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FM Talk Returns to NW FL
- Thread starter Rob
- Start date
Worse than that, they don't open until 4--at least in the off-season. When we flew into Ebro International back in March, I thought I was being clever to arrive and depart around noonish, but all it meant was no She-Crab Soup from Captain A's. Had to settle for an incredible luch at Harry T's over in Destin.
But, next time...
But, next time...
Lost me on that one, Brother.
There was a time when "northern" radio and "southern" radio were significantly different, but that was more than a few decades ago. Sure, New York City (no Country stations) and Pensacola (all Country stations)* are different from each other, but all the jocks sound the same. Oh, that's because they're all just voice-tracking it in from San Antonio!
*Just kidding. Pcola has Urban stations, too.
There was a time when "northern" radio and "southern" radio were significantly different, but that was more than a few decades ago. Sure, New York City (no Country stations) and Pensacola (all Country stations)* are different from each other, but all the jocks sound the same. Oh, that's because they're all just voice-tracking it in from San Antonio!
*Just kidding. Pcola has Urban stations, too.
You're right, Tibbs. You may recall that in my highly-acclaimed Review of Emerald Coast Radio posted following my March visit, I gave a special shout out to Seabreeze 106.3. Perfect match for the market and extremely well done.
I want to work there when I grow up.
I want to work there when I grow up.
Rob-42 said:
Here along the Redneck Riviera the tourists mostly drive from Alabama and Georgia. On top of everything else, those states don't sell booze on Sunday. Many of them tourists come from small towns with no restaurants or any other stores open on Sunday. Those folks aren't confused at all.
Turning this around, it really sucks to drive up to Bama or Georgia for the weekend and forget to buy your Sunday booze on Saturday night (actually, you should buy it before you leave Florida because they tax booze more in AL and GA, but it's illegal to transport more than 2 gallons of liquor across the state line... and y'all know I follow all reasonable laws :
)... If you're thirsty you have to drive down to Florida to buy beer on Sunday. Luckily Florida has lots of liquor stores close to the state line... or if you know the right secluded gas stations to stop at you "might" be able to cut the beer run to FL short (but y'all know I follow all reasonable laws :)...Here's more useless trivia... more alcoholics die in Atlanta on Sundays than the other 6 days of the week combined. Mouthwash and hairspray sales spike in Georgia and Alabama on Sunday.
Sometimes I'm damn glad I live in Florida...
Back to the topic of News/Talk 93.7. I was surprised to hear Rush on Monday... the old WRJM didn't (couldn't?) carry Rush on that signal and I assumed they wouldn't be able to carry it now. I guess WFLF doesn't care about competition in Vernon, FL.
The Radio People announced that a new format would be coming to 105.3 later this week. Any ideas? Classic Rock? Classic Country? Sports? Gospel? News/Talk for Women? ... or will they just be parking something there until they can sell off the signal?
I should have opened a liquor store in FL instead of a radio station, I guess....
Great stuff Poledo! CCENG - I had to do it, first Hendrick's in a while, this afternoon. In your honor. It's been 65 degrees here as a high and cloudy for a week. What happened to summer in Tennessee...>>
At least we have plenty of Jack Daniel Honey Whiskey....
Great stuff Poledo! CCENG - I had to do it, first Hendrick's in a while, this afternoon. In your honor. It's been 65 degrees here as a high and cloudy for a week. What happened to summer in Tennessee...>>
At least we have plenty of Jack Daniel Honey Whiskey....
Seabreeze "we have one crappy signal.. but we get the ratings" You are right, not too many jazz stations and I'm not excluding 99.1-2
I do admire their audio quality - I wonder if they play straight from CD, no files, no automation, they even have a guy on from 12a to 5a. If they can get it together, they can hopefully get a bigger tower or move that tower to Hollywood. Being way down there makes no cents as that's a big party area.
http://www.radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/pat?call=WSBZ&service=FM&status=L&hours=U
I think 105.3 might become an oldies station.
