How does WBCN save itself?

[Brooklyndon]

WBCN has been dying a slow death since chenging formats from aor to alterniative in the early 90. The station has been, in a 12 year timespan, alternative, nu metal, hot talk, alternative, and album oriented rock. They "tweak" formats roughly every 2 years.

Now WBCN has a numbers crisis. O&A aren't working as planned and WBCN's constant changing has the new 20-somethings think WAAF is the heritage rock station and that WJMN is the only station playing thier music.

How will WBCN prevent itself from getting old and withering like its aging core?

 

[scooty430]

WBCN has been dying a slow death since chenging formats from aor to alterniative in the early 90. The station has been, in a 12 year timespan, alternative, nu metal, hot talk, alternative, and album oriented rock. They "tweak" formats roughly every 2 years.

Now WBCN has a numbers crisis. O&A aren't working as planned and WBCN's constant changing has the new 20-somethings think WAAF is the heritage rock station and that WJMN is the only station playing thier music.

How will WBCN prevent itself from getting old and withering like its aging core?

1) Change ZLX's format to something new and exciting. Change the call letters. Not sure what format, but whatever looks like it would get some new, younger listeners. Maybe a well-done JACK FM format, as the Mike signal probably doesn't hit everywhere. Or, make it a sports station with the Patriots, and maybe some good sports talk happening. Or, make it a completely new young rock station with a real edge that seems "out of the blue" to younger listeners. The way WHTT, Kiss 108, or WCOZ once burst onto the scene out of nowhere.

2) Bring back the "original" BCN, as the place where "classic rock was made classic." Bring back the lineup of Charles, Ken, Carter Alan, and maybe Bradley J at night. Make the playlist intelligent and broad, not just a boring jukebox as ZLX has become. Play some stuff that ZLX couldn't play - newer stuff that people might hear on all these AAA stations around town. In other words, it's like KFOG or WXRT, but with a more rock edge. Have a few excellent specialty programs at night or on Sunday to attract old fans and music geeks to once again respect the station. Transition everyone over from ZLX as smoothly as possible, with a big ceremonial "move back home."

3) Eliminate all non-music stuff from the station such as the Patriots and talk. This erodes your brand and makes people question the station's integrity as a music outlet.

This option may not attract young listeners, but at least it would get more mileage out of a heritage label.

The other option would be to ditch the call letters entirely and start from scratch. That's risky because blowing up the station is a total gamble. Or, go head to head with WAAF with a real focus on new rock, ditching all the talk and sports. Now that AAF has a good Boston signal, and respect among youth, that will be tough.

 

[Neggy]

why can't AAF be considered a heritage rock station?

for as long as I can remember they have been doing what they are doing, and thier signal made a pretty good trip into eastern MA. I remember listening to them in the late 70's, maybe earlier but those brain cells are toast.

They are more "heritage" than anyone else in the market IMHO

 

[scooty430]

why can't AAF be considered a heritage rock station?

for as long as I can remember they have been doing what they are doing, and thier signal made a pretty good trip into eastern MA. I remember listening to them in the late 70's, maybe earlier but those brain cells are toast.

They are more "heritage" than anyone else in the market IMHO

You're right to a degree. However, as someone who listened to AAF extensively in the 80s, I felt the station basically switched formats when they began playing all the nu-metal Limp Bizkit and Korn stuff. It was no longer "my" station in the 90s. I guess they are the "heritage active rock" station, so that gives them more authenticity than BCN by a long shot.

 

[Lucylu]

O&A aren't working as planned and

Is that true? Have they been given enough time to sink in?

Charles LaQuidara isn't walking through that door. Bringing back Ken and Carter and even Bradley J does nothing to stem the 'ageing' tide.

Here's a idea: keep O&A, move the Pats (when does that contract run out?) give the music a good shake up (as suggested above) and find out which rock Patrick crawled under and put him in the afternoon. Get a hot woman on mid-days and steal Kenny Young from ZLX for nights. The best of the older stuff while moving forward!

 

[Varulven]

Kenny Young is awful.

That being said, it might be time to do as Scooty says and send the Classic Rock over to WBCN.

Howard Stern and The Patriots brought in the cash, but altered the product. You don't go to buy Cheerios only to find Fruit Loops in the box.

