Format Change Coming To 95.5 PGC?

[htowler]

WPGC is still trying to figure out its place in the DC market post-Jay Stevens era. I used to listen to WPGC on AOL Radio day and night back when Jay Stevens was the PD, but since his departure the station has been a ship without a captain. The station used to have a distinct sound that was a mixture of new and old with local and go-go artists from the DMV in its playlist. Reggie Rouse and Robert Scorpio aren't very savvy on what meshes with the market's sound and the drastic increase in number of spins in current songs the total elimination of throwbacks hasn't helped either. They can't lie and say they are "rhythmic" anymore because they have dropped the ambiguous "DC's #1, Blazin' 18 jams in a row" slogan for the clearly urban "DC's Hip Hop and R&B" slogan. I think if they reintroduce local music, some throwbacks to reduce the number of spins, and allow their talent outside of Donnie Simpson more ability to interact with the listeners then they might have a chance.

IMHO, the only good things left of WPGC is Donnie Simpson, Michele Wright, and the occasion when former host of "The Coolout" slow jams show Todd B is heard on the radio filling-in because I don't really listen for the music anymore.

Well Donnie Simpson maybe gone http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/15/AR2010011503605.html

Might just be PGC about to flip.

I think CBS is getting a bit high with all the Doses of CHR.

 

[htowler]

How long has PGC been this HEAVY on R&B? 75%+ from what I see. It was not like that when I was in the area this Past july. Throwbacks are Heavy too

 

[Martin Mac]

Idk, im pretty torn. It might be 94.7 Fresh, and it might be 955 PGC, but one thing I can absolutely guarantee is that the next CHR will be right here in Washington.

CBS Radio is going to recieve ALOT of backlash from the African-American community if they do flip PGC, and I mean alot. PGC has been a staple in the community for so many years.

Donnie Simpson leaving PGC however, yes that's gonna hurt them alot.

 

[kilamanjero]

How long has PGC been this HEAVY on R&B? 75%+ from what I see. It was not like that when I was in the area this Past july. Throwbacks are Heavy too

Actually, PGC was quite heavy on the R&B and throwback from 1996-2007, which led to them having only 40 at the most spins for their top songs weekly. However, since then they sped up the spins on the top songs, but greatly reduced the throwbacks and R&B to only weekends and overnight hours. I assume this is reverse of that prior move...

 

[rapking]

A rumor going around saying that this friday is Donnie Simpson last day on WPGC .

 

[Martin Mac]

Its true, friday will be the last day for Donnie Simpson. He's also been hinting at it on the air.

 

[kilamanjero]

Also WPGC just changed their logo again, for the 3rd time this past weekend. They are now back to the original WPGC logo from the 1990s to last September except now it has "DC's Official #1 for Hip-Hop and R&B" and the "Jams" is gone from the logo replaced with "WPGC.COM".

 

[Martin Mac]

I have a feeling those changes were brought on by Michael Saunders. Now they've added the W back on so instead of 955 PGC...they say 955 WPGC. Their is also a sign on the door outside the studio (was lucky enough to get a tour of PGC) that says something along the signs of "Dont say the point or the W anymore!" But as of recently, Ive even heard them say "WPGC 95.5" a couple of times on the air.

 

[ShawtyBlack_ATL]

I have a feeling those changes were brought on by Michael Saunders. Now they've added the W back on so instead of 955 PGC...they say 955 WPGC. Their is also a sign on the door outside the studio (was lucky enough to get a tour of PGC) that says something along the signs of "Dont say the point or the W anymore!" But as of recently, Ive even heard them say "WPGC 95.5" a couple of times on the air.

So what is the rival calling themselves? "93.9 WKYS" or "93.9 KYS"?

 

[Martin Mac]

Most of the time they says 93.9 (they say the point) WKYS...but sometimes they might leave the point out. I rarely hear them leave the W out.

