Dayton Ratings

[alans613]

No I am not a former Kiss Country employee or even in radio. I just have a lot of contacts in the business and check out a lot of stations around the Tri State area.

A couple of my friends listened to the Click and few its not much fun to listen to.
They were not fans of Kiss Country either.

I am just looking at from a point of competition. One Country outlet in a market is not much when you compare it to other markets. Of course, there is an area in Florida that has eight All Sports stations. Go figure how that makes any sense.

Click was doing great under Scott Sands until they let him go in early 2012. He had the station sounding great, but since he left, the station has went downhill fast. It's okay, but it's not as good as it was when it hit the airwaves in March 2011. Right now, they have Fly's PD Brad Waldo also programming Click, with Mike Collins as MD. Mike was also MD under Sands. I was overjoyed to see KC go the way of the 8-track with me not being a Country fan, believe me. They could've kept KC, and that was even a rumor before the switch to 101.5. My guess is Cox would've done everything in their power to protect K99 from a KC closer move to Dayton. Would KC have still done well on 101.5? I can't answer that, but K99 would've likely drove KC into the 0-share range. My guess is Main Line probably thinks that Click keeps listeners away from Mix, along with Fly, and that is good on their part. Also, had Click not signed on, CC most likely would've never switched Lite and Channel's frequencies. ML rattled some cages above CC in Dayton. Also, had Click not signed on, The X would most likely still be a Active Alternative hybrid.
Also worth mentioning on a similar subject of KC and Click is the free fall of 1340 WIZE. It seems that all the former KC listeners either switched to K99 or went elsewhere. Sad that WIZE got a 0.0, which most likely means they have next to no listeners. The three AM signals lead by WBZI have the Classic Country market cornered and are locally programmed, where WIZE is PC. This is just another sign of the supernova of the AM band. Hard to believe at one time WIZE was Top 40 and one of the most popular stations in Springfield. If I was CC, I'd pull the plug on Classic Country and throw Standards back on there since it did well before the flip to Sports back in '03, or sell it to a religious group like Radio Maria.

 

[lovejamminoldies]

I think the problem with Click is that there isn't as big of a demand for the music they play in Dayton. They play a lot of alternative stuff that can be heard on The X or of course the borderline AAA stuff. It's just not familiar and the 1.3 that they have is the loyal listener base that enjoys the music. I think they'd be better off putting an Adult CHR format on there going harder against Mix and Channel but far away enough from the rhythmic stuff that it would still protect HOT which I know is their worry. OR... they could put on an Active Rock and steal all of those old X listeners that miss The X playing the hard stuff. Only problem with that is that rock is dying and a lot of rock stations have been flipping lately.

 

[pioneer71]

To Alans613 - You mentioned that at one time WIZE was doing Standards. Was it local or did they have a service?
Do you think it has a chance to do well in the Springfield market and what would you program on the station? What are their studios like?

I agree it is always a sad comment of AM radio when you have a station doing so poorly.

 

[wjf82]

According to Wikipedia, the WIZE studio is now vacant, with it's programming being fed from the Clear Channel building in Dayton, despite being licensed to Springfield.

 

[KFodor]

Making any small AM radio station succeed, whether in Springfield or anywhere else is a major, daunting challenge. Because the potential audience has largely moved on. 90% of the radio audience is on FM. That doesn't leave much audience to pick up.

What I am about to say will be an unpopular, but true, comment: The people who care about the legacy of stations like WIZE are my age (57), and older. Few others remember, or care.

While I have fond memories of Miracle Mile at its prime, to most, it's a closed, locked up building that, more than a few say, is becoming an eyesore.

Can someone make a go at bringing back an AM station? Sure, if they have lots of money to invest, lots of patience, be willing to have most local advertisers ignore you at first, and are willing to use today's modern technologies to help keep costs in line. But, if they try to do "live and local" all the time, (as opposed to "live and local where it makes sense"), they will most assuredly fail.

