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Let's start a thread: What should WCIN do?

O

Oscar

If they want to stick with their heritage and continue to target a portion of the African-American audience, they're going to keep suffering. According to Arbitron, the African-American audience in Cincinnati is 11.3% of 1,693,100 12+ listeners. That's about 192,000 people. That's a pretty small pot to start pulling from. (Although, that seems very low to me, considering the city of Cincinnati is about 40% African-American and the population is about 320,000 total.) But, I digress... 190,000 should be the total cume for The WIZ. Is it? Does anybody know? They, of course, have a large non-ethnic listenership, too. But, that 192,000 is largely split up between WIZF, WDBZ, WCVG, and WMOJ.

If WCIN wants to go on the cheap and get some numbers, they should go Standards. Remember in the 90s when tiny WMLX (daytimer on 1180) was beating WCKY and WKRC in 12+? Granted, it was a daytime ratings shift by Arbitron, but they showed up and had some clients on the air. It would be easy for WCIN to put on Jones or Westwood's Music of Your Life and get a sizeable share of that mid-Hamilton County audience. With that, do some high school sports. Don't those high school sports networks just buy the time? What do they pay for the time? What schools inside their nighttime coverage could WCIN air?

I know...I know...Standards didn't do well (supposedly) on WSAI, but the bar is set much higher on a 50KW monster. WCIN is a standalone with really nothing to lose. The potential audience for Standards is much larger than trying to be MOJO AM.

If Standards isn't right, then throw on Sporting News Radio and let the bird do it all. Same thing, and might be a better match with high school sports.

I may need to think this through and refine some of my ideas as I go off the top of my head here, but what CAN you do other than Spanish on a station like this? Maybe they should steal the Gospel format from WCVG? As bad as it is, WCIN is still a better urban signal than WCVG.

This is where YOU tell us what YOU would do...

Dark Soldier...are you out there?
 
I'd do a locally programmed full-service music format of some sort.

A jazz format like the old WNOP would be nice. An MOR format might be interesting, if you want to target an older demographic. By that, I mean '60s and '70s MOR, not really old standards or newer AC. I'm only 32, and even I like some of that '70s stuff, because it brings back so many fond memories.

Is anyone around here still doing late '50/early '60s oldies?

Or how about the type of modern rock format 97-X did? Yeah, I know it's AM, but at least the format would be unique.

What about AAA? Or even (here's a good one) country oldies?

If I had to be in charge of picking the songs, I'd go with a very, very, very wide variety hits format.
 
I doubt much of anything can be done successfully on WCIN to serve any kind of audience until their signal improves. They could have the most compelling and entertaining programming in town, but about half of the Cincinnati Metro area wouldn't be able to hear it.
 
I read in the earlier thread that they are not fully utlizing their 5,000 watt
daytime authorization. If so, why not?

> I doubt much of anything can be done successfully on WCIN to
> serve any kind of audience until their signal improves.
> They could have the most compelling and entertaining
> programming in town, but about half of the Cincinnati Metro
> area wouldn't be able to hear it.
>
 
