February '22 trends

[davideduardo]

Quoting David Field --"To be competitive today--you need great local radio, great digital, and great podcasting".

Who determines what is great? Some of these stations aren't generating revenue, ratings, or listener passion. Field continues to spread manure hoping that a crop will grow. "Hub Content" is just another empty talking point to impress investors...

I don't see it as "manure spreading".

In every market there is just one #1 in any demo. There is a finite number of rank positions that will get easier sales in each market. Anyone who owns multiple stations in the same market knows that they will share top positions with other owned or competitive stations and that some will be laggards but will be part of a cluster strategy.

When I owned 9 stations in one market back in the later 60's, I knew that for several of the signals I had to find formats that did not get ratings but which appealed to a small group that advertisers would want to reach. So some stations had sales appeal with no ratings or low ratings and others were pure numbers plays. They all made money.

BigA in another post hit on a key element of today's "radio" business... we have to have both over the air, streaming, websites and podcasts all combined to be relevant today. And the metrics are becoming more than just ratings. Look for that post: it is one of the most relevant and important thoughts I've seen here "in ages".

 

[davideduardo]

The CEO of TS says that digital is almost 50% of their revenues.

That is because they are a marketing company that uses radio as just one element. Half of their revenue comes from creating a web presence for clients... and, smartly, they market multiple service together to local direct accounts.

 

[KilowattKat]

Country, except for a smaller group of fans in England and Australia, is an almost uniquely American music genre. Yes, an occasional song will get played in Germany or someplace else, but the music is based on an American lifestyle and Nashville is the musical Mecca for its followers.

In other words, there is no Texas, no Blue Ridge Mountains, no Dixie and no WSM anywhere else.

In fact, there is a case to be made that WSM itself was responsible for making Nashville the Country Capital of the Known Universe. Of all the radio barn dance shows and jamborees, it was Clear Channel 650 that had the biggest coverage, biggest artists and biggest influence. Wheeling and Shreeveport and Des Moines and even Chicago tried to be the center of it all, but WSM had the best signal right in the center of country fandom

Country music is also very popular in Canada. While they have their own stable of Canadian Country artists, American Country music is big up there. It's not just in the rural farmland areas, but in the big cities. Not to mention Country radio is thriving up there also. What I find interesting is even though Country music is uniquely very American, lyrics, and song topics included, Canadians who pride themselves on being different from America love it as much we do down here.

 

[davideduardo]

Country music is also very popular in Canada. While they have their own stable of Canadian Country artists, American Country music is big up there. It's not just in the rural farmland areas, but in the big cities. Not to mention Country radio is thriving up there also Which I find interesting as, let's face it Country music is very much American, lyrics, and song topics included. Canadians pride themselves on being different from Americans, except for their love of Country music

And Canadians love all kinds of American music, and until the government adopted CanCon, the US (and even British) artists dominated every playlist.

I should have mentioned Canada, though. But Canadian radio is closer to US radio than that of any other nation so I sort of see them as twins in that sense. We gave them Top 40 and they gave us Jack.

Heck, there is even a country station in Christiansted, USVI. It's called "Caribbean Country". Unless they have substitute steelband for the steel guitar, it's the same thing as you'd hear in Atmore, Alabama.

 

[SirRoxalot]

That is because they are a marketing company that uses radio as just one element. Half of their revenue comes from creating a web presence for clients... and, smartly, they market multiple service together to local direct accounts.

TSQ is also the only media left in many of their small markets. Small town newspapers have folded at a precipitous rate leaving TSQ to fill in the slack with hubbed news content on their local websites. Radio is used to drive consumers and sponsors to the websites. Their revenue nowhere near 50% digital in Buffalo and the few other medium-to-large markets where they have a presence.

 

[TheBigA]

Their revenue nowhere near 50% digital in Buffalo and the few other medium-to-large markets where they have a presence.

It doesn't matter. They're not based in Buffalo. The company is making lots of money in markets where they don't own stations. In that same way, Audacy will be using Nashville to help it make money in ways beyond radio spots. As the usage of radio changes, and traditional revenues, drop, the companies that have invested in other revenue streams will survive. At some point that digital revenue will replace the traditional on-air spots, and radio stations will be able to cut spot-load.

 

[ckg279]

Country music is also very popular in Canada. While they have their own stable of Canadian Country artists, American Country music is big up there. It's not just in the rural farmland areas, but in the big cities. Not to mention Country radio is thriving up there also. What I find interesting is even though Country music is uniquely very American, lyrics, and song topics included, Canadians who pride themselves on being different from America love it as much we do down here.

Toronto proper has NO country station. At least not over the air; if you have an HD radio, you can pick up the national Pure Country format on their HD4 channel. You have to go down the QEW/403 to get the nearest actual country station(CHKX/94.7(KX 94.7)).

Welland, Ont. has the nearest one to the Buffalo market...CKYY(89.1; Country 89).

 

[KilowattKat]

That's one more similarity between the US and Canada...both countries biggest city (NYC and Toronto) have NO Country station. Both are very urban, cosmopolitan cities with a very large ethnic population. Although NYC did have one until fairly recently. I don't know anythng about Toronto radio, but has any station there at least tried to do Country?