 

[kilamanjero]

I have a feeling those changes were brought on by Michael Saunders. Now they've added the W back on so instead of 955 PGC...they say 955 WPGC. Their is also a sign on the door outside the studio (was lucky enough to get a tour of PGC) that says something along the signs of "Dont say the point or the W anymore!" But as of recently, Ive even heard them say "WPGC 95.5" a couple of times on the air.

Well, I kind of like the name "WPGC 95.5" instead of "95-5 PGC". At first their unusual way of addressing the calls before the dial position, but it has grown on me. If Saunders is behind this push then it is actually good IMO, but they should've let Donnie Simpson leave on his own accord rather than pushing him out of the door. Simpson was the advertisers' goldmine for the station, and what made the station the nation's highest grossing radio station in revenue from the early 90's through 2007 along with its former selling the station as a "rhythmic". Nowadays, WPGC is one of the lowest grossing stations in the DC market for revenue because of the changes in programming and music along with lack of direction.

 

[Martin Mac]

6 1 ROBIN THICKE Sex Therapy 107 68 39 1.0169
1 2 YOUNG MONEY Bedrock f/Lloyd 106 102 4 1.0034
7 3 TREY SONGZ I Invented Sex f/Drake 104 55 49 0.9907
17 4 KERI HILSON Slow Dance 100 27 73 0.938
3 5 TIMBALAND Say Something f/Drake 94 94 0 0.9327
23 6 MARY J. BLIGE I Am 64 14 50 0.5563
5 7 TREY SONGZ Say Aah 57 89 -32 0.5659
4 8 LUDACRIS How Low 53 91 -38 0.528
13 9 BIRDMAN Money To Blow f/Lil Wayne 40 34 6 0.3971
2 10 MELANIE FIONA It Kills Me 36 94 -58 0.3031

8 11 PLEASURE P Under 35 50 -15 0.2579
10 12 JAY-Z Empire State Of Mind f/A. Keys 33 47 -14 0.3156
11 13 MAXWELL Bad Habits 33 37 -4 0.2559
16 14 SNOOP DOGG I Wanna Rock 32 29 3 0.2953
28 15 MAXWELL Pretty Wings 31 9 22 0.2276
29 16 GUCCI MANE Spotlight f/Usher 27 6 21 0.247
19 17 BEYONCE Sweet Dreams 26 22 4 0.2396
26 18 KERI HILSON Knock You Down 24 11 13 0.1702
18 19 DRAKE KANYE LIL WAYNE EMINEM Forever 22 24 -2 0.1728
9 20 GUCCI MANE Wasted f/Plies 21 48 -27 0.2268

24 21 GUCCI MANE Lemonade 19 14 5 0.1923
14 22 WALE Pretty Girls 19 32 -13 0.2132
20 23 JAY-Z On To The Next One 18 17 1 0.176
21 24 WAKA FLOCKA FLAME O Let's Do It 12 16 -4 0.1032
108 25 50 CENT Do You Think About Me 11 1 10 0.0988
15 26 BEYONCE Video Phone 9 29 -20 0.0832
27 27 50 CENT Baby By Me 7 9 -2 0.0617
76 28 YO GOTTI Women Lie 6 2 4 0.0653
30 29 JAHEIM Ain't Leavin Without You 6 6 0 0.0243
83 30 ALICIA KEYS Try Sleeping With A Broken... 6 2 4 0.0514

12 31 RIHANNA Hard f/Jeezy 6 37 -31 0.0454
35 32 SOULJA BOY Donk 6 5 1 0.0573
230 33 YOUNG MONEY Steady Mobbin' f/Gucci Mane 6 1 5 0.0539
0 34 MARY J. BLIGE Hood Love f/Trey Songz 5 0 5 0.0385
120 35 MARIAH CAREY Obsessed 5 1 4 0.0465
90 36 NE-YO Miss Independent 5 2 3 0.0511
25 37 NICKI MINAJ I Get Crazy f/Lil Wayne 5 13 -8 0.0465
54 38 OMARION I Get It In f/Gucci Mane 5 3 2 0.0461
123 39 CHAM Ghetto Story 4 1 3 0.0248
34 40 YO GOTTI 5 Star 4 5 -1 0.0312

