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G-Rock

K-Tel said:
A license challenge because you don't like the format is rather silly.
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Nah, I don't mind the format; people like CHR, even a soulless automaton like this. Besides, I've got my own format to push.

A note on my history on this subject, for those similarly inclined to knee-jerk dismissals: I'm a former FM106.3 staffer (that's 1985-1992 for you young'uns,) and for the majority of 106.3MHz's time as "G", I liked the format a whole lot less. It took me a while to settle to the opinion that, as a business, they're free to do what businesses do. Still, a license challenge threat would have indeed been silly, because they were at least fulfilling their mandate as a licensee - in fact, for a while, as badly as they were doing everything else, that was the thing they did best. As long as they were fulfilling the terms of their license, they could broadcast chronic flatulence in eight-part harmony and I'd have nothing to argue there.

I *do* mind, however, that they've got a tower in my area and it's no longer serving *me*, as a member of this community. Not the "alternative-rock-listening" community, the *community*. The format change, in this case, is just a nice catalyst for what really should be all-out rage at broadcasters who do this sort of thing in general.

For instance, earlier this winter, there was a massive blackout in most of Monmouth County. It took me a while to find a station that was covering it, and the first one I found that mentioned it on air was NJ 101.5 (albeit with tongue firmly in cheek except for the newsbreaks.) Which we then sat there in the dark and listened to until the lights came on, so good on them. G-Rock at least spent some time discussing it the next morning - which is good, because the transformer blowout that triggered the blackout was damn near in their backyard. Now there's zero likelihood of even that level of public service and, if station owners think they can continue to get away with this kind of stewardship, it'll only get worse.

I'd have more respect for it if it were the exact same format as it now is, but with local jocks. (Not much more respect, but it wouldn't warrant banging the drums for a license challenge.)

But they can't do that, can they? They can't afford the staff.

To my mind, that ought to be the rule - if you can't do radio 90% locally, you shouldn't be allowed to do it, no matter what inflated price you paid for the license. Sure, it's a business, and profits are paramount - but (again, to my mind) they should be secondary to the public trust. That's why there's such a thing as a "license" in the first place. If the public trust can't be satisfied profitably by one company, their license should be forfeited to someone who's willing to try.

-Sean
Altrok Radio at altrokradio.com
 
Someone said "why do you think this happened?" I think it's because they didn't have the advertisers to help foot the bill. Admit it, alt rock format doesn't bring in the big bucks b/c it is niche formating and the listeners don't have the money. Herego, the advertisers don't make money from the listeners so why spend the money to get no customers? Simple economics. As for how they run things? Knee jerk...they see something new & shiny and think "wow! let's do that!" I've seen this mentallity up close & personal.
I'm really bummed about losing this format. I'm stuck in NJ side of the Philly market and 104.5 does not cut it... can't leave the radio on more than an hour without hearing the same song again! Shoot Ben and bring back Jack if you're gonna put junk like that on the air! I'm having flashbacks of when Y100 DRE went R&B because that's what programmers thought that's what Philly wanted. Um, aren't there enough CHR & Urban stations out there??!! Can't we just have ONE signal?! I'm curious what'll happen to the staff.. NOT the sales staff...just to be clear. They always land on their feet. ;)
 
Ha. Just when I got a little surprised at the song picks over the holidays (20-year-old classic alternative if you will) they get blowed up. Ah well. I still have my records. F*** 'em.
 
Let's talk ratings a little bit. Without going into too many details...

WJRZ dropped a whopping 2 points in the latest book.
WOBM and WRAT dropped nearly a full point.
WKMK had the exact same ratings as G Rock.
WCHR had the exact same ratings as G Rock - and they have a flamethrower of a signal.

Granted, G Rock dropped as well, but as I just illustrated, so did the majority of Monmouth/Ocean-based FMs (WJLK and The Breeze stations were the only exceptions).

