Format Flipage In The GSP Market Creates A Pucker Factor of #9!

[Scooter Lesley]

Two years ago, I predicted that one of the two AC's would make a bold move. I also stated that it was only a matter of time, and poor billing. As you know, MY 102 made that move, and everyone else performed "The Tighten-Up", without the assistance of Archie Bell.
Since some of the dust has now settled, I ask are we done? Currently, no other rumors of format flipage exist. However, it has been said that Cox would like to add a third FM to their wicker basket of ownership. MY 102 made their Big move in time to set the stage for their Fall book...hats off! I'm not a fan of Country music, but to me, both WESC & WSSL are programed quite well. So, if we are not done, where will the action come from? Some of the posters want an Oldies source, with a strong signal, while that Retro 80's void still surfaces from the muttering mull of shop talk. Some boob said, they tried 80's...Star 103,...and it didn't work. My answer for that was...you're right, it failed. It failed because of a short, shallow playlist, dealt to the transmitter by the worst air staff to ever crack a mic. They were so bad, I'd pay for tapes. No one believes how unchecked that mess went. So, Oldies, 80's Retro, a true AOR...is there more...or is the stage set?

 

[carolinaradio]

I don't see how Cox could expand unless they build a station (which they have done) or somehow bought 94.5, which seems unlikely.

If anybody flips any time soon it will be 96.7 or maybe 98.1. 98.1 is a terrible Rhythmic CHR and I think we all know about 96. Cox is big on their rock leaning "classic hits" Eagle format. I know I keep stressing it but compared to every other market around here, there is absolutely NO outlet to hear anything "old" except classic rock on WROQ and some of the 80s songs that 98.9 plays. We don't have an old-leaning AC, classic hits, nothing. Very strange and if I were one of these low rated signals, I would jump on the chance....in my opinion, that is by far the biggest hole
All-80s failed in most markets. I don't think it was a viable format anywhere, really, just like all-70s wasn't and they've tried all-90s.

 

[Scooter Lesley]

Members of this Think Tank, there are a lot of unanswered questions, regarding the New MY 102. Let's not take bets, but will MY give Deliliah the boot? Will they go all Christmas on November the 15th?
Who will they hire for Mornings? What about Afternoon Drive?
To me, they still have work to do, and all the hype ain't gonna pay off if they don't finish the overhaul. So,...whatchee think?

 

[fortmill]

98.1 seems to do quite well for a station that has far less than a full market signal. What intriques me, and maybe COX as well, is that ATL's WSRV almost always get ratings in GSP, which I assume comes mainly from the Anderson/Clemson area. Still, that format seems to indicate a format hole in the area. Another issue is the half dozen Charlotte stations that always get ratings, no doubt because those Gaston Co. signals come into Spartanburg almost like locals. Do their popularity also indicate format holes?

 

[carolinaradio]

Members of this Think Tank, there are a lot of unanswered questions, regarding the New MY 102. Let's not take bets, but will MY give Deliliah the boot? Will they go all Christmas on November the 15th?
Who will they hire for Mornings? What about Afternoon Drive?
To me, they still have work to do, and all the hype ain't gonna pay off if they don't finish the overhaul. So,...whatchee think?

I think what you see (or hear) is what you get. They've voicetracked afternoons for years and will probably keep doing it, in fact, this one just started. They could very well go on with mornings like they are, would not be the first time a woman did mornings by herself in this market (Monnie? Bo Griffin?). Delilah needs to go.

98.1 seems to do quite well for a station that has far less than a full market signal. What intriques me, and maybe COX as well, is that ATL's WSRV almost always get ratings in GSP, which I assume comes mainly from the Anderson/Clemson area. Still, that format seems to indicate a format hole in the area. Another issue is the half dozen Charlotte stations that always get ratings, no doubt because those Gaston Co. signals come into Spartanburg almost like locals. Do their popularity also indicate format holes?

I think the two Urban stations do well in Spartanburg county because they have decent signals (especially WBAV, they are like a local) and are probably better sounding than JAMZ or perhaps offer something that they don't.
I think something like The River would definitely work here - that's why I'm saying, classic hits on the 96.7 signal would almost immediately be a 2 share for Clear Channel...the only mainstream AC even plays very little of those songs. I think that is the biggest format hole

 

[jself1982]

You know I'm a country music junkie, so you know my dream would be for Cox to buy 94.5 and flip it to country to compete with Clear Channels monopoly in this market... I know it doesn't make sense but one can dream, right?

