Gainesville's 100.5 The Buzz Dead Last in the Ratings

[Jeff2]

I guess that change from Alternative to Active Rock isn't working out real well. For a while the "Format" listing in their Wikipedia article was "Unlistenable Rock".

In fact, all of the Pamal stations, except WRZN, are down in the Spring 12+ ratings. They have spent big bucks on buildings, equipment and towers but have never conquered programming, promotions, and ratings. They brought in some new suits but maybe they just haven't had time to work their magic.

If I was running the place...

I would move Magic 101.3 (A) to 106.9 (C1)

I would change WDVH 980 to liberal talk

I would simulcast Country Legends on 101.7 and 101.3 giving it an FM signal coverage in Gainesville

I don't know what could be done with 100.5--they can't compete directly with Rock 104 and they tried and failed against Kiss. Maybe they could transition back to Alternative after all there are 60,000+ college students in town and they can't all be happy with Rock 104.

Of course, it's not my money I'm gambling with!

 

[Froggy]

I would simulcast Country Legends on 101.7 and 101.3 giving it an FM signal coverage in Gainesville

Nobody is going to make a dent against WOGK...In fact you could'nt pay me enough money to even try to go up against K-Country.

 

[vadar]

Another example of too much CRAP on the FM dial. 100.5 never did anything, why/how they got a license and thought they could compete is unknown. Gainesville/Ocala is a small market and doesn't need all the worthless clutter on the dial. These low power, cheesey FM's are a joke and will never compete with the Class C 100k powerhouses like 93.7, 98.5, 103.7, etc....

Look at their ratings book and you will see that there are least 6-8 stations out of Orlando and Jacksonville showing up.

 

[MN Maniac]

Nobody is going to make a dent against WOGK...In fact you could'nt pay me enough money to even try to go up against K-Country.

That's what everyone said about WTRS in the early 1990s. Then, along came Jim Robertson and Bill Kramer. The rest is history!

The eternal issue with Gainesville/Ocala will be the relatively large geographical separation of the two cities which comprise the market. Not to mention the demographic differences!

A bit of history for those who weren't around back in those days...previous to 1992, Gainesville was a separate market. Ocala was supplemental to the Orlando market. Gary Granger of Entercom/WKTK and John Rutledge of Dix/WMMZ (now WOGK) pushed Arbitron hard to create the combined market.

The new market parameters determined winners and losers largely based on the strength of their signals, rather than the caliber of their programming. Not surprisingly, WKTK and WMMZ-WOGK benefitted the most since they were both full Class C's which blanketed both Gainesville and Ocala. (This was before WKTK was downgraded to C1 in order to accomodate the 98.7 upgrade in Sarasota, but that's another issue entirely.) WRUF-FM also benefitted, although their signal is not quite as strong in Ocala, due to the transmitter location on the north side of Gainesville.

WTRS and WMFQ did "okay" with their 50kW from the Ocala side of the market. But the Class A's all suffered since they could now only cover half of the market. Remember 97X? This was the first casualty. Those 6kW from Micanopy could not cover Ocala effectively. (This was eventually sold, moved to 97.3 with 50kW, and became WSKY under Entercom.) WYKS survived (due to their strength in Gainesville), but was seriously hampered by the new market structure.

Since 1992, several new stations have emerged in the market. With the exception of WSKY and WNDD, none have become serious contenders. WSKY works because they have 50kW. WNDD-WNDN-WNDT works because they have three signals, the sum of which covers the entire market. But 99.5, 100.5, 100.9, 101.3 and 105.3 are all at a serious disadvantage because of their compromised signals.

 

[vadar]

Excellent summary. I think Granger and Rutledge were just greedy dudes who didn't quite have the sense or vision to see what has cluttered the air waves these days. What a shame that there isn't a GOOD CHR covering Ocala. Kiss 105.3 has a God awful signal and the programming? Well don't get me started there. The Urban 101.3 suffers the same fate. Isn't a joke that WIND-FM has to hog not one, two, but THREE frequencies to effectively cover the market. Can you imagine sitting in the epicenter of where all three signals converge and listening, I don't get it.

So again, the only players in this market are the Class C 100k's. It's a joke that all those Orlando and Jacksonville stations continue to show up with .0000000002 shares. Your assessement of the totally different demographics is an excellent point. College town vs hick/retirement town. Blue collar vs White collar, etc....

