Is WBBO/106.5 being forgotten?

[JerseyShor]

Aside from the fact that 75% of the advertisers on "G-Rock" are from Monmouth County...

Aside from the fact that "G-Rock"'s traffic reports don't cover 90% of the 106.5 area...

Aside from the fact that "G-Rock" doesn't even know who the Phillies/Eagles/Flyers/76ers are...

Aside from the fact that according to "G-Rock" concerts can only happen at PNC or the Meadowlands and The Tweeter Center/Electric Factory/Borgata are non-existant...

Aside from the fact that "G-Rock" is constantly hyping things in North Jersey/New York City...

Last night I heard the jock call the station "G-106-3".

106.5 is a killer signal licenced to Burlington County, NJ and is located 80 miles from NYC. It has a strong local signal throughout Ocean, Atlantic and Burlington Counties, rim-shotting into Cape May County, Camden County and Philadelphia. Why is this signal being relegated to little more than a translator for a station that targets Monmouth County and the NYC suburbs?

106.5 is a local signal for places like Barnegat, LBI, Pemberton, Brigantine, Egg Harbor City, etc. But "G-Rock" is a station for Keyport, Red Bank, Staten Island, Old Bridge, Sayreville, etc.

106.5 should be serving Ocean, Burlington and Atlantic Counties with local news, traffic and weather while getting many LOCAL advertisers and in turn, many LOCAL listeners.

Telling a listener that lives next to the 106.5 tower to meet you at a live remote 60 miles away isn't going to do it.

Telling a listener that lives next to the 106.5 tower about the Yankees game isn't going to do it.

Telling a listener that lives next to the 106.5 tower about traffic headed into/out of NYC isn't going to do it.

 

[SoulCrusher]

First of all, there's some overlap between the stations that Press multicasts on. In Southern Monmouth and Northern Ocean you can receive WHTG and WBBO both clearly. Heck, in the FM 106.3 days I managed to pull in WHTG quite frequently in Barnegat. WWZY and WBHX also have signals that overlap slightly, though not quite as much. WBHX in particular due to its location is ideal for a simulcast - on its own the station would likely struggle regardless of the format.

Press may want to consider spinning off WBBO, especially if the ratings for the signal are not strong, as the focus on NYC interests would suggest. Perhaps a different, more aggressive take on the Alternative format (like WJSE, sans the Classic Rock) would work, maybe Active Rock could do well (something for the rock fans who want something other than Whitesnake and Bon Jovi), or maybe even a CHR format (not Adult CHR, which Press transformed B 98.5 into upon purchasing it). Adult Standards could work, but that would cannibalize the ratings for The Breeze - that would be better left to another broadcaster.

But perhaps the NYC focus does not affect the Ocean County audience too much. After all, I would say a pretty good percentage of its residents are originally from NYC and North Jersey.

 

[Rockin Rob]

In Cape May County, they have forgotten, at least, The Breeze. G Rock never even had a chance to vie for misplaced WDOX listeners. You can't get WBBO in CMC, why? Something about this Q107....

 

[eatspaste]

106.5 is a killer signal licenced to Burlington County, NJ and is located 80 miles from NYC. It has a strong local signal throughout Ocean, Atlantic and Burlington Counties, rim-shotting into Cape May County, Camden County and Philadelphia. Why is this signal being relegated to little more than a translator for a station that targets Monmouth County and the NYC suburbs?

Just about every Philadelphia FM station hits Cecil County, MD, and Monmouth County to some degree. Do they target those areas? Nope. NJ 101.5, the biggest example around here, completely ignores half of its 50kw signal and half of the market it's based in. The result? The station is an incredible success story. Some stations serve their market while other stations serve their actual coverage area.

106.5 is a simulcast of 106.3, even though it gets equal positioning. 106.5 is used to (a) give 106.3 full market coverage (think Arbitron) and, more importantly, (b) sales people can brag about full market coverage of G Rock ("you can hear it from Tuckerton to Keansburg!"). G Rock is modern rock for Monmouth-Ocean, period.

