KISS's 12+ ratings to lowest point in 2 years

[ctradiomoron]

And that Carrie Underwood song I keep seeing mentioned, I just heard it for the first time and never ever want to hear it again. I'm glad KISS doesn't play it!!!

only one of the best female testing records out there...and KISS is supposed to be a female-targeted station. so how are they doing the right thing by pleasing you?

It's the #1 most played song on Z100 in New York...and KISS isn't playing it?

 

[radio220]

Underwood is not the #1 most played song in NYC. JT, Timberland, Rihanna, and Pink lead the top 4 while Miss Underwood's song is 5th. Granted this song is a giant pop hit right now, but Kiss has always been more rhythmic than other CHRs. Why is this a shocker to people?

 

[kershner]

Kiss found its greatest success when they were a mainstrean CHR.
this was BEFORE Hot 93.7...Had they stayed the course they would be in a very different position today.
The whole point is moot. They have a complete fool of a pd. a morning show with 3 people who don't like eachother and a staff of newbies that nobody knows or cares about.
carrie underwood or no carrie underwood lack of a tic signal or not ketih rice belongs in another market...BLAH BLAH BLAH.
None of these things have to do with the original topic...
Good Lord I'd love to hear some odf you do an on air show...the way you bounce around from one thought to some other randon thought then back to the original...you are making my head hurt!

 

[mmerlin]

Wow, I for one think i-98.3's midday guy is AWESOME...great phones and personality along with the best voicetracks ever....signed

Mike Merlin!

 

[KML0224]

Too bad you can't increase your signal due to Danbury and Long Island. I can't get the Bolton translator here in New Britain. Usually, IF I get anything there, it'll be WALK-FM from Long Island, and even they're spotty for me.

Getting back to WKSS-FM, does the phrase "heritage radio station" mean anything today? I'd say NO!

 

[bigmax]

"heritage" may still matter to listeners, but it definitely doesn't matter to the folks in charge at wkss.

 

[Adam Rivers]

Good Lord I'd love to hear some odf you do an on air show...the way you bounce around from one thought to some other randon thought then back to the original...you are making my head hurt!

I count three...yes, three...on-air personalities (and good ones) that have posted in this thread!

 

[Adam Rivers]

"heritage" may still matter to listeners, but it definitely doesn't matter to the folks in charge at wkss.

To start a different debate: how much do you actually think that a listener cares what's on the radio besides their favorite songs? If a listener wants to hear Avril Lavigne - Girlfriend, they'll listen to it whether its on Kiss, TIC, or KC101. Music is first, jocks are secondary. I think that in today's world of iPods and all the competition all of us terrestrail radio guys face, that a listener could truly care less about a lot of things...including heritage. Look at some of the most heritage CHRs in the country which suffer ratings wise. And this is not limited to CHR, in the least. Take an example of Pittsburgh. B94 was a heritage CHR there for almost 20 years, and now no longer exists because Clear Channel flipped an underperforming station to 96-1 Kiss FM and blew them off the map. B94 is now FREE FM Talk, with a 1.2 in the ratings or something like that. I think heritage is great if you have it but not that important anymore. KCI has all the heritage in the world, and look at their ratings.

And FYI - Kiss has knocked their powers down and are playing more recurrents.

 

[nycdavey]

Oooooh. Juicy post! I must respond.

- TIC is not a Top 40 by any stretch
- Amy Winehouse isn't much of a CHR song
- KISS is playing "Lip Gloss" right now.......but won't play "Before He Cheats" or "Hey There Delilah"?
- Why are all of WKSS's contests sound like they come out of the 80s?


