amfmxm said:
Mark, you're being awfully charitable toward a strategy that the rest of the world seems to rate somewhere between stupid and foolhardy. Are you, by any chance, consulting them at this point? Nothing wrong with that--ya gotta make a living...
But putting that aside, why would any organization with any understanding of radio consciously choose to do what they've done? It's not like WOGK and WTRS (or even WDVH) are going to disappear. So even if 103.7 does emerge as Gainesville's Country Leader in a decade or two, they'll still be splitting that share of the radio advertising pie--say, 20 percent altogether--allocated to Country. And in the meantime they'll be leaving literally millions (tens of millions) on the table that would have been all theirs in any of several other formats.
Why?
I am not consulting The University of Florida nor any of the UF media properties, including WRUF-FM. I am, however, attempting to be fair and open minded towards the current business plan.
As stated in earlier posts, including the one you commented herein, I had stated that it is possible WRUF-FM may in time perform well in Gainesville and North Florida with its current format. To me, speaking as a consultant and former GM and station owner, I would give any new format at least a year, making any necessary adjustments along the way to improve the station. If after 12-months I saw no real growth or signs that I was on the correct path, at that point I would begin to look into other viable options.
I did not say WRUF-FM will become the number one MSA station, nor did I say it will make a major impact in the overall MSA, namely Ocala and South Marion County due to several factors, including signal issues in the Southern portion of the MSA and TSA in addition to competition from two well established big FM signal Ocala stations in the same format. However, as with any new station, it takes time to become known and accepted before it makes any kind of a meaningful impact in the market it is serving. If the focus remains on Gainesville and North Florida, and it is determined that Gainesville is a country music market, then WRUF-FM is in a very good position to take advantage of that opportunity.
If it is, instead, determined that Gainesville is a non-country market, I would think at that point WRUF-FM management will realize the position it is in, cut its losses and make the necessary adjustments or formattic and marketing changes to reflect what the desired target listening audience and advertisers will support. The main elements to look for, including but are not limited to, are 1) desired market; 2) available advertising dollars in said desired target market; 3) desired target demographic; 4) competition; 5) signal / coverage (can the station in question cover the desired target market with as good or better signal than the competition); and, 6) other NTR sources that will enhance and compliment the planned new station. Each of these elements should be carefully thought out before any station adjustments or major changes are considered.
Lastly, per your suggestion, although I am not currently affiliated directly or indirectly with any UF media properties, should at any time UF express an interest in utilizing my consulting services for any of its media properties, I will be very happy to discuss those options with UF at that time.