Does New York City really need a third hip hop station?

[nd2023]

Hot 97 and Power 105 seem to have cornered the hip hop audience in New York City. PartyFM just sounds all over the place with 2 dance songs, then a hip hop song, a dance song, 2 hip hop songs. The fans of hip hop will rather listen to the 2 stations with full market stations that play that format all the time with no dance, and the dance fans will just turn off the radio because the hip hop just sounds out of place. It's been over 5 weeks since Pulse died, and PartyFM is still playing too much hip hop for me to just listen to PartyFM for hours at a time.
Now that PartyFM has split the commercials and the club broadcasts, why not split the music too? Play more dance on 87.7 and more hip hop on 105.3 (where the dance/hip hop mix seems to be working because 105.3's the only local station that plays hip hop)
Since the second week of November, the stations I listen to most have been 106.7 Lite FM and Magic 98.3 because Christmas music makes me just as happy as dance music, and those stations don't play out-of format songs. And who knows, come December 26 radio might as well be dead for me.

 

[BiggieFats]

At this point, NYC doesn't even need TWO hip-hop stations. The only reason Power 105 was created at the time was to blunt Hot 97 creeping up on Lite FM in the ratings.

 

[BJSteigner]

At this point, NYC doesn't even need TWO hip-hop stations. The only reason Power 105 was created at the time was to blunt Hot 97 creeping up on Lite FM in the ratings.

Biggie Fats..you hit a bullseye with that liner. Power was created to keep WLTW from losing number 1.

Without Power, Hot 97 would be in a virtual tie with WLTW for first place in the NY market.

Kudos to you Biggie Fats for telling the honest to god truth.

 

[davideduardo]

At this point, NYC doesn't even need TWO hip-hop stations. The only reason Power 105 was created at the time was to blunt Hot 97 creeping up on Lite FM in the ratings.

If advertisers looked at the 6+ or 12+ numbers, that might make sense.

But a hip hop station primarily appeals to 18-34 and an AC like Lite to 35-54. They don't compete, except very broadly, demographically for the same buys. And even on a broad demo, an advertiser will balance younger leaning with older leaning stations to get optimum reach... in fact, a computer may do that with no regard for format.

What would be a rational statement is that there is revenue in 18-34. WHTZ is the leader there. Having a rhythmic and a more traditional younger adult station makes great sense, and together they could take a lot of money off the table in buys going for that demo.

 

[MarcB]

With the creation of POWER 105, it eliminated the need for 105.1 to change formats every 18 months or less.

 

[TonySantiago]

Hot 97 and Power 105 seem to have cornered the hip hop audience in New York City. PartyFM just sounds all over the place with 2 dance songs, then a hip hop song, a dance song, 2 hip hop songs. The fans of hip hop will rather listen to the 2 stations with full market stations that play that format all the time with no dance, and the dance fans will just turn off the radio because the hip hop just sounds out of place. It's been over 5 weeks since Pulse died, and PartyFM is still playing too much hip hop for me to just listen to PartyFM for hours at a time.
Now that PartyFM has split the commercials and the club broadcasts, why not split the music too? Play more dance on 87.7 and more hip hop on 105.3 (where the dance/hip hop mix seems to be working because 105.3's the only local station that plays hip hop)
Since the second week of November, the stations I listen to most have been 106.7 Lite FM and Magic 98.3 because Christmas music makes me just as happy as dance music, and those stations don't play out-of format songs. And who knows, come December 26 radio might as well be dead for me.

Nick,

We get it, you're not into PartyFM.

Compared to day one yes there still is hip-hop, but it's less spins on that than it used to be. They added Frankie Vasquez in there as a DJ, alongside Serg. You have other resident PartyFM DJ's that are not of the hip-hop brand. For one, DJ Impact spins classic freestyle, which is something Pulse NEVER did as a specialty show. As a matter of, outside of the remixers and the Saturday Night Dance Party, when you get down to it Pulse NEVER had a specialty show...not even a "New Music" type of show (hey, gotta call it out).

If hip-hop is bringing in money to JVC, then even though I am not a fan, I can certainly understand why that brand of music gets its share of spins. And if that can help get things to what I have called "The Big Picture", which in effect HAS started in small doses (NYC commercials vs. LI commercials), one club out in L.I. on a Sat. Night, one club in the NYC area, then perhaps down the road Party can have a strong enough brand whereas they can split 87.7 to be more dance and 105.3 to lean more hip-hop/R&B (to satisfy the far eastern portions of Long Island that can't pull in the NYC hip-hop stations and barely get the Hartford area stations).

