Dance format / STAR 93.7

[DavidZ]

With the recent launch of several dance orientated formats across the US (Movin 93.9 in Los Angeles, the most recent), perhaps STAR 93.7 and Entercom blew it. Little did they realize that their format was ahead of it’s time and probably only needed a few tweaks to update the music mix. I know quite a few people (especially women) that still wish STAR was a pre-set on their radios.

Does anyone think Mix 98.5 will jump on the dance bandwagon?

 

[weee]

I hope they do, that way we will have one on the radio. I am still stoked that we get STAR music, even if it is only on the web.

 

[JustinT]

Star would have needed quite a few tweaks to bring it to the point of a KZLA (Movin 93.9)/Los Angeles. As you may recall, the station signed on in the middle of the rhythmic oldies fad, and that initially ate up a large chunk of the station's playlist. But when it failed to bring impressive numbers, the station evolved to a more current-based format. Over the course of six years, the station changed many times from a mostly classic blend of music to a mostly current blend of music and back, but was never really able to get out of the low-2s 12+.

The station that most resembles WQSX is WJJZ (Philly's 106.1)/Philadelphia. A sample set heard this morning: Barry White - Never, Never Gonna Give You Up, Gwen Stefani - Rich Girl, Naked Eyes - Always Something There To Remind Me, KT Tunstall - Black Horse And The Cherry Tree.

Does anyone think Mix 98.5 will jump on the dance bandwagon?

Despite what I said above, the playlists I've seen of Emmis' KZLA and Sandusky's KQMV (Movin 92.5)/Seattle appear to have what it takes to blow a hole in Clear Channel's WXKS/WJMN control over listeners too young for WMJX and who are tired of WBMX (and yes, that's pretty much exactly what Alan Burns' website says). WBMX could use a refreshening, but given CBS' execution of WNEW (Mix 102.7)/New York, are they really the company that could pull it off? Greater Media would never do it, would they?

 

[Garrett]

I suspect, Emmis is really looking to overtake KIIS FM, since they hired Rick Dees. That might be a big draw, if they can get enough publicity.. But geez, Rick's been off the air for a while now.

Anyway, the station is designed to go after a CHR like Kiss108. So 93.7, or Entercom, would have to come up with something that is more "contemporary" than "classic," and they would have to stick with it, and put it on a stronger signal. And thats the key. I think Star93.7 was too inconsistent, and in the end, the audience got confused, and it was a rim-shot signal anyway. A better Idea would be if someone like 92.9 went to the format, but that's just not gonna happen.

Now 102.5, on the other hand...

 

[ciao99]

Estrella 93.7

I don't know if 98.5 would be the one to jump.
I do find this discussion interesting. The former Star 93.7 didn't have particularly bad ratings, and as is the case with many of the 'former' stations, their ratings did better than WBOS, WFNX, and other mainstay stations.
A dance format would attract lots of Hispanic listeners, and good heavens, maybe even a song in Spanish once in a while. Boston radio has historically been hostile to Latin listeners, I can imagine the Boston suits will reject a dance station just for that.

 

[CapeRadio]

Dance music radio seems to have gone as quickly as it came. Like Jammin Oldies, and I would assume the Jacks and Free FMs in a year or two.

Major market dance stations to go buh-bye in the past few years:
Energy 92.7/5 Chicago (Spanish, now 9FM)
103.1 KDL Los Angeles (now Indie)
106.7 KDL Dallas Fort Worth (Now Spanish)
Miami... I cant remember the frequency off the top of my head
Star 93.7
92.7 WLIR... gonna throw that one in because it had dance in rotation (Now Spanish)

The ones that have stayed
103.5 KTU (not really Dance)
92.7 San Francisco (was dance, then flipped, then sold and flipped back to dance)
Energy 92.7/101.1 Phoenix

And new ones
Movin 92.5 Seattle (no current dance)
Los Angeles (doesn't really look like a dance station, more like a Rhythmic CHR like Movin 92.5)
102.7 New York (Jammin Oldies, not Dance)



So, if you notice, all but 2 1/2 of the current dance stations are gone (WKTU gets the half for the 2 currents an hour). 2 of them have ratings less than desirable. It's not coming back.



