flip to Chr/R ????????????

[rapking]

Now that Rhythmic music is dead, on Portland Radio dial( sept 1 2008 ). Will any station in Portland flip to CHR/Rhythmic ?

 

[MassMusicMan]

Rhythmic music isn't dead in Portland. You just can't hear a radio station that dedicates itself to the format.

 

[wpxt]

I wonder if maybe Nassua broadcasting could buy the WRED calls and format and make one of the Bone simulcasts WRED. After checking Radio-Locator.com it looks like 104.7 would be best since 104.7 has a stronger signal and is a distant signal in Portland, but would give WRED about the same amount of listeners. So it could become Red Hot 104- Southern Maine's #1 for Hip- Hop and R&B.

 

[NHRadio]

Uh Oh. Stand by for a bunch of posts on how Portland need(s) a Rhythmic station....or an Urban AC like Boston.
I bet it's all a government conspiracy to keep "that" music off the air. ;D

Now that Rhythmic music is dead, on Portland Radio dial( sept 1 2008 ). Will any station in Portland flip to CHR/Rhythmic ?

 

[MUGrad]

I wonder if maybe Nassua broadcasting could buy the WRED calls and format and make one of the Bone simulcasts WRED. After checking Radio-Locator.com it looks like 104.7 would be best since 104.7 has a stronger signal and is a distant signal in Portland, but would give WRED about the same amount of listeners. So it could become Red Hot 104- Southern Maine's #1 for Hip- Hop and R&B.

I understand that there are fans of rhythmic music and hip-hop, but just because you enjoy the format does not mean it is a necessity in the market. Atlantic Coast Radio is flipping 95.9 to WEEI because it is likely to be a winfall for them, or at least more successful/profitable than the previous format. WRED's 12+ spring book was terrible relative to its previous numbers. Why would a cluster (Nassau) double their costs (two sets of content instead of one, whether it's off the satellites or live and local) to flip a simulcast to a format that just flopped on another signal in the same market?

Seriously, I've said this to rapprince a few times on the Boston board...if you want to listen to R&B and Hip-Hop, DO IT. Get an Ipod and listen. Why does a business have to cater to you and your tastes if they feel they are better off doing something else. It's like going to a Burger King franchise and telling them they should switch to a MacDonalds because Big Macs taste better.

 

[JustinT]

I don't see Portland getting a rhythmic CHR in the near future. Unlike Boston, where the demand for rhythmic/urban programming can be proven through WJMN's first place finishes, WRED's last book doesn't really put them in that position.

But much like Boston, the owners of radio stations in the Portland market have - for the most part - very little experience with urban/rhythmic formats. Nassau has blown up more CHR formats than they've launched in recent years, Saga seems to stick to rock, country, and AC; and Citadel wouldn't launch a station that would compete directly with Q97.9. That leaves the opportunities up to local broadcasters, but that's why the situation exists right now. If a station like 105.9 or 92.1 came up for sale, such a format could fit there, but until then I wouldn't expect anything.

 

[nhradiochild]

Why would a cluster (Nassau) double their costs (two sets of content instead of one, whether it's off the satellites or live and local) to flip a simulcast to a format that just flopped on another signal in the same market?

Well, if there was truly a market for such a station it would be very conceivable to pick up a format that flopped on another signal given that A) The market reach isn't completely identical, and B) you knew for a fact that the previous station did the format poorly.

I'm not sure either of those apply in this scenario, but for real... if the format's viable in the market, there should be no reason not to grab it if another station dumped it, if you think you can do better with it. Plus, if you could sell it without numbers, then it really wouldn't matter if it was hot on the Arbitrons or not. Where would most of today's radio be if at some point, someone didn't snag a "failed" format from a previous station? ???

 

[benwnn91]

I seriously wouldn't mind a big corporate radio company to apply for 2 stations in bangor and portland to put CHR up, i really wish someone does!!!!! Bangor needs a 2nd CHR station, they've had one since the test of time

And Portland too, even bigger city only has 1 CHR station??