WAYV simulcasts on 102.3 in Cape May. Should WAYV be going after people in Lewes, DE? Some of the Atlantic City AM's make it up to Long Island - what about those people?

 

[BRUSSTAR]

Very well put.

My thanks to EatsPaste for saving me at least 15 minutes of typing time.

At lot may have changed in radio over the past 80+ years, but one thing's still the same. It's a business.

 

[myke25]

106.5 is a killer signal licenced to Burlington County, NJ and is located 80 miles from NYC. It has a strong local signal throughout Ocean, Atlantic and Burlington Counties, rim-shotting into Cape May County, Camden County and Philadelphia. Why is this signal being relegated to little more than a translator for a station that targets Monmouth County and the NYC suburbs?

Just about every Philadelphia FM station hits Cecil County, MD, and Monmouth County to some degree. Do they target those areas? Nope. NJ 101.5, the biggest example around here, completely ignores half of its 50kw signal and half of the market it's based in. The result? The station is an incredible success story. Some stations serve their market while other stations serve their actual coverage area.

106.5 is a simulcast of 106.3, even though it gets equal positioning. 106.5 is used to (a) give 106.3 full market coverage (think Arbitron) and, more importantly, (b) sales people can brag about full market coverage of G Rock ("you can hear it from Tuckerton to Keansburg!"). G Rock is modern rock for Monmouth-Ocean, period.

WAYV simulcasts on 102.3 in Cape May. Should WAYV be going after people in Lewes, DE? Some of the Atlantic City AM's make it up to Long Island - what about those people?

Of all places, why Keansburg? lol (not because it's Keansburg, well, that's part of it...)
G Rock is a local there. If they wanna brag about their coverage and not just Monmouth-Ocean counties, they might wanna include Middlesex county. G Rock comes in loud and clear in New Brunswick and north towards Elizabeth. How far south does 106.5 go?

 

[buzzrock]

I live in Lower Bucks and love G-ROCK.

btw... their new website is great!

 

[chuckydoll]

No, it is not

WHTG-FM and WBBO are listed on the same line in Arbitron, which means they simulcast 24/7. See the Monmouth-Ocean ratings issued just yesterday.

 

[I WORK IN RADIO]

Tom, just have to add to that. The new website is TOP NOTCH!! Kudos to their webmaster/crew. It's a perfect example of an interactive/informative radio station website.

 

[eatspaste]

Re: No, it is not

WHTG-FM and WBBO are listed on the same line in Arbitron, which means they simulcast 24/7. See the Monmouth-Ocean ratings issued just yesterday.

Thus the point of this whole conversation. What's your point?

 

[eatspaste]

106.5 is a killer signal licenced to Burlington County, NJ and is located 80 miles from NYC. It has a strong local signal throughout Ocean, Atlantic and Burlington Counties, rim-shotting into Cape May County, Camden County and Philadelphia. Why is this signal being relegated to little more than a translator for a station that targets Monmouth County and the NYC suburbs?

In addition, for Press to market 106.5 outside of Monmouth-Ocean, now you're talking about buying billboards in the Philadelphia metro, TV spots on Philadelphia TV (to reach potential listeners in Camden, Burlington, Atlantic, and Philadelphia Counties), newspaper ads, etc., plus sending a promotions crew on 90 minute drives for a remote. It's still a class-A signal; it might be great in the car, but you need to remember a large part of the population has $9 clock radios. Press would never make up the cost to market 106.5 outside of Mon-Oc and/or on its own.

 

[JerseyShor]

But, 106.5 is located outside of Monmouth-Ocean, it is city-grade outside of Monmouth-Ocean and it's city of license is outside of Monmouth-Ocean.

And it is a 90 minute drive from 106.5 to Monmouth County and about a 10 minute ride from 106.5 to Atlantic County.

106.5 is licensed to Bass River Township, NJ and transmits from Tuckerton, NJ.

Those $9 clock radios in Absecon, Pomona, Beach Haven and Manahawkin DO get 106.5.