Mike FM represents the best research from 2 years ago. The research says that people don't want to hear DJs and hate hearing song repeats. The truth is, people only want to hear their favorite song when they turn on a station, and stations with fewer DJ breaks an hour tend to rate lower. But if you trust the research, Mike should have been an instant success. Research only goes so far...

And Mix 98.5 is moving away from the dance and Mike direction. If you remember back to when Jerry was hired, the station was practically a cross between the two. Now it seems to be moving in the Kiss 108 direction.

 

[Garrett]

Dance music radio seems to have gone as quickly as it came. Like Jammin Oldies, and I would assume the Jacks and Free FMs in a year or two.

Major market dance stations to go buh-bye in the past few years:
Energy 92.7/5 Chicago (Spanish, now 9FM)
103.1 KDL Los Angeles (now Indie)
106.7 KDL Dallas Fort Worth (Now Spanish)
Miami... I cant remember the frequency off the top of my head
Star 93.7
92.7 WLIR... gonna throw that one in because it had dance in rotation (Now Spanish)

The ones that have stayed
103.5 KTU (not really Dance)
92.7 San Francisco (was dance, then flipped, then sold and flipped back to dance)
Energy 92.7/101.1 Phoenix

And new ones
Movin 92.5 Seattle (no current dance)
Los Angeles (doesn't really look like a dance station, more like a Rhythmic CHR like Movin 92.5)
102.7 New York (Jammin Oldies, not Dance)



So, if you notice, all but 2 1/2 of the current dance stations are gone (WKTU gets the half for the 2 currents an hour). 2 of them have ratings less than desirable. It's not coming back.



Mike FM represents the best research from 2 years ago. The research says that people don't want to hear DJs and hate hearing song repeats. The truth is, people only want to hear their favorite song when they turn on a station, and stations with fewer DJ breaks an hour tend to rate lower. But if you trust the research, Mike should have been an instant success. Research only goes so far...

And Mix 98.5 is moving away from the dance and Mike direction. If you remember back to when Jerry was hired, the station was practically a cross between the two. Now it seems to be moving in the Kiss 108 direction.

I would say Movin' is closer to a Mainstream CHR or Mass-appeal Dance, since Emmis already owns Power106 in the same market, and KPWR is already considered Rhythmic CHR.

 

[HD_Ready]

WMKK HD-2 = Star 93.7

Get yourself a radio equiped with HD technology and stop missing out on Star 93.7

 

[CapeRadio]

I would say Movin' is closer to a Mainstream CHR or Mass-appeal Dance, since Emmis already owns Power106 in the same market, and KPWR is already considered Rhythmic CHR.

Or maybe Adult CHR, or Rhythmic AC, or maybe Hot AC?

I get your point, and I agree... the older audiences who would otherwise listen to Kiss FM...

Does this newly derrived format have a name yet?

 

[salesdawg]

Mike FM represents the best research from 2 years ago. The research says that people don't want to hear DJs and hate hearing song repeats. The truth is, people only want to hear their favorite song when they turn on a station, and stations with fewer DJ breaks an hour tend to rate lower. But if you trust the research, Mike should have been an instant success. Research only goes so far...

Although Mike touts itself as a "no talk, all music" format, I hear just as much "talk" on Mike as I do on the stations with a DJ talking................what difference does it make if it's a DJ talking or something the computer is spitting out????...........only difference is, at least the DJ has something different to say.......on Mike, you keep hearing the same computer generated crap over and over again

 

[tjm_pro]

Here's more info on the Movin' format. http://www.burnsradio.com/movin/

 

[mostb1]

Dance music radio seems to have gone as quickly as it came. Like Jammin Oldies, and I would assume the Jacks and Free FMs in a year or two.