-Rob
I do admire their audio quality - I wonder if they play straight from CD, no files, no automation, they even have a guy on from 12a to 5a. If they can get it together, they can hopefully get a bigger tower or move that tower to Hollywood. Being way down there makes no cents as that's a big party area.
http://www.radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/pat?call=WSBZ&service=FM&status=L&hours=U
I think 105.3 might become an oldies station.
-Rob
... the Seabreeze loves being "way down there" in South Walton county where the rich people from Alabama and Georgia have beach houses and Liquor stores are open on Sunday afternoon. The St. Joe Paper Co. International Airport doesn't hurt either.
... and I've already looked into buying one of those rural Georgia gas stations (petroleum is in my blood, just not at a retail level) that brings in bags of cash on Sundays, but my law enforcement connections are getting old and retiring or dying.... lucky for me my "business partner" decided it wasn't safe enough. Now some nice Mexicans that only understand the English words "Bud Light" and "12 Pack" own the place. They're so nice that one of them will walk out the door before me to check the parking lot (or mud hole, depending on the weather) before I exit his place of business.
... and I've already looked into buying one of those rural Georgia gas stations (petroleum is in my blood, just not at a retail level) that brings in bags of cash on Sundays, but my law enforcement connections are getting old and retiring or dying.... lucky for me my "business partner" decided it wasn't safe enough. Now some nice Mexicans that only understand the English words "Bud Light" and "12 Pack" own the place. They're so nice that one of them will walk out the door before me to check the parking lot (or mud hole, depending on the weather) before I exit his place of business.
Rob-42 said:
most if not all the voices you hear are voice-tracked...from Los Angeles
"Google" and of the talent.
romer979fm said:
Is this whatever's left of the "Smooth Jazz" network--or one of the other syndicators? As I was listening while driving through Greater Seaside, I wondered. For my money it doesn't take anything away from what they're accomplishing. They sound great. Very, very slick.
I think 106.3 is locally programmed...just voice-tracked
with high-caliber talent. It does sound large market...
with high-caliber talent. It does sound large market...
[/quote]
Is this whatever's left of the "Smooth Jazz" network--or one of the other syndicators?
[/quote]
They dropped BA a while back. They are voice tracked and I believe still using some of the BA voices. Pretty sure music is being programmed locally or with local input. Seabreeze is doing a great job of rising from the BA ashes they created from destroying the format.
Nock
Is this whatever's left of the "Smooth Jazz" network--or one of the other syndicators?
[/quote]
They dropped BA a while back. They are voice tracked and I believe still using some of the BA voices. Pretty sure music is being programmed locally or with local input. Seabreeze is doing a great job of rising from the BA ashes they created from destroying the format.
Nock
CR - that's pretty correct. Mark picks the music and then it is VT so properly. I can remember when WASJ (Panama City stationed owned by Double Dude) went smooth jazz with Jones right up against Seabreeze. Two stations, nearly side by side, same music/ different breaks. Talk about making radio obvious. Mark was livid and rightfully so, but he stuck in and did his own thing. I think it actually re-invigorated him and brought the level of the station quality up! Funny how a single operator, with no debt, no corporate tools and no bull$hit can kick the a$$ of the big stations and avoid all the drama and stress. Better marketing, a terrific jazz festival. There are few with such a great gig going than Mark. Yet, there is no attitude or ego. He reads this board, maybe he will pipe in with all the prgmg details. Talk about a man who has made it through alligators, snakes and strobeys (thats for u CR, not referring to Buddy), hurricanes, fires and hedgehogs. I have never laughed as much as when we used to hang out when I was down there. I ain't messin with that dude. Mark --- YEAH! We love you. YEAH!
Here is some insight on WSBZ Programming for those who wonder.