82 41 ALICIA KEYS Put It In A Love...f/Beyonce 4 2 2 0.0472
52 42 LIL WAYNE Got Money f/T-Pain 4 3 1 0.0568
197 43 PLIES Bust It Baby (Part 2) f/Ne-Yo 4 1 3 0.0282
31 44 SADE Soldier Of Love 4 6 -2 0.0202
40 45 TREY SONGZ Neighbors Know My Name 4 4 0 0.0257
36 46 T-PAIN Buy U A Drank... f/Yung Joc 4 5 -1 0.0472
0 47 YUNG JOC It's Goin' Down 4 0 4 0.0408
44 48 BEYONCE Get Me Bodied 3 3 0 0.0179
65 49 CHRIS BROWN Kiss, Kiss f/T-Pain 3 2 1 0.0314
66 50 CHRIS BROWN Poppin' 3 2 1 0.0204

_______________________________________________________________--

PGC's playlist has NEVER been this tight. I cannot believe they are spinning their power's in excess of 100x a week. Idk what Michael Saunders is doing, but people were already complaining (regular listeners, not us radio heads) of PGC overplaying their power songs. And that was only at 80x a week. And wow, for them to only have like 25 songs in regular rotation, I really really dont know what this formula their trying to do is. PGC almost looks like their trying to do Hot 99.5 numbers in terms of rotation of songs, but they wanna do it as an Urban.

This really scares me, PGC needs to stop, its obvious the only thing left for them to do is go in a Rhythmic direction and stop trying to be an Urban. Its not helping for the ratings, times have changed. I didnt say they had to do a Poppy rhythmic direction, but their are definitely some songs they could have on here ATM that dont alienate their listeners. Perfect example 'Black Eyed Peas - Imma Be'. Yes I see their playing Sweet Dreams by Beyonce..but really? Come on now, thats not really doing anything.

Do you all think the current direction Michael Saunders is taking this "Hip-Hop, R&B, and Throwbacks" is gonna work? They have been really heavy on the throwbacks lately. But it seems like what people want is the new fresh music. And I know their are a good amount of Hot 99.5 listeners who tune into PGC every now and then to hear certain songs. Honestly, when PGC tested songs out in the summer such as Down, Hotel Room Service, Right Round, Boom Boom Pow, it didnt seem that bad, why go completely Urban now? Like I said, I truly believe PGC needs to take a chance and lean a bit more Rhythmic then they are now.

 

[kilamanjero]

6 1 ROBIN THICKE Sex Therapy 107 68 39 1.0169
1 2 YOUNG MONEY Bedrock f/Lloyd 106 102 4 1.0034
7 3 TREY SONGZ I Invented Sex f/Drake 104 55 49 0.9907
17 4 KERI HILSON Slow Dance 100 27 73 0.938
3 5 TIMBALAND Say Something f/Drake 94 94 0 0.9327
23 6 MARY J. BLIGE I Am 64 14 50 0.5563
5 7 TREY SONGZ Say Aah 57 89 -32 0.5659
4 8 LUDACRIS How Low 53 91 -38 0.528
13 9 BIRDMAN Money To Blow f/Lil Wayne 40 34 6 0.3971
2 10 MELANIE FIONA It Kills Me 36 94 -58 0.3031

8 11 PLEASURE P Under 35 50 -15 0.2579
10 12 JAY-Z Empire State Of Mind f/A. Keys 33 47 -14 0.3156
11 13 MAXWELL Bad Habits 33 37 -4 0.2559
16 14 SNOOP DOGG I Wanna Rock 32 29 3 0.2953
28 15 MAXWELL Pretty Wings 31 9 22 0.2276
29 16 GUCCI MANE Spotlight f/Usher 27 6 21 0.247
19 17 BEYONCE Sweet Dreams 26 22 4 0.2396
26 18 KERI HILSON Knock You Down 24 11 13 0.1702
18 19 DRAKE KANYE LIL WAYNE EMINEM Forever 22 24 -2 0.1728
9 20 GUCCI MANE Wasted f/Plies 21 48 -27 0.2268

