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Kat Corbett Quits KROQ
- Thread starter Sean Cocca
- Start date
I think she replaced Tami Heidi back in the early to mid 00s. I will miss Kat. I don't like how evenings are syndicated now.
She’s on SiriusXM’s Lithium in the afternoons.
I think she’s all set.
I think she’s all set.
Great article:
variety.com
I like this quote:
“Right now I think alternative radio in general, and not just KROQ, I’m talking across the board, every single outlet is in a state of they don’t know what the hell is going on,” she said. “I think they’re deluding themselves if they think the kids are coming to radio. Kids don’t know what radio is, and they don’t care. And so now you’re alienating your audience by getting rid of all music (they recognize and like). Also there’s this big thing, and again across the board in all alternative, where they’re, frankly, pushing hip-hop and pop as alternative, because those two genres, that’s where the money’s at. But the (alternative) genre is just demolished. I don’t know how to fix it, but it’s just not its own thing anymore.”
As KROQ DJ Kat Corbett Exits, She Reflects on Two Decades at the Station and the Struggles Facing Alternative Radio
Longtime KROQ DJ Kat Corbett is the latest voice to exit the iconic L.A. alternative radio station — and although she’s not ready to reveal her next stop just yet, she hints to Variety that several…
variety.com
I like this quote:
“Right now I think alternative radio in general, and not just KROQ, I’m talking across the board, every single outlet is in a state of they don’t know what the hell is going on,” she said. “I think they’re deluding themselves if they think the kids are coming to radio. Kids don’t know what radio is, and they don’t care. And so now you’re alienating your audience by getting rid of all music (they recognize and like). Also there’s this big thing, and again across the board in all alternative, where they’re, frankly, pushing hip-hop and pop as alternative, because those two genres, that’s where the money’s at. But the (alternative) genre is just demolished. I don’t know how to fix it, but it’s just not its own thing anymore.”
I agree. Good thing she quit, because if she feels this way, staying there would be completely hypocritical. If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem. Right now, she was part of the problem. The problems at KROQ are not recent problems. They didn't happen because of Mike Kaplan. They go back more than ten years.
It's been my experience that if you're a successful station, the suits leave you alone and let you do your thing. That's how KROQ operated in the 90s. They were successful, they made a lot of money, and corporate management stayed out of the way. Then they got fat and lazy. Then the music changed. Then the ratings started to fall. Then the revenues started to fell. And management still took a hands off approach to see if it would change. Maybe this was a cyclical thing, and they could find a way out. But that didn't happen. So finally the suits had to step in and shut it down.
Radio is not going to fix alternative music. She's right. The genre has demolished. There is no core to it. There are people making music, driving around the country in vans, playing in small clubs. That's it. It's a tree falling in an empty forest. Nobody cares. So the question is what to play on these heritage radio stations. I would have chosen classic alt. That's where there is still a mass audience. But the audience is old and the music is already getting played on other stations. There's a very active music scene in Americana, with the Avett Brothers and Chris Stapleton. That music sounds like classic alt, but it also trends older and non-commercial. So they're stuck. You look around the country and there are a handful of heritage rock stations, but most markets have no current rock stations at all. That's where I think this is going.
You say this when 2021 has had the most rock or rock-adjacent songs hit the Hot 100/Bubbling Under charts in approximately 8-10 years, almost purely because of streams. We have an Italian glam-rock band in the Top 40 right now, just to put an exclamation point on the trend. There is a substantial audience interested in rock, interested in alternative, and we've seen a revival in the pop-punk scene. Alt radio just isn't reaching them, and neither is Active Rock.
If radio can't reach that audience is that the audience's fault or radio's?
It's not radio's job to sell music or make music popular. That's the music industry's job. They decided the way they want to go with rock music is social media and streaming. That works for them because it helps them work large rosters of small acts rather than small rosters of huge mega star acts. So they've cut their radio promotion staff down. So in answer to your question, it's the record label's fault. They're the ones who have to convince radio what to play.
Radio plays music in order to attract an audience they can sell. If alternative or active rock doesn't do that, then they'll flip KROQ to sports or something else. It's all the same to the radio company. Radio is merely a platform the labels and artists can use to reach the fans. Some genres understand that, and some don't.
I think that is partly true - but the fact remains, radio, and alt radio in particular, has to figure out how to become relevant to a demographic that has been given no compelling reason to choose radio
I think they already have. KYSR is #1 18-34. In Seattle, the rock station KISW is #1 18-34. In Philadelphia, the rock station WMMR is #1 18-34.
This is not a device problem. Young people have no prejudice against a device.
For a market that is heavily Latino/Hispanic, that is impressive, considering that alternative rock radio in general is waning considerably. Non-whites tend to be more receptive towards rhythmic music, and even whites are embracing Hip-Hop/R&B more.
Consider that Boston does not have an Alt station (after having several choices for years), and New York's WNYL is more or less neck-and-neck with the country station when it comes to commercial FM stations in the bottom of the ratings. Alternative is also sagging in Miami and Tampa Bay.
It depends...Boston has several college stations that are pretty active in that format. Same with NYC.
To an extent, but noncommercial is a different animal altogether. And the college stations are not ratings generators in their respective markets. Alt radio isn't a format with high billing (or ratings) in either NYC or Boston.
Agreed - the "device" is not the problem - it's what is coming out of it that they don't find particularly engaging.
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It depends on what you consider "engaging." If all they want is their own playlist, then you're probably right.
Radio doesn't attempt to replace the personal playlist. If that's what they want, they have a device for that.
In some cases the music they play will not generate ratings. That's why it's best on non-commercial stations.
There are always exceptions for any generalization - but on the larger scale, 18-34 PUR is not what it used to be
Big A - you & I don't always agree.
On this matter, I think you and I agree 100%. You did a superb job framing your comments above. Kudos!
Without question, warning signs at KROQ began flashing many years ago. I was questioning Weatherly's programming decisions on this site several years ago, in fact. It didn't seem to be a popular "take" at the time.
I think a classic alt core (think Sirius XM Lithium with a little "1st Wave" mixed in) + some handpicked adult-friendly currents and recurrents for flavor would've been a good direction for KROQ.
On this matter, I think you and I agree 100%. You did a superb job framing your comments above. Kudos!
Without question, warning signs at KROQ began flashing many years ago. I was questioning Weatherly's programming decisions on this site several years ago, in fact. It didn't seem to be a popular "take" at the time.
I think a classic alt core (think Sirius XM Lithium with a little "1st Wave" mixed in) + some handpicked adult-friendly currents and recurrents for flavor would've been a good direction for KROQ.
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But it's interesting how those non-comms that were often derided as too hip for the room are now actually seeing some serviceable ratings. KEXP, The Current, and KUTX aren't by any means "mainstream" alternative radio and yet somehow they've finally started to show respectable shares. Even as a fan, I'm admittedly a bit puzzled. For years we were told that wasn't the way to do radio - and now they're winning in their own way and niche.
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