WSBZ The Seabreeze for sure is NOT anymore affiliated with BA! We "jumped ship" with the network last December. While we were still programming our own music with the network, having to agree on currents became an issue. Though I like the idea of Dave Koz and Kenny G announcing -- I feel the audience really could care less if the music mix sucks or is compromised. Made the most sense to originate the whole thing ourselves. So now...everything is controlled from here and ran out of our 1000 square foot builiding (with Leo the Cat) in Santa Rosa Beach. I select all the music with the help of Mark Edwards in Kansas City. He programmed the smooth jazz in Kansas City and Atlanta (Jazz Flavors) before both flipped and does all the Selector stuff. We both agree on new music, he creates the music logs, sends to me, and I disseminate the logs to the voicetalent.
Regarding talent and sound, I always felt smooth jazz worked best when it had more of a "big market sound" -- epecially when you are catering to affluent transplants from Atlanta, Dallas, and other big cities here is little ole South Walton County! Only Miranda Wilson (our midday voicetracker) is currently on Smooth Jazz Network. She worked at KKSF in San Francisco for almost 20 years and is the best in the business. We actually paid Miranda to fly in and host our Seabreeze Jazz Festival last month and she did a great job as the festival host, and provide a real face for listeners to identify with. My morning jock (Dianna Rose) was afternoons live at KJWZ in Seattle. Two weeks after she started with us here the station flipped (Christmas 2010) after being in Seatle for 17 years. Shaun Valentine voicetracks afternoon drive and he is from KOST 103 in Los Angeles and is a huge smooth jazz fan and knows the music/artists well (previously worked at KTWV The Wave in LA). Weekday evenings I use David Washington from Kansas City (he worked on the KC smooth jazz station) and is perfect for evenings. Weekends are a mix of some syndicated shows and Becky Taylor (evenings on KYOT Phoneix) and Mark Edwards (my co-music programming buddy from Kansas City).
With only 14 smooth jazz radio stations left in the USA, I think it is important to understand the impact that streaming has had on our little station. Some days we are up to 6000 stream listener per day. I beg to gather that Cumulus has anywhere that with any of their Ft. Walton Beach stations. Stream listenership is up big time, especially with listeners in markets that lost their smooth jazz stations. We have used this trend to market our Seabreeze Jazz Festival online and increase our out-of-state ticket sales. Last month (mid April), we held the event and have a 25% increase in ticket sales amounting to over 25,000 people for the weekend. The jazz festival has in some ways replaced some of the lost advertising revenue the radio side has seen (BP Oil Spill and the local economy). I think it is very significant that concerts and ticket sales for smooth jazz shows continue to be strong though many of the large broadcast groups have dropped the format due to ratings and PPM concerns. Somebody is making a huge disconnect with the audience and missing the point of the smooth jazz format entirely. It's simply all about lifestyle.
And one last interesting bit -- WSBZ is a Billboard Magazine Reporting Station and has been for 7 years. I wonder if any of the other stations in the Ft. Walton Beach market actually report what they play? Another disadvantage of "cookie cutter corporate radio". With only 14 stations in the country, when we add an artist --they actually show up on the charts! Now that is cool!
WSBZ The Seabreeze for sure is NOT anymore affiliated with BA! We "jumped ship" with the network last December. While we were still programming our own music with the network, having to agree on currents became an issue. Though I like the idea of Dave Koz and Kenny G announcing -- I feel the audience really could care less if the music mix sucks or is compromised. Made the most sense to originate the whole thing ourselves. So now...everything is controlled from here and ran out of our 1000 square foot builiding (with Leo the Cat) in Santa Rosa Beach. I select all the music with the help of Mark Edwards in Kansas City. He programmed the smooth jazz in Kansas City and Atlanta (Jazz Flavors) before both flipped and does all the Selector stuff. We both agree on new music, he creates the music logs, sends to me, and I disseminate the logs to the voicetalent.
