Jax Radio

[John FL]

In the 1010XL post, Alcapone raises a good point in that those in the biz and those who are not but call themselves radio fans don't appear to want to talk about anything.

And as I've said numerous times, if apathy rules among the radio folks, just imagine how the average listener feels about the medium.

If you start with average listeners, is there anything for them to really get excited about? Perhaps with the exception of WQIK's morning show, the talk lineup on WOKV and to some extent, Lex and Terry, people are tuning in mainly out of habit selecting one or two main formats but also doing a lot of button pushing. Tuning in to a specific personality is becoming rarer.

It wasn't too long ago; stations were staffed with talent virtually around the clock. This isn't news but by design, owners have actually counted on overall public apathy to change the radio landscape so that today most stations are just a shell of what they once were or potentially what they could be. No one cared that the overnight jock became a thing of the past. Then it went to automated weekends, and then it went jockless weekdays 7PM-12 midnight.

What's the next step? 96.9 The Eagle is a perfect example of today's radio. It's terminal. I have a relatively short drive home from work and if I time it just right, I'm in my car just when the music sweep starts at around 4:50 PM and I'm home by around 5:10. No jock interaction, no weather, no traffic report - nothing. Surely in a 20 minute period in afternoon drive, I as a listener should be informed and feel some kind of connection. But then they in effect even gave up on morning drive after 8:30. I often think, the next step will be for Cox and others to just voice track paying a jock $5000 a year for each station with a possible workload of 10 stations. I don't know. Maybe that's already happening in lots of places.

And yeah, people can say the public wants to hear more music with little interruption or DJ patter. But this has been taken to an extreme in that most stations do not serve the public. Stations such as Eagle, win ratings battles more out of default then by creative and innovative programming. If Jax had a good version of today's oldies programming, there would be a lot of sharing of Eagle's audience. And so for the folks who point to Eagle's success via very limited DJ participation and the station being automated most times, I say they are lucky they don't have a good oldies competitor. When I listen to what our friend in NC has accomplished programming a really good upbeat 60s/70s/80s station, I keep asking why we don't have that here?

And so I don't fault people from pretty much giving up posting on this board. For those in the biz who have/had the passion of radio, where did it get them?

Radio is not positioning itself for the future in my humble opinion. Just as out of habit people tune in to terrestrial radio today, tomorrow they just may tune into something else and never look back.

 

[Brother Bear]

I think the reason so many on the "inside" are afraid to talk is fear of discovery and retribution. I have recently come from the belly of the Cox beast, and morale there is at an all-time low. The stench of death hangs over the place like a meat cleaver over a baby's crib. I honestly think the bloodbath is not over. Regardless of what you think about them firing Cat or Scott Walker, the financial hemorrage is NOT over. WAPE's freefall to KISS-FM is no surprise when local talent like Tony Mann takes a hike after 15 years, and an entire heritage morning show with Steve, Eden, and Amadeus up and leave after 11.
Why is Cox Jacksonville collapsing?
They treat their people like crap and give the listener an unexciting product. In this market, local familiarity will always matter ... thus the success of Boomer & Robbie, and to a point Lex & Terry.
MJ & KISS succeed because Cat's gone, Tony and the Zoo jumped, and the Big Ape has been left to die ... unloved, untended, and unstaffed.
I don't think there will ever be a mass exodus from terrestrial radio because of the importance of a local aspect, but until someone takes a chance again on some quality people and makes them happy, the landscape will remain quite barren.

 

[clive]

I actually like the new morning shows on WAPE & WFYV. They at least have personality. I don't like the almost non-existent personality on Eagle and the Point (especially during drive times). The only thing worse is the prerecorded voices on stations like Moovin.

 

[alcapone]

What has happened with Jacksonville radio as well as other markets in the USA is the technology of the business has replaced alot of radio personalities. We all should of saw that coming. On the other hand corporate has taken advantage of that way beyond what they really needed. Listeners bond with who is on the radio no matter what upper management says. If people like Cox complain their ratings have tanked, it's their own fault. When the winter book comes out today my prediction is that the Cox stations will all take a slight hit. Turning radio stations into jukeboxes has backfired on them. As far as people like Tony Mann and Cat Thomas go, they both got too old for the demo wape was trying to go for. Scott Walker ??? was just a joke.

