KOOL Gets a New Brand Manager

[TheBigA]

It's been a topic of conversation here for months. The station appears to be rudderless. The company hopes to stop the bleeding with a new brand manager:

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The San Diego station seems to be suffering from the same disease as KOOL.

 

[lanceventa]

Nothing really changes. KOOL and KXSN were both being programmed by Audacy Classic Hits Format Captain Chris Ebbott, who is also PD of KRTH. Now his #1 deputy just takes the day-to-day programming for those two while still reporting to Ebbott.

Longtime Phoenix board readers will also recall Ebbott as the brief PD of 101.5 The Zone when he shifted it from Alternative to Modern AC in 1999.

 

[KilowattKat]

It's been a topic of conversation here for months. The station appears to be rudderless. The company hopes to stop the bleeding with a new brand manager:

Radio Industry News, New Music, Music Promotion, Radio Station Song Charts

All Access offers the latest radio industry news and music news, music promotions for record companies new music, radio station song charts, and much more. AllAccess.com has been serving the radio and music industry since 1995, always bringing you the highest quality content with...

www.allaccess.com

The San Diego station seems to be suffering from the same disease as KOOL.

I thought KOOL was climbing back up, as far as ratings.over the last two monthly PPM's. Maybe, it's in 25-54 where they are still lagging behind.

 

[TheBigA]

I thought KOOL was climbing back up, as far as ratings.over the last two monthly PPM's. Maybe, it's in 25-54 where they are still lagging behind.

You're right. Getting a 4.0 in the 6+ is nothing to sneeze at. But it's not growing in 25-54. Audacy had the same problem in Philly and they re-branded it. So we may see that here soon. Meanwhile reviving the old branding seems to have completely resuscitated the previously dying camel. It's now #2 in 25-54. Not that long ago, everyone seemed ready for a new format.

 

[AceBiscuits]

You're right. Getting a 4.0 in the 6+ is nothing to sneeze at. But it's not growing in 25-54. Audacy had the same problem in Philly and they re-branded it. So we may see that here soon. Meanwhile reviving the old branding seems to have completely resuscitated the previously dying camel. It's now #2 in 25-54. Not that long ago, everyone seemed ready for a new format.

It's an interesting situation to me:

KOOL, like K-Earth, was an oldies station that evolved into classic hits, and from a glance of the playlist is very similar. K-Earth does very well for itself in LA for a variety of reasons, whereas KOOL has been struggling for years (and I know from a market perspective it's not a 1-to-1 comparison).

Curious to know if there is negative brand connotation in the market with KOOL like there was at WOGL? It wasn't so long ago that they refreshed the lineup and added a lot more younger jocks to the station.

 

[CTListener]

KOOL is definitely not a call to hang on to if you're going to cut the cord with most non-rock '60s and '70s titles for good. Even if they're playing Tone Loc and Black Crowes rather than Marvin Gaye and the Hollies, that call, especially if prominently featured in imaging as the spoken word, not just letters, just screams "old" and might even cost the refocused station potential listeners.

 

[AceBiscuits]

KOOL is definitely not a call to hang on to if you're going to cut the cord with most non-rock '60s and '70s titles for good.

Those titles/artist have been long gone from the KOOL playlist, although there's the occasional 70's rock song in their playlist, which makes sense since their primary competition is KYOT, which still largely features artists/bands such as Elton John, the Eagles, Boston, Foreigner, the Rolling Stones, etc.

 

[TheBigA]

KOOL is definitely not a call to hang on to if you're going to cut the cord with most non-rock '60s and '70s titles for good.

My sense is that brand loyalty began to wane as the heritage personalities left for various reasons. The music is the music, but I think the classic hits audience requires a certain style of presentation. Then again, they completely ignore that at KOAI.

 

[AceBiscuits]

The music is the music, but I think the classic hits audience requires a certain style of presentation.

I'm curious as to what that is exactly, because I would agree with you on that. At the same time, I think the moves they had done by introducing a younger lineup largely mirrors what Audacy ended up doing at WOGL with differing results (albeit WOGL is too soon to tell).

 

[KilowattKat]

You're right. Getting a 4.0 in the 6+ is nothing to sneeze at. But it's not growing in 25-54. Audacy had the same problem in Philly and they re-branded it. So we may see that here soon. Meanwhile reviving the old branding seems to have completely resuscitated the previously dying camel. It's now #2 in 25-54. Not that long ago, everyone seemed ready for a new format.

KOOL rebranded as, say Big 94.5 is rather hard to imagine. I've always known 94.5 as "KOOL", changing it would be like renaming the Grand Canyon as " the big hole in the ground". A change like that could have the opposite effect. I certainly wouldn't do it.

 

[landtuna]

My sense is that brand loyalty began to wane as the heritage personalities left for various reasons.

I was probably among the first long time listeners off that wagon.

 

[KilowattKat]

I was probably among the first long time listeners off that wagon.

Get this..KOOL-FM began it's Oldies format in 1971, and is recognized as the first radio station in the US with that format. This is why rebranding would be a tough sell.

 

[101tm]

I'm curious as to what that is exactly, because I would agree with you on that. At the same time, I think the moves they had done by introducing a younger lineup largely mirrors what Audacy ended up doing at WOGL with differing results (albeit WOGL is too soon to tell).

