.

 

[XTalker]

What if FMX remained country? There is room for the more traditional sound. The move also opens the question of NASCAR!

WSJS got the PRN races from WTQR about six years ago because TQR wouldn't carry Benny Parsons on Monday night and cleared Garage Pass at midnight. Since FMX has a strong relationship with PRN, does the move spell trouble for the WSJS/PRN relationship?

 

[johnqdoe]

I'm guessing either CHR or active rock.

Firstly, I know KZL has grown a bit lax lately in terms of CHR formatics, so I wouldn't put it past CC to take them on. However, KZL is still a strong force, and I doubt Dick is going to let anyone challenge them without a huge fight. If the new FMX format is CHR, look for KZL to start sounding fresher and much younger.

Secondly, everyone but me seems to think active rock isn't a viable format in the Triad. Being in the target demographic, I know otherwise. There's a huge potential audience here that's gone untapped since WXRA flipped. WKRR and WVBZ certainly aren't doing anything to help them, and the closest active rock station anyone has to listen to is WEND. This would be the wisest choice Clear could make for WFMX.

Then again, CC isn't known for wise decisions when it comes to formatics.

The problem with WXRA wasn't ratings or promotions....it was sales. That has as much to do with the SALESPEOPLE as it does the product. There has been more than one GOOD station suffer because of bad management and performance on the sales side of the building. As for VBZ, maybe they've seen the light musically. I've heard Buckcherry, new Chili Peppers, 10 Years, Shinedown and others lately. They can't beat KRR on music and promotions when Chris & Chris are trouncing John Boy & Billy into the ground book after book after book. So they seem to be trying something different musically. Which makes sense when WEND is pulling a 1.5-2 share every book in the GSO market with absolutely no presence other than playing music that's not offered here. But to get back to the FMX frequency....I doubt that CC would put on a NEW active rocker...Buzzard has 5+ years under it's belt. That's certainly not "a heritage" station, but I think you'd evolve the established brand before throwing on two brand new stations. If FMX goes Active Rock, they'll do something different on 100.3. Who knows.....

 

[jcolletta275]

That's exactly why I added that qualifier about CC and format decisions. Who knows?

I dunno... it's going to take some pretty significant changes over at VBZ for them to take the throne as the Triad's active rocker. Adding some newer tracks to their classic rock playlist isn't going to cut it. Take a look at WRKR in Kalamazoo... they were once known as the rock station in the region. Now they're basically just one of about fifty-bajillion classic rockers in the area, despite the fact that they do play newer music from time to time. Sounds to me from what you're describing that The Buzzard is starting to develop a similar sound.

It would make sense to me to flip WVBZ to active rock outright instead of evolving it. It needs a new name and image if it's going to grab the format's target demo, as well. On top of that, they need local everything.

It seems Clear Channel Greensboro has had troubles left and right with sales. I know it's not the easiest job in the world, but... geez, this is a college town we're talking about, and it's not exactly a one-horse town when it comes to institutions of higher learning, either. A sales staff that can't sell active rock to a huge male 18-24 population? What's wrong with this picture? :

 

[Mr Winston-Salem]

There just isn't much money in the college crowd. College students and college grads have so many bills to pay, limited income and not much money for a new car, a house, furniture-housewares and other big ticket items. 25-54 or 25-34 is better than 18-24. By those (25-54 or 25-34) age groups, the listener has money to make big purchases.

I do think those who stay with the format through it's current decline can ride the 90's popularity wave soon as heritage alternative/active rockers with an audience that has greater buying power.

 

[johnqdoe]

That's exactly why I added that qualifier about CC and format decisions. Who knows?

I dunno... it's going to take some pretty significant changes over at VBZ for them to take the throne as the Triad's active rocker. Adding some newer tracks to their classic rock playlist isn't going to cut it. Take a look at WRKR in Kalamazoo... they were once known as the rock station in the region. Now they're basically just one of about fifty-bajillion classic rockers in the area, despite the fact that they do play newer music from time to time. Sounds to me from what you're describing that The Buzzard is starting to develop a similar sound.

It would make sense to me to flip WVBZ to active rock outright instead of evolving it. It needs a new name and image if it's going to grab the format's target demo, as well. On top of that, they need local everything.

It seems Clear Channel Greensboro has had troubles left and right with sales. I know it's not the easiest job in the world, but... geez, this is a college town we're talking about, and it's not exactly a one-horse town when it comes to institutions of higher learning, either. A sales staff that can't sell active rock to a huge male 18-24 population? What's wrong with this picture? :

The Triad is nowhere NEAR a "college town". Just because there are colleges here doesn't make it a college town. There are a few pockets of college life....but no real scene. It's really just Tate St. in GSO, Ziggy's and the Burke St. bars in WS, and HIgh Point doesn't have much of anything other than the University itself. For as many thousands of students, there is no "college scene" in the Triad. And even if there were, the college kids I know are gonna spend their $$$ on dollar drafts and pizza. I'm not saying a more current based rocker wouldn't work....But 18-24 probably ain't what you wanna target. Something more current based would be better than what we have....but not balls to the wall RRRAAAAAAWWWWWWKKKK!!!!!!

Either way, it would come down to the sales people doing their jobs. Air talent and PDs live on the edge every day. It seems to me that sales folks can just blame our side of it and get a free pass, regardless of their ability. Some of that is the nature of the business when getting new salespeople. How many people are hired, hit the streets, and then leave in 6 months when their guaranteed draw goes away? And to be honest, if I'm a hotshot young salesman, I can sell tons of products straight outta college and make what it would take me 5-10 YEARS of building clients at a radio station to make.