 

[radiolives]

You know I'm a country music junkie, so you know my dream would be for Cox to buy 94.5 and flip it to country to compete with Clear Channels monopoly in this market... I know it doesn't make sense but one can dream, right?

Not to mention you got a 3rd Clear Channel country station from Charlotte getting ratings in the market. Im surprised 103.7 WSOC doesn't get ratings in the market. Whys that?

 

[carolinaradio]

99.9 WKSF literally has a city-grade signal in the market seeing that it's a class C from Asheville. WSOC is extremely difficult, if not impossible in the Greenville portion of the market (at least) although I have gotten it occasionally. Same for WKKT.
I'd love to see something else on 94.5....but I have a feeling they won't let it go any time soon, unfortunately

 

[freqdev]

true that wksf has a city grade signal in greenville spartanburg. 92.5 takes that same 1 share from asheville. i am sure cc realizes that. a 3rd country i hope notl the 2 we have seem to be co existing. only 1 urban seems to be this markets problem. who wants to take on that giant with diary weighting?

 

[KyleSmith1988]

true that wksf has a city grade signal in greenville spartanburg. 92.5 takes that same 1 share from asheville. i am sure cc realizes that. a 3rd country i hope notl the 2 we have seem to be co existing. only 1 urban seems to be this markets problem. who wants to take on that giant with diary weighting?

92.5 WESC, 99.9 WKSF & 100.5 WSSL are pretty much a complete overlap in Upstate SC, Clear Channel should flip one of them,
I really can't wait. I say let 99.9 & 104.3 in Asheville swap, that way Upstate SC can benefit with a real CHR from Clear Channel,
then country could remain in AVL on 104.3. Or I say do something with 92.5. I can also hear it all coming from Charlotte & Columbia
as well from my location, thats 92.5, 96.9, 97.5, 99.9, 100.5 & 103.7 & Gaffney's 104.3 W282AX (WZZQ)...holy crap!
Theres just too much country here and I can't take it!! lol

If I were in charge I'd wipe them all out, I don't listen to country music anyway, and yes I'm from "The North." LOL

 

[Scooter Lesley]

I respect "Today's" Country music, but I'm not a fan. The majority of it just makes my hair hurt, along the way to grabbing anything that Rocks: Foghat, Enuff Z'Nuff, Grace Potter, Material Issue & etc...
Due to its success, it has been labeled "Today's" CHR, even though it kills its children, when they are three albums old. Where is Brian White, Tracy Byrd, and Wade Hayes??? Answer: playing their two hits on the state fair circuit, somewhere betwix the prise winning tomatterz, and the woman that morphs into a monkey. One of the posters stated..."Real CHR". Well,...curently, there ain't no such animal. To me, a major part of Country's success was due to the CHR's crippling themselves by listening to the record labels, and granting airplay to stack after stack of worthless Hip-hop records.
Years ago, that sent the adult listeners scrambling for anything that didn't Yo--Yo--Yo. They compromised a winning format. If any CHR wants a bigger piece of the pie, drop your reporting status, and hire someone that knows the music. It would Behooooooove you to do so!

 

[carolinaradio]

92.5 WESC, 99.9 WKSF & 100.5 WSSL are pretty much a complete overlap in Upstate SC, Clear Channel should flip one of them,
I really can't wait. I say let 99.9 & 104.3 in Asheville swap, that way Upstate SC can benefit with a real CHR from Clear Channel,
then country could remain in AVL on 104.3. Or I say do something with 92.5. I can also hear it all coming from Charlotte & Columbia
as well from my location, thats 92.5, 96.9, 97.5, 99.9, 100.5 & 103.7 & Gaffney's 104.3 W282AX (WZZQ)...holy crap!
Theres just too much country here and I can't take it!! lol

If I were in charge I'd wipe them all out, I don't listen to country music anyway, and yes I'm from "The North." LOL

Clear Channel won't do anything with those two stations. They do too well and they currently have the monopoly. I have always wondered how 92.5 does 25-54 though. I've always thought of them as having an older demographic. I'm from here and rarely listen to the country format.

Regarding the earlier post about Urban, that's always been a mystery to me. WJMZ almost getting 8-10 shares for years and they go unchallenged. Entercom could have tried in the past with the 103s again then 106.3 (before they found their niche with talk), Clear has had 96.7, but neither seems interested in challenging them. All it takes is a couple of shares to knock them out of 1st then WSSL would probably take the spot frequently. However, there are other formats I'd rather see first...