The only void I can see in this cheese market is Urban, Hot AC, Spanish and Jazz. Having 2 active rockers makes no sense, alternative is better served in Hogtown, not Slocala.

 

[tonydownes]

You guys are right on target 101.3 is the top biller with Pamal, move it to a better signal spanish is voided in the Gainesville-Ocala market rumor had it 100.3 in Orlando went up 150 percent in revenue doing the spanish format also lacking in market is a urban ac a proven seller in the Orlando area on 94.5.

 

[MN Maniac]

Problem is, none of Sunshine/Pamal's FMs cover the Ocala half of the market effectively.

Furthermore, none of them are able to move closer to Ocala since all 3 facilities are only one channel adjacent from Orlando stations.

 

[radiosanchez]

Interesting comments although I wonder whether or not Spanish would do well in the Gainesville portion of the market?? (besides college students, many of which are from Spanish-speaking countries, or from Miami, I was one of them, hi), Gainesville tends to be more English-speaking. Ocala has a larger Hispanic population and the showing of WRUM in the book can be explained I'm sure because of Marion County listeners....

Re: Magic 101.3, I wonder (and I have stated this before), if they shouldn't "split" that station in two?? A young targeted "Hip Hop" station, and an "Urban AC" with Joyner on AM drive, perhaps putting one on 101.3 and the other on the larger 106.9 signal??

I'm really surprised Pamal isn't doing more...Their GM, Ben Hill (apt name for Gainesville), is someone with alot of experience (having worked with CBS and WPGC in DC, among others), and being of the rare breed of General Managers who rose up the ranks from Programming, not Sales.

btw: anyone reading these posts up in the market now?? How is YKS sounding now that Banta has left the building?? Did they get rid of the ancient WCAU-FM Philly "Hitradio" TOH ID jingle?? I first heard it when I went up with my high school in 1990 and I drove through there in 2003 and they were still using it.

 

[PhDance]

... spanish is voided in the Gainesville-Ocala market

LOL- both at your terminology and of the concept. You mentioned you were a student but it sounds like you weren't been up here long enough to shed the South Florida culture. While technically it's the same state, as anyone in North Florida will tell you, you cannot apply Orlando or South Florida logic to this part of the state. I WISH there was more diversity up here, but there's certainly no market for a spanish anything yet. There's a reason they don't have any Florida Pollo Tropical north of Orlando.

 

[DJ Mo]

btw: anyone reading these posts up in the market now?? How is YKS sounding now that Banta has left the building?? Did they get rid of the ancient WCAU-FM Philly "Hitradio" TOH ID jingle?? I first heard it when I went up with my high school in 1990 and I drove through there in 2003 and they were still using it.

I chuckle at those old jingles. Yes, they still use it today... I only spin there on 3rd Sunday of every month on "The Perimeter" mixshow @ 8pm w/ Dave Fox. ;D

I remember 100.5 The Buzz had a similar show at the same time, maybe a bit more Industrial/Goth. Do they still have it? Their website is "Under Construction" now, so there's no info on it at the moment.

 

[MN Maniac]

Radiosanchez: When did Jeri leave WYKS? He had been there since...forever! I remember sending him tapes back when I was a baby DJ in the mid-1980s. He never hired me (because I sucked back then), but I always received a response. I can still see their old letterhead with the alligator through the "0" of the "105" logo.

Wasn't there a small Spanish FM just south of Ocala on 95.9? I believe this started as a pirate, but later became a legal LPFM (?) The signal was marginal in Ocala proper, but strong in the Belleview-Summerfield area.

 

[radiosanchez]

Radiosanchez: When did Jeri leave WYKS? He had been there since...forever!

I thought I read some time ago (maybe a year?? maybe less??) on All Access that Jeri had left YKS due to "philosophical differences". Struck me as odd because he'd worked with those same people forever, to have "philosophical differences" all of a sudden.

DJ Mo: Wow..The "Perimeter"....That show still runs?? Another name from days gone by.....They used to do that when I was up there ('94-'98)....I worked at '104, I think all the features we did at WRUF-FM at the time have long since been canned or changed.

 

[DJ Mo]

DJ Mo: Wow..The "Perimeter"....That show still runs?? Another name from days gone by.....They used to do that when I was up there ('94-'98)....I worked at '104, I think all the features we did at WRUF-FM at the time have long since been canned or changed.

Yep. "The Perimeter" is still on & running strong!

