Last Laugh

[mammaknowsbest]

I was openly mocked on this Board for my support of the MOVIN format and even called the PD at MOVIN in Seattle, which I am not. Look back at my posts and you will be stunned by my accuracy. Here is what has happened:

1. MOVIN launches so strong in Seattle (#1 18-44 in six weeks) that other markets take notice. Mark Kaye has guts to do something different. MOVIN puts Seattle on the map.

2. MOVIN team will be helping Alan Burns in several significant markets. Look for launches soon. (I was mocked) Now Burns credits Seattle team for helping him launch across the country including Philly, St Louis, LA, SF and more. (Big enough markets for you all)

3. Big morning talent coming to MOVIN. Stay tuned. Jackie and Bender are already gone, Kent and Alan are about to be cut in half and T-Man is too busy worrying about SF. He may get beat in Seattle and SF by MOVIN.

The Summer book will put MOVIN well ahead of KBKS, JACK, KPLZ and closing in on KUBE in key demos in just nine weeks. To all of those that say this is just THE POINT or BLACK-JACK. WRONG. This station is 30-40% current and dayparted. The music changes with currents so instead of dying out in six months, the format just keeps growing. Kudos to Lisa, Mark, Alan Burns and all the MOVIN team for taking the risk here in Seattle first.

Sorry for the gloating, but if a dominant former Seattle PD like Mike Preston makes the move, don't you think the format is for real. It is PD's like Brenner, Phillips and Kelly that rely on old school formatics, promotions and music that are the ones to be critisized. Change is here my friends and it started in little ole Seattle.

 

[TheVisionary]

The Philly station is not a Movin' station. Aside from that, you're right...........so far.

I would like to see the format succeed, and yes, thus far it seems to be doing well but give it some time before you declare victory. Those in support of Jack said the same things when it was launched, and now not quite two years later it seems to has lost its luster.

Let's hope Movin doesn't suffer the same fate.

 

[djdan]

Most of what you say is true. In six weeks MOVIN was number 1 18-44 in this market. For Spring they were not. The first trend of summer has them 6th in the extra 18-44 and not even top 20 in the 25-54 demo. Yes they had a good six weeks in one demo and then dropped. I am in sales, we would never try a sales plan that worked in one market for six weeks. Why are stations jumping on an untested format that is sold on six weeks of success in Seattle? JACK was established in Canada and in a couple of markets in the US for a year or two before people jumped on board.

The jump to MOVIN seems insane, especially when established stations like KLSY (which was the top AC in seattle five years ago and the number two biller in the market) or KFRC flip. Almost as insane as when WCBS flipped JACK. Billing and ratings were cut in half in one year. Mike Preston is a good PD, but wasn't he at the helm when THE POINT launched, when K-ROCK launched and when KBKS dropped. Like most his track record has some big blemishes.

Whoopi is even more untried, yet stations are jumping all over her show. Shouldn't we all wait and see if she can get numbers in Philly first? Her first trend isn't even in and stations are all over her.

 

[BlueMalibu]

I had to shake my head when KFRC jumped on this Movin' bandwagon.
Heritage calls going buh-bye.
I have no numbers to back this up, but I'm guessing Movin' will be just another 'flavor of the month.'
What everyone seems to forget is the boatload of money Sandusky has spent on TV.
If all these other Movin' converts buy tons o' spots on the tube, they'll probably do well too.
Sandusky doesn't have pockets deep enough, nor the desire to keep channeling bunches of money into 92-5.
And when the $$$ for TV drys up, so will the ratings.

Dan, you always are the voice of reason here and always make sense.
Why do you bother posting with these people?
LOL.

 

[jdweaver]

First of all - kudos DO go to Mark Kaye and crew for trying something new. Equally, they had been beating a dead horse for several years with no signs of life.

The moves in LA and SFO were not based soley on Seattle's early success. A #1 trend in ANY demo is irrelevant until it stabilizes over a book or two. So you have to assume that the guys in these markets had some additional information OR their stations were in such free-falls that a change was necessary. From here, it's difficult to see their pain, but to change two major legacy station to an unproven, new format is a real change in philosophy.

Radio may become like M&M's. Stations change formats like Mars changes the colors of M&M's - always seeking new audiences, new hip images and new revenue. The days of long standing radio formats, dominating markets for decades may be over. At least on music intensive stations.

 

[OttoM]

Whoopi is even more untried, yet stations are jumping all over her show. Shouldn't we all wait and see if she can get numbers in Philly first? Her first trend isn't even in and stations are all over her.

Actually, NYC is her home market ('KTU). Her success/failure there is being watched by everyone.

As for "stations jumping all over her" - that's because she's the latest flavor-of-the-month for mornings.

 

[pbf1]

Why ask why!

Why are stations jumping on an untested format that is sold on six weeks of success in Seattle?

Because their former respective formats were already proven failures in much larger time frames. Gotta try something!