PLEASE! Give it a few weeks, i know ppl will be complaining about the changes

 

[Mainedude2007]

I seriously wouldn't mind a big corporate radio company to apply for 2 stations in bangor and portland to put CHR up, i really wish someone does!!!!! Bangor needs a 2nd CHR station, they've had one since the test of time

And Portland too, even bigger city only has 1 CHR station??

PLEASE! Give it a few weeks, i know ppl will be complaining about the changes

Bangor's had 2 top 40's (well Z107 tends to lean a bit modern AC during the day) since the late 90's, before that they only had Z107 and for a time didn't have a top 40 station at all (between the demise of Fox 104.7 and the start of Z107 as a CHR)

For such a small market, Bangor seems to have no diversity in the market (theres 2 of everything, does there need to be 2 of everything?)...so do they really need a second CHR? Z107 will probably start leaning more CHR and shift WEZQ a bit hotter

There's still tons of contemporary stations in Maine, off the top of my head 102.9 WCRQ downeast (from what I gather a full CHR), 92.9 and Kiss 94.5 in Bangor (Kiss leaning hot AC), Star 101.3 and Mix 107.9 in the Augusta market (107.9 a hot ac sounding AC, but still playing 70's) and Q97.9 and WMGX in Portland.

 

[Andy Taylor]

I'm a Top 40 fan,but I can't listen to 'MGX.They're some form of Hot AC.
I just don't like most of the music they play.Back in the day I used to enjoy Kiss 99.9 and they were a Hot AC.

 

[nightcrawler35]

Seriously, I've said this to rapprince a few times on the Boston board...if you want to listen to R&B and Hip-Hop, DO IT. Get an Ipod and listen. Why does a business have to cater to you and your tastes if they feel they are better off doing something else. It's like going to a Burger King franchise and telling them they should switch to a MacDonalds because Big Macs taste better.

An ipod is not the same thing and you know it. You can't get a traffic report on an ipod, you can't get that sense of community on an ipod. When you say that it sounds condescending. Radio stations ARE supposed
to serve the community. If some people in that community feels like they're not being catered to then they should get on boards like this one and express it. Oh and I'm sorry i thought catering to your customer is good business.

 

[MUGrad]

Seriously, I've said this to rapprince a few times on the Boston board...if you want to listen to R&B and Hip-Hop, DO IT. Get an Ipod and listen. Why does a business have to cater to you and your tastes if they feel they are better off doing something else. It's like going to a Burger King franchise and telling them they should switch to a MacDonalds because Big Macs taste better.

An ipod is not the same thing and you know it. You can't get a traffic report on an ipod, you can't get that sense of community on an ipod. When you say that it sounds condescending. Radio stations ARE supposed to serve the community. If some people in that community feels like they're not being catered to then they should get on boards like this one and express it. Oh and I'm sorry i thought catering to your customer is good business.

Ok, but who is the customer? Good business is catering to the customer(s) that allow you to turn the best profit. If one format isn't paying the bills as well as another, goodbye old format. That's just the way business goes. For every unhappy customer, there's a happy one (probably more if they're doing it right). The goal is to have more happy than unhappy. ACR figures to get more happy (better ratings, better ad-buys, better profit) with sports talk over rhythmic/rap. Them's the breaks.

As for being condescending about the ipod...were these posters calling for another CHR/R station asking for better overall programming in general or just for another station that plays that specific format of music? I read it as asking for that specific music, period. IMO, there's a huge difference between a station fulfilling its duties of serving the community (traffic reports, weather, local flavor, etc) and what kind of music it chooses to play (if any). From the sounds of the posts I was responding to, the desire is to have their music of choice, nothing more or less. And if it's music you seek, an ipod or the like is going to serve that need far better than any radio station ever will, and faster too. And if that suggestion is seen as condescending, so be it. I find it condescending that others feel they're wants/desires supersede others, like they know better. Personally, I'm happy WRED is flipping to sports because I like sports more than I like CHR (ACR is gaining a listener here)...but I wouldn't cry if things had stayed as is either.