Major market dance stations to go buh-bye in the past few years:
Energy 92.7/5 Chicago (Spanish, now 9FM)
103.1 KDL Los Angeles (now Indie)
106.7 KDL Dallas Fort Worth (Now Spanish)
Miami... I cant remember the frequency off the top of my head
Star 93.7
92.7 WLIR... gonna throw that one in because it had dance in rotation (Now Spanish)

The ones that have stayed
103.5 KTU (not really Dance)
92.7 San Francisco (was dance, then flipped, then sold and flipped back to dance)
Energy 92.7/101.1 Phoenix

And new ones
Movin 92.5 Seattle (no current dance)
Los Angeles (doesn't really look like a dance station, more like a Rhythmic CHR like Movin 92.5)
102.7 New York (Jammin Oldies, not Dance)



So, if you notice, all but 2 1/2 of the current dance stations are gone (WKTU gets the half for the 2 currents an hour). 2 of them have ratings less than desirable. It's not coming back.



Mike FM represents the best research from 2 years ago. The research says that people don't want to hear DJs and hate hearing song repeats. The truth is, people only want to hear their favorite song when they turn on a station, and stations with fewer DJ breaks an hour tend to rate lower. But if you trust the research, Mike should have been an instant success. Research only goes so far...

And Mix 98.5 is moving away from the dance and Mike direction. If you remember back to when Jerry was hired, the station was practically a cross between the two. Now it seems to be moving in the Kiss 108 direction.

I would say Movin' is closer to a Mainstream CHR or Mass-appeal Dance, since Emmis already owns Power106 in the same market, and KPWR is already considered Rhythmic CHR.

Being that I am in Los Angeles and have listened to many hours of Movin 93.9 since it went on the air Thursday morning, I can assure you it is NOT a dance or Mainstream CHR station. Movin is an Adult Rhythmic Pop Contemporary Hits station primarity aimed at Hispanic females 25-49. Primary targets are the adult numbers at KIIS-FM plus KBIG and Hot 92 Jamz, all Clear Channel stations. It plays a few currents and recurrents per hour. The rest is gold dance, r&b or rhythmic sounding pop hits from the late 70's through today. If you want to know the station better, read the threads on the L.A. board.

 

[Garrett]

Dance music radio seems to have gone as quickly as it came. Like Jammin Oldies, and I would assume the Jacks and Free FMs in a year or two.

Major market dance stations to go buh-bye in the past few years:
Energy 92.7/5 Chicago (Spanish, now 9FM)
103.1 KDL Los Angeles (now Indie)
106.7 KDL Dallas Fort Worth (Now Spanish)
Miami... I cant remember the frequency off the top of my head
Star 93.7
92.7 WLIR... gonna throw that one in because it had dance in rotation (Now Spanish)

The ones that have stayed
103.5 KTU (not really Dance)
92.7 San Francisco (was dance, then flipped, then sold and flipped back to dance)
Energy 92.7/101.1 Phoenix

And new ones
Movin 92.5 Seattle (no current dance)
Los Angeles (doesn't really look like a dance station, more like a Rhythmic CHR like Movin 92.5)
102.7 New York (Jammin Oldies, not Dance)



So, if you notice, all but 2 1/2 of the current dance stations are gone (WKTU gets the half for the 2 currents an hour). 2 of them have ratings less than desirable. It's not coming back.



Mike FM represents the best research from 2 years ago. The research says that people don't want to hear DJs and hate hearing song repeats. The truth is, people only want to hear their favorite song when they turn on a station, and stations with fewer DJ breaks an hour tend to rate lower. But if you trust the research, Mike should have been an instant success. Research only goes so far...

And Mix 98.5 is moving away from the dance and Mike direction. If you remember back to when Jerry was hired, the station was practically a cross between the two. Now it seems to be moving in the Kiss 108 direction.

I would say Movin' is closer to a Mainstream CHR or Mass-appeal Dance, since Emmis already owns Power106 in the same market, and KPWR is already considered Rhythmic CHR.

Being that I am in Los Angeles and have listened to many hours of Movin 93.9 since it went on the air Thursday morning, I can assure you it is NOT a dance or Mainstream CHR station. Movin is an Adult Rhythmic Pop Contemporary Hits station primarity aimed at Hispanic females 25-49. Primary targets are the adult numbers at KIIS-FM plus KBIG and Hot 92 Jamz, all Clear Channel stations. It plays a few currents and recurrents per hour. The rest is gold dance, r&b or rhythmic sounding pop hits from the late 70's through today. If you want to know the station better, read the threads on the L.A. board.

