KROQ living off its reputation?

[leethalweapon]

I'm gonna take a punt and say Indie 103.1 is a fairly cheap station to run. Would I be correct? If this is correct, why would you blow it up? It is giving its owner another revenue stream (allbeit a small stream), and giving KROQ reason to look outside the square, musically.

 

[briancraig]

I doubt if KROQ would have ever played Modest Mouse, Arcade Fire or Death Cab For Cutie had it not been for Indie.

Someone earlier said Indie plays a bunch of acts that couldn't sell out a church. Not true, at least in L.A. those acts draw very well.

 

[the guacamole]

I, err, umm, like I dont know if the lineup at KROQ is all that interesting/talented et al anymore. Like the music it too has been watered down. No? Why do you say no? Oh wait, you said there was something in my NO-se. Me mistake

 

[BACKnUSSR]

I doubt if KROQ would have ever played Modest Mouse, Arcade Fire or Death Cab For Cutie had it not been for Indie.

Someone earlier said Indie plays a bunch of acts that couldn't sell out a church. Not true, at least in L.A. those acts draw very well.

Or She Wants Revenge, Arctic Monkeys, Wolfmother, The Shins, as well. The thing is, although because of its signal it was never going to beat KROQ, it certainly provided an interesting ALTERNATIVE to them in some parts of the metro. Sadly, since about this time last year, something has happened, seems like Jonesy's Jukebox has lost its buzz, the Morning show is inferior to the original one they had, and the station has steadily transformed its programming to be just like every other modern rock station out there. So now, they've just become a diluted KROQ, and thats not worth much at all.

 

[the guacamole]

But, doncha think, that diluting it all to the dullards who think they get it, is the way to go? I dont have access to the #'s but has there been an improvement since they've started selling safe "rock star radio" as opposed to satiating music fans??

 

[hotpatrick2004]

Gots to defend me indie yes they have become just a tad safer but still basically they play the same indie/alt style rock from when they came on the air.I remember once jonesy played a block of music sex pistols elvis costello and ended the block with alone again naturally by gilbert o sullivan he came on the air and said don't worry your not listening to kost very funny. Last year when i was at the indie bldg i saw fall out boy and then tk came on and said fall out boy is here and said they love our station and want to be on the air so tk left it up to the listeners. Indie does not play fall out boy so not sure what they decided. Does anyone know why they got a new pd at indie back in april?

 

[BACKnUSSR]

But, doncha think, that diluting it all to the dullards who think they get it, is the way to go? I dont have access to the #'s but has there been an improvement since they've started selling safe "rock star radio" as opposed to satiating music fans??

No improvement really. But the point being that for whatever great strides they may make by going "rock star radio"
won't be enough to change sales a whole lot because LA is an agency driven market that looks at ratings and due to its signal capabilities, 103.1 will ALWAYS be at a disadvantage when it comes to competing with KROQ.

 

[socalguy]

You're right about how tough sales is for Indie...tough in terms of getting high enough rates to make a difference. They have a well seasoned and experienced sales staff with lots of good relationships around town as evidenced by the solid number of clients on the air...at very affordable (some would say "cheap") rates (as opposed to top of the market rates at KROQ). And to make things a bit easier, and more profitable, their sales staff represents KDAY at LA agencies. So if it's a numbers buy, they get to add the ratings together and try to sell both.

 

[Bob_Hudson]

Radio has become basically intolerable. I'll often drive around punching between 15 buttons and not be able to stand a single one. If there's no CDs in the car, and I can't get KUSC clearly, I'll often just drive in silence.

I've found it hard to listen to most FM music radio (i.e. ALL music radio) for more than few minutes, but even so I thought I'd hate satellite radio but now I love XM.

But you gotta give KROQ credit for being viable after all these years.

 

[Hunter]

I believe that the title of this thread is exactly what will contibute to KROQ taking a substantial hit in the ratings once LA goes to the PPM. A lot of guys will write down in a diary that they're listening to KROQ when they're really listening to something else (because it's what the boss makes them listen to at work or whatever) because that's what they'd prefer to be listening to or that's what's been ingrained into their brains.

Is your theory based on some sort of research, and if so what? Or are you just hoping KROQ will take a hit? I don't believe the PPM's have supported this logic in Houston & Philly.

In both Philly and Houston, the AC stations have seen their male numbers go up, not because more men are listening now, but because men never reported that they listened to them even though they WERE being exposed to the station.

This is true, but under PPM's other formats have also done better with young men, especially rock. It would appear that the young male #s are more accurate with the PPM's because their compliance rate of filling out a diary, no matter what format has been poor.

 

[scooty430]

I doubt if KROQ would have ever played Modest Mouse, Arcade Fire or Death Cab For Cutie had it not been for Indie.

Someone earlier said Indie plays a bunch of acts that couldn't sell out a church. Not true, at least in L.A. those acts draw very well.

