Do any of you think any stations in Birmingham going to change formats soon

[jchap1976]

I was thinking, There are at least 3 stations that need to change formats because of there numbers. Like a lot of you said,WYDE needs to flip,they cannot get A one share a lot of times,It's over done with.97.3 the Zone needs to flip formats, they will never beat JOX even If the zone moves to 106.9, which I think will never happen because the eagle's always in the top 5 now that rock 995 is gone. And speaking of 99.5 they will never beat the Q . I think that WAPI should go one 99.5 and 100.5 should be something else.On to other stations,I see that the Bull and WZZK are close and It's been that way for a while, so do any of you think will the Bull will jump WZZK like they did before WZZK got Rick and Bubba. On to a format I know the most about is urban. I know that 104.1 the beat Is here to take numbers away from 95.7 JAMZ not to beat them, Now on to Kiss and HOT 107.7.I like HOT 107.7 And listen to them the most they will never get anywhere close to kiss in the ratings. Even though they are a top 10 station,I think they should tweak there format a little by getting the 25-40 crowd,dropping 70's songs,playing one 80's song an hour,drop there afternoon show and add more old school from the 90's and 2000's,because the 35 plus listeners prefer Kiss 10 to one over in Hot 107.7 and It shows in ratings. Hot 107.7 is not dropping the urban format as people thought at first,but I think they need to focus more on 25-40 crowd.

 

[Groove1670]

Yes, disco death metal soon, with a 8.4 6+ in the first book. A strong #2 showing. ;D

 

[tomservo]

I think the only really vulnerable station right now is 97.3. They won't sign Finebaum if they can't pay him what he thinks he's worth, so then what? It won't be disco death metal — it'll be all polkas, all the time.

 

[jchap1976]

Yes, disco death metal soon, with a 8.4 6+ in the first book. A strong #2 showing. ;D

Disco metal on 101.1 will get a 2.5. WYDE'S talk format can't get that

 

[mrjay]

i have learned a lot of times its not about the ratings at all. i think 101 WYDE is more message driven than ratings. Just listen a bit and you'll see what I mean. I am stuck with it sometimes - it's the only station i can get in my bathroom while in the tub. LOL

(yah, i'm in the same town as the tower) - Cullman.

 

[tomservo]

(yah, i'm in the same town as the tower) - Cullman.

No luck with WKUL? You could at least take an afternoon bath with Rush, lol.

 

[Charles1]

Every station that people think is invincible can be toppled. No one thought that Kicks 106 could be brought down. I-95 did it, although it could be argued that Kicks' downfall may have been themselves. WENN was a monster until Jamz and Kiss squeezed them out of their format. No one thought that WZZK could be brought back to earth, but the Bull has done it. (Side topic: I wonder how the ratings of the Bull and 'ZZK compare outside of morning drive??) Rock 99 got fat and lazy, and the Eagle soared in and took them down.

If 12+ ratings from 6 a.m. to midnight are the sole barometer of a station's success, then the three most vulnerable stations in the market are indeed 97.3, 100.5, and 101.1. (I'm not even going to include 92.5 in this discussion, since they are basically a Walker County station trying to get a little attention in Jefferson County). What do all of these stations have in common? Signals that don't adequately cover all of the metro market. The problem is, what do they do to make up for their weakness? I think the station in the market that does the best job of overcoming a weaker signal might be 97-7 the Peach. Their signal gets pretty spotty north of Hoover, but they focus their programming and advertising on Shelby and Chilton Counties, and may in fact be the best programmed station in the Birmingham market.

Never having worked a day in radio in my life, these are my personal observations:

100.5 should refocus their marketing on Tuscaloosa County. The COL of the station may have been changed to Helena, but their signal is still best received in Tuscaloosa and Bibb Counties. Likewise, 101.1 should either focus their energies on Cullman, Blount, Walker and Morgan Counties, or seek a COL change to Ashville, Remlap or even Snead and broadcast off of the WPXH-44 tower if they ever want to stand a ghost of a chance of being heard clearly in the immediate Birmingham area. (Yeah, I know I've said that on numerous posts on this forum) What to do with 97.3 may be the $64,000 question. Would their best chance of success be to become the FM simulcast of WAGG? Arguably, WAGG has the best AM signal in Birmingham, and maybe the state; still, AM is AM.

 

[mrjay]

I think WYDE has the best location and best signal for covering pretty much all of the northern sections of Alabama. Sure it's a little weaker on the fringes but it gets into Florence, Gadsden (sort of), Huntsville, Birmingham (sort of), etc.

I'd love to put a "AAA" on that signal and cover all the parts of Alabama that don't have a AAA.
Then again, talk isn't a bad idea on that signal - if you want to reach most of the people (and reach them in their cars, cause penetrating a building ain't gonna happen)

 

[mrjay]

and then there is my WKUL. Like the guys - but don't "swing" that way (country). at ALL.

 

[WBGR FM 93.1]

Whichever format WYDE offers, I believe their best bet for keeping the bills paid is to do what 97.7 The Peach has done - target the businesses where the signal is best. Every time I listen, ALL I hear are the PSA's which do not pay the bills or keep the power on. I don't really think they will ever have decent ratings in Birmingham, so they might as well target Walker, Winston, Cullman, Morgan, Marshall, and Blount Counties and target the businesses there... maybe even during Football season air a high school football game of the week.

My two cents,
-Travis

 

[mrjay]

i have heard that over and over and over again travis. And frankly, I've talked to some people around here in Cullman - and apparently their advertising rates aren't exactly reasonable. I get the impression they don't necessarily HAVE to have advertising. Crawford doesn't mind a tax writeoff - and that's what he probably has with WYDE right now.

I thought when they brought over Leeland Live the advertising/psa situation might improve but it does not appear so...