 

[benwnn91]

it kind of sucks now that Maine doesn't have any real CHR stations that lean on the rythmic side, i guess WRED's music was a little hard to listen to for the average person but still, B97 played most of the Top 40 with a few more rythmic tracks, i am really still shocked over it. I just hope there is a revolt or something and we get back that 2nd CHR for Bangor and/or Portland that we've always had. It's too bad. The radio now is just talk and no music. Why sports? Is WEEI that good where it needs to expand on the FM? I still don't get it.

 

[jparsons]

Is WEEI that good where it needs to expand on the FM? I still don't get it.

Yep. It's that good.

 

[MUGrad]

Why sports? Is WEEI that good where it needs to expand on the FM? I still don't get it.

Sports sells. The Big Jab sports station was its highest performing programming in the ACR cluster. WEEI is one the highest rated sports stations in the Boston and surrounding markets. Never has sports been hotter than right now with the success of the Red Sox, Patriots, and Celtics. Sports radio succeeds best when it is live and local. Yes WEEI is simulcast, but it is local enough to beat the hell out of the national networks. Big Jab talks more Sox, Pats, and Celts than Pirates and Sea Dogs. Someone in the Portland market was going to bring in WEEI (Nassau nearly did it in January). Atlantic Coast Radio did it so they didn't get driven under like the local sports station in Providence did when WEEI moved to town.

The radio now is just talk and no music.

Thank you for illustrating my point from earlier. This isn't about the loss of some local flavor or familiarity...it's about losing the music. I understand people like the music, but that's why I keep pointing out that the music is still there if you want to listen. It just doesn't sell anymore on the air.

 

[Andy Taylor]

it kind of sucks now that Maine doesn't have any real CHR stations that lean on the rythmic side, i guess WRED's music was a little hard to listen to for the average person but still, B97 played most of the Top 40 with a few more rythmic tracks, i am really still shocked over it. I just hope there is a revolt or something and we get back that 2nd CHR for Bangor and/or Portland that we've always had. It's too bad. The radio now is just talk and no music. Why sports? Is WEEI that good where it needs to expand on the FM? I still don't get it.

If you're in the Portland area,from Portland south you can listen to KISS 108 from Boston on 95.3.I live right in the city and KISS 95.3 comes in great even on my clock radio.Portland is the northern fringe of their signal so there are areas of Portland where the signal isn't great on the car radio.It's a second choice.benwnn91 Q97dot9 plays a lot of rhythmic but no hip hop.North of Portland there's 92 Moose in Augusta which isn't bad but less rhythmic than KISS or Q.

 

[benwnn91]

still about Bangor, i guess idk, i guess it's more of a personal loss to you, B97 probably wasn't your fav. station or u didn't listen to it little or not at all. Bangor is different tho, they only have Z 107 which plays alot of over played pop that does get annoying, and now thats it! 92 Moose comes in the area on fringe, and they play the same as Z. Rap artists like Lil Wayne, 50 Cent will not be played very much or not at all in Maine.

I really do think there will be another pop station going in somewhere, mark my words. Most people don't even know B97 or WRED is going off the air, the real ppl that care are the listeners. They wouldn't know either until Sept 1 when they turn on there radio and get a football game or something instead of rich top-40 music.

And so what if Top-40 music doesn't make as much money as sports?!? We should be thinking more about variety and not quanity, we already have a sports station in the Bangor area (WZON), and many in Portland (Big Jab on AM and FM, why, waste of space). Now in Portland we will have big Jab on 95.5 and now WEEI on 95.9? C'mon!!!! ??? :-\ Does that even make sense?