XCountry285 said:
I am going to grade New York Stations
Straight from the Seattle/Tacoma forum.... a station grading thread!
Boy, well... here's my two cents... (only doing stations I listen to, since it wouldn't be fair to others) To make it known... I'm a 20 year old male living in Northern Westchester with a family of Guyanese descent. (Just so my demo would be known)
92.3 - I like O&A.. I think they're funny, topical and a good listen. Of course, they're nothing like they used to be, but times change along with FCC regulations
Hell, even my mom likes O&A when I drive her to work in the mornings... and shes 50.
As for the music, THAT is where work needs to be done. I have friends that listened to K-ROCK before the FREE FM experiment and they say it's gone back to the way it used to be... with slightly different music. I didn't listen to K-ROCK in 2005, so I can't agree. What I HAVE noticed is that the music is getting too repetitive and it's the same artists over and over (Linkin Park, RHCP, etc... not that I don't like them). There needs to be more variety and drop off of the 90s stuff a little bit more and lean more current. THINK K-ROCK2! I also like the jocks... Schwenker (sp?) is damn good... I like him. KROCK gets a
B+.
95.5 - Sounds like JACK except without... JACK... and much less music. I don't give PLJ much listening time, but whenever I switch over I hear songs that JACK used to play... then the horrid DJ pops on and I dump out to another station. I think changes are needed at PLJ soon... yes, billing may be good and they may hold the soccer mom demo from NJ... but please... Citadel, TAKE NOTICE. PLJ gets a
D.
100.3 - The #1 station in NYC! I used to be a hardcore Z100 listener in 2004 and early 05 (JACK's debut changed that for me) and the only gripe I had at the time was repetition. But hey, its a CHR so it's expected... I think Z100 is doing a fine job. My tastes have changed enormously since I listened to them regularly (again, thanks to JACK and FREE FM)... but the Morning Zoo sounds good and I have no overall complaints about the station... other than it's owned by Clear Channel
Z100 gets an
A.
101.1 - What's there to say about this one... I'm a fan of JACK... but I've come to absolutely love the new CBS-FM. I listened to the first run of CBS-FM from 03 til the JACK switchover and I always thought it was too old and boring. After Mr. JACK came along, and expanded my music tastes... I can't stop listening to CBS-FM 2.0. I listen in my car, at work and so on. Bob Shannon, Broadway Bill, Pat St. John.... they are amazing. I love the music mix as well, adding the 80's in was just what the doctor ordered. Overall, the station sounds great and even as a JACK FM fan... I love it. The new CBS-FM sounds like a slightly older version of JACK FM with personality... and that's ok with me. CBS-FM gets an
A+.
102.7 - The newcomer that's been kicking up dust... Fresh. I've listened to Fresh since it's debut (I used to listen to Mix 102.7 also) and I've got no problems with Fresh... sometimes the songs can get a little TOO soft, but I like the overall sound of the station. The jocks pretty much stay out of the way and don't really intrude, which is something I like. I think if JACK FM was to have jocks, this is the way it should have been done. No yak-yak DJs. Fresh is a good listen when K-ROCK gets too repetitive and when CBS-FM plays something too old for me... Fresh gets a
B.
103.5 - Nothing like it used to be. Sure, every so often they'll play a song you can dance to... but this station is sadly no "Beat of New York". Especially with the Whoopster in the mornings. First up, DROP WHOOPI... she's a joke on radio. She's fine on The View (not that I watch) but radio is no place for her. Secondly, fix the music. Mix 102.7 left the dial almost 10 months ago and they're still stuck in the same mindset as then. Drop in some more DANCE, move Hollywood and Goumba to mornings... what KTU is basically doing now... is to be a MOViN station... without the MOViN branding. Drop it already... that format isn't doing too well across the country and a clone of it isn't working here. FIX IT, Clear Channel. KTU gets a
C.
104.3 - Hello, Gramps. Don't get me wrong but the Q sounds old... I love my classic rock but come ON... I have nothing against the station at all except the fact it sounds old. The music matches the station and so do the personalities... it just sounds old to me. To each is own, I know.... good station, though. Q104.3 gets a
B+
106.7 - What are you doing? WHAT THE HELL? See? This is what happens when you tinker too much. You shift your music mix too new, you drop the LITE FM moniker and you toss out some well-liked and respected personalities...and who's THAT DOING NIGHTS? DELILAH? SYNDICATED? :'( :'( Now look at you, no longer number one. You deserve it.
Seems like they're trying to bring back the LITE FM moniker, but I think the damage has been done. The only saving grace for them is the upcoming holiday music rush which will give them a spike up and might put them back to #1 for a trend or two... but I think the last cow has left the barn... there's no need to even shut that door. I don't know what could be done to save them, that's something that should be discussed. I'm dissapointed that they let Fresh affect them so much... but they made their bed, now they have to lay in it. Sorry, 106.7. NY's 106.7 gets a
C-.
Just my two cents.