 

[KyleSmith1988]

One of the posters stated..."Real CHR". Well,...curently, there ain't no such animal.

One type of format I'd love to see tried in the Upstate is a Rhythmic AC/Classic Rhythmic AC hybrid, specifically the "MOViN" Brand,
that's the kinda format I could just sit by the radio 24/7. I've been streaming WMOV from Norfolk all day today lol.
Or maybe Charlotte could get that kinda format...

 

[Gatekeeper007]

Kyle different people listen to different music styles. To say you don't like country music, well ok, but still country music isn't country music anymore so gee you must be real selective. I like different kinds of music but country is number one for me. As for being from up north that is no excuse as there are tons of people from different areas up north so to speak that like country music and besides country music just ain't country music anymore so saying you don't like country music doesn't mean what it use to mean years ago, I'll give you one guess what it means today.

 

[KyleSmith1988]

Kyle different people listen to different music styles. To say you don't like country music, well ok, but still country music isn't country music anymore so gee you must be real selective. I like different kinds of music but country is number one for me. As for being from up north that is no excuse as there are tons of people from different areas up north so to speak that like country music and besides country music just ain't country music anymore so saying you don't like country music doesn't mean what it use to mean years ago, I'll give you one guess what it means today.

I mentioned it because I'm just amazed with the number of country stations audible from my town,
I can't think of any other city in America where you can hear like 7 different country stations on the dial!

Although I should mention and admit that even up in the NY metro there are lots of people begging for a country station
to go on the air there, the only one nearby is 40 miles south of NYC (WKMK) and that's the only choice, very weak as well.
For most of the last 10 years, there were no country stations that covered NJ except Philly's XTU and Jersey Shore Thunder.

 

[wnc40]

It is not that surprising you can hear that many country stations. I can think of many places that can hear that many. Here at home in WNC, I can hear the following:
Triad: 93.1, 104.1
Triangle: 94.7
Charlotte: 103.7, 96.9
Asheville: 99.9
Morganton-Lenoir: 92, 103.3
Boone: 106.1
Galax: 98.1

And sometimes, the GSP stations...

 

[KyleSmith1988]

It is not that surprising you can hear that many country stations. I can think of many places that can hear that many.

I've been atop Mount Mitchell where it's possible to hear many of those and even some from Knoxville and Eastern KY,
many of them fade in and out up there tho. On Mount Mitchell it was harder to get in 99.9 or 102.5 than the 104.1 in Winston-Salem.
Last year I do remember hearing the 94.1 Spartanburg translator from atop Grandfather Mountain near Boone, that was fun.

 

[carolinaradio]

I think we can agree that if any signal flips, it will be the 96.7 signal. They would have to do something that nobody else is doing, though.
I would suggest a translator or even booster? in Spartanburg (in the city, if possible). 98.1 has done that, I believe...their signal in Spartanburg county is way worse than 96.7's, though.

It is notable that not all people from the south like country music, either. I think the format would be better off, though if both weren't owned by the same company.

 

[KyleSmith1988]

I think we can agree that if any signal flips, it will be the 96.7 signal. They would have to do something that nobody else is doing, though.
I would suggest a translator or even booster? in Spartanburg (in the city, if possible). 98.1 has done that, I believe...their signal in Spartanburg county is way worse than 96.7's, though.

96.7 would have to move closer to Spartanburg if they want a translator there unfortunately.
Maybe they can get on the same tower as 103.3/94.1 or the same one as 106.3 and easily null it north from Asheville's 96.5
or south from 96.7 in Columbia. They could have a similar coverage area as the current 103.3 WOLT if they did that...
Or they can probably add 96.7's feed on an HD-2 of 92.5/100.5/102.5 and create a translator in Spartanburg that way.
98.1 is getting their translator thru WJMZ's HD-2. I think the 94.1 translator can and should move a few more miles east
and still be in 107.3's 60 dBu contour.

 

[KyleSmith1988]

Last year I do remember hearing the 94.1 Spartanburg translator from atop Grandfather Mountain near Boone, that was fun.

I'd also like to add that when I was getting the 94.1 Spartanburg translator from 75 miles away,
I was also able to get 103.3 on the same tower, and that beat out 103.3 in Lenoir just 20 miles away,
I was on the west side of Grandfather Mountain with a clear view south to northwest.