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Here comes the next HBG/York/Lancaster format change...

H

hbgradioguy

Guest
It's a matter of weeks, maybe days until Warm 103 is toast. Heard this from many people in the market including a guy who interviewed for the PD gig. Mark my words it's coming.
 
country???? Toppin GTY is going to be a tough act to do. Why wouldn't they go ROCK ?? with only the X and TPA in this area with rock formats they could make a dent in that kinda market in being right there in york they could take away ads and spots from the X right away. but I guess cummulus really doesn't have a country format in this area.

I just think they could go far with a active/modern rock format! but agian that is just me.
 
worldsfair said:
I just think they could go far with a active/modern rock format! but agian that is just me.

Since I'm in Lancaster and if The X is playing AC/DC or Aerosmith, I flip to a station in Philadelphia at 104.5 called "Radio 1045". This would be an awesome format for Central PA because its already saturated with country, CHR, Hip Hop, moldy oldies, elevator light rock and classic rock. I'm with you on the active/modern rock format. Just moved back to this area from living in Pittsburgh, and I must say I'm disappointed in the difference between Pittsburgh 105.9 The X and 105.7 The X. Heck, bring back Starview.
 
I couldn't agree with you more STEEL!

A active rock or modern rock format is what warm should become and they can directly take on the X in that market. It would be much easier to top that kinda station then for warm to flip to country and try to take out GTY. Plus it would be nice to have another rock format in this area because we only have basically 2 choices now. We have enough country music up and down the dial.

I think the philly station idea is good but I think they should move towards a "channel 104.3" like they have down in baltimore. they play active rock like you hear on the X and classic rock like TPA and mixed in is diff modern rock bands that NO ONE plays around here.

Agian cummlus is going to do what they want with the station. they don't really have a strong country station in this area and with TPA's signal most likely the lines would cross. I just want someone to listen to me and flip it to rock because that mountain is MUCH easier to tame then trying to take on GTY as a upstart.
 
Here's another thought....

They take WARM country and slide WSOX into A/C.
Sox is "light" as Classic Hits go.

You leave the A/C arena to the Rose? All of a sudden, they're pulling double digit #s and become Top 2-3 every book in York. They already have WARM beaten in Lancaster. Sox is already doing very well in Lancaster.

A Rock station is an interesting idea however.
 
Seltzer.... that is a great idea I didn't even think up.... SOX is "light" on the classic hits if they add more to the format they might be able to hang with the warm listeners that are going to move when the format flip happens.

I would add some 90's in with there format along with what they got to "freshen" up WSOX. and yeah warm country is alright and a good idea for the people of york/adams/lancaster but like I posted on earlier topping GTY in that market is tough. I believe if they want rating and be number one in york ROCK is the way to go because of the number of choices that we have....ONLY 2!

Just a idea but im glad im finding fan's of the idea.... maybe WARM should listen up and flip to "channel 103- ROCK"
 
Why country? How about that 12-something that gave GTY a 5 share lead over the #2 station? What it will take to succeed is a GREAT morning show and some marketing. I'd dearly love to be the one to do it, but I'm a little busy trying to build one of my own...and Bobby D is perfectly capable of pulling it off.
 
The double digit shares and 5 point lead is one reason why York could use another country station.

But I'll play along-----

1. Morning Show-----Does Kelly get booted to the side of the road? Highly doubt it.

2. Marketing-----Highly doubt with the layoffs that have occurred that Cumulus is going to give money for what needs to be done. This is a nationwide issue with this company.
 
I’m one of the chorus who thinks there’s too much Country in this area but I can see why WGTY would be a tempting target, based on those double-digit numbers. Is GTY that vulnerable, though, and would the expense be worth the effort? GTY owns Adams County and Hanover. Always has and always will. The target would have to be York County, which is incredibly fragmented. On the I-83 corridor, people living above Newberrytown consider themselves Harrisburg area residents and probably work and do their shopping there, and listen to BOB or Red. Ditto Dillsburg and above on Rt. 15. From Glen Rock on south on 83 a large population relates more to Baltimore than York, though WPOC’s numbers aren’t particularly significant. That leaves the Rt. 30 corridor from West York to Wrightsville: York City (good luck getting Country fans there) and the immediate suburbs and small towns. Those people could be prime for a Country station that is visible and promotes aggressively, and doesn’t have to worry about alienating its hometown listeners by being too York-centric. But is there dissatisfaction with GTY in the York area, or enough to justify another Country station? Country listeners are loyal. It took GTY years to beat Z-107, and Z pretty much handed it to them on a silver platter. It would be an uphill, expensive battle – more so on the end of the new station - and you might only just split the difference. Of course, if that’s all you want to do, then go for it. But not too many companies have that kind of promotional money available any more.

All that said, however, it would be refreshing to see someone do something to shake up the York market, and the battle could be an interesting one.