 

[jcolletta275]

I think the reason there's no college "scene" is simple: no one wants to try it here. There's more money to be made in that demo than most people think. Believe me, I'm in that demo. I know how much money people my age are bringing in, and it's not as bad as most people make it out to be. They have more money than just what it takes to spend on dollar drafts and pizza.

The problem is simple: the area businesses, radio included, don't want to sell to the demographic. It's pretty obvious... KZL sounds very adult CHR, we have two classic rockers, country leads the pack, and everything else aside from WJMH is targetted above 24 years old. It's not because the younger demographic isn't here or that they don't have money to spend, it's just the unwillingness of anyone to sell to them. Why? Who knows? It would be a boon to their pocketbooks. But for some reason, they just don't want to do it.

Again, I will defend this to my grave: this generation of college students do have the money it takes. Despite what many have said about this being a "lazy generation" (not that that was brought up here, but it factors in), we do know the value of hard work, and the evidence of that can be seen in the college students who are running their own businesses while in school (myself being one of them). We have the money... but no one in the area wants to take it from us.

If they want to be foolish, fine. More money for me.

 

[johnqdoe]

I guess that's the catch-22 here....chicken or the egg...or whatever you wanna call it. Is there no college scene cause kids won't support it, or do they not support it cause there's no real scene to support? As for radio stations, the earlier poster was correct about advertising and a younger targeted station. Bars, soft drinks, and pizza will only take you so far. College kids aren't buying new cars or houses or appliances.

 

[XTalker]

There is a large college age population in the Triad, but no one large college. With Wake Forest, NC A& T, UNC Greensboro, Winston-Salem State, NC School of the Arts, High Point University, Guilford College, Bennett College, and a bunch of tech colleges, there are plenty of people in the demo. Problem is they are geographically scattered and very diverse.

It is unlike most "college towns" where the college is the largest employer.

WXRA's problem was more technical than anything else - signal problems in parts of the metro resulted in multi-path and dead spots in the western part of the Triad.

 

[jcolletta275]

Bars, soft drinks, and pizza will only take you so far. College kids aren't buying new cars or houses or appliances.

Again, I have to make the point... that's just plain wrong. Take my brother as an example. He's in real estate as a college student, and he's making more money than he knows what to do with at this point. He's not the only one. There are more college students with money to spend than you think, and the mentality you're exhibiting with that comment is exactly the same mentality holding businesses (radio included) back from targetting people my age.

 

[CCX]

Few pieces of information. CC's new signal for the former FMX lends itself to Urban. 94.5 had a crappy signal and that's why they put Hispanic on it. They figured people would put up with some static for a Hispanic FM. I think they'll go back to Urban because they need it to complete their "National Cluster". Then they'll have Hispanic, Country, AC, Rock, and Urban. They definitely won't have two Hispanic stations under one roof. Plus, you have to take the "real" book into account...Miller Kaplan. The money is in Urban AC, so that's the direction CC will go in my opinion. They also won't do another Country as evidenced by the fact that they let all of their Country Salespeople go at FMX. They'd have kept them if they were going to keep it Country. My money's on some type of Urban format. Maybe Jammin Oldies.

 

[johnqdoe]

Few pieces of information. CC's new signal for the former FMX lends itself to Urban. 94.5 had a crappy signal and that's why they put Hispanic on it. They figured people would put up with some static for a Hispanic FM. I think they'll go back to Urban because they need it to complete their "National Cluster". Then they'll have Hispanic, Country, AC, Rock, and Urban. They definitely won't have two Hispanic stations under one roof. Plus, you have to take the "real" book into account...Miller Kaplan. The money is in Urban AC, so that's the direction CC will go in my opinion. They also won't do another Country as evidenced by the fact that they let all of their Country Salespeople go at FMX. They'd have kept them if they were going to keep it Country. My money's on some type of Urban format. Maybe Jammin Oldies.

smart man

 

[XTalker]

Urban AC makes way more sense that another Spanish FM. Their current station will get most of those dollars - and you are right - it is about the dollars!

 

[mediaspeaks]

What if FMX doesn't flip?

I bet they don't .... to cover TQR's flank (They are #1)

 

[eckwood]

Doesn't the Clear Channel group in Greenville SC have two country stations? And both of them do pretty good ratings wise and dollars wise I understand. CC in Greensboro tried to have two successful country stations but couldn't get the music right when they had Country on 94.5. With the classic country station on 98.3 now, Clear Channel might feel it's more important than ever to make sure their cash cow (WTQR) is protected. WFMX has a country heritage but yet hasn't hurt WTQR. I think they are going to revamp WFMX as some type of country format. Something they can protect WTQR with but at the same time have at least some kind of financial success. I just can't see them investing the money they would need to invest to make a new format succesful. When was the last time any radio station in the Greensboro market was able to go up against any competitors established format and make a dent in it? I can't remember the last one. CC likes to play it safe. I'm betting it's country.

 

[Dr. News]

I learned yesterday that WFMX may move its studios to the Greensboro market from Statesville in just a few days. Some insiders at the CC Greensboro cluster still don't know what WFMX's format will be. But some others are saying the station may go News/Talk. That would be a hoot! Could it be CC is wanting to kick WSJS's butt? It's very possible because WSJS sounds the worst it EVER has!
But whatever happens, it will be interesting to hear what CC finally decides.