Also, to make it work, such an owner would have to have some basic programming sense and keep the wannabees and never-was's away from positions of authority. That includes those with the, "I know how we can beat the corporate guys with my personal record library" types. They...always...fail.

Does such a station need to be local? Yes.

But it is a big crapshoot these days. And anyone going in to such a project would need to think very hard before jumping in the water.

 

[del_griffith]

Jason: I don't think it matters much to the public anymore about radio in general. Even for FM. And yes, AM is worse because of the large demographic divide. To most listeners, it's something that's there and that's about it. Few have a passion for the medium any more. Even the number of radio geeks has, I believe, diminished over time. The younger people are, the less they seem to care.

 

[MTHBSTR]

Del you don't know what you're talking about. Listeners are still passionate about their stations. This kind of jaded anecdotal information stated as fact is very tiresome. Read the trades and the research.

 

[del_griffith]

I do read the trades and research that is open to the public. And I listen to people. The connection to a station or it's hosts with listeners isn't as strong as it once was and is getting weaker. There are exceptions, of course.

 

[Goldilocks94941]

If fewer people care passionately about their radio stations, it has to be because fewer and fewer radio stations have personalities they can relate to. Or have a sense of "stationality" that goes beyond endlessly repeating slogans and canned liners.

It's obvious that few people who run most commercial radio stations really love the music they're playing. Or are allowed to. It's just "product" to fill time between commercial sets. So why should the listeners treat those stations like anything more than disposable fast food wrappers?

I think there's still a hunger for enjoyable radio as it often was in the 1960 and '70s, even among people who have rarely if ever hear something like that. It makes listening to the radio an "experience." Like what a good club DJ can do with a young crowd late at night - even without saying a word. Or how a good storyteller or interviewer can make you remember to tune in for the time they're on the air. But can you find much that on what passes for corporate radio today? Good luck.

 

[MTHBSTR]

OK guys. You keep believing that. Of course everything was better in the old days. Just by reading these posts, I can tell that you're out of touch with what's actually going on. Or, you just don't happen to like today's radio. That's great, but you're not reading the research I'm reading and is on the free, open to the public trade publications. It's definitely not all good news, but it's nowhere near as bad as you guys make it out to be. Sorry your negative attitudes are coloring your perceptions. I've been in radio for a few decades and it's been "corporate" as long as I can remember.

 

[microbob]

If fewer people care passionately about their radio stations, it has to be because fewer and fewer radio stations have personalities they can relate to. Or have a sense of "stationality" that goes beyond endlessly repeating slogans and canned liners.

It's obvious that few people who run most commercial radio stations really love the music they're playing. Or are allowed to. It's just "product" to fill time between commercial sets. So why should the listeners treat those stations like anything more than disposable fast food wrappers?

I think there's still a hunger for enjoyable radio as it often was in the 1960 and '70s, even among people who have rarely if ever hear something like that. It makes listening to the radio an "experience." Like what a good club DJ can do with a young crowd late at night - even without saying a word. Or how a good storyteller or interviewer can make you remember to tune in for the time they're on the air. But can you find much that on what passes for corporate radio today? Good luck.

That's right, there can be no passion when you're a penny pinching corporation who's profit is also not what it once was due to heavy debt load and changing technologies which are more satisfying. You get what you pay for and you hear it when listening to commercial radio today.

 

[nmoore6676]

Making any small AM radio station succeed, whether in Springfield or anywhere else is a major, daunting challenge. Because the potential audience has largely moved on. 90% of the radio audience is on FM. That doesn't leave much audience to pick up.

What I am about to say will be an unpopular, but true, comment: The people who care about the legacy of stations like WIZE are my age (57), and older. Few others remember, or care.

While I have fond memories of Miracle Mile at its prime, to most, it's a closed, locked up building that, more than a few say, is becoming an eyesore.

