Format Change Coming To 95.5 PGC?

[donta1974]

What does not work is expecting listeners to base thier preferences on what advertisers want thier spots to be embedded between. Either use listener input and ratings OR use revenue statistics to determine a stations success....it cannot be both. Clear Channel began this business of pleasing sponsors rather than listeners and the other broadcasters have followed suit yet still don't grasp that listeners don't care if Ronnie Mervis or Budweiser or Geico are impressed with the content,they most likely turn the radio down or even to another station during commercials.

GOOD Point and since WPGC is still the number 2 biller in DC this is a good point who comes first the AD people or us. Right now look at the 12plus ratings i would say the AD people LIKE MOST STATIONS TODAY.

 

[kilamanjero]

What does not work is expecting listeners to base thier preferences on what advertisers want thier spots to be embedded between. Either use listener input and ratings OR use revenue statistics to determine a stations success....it cannot be both. Clear Channel began this business of pleasing sponsors rather than listeners and the other broadcasters have followed suit yet still don't grasp that listeners don't care if Ronnie Mervis or Budweiser or Geico are impressed with the content,they most likely turn the radio down or even to another station during commercials.

GOOD Point and since WPGC is still the number 2 biller in DC this is a good point who comes first the AD people or us. Right now look at the 12plus ratings i would say the AD people LIKE MOST STATIONS TODAY.

Honestly, it depends on the local managers as to how the station will program, whether towards advertisers or towards listeners. WPGC used to do the latter but right now it is doing the former hence why it's so stagnant on the 12+. The interesting thing was when WPGC was being micromanaged by Reggie Rouse, VP of CBS Radio Urban/Rhythmic format division/OM & PM of WVEE & WOAK/Atlanta, they did better in ratings than they did now. It's interesting to see how their current slump is programming oriented.

 

[Martin Mac]

WPGC is playing Blow by Ke$ha as I speak. This just shocked me, I was never expecting this. They usually only play the CHR tracks with rappers.

 

[Slinky]

WPGC is playing Blow by Ke$ha as I speak. This just shocked me, I was never expecting this. They usually only play the CHR tracks with rappers.

Ha! I just came on to say the same thing. It is in a mix though- a much dancier mix than I've heard PGC play before.

 

[Martin Mac]

WPGC is playing Blow by Ke$ha as I speak. This just shocked me, I was never expecting this. They usually only play the CHR tracks with rappers.

Ha! I just came on to say the same thing. It is in a mix though- a much dancier mix than I've heard PGC play before.

Yeah, this mix is very dancy. LOL before you know it the urban tracks will start disappearing.

 

[kilamanjero]

I'm not surprised, they are taking a note from their sister station, WZMX/Hartford, book on adding rhythmic dance-oriented tracks while still playing urban charting singles. It's WPGC going back to their pre-1997 musical composition.

 

[Martin Mac]

I'm not surprised, they are taking a note from their sister station, WZMX/Hartford, book on adding rhythmic dance-oriented tracks while still playing urban charting singles. It's WPGC going back to their pre-1997 musical composition.

Interesting. Are their any tracks that on the Pop chart that you would be surprised to hear WPGC play?

 

[fatlady]

I'm not surprised, they are taking a note from their sister station, WZMX/Hartford, book on adding rhythmic dance-oriented tracks while still playing urban charting singles. It's WPGC going back to their pre-1997 musical composition.

well that was when Jay Stevens and Albie Dee had the city on lock down. Don't think the new crew will ever be able to do that again.

 

[kilamanjero]

I'm not surprised, they are taking a note from their sister station, WZMX/Hartford, book on adding rhythmic dance-oriented tracks while still playing urban charting singles. It's WPGC going back to their pre-1997 musical composition.

well that was when Jay Stevens and Albie Dee had the city on lock down. Don't think the new crew will ever be able to do that again.

I don't know, fatlady, never say never. Jason Kidd is student of observation of the history of musical programming of WPGC. Word has been floating around CBS Radio that this new management @ WPGC is trying to go hard for the top spot with a slew of promotions and stunts this summer to improve their positions in the overall 12+.

