D
Dick Skinner
Guest
Am I the only one who thinks Dave-FM is a weird sounding AAA? It's numbers seem to support my observation. Signal's OK. Any opinions from inside the market?
-
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
Well I would like to hear others chime in on this but from what I can tell, AAA (Adult Album Alternative) tends to be pretty flexible. Some AAA formatted stations lean in one direction with a focus in a specific period or style of rock oriented music. Lets take two AAA stations as an example. You have Dave which leans modern and a focus on the 80's new wave on the weekend. Now lets look Q105.3 out of Savannah. This is also an AAA format and while some modern songs are heard, the station leans strongly classic hits/rock and plays very deep classic rock cuts from artist such as Emerson Lake and Palmer and Jethro Tull. These are bands average classic rock stations don't usually touch now days.
DAVE was leaning classic rock when it first re-imaged itself as Atlanta's Finest Rock but now have went back modern with a weekend focuses on the 80's. I know lots of people really would like to see DAVE go all news or something but if you take all the Atlanta stations and look at them from the perspective of playlist span, I think you will find that DAVE probably has the largest library of music. Still, Atlanta is such a "mainstream" city where Top 40 and current Hip Hop is the rule. Niche formats just don't stand in Atlanta anymore (hints 99x). I hate it but that is just the way it is.
DAVE was leaning classic rock when it first re-imaged itself as Atlanta's Finest Rock but now have went back modern with a weekend focuses on the 80's. I know lots of people really would like to see DAVE go all news or something but if you take all the Atlanta stations and look at them from the perspective of playlist span, I think you will find that DAVE probably has the largest library of music. Still, Atlanta is such a "mainstream" city where Top 40 and current Hip Hop is the rule. Niche formats just don't stand in Atlanta anymore (hints 99x). I hate it but that is just the way it is.
Good point about a niche format. Programming to deep cut music lovers is a death sentence. The AVERAGE person wants to hear familiarity and hits. People who want B-sides and deep cuts do not listen to music radio in 2012. There are a miniscule number of exceptions to this around the country like WXRT in Chicago but WXRT has been formatically consistent for decades, and they market the hell out of the station (Chicago is also a way different market than Atlanta on a number of levels). Dave Fm will 100% be blown up by the end of the year. They are now in a hole way too deep for CBS to wait out.
The 80s new wave weekends are a welcome addition (essentially pulling a B98.5...especially since B98.5 seems to have quit doing 80s weekends)...but it's only been around a couple months and hasn't really become that well known for the station. But it got Dave a button on my radio.acheron82 said:
Classic prog rock/art rock (ELP, King Crimson, Tull, etc.)? That would be cool...except it wouldn't fit Dave's modern/alt format AT ALL and nobody in ATL has played it since the Z93 "deep classic cuts" days.
What if Dave ditched the Tom Petty/Bruce Springsteen Jan Wenner kissyface rock and became an older version of 99X, dividing the dayparts between classic 80s alt on the weekends, AAA during the drivetime/LWYW weekdays, and hard alt evenings? Of course, Roddy would suggest that following what B98.5 used to do is a recipe for failure, at least long-term, and I would agree that dropping the highbrow album rock in favor of 100% true alt would likely scare the mainstream "average" listeners off (as Wooder suggests).
Jabba- I would love to see that happen. However, I will be the first to admit that I'm an alternative fanatic and am biased. I've long said we need an alternative station in Atlanta that could mimic FM949 in San Diego which is amazing. 99X is a sorry excuse for alternative because of the limited playlist and it's familiar to dig deep. With all that being said, the other guys/gals are correct when they say Atlanta is a "hits" town. So I just don't see it happening. Make no mistake, I would LOVE to see it happen.
Check out playlist of FM949 out of San Diego. That is real alternative.
Check out playlist of FM949 out of San Diego. That is real alternative.
acheron82 said:
A little too adventurous for me. I like a mix of album cuts and familiar tracks and 949 is a little too album cut for me. I like Radio 104.5 out of Philly because it plays a decent mix of familiar tracks and stuff you haven't heard/haven't heard in awhile.
Radio 104.5 is also good. You are correct, FM949 does get a little adventurous, especially with the reggae music. Radio 104.5 is interesting because even though it's own by Clear Channel, it does not sound like all the other Clear Channel alternative/active rock hybrid stations. Almost as if CC allows the PD guy at 104.5 to pick the music his self based on what Philly likes. Was shocked to learned it was owned by CC.
acheron82 said:
I sure CC has weighed the expense verses revenue. This could go the other way too, the rest of the country gets what works in Philly via a premium choice channel.
Pandora isn't how radio works either, and it's starting to kick radio's butt. It's time to think differently.wooder said:
Like you said, night numbers aren't critical for adult formats. Ideally, there would be a signal for each format, but some formats are too small and nichey and there aren't enough signals to go around to go off narrowcasting like satellite and IP radio.
Anyway, it wouldn't be that dramatic of a change. I'm not talking about going from AAA to active rock after dark, but I am talking about turning it up more than a notch.
Some of Salem's Fish Christian AC stations run a Christian rap-and-alt show called "AlternaFISH" in the evenings.
@Wooder- I thought I was the only one who could not reply to a quote correctly. LOL!
jabba17 said:
If Pandora is still around:
http://data.cnbc.com/quotes/P
This stock reminds me of Web Van very innovative but no profit. The "average" media stock's earnings per share is up 15%.
http://data.cnbc.com/quotes/P/tab/5
If you want to invest in Pandora, keep a close watch on their cash. If my calculations are correct they will need a "capitol" (sell more stock to more suckers investors) or cash from profits in 4 or 5 quarters.
- Status