24 21 GUCCI MANE Lemonade 19 14 5 0.1923
14 22 WALE Pretty Girls 19 32 -13 0.2132
20 23 JAY-Z On To The Next One 18 17 1 0.176
21 24 WAKA FLOCKA FLAME O Let's Do It 12 16 -4 0.1032
108 25 50 CENT Do You Think About Me 11 1 10 0.0988
15 26 BEYONCE Video Phone 9 29 -20 0.0832
27 27 50 CENT Baby By Me 7 9 -2 0.0617
76 28 YO GOTTI Women Lie 6 2 4 0.0653
30 29 JAHEIM Ain't Leavin Without You 6 6 0 0.0243
83 30 ALICIA KEYS Try Sleeping With A Broken... 6 2 4 0.0514

12 31 RIHANNA Hard f/Jeezy 6 37 -31 0.0454
35 32 SOULJA BOY Donk 6 5 1 0.0573
230 33 YOUNG MONEY Steady Mobbin' f/Gucci Mane 6 1 5 0.0539
0 34 MARY J. BLIGE Hood Love f/Trey Songz 5 0 5 0.0385
120 35 MARIAH CAREY Obsessed 5 1 4 0.0465
90 36 NE-YO Miss Independent 5 2 3 0.0511
25 37 NICKI MINAJ I Get Crazy f/Lil Wayne 5 13 -8 0.0465
54 38 OMARION I Get It In f/Gucci Mane 5 3 2 0.0461
123 39 CHAM Ghetto Story 4 1 3 0.0248
34 40 YO GOTTI 5 Star 4 5 -1 0.0312

82 41 ALICIA KEYS Put It In A Love...f/Beyonce 4 2 2 0.0472
52 42 LIL WAYNE Got Money f/T-Pain 4 3 1 0.0568
197 43 PLIES Bust It Baby (Part 2) f/Ne-Yo 4 1 3 0.0282
31 44 SADE Soldier Of Love 4 6 -2 0.0202
40 45 TREY SONGZ Neighbors Know My Name 4 4 0 0.0257
36 46 T-PAIN Buy U A Drank... f/Yung Joc 4 5 -1 0.0472
0 47 YUNG JOC It's Goin' Down 4 0 4 0.0408
44 48 BEYONCE Get Me Bodied 3 3 0 0.0179
65 49 CHRIS BROWN Kiss, Kiss f/T-Pain 3 2 1 0.0314
66 50 CHRIS BROWN Poppin' 3 2 1 0.0204

_______________________________________________________________--

PGC's playlist has NEVER been this tight. I cannot believe they are spinning their power's in excess of 100x a week. Idk what Michael Saunders is doing, but people were already complaining (regular listeners, not us radio heads) of PGC overplaying their power songs. And that was only at 80x a week. And wow, for them to only have like 25 songs in regular rotation, I really really dont know what this formula their trying to do is. PGC almost looks like their trying to do Hot 99.5 numbers in terms of rotation of songs, but they wanna do it as an Urban.

This really scares me, PGC needs to stop, its obvious the only thing left for them to do is go in a Rhythmic direction and stop trying to be an Urban. Its not helping for the ratings, times have changed. I didnt say they had to do a Poppy rhythmic direction, but their are definitely some songs they could have on here ATM that dont alienate their listeners. Perfect example 'Black Eyed Peas - Imma Be'. Yes I see their playing Sweet Dreams by Beyonce..but really? Come on now, thats not really doing anything.

Do you all think the current direction Michael Saunders is taking this "Hip-Hop, R&B, and Throwbacks" is gonna work? They have been really heavy on the throwbacks lately. But it seems like what people want is the new fresh music. And I know their are a good amount of Hot 99.5 listeners who tune into PGC every now and then to hear certain songs. Honestly, when PGC tested songs out in the summer such as Down, Hotel Room Service, Right Round, Boom Boom Pow, it didnt seem that bad, why go completely Urban now? Like I said, I truly believe PGC needs to take a chance and lean a bit more Rhythmic then they are now.