 

[JerseyShor]

Just about every Philadelphia FM station hits Cecil County, MD, and Monmouth County to some degree. Do they target those areas? Nope. NJ 101.5, the biggest example around here, completely ignores half of its 50kw signal and half of the market it's based in. The result? The station is an incredible success story. Some stations serve their market while other stations serve their actual coverage area.

106.5 is a simulcast of 106.3, even though it gets equal positioning. 106.5 is used to (a) give 106.3 full market coverage (think Arbitron) and, more importantly, (b) sales people can brag about full market coverage of G Rock ("you can hear it from Tuckerton to Keansburg!"). G Rock is modern rock for Monmouth-Ocean, period.

WAYV simulcasts on 102.3 in Cape May. Should WAYV be going after people in Lewes, DE? Some of the Atlantic City AM's make it up to Long Island - what about those people?

You're missing the point that 106.5 is LESS THAN TEN MILES FROM Atlantic County and MORE THAN FOURTY MILES from Monmouth County.

Why is a station targeting people in Monmouth County broadcasting on a station in Tuckerton? Isn't that a waste?

106.5 comes in on more $9 clock radios in Atlantic and Burlington Counties than it does in Ocean or Monmouth.

You can WALK from the 106.5 tower to Atlantic County. Or do we need a geography lesson?

98.5 may be DX-able by a few people in Old Bridge, should WKMK be going after people in Middlesex County and skipping over Barnegat where they are city-grade?

 

[tom]

OK ... the people of Southern Ocean have spoken.
WHTG / WBBO is # 1 with double digits, over 2 points
higher than the # 2 station. (12+)

(Atlantic/Cape May Spring 2007 Southern Ocean Area)

So apparently it's not a waste - the people LIKE IT.

 

[MikeF]

JerseyShor -

I seems like we've been through this a hundred times over the past decade, but here goes again.

5 of the top ten stations in southern ocean are southern ocean signals (yes I'm including OBM as one). (Two more, or maybe three if you count KXW as being at least partly XKW, are Atlantic City signals.)

Yet none of those southern ocean signals reaches the Atlantic City - Cape May book with more than a trace share. Could it be that maybe, just maybe, these signals just aren't strong enough to make a dent?

WBBO has a wonderful, far ranging signal for car radio listening. But as many of us have said many times now, with a few exceptions, primary ratings coverage is not the same as car radio listening.

Press is doing exactly what they should with that signal.

 

[JerseyShor]

JerseyShor -
primary ratings coverage is not the same as car radio listening.

Press is doing exactly what they should with that signal.

Then why are there no advertisers on G-Rock that are within the LOCAL coverage area of 106.5?

106.5 sure isn't coming in on a $9 clock radio in Seaside, Toms River or Belmar...

 

[MikeF]

Then why are there no advertisers on G-Rock that are within the LOCAL coverage area of 106.5?

If that's true, you'll have to ask their sales department. They've certainly got the numbers to sell with.

 

[eatspaste]

You can WALK from the 106.5 tower to Atlantic County. Or do we need a geography lesson?

We don't need a geography lesson - you need a lesson in the realities of radio and how the business of radio works. 106.5 is the Ocean County simulcast of WHTG-FM. Period. That's it. That's all it does. That's what it's there for. No more, no less. That's it.

Press puts the same amount of interest into 106.5's Camden County coverage as it does it's coverage of the open Atlantic Ocean off LBI.

 

[nd2023]

While we're talking about 106.5, the fact that it's successful says a lot. It means something right is being done. If people like the music, they will listen. I can listen to a station from Sag Harbor, NY online just for the music that isn't played anywhere else.
Half of 106.3's coverage area is the ocean. How about you cater 106.3 to the fishies, since they can get a city grade signal. 106.3 makes it into New York City and well into Long Island too. Since 106.5 is strongest in Tuckerton, shouldn't they only serve Tuckerton. 106.5 has a great signal across South Jersey, even greater when there's tropo since there's nothing to interfere with it.