As far as CHR's go in Connecticut:

>>>>Kiss 95.7....some stations classified CHR/Rhythmic play more pop and rock product then they do. The heritage of the station has been completely destroyed in one year. They're late on hits (Big Girls Don't Cry, for example) and beat rhythmic songs no one else is playing to death (She's Like The Wind). The station was very balanced and sounded all around great before Stan Priest, and you can't blame corporate because Kiss 108 and Z100 aren't doing the stuff that KSS is. Courtney is Courtney, "Justin Sane" couldn't jock a Oldies station, Munchie is slightly above average and Skillet is a bit of a loose cannon. <<<<<<

Why do you hate Kiss so much? All your posts seem to be just about one topic...how much you think Kiss sucks. Their leaning rhythmic should not be a surprise to anyone. Obviously, they're in an indirect battle with Hot 93.7 and figure that co-owned KC101 (with its adult/rock lean) can take on TIC. As for the jocks, Courtney and the rest of the morning show sound pretty relatable, Justin Sane sounds like he's doing a rock format because he sounds so jaded, and Munchie and Skillet? I haven't had a chance to listen to them too much.

>>>>>>KC101.3 is okay. Their music choices are decent...but they have a lot of trainwreck segues and are kind of all over the place....without a lot of focus. The jocks are subpar with the exception of Trey, who belongs in a much bigger market, and voicetracking Jagger just doesn't cut it. Their voiceguy isn't that good, and their imaging seems kinda stale. They sound better musically then Kiss. <<<<<<<<<

KC101 is a good station (they were named CHR station of the year as a matter of fact). They sound like a straight ahead CHR with a rockish feel and I think that this is being done on purpose to complement Kiss (who has a rhythmic lean) since they both cover a lot of the same areas. If you think they sound better musically, perhaps you have a preference for that particular sound. I don't have too much of a problem with the voice guy/imaging. I don't think ALL of the jock are "subpar". Michael Maze and Chaz sound really good in the morning, the midday guy is very straightforward, but that's probably how they want him to be for that daypart. Jagger is not as entertaining via voicetracking. I wish he were there live. Trey is really solid.

UPDATE!!!!!!!! I just checked out the KC101 website and it looks like they have switched things around. When did this happen?? Zach Dillon is now doing nights, Jagger is doing middays and Trey has been bumped up to afternoons! Much better lineup. Nights allows Zach to open up, Jagger's voicetracked approach is more appropriate for middays and Trey live and local is an improvement in afternoons over the canned Jagger.

>>>>>>>>>Q105 in New London is alright. Musically they're late on a lot of songs, and kind of play safe. None of the jocks (with the exception of the night jock) are very entertaining, they sound like they're all out of college... even Kevin Palana isn't that good. They're bland and stale...which is the only reason WWRX has been able to make such a big dent in their ratings in a very white, conservative (for New England) area. They've never been the same without Franco, and I doubt they will be without a rejuvenation. <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Q105 seems to play it pretty safe musically, which is appropriate for the area and for them, but I just wish they would let go of some of their recurrents a little quicker. I don't find them to be as slow on new music as you think, though. The morning show is alright and can be funny, but the midday guy sounds (and is)inexperienced and Kevin Palana is a solid jock, but not entertaining and engaging enough for PM drive. The night jock is subpar, in my opinion, and is only there because his mom is the GM.

>>>>>>>>>>>>I98 in Willimantic is a good small-town CHR, which is something that couldn't always be said. There were stretches where they were painful to listen to because they were downright awful. Musically they're right on top of the hits (sometimes early) and very balanced. The morning and midday guys aren't neccessarily good CHR fits, but Keith in the afternoon belongs in a larger market and the night jock is a rising star.

I don't get the opportunity to listen to 98Q so I don't know what they're like...but I do get the 4 above stations at my house and that's how I feel about them.<<<<<<<<<<

I've never been the biggest fan of I98's imaging but they're good musically. And I agree that Keith and Adam are really good but Mike Merlin does tend to come off as conservative/hot ac-ish which I guess is more acceptable in middays. Never heard the morning show.

Generally, I would say that I get a lukewarm feeling about all of these stations, with the possible exception of KC101.

 

[ctradiomoron]

"heritage" may still matter to listeners, but it definitely doesn't matter to the folks in charge at wkss.

