format flip soon

[OhioMediaWatch]

Just to weigh in on this - I haven't heard even Rumor One on this topic.

That doesn't mean anything more than "I haven't heard anything", but there's nothing to support it from my end of things, at least.

-OA/OMW

 

[1sttimecaller]

I disagree that CBS would be wise to place a country format on 92.3.

Look at the signal pattern for 92.3. It's not hitting rural areas or the burbs where Country would be popular. (and no, I'm not suggesting only farmers listen to country)

A young male based rock format works because of where the signal lies. If they choose to dump the format, urban or a form of it would make the most sense, based on signal. Look how well it performed as Jammin 92. Forget the beat, it was poorly executed.

 

[VODood]

I disagree that CBS would be wise to place a country format on 92.3.

Look at the signal pattern for 92.3. It's not hitting rural areas or the burbs where Country would be popular. (and no, I'm not suggesting only farmers listen to country)

A young male based rock format works because of where the signal lies. If they choose to dump the format, urban or a form of it would make the most sense, based on signal. Look how well it performed as Jammin 92. Forget the beat, it was poorly executed.

Jammin 92 was a CHR/M. And it was Top 10 12 plus when it flipped, I believe it had over a 6 share 12+. Included Scott Free in morning drive and Tim Virgin in PM Drive.


Free now OM for Backyard Broadcasting/Elmira NY. Also mornings for WINK 106.

Virgin with WHFS.

 

[Rusty Muck]

I disagree that CBS would be wise to place a country format on 92.3.

Look at the signal pattern for 92.3. It's not hitting rural areas or the burbs where Country would be popular. (and no, I'm not suggesting only farmers listen to country)

A young male based rock format works because of where the signal lies. If they choose to dump the format, urban or a form of it would make the most sense, based on signal. Look how well it performed as Jammin 92. Forget the beat, it was poorly executed.

WKRK does share tower space with WFHM/95.5 on the former WCLV tower in Warrensville Heights, but it's a directionalized signal pattern to protect WOHF/92.1 Bellvue, WVKS/92.5 Toledo, and WDJQ/92.5. So it's concentrated mainly to parts of Lorain County, Cuyahoga County and the eastern suburbs.

-Myron aka nate81-

 

[Rusty Muck]

I disagree that CBS would be wise to place a country format on 92.3.

Look at the signal pattern for 92.3. It's not hitting rural areas or the burbs where Country would be popular. (and no, I'm not suggesting only farmers listen to country)

A young male based rock format works because of where the signal lies. If they choose to dump the format, urban or a form of it would make the most sense, based on signal. Look how well it performed as Jammin 92. Forget the beat, it was poorly executed.

Jammin 92 was a CHR/M. And it was Top 10 12 plus when it flipped, I believe it had over a 6 share 12+. Included Scott Free in morning drive and Tim Virgin in PM Drive.


Free now OM for Backyard Broadcasting/Elmira NY. Also mornings for WINK 106.

Virgin with WHFS.

Free took over for Chuck Booms after the latter's disastrous morning host stint back in 1997. This after Chuck wanted the WMMS morning show gig, which went to Liz Wilde. Booms quit after six weeks at WZJM, four of which were no-shows due to a committment for a Comedy Central show. Free later went to WMVX in evenings when it was still a Randy James project.

Tim Virgin also was a part of (Barbie) "Blink FM," an all-feminine HAC disaster that CBS put on WNEW/102.7-New York in 2003 - after the O&A fiasco that cannibalized the hot talk format there. That was in-between his two gigs at WHFS, which is since now a Baltimore-based hot talk station.

IIRC, WZJM as "Jammin' 92.3" managed to crack the top 5 in the Spring 1999 12+ book. Which has never been matched in any of their successive formats. Shane may have come close, but that's about it.

-Myron aka nate81-

 

[InsertNameHere]

IIRC, WZJM as "Jammin' 92.3" managed to crack the top 5 in the Spring 1999 12+ book.

Yep, and of course the book came out after the flip to The Beat happened. Their highest ratings since the station launched. Is that possibly the highest ratings ever on the 92.3 frequency??

I'm surprised no one here has even mentioned the fact that 92.3 K-ROCK is basically a straight up Active Rock station now, playing all kinds of 80s rock tracks. GNR, ACDC, Billy Idol, tons of Metallica.
They reacted fast to MMS going '3 morning shows', but now that MMS has placed music back in mid-days, how does it affect 92.3??
Is it back to Alternative or will they stick with this?

 

[Rusty Muck]

IIRC, WZJM as "Jammin' 92.3" managed to crack the top 5 in the Spring 1999 12+ book.

Yep, and of course the book came out after the flip to The Beat happened. Their highest ratings since the station launched. Is that possibly the highest ratings ever on the 92.3 frequency??

Pretty sure. They never did much of anything in the ratings before the 1990 launch of Jammin', or after the flip. (I recognize Rover specific demos and those for O&A's first stint in 2002 as just SHOWS and not a reflection of the station as a whole.)

Note, too, that Jammin' 92.3's ratings were in THE 12+ book. Which means they obviously more than meeting their demos. Sad.

I'm surprised no one here has even mentioned the fact that 92.3 K-ROCK is basically a straight up Active Rock station now, playing all kinds of 80s rock tracks. GNR, ACDC, Billy Idol, tons of Metallica.
They reacted fast to MMS going '3 morning shows', but now that MMS has placed music back in mid-days, how does it affect 92.3??
Is it back to Alternative or will they stick with this?