> If they want to stick with their heritage and continue to
> target a portion of the African-American audience, they're
> going to keep suffering. According to Arbitron, the
> African-American audience in Cincinnati is 11.3% of
> 1,693,100 12+ listeners. That's about 192,000 people.
> That's a pretty small pot to start pulling from. (Although,
> that seems very low to me, considering the city of
> Cincinnati is about 40% African-American and the population
> is about 320,000 total.) But, I digress... 190,000 should
> be the total cume for The WIZ. Is it? Does anybody know?
> They, of course, have a large non-ethnic listenership, too.
> But, that 192,000 is largely split up between WIZF, WDBZ,
> WCVG, and WMOJ.
>
> If WCIN wants to go on the cheap and get some numbers, they
> should go Standards. Remember in the 90s when tiny WMLX
> (daytimer on 1180) was beating WCKY and WKRC in 12+?
> Granted, it was a daytime ratings shift by Arbitron, but
> they showed up and had some clients on the air. It would be
> easy for WCIN to put on Jones or Westwood's Music of Your
> Life and get a sizeable share of that mid-Hamilton County
> audience. With that, do some high school sports. Don't
> those high school sports networks just buy the time? What
> do they pay for the time? What schools inside their
> nighttime coverage could WCIN air?
>
> I know...I know...Standards didn't do well (supposedly) on
> WSAI, but the bar is set much higher on a 50KW monster.
> WCIN is a standalone with really nothing to lose. The
> potential audience for Standards is much larger than trying
> to be MOJO AM.
>
> If Standards isn't right, then throw on Sporting News Radio
> and let the bird do it all. Same thing, and might be a
> better match with high school sports.
>
> I may need to think this through and refine some of my ideas
> as I go off the top of my head here, but what CAN you do
> other than Spanish on a station like this? Maybe they
> should steal the Gospel format from WCVG? As bad as it is,
> WCIN is still a better urban signal than WCVG.
>
> This is where YOU tell us what YOU would do...
>
> Dark Soldier...are you out there?

Well folks...you call me....I come.

Obviously, there is only so much I can say. I am not the station owner, just an OM with a pretty good handle on how to program a station, serving at the pleasure of the president. In the previous string there were some very true comments on direction that is consistent and the elimination of all things to all people. Secondly, signal is critical. Finally, no need to compete with MOJO, CVG, 1230, or WIZF. Let's look at these stations for one moment for what they are. MOJO is (for lack of a better way of putting it) a white suburban kid who comes to the hood and dates a few black folk, but won't take em home to meet mom and dad. CVG is straight gospel, and God bless em. 1230 is talk....they can have it....Godspeed. WIZF is the station for the kids in the hood ONLY...(Thus, KISS has their way with them in every book.)If you can read between the lines you will see who has not been adressed in terms of content. WCIN is and always will be a "Adult black station" serving "Adult black folk". So, while I cant tell you exactly what I would do....since it is now my job to consult with ownership on plans to be executed, .....I think its pretty obvious.

Souljah
 
But will they listen?

If you can read between the lines you will see who has
> not been adressed in terms of content. WCIN is and always
> will be a "Adult black station" serving "Adult black folk".
>
> Souljah

It would be great to have a true Urban AC, but will adults listen to it on AM?
I'm not talking about the 50+ who grew up with AM. I'm talking about the 35-54 who grew up with FM. Would they even listen to music on AM? What would set it apart?

I know you can't answer, so I'm being rhetorical.

Thanks for your response....
 
Re: But will they listen?

> If you can read between the lines you will see who has
> > not been adressed in terms of content. WCIN is and always
> > will be a "Adult black station" serving "Adult black
> folk".
> >
> > Souljah
>
> It would be great to have a true Urban AC, but will adults
> listen to it on AM?
> I'm not talking about the 50+ who grew up with AM. I'm
> talking about the 35-54 who grew up with FM. Would they
> even listen to music on AM? What would set it apart?
>
> I know you can't answer, so I'm being rhetorical.
>
> Thanks for your response....
>
Oscar,

I can only say that I am 40....and I listen to what I like, and can hear, regardless of where it comes from. The masses will ultimately answer such a question should that be the approach, and my gradecard will hang in the balance.
 
> I read in the earlier thread that they are not fully
> utlizing their 5,000 watt
> daytime authorization. If so, why not?
>
> > All "Cowboy Troy" all the time! Country plus rap equals "Crap"!
> >
>
 
> I doubt much of anything can be done successfully on WCIN to
> serve any kind of audience until their signal improves.
> They could have the most compelling and entertaining
> programming in town, but about half of the Cincinnati Metro
> area wouldn't be able to hear it.

Why did they get a CP for less daytime power in a similar location, and a new night pattern riddled with nulls?
 
They moved a bit to the west

They did move from Avondale (east of 75 near Mitchell & Vine) to Ronald Reagan Highway (west of 75 near the Winton/Galbraith exit) so they probably had to compensate somewhat for that move. The daytime signal doesn't appear to be much different, but in the time between the old site and the new site, there were probably some changes to some co-channel or adjacent channel stations that they now have to account for. Looks like somethin pretty drastic to the west and south. Anybody got any idea what stations they have to protect?
 
