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

[davideduardo]

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.

The problem is that the PPM is ALL about cume. TSL between the leading station on that metric and the lowest one is only about and hour range (excluding small, low share stations). There is no huge cume overperformance by any major station... just high end vs. low end.

 

[biggladman]

Not for nothing... but RXP sounds pretty damn good. The music mix is unusual and they do a pretty decent job of throwing in B cuts with the regular tested hits. Zappa, early EJ, ELP, YES - all good stuff that should be getting airtime. All they need to do to increase exposure is get some bigger local bands into rotation and promote the hell out of the product. There is no buzz in the indie circuit surrounding the station, which makes it hard for the I-POD crowd to find it. However, they are out at a bunch of events. Kudos on that. Promote a few shows in the style of the early 90's WLIR rock alliance concerts, get some bands together that will crosslink the station on their website, get a beer sponsor and hook up with venues in the LES - the crowd will come. Might even get some of my friends to start listening to the radio again. It worked for Indie 103 - and while I know LA is not New York, the general approach that Indie took could work in this case. Create an image of being "anti-corporate" and "underground" and you win the hipsters and the power pop crowd. It's a no brainer.

Lets face it - the mid 20's to early 30's rocker crowd left NYC radio cause there was nothing for them to listen to. Bring em back - they're still there and they all know how to use a tuner.

 

[neo11]

Unfortunately I don't think the mid 20's-early 30's rocker crowd is going to want to sit through Linkin Park or Aerosmith or Led Zeppelin to hear occasional local band or semi-obscure cut that 'RXP will play, when there are so many other alternatives out there. 'RXP would stand a better chance at success if they threw out the dino-rock, the overplayed classic rock that's already heard on Q104.3 and K-Rock, the overplayed 80s metal, the nu-metal, etc. and concentrated on a solid lineup with new rock music, some local music, and some recurrents from the 80s and 90s that do not get play on other stations (modern rock-ish type stuff especially that seems to still be popular with the 20's-30's crowd).

NYC has such a vibrant music scene and in recent years especially and so many young people living here. I always felt the city could use a radio station for what I personally like to call the "Myspace generation"....hip new music that would resonate with the young crowds and draw a buzz. Since this is a business, it wouldn't be the most obscure music known to man....there would be plenty of mainstream acts but with a hip edge, if that's possible. Play all those young bands that are huge online and fill up venues in the city but are never heard on the radio. Build an advertiser base that would combine corporate clients that want to reach the young demos, with local businesses and venues that are part of the "scene." If RXP really wanted to do something different, they might choose to go in a direction like this. Instead, they're a mish-mash of classic rock, hair metal, AAA, and a new song or two.

 

[yossefgershon]

I want a non-HD country station----but that's not going to happen!!!!WMTR could have gone country---1070 sterling country did ok.If the station will switch it will be to REGIONAL MEXICAN---that's where the money is.COUNTRY for Brooklynites like me has been transported to the TWILIGHT ZONE that has become reality,namely sat,mp3's ,internet streams and , low on the totem pole,HD.The time of a NY market country station has long gone NEVER TO RETURN.

 

[MarkO]

Personally, the only rock station I’ve encountered which ‘decade mixes’ enjoyably is Little Steven’s Underground Garage on Sirius. That’s because the music on Underground Garage consistently has a hard edge, there are plenty of quirky little-known tracks thrown into the mix, and the DJs are legitimate music experts and entertaining as well. RXP basically sounds too sleepy, and much of the heritage music it is spinning has already been ‘played to death’ by other AOR, modern and classic rock stations, going well back in time. Recent experience in NYC suggests that any format which debuts with a lousy position in the ratings remains stuck in that groove. The negative comments I’m reading on this board tell me that RXP, as it exists now, is similarly in big trouble. At the moment, RXP comes across as more ‘hype’ than ‘buzz’. New York listeners deserve better. I suggest an urgent re-imaging, a hardening-up of the sound, a quickening of the tempo, and a focus on real cutting-edge, but airworthy, rock and electronic music which really sets the place on fire. That would get people (in some pretty lucrative demos) EXCITED!!

