Later article on WMAD flip

[Darrel]

http://www.madison.com/archives/read.php?ref=wsj:2005:12:28:539256:FRONT

Sure, the WMAD flip may be old news, and this Wisconsin State Journal article was from last week (12/28/2005), but Tom Alesia's words still have some pretty good bite to them. He makes note that though MAD Radio was low-rated, it did have a role in influencing the Madison music scene, playing songs and artists a lot more frequently than other stations like WJJO and Triple M. Alesia also forecasts a war between Q106 and Star Country, and he fears that not only will both stations become conservative (i.e., predictable and less adventurous) with their playlists, they may also play less of an artist that's coming to town because the other station is sponsoring their concert.

His most biting comment is in the last paragraph: "[Madison], a progressive city with 40,000-plus college students, most of whom are eager to sample new tunes, lose out because Clear Channel wants a piece of the demographic that can tell Brooks from Dunn."

 

[Ed_Walker]

Re: Later article on WMAD flip-JEESH

Another media critic without a clue.

Reading between the lines:

> He makes note that though MAD Radio was low-rated, it did
> have a role in influencing the Madison music scene, playing
> songs and artists a lot more frequently than other stations
> like WJJO and Triple M.

What he's saying is that MAD influenced the Madison music scene
in the minds of those few that listened.

> Alesia also forecasts a war between
> Q106 and Star Country,

Tom's apparently a smart guy. Its called competition.

> and he fears that not only will both
> stations become conservative (i.e., predictable and less
> adventurous) with their playlists, they may also play less
> of an artist that's coming to town because the other station
> is sponsoring their concert.

So the sponsoring station will play the artist. Its kinda like
life was before there were two country stations - with one
station playing the artist (as well as all the artists).

How "adventurous" are mainstream country stations? The hits
are the hits are the hits.

> His most biting comment is in the last paragraph:
> "[Madison], a progressive city with 40,000-plus college
> students, most of whom are eager to sample new tunes, lose
> out because Clear Channel wants a piece of the demographic
> that can tell Brooks from Dunn."

Biting? How about idiotic! If there were that many eager
folks wanting to sample new tunes on a station that supported
the local music scene, then why - in his words - was MAD "low
rated"?

What he should have written was "Clear Channel made a
noble attempt but the market didn't bite".















>

 

[k9ez]

Re: Later article on WMAD flip-JEESH

> Another media critic without a clue.
>
> Reading between the lines:
>
> > He makes note that though MAD Radio was low-rated, it did
>
> > have a role in influencing the Madison music scene,
> playing
> > songs and artists a lot more frequently than other
> stations
> > like WJJO and Triple M.
>
> What he's saying is that MAD influenced the Madison music
> scene
> in the minds of those few that listened.
>
> > Alesia also forecasts a war between
> > Q106 and Star Country,
>
> Tom's apparently a smart guy. Its called competition.
>
> > and he fears that not only will both
> > stations become conservative (i.e., predictable and less
> > adventurous) with their playlists, they may also play less
>
> > of an artist that's coming to town because the other
> station
> > is sponsoring their concert.
>
> So the sponsoring station will play the artist. Its kinda
> like
> life was before there were two country stations - with one
> station playing the artist (as well as all the artists).
>
> How "adventurous" are mainstream country stations? The hits
>
> are the hits are the hits.
>
> > His most biting comment is in the last paragraph:
> > "[Madison], a progressive city with 40,000-plus college
> > students, most of whom are eager to sample new tunes, lose
>
> > out because Clear Channel wants a piece of the demographic
>
> > that can tell Brooks from Dunn."
>
> Biting? How about idiotic! If there were that many eager
> folks wanting to sample new tunes on a station that
> supported
> the local music scene, then why - in his words - was MAD
> "low
> rated"?
>
> What he should have written was "Clear Channel made a
> noble attempt but the market didn't bite".
>

Great comments! It never ceases to amaze me how people will rip on Clear Channel just because they are Clear Channel. To hell with a business trying to make money. To hell with trying to find a larger audience.