 

[donta1974]

I'm not surprised, they are taking a note from their sister station, WZMX/Hartford, book on adding rhythmic dance-oriented tracks while still playing urban charting singles. It's WPGC going back to their pre-1997 musical composition.

well that was when Jay Stevens and Albie Dee had the city on lock down. Don't think the new crew will ever be able to do that again.

I don't know, fatlady, never say never. Jason Kidd is student of observation of the history of musical programming of WPGC. Word has been floating around CBS Radio that this new management @ WPGC is trying to go hard for the top spot with a slew of promotions and stunts this summer to improve their positions in the overall 12+.

As of now they are (a STRONG number#2 behind Hot995 overall 18-34 demo) we will see what the summer heat brings as well as who will do the night show i do not think that it will be Tony Redz my opinion.

 

[quietboy]

I don't think it would be Redz either. But who?

 

[donta1974]

I don't think it would be Redz either. But who?

Well Quietboy that`s hard to say since it has been opened up to a national search but Herkules(already on staff) would be a good choice and their is a GREAT DC area crossover DJ(mixer/air personality) from Hot995 named Chris Styles who reminds me of a young Albie Dee. He is on Hot on weekends and XM channel "The Heat" during the week you would be taking someone from Hot 995 a BIG bonus. We will see who Jason Kidd puts their.

 

[Martin Mac]

Well I was listening to WPGC today to see what version of Rolling In The Deep by Adele they were playing. They seem to be playing a version with a hip-hop beat layered over it instead of the original instrumentation, the Mike D remix I think. It sounds alot more urban-soul influenced. Didn't they used to do this back in the day, play remixes of singles in regular rotation?

 

[kilamanjero]

Well I was listening to WPGC today to see what version of Rolling In The Deep by Adele they were playing. They seem to be playing a version with a hip-hop beat layered over it instead of the original instrumentation, the Mike D remix I think. It sounds alot more urban-soul influenced. Didn't they used to do this back in the day, play remixes of singles in regular rotation?

Yeah, they did. A number of major singles from the 1990s that were huge had a "WPGC Remix" like "Whoomp! (There It Is)" by Tag Team.

 

[kilamanjero]

I don't think it would be Redz either. But who?

Well Quietboy that`s hard to say since it has been opened up to a national search but Herkules(already on staff) would be a good choice and their is a GREAT DC area crossover DJ(mixer/air personality) from Hot995 named Chris Styles who reminds me of a young Albie Dee. He is on Hot on weekends and XM channel "The Heat" during the week you would be taking someone from Hot 995 a BIG bonus. We will see who Jason Kidd puts their.

That would be an interesting pick and pushing the envelope that WPGC is "neutral" but still urban-leaning station. However, I realize what they are trying to do.

Also I'm quite impressed that WPGC is spinning Jill Scott's newest song "So In Love ft. Anthony Hamilton" during the "CoolOut/KoolOut" slow jams show. It displays they are still trying to cover their core urban base by keeping up with the latest singles from the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop and some from the Adult R&B charts. What would really surprise me if they will spin other core urban artists like Kem, Kindred the Family Soul, Fantasia, etc. like they used to during the key dayparts while giving Hot 99.5 a run for their money during other dayparts by playing the crossover hits. This is going to be very interesting programming situation to watch with adjustments to WPGC.

 

[Martin Mac]

I'm sorry if I'm annoying anybody, as I seem to be the only one who cares about WPGC's music choices, however, it just really interests me alot! Another interesting play today by WPGC, "LMFAO & Lauren Bennett - Party Rock Anthem". This was not played during a mixshow, it was played during regular programming two times today, and Im sure it will be played again before the day is over.

I'm really starting to feel like WPGC is just going to turn into a full-blown Rhythmic and not one that leans urban. Now that they regularly spin Britney Spears, Katy Perry, and all these other people who aren't really crossover artists but pure Pop artists, i'm now expecting their imaging to change to something like "DC's Hits & Hip-Hop" or "The DMV's Party Station". I'm not sure how I feel about that, can someone please tell me I'm wrong lol.