 

[lalumia]

great post; the decided lack of energy is so contradictory to 'rocknroll', it's the energy level of the wimpy 70s on WNEW FM with Fornatele playing Judy Collins, Melanie and Joni Mitchell records and passing that off as r&r while Allison Steele did her Moody Blues concerts at nite, what a yawn fest, no wonder disco had to be invented;
and no wonder the New York Dolls, The Stooges and the MC 5 sound more vital than the 'nu musik ' being splayed on WRIP ...

 

[eyg2181]

RXP isnt going anywhere

 

[lalumia]

RXP isnt going anywhere

exactly!....lol...

 

[Indielover]

What is with the people who seem to want this station to go??

Perhaps Emmis will finally realize a "new direction" is needed and turn it around...One thing is for sure, even as it is, the music is better than any of the other corporate crap found on NYC commercial radio.

 

[SoulCrusher]

I think most rock fans will say that they're happy to have a station that plays the likes of Vampire Weekend, The Kooks, Rogue Wave, Spoon, etc. I just think many of them are unhappy having to sit through tired AC/DC and Aerosmith tracks that can be heard 3 or 4 other places to get to it.

My suggestion: Keep roughly the same branding, but start dropping the word "Alternative" in and lose all the Classic Rock. Either go in an actual AAA direction, or better yet, go Indie-style Alternative (Yes to Beck, Radiohead, Bloc Party, Arcade Fire, etc. - No to Seether, Nickelback, Linkin Park, Fall Out Boy, etc.).

This is a station with potential - if they find out what their audience desires and act on it, they will see their ratings climb.

 

[htowler]

No matter how bad RXP does. Even 0.0 They will be on for at least 1 year. Don't expect any flips till then.

 

[UncleBozzle]

With K-Rock, RXP, and "Q" thats a huge glut of rock for NYC. The survivor will be "Q", that's a given. It makes me wonder why "Q" doesn't add enough modern rock and ecclectic type cuts while keeping it's classic rock core which would take listeners from the other two dismal rockers. In essence use the power of the brand "Q" has to brandish these two into oblivion. CBS and Emmis need to look at other alternatives with those duds. 3 format holes exist...Country/Dance/Smooth Jazz. Anything would do better than the product they are offering now.

 

[SoulCrusher]

There is a market for what K-Rock and WRXP portend to offer. Talking from experience, rock fans tend to be a picky lot and obviously don't like what the two stations have to offer. I believe that both could thrive if they tinker with their formats a bit, but CBS has proven time and time again that they are completely unwilling to change K-Rock's 200-300 song "meat and potatoes" rock format, regardless of the ratings. The verdict is out on WRXP, but I think eventually they will find that their audience wants more intelligent Alternative and less dopey arena rock like Boston, Aerosmith, AC/DC, Nickelback, Daughtry, etc.

NYC does have dance formats (Pulse, KTU), and Smooth Jazz might be an option for either signal, but only after their attempts at a format tweak fail. I would find it hard to imagine a Country format working in this market. Maybe in rural upstate New York, but not NYC.

 

[andreajesus]

I would find it hard to imagine a Country format working in this market. Maybe in rural upstate New York, but not NYC.

Why not? We had a GREAT country station in NYC for years (WHN 1050AM - Del DeMontreux, Larry Kenny, even Les Davis...) AND we had a station (Y-107FM) that almost succeeded in becoming heir apparent to the WHN legacy (Ray Rossi, Larry Bear, Amy Paige)..Why can't country work in NYC once more? I've seen SO MUCH press that EVERY time a country artist comes to NYC, that they SELL OUT (so much for the "aw, country ain't gonna work in NYC" complaint)....

 

[neo11]

Wow, they sell out venues in NYC. Did you know that Greek and Polish and Russian concerts regularly sell out huge venues in NYC as well? I suppose we should put up 24-7 radio stations on Empire for all of them as well.

