Country stations in NW FL

[FMFanatic]

Getting ready to relocate to the Pensacola area...love country music. Are the country stations any good or just cookie cutter? What kind of competition is there between stations? Lots of community involvement? Fun jocks or a lot of syndication?

I know Pensacola and Mobile share a TV station - is the same true for radio in the market?

Appreciate any info...

Thanks!

 

[Poledo]

WXBM 102.7 is the number one station in the market. They are the heritage country station for Pensacola and have been on top for maybe 15 years. They have a good morning show but that's about all that's "special" about this station.

WYCT 98.7 "Cat Country" is the new kid on the block. They are the only locally owned FM in Pensacola. They are giving WXBM a good run and seem to be everywhere as far a community involvement goes.

WKSJ 94.9 is a generic Clear Channel country station from Mobile, their tower is only a couple of miles away from WXBM's so they put a perfect city grade signal into Pensacola.

WAAZ 104.7 is an automated country jukebox that is popular with the old-timers. It sounds like a poor small market AM station. They are live in the mornings and afternoon drive time but otherwise have no djs and no commercials. The best thing about WAAZ is that they carry CBS news every hour and play old Jerry Clower records at 4:30 and 5:30. They sign off at midnight... just like the good 'ol days.

WNRP 1620 is the newest player in country in Pensacola. Classic Country 1620 is live and local durring the day and sounds real good. They are co-owned with Cat Country.

Also, there's been a rumor running around on this board that Cumulus is about to launch Country on WYOK 104.1 targeting Mobile listeners, this station also city grades Pensacola. Cumulus is also fighting in the courts for ownership of WTKE 98.1. If they win they plan to move Fort Walton's top country station WYZB to this signal which also covers Pensacola.

So how's that for ya? Pensacola has four 100kw FMs and one 10kw AM country station with a possibility of two more 100kw FMs in the near future.

 

[OldiesCat]

Pensacola and Mobile are separate Arbitron radio markets but the Mobile/ Pensacola area is one television DMA, with stations covering both cities.

There are radio stations in both markets with signals that are good over both but only a few can be considered city-grade in Pensacola AND Mobile.
>
> I know Pensacola and Mobile share a TV station - is the same
> true for radio in the market?
>
> Appreciate any info...
>
> Thanks!
>

 

[mountaineer]

Bringin' back The Dawg?

The notion of slapping Country on 104.1 has gotta make you laugh. Wasn't that SOB "The Dawg" for a few years between its days as rock (WGCX) and hip-hop (WYOK, phase one)? I know that there was a moment or two about a dozen years ago when there were 5 Class C Country sticks bangin' away at each other. WXBM, WKSJ, The Dawg, 107.3/WOWW, and 96.1/Young Country. All of 'em were pretty good, as I recall (that is, everybody had market-level talent... with nearly identical/slightly different signals... all playing essentially the same tunes. It was bizarre. WOWW was the first to bail, going alternative as "New Rock," then 96.1 slipped into Classic Rock as "The Rocket." Being the 4th or 5th button on everybody's pickup truck ain't no fun. And there ain't no money in it, either!

> WXBM 102.7 is the number one station in the market. They
> are the heritage country station for Pensacola and have been
> on top for maybe 15 years. They have a good morning show
> but that's about all that's "special" about this station.
>
> WYCT 98.7 "Cat Country" is the new kid on the block. They
> are the only locally owned FM in Pensacola. They are giving
> WXBM a good run and seem to be everywhere as far a community
> involvement goes.
>
> WKSJ 94.9 is a generic Clear Channel country station from
> Mobile, their tower is only a couple of miles away from
> WXBM's so they put a perfect city grade signal into
> Pensacola.
>
> WAAZ 104.7 is an automated country jukebox that is popular
> with the old-timers. It sounds like a poor small market AM
> station. They are live in the mornings and afternoon drive
> time but otherwise have no djs and no commercials. The best
> thing about WAAZ is that they carry CBS news every hour and
> play old Jerry Clower records at 4:30 and 5:30. They sign
> off at midnight... just like the good 'ol days.
>
> WNRP 1620 is the newest player in country in Pensacola.
> Classic Country 1620 is live and local durring the day and
> sounds real good. They are co-owned with Cat Country.
>
> Also, there's been a rumor running around on this board that
> Cumulus is about to launch Country on WYOK 104.1 targeting
> Mobile listeners, this station also city grades Pensacola.
> Cumulus is also fighting in the courts for ownership of WTKE
> 98.1. If they win they plan to move Fort Walton's top
> country station WYZB to this signal which also covers
> Pensacola.
>
> So how's that for ya? Pensacola has four 100kw FMs and one
> 10kw AM country station with a possibility of two more 100kw
> FMs in the near future.
>

 

[Poledo]

Pensacola shares almost all of it's FM stations with another market.
There are 12 class C FMs that cover both Mobile and Pensacola (not including several non-coms). There are 5 FMs that cover Pensacola and Fort Walton (plus a couple of non-coms). Pensacola only has one FM that doesn't cover Mobile or Fort Walton (WRRX 106.1). Mobile and Fort Walton have several lower powered stations that are exclusive to their markets...


> There are radio stations in both markets with signals that
> are good over both but only a few can be considered
> city-grade in Pensacola AND Mobile.
> >
> > I know Pensacola and Mobile share a TV station - is the
> same
> > true for radio in the market?
> >
> > Appreciate any info...
> >
> > Thanks!
> >
> <P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by poledo on 12/14/05 12:55 AM.</FONT></P>

 

[RobertLahBlah]

Re: Bringin' back The Dawg?

