How much longer will WXRP stay AAA? What is the next format on 101.9FM

[neo11]

They could always move HOT 97 up the dial and put back country where it always belonged....97.1. They might even consider bringing back the WYNY call letters. How about taking on Lite FM and bringing back the "middle of the road" WYNY?

Come on....that station is long gone. The fact that there was a WYNY on 97.1 20+ years ago isn't going to resonate with audiences today. A format doesn't "belong" on any specific frequency. What difference does it make if, say, country is on 97.1 or 92.3 or 103.5 or anything? And it would be suicide to move Hot 97 anywhere else on the dial.

A little nostalgia is a very good thing, but I find that so many people let nostalgia for the past get in the way of clear thinking for what would work today.

 

[StemCell]

What is it with all the rock haters here, its always urban, hispanic, dance, hip hop, give it a break already, how much overkill can one achieve. I would say Alternative like WRFF here in Philly a true success and it would be the same in the apple.....enough with URBANIC FORMATS ALREADY.......cut the pie in many pieces, all you think about is urban formats.

 

[TonySantiago]

What is it with all the rock haters here, its always urban, hispanic, dance, hip hop, give it a break already, how much overkill can one achieve. I would say Alternative like WRFF here in Philly a true success and it would be the same in the apple.....enough with URBANIC FORMATS ALREADY.......cut the pie in many pieces, all you think about is urban formats.

I could say the same thing with the dance "haters" in Philly based on what I've experienced on that board.

Regarding the "hate" on rock, that is mainly coming from the fans of the genre that don't like the way WRXP is presenting it. And when you consider the fact that you have TWO rock stations here (K-Rock, Q-104) along with fringe stations such as 'BAB in Long Island and 'DHA in North Jersey, it isn't as if there's no rock (in whatever form) represented over the airwaves in this region though you no longer have an alternative station such as what you have described.

Also, with that one post about moving Hot 97 to 101.9...ain't gonna happen. For Emmis, Hot 97 isn't just a station...it's a "brand" along with being the "franchise" station in NYC. There's NO way Emmis is going to touch that "brand" unless hip-hop/R&B dies out...which....ain't gonna happen.

 

[SoulCrusher]

There are so many signals but so few options in NYC. Two identical hip-hop stations. Two pretty much identical "soft rock" stations. And too much of the same thing when it comes to rock formats.

Why don't we have a rock station where we don't have to sit through the likes of Aerosmith, Boston, Rush, Led Zeppelin, Tom Petty, AC/DC etc.? With the fringe signals (WBAB & WDHA), Q 104 and both K-Rock and RXP all playing plenty of the aforementioned acts, it's amounting to Classic Rock Overkill. Why is there this widespread assumption that everyone loves '70s arena rock?

The best candidate for a change would be RXP. They present themselves as AAA and are often erroneously identified as such, but the truth is: RXP is a kitchen sink / all things to all people / throw it to the wall and see if it sticks station. It's too eclectic for its own good, going from arena rock like Aerosmith to '80s singer/songwriter rock like Bruce Springsteen to modern acts like The Kooks. They have impressed me with some of the tracks they're playing, but I would imagine that many listeners often share my disappointment when a track that you can hear anywhere else comes on. I would like to see them go full-time Alternative Rock with at least 40-60 Currents, a library that's about 1000 tracks deep, and if they're going to play the Seattle grunge acts, I'd like them to stay away from the worn-out classic rock staples (i.e. Play "Breed" and "State Of Love And Trust" but stay away from "Smells Like Teen Spirit" and "Daughter").

K-Rock might be the most useless station in the market. How many acts do they actually own? I don't think there's anything that they play that cannot be heard elsewhere. If their programmers had any courage, they would take this station in a hard Active Rock direction tomorrow. I would bet the farm that their ratings would increase above where they are now.

 

[wikhradio]

With Leslie Fram at XRP, and I hear Steve Craig, also from the now-online only 99X in Atlanta, may even be joining her there, I could see a Modern Rock format arrive in NYC.

 

[OldSchoolWoman]

Real jazz?

 

[neo11]

We already have "real jazz" on the left side of the dial...88.3, even some on 89.9. As a commercial format? Not going to happen.

 

[andreajesus]

but i think the point that some are trying to indirectly establish here is the fact that REAL jazz is presently NOT being played on a "commercial" radio station (WBGO, while CERTAINLY the "premiere" jazz station in the tri-state area, is still a "public" station....) - I think the return of REAL jazz on NY commercial radio would be, despite what Madison Avenue and others would say, a GOOD thing!!

 

[UncleBozzle]

The same old same old will be the format. Nothing new, nothing original...just bland cookie cutter programming. I still believe Lite FM can be taken down a few more pegs...."Sunny 101.9" or something like that might work. I am a big fan or the rock formats but from a revenue perspective there has to be something that can cut into "Lite", CBS FM, and PLJ. The "at work" crowd can be sliced and diced if done right.

