Harbor is a format, not a stunt

[thirdendorsed]

I didn't listen until this past week. Observations:

1. The music is well researched. The "we play everything" mantra for the Jack emulators doesn't mean "we play everything." It means "we play everything that won't make you punch away."

2. It is to be assumed that research has intensified beyond what Entercom delivered and the station has the potential to be more precisely targeted to profitable demos.

3. The presentation suggests permanence.

4. I'm still laughing at the hopeful postings that mike was "going to add talent" Never happened.

5. The price for the station, essentially a stick price, was low enough so that the capital costs of the format that's on air are minimized.

6. Does it not make executives look brilliant by bring in a proven profitable format at low cost with easily amortized capital costs?

7. Isn't radio all about making executive look good for present time decisions irrespective of long term impact.

8. Isn't Harbor perfectly positioned for cume-building, sponsor-blowing contests>?

Sorry. The amateur programmers are clueless on this one. Cap Cities is not stupid and is on a track that is proven to provide bundles of cash at little overhead..

And yes, I cringe when talent is tossed in favor of national formats, and I really don't like what's happening, but the facts seem to indicate this format will a) sustain itself and b) run with an absence of local talent.

 

[raccoonradio]

You mean Clear Channel...

Music for people of a certain taste, well known tunes of a certain genre. You're right on #1.
Low cost to buy, low cost to run. Signal not the best but hey I was trying it on the Mass Pike
yesterday and it reached fairly far considering the power. Of course as before, in Peabody/Danvers etc it was a little shaky and it's kind of ironic they should have problems in Peabody, only one town away from their COL. But hey the stick's in Boston.

It should last despite our criticism of it. Like the old saying says, "The voters have spoken...
damn them..." And the usual WKRP clips
"Young man this radio station is a business..."
"Why do you think there are so many rock and roll stations...rock and roll is where the money is."

 

[uncamark]

Of course, most of the complaints about the Harbor are because it replaced a niche format station with a loyal, if small audience. If the Harbor had replaced a pro forma AC or classic rock format that was stinking in the ratings, there would hardly be any of the complaints about it (unless, of course, the classic rock format was a deep cut classic rock, which would make it niche). And any time an active or modern rock format gets changed, these boards get angry about it (witness the Merlin attempts at all-news in NY and Chicago). The only mass appeal format that seems to engender that kind of loyalty around here are the oldies stations (or the "Classic Hits" stations that used to be oldies stations) like WODS. But it's usually the niche formats--and the vitriol on the Harbor would probably only be matched if the station had flipped to a Spanish-language format.

 

[iyiyi]

Of course, most of the complaints about the Harbor are because it replaced a niche format station with a loyal, if small audience. If the Harbor had replaced a pro forma AC or classic rock format that was stinking in the ratings, there would hardly be any of the complaints about it (unless, of course, the classic rock format was a deep cut classic rock, which would make it niche). And any time an active or modern rock format gets changed, these boards get angry about it (witness the Merlin attempts at all-news in NY and Chicago). The only mass appeal format that seems to engender that kind of loyalty around here are the oldies stations (or the "Classic Hits" stations that used to be oldies stations) like WODS. But it's usually the niche formats--and the vitriol on the Harbor would probably only be matched if the station had flipped to a Spanish-language format.

Yep. Merlin really showed us how to field a couple of major market radio stations; all right. I wonder what happened to those "niche" formats in NYC and Chicago that they blew up for that stunning news venture?

Let us wait and see how long the Harbor takes to reach and sustain the 1.3 (0.8 OTA + 0.5 internet stream) ratings that 101.7 maintained with WFNX.

The Harbor is a stunt. CC is too smart to squander their $14.5 million investment on a lark. Boston already HAS a harbor. I doubt that too many Books will pass before CC realizes the City doesn't need another stinker.

-

 

[uncamark]

Of course, most of the complaints about the Harbor are because it replaced a niche format station with a loyal, if small audience. If the Harbor had replaced a pro forma AC or classic rock format that was stinking in the ratings, there would hardly be any of the complaints about it (unless, of course, the classic rock format was a deep cut classic rock, which would make it niche). And any time an active or modern rock format gets changed, these boards get angry about it (witness the Merlin attempts at all-news in NY and Chicago). The only mass appeal format that seems to engender that kind of loyalty around here are the oldies stations (or the "Classic Hits" stations that used to be oldies stations) like WODS. But it's usually the niche formats--and the vitriol on the Harbor would probably only be matched if the station had flipped to a Spanish-language format.

Yep. Merlin really showed us how to field a couple of major market radio stations; all right. I wonder what happened to those "niche" formats in NYC and Chicago that they blew up for that stunning news venture?

Let us wait and see how long the Harbor takes to reach and sustain the 1.3 (0.8 OTA + 0.5 internet stream) ratings that 101.7 maintained with WFNX.

The Harbor is a stunt. CC is too smart to squander their $14.5 million investment on a lark. Boston already HAS a harbor. I doubt that too many Books will pass before CC realizes the City doesn't need another stinker.

Since when is a 0.8 12+ rating for a station whose format that does not appeal to the 25-49 female audience advertisers want considered a success?

And what makes you think that anything that calls itself "alternative" is a mainstream radio format? Isn't that an oxymoron? And aren't WMBR and WZBC the REAL alternative radio stations because they're non-commercial?

 

[iyiyi]

Of course, most of the complaints about the Harbor are because it replaced a niche format station with a loyal, if small audience. If the Harbor had replaced a pro forma AC or classic rock format that was stinking in the ratings, there would hardly be any of the complaints about it (unless, of course, the classic rock format was a deep cut classic rock, which would make it niche). And any time an active or modern rock format gets changed, these boards get angry about it (witness the Merlin attempts at all-news in NY and Chicago). The only mass appeal format that seems to engender that kind of loyalty around here are the oldies stations (or the "Classic Hits" stations that used to be oldies stations) like WODS. But it's usually the niche formats--and the vitriol on the Harbor would probably only be matched if the station had flipped to a Spanish-language format.