> The notion of slapping Country on 104.1 has gotta make you
> laugh. Wasn't that SOB "The Dawg" for a few years between
> its days as rock (WGCX) and hip-hop (WYOK, phase one)? I
> know that there was a moment or two about a dozen years ago
> when there were 5 Class C Country sticks bangin' away at
> each other. WXBM, WKSJ, The Dawg, 107.3/WOWW, and 96.1/Young
> Country. All of 'em were pretty good, as I recall (that is,
> everybody had market-level talent... with nearly
> identical/slightly different signals... all playing
> essentially the same tunes. It was bizarre. WOWW was the
> first to bail, going alternative as "New Rock," then 96.1
> slipped into Classic Rock as "The Rocket." Being the 4th or
> 5th button on everybody's pickup truck ain't no fun. And
> there ain't no money in it, either!
>
> > WXBM 102.7 is the number one station in the market. They
> > are the heritage country station for Pensacola and have
> been
> > on top for maybe 15 years. They have a good morning show
> > but that's about all that's "special" about this station.
> >
> > WYCT 98.7 "Cat Country" is the new kid on the block. They
>
> > are the only locally owned FM in Pensacola. They are
> giving
> > WXBM a good run and seem to be everywhere as far a
> community
> > involvement goes.
> >
> > WKSJ 94.9 is a generic Clear Channel country station from
> > Mobile, their tower is only a couple of miles away from
> > WXBM's so they put a perfect city grade signal into
> > Pensacola.
> >
> > WAAZ 104.7 is an automated country jukebox that is popular
>
> > with the old-timers. It sounds like a poor small market
> AM
> > station. They are live in the mornings and afternoon
> drive
> > time but otherwise have no djs and no commercials. The
> best
> > thing about WAAZ is that they carry CBS news every hour
> and
> > play old Jerry Clower records at 4:30 and 5:30. They sign
>
> > off at midnight... just like the good 'ol days.
> >
> > WNRP 1620 is the newest player in country in Pensacola.
> > Classic Country 1620 is live and local durring the day and
>
> > sounds real good. They are co-owned with Cat Country.
> >
> > Also, there's been a rumor running around on this board
> that
> > Cumulus is about to launch Country on WYOK 104.1 targeting
>
> > Mobile listeners, this station also city grades Pensacola.
>
> > Cumulus is also fighting in the courts for ownership of
> WTKE
> > 98.1. If they win they plan to move Fort Walton's top
> > country station WYZB to this signal which also covers
> > Pensacola.
> >
> > So how's that for ya? Pensacola has four 100kw FMs and
> one
> > 10kw AM country station with a possibility of two more
> 100kw
> > FMs in the near future.
> >
>
I remember The DAWG - problem was they couldn't decide if it was a Pcola or Mobile station....and WXBM actually beat it in the Mobile Arbs on several occasions.

Dawg was a great sounding station with Imaging - and their Night Gal - MUD ?
The other jocks didn't have a plethera of zip.

But - look at The Country Battle over the Years - KSJ and WXBM are very hard to knock off.

Young Country 96 had Jim Bosh and Amy B on their Roster - Amy #1 for years now in Dallas via Phoenix and Jim in Hartford via Detroit - GREAT TALENT - great signal - not a lot of ratings.

Paul Koffy was on WXBM - he won one of Country's Hooo Haa awards and has been in a couple of major markets too.

Marty and Linda - have owned Pcola for quite a while and have their formula down.

I wish WXBM would change the clocks and music around just a smidge - those of us that have listened for years would appreciate some new imaging and music in a different order.

 

[mountaineer]

Tackling KSJ & XBM

I've always thought that the 5-way Country Battle (it was 1994) in Mobile-Pcola was a textbook case demonstrating the need to be significantly different... significantly better... or spend a shitload of promotional money... in order to knock off an established player that isn't making big mistakes. Dawg & Young Country were well-programmed, but the differences they presented--imaging/music mix--were too subtle to prompt big chunks of audience to change their listening habits. WXBM took over Pensacola in '92 or '93 when WOWW stopped spending on promotion (and sent Marty White up to Milton) and XBM cranked up the promotion budget. Interestingly enough, WYCT has settled in at the same 6+ share range WOWW got stuck at before switching to rock. In order to get past that plateau and take down XBM, they'd need to lay out maybe $500K a year in promo ching for a couple of 2-3 years. Most broadcasters are reluctant to spend what it takes. WXBM did, and they've reaped the benefits for more than a decade.


> I remember The DAWG - problem was they couldn't decide if it
> was a Pcola or Mobile station....and WXBM actually beat it
> in the Mobile Arbs on several occasions.
>
> Dawg was a great sounding station with Imaging - and their
> Night Gal - MUD ?
> The other jocks didn't have a plethera of zip.
>
> But - look at The Country Battle over the Years - KSJ and
> WXBM are very hard to knock off.
>
> Young Country 96 had Jim Bosh and Amy B on their Roster -
> Amy #1 for years now in Dallas via Phoenix and Jim in
> Hartford via Detroit - GREAT TALENT - great signal - not a
> lot of ratings.
>
> Paul Koffy was on WXBM - he won one of Country's Hooo Haa
> awards and has been in a couple of major markets too.
>
> Marty and Linda - have owned Pcola for quite a while and
> have their formula down.
>
> I wish WXBM would change the clocks and music around just a
> smidge - those of us that have listened for years would
> appreciate some new imaging and music in a different order.
>