Fort Smith changes

[bchristi]

Well our only modern rock station, 95.3 the X has flipped to country, and is now 95.3 the Rebel. Ft. Smith already has 4 country stations. There is now a big hole in the modern rock market and an oversaturation of country stations. Is a 5th country station in Ft. Smith a good thing?

 

[kjl]

Why the change? I had wished for modern/alternative rock station in the Fort for years and finally get one what happened? I miss the "mandatory metal" at 10pm, even though most of it wasn't metal

 

[DIZ Guy]

Wow....that is too bad. I used to be able to pick that station up sometimes in Fayetteville and always thought that it was pretty good...

Strange, because about ten years ago somebody decided to kill Zebra 97.9, another great Fort Smith rock station....

 

[bchristi]

It appears that country and religious are the only formats that really work in Ft. Smith. Although I am not a huge rock fan, its sad to see a station like the X go in favor of a format the market is already oversaturated with.

 

[sportsannouncer]

If I understand correct, this new station will be a hybrid of country/classic rock. It'll be interesting if this format works.

 

[noelle]

95.3 went from the best station in the Fort Smith area to the absolute WORST. The music on the "Rebel" makes me sick. There is no other station in the area I can listen to. I am considering satellite radio. Any ideas which are the best for someone who only likes alternative rock/post-grunge? There is a good station in Little Rock, but I can't pick it up at my house.

 

[DIZ Guy]

Here are some suggestions......

If You have a computer...listen to the Edge from Little Rock or KXNA the X from Fayetteville, both stream online and are great stations....also, WJRR in Orlando is an EXCELLENT alternative/grunge station that broadcasts online....

 

[txradiochick]

If I understand correct, this new station will be a hybrid of country/classic rock. It'll be interesting if this format works.

You know that's what kind of raised my eyebrows...the mix of country and classic rock. I find that pretty interesting. But, I'm a female nearing the age of 40 and I believe modern country music is nothing more than what we used to call pop or Southern Rock. This would definitely be a station I would listen to.

I quit listening to rock music in the early 90's when the Seattle grunge music hit it big. That's when I started switching over to country. There are a lot of us out there just like me. It's a nice demo. It will be interesting to see how this goes over.

Of course the radio programming side of me is going what the H@#$? LOL!

 

[TheRebel 95.3]

We're going to turn radio upside down in this market..we are already the best station in the market....In two books, we'll own the listeners...........

 

[TheRebel 95.3]

95.3 went from the best station in the Fort Smith area to the absolute WORST. The music on the "Rebel" makes me sick. There is no other station in the area I can listen to. I am considering satellite radio. Any ideas which are the best for someone who only likes alternative rock/post-grunge? There is a good station in Little Rock, but I can't pick it up at my house.

We went from a revenue sinkhole to a viable station. In two weeks, we have already replaced all the revenue we lost on The x...which wasn 't much......

 

[TheRebel 95.3]

If I understand correct, this new station will be a hybrid of country/classic rock. It'll be interesting if this format works.

You know that's what kind of raised my eyebrows...the mix of country and classic rock. I find that pretty interesting. But, I'm a female nearing the age of 40 and I believe modern country music is nothing more than what we used to call pop or Southern Rock. This would definitely be a station I would listen to.

I quit listening to rock music in the early 90's when the Seattle grunge music hit it big. That's when I started switching over to country. There are a lot of us out there just like me. It's a nice demo. It will be interesting to see how this goes over.

Of course the radio programming side of me is going what the H@#$? LOL!

Tracy...one hour, sixteen songs.....

Eagles
Jonny Lang
Kid Rock
Travis Tritt
Lynard Skynard
Trace Adkins
Doobie Brothers
Buddy Guy
Kentucky Headhunters
Gretchen Wilson
Kenny Wayne Shepard
Johnny Cash
Hank Jr.
Cross Canadian Ragweed
The Outlaw
Stevie Ray Vaughn...

We play anything that fits our three criteria...

Familiar artist
up tempo
attitude....

and it kicks ass....

 

[TheRebel 95.3]

Well our only modern rock station, 95.3 the X has flipped to country, and is now 95.3 the Rebel. Ft. Smith already has 4 country stations. There is now a big hole in the modern rock market and an oversaturation of country stations. Is a 5th country station in Ft. Smith a good thing?

Someone with deep pockets and a fondness for losing money needs to step and take their turn....

I'm looking forward to making money for a change....

 

[bchristi]

Well our only modern rock station, 95.3 the X has flipped to country, and is now 95.3 the Rebel. Ft. Smith already has 4 country stations. There is now a big hole in the modern rock market and an oversaturation of country stations. Is a 5th country station in Ft. Smith a good thing?

Someone with deep pockets and a fondness for losing money needs to step and take their turn....

