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Gainesville-Ocala Wish List...

So this is as good as it gets for signal strength into Ocala for WYKS (Kiss 1053) Gainesville?
 
vadar said:
So this is as good as it gets for signal strength into Ocala for WYKS (Kiss 1053) Gainesville?
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Doug's spent a substantial amount of money (like hundreds of thousands of dollars) getting every drop of RF into Marion County that he could. For now, nothing more can be done.
 
...short of buying or applying for a translator or other station in Ocala and I don't see that ever happening.

Doug is very happy where he is, I do believe. #1 in 2 key demos in Alachua County billing over a million a year in a building that is bought and paid for and cells on his 2 towers that probably more than help pay the bills.
 
ThatGuyOnTheRadio said:
...short of buying or applying for a translator or other station in Ocala and I don't see that ever happening.

Doug is very happy where he is, I do believe. #1 in 2 key demos in Alachua County billing over a million a year in a building that is bought and paid for and cells on his 2 towers that probably more than help pay the bills.
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... and he dodged a huge bullet when UF chose to take 103.7 Country instead of CHR. BTW, how is that going so far? Have the advertisers embraced the Gator?
 
ThatGuy - It's been about a month since the last time I have tuned in to hear WRUF-FM, so I have no idea what the status is over there in the J - School media center. Have you happened to listen long enough to know what kind of spot load WRUF-FM is running such as agency vs local retail ratio? The last time I tuned in I heard several agency ads that were holdovers from Rock 104, but very little local retail. It was virtually all agency buys.
 
ThatGuyOnTheRadio said:
HAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAA. So far, so bad. They are even asking people to choose their new logo. http://country1037.com/

Only saving grace this book will be Gator football.
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I've taken a look at the three logo options, and they are not bad. Asking the public to choose the new logo design has marketing and promotional merit because 1) it gives WRUF-FM management an idea of who is actually listening based on the number of responses received and the times said responses are sent in addition to the type logo that receives the most votes; and 2) psychologically it gives some members of the community a sense they have a real part in building The New Country 103.7 - The Gator, hence, once again, psychologically "cementing" WRUF-FM as "their" radio station.
 
Mark, spotload is mixed still a good deal of agency buys leftover from Rock104. As for "choosing" the logo. First, we don't know if they really plan on using the logo that ends up being picked. Second, I wonder how much people REALLY care about the logo. People come to the station for music, contests, etc. Not so much the logo. I understand what you're saying and perhaps what they are thinking-- but I think it's a futile attempt at being "in-touch" with their audience. Fact is, they launched a station too soon. Spent 3 weeks with no website, no stream and no F/T morning show.

Then a month after launch, the jock lineup changes again, website finally launches. 8 weeks after launch, they ask for peoples opinion on choosing a logo, saying yet again that they had no plan.

Think people haven't noticed? 8 weeks with a facebook, 250 fans. Pulse102/Raleigh, 6 weeks with a Facebook 2,500 fans. Big difference.

Look at the comments on UF's faceook about asking for help on the logo. Read the responses. Harsh, funny, but harsh.
 
103.7 got beaten 'heartily' by both WOGK and WTRS (best ratings ever for) 12 plus in new book. maybe they can reemerge as adult rock(adult alternative) after they get their ass kicked with cowboy boots another time or two.
 
radiobum, this was only September, October, November. RUF-FM flipped half-way through those 3 months. So this isn't a good indication of Country 103.7's failure or success.

Personally, I think it's going to do poorly and we will continue to see a slide in ratings, to only be helped in the fall (slightly) by Football.

Winter book will offer a better indication as to how things will play out for RUF-FM, OGK, TRS and HHZ with their recent addition of L&T.
 
Absolutely, That Guy. The next full ratings period under the new country format will give a much clearer indication of how well WRUF-FM is performing with listeners. I don't want to predict any results just yet as there are advantages as well as disadvantages with any format change on any radio station. I will say it is going to be a challenge overtaking WOGK for several reasons, but, same as with everyone esle, I will wait and see what actually happens.
 
ThatGuyOnTheRadio said:
radiobum, this was only September, October, November. RUF-FM flipped half-way through those 3 months. So this isn't a good indication of Country 103.7's failure or success.

Personally, I think it's going to do poorly and we will continue to see a slide in ratings, to only be helped in the fall (slightly) by Football.

Winter book will offer a better indication as to how things will play out for RUF-FM, OGK, TRS and HHZ with their recent addition of L&T.
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It may take a few books to really know what's happening. We may have to watch trends for 1 to 2 years before things stabilize.
 
Kmagrill said:
It may take a few books to really know what's happening. We may have to watch trends for 1 to 2 years before things stabilize.
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My guess is that Dean Wright will be able to keep the wolves at bay until next summer, at least--unless they've managed to somehow restructure the books and make 103.7's money situation look better than it is. Otherwise the financial heat could be severe--following the prior couple years of red ink.

Maybe they're finding ad sales easier already as the third or fourth Country option. What would that bring in Gainesville? $10 a spot? $5?

Somebody keep the AEs away from the razor blades...
 
ThatGuyOnTheRadio said:
...and by "Dean" you mean Randy, right?
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No, I mean Randy's boss, John Wright, Dean of the College of Journalism & Communications. John hired Randy, so presumably he's backing these brilliant moves of Randy's--at least until UF's higher-ups get a whiff of the P&Ls.

But it's hard to tell from the outside. Could be than Randy costs less than Dankner... that Brooks costs less than Harry... that the new sales manager has lit a fire under the account execs. Or maybe ditching Classical for news on the non-comm FM has opened-up an underwriting goldmine for the Division and now the Gator can drift for a couple of years as a low-income/low-expense tag-along.

Or maybe it will run roughshod over WOGK and the money will flow like Gatorade! But that seems unlikely, so I'm thinking that those operating statements are going to be a topic of some lively conversations this next year.
 
Given 24 hours to reflect on my posting immediately above, I was wrong. There isn't going to be any real heat concerning 103.7's financials any time soon. IIRC, they have historically spread salaries over the various entities within the College of Journ--as well as other shared costs--so no one is going to be doing any serious analysis of The Gator's performance in the near term. So, they'll have plenty of rope.

A couple of years down the road, maybe. But 2011 and probably most of 2012 will be a free ride. Non-profit accounting is a wonderful thing!
 
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