Another very impulsive move on the part of Press Communications just because the ratings dropped a bit. I mean, G Rock may not have been #1, but it had a very devoted following and diverse advertising. To blow it up for a satellite-fed CHR when we have no fewer than seven similarly-formatted stations reaching various sections of the coverage are (all mostly live & local) was incredibly foolish.

Hit 106 won't go anywhere. I think all the fans of G Rock will have a good laugh when this station is struggling to crack a 1 share.

http://www.petitiononline.com/grock/petition.html : Click this link to sign the online "Save G Rock" petition. I doubt it will work, but it's worth signing just to let Press know that they underestimated the following that G Rock had.
 
SoulCrusher said:
Another very impulsive move on the part of Press Communications just because the ratings dropped a bit.
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Not that impulsive if the national advertisers were saying "hey, we're already reaching most of the Monmouth-Ocean audience by advertising in New York." "No income" is very bad when you've still got to service the debt incurred by purchases made at the height of the market - it may have come down to a choice between retaining the signal and retaining the staff, and you *know* they're not giving up the signal until the very last stand.

I noticed a signal in upstate New York actually went dark today; reason given: "financing". When does that ever happen?

(Answer: "Now.")
 
This chr spoon fed format will fail big time no ifs ands or buts and how dare you press communications how dare you ruin an awesome station how dare you. And may each and everyone of you get fired yes i say fired homeless go live on the streets and take soulcrushers advice get the f out of radio you all are failures at it anyway failure failure failure!!!It is a pity none of you all worked for clear channel so they could fire you today!!!

I can at least understand the reasoning behind entravision blowing up indie 1031 in los angeles but for you all to blow up a good alt station in favor of a format not needed in the least and you people went to college???

By the way terrie carr is still with the station and that is all i know.
 
djgrrrl said:
FYI, there is a group on Facebook that has organized a "Bring Back G Rock Protest" for this Saturady afternoon, 1/24.

Here is the link to the group:http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=49484846861

...and here is the link to the protest info:http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=62779800529

It just makes no sense to me why a Saturday?? No one from management will be in the building...
Click to expand...

Eh, slow news day - might show up in the Sunday paper. (It happened when my friends and I protested TKR Cable removing Comedy Central years ago, which worked, by the way.)

/boy, remember a time when that was all there was to protest?

//Me neither.
 
How times change. I remember people protesting when FM 106.3 was bought by Press and changed to G106.3. Now, we're protesting to keep Press' version of WHTG on the air.

It's sad because this station did have ratings once...very good ratings in fact, right after the G Rock Radio launch a few years ago. I'm not sure why, but it's been a steady decline ever since.
 
mondoradio said:
How times change. I remember people protesting when FM 106.3 was bought by Press and changed to G106.3. Now, we're protesting to keep Press' version of WHTG on the air.
Click to expand...

Easily explained - while Press wasn't micromanaging, the station got listenable.

But they really haven't got a clue that people talk. You'd think they'd have learned from the cautionary tale provided courtesy WCBS-FM/Jack...

I know, I know, "listeners" are the product, and "advertisers" are the customers - the station is merely a vehicle for connecting one with the other. But try telling the public that, and they break out torches and pitchforks...
 
While I'm not a big fan of commercial radio these days, I suspect Press Broadcasting's decision had as much to do with cutting expenses as with ratings. It's quite possible they might have tried to make G-Rock work for a while longer if the economy - and more importantly, the sales revenue - wasn't so bad these days.

I'm not defending their decision (and I certainly won't be listening), I'm also guessing that they may be losing less money with the satellite format. They were probably performing triage.

I think the best option for former listeners of 106.3 in Monmouth County is 90.5 The Night. My question now is, what happens to WHTG-AM? I doesn't sound like they're making money.