Rock? Sorry, but if you’re citing 104.3 in Baltimore as a good example, check their numbers. They’re dismal. And 18-34 men isn’t a demo ad agencies are clamoring to buy. Remember, radio is still a business. Another split-the-difference scenario.

A better bet would be for someone in York to go CHR. There’s no CHR in York and out-of-town WLAN is pulling a 4 share from somewhere.

Just my $.02.
 
Over the last 5 years or so everytime the question of changing WARM came up, internally country was always the format of choice.
The thought always was "that's where the advertising dollars are".

But then perception and reality aren't always in sync.
Time will tell.

Personally, I felt long ago that it was time to blow up the WARM 103 format.
 
huge opportunity with country. when the cat gave up it's 9th life...a huge void was left...great personalities...great music rotation...imaging etc...i always thought is was the best central pa product. i vote brad flick for the morning guy on boot scootin 103.3 fm where..fm..means flick mornings.
 
I am using them as a example (channel 104.3) as what kinda diff rock format you could bring to this area. people are just SO tired of led zepplin, ac/dc, metallica. SO I was just using them as a example of the format that you can create that would be new for some rock listeners in this area that just the same bands pounded into there radio day in and day out. so JOHN-SUMMERS that's where im going with that idea.

I still believe that there is TOO MUCH country on the radio and to take on GTY is just going to take some time and they better be ready to low listenership for some time before positive numbers could outta this format move. But bobby D would be the guy for a move to country being that he has some background on it.

Agian this are just some of my ideas about the subject... they will do what they want. and to think that CHR is a new idea to the table is terrible. that for sure isn't what they should do.
 
I concur with Todd Mayor.
Huge opportunity with country for 103.3. With Cumulus resources
and their experience with Country in numerous other markets
including (WSM-FM) Nashville, It wouldnt take them long to make
an impact. Country is a great format for prime (25-54 ) demos.
The current economy is no time to gamble with an unproven
format of any kind. Country has always done well in Central PA,
and has always been a catalyst to build sales.
There is some outstanding talent at Cumulus York and I know whatever they
do it will be done well. By the way Congrats to Jim Horn and the folks at WSBA
for a solid spring book.

Just my thoughts
Tim Michaels
 
I'll weigh in as being in agreement with John Summers in his very thoughtful and thorough argument. While WARM could pull an immediate 5-6 share as a Country station if they do it well with a good morning show, they simply aren't going to dislodge GTY in their "home turf" of Adams County and the Hanover area. (their tower is next to WYCR's on the mountain overlooking Hanover so their signal is strongest there). Whatever your opinion of WGTY, we can all pretty much agree they do an excellent job with local news and community involvement. That will make them exceedingly hard to beat in their local area. Their 25-year track record with the format helps, too. I predict if WARM goes Country, we end up with two 6-share stations instead of one 12-share station, a whole lot of effort for little if any gain.

A strategy for WARM? In addition to the CHR and Modern Rock suggestions already offered, let me throw one more into the pot. One most radio people can't get very excited about. How about a return to what WARM was extremely successful with for many years...a truly SOFT female-oriented gold-based AC? My wife and I were traveling through the Lewistown area over the weekend and landed on WIEZ, AM 670. They were playing an "Easygoing Favorites" format that featured artists like Neil Diamond, Air Supply, Lionel Ritchie, Bread and Melissa Manchester. Mostly 70's and 80's stuff with nothing that even remotely resembled rock. Not my cup of tea, but she was just loving it! "Why don't we have a station like this in our area" was her question. She'd listen all day! And she's 47, a prime sales demo. Such a station would be a market-exclusive and have a big in-office listening potential in addition to the female appeal.

Not only do we have tons of Country (and Classic Country!) stations, but we are literally choking on Classic Hits, Rock AC, and Classic Rock. How many times can you listen to "Say You Love Me" by Fleetwood Mac??
The Soft Favorites idea would be truly different.....
 
I don't know...I'm one of the chorus of voices who think that the market is over-saturated with country music radio stations. Between WIOV, WRBT, WGTY, WCAT, WFRE, WIOO, I think there's enough fiddles and steel guitars to go around. I get it that they're all in different markets, but it's not as though the cities are so far-spread that my argument is totally meaningless to your average listener. When your radio stops scanning at 94.9, 99.9, 102.3, and 105.1 with essentially the same sound, what would possibly stand out at 103.3?

Here's an idea, partially fueled by bourbon...

What if it was truly a mix, geared directly at females? What if we heard a Keith Urban's ballad, followed by a catchy Bob Marley tune, then a touch of Van Morrison, a splash of Aerosmith, a skosh of Jay-Z, a little Fergie for flavor, then toss it back to the top of the pattern with some Carrie Underwood??

I think we've come full circle in our thinking of music programming, from "incredibly varied" to "unrelentingly sub-divided", back to an attractive mix? How cool would it be if we heard "WARM 103...We Play Everything."
 
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