Or She Wants Revenge, Arctic Monkeys, Wolfmother, The Shins, as well. The thing is, although because of its signal it was never going to beat KROQ, it certainly provided an interesting ALTERNATIVE to them in some parts of the metro. Sadly, since about this time last year, something has happened, seems like Jonesy's Jukebox has lost its buzz, the Morning show is inferior to the original one they had, and the station has steadily transformed its programming to be just like every other modern rock station out there. So now, they've just become a diluted KROQ, and thats not worth much at all.

Well.....they did bring in that guy from Boston's WFNX, a standard-issue snoresville modern rocker. Maybe that explains the "diluted" playlist. But it's still a far cry from crapola KROQ. Indie still plays quality music, undiscovered music, and none of the brain-dead stuff.

While you're on breaking new artists, you can also take note that Indie played American Idiot (Green Day) for months while KROQ ignored it. Finally, when the album took off, and even KIIS was playing it, KROQ jumped on the bandwagon and started playing Green Day non-stop.

But the regular playlist is not what makes Indie great anyway. (Mostly automated or god-awful TK playing a small playlist.) It's the specialty shows. Maybe Jonsey's buzz is less....not sure how to measure buzz. But the current morning show is GREAT. Low-key, intelligent, fun, with actual music. The news woman is a bit loud-mouthed, better suited to some more commercial outlet. And the other shows are still really creative and adventurous.

But none of this matters, ratings-wise. Indie's continued existence is a real puzzle. A pleasant one, though!

 

[Talking Furniture]

I doubt if KROQ would have ever played Modest Mouse, Arcade Fire or Death Cab For Cutie had it not been for Indie.

Someone earlier said Indie plays a bunch of acts that couldn't sell out a church. Not true, at least in L.A. those acts draw very well.

Or She Wants Revenge, Arctic Monkeys, Wolfmother, The Shins, as well. The thing is, although because of its signal it was never going to beat KROQ, it certainly provided an interesting ALTERNATIVE to them in some parts of the metro. Sadly, since about this time last year, something has happened, seems like Jonesy's Jukebox has lost its buzz, the Morning show is inferior to the original one they had, and the station has steadily transformed its programming to be just like every other modern rock station out there. So now, they've just become a diluted KROQ, and thats not worth much at all.

Well.....they did bring in that guy from Boston's WFNX, a standard-issue snoresville modern rocker. Maybe that explains the "diluted" playlist. But it's still a far cry from crapola KROQ. Indie still plays quality music, undiscovered music, and none of the brain-dead stuff.

While you're on breaking new artists, you can also take note that Indie played American Idiot (Green Day) for months while KROQ ignored it. Finally, when the album took off, and even KIIS was playing it, KROQ jumped on the bandwagon and started playing Green Day non-stop.

But the regular playlist is not what makes Indie great anyway. (Mostly automated or god-awful TK playing a small playlist.) It's the specialty shows. Maybe Jonsey's buzz is less....not sure how to measure buzz. But the current morning show is GREAT. Low-key, intelligent, fun, with actual music. The news woman is a bit loud-mouthed, better suited to some more commercial outlet. And the other shows are still really creative and adventurous.

But none of this matters, ratings-wise. Indie's continued existence is a real puzzle. A pleasant one, though!

Not true. In July of '04 KROQ was playing about 8 Green Day songs and Indie was playing one. In the first week of August '04, KROQ played "American Idiot" 41 times and Indie just 17. Nice revisionist rant, but totally untrue.

 

[Bianco500]

It's really the reason why a Active Rocker would be welcome in LA.

"Metallica track". HAH. Don't make me laugh. Nothing else matters is a great song, but how about One, Master of Puppets, Sanaterium, stuff from Ride The Lighting. No one's playing any Dio, Pantera, Motorhead, and KROQ makes me sit through Cake to hear a Linkin Park song. KIOZ is a great exapmle of a station that could actually find footing here in LA, and KIOZ is just 110 miles to the south, it has a rock image, no hair image, no out there image, just a hard rocking image. CC should evolve 987 to that or even Emmis could just throw that whole Mega 100 crap out(it didn't work in 99 and it damn sure ain't cutting it in 07)

I hate to say it, but yes, San Diego is sounding better then LA these days.

 

[Doctah]

Talking Furniture and Brian Craig:
I would hope that KROQ played Green Day more; I mean, c'mon, Green Day is pretty mainstream, and has been since 1994. "American Idiot" may have had some subversive political themes, but it was about as mainstream as you could get. Had Indie played it more often, I'm sure most of its listeners would have accused the station of evolving into a KROQ wannabe.
In other words, bad example.

 

[hamNcheese]

KROQ and Indie are both good stations.

Nice argument to have tho.


Go dry the piss off each others legs.

 

[voicetracked]

the music sounds good to me