 

[Martin Mac]

Another thing I remembered today is how I miss when WPGC used to make a "Redskins Remix" to the hottest songs that were out whenever football was in season. Of course that left the station when Chris Paul left, but I really miss those. I think that was another thing that set WPGC apart from WKYS and truly made it the area's number one Urban station, it added a true local feel to WPGC along with the go-go songs in rotation, something that isn't there anymore. At least bring the "18 Jamz In A Row" slogan back!

I really miss the Donnie Simpson show now along with the old WPGC. :-[

 

[donta1974]

Another thing I remembered today is how I miss when WPGC used to make a "Redskins Remix" to the hottest songs that were out whenever football was in season. Of course that left the station when Chris Paul left, but I really miss those. I think that was another thing that set WPGC apart from WKYS and truly made it the area's number one Urban station, it added a true local feel to WPGC along with the go-go songs in rotation, something that isn't there anymore. At least bring the "18 Jamz In A Row" slogan back!

I really miss the Donnie Simpson show now along with the old WPGC. :-[

Martin Mac they are currently using the"18 Jams in a Row Slogan" i feel you and understand what you are saying and how you feel. I have no problem with the music selection(me personally) according to management they have surpassed WKYS in the 18-34 demo to be the second ranked station in that demo. They really see Hot 995 as thier top foe not WKYS so this might be why we see the music selection going the way that it is (In fairness several Hip-Hop and R and B songs continue to get added weekly as well so...). As i have said before PPM has really changed things for this station some of the things that you are talking about are not coming back right now(the GO-GO music play). The ratings are getting better however all the way around so this will not change. The Donnie thing is water under the bridge he is 55 he will be 56 this year Urban AC is his format (In my opinion) as opposed to a Urban Hip-Hop/Rhythmic i did not see him at 60 still being at WPGC. The reason why they keep banging those pop songs is because people continue to request them the LMFAO song is tight to me but who am I. WPGC is an interesting story however and fun to talk about they will not abandon black listners they are on the fence however and from a ratings point it seems to be working even Tigger`s ratings are growing Jason Kidd is a CHR programmer but he understands Urban growing up in an area that had WKYS,V103(Baltimore),WPGC, and several Urban AM station`s in the early 1980`s. This station is very interesting though. Also they did do the Redskins songs last year but come on that is Chris Paul`s deal.

 

[kilamanjero]

^^^^I concur, donta1974. WPGC is making an evolution once again, something that very few rhythmic crossovers that have this type of long track history of doing. They are keeping the black 18-49 as their core, but they are going HARD for the white female and other 18-34 demographic groups. It's obvious that Jason doesn't want WPGC to go back to "WPGC 95 Jams" days of the 1987-1993, where they weren't taking very seriously by blacks because it was "too all over the place" with only a few hip-hop and R&B tracks and WKYS dominated with blacks. He is trying to do like the old "the Beat" in LA did and be an "all inclusive" urban-leaning rhythmic contemporary station. It's a fine line to follow because WPGC has to take on a number of stations aside from Hot 99.5 at the same time (WKYS, WHUR, & WMMJ) for the black audience of the DMV. That is the reason why they dropped the "DC's Hip-Hop & R&B" moniker that popped up during the 2007-2010 period.

Martin Mac, remember during WPGC's seriously hardcore urban-leaning days of 1997-2007, they maintained the "DC's #1, Always Blazin' 18 Jams in A Row" moniker, which was very ambiguous although they were most definitely programmed as a full-service urban contemporary station with a rhythmic billing. If they succeed at beating Hot 99.5 in the overall 12+ along with maintaining their top billing, they will morph include more of the urban programming more often. Also remember they haven't let go of their public affairs shows on Sunday morning or special events like the ones hosted by Flexx and Rane, so they still care about the urban music audience.

 

[quietboy]

Heard a go-go mix Sunday night on PGC so maybe they decided to dedicate an hour Sunday nights only to the music.

I agree on Donnie being a little to old for PGC and where PGC needs to go now. To be honest, I would love to see Donnie either do afternoons on Magic or do a specialty show on either HUR or Magic. He is a DC radio legend and he can still pull numbers.

Oh yeah, Chris Styles nights on PGC would be an interesting move. Chris is from the area, is a mixer, and also spins on XM the Heat as well Hot 995. PGC would have that "party station" multi-cultural look.