Fun 101.1

[oaktree]

I think Fun 101.1 has a bright (except for "In the Ghetto" by Elvis) Gold A/C mix that sounds decent in flow and music. Songs you don't hear everyday and, some you do. Nice up mis, generally.

The problem(s):

Why do station owners/consultants/programmers take a flamethrower like this and on the first day become a jukebox? I hear Internet stations in the bedroom of 20 year old programming wannabes who do this. Song after song after song. An ID at :55 and more songs and songs and songs and songs.

No identification with any "Fun 101.1" whatsoever.

So, it's another non-researched oldies format with the "rock" taken out...no jocks, no voice-tracking, no imaging, no spots and cross promoted promos for other stations in the group. B-O-R-I-N-G.

What? The usual ton of Pams resing jingles that Crawford loves on all his stations didn't make it in time?

And what consultant/programmer thinks this is an attraction to hear an iPod jukebox at the launch of a new format? It becomes another "Ho-Hum..." pretty quickly.

And they wonder why people slam "flips" and "stunting" so much.

What braintrusts.

The WYDE call-letters mean something to the Birmingham market...but not in this dull presentation.

I think the idea of a "heritage A/C" is an ok format. But not this way... Sad.

Back to the Internet Radio / iPod juskebox...

 

[TheDingo]

I listened to a total of maybe 3 minutes of it on the way home from work today (not all at once), since I left both my XM and sirius units at home again, and my thought on it is......
It Stinks, And I Don't Like It!

 

[BlueWanderer]

I don't see how this will last. Oldies on a flamethrower? There's already enough "Fun"-like stations around in the nearby markets that 101.1 serves and they don't reach very far. I suspect if they stick with this format, the power would be cut in half therefore only serves the Birmingham market. It's happen before on a certain other flamethrower station.

 

[oaktree]

What's wrong with "oldies," er, "Classic Hits" on a flamethrower like 101.1?

So, there "are" other "fun stations" in the smaller burgs that don't reach very far.

Ever think that, strategically, that could very well be the reason?

If I were one of the low power rimshots, I'd be mighty torqued if a "flamethrower" came into my (small) market like this with a competitive format that people can keep along the way a lot longer than mine...

I understand that maybe most under 30s (ok, under 25s. Ok, look, you rebelious 20 and unders who hate everything ) don't like this format. But done right (and it isn't, at least not yet,) it could be quite good.

And the alternative, especially for "Crawford Broadcasting," would be, what, "nuRave and Hair Metal?" Dream on...

 

[Nate Wesley]

Are they broadcasting in stereo? I seem to remember 101.1 often shifting between mono and stereo the last time I lived in the area.

 

[BlueWanderer]

Calm down oaktree. I don't hate everything. There are many songs from the oldies that I actually like thanks to Coast to Coast AM's bumper music. My point is I don't see how this oldies format will increase the ratings they had before with talk format. Many oldies listeners will stay loyal to their local stations and not jump ship to the big flamethrower 101.1 station if it stays as a flamethrower. I apologize if I didn't make that clear earlier.

 

[BlueRaja]

Looks like Fun 101 is now Star 101

 

[DaleGriffin]

You all need to remember Crawford (the man, the myth, the legend that has created the feared "Mr. Crawford") does not, will not and can not think ahead.

Quoted for truth.

 

[scradiodude]

All Access is reporting that WYDE is officially "Fun 101.1", but the liners refer to the station as "Star 101." How bizarre! Is Crawford having an identity crisis? This is what happens when you let the sales department run the radio station, rather than experienced programmers.

 

[passtheword]

All Access is reporting that WYDE is officially "Fun 101.1", but the liners refer to the station as "Star 101." How bizarre! Is Crawford having an identity crisis? This is what happens when you let the sales department run the radio station, rather than experienced programmers.

I couldn't believe it when I heard the "new" name this morning, too. I was listening to 101.1 on my car radio, and I had the volume down low, so I thought I maybe I heard "Star" instead of "Fun" (I know that's kind of a long stretch, but my hearing isn't as good as it used to be). 101.1's signal gets into Huntsville, too, and I was wondering what WAHR (which has been using the "Star" name for quite a while now) thinks about all of that. I bet they're not too keen on it.

Crawford has done this before. When they bought the original WYDE back in '99 and changed the station from Radio Disney to talk, they were calling themselves "LifeTalk 850". There wasn't anyone using that name in the Birmingham market, but there was a radio network by that name, can't remember exactly where it was at the time. WYDE didn't hold on to that name very long, either, seems like it was just a few months or so and they dropped the "lifetalk" off the name of the station.