Re: But will they listen?

> > If you can read between the lines you will see who has
> > > not been adressed in terms of content. WCIN is and
> always
> > > will be a "Adult black station" serving "Adult black
> > folk".
> > >
> > > Souljah
> >
> > It would be great to have a true Urban AC, but will adults
>
> > listen to it on AM?
> > I'm not talking about the 50+ who grew up with AM. I'm
> > talking about the 35-54 who grew up with FM. Would they
> > even listen to music on AM? What would set it apart?
> >
> > I know you can't answer, so I'm being rhetorical.
> >
> > Thanks for your response....
> >
> Oscar,
>
> I can only say that I am 40....and I listen to what I like,
> and can hear, regardless of where it comes from. The masses
> will ultimately answer such a question should that be the
> approach, and my gradecard will hang in the balance.
>

It's really too bad that a station with such a long-running heritage in serving the African American community in Cincinnati is falling on such hard times. Unfortunately, there's not really anything they can really do to make a rebound in the ratings. WCIN could try to go full-blown urban AC and try to lure listeners away from Mojo. This is certainly a format that would probably do well in the market on an FM signal, but is it in enough demand for listeners to tune to the AM dial to listen to it?

If they chose to go the brokered programming route, WCIN may bring in sufficent revenue, that is, if they could sell airtime around the clock, but what's left of their heritage would go by the wayside.

It really is a double-edged sword situation with WCIN right now. Lots of holes in the market, but lots of risks associated with each move they could make. I'd hate to be in the owner's shoes right now.
 
Re: They moved a bit to the west

> They did move from Avondale (east of 75 near Mitchell &
> Vine) to Ronald Reagan Highway (west of 75 near the
> Winton/Galbraith exit) so they probably had to compensate
> somewhat for that move. The daytime signal doesn't appear
> to be much different, but in the time between the old site
> and the new site, there were probably some changes to some
> co-channel or adjacent channel stations that they now have
> to account for. Looks like somethin pretty drastic to the
> west and south. Anybody got any idea what stations they
> have to protect?
>

On of the stations must be in Akron. I can hear the Akron station over WCIN during the daytime in Northern Ky
<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by I NEED SAX on 09/15/05 11:58 PM.</FONT></P>
 
WHBC in Akron

WHBC runs 15,000 watts during the day and they do shoot in this direction. There looks like a null in the new night pattern in the direction of Akron.

But, what are those really drastic nulls to the south and west?
 
Re: They moved a bit to the west

> On of the stations must be in Akron. I can hear the Akron
> station over WCIN during the daytime in Northern Ky
>
I used to be able to hear WCIN in Grant County KY during the day a few years ago but now I get nothing but static.
 
WCIN signal....

Just out of curiosity, what happened to WCIN's signal, over the years? When I lived in Cincy, in the '60s, their daytime signal was pretty good, although the night time signal, wasn't great. At the time, they were 5000 watts days, and 500 watts, nights.

I doubt much of anything can be done successfully on WCIN to
> serve any kind of audience until their signal improves.
> They could have the most compelling and entertaining
> programming in town, but about half of the Cincinnati Metro
> area wouldn't be able to hear it.
>
 
Re: WCIN signal....

Unfortunately, they moved the transmitter site a few years ago and are not 5000 watts any longer. IBOC will also degrade them as well once it trashes the AM band, the weaker stations like WCIN will be history.







> Just out of curiosity, what happened to WCIN's signal, over
> the years? When I lived in Cincy, in the '60s, their daytime
> signal was pretty good, although the night time signal,
> wasn't great. At the time, they were 5000 watts days, and
> 500 watts, nights.
>
 
Re: WHBC in Akron

> WHBC runs 15,000 watts during the day and they do shoot in
> this direction. There looks like a null in the new night
> pattern in the direction of Akron.
>
> But, what are those really drastic nulls to the south and
> west?

