Go ahead POWER 96.1!!!! I must admit the mix shows on Friday and Saturday nights rock! Finally, ATL was missing a younger, party CHR station after THE BEAT and WiLD died.
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February ratings....
- Thread starter deejaywestbrook
- Start date
Totally disagree.
1. WEQX
2. KRBZ
3. WWCD
4. XETRA (San Diego)
5. WKZQ
These stations are all true alternative radio stations. They play some of the mainstream and many not so mainstream tracks. The playlists are immense on these stations. While you may here the "A" typical "Smells Like Teen Spirit" from Nirvana as a 90s throwback, unlike stations like Radio 105.7, you may also hear deeper cuts. You will also here a genuine focus on modern alternative music... unlike X107 and Radio 105.7 which won't even entertain the play of a modern rock artist unless they are within the top 20 on the Alt charts. Alternative knows her place in music but larger corporate radio, through all their "research" is trying to redefine it into their own cliche top 40 format. The typical 250 songs in overdrive. I'll also note that most of those five stations I listed above have been around for decades. Can't say that for most of the big clear channel/cumulus alternative stations.
Go to the stations I listed above and review those playlists and then go look at X107 or Radio 105 and check out their "last songs played". There is a big BIG difference between true alternative radio stations that are typically ran by smaller corporations or independently owned radio stations. No, not all are college stations. Entercom has KRBZ and that station is amazing.
Something to think about - 99X was a legendary station compared to other respectable alternative stations in the 90s. Something happened in 2005 and the station started to fail. What happened? Did alternative get confused (the music)? No - A huge cloud called Cumulus bought the station and tightened the playlist to make it more hits friendly and the station failed. Corporate radio does a good job at getting their hands on a station, screwing it up and claiming the station's format is no longer effective in the market. Cumulus did the same crap with 106.7 when it was oldies. In many cases, it's not the format - It's the programming.
1. WEQX
2. KRBZ
3. WWCD
4. XETRA (San Diego)
5. WKZQ
These stations are all true alternative radio stations. They play some of the mainstream and many not so mainstream tracks. The playlists are immense on these stations. While you may here the "A" typical "Smells Like Teen Spirit" from Nirvana as a 90s throwback, unlike stations like Radio 105.7, you may also hear deeper cuts. You will also here a genuine focus on modern alternative music... unlike X107 and Radio 105.7 which won't even entertain the play of a modern rock artist unless they are within the top 20 on the Alt charts. Alternative knows her place in music but larger corporate radio, through all their "research" is trying to redefine it into their own cliche top 40 format. The typical 250 songs in overdrive. I'll also note that most of those five stations I listed above have been around for decades. Can't say that for most of the big clear channel/cumulus alternative stations.
Go to the stations I listed above and review those playlists and then go look at X107 or Radio 105 and check out their "last songs played". There is a big BIG difference between true alternative radio stations that are typically ran by smaller corporations or independently owned radio stations. No, not all are college stations. Entercom has KRBZ and that station is amazing.
Something to think about - 99X was a legendary station compared to other respectable alternative stations in the 90s. Something happened in 2005 and the station started to fail. What happened? Did alternative get confused (the music)? No - A huge cloud called Cumulus bought the station and tightened the playlist to make it more hits friendly and the station failed. Corporate radio does a good job at getting their hands on a station, screwing it up and claiming the station's format is no longer effective in the market. Cumulus did the same crap with 106.7 when it was oldies. In many cases, it's not the format - It's the programming.
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Active Rock is not doing all that well in any market right now. Former active rock stations are flipping to either classic rock or alternative. Active rock will return though - Just not it's time at the moment.
EDIT: I'll admit that active rock is still doing well in medium and small markets. In St Louis, the big 100k watt station is alternative but there are a few active rock stations on small towers at about 6k watts in the burbs. Less hipsters and more blue collar folks = Active Rock.
EDIT: I'll admit that active rock is still doing well in medium and small markets. In St Louis, the big 100k watt station is alternative but there are a few active rock stations on small towers at about 6k watts in the burbs. Less hipsters and more blue collar folks = Active Rock.
I really don't care about the playlist thing. I'm into the ratings thing. Most of the stations you list aren't doing much better than 99X, so what's the point? Sure, the big exception, as you point out, is KRBZ, but I'm sure there are a number of reasons for that besides playlist. Entercom is a pretty good company, and the Kansas City cluster is very good overall. Smaller stations and owners have different agendas. Everyone knows that. It's just the way things go.
You haven't addressed the fact that the genre that cares the least about OTA radio airplay is alternative. The record labels have slashed their promo staffs, the artists don't do station visits, they're happy to play smaller venues and not tie in with radio promotions, and as a result the entire genre suffers. The thing Cumulus can see is that other genres get more attention at the label side, and those are the ones worth doing business with. Adding more unfamiliar music to the playlist isn't going to magically turn 99X into a 5 share station.
That's an easy generalization to make, but the fact is that Clear Channel has some extremely successful rock stations and alternative stations around the country.
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I've seen you on these boards for years and have lots of respect for your knowledge. Considering that, I'm sure you are aware that ratings is only a piece of the pie. While it may have changed, WEQX use to not even subscribe to ratings but has always been considered one of the highest billing stations in Albany New York yet still being a rim shot signal.
KRBZ's ratings actually sucked about a year ago. Huge movement #SaveTheBuzz was created on social media and the station ratings started to improve and so far, the station remains.