Neggy, I posted the evidence that WAAF is a heritage station - only one individual with a pushy agenda keeps trying to re-write history.

The reason WBCN is eroding quickly is, as many have stated here, its failure to adhere to what it once was, keeping the format but changing with the times. Who ever said the audience that liked Parenteau's humor would accept being forced to listen to a very watered down version of Stern with Friday lesbian jokes? It didn't happen. The cutting of payroll to put weak jocks in mid-day, afternoon drive and evening would eventually cost the signal its dominating force in this marketplace. It would be nice for we, the audience, to be able to debate this without employees and ex-employees protesting too much, but as we've seen with the RKO threads, they can't take constructive criticism and send these observations to TAKE IT OUTSIDE or OFF THE AIR. A pity because we are finally discussing the problems and some possible solutions here.

 

[Lucylu]

Kenny Young is awful.

How so. Oh, I forgot: you're Joe. You don't need to back up your opinion. It's is what it is becasue you say it. Sorry. ;D

Howard Stern and The Patriots brought in the cash, but altered the product.

Have they made any money off the Pat's yet? Again, facts, not a guess. :

 

[Varulven]

Hey, it's my opinion...Kenny Young just doesn't have the sizzle...if you're dating him, look, i'm sorry, but the entire WZLX weekday crew has little or no personality. They should put the weekdays on Ipod or Mike Shuffle with maybe Carter doing his College of Classic Rock Knowledge. Carter's potentially a great M.D., too bad they don't let him use his skills. He's a terrible voice for radio and Chuck Nowlin is Sominex city. Thus it is the music that they need to provide ratings.

As far as The Patriots go, why do you think WBCN was billing so much? For Adam12? HA! C'mon, Lucy, you keep telling us you're a lot brighter than that. Look at how much they are billing now compared to The Pats on a run to the Superbowl. Do the math, take two Excedrin...we're sure you'll get back to us.

 

[radiodouble]

O&A aren't working as planned and

Is that true? Have they been given enough time to sink in?

Charles LaQuidara isn't walking through that door. Bringing back Ken and Carter and even Bradley J does nothing to stem the 'ageing' tide.

Here's a idea: keep O&A, move the Pats (when does that contract run out?) give the music a good shake up (as suggested above) and find out which rock Patrick crawled under and put him in the afternoon. Get a hot woman on mid-days and steal Kenny Young from ZLX for nights. The best of the older stuff while moving forward!

a hot woman on mid-days? what is this an effin' van halen video or a radio station?!

 

[Lucylu]

Again Joe, did you back it up with any fact? Maybe you are just old and in the way (as Jerry used to say, Garcia not Williams) and don't get Kenny Young. That's ok, don't feel bad. Loren and Wally are still there for you.

Is BCN's billing off-setting the cost involved with the Pat's. I don't know. You don't know, but it really doesn't seem like it is.

And yes, a hot woman on mid-day. It's radio, duffus. She doesn't have to look hot, just sound hot. I know you drink during the day. Haven't you ever noticed that most bars like to have a young, light haired woman with big 'teeth' behind the bar in the late moring/early afternoon. There is a reason, and once you figure it out; you too might be able to program a male dominated radio station.

Wow, very weak today boys. :

 

[Lucylu]

Lucy, you keep telling us you're a lot brighter than that.

When did I ever say that? Come on. Find the quote, you paper tiger. Obviously I'm not that bright, I'm bothering to talk with you aren't I?

 

[deadman]

Where does T&R fall into the 18-34 male and 24-54 male numbers?

 

[Lucylu]

"fall" is a good choice of words. ;D

 

[Neanderpaul]

Technically, WAAF is older than WBCN as far as Rock Stations go.

So, they do have "heritage" AND they have been more formatically consistent over the decades.

WBCN hurt themselves when the became reactive instead of proactive. It's a mistake almost every station makes when they feel outdated.

 

[Neggy]

I think NP hit the nail on the head

 

[Oldbones]

1) Change ZLX's format to something new and exciting. Change the call letters. Not sure what format, but whatever looks like it would get some new, younger listeners.

2) Bring back the "original" BCN, as the place where "classic rock was made classic." Bring back the lineup of Charles, Ken, Carter Alan, and maybe Bradley J at night. Make the playlist intelligent and broad, not just a boring jukebox as ZLX has become.