Seriously...we're not a patient crowd. However, I would rather hear PartyFM than HASH or something else that would have been on 87.7 and have NOTHING at all.

I'm not going to diss Pulse....heck, I'm going out on the 18th to Dublin . If anything, Pulse 87 should be nominated at the IDMA during the Winter Music Conference as the best terrestrial radio station. But things have to go forward somehow. I'm not telling you that you should listen to PartyFM, that is your decision to do that.

And when you really get down to it, 92.3 Now is a "borderline" hip-hop station of sorts too. So in effect, you have 4 stations.

 

[BiggieFats]

With the creation of POWER 105, it eliminated the need for 105.1 to change formats every 18 months or less.

Myself I preferred Jammin 105. Still have a statation sticker in a drawer somewhere where I wrote "1998-2002" on top of it.

 

[stationless listener]

At this point, NYC doesn't even need TWO hip-hop stations. The only reason Power 105 was created at the time was to blunt Hot 97 creeping up on Lite FM in the ratings.

Wouldn't that be called, under a totally different era, competition? Ya know, the kind of thing that helps meet the wants of consumers?

Anyway, there will never be a time as golden as today for the rap and hip-hop listeners. You have rappers charting every other week. You have rappers collaborating with R&B singers, pop stars and even dance DJs. You have top 40 playing songs that include those collaborations. You have hip-hop format radio stations. Videos. Movies. The whole she-bang! Remember back in the 80's when black artists complained that they didn't get any respect from record companies? Now that's the position of us dance music fans. :-\

 

[nd2023]

A station like PartyFM is good where there are no other hip hop stations, since it exposes hip hop fans to dance. But Pulse 87 was almost all dance, and was doing quite well WITHOUT the amount of hip hop that PartyFM plays. As it's been said multiple times here, Pulse's format was bringing in enough revenue to make a profit, IF Mega Media wasn't $4.5 million in debt before Pulse even launched for stuff unrelated to the radio station.
Don't get me wrong, I support PartyFM and I hope it succeeds because it is playing more dance than any other station and it's even breaking new dance music. But I just don't have the same love for it as I had for Pulse 87. Not because it's a different name, not because it doesn't have Borasio, Niko, and Andre, but because it sometimes plays music I cannot stand. I don't mind the pop remixes, even the hip hop remixes are OK, but what turns me off is the unremixed hip hop they play every few songs (that isn't a Z100 hit and isn't sampled from a dance song) that Pulse would never play. The only reason I know that 50 Cent has another hit is because PartyFM's been playing it, and I hate 50's new hit. I find that I can leave the station on for the mixshows and specialty shows, and the music mix is more "dancy" in the overnights. I thought that I would appreciate hip hop more by listening to PartyFM, but I only ended up hating hip hop more.

I went from being a P1 of Pulse 87 to only hitting the preset for 87.7 whenever I don't like what's on my other 5 presets. Remove most of the hip hop and replace it with dance, and then keep the Pulse 87 P1's and its high TSL. Pulse has spoiled many of us into expecting dance music on the radio.

I still want to go to the station events such as the club broadcasts in NYC, since I liked the music their club DJs had played so far on the air (no hip hop). But if I end up traveling all the way to NYC or Long Island to hear hip hop at the club, of course I'd be pissed and would be unlikely to go to a PartyFM club appearance in the future.

 

[Wildstyle K]

I'll take Party 105 in Phoenix as is if NY doesn't want it. As a trade off, NY can have KVIB, or... or...... well, that's the only one I'm really willing to trade in the rhythmic category.

 

[kevinsealy]

I thought Hip-Hop is on the wane. Look at (Hot 97) WQHT's & (Power 105.1) WWPR-FM's numbers. They're in decline, while the rock formatted stations like WAXQ-1043 are on the rise.



Thanks,
Kevin L. Sealy

 

[Wildstyle K]

I thought Hip-Hop is on the wane. Look at (Hot 97) WQHT's & (Power 105.1) WWPR-FM's numbers. They're in decline, while the rock formatted stations like WAXQ-1043 are on the rise.



Thanks,
Kevin L. Sealy

Yes!!! Yes!!! Hip hop is (and has been for many months!!) in decline.... but I don't think rock is what the next big thing will be. Things are changing, and will change. Just wait and see.