 

[neo11]

but i think the point that some are trying to indirectly establish here is the fact that REAL jazz is presently NOT being played on a "commercial" radio station (WBGO, while CERTAINLY the "premiere" jazz station in the tri-state area, is still a "public" station....) - I think the return of REAL jazz on NY commercial radio would be, despite what Madison Avenue and others would say, a GOOD thing!!

It would definitely be a good thing for music lovers, but it would bomb commercially. You and I may not like it, but what Madison Avenue would say *does* matter, since they are the ones buying the ads from which the NYC stations generate their revenue. "Real jazz" is not "commercial" music in the vein of the pop or rock or hip-hop or r&b you hear on commercial outlets, and it just doesn't have mass appeal to justify a commercial format, and I'm not sure that you'll find it on a commercial station anywhere in the country, not even New Orleans if I'm not mistaken.

The "smooth jazz" that was aired on 101.9 did not come close to being "real jazz" either (unless you consider Phil Collins "jazz"), and since I don't think there was ever a "real jazz" station on a commercial outlet in NYC, I'm not sure how it would qualify as a "return." And honestly, if I'm a music lover, and I like real jazz, I would much rather hear it on a commercial-free station like WBGO than hear 200-300 songs off a playlist on a commercial station.

 

[Hardrocker9]

K-Rock might be the most useless station in the market. How many acts do they actually own? I don't think there's anything that they play that cannot be heard elsewhere. If their programmers had any courage, they would take this station in a hard Active Rock direction tomorrow. I would bet the farm that their ratings would increase above where they are now

.

Amen to that! I think they should revert back to the days of NY's Rock Radio, I'm not sure what the numbers were ratings wise, but all I know is that it wasn't the same old worn out songs they sickeningly play, and I used to have them on for hours actually loving what i hear. Today its a WHOLE different story. Hard Active Rock all the way.

 

[deadman]

RXP is making a huge investment in bringing Leslie Fram and Steve Craig to NYC. Both of them have been my friends for 13 years. I was there to see them bring 99x to a huge success only to see corporate consultants and Cumulus kill 99x. RXP will do great.

 

[housemusic]

Rumor in NY has current GM's contract expiring and not being renewed by next May. That coupled with the down market, down station pacing and internal fighting within the station a recipe for failure. If the persons in Indianapolis ever knew how bad it was internally there among staff (bad karma and no respect) they'd flip back to Smooth Jazz quicker than an egg in a frying pan. The internal staff strife among sales (no one is making any money), promotions (lets do what we did as jazz and make it cool rocK) and programming (ummm...can u say, whats that song again) has led to everyone in the market knowing the real deal. Clients wont invest in something that doesn't have a shelf life and emmis would sell it if someone offered them decent money but who's gonna pay jeff smulyian $200 million on a station that barely cash flows 7,000,000. They are stations in Albany, NY that cash flow more. TTFN

 

[BJSteigner]

My guess right now is for Smooth Jazz to be reinstated. Despite CBS FM went to Classic Hits from Adult Hits, there is a possibility for Smooth Jazz to return.

I believe Emmis goofed when they thought WRXP would do good.

They already put more talent on there and Matt Pinfield is one of them.

 

[BigBoy41]

they surely need a new morning program....he is just a namedropper and she sounds like a tumbleweed.....

 

[lalumia]

they need to import trans gender first wave punk star Jayne (Wayne) County, then you'll have a morning show!

 

[davideduardo]

If the persons in Indianapolis ever knew how bad it was internally there among staff (bad karma and no respect) they'd flip back to Smooth Jazz quicker than an egg in a frying pan.

After seeing PPM data in places like LA and Houston (and Chicago on Wednesday) there is no way that they are going back to Smooth Jazz.

[/quote]who's gonna pay jeff smulyian $200 million on a station that barely cash flows 7,000,000. They are stations in Albany, NY that cash flow more. TTFN
[/quote]

Only one Albany market station even bills over $7 million, and then does not reach $8 million. It likely has BFC of less than $4 million. .

 

[bclark71.]

With Leslie Fram at XRP, and I hear Steve Craig, also from the now-online only 99X in Atlanta, may even be joining her there, I could see a Modern Rock format arrive in NYC.

Oh yes, I am positive that NYC listeners are excited by the prospect of two 60-year-olds bringing with them a format that just finished flaming out in Atlanta.

Fram has already spot-welded her butt to the chair next to Matt Pinfield in the mornings (and I bet he's thrilled). Through all of the unsuccessful permutations 99X morning show there was one constant: Leslie Fram. Her ego will not allow her to program a station and stay off the air.

 

[RJF]

AAA is not about CUME, it will never have what Hot 97 has in regards to that. They need to work on the TSL because that is the secret to every good AAA's success. An affluent demo that sits through the breaks hearing the spots, and advertisers like that.

 

[mjb1124]

If they're going for high TSL, then what they need to do is find a more consistent sound. If they don't want to drop classic rock completely, at least get rid of the arena rock like Aerosmith, Boston, Guns 'n' Roses, and Van Halen. I really think they'd be best off going straight-up Alternative, but if not, I can live with The Beatles and Springsteen in the mix.