Fresh vs. Lite: Now It Gets Interesting...

[d21ofnj]

I know of one pizza place that used to have Lite FM on, and today, they had Fresh on their radio.

 

[mjb1124]

One pizza place I frequent can't seem to stick to one station. I've heard them playing CBS-FM, Fresh, Q104.3, and several NJ stations. Oddly enough, I don't think I've ever heard them play Lite. Then again, I don't seem to hear Lite nearly as often in public places around here as I do Magic 98.3, which is curious considering that Lite gets better ratings.

Anyway, it will be interesting to see where Jim Ryan takes Fresh. I do think the station has become a lot more focused and generally more listenable as of late.

 

[DToTheJ]

Will he stock Fresh with former Lite DJs like Valerie Smaldone?

It's possible... although Smaldone herself will be busy with a new talk show for WOR - actually, the WOR webstream during Glenn Beck's show:
http://www.examiner.com/x-5468-NY-M...ldone-brings-daily-talk-show-to-WORs-Web-site

 

[LIradiofan226]

I'd say Jim and Kim are probably safe. Heather Walters will probably be bounced back to Texas with Ryan wanting to put his own stamp on midday. Maybe Diane Prior. Dylan will probably also wind up moving back where he came from before moving to New York for Fresh.

 

[andreajesus]

i think it's too early to make any predictions on what Ryan's gonna do with Fresh...but i know he's gonna be shakin things up....

 

[DToTheJ]

Heather Walters will probably be bounced back to Texas with Ryan wanting to put his own stamp on midday.Maybe Diane Prior...

Now there's a prediction I'd put money on. Good call.

I'd say Jim and Kim are probably safe.

Well, technically, they're local, having come all the way from Long Island - as opposed to the many miles Heather had traveled to get to 102.7.

 

[Seltzer]

This is only going to be interesting. Arguable, the two greatest minds programming stations in A/C radiio today going at it...Jim Ryan at Fresh vs Chris Conley at Lite. Chris is definitely battle-ready with all the pretenders that tried to take on B101 in Philly all the years he was there. NY is a tough tough market and I totally respect Ryan..he pushed all comers aside as well. I expect both companies to do what's necessary. Ryan won't be happy just being a spoiler just to get CBS FM on top.

 

[NJJohn]

I am very interested to see where this goes...do you thing Ryan will take out some of the questionable music they've added recently such as Ne-Yo, the Black Eyed Peas and Kanye West? I always found it strange turning on Fresh and Lite for that matter and hearing Rihanna or Beyonce.

 

[andreajesus]

This is only going to be interesting. Arguable, the two greatest minds programming stations in A/C radiio today going at it...Jim Ryan at Fresh vs Chris Conley at Lite. Chris is definitely battle-ready with all the pretenders that tried to take on B101 in Philly all the years he was there. NY is a tough tough market and I totally respect Ryan..he pushed all comers aside as well. I expect both companies to do what's necessary. Ryan won't be happy just being a spoiler just to get CBS FM on top.

LET'S GET READY TO RUMBLE!! 'cos I suspect Ryan's about to shake Fresh up...

 

[Dylan]

I am excited about working with Jim Ryan.

In fact...I worked with him briefly in 1997 when I was A.B. Love on 105.1 The Buzz.....Jim was brought in when Chancellor bought the place. He was there (and at Lite-FM) in the interim period before it became Big 105.

When I was fired from Big 105 in late 1998 (inexplicably and with full severance), the timing could not have been better. I was hired one month later at K-Rock, where I was Dead Air Dave for seven incredible years. The best radio experience of my life.

Hey, know what's crazy? My 1994 internship was ALSO at 92-3 K-Rock....when it was classic rock. I was a senior in high school here in NYC, and lucky enough to also be 18 years old. I fought to make that happen (typically you have to be in college to intern).

I made a fake tape and sent it everywhere. Paid my dues on the radio in Poughkeepsie NY and Wilkes-Barre PA for a couple of years before Mix 105 flipped to The Buzz.....and I fought like crazy to get hired for weekends.

Anyway LIradiofan....I COULD move back to Manhattan (where I came from), but I like Brooklyn too much. Moved here a year and a half ago.

Incidentally---I left K-Rock when it became Free-FM. When Fresh signed on the air, I fought like crazy to become part of the airstaff. When the afternoon guy decided to leave after his year was up, guess who did a three-month on-air audition without relinquishing his weekend shifts? That's right. No day off for three months.

Thanks for the respect. Incidentally, I love reading this and the NYRMB. Every day. You'll probably never see me post again.

 

[carolinaradio]

Call me stupid, but how can Fresh and Lite be compared very much, musically at least? Lite is a softer/Mainstream AC and Fresh is a Hot AC. Lite plays several 70s songs an hour and is much more conservative in their musical choices. Musically, the stations are not very similar but I guess they have a similar target audience. Lite doesn't play Orianthi, Ne-Yo, Gaga, Black Eyed Peas, etc. Fresh doesn't play any 70s.

 

[DToTheJ]

Fresh and Lite are like radio snowflakes: of course, they're not exact duplicates of each other, playlist-wise; but the fact that someone who oversaw Lite-FM through its years of success, is now going to run a competitor - or, if you prefer, someone who is as close to a competitor to Lite-FM as can be - has to be something to watch. Granted, it won't be "Z-100 vs. Power 95" - but it'll be interesting nonetheless...

And Dylan, thanks for checking in, on your one and only post, and thanks for reading...