Plus, their usage of "rock not talk" liners came in pretty damn quick. Only problem is that, just two months ago, they were programmed the exact same way that WMMS is now.

WKRK can't realistically compete with the fact that WMMS: a) has a far superior signal over WKRK and b) took their most viable franchaise, Rover, away from them. If they tried to stay in active rock, they will find a tough ratings mountain to climb, but if they flip BACK to alt-rock after a month, it will be another hap-hazard programming move that will turn off even more listeners.

I betcha Bull and Pat the Producer aren't that happy right now...

-Myron aka nate81-

 

[OhioMediaWatch]

I'm hearing lots about how badly 92.3 has done since it lost Rover, but nothing about the "country format" rumor...except in this very thread. No E-Mail, no rumblings behind the scenes, nothing.

It is still early in the post-Rover era for WKRK, though what I've seen doesn't look good for them. A format change this quickly, though? I don't know.

BTW, someone on this thread, I can't E-Mail/reply to you because your mailbox is reported full...check with your ISP, maybe?

-OA/OMW

 

[donewithit]

OMW, you say that K-Rock has done poorly since Rover left, but I can't figure out what you would base that on. We're not privy to billing numbers from the market so we can't measure that, and the ratings period that came out included the month of March---when he hadn't even started on the air at 100.7!

To my ear, 92.3 sounds great and I'm impressed with the aggressive way in which they have staked out the rock position on the dial. In fact, it seems as if their rapid movement with music adjustments and new production as well as the "they talk, we rock" position caused clear channel to blink---and blink hard. Hard enough, in fact to cause them to re, re-format their middle of the day show and dump an expensive syndicated program in favor of a scramble to cover their own rear ends. Maria is their answer?

And a flip to country??? Does any one believe that anyone would announce a format flip by posting a transparent ad on on music board? And why would they even consider that kind of change if it appears that they might just be in this fight after all? I mean, maybe they're actually happy that RMG is gone and they can operate without the risk and embarrassment that the show brought along with the ratings.

OMW, I've been reading your blog for sometime and you have been impressive with your insight and knowledge, at least from my perspective. This just seems like gossip and you and others (such as Nathan Obral) seem so much better than that.

Let's give this time to play out and give credit where credit is due.

Now I'll go back to reading and not posting...

 

[VODood]

Financially country would be more lucrative than alt/active rock. More money P25-54 than M18-34 or P18-34.

 

[OhioMediaWatch]

OMW, you say that K-Rock has done poorly since Rover left, but I can't figure out what you would base that on.

I don't attach much to what I referenced in the last message...it's early. If I thought it was significant, I wouldn't have tossed it as an aside in a message, I would have put it up you-know-where.

I'd personally be surprised if 92.3 didn't miss a beat from Rover to O&A, though. The show did very, very well for them, and it's not an automatic - even without RMG moving across the dial - that the show's fans will stay with O&A.

But it's incredibly early to declare winners and losers here.

And a flip to country??? Does any one believe that anyone would announce a format flip by posting a transparent ad on on music board? And why would they even consider that kind of change if it appears that they might just be in this fight after all? I mean, maybe they're actually happy that RMG is gone and they can operate without the risk and embarrassment that the show brought along with the ratings.

RMG is a popular local show that brought in a lot of listeners to that station...and presumably, the billing that follows.

Are they happy to lose that? Hell, no.

Would it be an easier environment with a syndicated show that isn't under their control? (no "risk and embarrassment" as you put it?) Sure. But they do have to compete with their former show, with another talk show that has indeed at least had some success. Nothing is automatic here on either side.

OMW, I've been reading your blog for sometime and you have been impressive with your insight and knowledge, at least from my perspective. This just seems like gossip and you and others (such as Nathan Obral) seem so much better than that.

Let's give this time to play out and give credit where credit is due.

I appreciate that.

Again, don't read too much into either my earlier comment or any early numbers or information. On the whole, I'm agreeing with you...this needs time to play out.

And I state once again that this whole "country format flip" rumor isn't making it to my radar.

-OA/OMW

 

[donewithit]

It's interesting that the "Format Flip" rumor has popped up a couple of times on this board, both times by someone who was a relatively new poster. Sounds sketchy to me and much like an old-school stir it up attempt.

 

[OhReally?]

Honestly the kids at OCB shouldn't be looking to Cleveland to be their first full-time gig, anyway. Are they taught the meaning of working their way up the ladder (i.e. moving around and cutting your teeth in the minors) over there?

The bigger -- and more basic -- question is are they taught ANYTHING there (besides getting a good, costly lesson in urinating your money down the toilet that could've bought several semesters at Tri-C and getting an actual education)?

 

[OhReally?]

If they choose to dump the format, urban or a form of it would make the most sense, based on signal.

WHAAAT??? What the hell are YOU basing this on? Personal preference?

Look how well it performed as Jammin 92.

Dude, signal issues were the least of that formats problems before their ratings surge just prior to the flip.

 

[OhReally?]

IIRC, WZJM as "Jammin' 92.3" managed to crack the top 5 in the Spring 1999 12+ book. Which has never been matched in any of their successive formats. Shane may have come close, but that's about it.
-Myron aka nate81-

I have been told many times, of course "off the record", that they've regretting flipping Jammin' when they did because, mainly at the time they flipped, is when you had the Boy Band, Christina/Britney et al explosion which was just revving up when they flipped and Jammin' 92.3 would've further benefited from that.