Truth is, a lot has changed since the days of WHN. More recent attempts at country have not been successful, including in the suburbs, which are supposedly country music's stronghold in this region. If the stations were successful, they would have stayed on the air or someone else would have taken on the format, but that has not happened.

 

[UncleBozzle]

Country does work quite well in the suburbs. Check out the ratings for Cat Country in Allentown, PA, or K-98.5 in Ocean County. I won't quote the ratings but I think they are pretty good. It also does quite well in Hartford, Boston, and Philly. What sense does it make that a station plays a hodge podge of rock, barely gets a 2 share, and has to fight for the same piece of the pie that another crummy station wants? The naysayers can say it all they want, but if I were the station who went country in NYC I'd own that format exclusively, and it would be safe to say nobody is going to take that station on. But hey, I'm just a casual observer and listener.

 

[SmashTim]

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.

Its not about "hate" its about simple facts and numbers. K-Rock's #'s are horrible, and take O&A out of the picture they are even more putrid ratings wise and WXRP is doing even worse. The two lowest rated fm's in NYC are K-Rock and WXRP.

 

[SmashTim]

I would find it hard to imagine a Country format working in this market. Maybe in rural upstate New York, but not NYC.

Why not? We had a GREAT country station in NYC for years (WHN 1050AM - Del DeMontreux, Larry Kenny, even Les Davis...) AND we had a station (Y-107FM) that almost succeeded in becoming heir apparent to the WHN legacy (Ray Rossi, Larry Bear, Amy Paige)..Why can't country work in NYC once more? I've seen SO MUCH press that EVERY time a country artist comes to NYC, that they SELL OUT (so much for the "aw, country ain't gonna work in NYC" complaint)....

People here don't listen to country... That is true. Now they may sell out a concert, but with 8 million people in NYC and 17 million in the metro area that could happen, but as far as % wise (which is what is needed to be a success) country simply doesn't offer that. Its a tough format to sell from an advertiser standpoint to begin with, factor that in with the fact a country station would never do better than mid 1's at best, you have no chance of getting a country station here. There is a reason why WYNY on 103.5 switched from country many years back, because the ratings were quite poor, and more thaan a dozen years later country would do even worse. Same thing for WMJC on Long Island went it switched about 7 or 8 years ago or so.

 

[Hardrocker9]

Yesterday made an attempt to stomach the CRAP that K-Rock calls rock. The only good song was Alice In Chains Rooster. I could not believe the amount of classic overplayed crap that was put on that station. Give me a break, Q does a great job of that, and its numbers show. I hope the idiots at K-Rock actually read this because The programers for that station should be ashamed of what they "think the Rock of NY is." As for my self I liked the days of K-Rock actually having balls to break artists like Godsmack, Disturbed, The Used, Trapt, taproot, Ect. They don't even play the new Red song Already Over which is taking off on the active rock charts. So they say that they are an alternative format, I ask you, program director genious, what kind of alternative station plays the doors and rolling stones, aerosmith, and pink floyd? .....None. I Bet FNX doesn't play any of that. So because of the amount of Crap on 92.3 I will NEVER tune into the so called rock of NY again. I'm in agreement with soulcrusher, if an attempt of a tweak is shown towards Active rock, or full time alternative, or even Active Alternative, I may give them a listen in the future, till then, YUCK!

 

[neo11]

Country does work quite well in the suburbs. Check out the ratings for Cat Country in Allentown, PA, or K-98.5 in Ocean County. I won't quote the ratings but I think they are pretty good. It also does quite well in Hartford, Boston, and Philly. What sense does it make that a station plays a hodge podge of rock, barely gets a 2 share, and has to fight for the same piece of the pie that another crummy station wants? The naysayers can say it all they want, but if I were the station who went country in NYC I'd own that format exclusively, and it would be safe to say nobody is going to take that station on. But hey, I'm just a casual observer and listener.

The examples you cited aren't in the NYC suburbs. As Tim pointed out, all evidence from the past decade or so in NYC and the suburbs indicates failure of the country format.