Although a lot of the problem over there at Crawford is poor management decisions, there's really more to it I think. Part of the problem lies with the fact that Crawford tries to tie his allegiance to both the secular and Christian world (using both secular and Christian formats); I believe that's why a lot of whatever they put their hands to just never materializes into anything worthwhile. If Crawford were a true Christian broadcaster (as it previously was up until about 20 years ago), all their efforts could be directed to one purpose. As it is now, they're trying to be a Christian broadcaster, but still dabble around in secular formats, and they really can't concentrate on what they're trying to accomplish. Is it to make money or to further the gospel? I read online where Don Crawford's son said the company was exploring different secular formats because, in so many words, "they just have more potential to make money than christian formats". I don't believe Crawford Broadcasting is any more a true Christian broadcaster than Cox, Clear Channel, or "place whatever media giant you want to put here".

I guess we can tune in tomorrow for more of the continuing saga of 101.1 FM.

_____________________________
Radio Stations come and go.
Does anything last forever?
www.PassTheWord.net

 

[tomservo]

101.1's signal gets into Huntsville, too, and I was wondering what WAHR (which has been using the "Star" name for quite a while now) thinks about all of that. I bet they're not too keen on it.

I hear they're going to become "Magic 101.1" on Saturday, then "The New 101.1" on Sunday and then "Classic Hits Z 101.1" on Monday then to "101.1 The River" by Tuesday. (Did I cover all the markets?)


;D :

 

[trusty]

I have them online. My screen is giving me "Fun 101.1", my speakers are giving me "Star 101".

Aw, just be different and go with "FunStar 101.1". Why not? Why not?





Why not?

 

[TheDingo]

All Access is reporting that WYDE is officially "Fun 101.1", but the liners refer to the station as "Star 101." How bizarre! Is Crawford having an identity crisis? This is what happens when you let the sales department run the radio station, rather than experienced programmers.

I wonder if it had anything to do with WAFN Fun 92.7 in Arab, if so, then star really will be a doosey. conflicting with WAHR Star 99.1 also in the northern end of their signal. Then they can call themselves lite 101 and have a tangle with WRSA too

 

[Nate Wesley]

They could always call 101.1 'CBS-FM'.

 

[mrjay]

ahhh...........welp, folks, today, we're the "new" 101.

seriously.

they've changed again.

also - is it my imagination, or does the audio still need to be seriously tweaked?

 

[trusty]

As for WYDE, I'm not sure if those calls came before WATV. As of February 1957, 900 was still listed as WLBS and 850 was still WILD. But both had their now-legendary call letters by 1960.

--Russell

WILD changed to WYDE in '57 when Bartell bought it. They owned WAKE in Atlanta and cross-promoted the two as their "WYDE aWAKE" stations. No joke.

As part of the switch, they were giving away records like crazy. I was excited about getting a free record and finally talked my mom to go by there on the way downtown from Homewood. I then found out they were just cleaning out their record library, and a lot of us wound up with old 78's by artists that we had never heard of.

Nobody complained much because they were free.

 

[852RadioDude]

How do you promote two stations together that can not be heard together.

 

[whit979]

also - is it my imagination, or does the audio still need to be seriously tweaked?

I totally agree! It sounds like the processing is still set up for FM talk.

 

[Hannerbob]

Well, thesourcefm.com is back up. I don't know what that means. I see 101.1 has changed its name once again. The "new" 101. Gee, they got a crackerjack team at Crawford. Choose a name and stick with it. Imagine if you went to MacDonalds one day and order a Big Mac. Then you go in the next day and ask for a Big Mac and they reply "Oh, you mean a Mac Supreme." Then the next day it's a "Superburger" I'm no marketing genius, but changing the name every other day doesn't seem like a good idea. You'd think that the gurus at Crawford would have settled on a name during all the Christmas music. I'll never understand this radio business...

 

[rwells2265]

WYDE a-WAKE

How do you promote two stations together that can not be heard together.

I imagine the same way a hotel or restaurant chain promotes their different locations. An ID might've gone something like - "This is WYDE Birmingham - when in Atlanta, listen to WAKE at 1340! We're your WYDE a-WAKE stations!"

One thing I remember reading some time back was of a promotion Bartell ran, involving the various diners and truck stops along 78 between B'ham and Atlanta. If you walked in and said "I want to stay 'WYDE' a-'WAKE' and safe.", you received a free cup of coffee.

--Russell