 

[Dancerev889]

A station like PartyFM is good where there are no other hip hop stations, since it exposes hip hop fans to dance. But Pulse 87 was almost all dance, and was doing quite well WITHOUT the amount of hip hop that PartyFM plays. As it's been said multiple times here, Pulse's format was bringing in enough revenue to make a profit, IF Mega Media wasn't $4.5 million in debt before Pulse even launched for stuff unrelated to the radio station.
Don't get me wrong, I support PartyFM and I hope it succeeds because it is playing more dance than any other station and it's even breaking new dance music. But I just don't have the same love for it as I had for Pulse 87. Not because it's a different name, not because it doesn't have Borasio, Niko, and Andre, but because it sometimes plays music I cannot stand. I don't mind the pop remixes, even the hip hop remixes are OK, but what turns me off is the unremixed hip hop they play every few songs (that isn't a Z100 hit and isn't sampled from a dance song) that Pulse would never play. The only reason I know that 50 Cent has another hit is because PartyFM's been playing it, and I hate 50's new hit. I find that I can leave the station on for the mixshows and specialty shows, and the music mix is more "dancy" in the overnights. I thought that I would appreciate hip hop more by listening to PartyFM, but I only ended up hating hip hop more.

I went from being a P1 of Pulse 87 to only hitting the preset for 87.7 whenever I don't like what's on my other 5 presets. Remove most of the hip hop and replace it with dance, and then keep the Pulse 87 P1's and its high TSL. Pulse has spoiled many of us into expecting dance music on the radio.

I still want to go to the station events such as the club broadcasts in NYC, since I liked the music their club DJs had played so far on the air (no hip hop). But if I end up traveling all the way to NYC or Long Island to hear hip hop at the club, of course I'd be pissed and would be unlikely to go to a PartyFM club appearance in the future.

Radio is not about just you. Everyone of your posts talks about what you dont like. Like Tony said we get it. But your views are in the minority. Vic is not a dumb guy. He has worked in NYC long enough to know what people like. If you dont like it find another radio station. Be grateful you have stations that play the genre you like

 

[magicjellybeans]

I still wish Party moves up the dial so people can actually tune it in Pioneer makes car stereos that only tune
87.9-107.9 ,so how can people even try to listen to Party?As for Party playing hip hop and dance,thats what young kids like,me I'd rather they only play dance,but hey Im not the programmer...I'm still shocked NYC doesnt have a Jamz format like http://www.jamz963.com/ ,it is a big city,and I have no idea why they haven't tried the format.

 

[Hardrocker9]

I'm still shocked NYC doesnt have a Jamz format like http://www.jamz963.com/

NY does, its NOW 92.3.

 

[musik187]

I'm still shocked NYC doesnt have a Jamz format like http://www.jamz963.com/

NY does, its NOW 92.3.

THANK YOU Hardrocker9!!! You took the words right out of my mouth... and for the record, I'm quite disappointed with NOW, they really stink!! They are almost exactly like Z100, only they play even more irritating, completely forgotten hip-hop... sigh...what NY needs is Party moving up the dial someday or a similar sort of station debuting in NY higher up the dial... this 87.7 thing clearly isn't reaching enough people...time will tell what happens in NY, and across the US as well, come this next decade we're approaching I guess...

 

[d21ofnj]

Agreed. The more NOW is leaning on is no competition for Z100. As for Hot and Power's numbers, they have been chopped down more since NOW is here. I was inshock NOW was a 4.4 in the middlesex/union/somerset book and NOW is climbing up in the NYC book.

 

[Wildstyle K]

Jamz format like http://www.jamz963.com

They could've conserved time by just saying "hits & hip hop".

 

[BiggieFats]

Wouldn't that be called, under a totally different era, competition? Ya know, the kind of thing that helps meet the wants of consumers?

Anyway, there will never be a time as golden as today for the rap and hip-hop listeners. You have rappers charting every other week. You have rappers collaborating with R&B singers, pop stars and even dance DJs. You have top 40 playing songs that include those collaborations. You have hip-hop format radio stations. Videos. Movies. The whole she-bang! Remember back in the 80's when black artists complained that they didn't get any respect from record companies? Now that's the position of us dance music fans. :-\

Noone was clamoring for a 2nd hip-hop station in 2002. And most of today's rap is garbage compared to even 10 years ago. Look up any rap tune from that area and beyond on YouTube look at the comments.

 

[davideduardo]

Agreed. The more NOW is leaning on is no competition for Z100. As for Hot and Power's numbers, they have been chopped down more since NOW is here. I was inshock NOW was a 4.4 in the middlesex/union/somerset book and NOW is climbing up in the NYC book.

While Now is up about one 12+ point over the level of the former format, neither Hot nor Power have changed at all from the average levels of a year ago.

Middlesex is an embedded market that is part of the total NYC survey; Middlexes, Somerset and Union Counties are broken out of the NY book to make the Middlesex book, but are also part of the overall NYC metro.