Jacksonville's Holiday Music Station

[John FL]

Santa arrived @ The Avenues Mall late yesterday afternoon and around the same time, Magic 107.3 went wall to wall Christmas. Facebook friends aren’t exactly overjoyed given we haven’t even gotten to Veterans Day. IMO, it’s the smart move.

History tells us that when a leading AC, for example, flips to Christmas programming, it becomes a ratings juggernaut, especially in the world of PPM. For well-established or even heritage stations who may share audience, listeners will often find their way back. But for newer stations on the block, it's not always that way.

Magic was actually performing extremely well last fall. The January book – not so good. Add a few months of signal issues this year and it seemed Magic was in constant catch-up mode. While a cat may have 9 lives, radio is a different animal. There aren’t lots of opportunities given for new leases on life. Christmas music may prove what the doctor ordered.

As you all know, I have been a long time proponent of formats like Magic because they generally perform very well in PPM. A major reason for that is the music is mainstream and even soft enough to be the station of choice in retail business, restaurants etc. Wherever you have people, there’s a good opportunity for a meter to pick up the station. Sometimes it's hard getting those in the business world to switch off a station they have heard for years unless there is some kind of incentive to do so. Going Christmas and being first at it may help provide that enducement.

The jock blogs seem all intact so I wouldn’t think a bloodbath is coming but then I’m not privy to what December 26 will look like. I was just @ CC Jax the other day and I was not given any clue this was going to happen and this is understandable given the nature of radio. What is probable is an opportunity for music modification and what I hope is a continuation of a Greatest Hits adult-based format. The strategy is (probably) to go into 2012 in a stronger position than what happened this past year. Radio is always so full of surprises.

Lastly, listen closely to the new male imaging voice @ Magic 107.3. Draw your own conclusions of perhaps what will be. I have mine. Happy listening and I suppose Happy Holidays!

 

[nfladxer]

You've got a good ear JohnJax. Don't you think the new Magic 107-3 Christmas music imaging sounds kind of "Cool"?! lol

 

[JAWilson]

The imaging voice....that is Jeff Lawerence of Autumn Hill Studios (I believe that is correct) and he use to image 107.3 when it was Rooster County....I have a feeling in all of this that the format will return to Classic Hits like normal after the holidays, but as suggest by nfladxer is that we may be saying "Cool 107.3, Jacksonville's Greatest Hits".....most likely to get people back to the name they knew for Oldies/Classic Hits in Jacksonville...."Cool FM"

 

[JAWilson]

And it seems to me that Lite 96.1 is about to pull the trigger and go Christmas...just look at their website. I don't think they were expecting this one at all.

 

[Rob]

I just expressed my disgust. One stroby in Jax went all Christmas

 

[JAWilson]

I noticed this...as of yesterday Mike Perry was pulled from the Magic line up. Is this another clue that 11a-3p shift may go live and local after Christmas or is Clear Channel up to something?

 

[John FL]

I noticed this...as of yesterday Mike Perry was pulled from the Magic line up. Is this another clue that 11a-3p shift may go live and local after Christmas or is Clear Channel up to something?

Yes, Mike Perry is gone from Magic 107.3. Ironically, I heard a lot of his midday show yesterday @ WOLL Kool 105.5 WPB - a station that I have long listened to and liked. CC has a good number of folks who VT across various formats. Anything is possible but I would suspect that would be the case for budget reasons.

 

[JAWilson]

Yeah I sure the budget cuts have to part of the reason to be honest. What is your take that they re-brand Magic to Cool/Kool?

 

[nfladxer]

Actually, the opposite may be true, even with the recent CC RIF's. They've got to find a way to build Magic against WEJZ and The Eagle. I don't know if they're going to re-brand Magic to Kool, but the Holiday music presentation will give the programming department time to re-tool the station, and the imaging, etc.