WHBC, of course, is in Canton. At night, we can't really even hear them up here. During the day, they're staticky, but you can hear them.

I believe the night pattern in question is very recent. Off the top of my head, I don't know what they're protecting.

-OA<P ID="signature">______________
Ohio Media Watch - <a target="_blank" href=http://ohiomedia.blogspot.com>http://ohiomedia.blogspot.com</a></P>
 
Re: WCIN signal....

Looking at their coverage maps on Radio-Locator.com, they really screwed themselves on the nighttime coverage when they moved. And they're only running 300 watts now at night. Daytime coverage looks pretty much the same with 4,500 watts vs. the old 5,000.
http://tinyurl.com/atuqn

> Unfortunately, they moved the transmitter site a few years
> ago and are not 5000 watts any longer. IBOC will also
> degrade them as well once it trashes the AM band, the weaker
> stations like WCIN will be history.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> > Just out of curiosity, what happened to WCIN's signal,
> over
> > the years? When I lived in Cincy, in the '60s, their
> daytime
> > signal was pretty good, although the night time signal,
> > wasn't great. At the time, they were 5000 watts days, and
> > 500 watts, nights.
> >
>
 
> If they want to stick with their heritage and continue to
> target a portion of the African-American audience, they're
> going to keep suffering. According to Arbitron, the
> African-American audience in Cincinnati is 11.3% of
> 1,693,100 12+ listeners. That's about 192,000 people.
> That's a pretty small pot to start pulling from. (Although,
> that seems very low to me, considering the city of
> Cincinnati is about 40% African-American and the population
> is about 320,000 total.) But, I digress... 190,000 should
> be the total cume for The WIZ. Is it? Does anybody know?
> They, of course, have a large non-ethnic listenership, too.
> But, that 192,000 is largely split up between WIZF, WDBZ,
> WCVG, and WMOJ.
>
> If WCIN wants to go on the cheap and get some numbers, they
> should go Standards. Remember in the 90s when tiny WMLX
> (daytimer on 1180) was beating WCKY and WKRC in 12+?
> Granted, it was a daytime ratings shift by Arbitron, but
> they showed up and had some clients on the air. It would be
> easy for WCIN to put on Jones or Westwood's Music of Your
> Life and get a sizeable share of that mid-Hamilton County
> audience. With that, do some high school sports. Don't
> those high school sports networks just buy the time? What
> do they pay for the time? What schools inside their
> nighttime coverage could WCIN air?
>
> I know...I know...Standards didn't do well (supposedly) on
> WSAI, but the bar is set much higher on a 50KW monster.
> WCIN is a standalone with really nothing to lose. The
> potential audience for Standards is much larger than trying
> to be MOJO AM.
>
> If Standards isn't right, then throw on Sporting News Radio
> and let the bird do it all. Same thing, and might be a
> better match with high school sports.
>
> I may need to think this through and refine some of my ideas
> as I go off the top of my head here, but what CAN you do
> other than Spanish on a station like this? Maybe they
> should steal the Gospel format from WCVG? As bad as it is,
> WCIN is still a better urban signal than WCVG.
>
> This is where YOU tell us what YOU would do...
>
> Dark Soldier...are you out there?

Standards or sports talk could work, if the audience for those formats lived within the city, to which 1480's small signal covers.

Part of me thinks that isn't the case, but I don't live in Cincy and don't know personally know, so correct me if I'm wrong. <P ID="signature">______________
"Not fixing [New Orleans'] levees before Katrina struck will now cost us untold billions. Not resolving the nation's issues of race and class has and will cost us so much more."
--Wynton Marsalis
</P>
 
There probably is a segment of poulation in the Springfield Township/Colerain area that could support a Standards station. That's where the towers are. If you look at where the tower is (just west of 75 on Ronald Reagan/Cross County Highway) and draw a radius south to about Harrison Avenue, draw a circle and there's your current good daytime signal. And, that's kinda wishful. I think they're running about 250 watts or something off of one tower during the day. Maybe Souljah can tell us. I think they've got a lot of people inside that circle.
 
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