Yep. Merlin really showed us how to field a couple of major market radio stations; all right. I wonder what happened to those "niche" formats in NYC and Chicago that they blew up for that stunning news venture?

Let us wait and see how long the Harbor takes to reach and sustain the 1.3 (0.8 OTA + 0.5 internet stream) ratings that 101.7 maintained with WFNX.

The Harbor is a stunt. CC is too smart to squander their $14.5 million investment on a lark. Boston already HAS a harbor. I doubt that too many Books will pass before CC realizes the City doesn't need another stinker.

Since when is a 0.8 12+ rating for a station whose format that does not appeal to the 25-49 female audience advertisers want considered a success?

And what makes you think that anything that calls itself "alternative" is a mainstream radio format? Isn't that an oxymoron? And aren't WMBR and WZBC the REAL alternative radio stations because they're non-commercial?

I guess we'll just wait and see what "The Book" has to say.

FWIW, WMBR and WZBC are block programmed "peanut whistles".

-

 

[CTListener]

Of course, most of the complaints about the Harbor are because it replaced a niche format station with a loyal, if small audience. If the Harbor had replaced a pro forma AC or classic rock format that was stinking in the ratings, there would hardly be any of the complaints about it (unless, of course, the classic rock format was a deep cut classic rock, which would make it niche). And any time an active or modern rock format gets changed, these boards get angry about it (witness the Merlin attempts at all-news in NY and Chicago). The only mass appeal format that seems to engender that kind of loyalty around here are the oldies stations (or the "Classic Hits" stations that used to be oldies stations) like WODS. But it's usually the niche formats--and the vitriol on the Harbor would probably only be matched if the station had flipped to a Spanish-language format.

Yep. Merlin really showed us how to field a couple of major market radio stations; all right. I wonder what happened to those "niche" formats in NYC and Chicago that they blew up for that stunning news venture?

The female-skewing news format was a New Coke-caliber miscalculation. Merlin thought women 25-44 would flock to a light news format, probably because some consultant told them so. They didn't, sticking with CHR and AC, and Merlin wisely cut its losses and put music back on the frequencies. I don't expect alternative to be anything close to a permanent format for the NY station. Merlin had the library and the contacts to bring in new music, so there was no problem bringing it back as an emergency replacement. I would expect that research on a new, more mainstream, music format with a track record of attracting the demos advertisers drool over is ongoing.

 

[iyiyi]

Of course, most of the complaints about the Harbor are because it replaced a niche format station with a loyal, if small audience. If the Harbor had replaced a pro forma AC or classic rock format that was stinking in the ratings, there would hardly be any of the complaints about it (unless, of course, the classic rock format was a deep cut classic rock, which would make it niche). And any time an active or modern rock format gets changed, these boards get angry about it (witness the Merlin attempts at all-news in NY and Chicago). The only mass appeal format that seems to engender that kind of loyalty around here are the oldies stations (or the "Classic Hits" stations that used to be oldies stations) like WODS. But it's usually the niche formats--and the vitriol on the Harbor would probably only be matched if the station had flipped to a Spanish-language format.

Yep. Merlin really showed us how to field a couple of major market radio stations; all right. I wonder what happened to those "niche" formats in NYC and Chicago that they blew up for that stunning news venture?

The female-skewing news format was a New Coke-caliber miscalculation. Merlin thought women 25-44 would flock to a light news format, probably because some consultant told them so. They didn't, sticking with CHR and AC, and Merlin wisely cut its losses and put music back on the frequencies. I don't expect alternative to be anything close to a permanent format for the NY station. Merlin had the library and the contacts to bring in new music, so there was no problem bringing it back as an emergency replacement. I would expect that research on a new, more mainstream, music format with a track record of attracting the demos advertisers drool over is ongoing.

WRXP slowly and steadily increased their ratings and sported a 2.6 in it's last book, and was cracking 3s in the suburbs. WRXP also CONSISTENTLY billed among the top 25 billers in the United States.

So... What EXACTLY is YOUR problem here?

-

 

[reelyreal]

Yikes, taking the message boards a little seriously....

Formats aren't place-holders. Stations don't just put something on until they think of something better. This isn't "The Format Of The Month Club" like 101.9 was in the 70's and 80's.

I can't think of any examples of a format running for 6 months to a year until something new comes up... at least nothing that's happened in the past 15 years.

 

[CTListener]

Yikes, taking the message boards a little seriously....

Formats aren't place-holders. Stations don't just put something on until they think of something better. This isn't "The Format Of The Month Club" like 101.9 was in the 70's and 80's.

I can't think of any examples of a format running for 6 months to a year until something new comes up... at least nothing that's happened in the past 15 years.

Well, the all-news FM formats in NYC and Chicago did just that.

 

[reelyreal]

Yikes, taking the message boards a little seriously....

Formats aren't place-holders. Stations don't just put something on until they think of something better. This isn't "The Format Of The Month Club" like 101.9 was in the 70's and 80's.

I can't think of any examples of a format running for 6 months to a year until something new comes up... at least nothing that's happened in the past 15 years.

Well, the all-news FM formats in NYC and Chicago did just that.

Yeah but they weren't "place holder" formats, that was a legit shot and a colossal failure. I mean, they gave it a solid year. I should re-phrase what I meant... I can't think of any examples where formats were on for less than a year by design.

The Merlin mess, I hope, was not by design.