 

[JAWilson]

nfladxer you might be right that they might be getting ready to fine tune everything to go head on with the Eagle and Lite. You can't complain that they are doing better with this format in overall 6+ numbers than what Planet did in that stretch when X102.9 signed on until Planet went dark.

 

[AnotherCat]

Kool/Cool is too much of a 55+ image for a station to hang its brand on in 2011 IMO..

 

[John FL]

Kool/Cool is too much of a 55+ image for a station to hang its brand on in 2011 IMO..

Up to a year or so ago, I would have agreed with you. The “O” word is resurfacing again as part of the moniker in a number of classic hits stations @ CC. (Oldies 103.7 in San Francisco, Oldies 95.7 in Milwaukee, Oldies 103.3 in St. Louis) to name a few. Perhaps research says listeners care more about how a station sounds rather than what it is called. As long as it delivers, who cares? Look at the success of Kool 105.5 in South Florida and they are an AC!

Brand really is important. I like the Magic name actually. A CC station that has been getting a lot of my attention lately is WMJI in Cleveland – talk about heritage – Magic 105.7. And that’s just it, they are heritage – listeners know the station and know what to expect. That is not the case for Magic in Jax IMO but the format has been jerked around here for so long that it has not made this easy.

With all this talk about how a station like Magic differentiates itself from Eagle and WEJZ, it becomes apparent listeners have to feel that it’s not the same old same old. When I listen to WMJI I can tell you, it is nothing like WEJZ and while WMJI gets into a small amount of Eagle-type music, the differences between the stations is like night and day. Tom Kent rocks the evenings as well he should and everything is just done so well. Even special programming during the weekday, something I have advocated for years. Jax deserves something like this, if that is in the cards and I hope it is!

If the average person driving around caught a billboard that said “Oldies 107-3 Jacksonville’s Greatest Hits.” Bingo, they would know exactly what the station was all about. Modify the music to go deeper into pop hits of the 60s and 70s playing things EJZ and Eagle won’t touch and I guarantee you, the programming hole in the market, especially among women would respond very favorably. But that’s just my opinion. Ho Ho Ho!

 

[nfladxer]

In an earlier post, I more or less stated that the new Holiday imaging on Magic 107-3 sounds kind of "Cool". I wasn't advocating an actual change to Cool, Kool, or Oldies, for their moniker. That may be up for consideration, but IMO, I don't think that's important. I was just noting that the new male voice in their imaging sounded very close to one of the voiceover guys that was used in the early '90's on Cool 96.9. I think he sounds stronger than the one they were using. JohnJax hit on it when he indicated the "sound" of a station is a big factor, and I agree. In this PPM world, WEJZ has become less personality oriented than they once were - that was no accident, Lite 96.1 has a much tighter presentation, and musically brighter AC sound, than before. 96.9 The Eagle has "local personalities", but they're very contained and clean, again, that's no accident. They run a tight ship, and, so far, it's been very successful. And that leaves us with the new kid on the block - Magic 107-3. Even from day one, it's obvious they weren't wanting to revive the old Cool 60's and early '70's mix. I think they've got a great opportunity to grow into a ratings and revenue top spot in this market. IMHO, "Jacksonville's Greatest Hits" gives Magic more musical latitude, allowing them to flavor their "Classic Hits" in a direction they feel is going to draw in the biggest potential audience. Since Magic 107-3 is essentially an updated "Oldies" type of format, with an AC lean, they may also want to consider making "personality" more important in their presentation. But because of PPM, it will probably have to be "brief" personality. In any event, smart programming and competition usually results in a better product, and better choices/options for the listeners! 2012 could be very interesting in Jacksonville Radio! Happy Holidays!

 

[John FL]

Over the last few days there have been a number of things I have wanted to say. Perhaps it is more appropriate in a separate string. But for now, I’d like to get back to imaging and voices.