I do read the threads, and there is no reason for your hostility. I read the threads including a posting of the playlist and to me, it looked like Mainstream CHR.
And, in my opinion, "Adult Rhythmic Pop Contemporary Hits" is not a an official format.
I have also heard the station described as "Rhythmic Hot AC."

 

[mostb1]

Dance music radio seems to have gone as quickly as it came. Like Jammin Oldies, and I would assume the Jacks and Free FMs in a year or two.

Major market dance stations to go buh-bye in the past few years:
Energy 92.7/5 Chicago (Spanish, now 9FM)
103.1 KDL Los Angeles (now Indie)
106.7 KDL Dallas Fort Worth (Now Spanish)
Miami... I cant remember the frequency off the top of my head
Star 93.7
92.7 WLIR... gonna throw that one in because it had dance in rotation (Now Spanish)

The ones that have stayed
103.5 KTU (not really Dance)
92.7 San Francisco (was dance, then flipped, then sold and flipped back to dance)
Energy 92.7/101.1 Phoenix

And new ones
Movin 92.5 Seattle (no current dance)
Los Angeles (doesn't really look like a dance station, more like a Rhythmic CHR like Movin 92.5)
102.7 New York (Jammin Oldies, not Dance)



So, if you notice, all but 2 1/2 of the current dance stations are gone (WKTU gets the half for the 2 currents an hour). 2 of them have ratings less than desirable. It's not coming back.



Mike FM represents the best research from 2 years ago. The research says that people don't want to hear DJs and hate hearing song repeats. The truth is, people only want to hear their favorite song when they turn on a station, and stations with fewer DJ breaks an hour tend to rate lower. But if you trust the research, Mike should have been an instant success. Research only goes so far...

And Mix 98.5 is moving away from the dance and Mike direction. If you remember back to when Jerry was hired, the station was practically a cross between the two. Now it seems to be moving in the Kiss 108 direction.

I would say Movin' is closer to a Mainstream CHR or Mass-appeal Dance, since Emmis already owns Power106 in the same market, and KPWR is already considered Rhythmic CHR.

Being that I am in Los Angeles and have listened to many hours of Movin 93.9 since it went on the air Thursday morning, I can assure you it is NOT a dance or Mainstream CHR station. Movin is an Adult Rhythmic Pop Contemporary Hits station primarity aimed at Hispanic females 25-49. Primary targets are the adult numbers at KIIS-FM plus KBIG and Hot 92 Jamz, all Clear Channel stations. It plays a few currents and recurrents per hour. The rest is gold dance, r&b or rhythmic sounding pop hits from the late 70's through today. If you want to know the station better, read the threads on the L.A. board.

I do read the threads, and there is no reason for your hostility. I read the threads including a posting of the playlist and to me, it looked like Mainstream CHR.
And, in my opinion, "Adult Rhythmic Pop Contemporary Hits" is not a an official format.
I have also heard the station described as "Rhythmic Hot AC."

It's not a Rhythmic Hot AC like past stations dubbed that. It's not CHR or Rhythmic CHR either. They very play few currents so they can't be CHR and besides it does not target an 18-34 demo. It targets 25-54 Hispanic females. The format is somewhere between the two formatic names. Just as there was nothing called "Adult Hits" prior to the Jack and Jack like formats, this is a new format that needs a name too. Alan Burns, who came up with this format, is the one who calls it Rhythmic Contempoary Pop Hits, not me.

 

[ciao99]

With the recent launch of several dance orientated formats across the US (Movin 93.9 in Los Angeles, the most recent), perhaps STAR 93.7 and Entercom blew it. Little did they realize that their format was ahead of it’s time and probably only needed a few tweaks to update the music mix. I know quite a few people (especially women) that still wish STAR was a pre-set on their radios.

Does anyone think Mix 98.5 will jump on the dance bandwagon?

With WILD-FM gone you never know what's going to happen now! That audience is up for grabs.

 

[e-dawg]

Will it target Dorchester area?

 

[ciao99]

Will it target Dorchester area?

Aside from pirate stations, I can't name any stations that target just the Dorchester area.