Steve
KC2LDY
 
I just think that alternative rock is a tough sell. Any rock to be truthful, have you seen WRXP's ratings lately? I think the CHR format is a good choice, it is mainstream. I don't like the satellite aspect of it but like someone said they can add local talent later. Press can't be that bad a company, they had the Radio Greats Weekend on the Breeze a few years ago!
 
Oh, I don't think Press is a bad company. I'm sure they're quite a bit better to work for than a number of other companies that own stations in New Jersey - and elsewhere. It's just too bad people had to be let go and I personally have no interest in the new format.

From what I have been able to glean, third- or fourth-hand, there will be live jocks added later. I am told part of the problem is the Monmouth part of the Monmouth-Ocean book uses the new PPM rating system while the Ocean part uses traditional diaries. Apparently the sales department simply felt they could no longer sell the Rock format after the last ratings period. They may be right - not because there weren't people listening to G-Rock, but because it wasn't catering to the "correct" narrow demos that the lazy, brain-dead agencies crave.
 
JerseyShor said:
Z100 barely covers 1/5 of the 106.3/5 coverage area. Most listeners in the 106.3/5 coverage area wouldn't even know Z100 exists.
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Z100 gets into Monmouth County and that's what matters in the top-heavy Mon-Ocean market. Z100 doesn't make it into Toms River, Manahawkin, or Tuckerton, yet it's still a top 10 12+ station for the entire market.
 
I really feel that there was no reason to change the format on 106.3. G-Rock was a good alternative station, I used to listen 38 miles away in Nutley, the signal was fair and if anything the shouldve used either 96.7, taken over the WQXR format since there is no reason to have the same exact station of a station you can recieve in that location very clearly or 104.7 which is a vacant frequency. 2 stations they couldve used for a top 40 station
 
From what I heard on another board regarding transmitters, taking one over to broadcast a different station thats not simulcasted was illegal, and that transmitters should only be used for simulcast purposes. I do agree about 96.7, there's no need for WQXR to have one when its heard clear on 96.3. If anything, now that The Buzz is Top 40, they can take W244AS and simulcast there. Not only Hit could've used 104.7, but 93.5 is another vacant frequency for Monmouth and Ocean, unless that's been used by now. But the real statement is that Monmouth County NEVER needed a Top 40 format since Z100 covers it pretty well. I can understand somewhat for 106.5 to flip, but there was no need to flip 106.3 as well.
 
hubcity said:
K-Tel said:
A license challenge because you don't like the format is rather silly.
Click to expand...

For instance, earlier this winter, there was a massive blackout in most of Monmouth County. It took me a while to find a station that was covering it, and the first one I found that mentioned it on air was NJ 101.5 (albeit with tongue firmly in cheek except for the newsbreaks.) Which we then sat there in the dark and listened to until the lights came on, so good on them. G-Rock at least spent some time discussing it the next morning - which is good, because the transformer blowout that triggered the blackout was damn near in their backyard. Now there's zero likelihood of even that level of public service and, if station owners think they can continue to get away with this kind of stewardship, it'll only get worse.
Click to expand...

The Point was live, local, and suspended normal programming to cover the blackout as it was happening.
 
LocalJock said:
hubcity said:
K-Tel said:
A license challenge because you don't like the format is rather silly.
Click to expand...

For instance, earlier this winter, there was a massive blackout in most of Monmouth County. It took me a while to find a station that was covering it, and the first one I found that mentioned it on air was NJ 101.5 (albeit with tongue firmly in cheek except for the newsbreaks.) Which we then sat there in the dark and listened to until the lights came on, so good on them. G-Rock at least spent some time discussing it the next morning - which is good, because the transformer blowout that triggered the blackout was damn near in their backyard. Now there's zero likelihood of even that level of public service and, if station owners think they can continue to get away with this kind of stewardship, it'll only get worse.
Click to expand...

The Point was live, local, and suspended normal programming to cover the blackout as it was happening.
Click to expand...

Know what? I shoulda thought of that. But it was dark...

-Sean
Altrok Radio
 
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