WZLX has been classic rock for 20+ years. They own the audience for that music...the only people who associate that music with WBCN are a few aging hippies and a bunch of radio geeks. Bringing back the "original" WBCN (whatever that means) would be cool if 1975 ever comes back...but it's not gonna, and that approach isn't gonna make WBCN a player again.

Maybe the best approach would be to blow it up and start new. Risky? Yep, but who in 1979 would ever have thought that 94.5 would be a rhythmic station?

 

[scooty430]

1) Change ZLX's format to something new and exciting. Change the call letters. Not sure what format, but whatever looks like it would get some new, younger listeners.

2) Bring back the "original" BCN, as the place where "classic rock was made classic." Bring back the lineup of Charles, Ken, Carter Alan, and maybe Bradley J at night. Make the playlist intelligent and broad, not just a boring jukebox as ZLX has become.

WZLX has been classic rock for 20+ years. They own the audience for that music...the only people who associate that music with WBCN are a few aging hippies and a bunch of radio geeks. Bringing back the "original" WBCN (whatever that means) would be cool if 1975 ever comes back...but it's not gonna, and that approach isn't gonna make WBCN a player again.

Maybe the best approach would be to blow it up and start new. Risky? Yep, but who in 1979 would ever have thought that 94.5 would be a rhythmic station?

For those under 30, yes, they have no concept of WBCN as "THE" rock station of Boston. They also aren't going to care about classic rock anyway. But all of ZLX's listeners remember, I reckon. I'm 38 and I spent probably 15 years listening to BCN in the glory days. My brother still lives in Boston. He's in sales, wears a suit everyday, is four years younger than me, and whenever I visit, still talks about how BCN blew it. He ain't no radio geek or hippie, for sure.

I don't know if moving ZLX over is the best idea, but there aren't a lot of good ideas that aren't pretty radical. A "move" would generate a lot of publicity, that's for sure! There'd be all these sentimental people perhaps checking it out, and if it were done in a fresh way, maybe the people bored of ZLX's tight playlist would come back to classic rock from everywhere they've gone (NPR, River, Mike, sports, etc.) The ZLX listeners would all be retained, so that helps.

I guess the best idea IS to blow up the station, or at least the format. But then you'll still get the negative press reaction at the calls or the "rock" being taken away. The bigger question is: what do you put on this new station?

You know, I'm glad I don't have to make these decisions for a living!

 

[scooty430]

Technically, WAAF is older than WBCN as far as Rock Stations go.

So, they do have "heritage" AND they have been more formatically consistent over the decades.

WBCN hurt themselves when the became reactive instead of proactive. It's a mistake almost every station makes when they feel outdated.

I thought WBCN started in 1968 and WAAF in 1969, at least as rock outlets. I'd also throw out that WAAF was for a long time considered more of a Worcester station, with a signal that became fairly hard to hear around Route 128.

Make no mistake, BCN dropped the ball. But they were THE rock station of Boston throughout the 80s and into the 90s. AAF was the also-ran for a long, long time.

 

[Smoke]

Isn't WZLX basically WBCN circa 1987 anyway?

"The right call letters" do not a good format make.

 

[phillycheesesteak941]

O & A getting beat by the Hillman
« on: Today at 02:43:49 am »
Quote Modify
I find it funny that the big bad opie and anthony show is getting beat bad by the hillman morning show on waaf. of course o and a won't mention this because they like to tell everyone that they are bigger and better than howard stern. too bad they are getting killled in boston, their 'big' market. they won't mention this on the air, even though they are the "most honest show on the radio." donald trump was right, these two slobs are losers. look at the numbers:


Opie & Anthony vs. WAAF's Hill-Man

Boston Morning Drive Total Persons 12+ :

The Hill-Man Morning Show is Top 10 with a 3.4 share
Opie & Anthony are down to a 2.6 share

Boston Morn Drive Men 25-54:

WAAF is #2 beating O&A who are #4

Boston Morning Drive Men 18-49:

WAAF is # 3 beating O & A again

Boston Morning Drive Persons 18-34:

WAAF is #3 with a 9.6 share beating O & A again who are way behind with a 5.6 share

Boston Morning Drive ADULTS 25-54:

WAAF is ranked Top 5 in the market! (O&A are down at #9)