I always loved the term “Theater of the mind” (TOTM) as it applied to radio. Before station websites existed, many of us listeners had no idea what a jock looked like unless we saw them at a promotion or maybe on a song survey. We had a voice and it was comforting just like wearing an old pair of shoes. Often, the voice never matched what we envisioned the person looked like.

Voice imaging is probably the closest thing we have today along TOTM llines. There have been a number of male imaging voices in Magic’s short time. Remember “Silly Man” who giggled as he sang along with the music? Sometimes TOTM can be a nightmare and I’m happy Silly Man was sent packing.

I agree with the previous poster from the first response. The latest male imaging voice sounds mature and probably lends itself better with an adult hits format better than his predecessor. BTW, this is the same imaging duo as WOLL. The last male voice sounded like a surfer dude type to me. I had the feeling he would gotten more into the music at X102-9 than the music @ Magic.

Then there is the female voice who I think is quite good. It was over the summer that she apparently caught a cold. At least to me, she sounded very sultry and hot actually. I have to wonder if there was a bump in males that month. LOL. I have no idea what she looks like and maybe it’s better to just wonder.

Maybe I just have an active imagination. Today, despite how much has changed in radio, TOTM can still exist by featuring the music that can bring the listener to anyplace he or she wants to go. IMO, radio is at its best when it remembers it is a personal medium. Speaking of voices, for a couple months prior to the Christmas flip, a number of new voices were heard on Magic. They did not ID themselves. I can only interpret that as an audition. Perhaps another clue to the "new" Magic or whatever. I do know voices though - I knew all of them from listening to various CC stations. I'd like to see a female voiced added to the lineup. Time will tell.

Sorry for the digression and I suppose I should get back to the subject. This Saturday, Magic 107.3 will participate in the Christmas Tree lighting and related activities @ The St. John’s Town Center. The exposure will be priceless. I plan on being there to show support for the station I truly believe put the listener in the center. (On hands and knees I pray it continues).

 

[nfladxer]

Yes, "Theatre of Mind" has always been unique to radio vs. TV. I agree, the latest imaging voices Magic 107-3 is using on their Christmas sweepers are stronger, yet friendlier, than their previous pairings. And JohnJax brought up something, that's sometimes subtle, but still important. Some of the new Christmas liners on Magic are somewhat "tongue in cheek", that gives their imaging "personality". That's an excellent touch, because, all to often, most imaging, which has become more center stage on most music stations, tends to take away from the personality that live bodies used to supply. The result: a radio station can become too predictable and "antiseptic", IMHO. So keeping some of the imaging not so serious, is a great way to differentiate your product.

 

[TommyR]

Some of the new Christmas liners on Magic are somewhat "tongue in cheek", that gives their imaging "personality". That's an excellent touch, because, all to often, most imaging, which has become more center stage on most music stations, tends to take away from the personality that live bodies used to supply. The result: a radio station can become too predictable and "antiseptic", IMHO. So keeping some of the imaging not so serious, is a great way to differentiate your product.

The best example I've heard of this was the imaging on XM's former 90's alternative channel, Lucy. Nearly all the sweepers made light, playful fun of the listeners' current age or station in life. At the time, their target audience was largely in the "stop partying and settle down" phase.

I don't feel the need to ROFL between every song on every station, but there are so many different ways to engage/entertain/build your brand with listeners other than stating how many minutes of music you play. WSOS has the right balance.

The absolute worst is a sweeper on X102.9. To paraphrase: Management says it's OK to make fun of paraplegics now. How are they going to call and complain anyway? And while we're at it, deaf people suck. (That's a little much.)

 

[jmtillery]

The absolute worst is a sweeper on X102.9. To paraphrase: Management says it's OK to make fun of paraplegics now. How are they going to call and complain anyway? And while we're at it, deaf people suck. (That's a little much.)

I have not heard any of these sweepers or liners; however, I will say if WXXJ [or any station] is airing what is described above, it is in very poor taste. Common sense dictates that a deaf person obviously is not tuned to the radio.