Can someone make a go at bringing back an AM station? Sure, if they have lots of money to invest, lots of patience, be willing to have most local advertisers ignore you at first, and are willing to use today's modern technologies to help keep costs in line. But, if they try to do "live and local" all the time, (as opposed to "live and local where it makes sense"), they will most assuredly fail.

Also, to make it work, such an owner would have to have some basic programming sense and keep the wannabees and never-was's away from positions of authority. That includes those with the, "I know how we can beat the corporate guys with my personal record library" types. They...always...fail.

Does such a station need to be local? Yes.

But it is a big crapshoot these days. And anyone going in to such a project would need to think very hard before jumping in the water.

The fact is that the last station actually broadcasting from the Miracle Mile studios was WBLY/WULM which didn't make it. I lived in Springfield when WIZE moved there and if I recall correctly the building was made to look like a house because of zoning. But then how many houses have an AM tower in the front yard?

Maybe now they will be allowed to demolish the structure and build a smaller transmitter building, if it is becoming an eyesore.

AM is not viable, except for maybe Joe Mullins' little network which is aimed at an age group which still knows what AM radio is. But now WBZI even has an FM translator.

 

[MTHBSTR]

Microbob, it's doubtful you understand what passion is. Your characterization is just more of the same blah blah from people on the outside who think they know what's going on. You're woefully inaccurate. Your posts continue to amuse.

 

[pioneer71]

Radio is a great business and still brings you someone to tell you your world is O-K each morning or its still a lot of fun to hear a Reds game on a summer evening or an all oldies request show on a Saturday night. Radio is still important to not just the older demos.

The probelm is finding good radio whether its AM OR FM. WUBE is still fun to listen to and WARM is better today than a few years back. WLW and WKRC are two stations that really disappoint me. I am not a fan of Big One from 9 am to 6pm. Jim Scott is still on top of his game. WKRC -one local show a day till 6 pm I believe there is no excuse expect the programming is cheap. You don't pay e,mployee beenfits to those hosts..

I never listen to their network shows.. I miss the days of Jerry Thomas, Rich King, and even Bob Jones , Stan Matlock and Ted McKay. To me WKRC is a shell of the station it used to be. The worst thing that happened to the station was C.C. buying it.

WDJO has become a very boring station while WGRR is riding high with solid talent and a good mix of music. My point here is Radio is still important to me and I believe (and I have seen the research too) important to many others too.

 

[microbob]

Microbob, it's doubtful you understand what passion is. Your characterization is just more of the same blah blah from people on the outside who think they know what's going on. You're woefully inaccurate. Your posts continue to amuse.

It's time to take those Rose Colored glasses off and get the view from the other side.

 

[MTHBSTR]

Microbob you've never been on this side, so you have no idea what the view is. Your observations are based on nothing but your "experience" reading blogs.

 

[microbob]

MSTHBSR

This discussion board is open to everyone. My opinions are based on what I read here and what are in the trades. They are my observations. If I amuse you then fine. I'll continue to post and amuse.

 

[MTHBSTR]

And I'll continue to challenge you when you continue to pass off anecdotal ramblings as facts. Basing opinions on what you read here is a bad idea.

 

[del_griffith]

Let's just say for the sake of argument our postings are nothing more than anecdotal ramblings. Can you share your factual rambling to show us our thought process errors?

 

[MTHBSTR]

Del my original challenge in this thread was to your assertion that listeners are no longer passionate about their radio stations. My factual ramblings cone from the numerous trades I read daily, but most importantly from my interaction and experience with listeners. As I read the posts by people who have never been in the business or from those who have been out of it for years, I see that those people have some idealized "good old days" idea of what this is all about. The perceptions from those on the outside are interesting, but when they are spread around as fact and are continuously pointed out as the reason for radio's so-called demise, I won't let it go. Especially when you claim things that are just absurd. It seems a lot of the haters are projecting their attitudes onto the real, regular radio listeners who don't care about all of the minutiae pointed out on this board.