You are correct - Clear Channel has probably a handful of successful alternative stations. Two of those would be Radio 104.5 (though they have been leaning more alt 40 as of late) and Channel 933 in Denver.
Fact is, most (not all) big corporate radio stations that are not top 40 have high format turn over rates. Alternative stations that have stood the test of time out of the late 70s and early 80s punk/college rock scene and into the Grunge of the 90s are not your typical Clear Channel/Cumulus station. And yes, ratings are a guide but they are not final word - $$$ vs ###.
Currently - X107 has three songs on high rotation - These songs are being played every 80 minutes. Again, it's not alternative music but instead, it's the programming of alternative stations.
KRBZ's ratings actually sucked about a year ago. Huge movement #SaveTheBuzz was created on social media and the station ratings started to improve and so far, the station remains.
You are correct - Clear Channel has probably a handful of successful alternative stations. Two of those would be Radio 104.5 (though they have been leaning more alt 40 as of late) and Channel 933 in Denver.
Fact is, most (not all) big corporate radio stations that are not top 40 have high format turn over rates. Alternative stations that have stood the test of time out of the late 70s and early 80s punk/college rock scene and into the Grunge of the 90s are not your typical Clear Channel/Cumulus station. And yes, ratings are a guide but they are not final word - $$$ vs ###.
Currently - X107 has three songs on high rotation - These songs are being played every 80 minutes. Again, it's not alternative music but instead, it's the programming of alternative stations.
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One other thing and this is an area that we may actually agree. Major corporate radio stations like Iheart Media and Cumulus, need to just kill the attempt of creating an "alternative" radio station. Try Adult Rock or Active Rock or something along those lines but leave alternative alone. Turn and burn the top 40 songs on the top 40 radio stations.
You still haven't addressed the record label side of the equation. Music radio is a partnership. When one of the partners doesn't do their part, the overall package suffers. The music industry has the most to gain in airplay for artist development and long term value for their copyrights. They treat alternative like an amateur operation, and radio stations that are part of a cluster can see they're getting better service from other genres. That's not good for fans of the music.
WEQX is 17th in Albany-Schenectady-Troy billings, with about one-tenth of the billings of the #1 station in the market.
The station has ranged from a mid-three share to a low to mid-four share since PPM began. Ascribing a ratings recovery to a social media campaign is short-sighted and ignores the very cyclical nature of many alternative stations.
That is just not true. Look at the AC, Country, Hot AC, Classic Rock, Classic Hits, Urban, Urban AC, Regional Mexican stations (to name a few) that are owned by the top 10 corporate owners. Most have just as great longevity as any CHR stations they own.
The big difference from a corporate point of view regarding alternative is that they tend to have low power ratios. Except for the ultra heritage stations as we see in LA and DC and a couple of other markets, most have very poor conversion of ratings to dollars.
Some justification can be given to the idea that playing the consensus current hits often lessens the need to play the highly fractionalizing and polarizing library cuts that are mostly guaranteed to have high negatives among some significant segment of the audience.
Just in. The Otherside of the River is no more as it has been replaced by Kiss 104.1.
Idiots.
Idiots.
C
Craziaskowboi
Guest
Negative. If Atlanta is going to get a new Active Rock station, I'd like for it to have a signal that reaches Athens.
C
Craziaskowboi
Guest
Look at Philadelphia, for that matter. WMMR might have the best combination of high ratings and large market of any Active Rock station in the U.S.
Considering what a ratings and billing disaster Project 9-6-1 was, that name will probably go into the same dark recesses of iHeartChannel as "Planet Radio".
Nationally, Active Rock isn't billing all that well. Yes, there are exception but I'm generalizing. However, just because Clear Channel or Cumulus fails at a format doesn't mean another corporation can't try it. I think Entercom has some of the best active and alternative stations out there. I know alternative probably wouldn't work ONLY because of the competition but active rock would I believe.
Does anyway have access to billing info for Entercom's active rock stations in Kansas City or Greenville SC? I'm curious.
Does anyway have access to billing info for Entercom's active rock stations in Kansas City or Greenville SC? I'm curious.
While I haven't seen the numbers for KQRC, I've heard they're a pretty strong biller, much like Entercom rockers in Sacramento and Seattle.
Active rock tends to be variable in billing, just like Alternative. The heritage stations, like WMMR, WRIF, and KISW are among the strongest billers in their market, while the newer ones tend to have billing issues.
David E, do you have any national power ratios on Active Rock?
Active rock tends to be variable in billing, just like Alternative. The heritage stations, like WMMR, WRIF, and KISW are among the strongest billers in their market, while the newer ones tend to have billing issues.
David E, do you have any national power ratios on Active Rock?
C
Craziaskowboi
Guest
I know that KQRC typically ranges from 5th to 10th in Kansas City, with ratings in the 4's and 5's.
Does alternative tend to bill better than active rock? I just notice active rock stations get the axe when ratings are still in the upper 2's while alternative stations survive with those ratings. I figured it was a billing thing vs ratings.
You're right. The goal is to translate great ratings into big money, but you can have a mid-rated station bill very well, while a similar station bills poorly. That's a function of the demos. Alternative tends to attract slightly older demos, equally mixed male/female, while active rock is mostly male. Then you look at your cluster and see how that demo matches up, and that helps decide which format survives. Then you have the market forces, heritage, population makeup, and business climate that all factor into it. It's all done market-by-market. Even country music, that seems to be unbeatable in a lot of markets, is struggling in some places.
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