I remember I volunteered a summer to do Digital Imaging at Rock 104 when I was still attending UF. I think that was like 2002. I had a long break between two classes & I stayed on campus working on it. I'm glad I did it. Now I can make my own drops & such to add to my mixes.

 

[jmtillery]

The major problem with Pamal's programming in this market is a major fact that no one has acknowledged nor addressed.

Albany, New York based Pamal Broadcasting is owned and 100% controlled by James Morrell, a CPA by trade. His business philosophy is essentially "the bottom" line on the balance sheet, and nothing else matters. Gainesville-Ocala cluster general manager Ben Griffin's hands are tied, and he can only do what Morrell approves. And, if it cost money on the programming side, it WON'T be approved. Morrell is more concerned with Hard assets such as "brick and morter" real estate, broadcast equipment and anything else that is tangible. Since programming is an intangible product, in the eyes of Pamal and Morrell, it gets very little attention. In the eight years that Pamal has been in this market, they have gone through more GMs and VPs than I have fingers to count them.

On another note, Pamal acquired a lot of "junk" in the market. I had suggested to them years ago what I thought would make excellent formatic choices on the respective stations. For one, I agree that WDVH 980 should re-format as Talk, possibly Progressive Talk.

WRZN has impressive gains in the 55+ demographic, but its billing is less than disirable. WKZY had higher ratings as "Kozy" with its adults standards programming, but, like WRZN, had little billing. The flip to Lite Rock in 2001 was a joke as they were trying to compete with KTK with an inferior signal. Then it was 80s classic hits. Now 106.9 is attempting to take Kiss 105.3 with CHR. In my opinion the 106.9 signal is being wasted on music and instead should move to a progressive or hot talk format. Magic would probably do better on 100.5, and as one poster suggetsted, simulcast the 101.3 and 101.7 signals with country or some other format that will fill a void. That's where the real difference takes place is filling an actual void, establishing yourself with that format and sticking with it remaining consistent. This seems to be a lost art in today's radio environment. And, that is my humble opinion of the Pamal Broadcasting Ocala-Gainesville radio market today.

Okay, everyone. I'm finished with my rant for now.

Mark Tillery,
Ocala, Florida
[email protected]

 

[Jeff2]

I wonder when Pamal starts cutting staff in Gainesville. Morrell's two business areas are car dealerships and radio--a lethal combination in this economy. I never understood the business plan that deemed the purchase of the stations in Gainesville by Pamal a smart decision. Magic was the only successful one in the bunch and still is. The Buzz is up in the summer ratings. Country Legends is up too but with that demo I doubt they make any money but at least they are live and local eight hours a day.

The two Pamal stations in Pensacola are both full power FM's and did really well until one of the hurricanes messed up their facilities. I think both may now be back to full power and the country station is #1 in the last ratings.

By the way I saw Entercom stock was at 55 cents (CENTS) today. It has lost 98% of its value in a year. KTK wouldn't cut Storm Roberts to save the big bucks would they?

 

[jmtillery]

I never understood the business concept of Car-Dealership combined with radio. The two Pensacola stations do extremely well due to the fact that both signals are full class "C"s and cover the entire market. Pamal paid $43.9 million to acquire WXBM-FM 102.7 Milton-Pensacola and WMEZ-FM 94.1 Pensacola back in 2000. Clear Channel had sold those stations to James Morrell to comply with FCC duopoly rules since CC had a total of 7 FMs in that market and were forced to dispose of two stations.

Back to Gainesville. I believe much potential can be realized in a few of the Gainesville Pamal stations if corporate will start thinking "outside the box" and look at programming as an essential product they are selling. Like in his auto business, cars are the products sold. People will only but a car they like and can afford. Likewise, in radio the programming is the product, and listeners will only listen, especially the desired demographic, to what they like. Advertisers will only buy the desired demographic any specific station is attracting. And with so many radio voices on the air these days, competing for the same ad dollars, logic would dictate that one would provide a product that's "better" than the competition. Otherwise you are giving the listener no special reason to listen to station "B" over station "A".

As far as Entercom letting Storm Roberst go due to economics, it's possible. Gary Granger was terminated 10-years ago as VP/GM due to, what Joe Field stated, "sales were 'flat' on WKTK and WSKY".

Of course this is only my opinion based on 34-years experience in the broadcasting business as a programmer, account executive, general sales manger, general manager and station owner.

Mark Tillery,
Ocala, Florida