One move Audacy has made at all of their classic hits stations except for WCBS, KEYN, WOCL and WOMC is eliminate jingles and cut back on imaging in favor of short sweeps, which is something most classic hits stations still use. Also a lot of cold/dry segues (this even applies to CBS-FM). Audacy has taken on a more dry approach to presenting the classic hits format.

I’ve heard that the Audacy classic hits “format captain” is not a fan of jingles and a lot of liners and sees them as “clutter.” I can agree to an extent, but it can lead to a boring sound.

 

[victorres43]

One move Audacy has made at all of their classic hits stations except for WCBS, KEYN, WOCL and WOMC is eliminate jingles and cut back on imaging in favor of short sweeps, which is something most classic hits stations still use. Also a lot of cold/dry segues (this even applies to CBS-FM). Audacy has taken on a more dry approach to presenting the classic hits format.

I’ve heard that the Audacy classic hits “format captain” is not a fan of jingles and a lot of liners and sees them as “clutter.” I can agree to an extent, but it can lead to a boring sound.

Yet many ACs and CHRs owned by Audacy have jingles, even if their segues/sweeps are dry.

By comparison, iHeart is not itching to get rid of jingles in their stations, as they seem to have a new jingle package from Reelworld for the likes of KIIS every two years. Even stations like iHeart80s and iHeart90s have JAM jingles.

 

[101tm]

Yet many ACs and CHRs owned by Audacy have jingles, even if their segues/sweeps are dry.

By comparison, iHeart is not itching to get rid of jingles in their stations, as they seem to have a new jingle package from Reelworld for the likes of KIIS every two years. Even stations like iHeart80s and iHeart90s have JAM jingles.

iHeart has custom jingle packages from ReelWorld for its Big Classic Hits, Cool Oldies, and Real Oldies streams as well. Many stations, like KJEB in Seattle, KLTH in Portland, WMJI in Cleveland, etc get new jingles fairly regularly also. I know WRIT in Milwaukee was using a re-sing of ReelWorld’s K-Hits Chicago package (great sounding jingle) - I believe KJEB in Portland still is also. KOSF in SFO is using re-sings of an older KIIS package.

I’ll take an iHeart classic hits station over an Audacy one any day.

 

[CTListener]

One move Audacy has made at all of their classic hits stations except for WCBS, KEYN, WOCL and WOMC is eliminate jingles and cut back on imaging in favor of short sweeps, which is something most classic hits stations still use. Also a lot of cold/dry segues (this even applies to CBS-FM). Audacy has taken on a more dry approach to presenting the classic hits format.

Beasley takes the same dry, bland but pleasant approach in Boston and WROR kicks butt every ratings book but the Christmas one. Even classic hits listeners are in it more for the music than the personalities now.

 

[101tm]

Beasley takes the same dry, bland but pleasant approach in Boston and WROR kicks butt every ratings book but the Christmas one. Even classic hits listeners are in it more for the music than the personalities now.

WROR has always been more of a music focused classic hits station, though. I know they’re after a different demo now, but stations like KLUV and KOOL were built on imaging and personality. Yes, things have changed, but the listeners now grew up listening to jingles and other things like music beds, produced imaging, etc as well. Hell, as mentioned above Audacy still uses jingles on their Hot AC’s, AC’s, and CHR’s, as well as country stations. Why doesn’t classic hits get the same treatment?

Cumulus also does a good job with classic hits. I’m not a huge fan of WJJK (arguably their most successful), but KCMO in Kansas City, WHTT in Buffalo and WGRR in Cincinnati are great sounding stations, better than what Audacy puts out IMO. WLS-FM is decent, I personally like the rock lean they have. They suspended the use of jingles a while back but don’t have many cold segues.

 

[jt99]

One move Audacy has made at all of their classic hits stations except for WCBS, KEYN, WOCL and WOMC is eliminate jingles and cut back on imaging in favor of short sweeps, which is something most classic hits stations still use. Also a lot of cold/dry segues (this even applies to CBS-FM). Audacy has taken on a more dry approach to presenting the classic hits format.

I’ve heard that the Audacy classic hits “format captain” is not a fan of jingles and a lot of liners and sees them as “clutter.” I can agree to an extent, but it can lead to a boring sound.

I won't comment on KEYN-FM, as I'm not familiar enough with the Wichita market to know how well the station has done historically, but it's absolutely baffling to see Audacy sticking with their changes on most of their stations, even WCBS-FM and WOMC staying steady in the ratings. Yet WOCL has seen a big decline since last year despite retaining the jingles, so who knows what happened there.

As for KOOL-FM, they were a top 5 station just last summer (and in 25-54, 18-49, and 18-34 as well as 6+), so I highly doubt that the KOOL branding would suddenly become a problem in only a year's time. It could be an issue with the music and/or imaging, but I don't think rebranding the station is the answer.

 

[davideduardo]

KOOL is definitely not a call to hang on to if you're going to cut the cord with most non-rock '60s and '70s titles for good. Even if they're playing Tone Loc and Black Crowes rather than Marvin Gaye and the Hollies, that call, especially if prominently featured in imaging as the spoken word, not just letters, just screams "old" and might even cost the refocused station potential listeners.

I disagree... the calls are heritage in Phoenix due to the contrast of the 120° summer days and the contrast with the station name. I think that factor will make the station able to transition to a younger core just by making the music better.

K-Earth did that in LA several times. They did not change name or calls.

 

[davideduardo]

I was probably among the first long time listeners off that wagon.

And having you leave was a big part of their goal.