 

[Brother Bear]

I agree 100% about Cox turning their stations into bloody jukeboxes, but as far as Tony Mann being too old, kindly explain why he hit his target demo with women every book since Clinton was in office until he left last summer? The music is the Koolaid that helped kill the APE, and if you think for a minute that Cat Thomas had any control over what was played and when, you have little or no understanding how the hierarchy at Cox Radio works.
It's like the Borg on "Star Trek". When Cox comes to town you WILL be assimilated. Talent is irrelevant, resistance is futile. If you don't serve your role as a drone properly, you're gone. If you do serve faithfully, albeit mindlessly, and slip up after years, there's no second thought to your dismissal. There is no severance, no explanation ... one day you simply don't exist.
I believe Cat Thomas fought the system to keep the Big Ape's legacy alive, but became inconvenient to have around. Eliminate Cat, and you not only clear the books of a hefty salary, but the Dark Overlords of The Empire can now staff the station with merely adequate talent as well as manipulate WAPE and the rest of the cluster right into 2 and 3 shares. Many of them are there already.
The Winter book should prove to be ... fascinating.

 

[ucanthandlethetruth]

I have a peak inside the Jacksonville numbers for you. QIK off but #1, JBT big jump to #2, EJZ looked good at #3, SOL aided by a HUGE February #4, OKV continues their slide (although the combo looked good), Then it was the above-mentioned WAPE at 6 (up from 8), WJGL, then WFKS...WPLA, WFYV, WZAZ, WGNE, WMXQ...Movin was way down the totem pole.
Synopsis with regards to the previous posts...Cox stations WERE down (not nearly as much as the revenue though!). WAPE's slight fall was righted with their new morning show (APE had a low December and January and good to great February and March, Mr. Thomas' last two months as PD, APE was even #1 in cume, besting QIK). Kiss was strong 18-34 led by MJ without in demo morning competition until the arrival of WAPE morning show. Lex and Terry down.
WMXQ gets beat by a daytimer Gospel station...the pd is an embarrassment. He'll probably get a promotion.

 

[TommyR]

Amazingly (or not), radio becomes more and more of a tight business each time we talk about it. Live and local talent costs money, we know that. But also, let's see...they have brains, and one day might play a song that did not test well, or say something that might offend a listener, or a client. Why take those risks? Let's hear it for backselling and liner cards!

What?! Radio is supposed to be entertaining? Engaging? Foreground listening? No way. Clients are paying good money for what we're putting out right now. Why risk it by making people think about what they're hearing? Background is good. Maybe if our station doesn't make too much noise, we can stay on all day in offices and cars and PA systems throughout town.

Ugh. Bottom line, there is no more competition. Everyone has a piece of the pie. If billing is good, there's no reason to fight to "win." "Good" is good enough.

 

[John FL]

Tommy, I understand your position and the reality of where radio finds itself nowadays.

But I've always been in the camp that believes true long-term success comes to those who earn it and who strive to make a difference. Most of today's radio is not engaging and it opens up vulnerability to tomorrow's competition. The bottom line IS everything. And so today, radio stations are a shell of what they once were. Significantly reduce payroll and the bottom line gets better.

But will this strategy continue to work down the road? Time will tell but one thing is clear. If there is not much of an incentive to listen with absence of personality, if local coverage continues to diminish, if non-commercial time sounds like "satellite-lite," time spent listening will have no way to go but decline. Advertisers will pay less for spots and what happens then?

Back in the early 70s, AM Top 40 was dominant and there were many PDs who were foolish to think a shift would not soon take place. There were those who fought to stay on top and there were those who were willing to change and evolve their stations into something else. But few seemed to lie down and play dead. I guess we all have different opinions but giving up was never an option for me in my personal life and I believe the same should be said for commercial radio.

I've often mentioned Pat Garrett on this board. Here's a guy who, no doubt in today's world, is an exception. He has a passion for programming, is genuine and real and listeners respond to that and he strives to be the best he can be. And while I don't want to turn this into a fan club thing, I have to say he's earned my respect because he has guts.

While you subscribe to good is good enough, I was pleased to hear Pat is #1 in 35- 54 for his shift and overall his station is #3 in that demo. And his station beat what his former (heritage) oldies station achieved 25-54 in the last 5 books. That's not luck - its hard work and the desire to win. By the way, he's really a part of what many would call a mom and pop operation. Certainly not a big promotions budget and that makes the win even more impressive. I know he could have made a huge difference if he wound up at Kool 100.7.

I know I'm a dreamer and there's nothing wrong with that. One day, I'd love to see Rooster, for example, get sold to a group who have a different opinion about radio and are willing to take a chance with today's version of oldies. I'm not always right but I feel strongly that having Pat program the music and having talent say something more than a few words on liner cards would shake this market up for the better.