Yeah, they are clearly lost in musical direction. They have seem to overspun their top songs out with 100+ weekly. That mostly definitely sounds like they are heading in the direction of sister station WZMX in Hartford's ideology. However, that station is an urban-leaning Rhythmic. They do need to go on and become a Rhythmic again, but slow down their playlist some. Also I've noticed that the "Cool Out" has disappeared from the line-up when it comes to musical rotation.

 

[urbanradio704]

WPGC is not changing formats anytime in the near future. I know this for a fact. CBS Radio is making similar changes at all their Urban stations. But, do expect some changes in the near future and that's all i'm going to say.

 

[Martin Mac]

WPGC is not changing formats anytime in the near future. I know this for a fact. CBS Radio is making similar changes at all their Urban stations. But, do expect some changes in the near future and that's all i'm going to say.

Well Im glad to hear that they will not be changing formats. But if they will not be changing formats, then what changes could possibly come? A totally different playlist that leans alot more rhythmic maybe? I hope they dont end up like Jam'n 94.5 in Boston. :-X

 

[ShawtyBlack_ATL]

WPGC is not changing formats anytime in the near future. I know this for a fact. CBS Radio is making similar changes at all their Urban stations. But, do expect some changes in the near future and that's all i'm going to say.

Well Im glad to hear that they will not be changing formats. But if they will not be changing formats, then what changes could possibly come? A totally different playlist that leans alot more rhythmic maybe? I hope they dont end up like Jam'n 94.5 in Boston. :-X

Late nights maybe going syndicated with Boris Kodjoe and his wife(10pm-2am). Big Tigger Morning Show??? I guess we'll have to wait and see.

 

[kilamanjero]

WPGC is not changing formats anytime in the near future. I know this for a fact. CBS Radio is making similar changes at all their Urban stations. But, do expect some changes in the near future and that's all i'm going to say.

Oh, I can guarantee that WPGC wasn't changing either with the recent appointment of Michael Saunders, but their musical spins of songs is out of control at this point. I know that syndication in some form is coming soon to WPGC and WVEE, but the real question is will this hurt their ratings. WPGC is way more vulnerable than WVEE in the ratings game...

 

[urbanradio704]

I hear that mornings could be going syndicated as well. Here in Charlotte, 2 of the 3 jocks in their morning show have been let go. They've also been running the Big Boys best of weekend show on Saturday mornings. Idk why they would do that if they weren't trying to lock him down. I sure hope it's not bc that show is complete garbage and boooooooring... and it's not just DC, CBS here in Charlotte has been playing more Top 40 music and increasing plays and what not. Urban tests better than Top 40 so why idk ??? ? They've also been playing musical chairs with stop sets, cut the mixes and run them in middle of the hour (like 20 after to 44 after) and spanning countdowns over an entire hour? I ain't never heard of no mess like that. I've worked with Michael Saunders, good guy. I think the changes are not well researched and really just don't make any sense and will be to their detriment in the end.

 

[Martin Mac]

What about their musical direction, do you think a new MD is needed? I would love to see PGC play people like Jason Derulo, Black Eyed Peas, Iyaz, more Rihanna, etc. Or should they just stay as an Urban? Does anyone think their playlist will ever become more Rhythmic in the future?

Lol, I know everybody is discussing the programming at this point and the time slots of who's gonna be on the air, but the music is a big factor in this too. Some of the songs they have in power rotation have been out for more than 20 weeks, and I know alot of PGC listeners do not like it. They have to make some kind of change to the music they play.

 

[urbanradio704]

PGC and PEG and all the rest of them need to start being URBAN again, HIPHOP and R&B, stick with the format that made them successful in the first place. I would not listen if they started playing more Top 40 crap, that's not even the same demo.