To start a different debate: how much do you actually think that a listener cares what's on the radio besides their favorite songs? If a listener wants to hear Avril Lavigne - Girlfriend, they'll listen to it whether its on Kiss, TIC, or KC101. Music is first, jocks are secondary. I think that in today's world of iPods and all the competition all of us terrestrail radio guys face, that a listener could truly care less about a lot of things...including heritage. Look at some of the most heritage CHRs in the country which suffer ratings wise. And this is not limited to CHR, in the least. Take an example of Pittsburgh. B94 was a heritage CHR there for almost 20 years, and now no longer exists because Clear Channel flipped an underperforming station to 96-1 Kiss FM and blew them off the map. B94 is now FREE FM Talk, with a 1.2 in the ratings or something like that. I think heritage is great if you have it but not that important anymore. KCI has all the heritage in the world, and look at their ratings.

And FYI - Kiss has knocked their powers down and are playing more recurrents.

You might have become a good jock, but your opinions are just as radical as they were when you were 14 and shooting your mouth off on the boards....heritage IS the only reason half the radio stations in the country survive in the world of your Clear Channel and Citadels, etc.

 

[radio220]

Wow so many things to reply on..this is what happens when I don't read the board for a day haha.

Kiss was NOT mainstream immediately before Hot came. They were "Connecticut's Hottest Hits" which was a Rhythmic leaning CHR station, even more so than now. They always had that lean whether or not they decided to play whatever rock hits were current. This is why they fell so suddenly when Hot came because Hot was/is the more obviously dedicated station for the rhythmic audience. They now are more of a mainstream CHR (as far as KISS goes), but still have that rhythmic lean. That isn't a BAD thing at all, just happens to be their formula whether or not it works.

In terms of heritage...it means absolutely NOTHING in the eyes of corporate. Look at HCN, 'NEW, 'CBS etc...If a station is underperforming, the heritage calls CAN help a station's cause, but not totally save it. You can only tell corporate a station is heritage to a community for so long, until that argument loses its juice and the suits come in and say, look the bucks aren't rolling in, let's change it up. Heritage stations have stability when they perform, like WPLR, WEBE etc.

In terms of KC101's position, I don't understand the hole they are in. Not only having low ratings, but being beaten by your out of market sister station, and AM sister, does NOT look good to those in charge at CC. The demos are probably better, but can't be anything super when the 12+'s are that low. They seem to have a somwhat solid station going here for the moment, so we'll see how it goes, hopefully well.

In terms of what Adam has to say, he's pretty on target. Ipods are one of the main competitors outside of the radio. 1- music 2- jocks....and that's it. People don't so much care about the "radio nerd" talk we all discuss on the boards.

 

[kershner]

I have to correct you on the KISS leaning rythmic durring the "Connecticuts Hottest Hits days"
I just listened to an aircheck of Jeremy Savage saying just that phrase and going into U2 Mysterious ways...hardly rythmic.
They were also all over no doubt, the red hot chilli peppers soundgarden ALL durring the CT's hottest hits.
they also ran a show on friday nights hosted by maze called the modern buzz, 2 hours of NOTHING but, grunge and rock acts like pearl jam, sether, veruca salt, marylin manson, nirvana...etc.
when hot hit the scene kiss was doing "way back wednesday" hot called it way whack wednesday
Kiss was not in any position to deal with competition...the had an AWFUL night jock...afternoons with a jock who CLEARLY couldn't care less (he wass soooo lazy back then) and mid days with a jock who's major feature was called the 12 noon work out...at the time she was shall we say...not in the physical condition to give health advice.
Basically they got lazy and content with things the way they were...no big deal it's not like somebody else will come along right??
Hot caught em with their pants down and crushed 'em...they'll NEVER recover from that unless they make some MAJOR well thought out changes...
I give em till the end of the year before major players are fired.