Regarding talent and sound, I always felt smooth jazz worked best when it had more of a "big market sound" -- epecially when you are catering to affluent transplants from Atlanta, Dallas, and other big cities here is little ole South Walton County! Only Miranda Wilson (our midday voicetracker) is currently on Smooth Jazz Network. She worked at KKSF in San Francisco for almost 20 years and is the best in the business. We actually paid Miranda to fly in and host our Seabreeze Jazz Festival last month and she did a great job as the festival host, and provide a real face for listeners to identify with. My morning jock (Dianna Rose) was afternoons live at KJWZ in Seattle. Two weeks after she started with us here the station flipped (Christmas 2010) after being in Seatle for 17 years. Shaun Valentine voicetracks afternoon drive and he is from KOST 103 in Los Angeles and is a huge smooth jazz fan and knows the music/artists well (previously worked at KTWV The Wave in LA). Weekday evenings I use David Washington from Kansas City (he worked on the KC smooth jazz station) and is perfect for evenings. Weekends are a mix of some syndicated shows and Becky Taylor (evenings on KYOT Phoneix) and Mark Edwards (my co-music programming buddy from Kansas City).
With only 14 smooth jazz radio stations left in the USA, I think it is important to understand the impact that streaming has had on our little station. Some days we are up to 6000 stream listener per day. I beg to gather that Cumulus has anywhere that with any of their Ft. Walton Beach stations. Stream listenership is up big time, especially with listeners in markets that lost their smooth jazz stations. We have used this trend to market our Seabreeze Jazz Festival online and increase our out-of-state ticket sales. Last month (mid April), we held the event and have a 25% increase in ticket sales amounting to over 25,000 people for the weekend. The jazz festival has in some ways replaced some of the lost advertising revenue the radio side has seen (BP Oil Spill and the local economy). I think it is very significant that concerts and ticket sales for smooth jazz shows continue to be strong though many of the large broadcast groups have dropped the format due to ratings and PPM concerns. Somebody is making a huge disconnect with the audience and missing the point of the smooth jazz format entirely. It's simply all about lifestyle.
And one last interesting bit -- WSBZ is a Billboard Magazine Reporting Station and has been for 7 years. I wonder if any of the other stations in the Ft. Walton Beach market actually report what they play? Another disadvantage of "cookie cutter corporate radio". With only 14 stations in the country, when we add an artist --they actually show up on the charts! Now that is cool!
And one last thing for Tibbs, you know Charlie Wooten taught me everything I know! Just joking ..but for real I was a college student in several of the classes Charlie taught at the college. Back in the early 80's he was station manager and head of the Radio Communications Dept. at Gulf Coast Community College (WKGC-FM 90.7). He still works as our contract engineer and actually built our first station (WWAV The Wave) and Seabreeze following that. Great guy and the best engineer! And...he puts up with Leo the Cat in the studio!
You, CCENG and Jimmy W. The last three REAL amigos in Panhandle radio! Just be careful with Leo the Cat when it ain't deer season. Someone's probably a trigger happy engineer. I am not sure how long ago it was (early 90s?) when you all but dared me to come to the original place that 'housed' the station. Truly an experience of a lifetime. I don't think I have ever heard as many TRUE and funny stories, as you have told over the years. Glad I kept getting invited back, sorry I haven't been over in a while. I'm thinking I need a perm. vacation near Little Canal.
You have to check out Nock's great jazz show on what is left of WRVU here in Nashville.
Dare suggest we get you Charlie, Nock and me and a few bottles (cases?) of Hendrick's gin and see what power 106.3 is booming at within a few hours? There's a guy in Navarre with a few hundred strobeys. We could also make the WSBZ tower the beacon of Sandestin (and I am sure all of Waves lights are still broken.) Not enough gin on the planet to get me to mow around that tower!!! City boy here.
You have to check out Nock's great jazz show on what is left of WRVU here in Nashville.
Dare suggest we get you Charlie, Nock and me and a few bottles (cases?) of Hendrick's gin and see what power 106.3 is booming at within a few hours? There's a guy in Navarre with a few hundred strobeys. We could also make the WSBZ tower the beacon of Sandestin (and I am sure all of Waves lights are still broken.) Not enough gin on the planet to get me to mow around that tower!!! City boy here.
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