Clear Channel in Madison as gone out on some limbs.... MAD with alternative (that didnt work however, but they tried), and WXXM, putting a liberal talker on an FM. Something the rest of the country as yet to try.

But again, that doesnt seem to come out, does it.

Disclosure - I do work for Clear Channel.

 

[JeremyAndrews]

Re: Later article on WMAD flip-JEESH

> and WXXM, putting a liberal talker on an FM. Something the
> rest of the country as yet to try.
>
That was one smart move. Madison is the perfect market for it. When it comes to ratings, both 96.3 and 92.1 have a few things in common

1. Both were WMAD
2. 92.1 went Hot AC. Flopped.
3. 96.3 went smooth jazz. Flopped. Became WMAD. Guess you can call it a bring back. Was pretty successful in at least the 12+ book for a time but then went back down.
4. 92.1 went under. Went Air America. Was successful in the 12+ for a time (They put AAR on at the PERFECT time. Election 2004) Then went back down. But if you consider the ratings of other AAR stations, The Mic is doing pretty well.

Considering how popular country is in Madison with WWQM, 96.3 may have a chance at least for a time. Only time will tell.

<P ID="signature">______________

</P>

 

[Nitelinger]

Re: Later article on WMAD flip-JEESH

Yes, you do work for CC! (Grin)

As someone who had a couple of shows on WMSE, it does amaze me that some folks don't seem to grasp the fact that commercial radio operates on a different model. We influenced record purchases, and were (They still are.) loved by folks in the music scene and those with breadth and depth (occasionally - but not often - both) in their musical knowledge/taste.

However, that audience is still relatively small. It is loyal and supportive, but small. As such, it is a niche.

There is nothing wrong with filling a niche. Ultimately, it is revenue and not ratings per se, that counts, and niche formats can generate revenue with small ratings if they appeal to a narrowly targeted audience. On the other hand, it should be obvious that if one wants to grow that audience, one has to appeal to as broad a cross-section as one can in order to increase ratings.

In Milwaukee, the presence of WMSE makes it difficult to compete with the same format commercially. I don't know what else Madison has (I'm trying to remember WORT's programming.), but suspect that it might be the same.

WXRT has survived in Chicago, but that is a large market, and they aren't a pure "alternative" station. On the other hand, the term "alternative" doesn't have the meaning it did back in the early 1980's. About a dozen years ago, I recall reading an article in the Indianapolis newspaper during a viusit there in which a local rock group spoke of a song they wrote. The lyrics went something like:

"I went to bed last night and thought I was rock-and-roll. I woke up this morning, and found that I was alternative!"

It's interesting that CC madison has tried. (Disclaimer: I was a guest on Rick Murphy's WIBA show on 18 December. - another big grin!)

- Dick



> Great comments! It never ceases to amaze me how people will
> rip on Clear Channel just because they are Clear Channel.
> To hell with a business trying to make money. To hell with
> trying to find a larger audience.
>
> Clear Channel in Madison as gone out on some limbs.... MAD
> with alternative (that didnt work however, but they tried),
> and WXXM, putting a liberal talker on an FM. Something the
> rest of the country as yet to try.
>
> But again, that doesnt seem to come out, does it.
>
> Disclosure - I do work for Clear Channel.
>

 

[bigtalkradiofan]

Re: Later article on WMAD flip-JEESH

> In Milwaukee, the presence of WMSE makes it difficult to
> compete with the same format commercially. I don't know what
> else Madison has (I'm trying to remember WORT's
> programming.), but suspect that it might be the same.
>
> WXRT has survived in Chicago, but that is a large market,
> and they aren't a pure "alternative" station. On the other
> hand, the term "alternative" doesn't have the meaning it did
> back in the early 1980's. About a dozen years ago, I recall
> reading an article in the Indianapolis newspaper during a
> viusit there in which a local rock group spoke of a song
> they wrote. The lyrics went something like:


Here's how I would classify the Madison,WI Rock/Alternative music market:

Rock
WJJO 94.1 FM Rock
WMAD 96.3 FM Rock - defunct, now Country

Classic Rock
WHLK 93.1 FM Variety (although I would probably classify it as "softer version" of Classic Rock)
WIBA 101.5 FM Classic Rock

Adult Hits & Adult Album Alternative
WCHY 105.1 FM Adult Hits (Jack format, I believe)
WMMM 105.5 FM Adult Album Alternative

Variety / Community / Student
WORT 89.9 FM Variety / Madison Community Radio
WSUM 91.7 FM Variety / University of Wisconsin College Radio Station

Top 40
WZEE 104.1 FM Top-40

 

[pbf1]

Amen!

VERY well said.


> Another media critic without a clue.
>
> Reading between the lines:
>
> > He makes note that though MAD Radio was low-rated, it did
>
> > have a role in influencing the Madison music scene,
> playing
> > songs and artists a lot more frequently than other
> stations
> > like WJJO and Triple M.
>
> What he's saying is that MAD influenced the Madison music
> scene
> in the minds of those few that listened.
>
> > Alesia also forecasts a war between
> > Q106 and Star Country,
>
> Tom's apparently a smart guy. Its called competition.
>
> > and he fears that not only will both
> > stations become conservative (i.e., predictable and less
> > adventurous) with their playlists, they may also play less
>
> > of an artist that's coming to town because the other
> station
> > is sponsoring their concert.
>
> So the sponsoring station will play the artist. Its kinda
> like
> life was before there were two country stations - with one
> station playing the artist (as well as all the artists).
>
> How "adventurous" are mainstream country stations? The hits
>
> are the hits are the hits.
>
> > His most biting comment is in the last paragraph:
> > "[Madison], a progressive city with 40,000-plus college
> > students, most of whom are eager to sample new tunes, lose
>
> > out because Clear Channel wants a piece of the demographic
>
> > that can tell Brooks from Dunn."
>
> Biting? How about idiotic! If there were that many eager
> folks wanting to sample new tunes on a station that
> supported
> the local music scene, then why - in his words - was MAD
> "low
> rated"?
>
> What he should have written was "Clear Channel made a
> noble attempt but the market didn't bite".
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> >
>

 

[wikhradio]

Re: Later article on WMAD flip-JEESH

> > In Milwaukee, the presence of WMSE makes it difficult to
> > compete with the same format commercially. I don't know
> what
> > else Madison has (I'm trying to remember WORT's
> > programming.), but suspect that it might be the same.
> >
> > WXRT has survived in Chicago, but that is a large market,
> > and they aren't a pure "alternative" station. On the other
>
> > hand, the term "alternative" doesn't have the meaning it
> did
> > back in the early 1980's. About a dozen years ago, I
> recall
> > reading an article in the Indianapolis newspaper during a
> > viusit there in which a local rock group spoke of a song
> > they wrote. The lyrics went something like:
>
>
> Here's how I would classify the Madison,WI Rock/Alternative
> music market:
>
> Rock
> WJJO 94.1 FM Rock
> WMAD 96.3 FM Rock - defunct, now Country
>
> Classic Rock
> WHLK 93.1 FM Variety (although I would probably classify it
> as "softer version" of Classic Rock)
> WIBA 101.5 FM Classic Rock

WHLK is classified as "Classic Hits", and in other words, softer classic rock.

>
> Adult Hits & Adult Album Alternative
> WCHY 105.1 FM Adult Hits (Jack format, I believe)
> WMMM 105.5 FM Adult Album Alternative
>
> Variety / Community / Student
> WORT 89.9 FM Variety / Madison Community Radio
> WSUM 91.7 FM Variety / University of Wisconsin College Radio
> Station
>
> Top 40
> WZEE 104.1 FM Top-40
>
<P ID="signature">______________


Moderator, Community Radio board</P>