I'm looking forward to making money for a change....

I understand that the X was losing money. Question is why when it was the only station in its format and both NWA and Little Rock have stations that do very well. Is there no market for new rock in Ft. Smith?

 

[txradiochick]

Me like!

[/quote]

Tracy...one hour, sixteen songs.....

Eagles
Jonny Lang
Kid Rock
Travis Tritt
Lynard Skynard
Trace Adkins
Doobie Brothers
Buddy Guy
Kentucky Headhunters
Gretchen Wilson
Kenny Wayne Shepard
Johnny Cash
Hank Jr.
Cross Canadian Ragweed
The Outlaw
Stevie Ray Vaughn...

We play anything that fits our three criteria...

Familiar artist
up tempo
attitude....

and it kicks ass....
[/quote]

 

[TheRebel 95.3]

I understand that the X was losing money. Question is why when it was the only station in its format and both NWA and Little Rock have stations that do very well. Is there no market for new rock in Ft. Smith?
[/quote]

Christi,

For one, you're looking at different markets. The Fort Smith radio lisrtening demo is much older...you don't have the college influence like you have in NWA.....

I, for one, resent us being portrayed as "greedy bastards" because we made a format change after five years of propping up what is a dying format. (Not so much you, but you should see the emails we got on our website!) If those people who are condeming us now would have put as much passion into supporting what few sponsors we had, we might have hung on.

Our problem was two-fold. First up, no one was listening (at least in a measurable audience) and we were saddled with some previous perceptions because (at one time) we played some of the hardest stuff in the genre. The whole "The X" thing put us behind the eight ball because (fair or not) conservative business owners equate "X" with "X-rated" and wouldn't have advertised with us if we had been playing polkas.....

We're excited about the roll out...It's going to take some time, but we feel like (if we don 't mess up) we're going to be a real player in this market within a year.....

So we're a little bit country and a little bit rock and roll....

I like it!

 

[DIZ Guy]

Hey Christi, it sounds like that you are upset with the radio market in Fort Smith...

Here is what you do....1. Get a computer
2. Listen to the Edge from Little rock or the X from Fayetteville online...they are both
GREAT stations broadcasting from Arkansas...
3. I think you will be satisfied ;D

 

[allbritton]

We're going to turn radio upside down in this market..we are already the best station in the market....In two books, we'll own the listeners...........

That's a pretty bold statement, don't you think? Might want to keep some
Scope on hand to remove the taste of your shoe from your mouth. Time
will tell, but something tells me KTCS & KMAG are not sweating it.....

Good Luck!

 

[TheRebel 95.3]

We're going to turn radio upside down in this market..we are already the best station in the market....In two books, we'll own the listeners...........

That's a pretty bold statement, don't you think? Might want to keep some
Scope on hand to remove the taste of your shoe from your mouth. Time
will tell, but something tells me KTCS & KMAG are not sweating it.....

Good Luck!

KTCS and KMAG have gone so "pop" they shouldn't even claim to be country any more. They both hang around at the top of the ratings because listeners really haven't had a viable option and both have been beaten by Big Country and KISR in the recent pass......

Yeah. It's a bold statement. That's called attitude, something that has been missing from the Fort Smith market for a long time. Folks can either get on the train now or get left in the depot. Their choice.

We know what we have, and we're already getting so much positive feedback that it's amazing.

Plus, we have a kick ass remore vehicle..and everyone knows that's all that matters.

 

[bchristi]

For one, you're looking at different markets. The Fort Smith radio lisrtening demo is much older...you don't have the college influence like you have in NWA.....

I, for one, resent us being portrayed as "greedy bastards" because we made a format change after five years of propping up what is a dying format. (Not so much you, but you should see the emails we got on our website!) If those people who are condeming us now would have put as much passion into supporting what few sponsors we had, we might have hung on.

Our problem was two-fold. First up, no one was listening (at least in a measurable audience) and we were saddled with some previous perceptions because (at one time) we played some of the hardest stuff in the genre. The whole "The X" thing put us behind the eight ball because (fair or not) conservative business owners equate "X" with "X-rated" and wouldn't have advertised with us if we had been playing polkas.....

Makes sense. That also must be the reason 102.7 The Vibe didn't last playing true hip-hop/r&b and went mainstream pop. That was a big disappointment.

I am really suprised nobody has tried an Adult Standards format in Ft. Smith on the FM dial, one playing WWII era music and music from the 50s.

 

[DIZ Guy]

Hey Rebel, you guys mean to tell me that you could not get advertisers because people are so conservative that they associated "The X" with "X-Rated!!!!!!"......

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!

That is ridiculous, and I major BOO to you guys for falling down and not keeping your station true to its form!!!!!!!