 

[bigmax]

In terms of KC101's position, I don't understand the hole they are in. Not only having low ratings, but being beaten by your out of market sister station, and AM sister, does NOT look good to those in charge at CC. The demos are probably better, but can't be anything super when the 12+'s are that low.

so i just checked.... are you serious? Kiss and Weli being a tenth of a point over KCI 12+ concerns the bigwigs at CC? we all say 12+ doesn't matter, and it doesn't. and a tenth of a point matters even less.
KCI in Fall 06 got a 4.0 12+ - which is actually pretty damn good for a CHR in 2007.

 

[radio220]

I recall that as well in the mid 90s. I'm talking about right before Hot flipped, they were totally rhythmic. The only band they played that was close to rock was Sugar Ray. As soon as Hot came into town they went more mainstream to grab a newer audience since they obviously weren't keeping the one Hot went after. I remember way back wednesday, I miss it.

As far as KCI goes, 12+ doesn't mean much, no. It's all about demos, that's what sells. However when you have numbers THAT low in your own market, it's pretty sad. "4 is good for a CHR?" What does that exactly mean? I see stations such as WSPK, WDAQ, WBLI etc who are CHRs who aren't barely floating with mediocre numbers in their markets. There is obviously an audience shift when WKSS is sharing a 4 with KCI, which means there is definately a market for CHR in New Haven, which KCI should be OWNING. It seems the posters on this wall either work for KCI or have some favoritism for it, which is fine, but don't come on here and start bashing a station who's eating away your numbers in your own market. No, I don't work for Kiss or even CC. I'm just looking at this from an outsider view. By the way, I like KC101 a lot, grew up with the station.

 

[bigmax]

i do know - as i posted before (a while ago) WKSS did as well as they did in Fall of 06 12+ in New Haven because of young males. Numbers in New Haven are very strange because of low sampling. Take a look - there is no consistency (except for PLR). Either way, I wouldn't worry about the future of either WKSS or WKCI - both bring in great revenue, which at the end of the day is all that matters.

 

[Adam Rivers]

I recall that as well in the mid 90s. I'm talking about right before Hot flipped, they were totally rhythmic. The only band they played that was close to rock was Sugar Ray. As soon as Hot came into town they went more mainstream to grab a newer audience since they obviously weren't keeping the one Hot went after. I remember way back wednesday, I miss it.

As far as KCI goes, 12+ doesn't mean much, no. It's all about demos, that's what sells. However when you have numbers THAT low in your own market, it's pretty sad. "4 is good for a CHR?" What does that exactly mean? I see stations such as WSPK, WDAQ, WBLI etc who are CHRs who aren't barely floating with mediocre numbers in their markets. There is obviously an audience shift when WKSS is sharing a 4 with KCI, which means there is definately a market for CHR in New Haven, which KCI should be OWNING. It seems the posters on this wall either work for KCI or have some favoritism for it, which is fine, but don't come on here and start bashing a station who's eating away your numbers in your own market. No, I don't work for Kiss or even CC. I'm just looking at this from an outsider view. By the way, I like KC101 a lot, grew up with the station.

In the late 90s before Hot flipped... I would say that Kiss was a rhythmic-leaning CHR. They played some rock, a lot of Goo Goo Dolls/MB20 type stuff.

 

[Whale]

They played some rock, a lot of Goo Goo Dolls/MB20 type stuff.

Yup, they sure did play a lot of crap.

 

[WTIC]

That reminds me. What the hell happened on Sunday? TIC AM and TIC-FM were both off the air for around a 1/2 hour during the 3PM hour. Was it some kind of malfunction up on Avon Mountain? I doubt the problem was in Farmington because 93.7 and 100.5 were both still on.

WHAT SUNDAY WAS WTIC A/F OFF THE AIR FOR 1/2 HOUR!!!???? I WAS UNAWARE OF ANY SUCH
OUTAGE

THANKS

-W T I C

 

[MarcB]

June 10th.