 

[Rusty Bridges]

I don't know anythng about Toronto radio, but has any station there at least tried to do Country?

Years ago on 92.5 FM and also on AM 820 Hamilton, which is 50 kW and puts a hefty signal into Toronto. Both gave up the format.

 

[Majic rockstar]

What a line-up. Wait ... is that Supertramp singing "Dreamer" in the background? I know ... let's bring back Alice@92-9

How does supertramp fit into a top 40 format Mr SmoothJazzDancinOldies Rusty Cage. Better yet maybe Howard ,Opie and Anthony will come back just for some Supertramp. Have a nice day Mr Foxxy92

 

[Buddy Shula]

How does WEBR do well? I don’t hear advertising on the station, but maybe they do well in another way I might be missing. Maybe it’s an advertising platform for the cab company. It just seems like a hard road. They have a full staff, but I have heard almost no commercials on the station.

Good question Tower. Let’s see, WEBR had a whopping 0.4 after a year, you can’t get them in Buffalo, and they are schizophrenic in their programming, and are not a Buffalo station.

BIG WECK gets a 3.5 share, has 4 frequencies in Buffalo, bests 50% of the Townsquare stations, top 10 in Buffalo, has a full fledged experienced air staff, a full bore broadcast TV presence, sold out in spots where clients get great results, and a top in 50 plus demo, and has the best station consultant in the country Tom Langmyer.

I don’t believe WEBR is doing well. If I owned it, they would. I passed on the tin can because it’s worthless. Maybe they should buy me out. 3 million and done.

 

[Buddy Shula]

As I understand it, he was a salesman, who decided to buy a radio station. I don’t recall his having any other experience other that being an overnight DJ. He probably just knows how to sell time. He definitely sounds like a loaded gun who is unaware that he plays the fool.

I guess one can’t argue with success.

Big WECK must have a very good programming person however, because the station sounds noticeably better in the past few months.

I do enjoy their afternoon presenter, Bobby O.

I am a top billing radio executive for 35 years, and in that entire have never been off air. Get your facts straight

 

[Buddy Shula]

For the record, Ed Nice was recruited for the position BECAUSE of his 16+ years at the station. He’s extremely smart and has an extraordinary vision for WBLK. He learned from some of the best Urban programmers in the business. He knows the community. He’s respected in the building. He has had a number of high profile jobs outside of radio—and it took the right opportunity and the right timing for him to even consider taking this job. It’s naive and short-sighted to think we would hand the keys of the #1 station in town to someone who couldn’t handle it. Unconventional? Maybe. But, you fellas constantly bark about the “old boys network”…about broadcasters unwilling to try something different…about lack of vision, etc. I get it…it’s easy to chirp from the sidelines about the optics. As I always say—”The speculators love to speculate”. I have complete confidence that WBLK is in great hands! ~~Bob

Bob, don’t expect any of these losers and has beens to understand reality. The only reason they are on here is to Monday Morning quarterback. It’s actually funny how stupid they are.

They need someone to walk them across the streets, let alone purchase or run a radio station. No one here has had the success you and I have. All they want to do is bitch that they cannot create any change.

I sleep great knowing I own 4 metro frequencies and are a top 10. They only wish they could work for you and I. Most of them have a mic around them when their putting in the orders at their part time jobs at McDonalds.

 

[Buddy Shula]

As I understand it, he was a salesman, who decided to buy a radio station. I don’t recall his having any other experience other that being an overnight DJ. He probably just knows how to sell time. He definitely sounds like a loaded gun who is unaware that he plays the fool.

I guess one can’t argue with success.

Big WECK must have a very good programming person however, because the station sounds noticeably better in the past few months.

I do enjoy their afternoon presenter, Bobby O.

I don’t follow other owners, programmers, etc. they ruined radio. I swim against the tide, and it’s worked.

 

[SirRoxalot]

Hey, Buddy's back back from 30 days in the hole!

 

[tbolt909]

Hey, Buddy's back back from 30 days in the hole!

Perhaps, but not Humble (Pie). When he attacks a fellow independent Radio operator, the pettiness of his character is revealed. Only Buddy can lead them to the Promised Land...

 

[frankberry]

Buddy's back in the hole for another seven day period.

 

[Mikey Radio]

Perhaps, but not Humble (Pie). When he attacks a fellow independent Radio operator, the pettiness of his character is revealed.

Buddy's back in the hole for another seven day period.

Yeah, there's just no need for that kind of vitriol on this site. As stated before, this board is akin to meeting up at a coffee shop with a bunch of fellow radio guys, along with others who have an interest in the business, to chat about broadcasting with maybe some other topics and politics sprinkled in. Sometimes a thread that starts out as one topic will go in directions one didn't expect. At times there will be disagreement, at times the discussion will need to be reigned in a bit and brought back on topic, but there is rarely a need for animosity, personal attacks or ill-treatment of others here. For better or worse, a few of the long-time regulars could stand to keep that in mind at times, too.

 

[Rusty Bridges]

Buddy's back in the hole for another seven day period.

Might be a good time to get with his consultant and brush up on "weighting."

 

[TheBigA]

Might be a good time to get with his consultant and brush up on "weighting."

Exactly. Tom knows the answer.