LITE 96.1 GOES ALL CHRISTMAS

[pdrjr]

FYI-

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PRESS RELEASE
Renda Broadcasting of Jacksonville, FL
6440 Atlantic Blvd.
Jacksonville, FL 32211

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – 11/17/2006

DECK the HALLS!
Renda Broadcasting’S LITE 96.1 WEJZ GOES
ALL CHRISTMAS MUSIC FOR the HOLIDAYS!


JACKSONVILLE, FL. (November 17, 2006) – Renda Broadcasting of Jacksonville’s WEJZ-FM, Lite 96.1 today announced that starting on Friday, November 17th at 3 p.m., Lite 96.1 WEJZ will become “Your Official Christmas Music Station” with continuous holiday favorites of yesterday and today.

“It’s our holiday gift to our listeners and the city of Jacksonville,” Program Director Ed Fairbanks said. Starting at 3 p.m. on Friday and running to Christmas night at midnight, Lite 96.1 WEJZ will play over 900 hours of continuous Christmas favorites.

“We are very excited and pleased to offer this special Christmas programming on Lite 96.1 WEJZ this holiday season”, said Gary Spurgeon, General Manager. Lite 96.1 WEJZ will play non-stop Christmas music through Christmas Day and then return to its regular Adult Contemporary music programming.

Happy Holidays from Jacksonville’s OFFICIAL CHRISTMAS MUSIC STATION

Lite 96.1 WEJZ, is Jacksonville’s Official At-Work Radio station and ranked #1 with Women 25-54, (10am to 3pm) in the Summer 2006, Arbitron Ratings Survey.

Renda Broadcasting is a privately held company, which also owns WGNE-FM 99.9, WMUV-FM 100.7, in Jacksonville and WSOS-FM 94.1 in St. Augustine, FL.

 

[John FL]

This is a decision that will help them earn a great book and something many of us (especially me) have wanted them to do for years now.

Better late than never I suppose.

 

[alcapone]

The MM of Renda Jacksonville Gary Spurgeon aka Scrooge is getting set for a Lite massacre. What a perfect time for someone to go Hot AC. The Lite crew better start looking now. It's a new era and Lite is over.

 

[brianv]

Reminiscent of Cool 96.9's all-Christmas 2004, isn't it?

I'm sure it's nothing but Lite using their chance to be the go-to Christmas station. Seriously.
Brian V.

 

[John FL]

Gees, I guess it's how you see things. I don't think it's over for WEJZ at all but rather going all Christmas sound is a very natural and very common event for AC stations all across the country. And back to my earlier statement, it's about time they did this. For the past several years, they have sat back and didn't stand out at all during the holidays, They lost many opportunities to introduce new listeners to their station and to inject some life into it.

Come January, I bet the ratings will show they had a great December. As for Hot AC, I think it's needed in the Jax market - period and that has little to do with what WEJZ is doing now. There are too many stations doing the same thing. Often times new completions strengthens the heritage station and it's been obivious that WEJZ has gone through the motions over the past few years because they are the only game in town. But it has cost them dearly in listeners. Trust me, going all Chirstmas will help them and is a step in the right direction.

 

[alcapone]

Advertisers are stupid to buy into the whole Chistmas music thing. Spiking ratings doesn't make sense unless you intend to change formats because when all is said and done by February it's the same boring bs all over again. This may all seem innocent but Lite is over. There's nothing Lite about Lite and what decade is this with the Lite thing anyway. This is almost 2007 not 1985. Guess an original idea isn't on the renda agenda

 

[John FL]

Actually Al I wanted to eventually get into this anyway. I do agree with you to a point. Spiking ratings is a perfect opportunity to make changes. Obviously to build up an audience one month and to usher them out the door the next doesn't make much business sense. But then we've seen the Renda enterprise do a lot of things that don't make sense.

But I suspect there will be subtle changes right after the Christmas programming ends. They need to do it if they want to be a major player in this market and be at their true potential.

If I were them, I would modify the music so that virtually everything played was from the 80s to today. They were still playing too many 70s and they should leave that for their other property - Sunny. 1/no more than 2 70s songs per hour would be OK.

The morning show needs the most work. I'm about to repeat what I said over 2 years ago, but the news segments are way too long and there are too many features. AC is a format that doesn't lend itself well to interruptions.

There is still something missing in the morning show I can't quite put my arms around yet. But I think it has to do with chemistry. The morning show on WQIK has it, I always thought Dave and Heather had it on COOL FM and when Hoyle Demsey was with APE, everyone seemed to complement each other very well. Listeners feel very comfortable with that and gravitate to it.

The midday host still sounds too manical. I have always envisioned the midday host as someone who is warm and inviting. I'm sure he has the potential to change but I wish John would loosen up a bit and have some more fun with the callers during the noon time request show. While the daypart is #1 with their target demo, there is still very good opportunity for the picking there.

And those traffic report segments in PM drive are too protracted and terminal. I really like what Eagle does. After the jock talks, without hesitation we hear this is Eagle traffic and it's over in what seems seconds.

I just don't like Dellilah - period.

The overall pace of WEJZ is what has kept them back. Now, I'm really curious if December 26 will feature a new and improved EJZ. I have a feeling this time, it will happen.

 

[John FL]

I would be remiss if I didn't say this....the mix of Chirstmas tunes being played is great. Excellent job and cudos to Ed Fairbanks. I was in the car a lot yesterday (Saturday) and listened to a lot of the programming. I heard the station a number of times in various businesses as well.

There is repetion but that's the nature of this type of format. The worst thing that can be done is playing alot of obscure stuff. All in all, this is one of the best Christmas formats I have heard and I've heard stations from all over the country do this. Again, great job and yes I can pay complements to the Renda folks when deserved.

Happy Thanksgiving and Holidays to all! Peace.

John

 

[wcrzx]

Advertisers are stupid to buy into the whole Chistmas music thing. Spiking ratings doesn't make sense unless you intend to change formats because when all is said and done by February it's the same boring bs all over again. This may all seem innocent but Lite is over. There's nothing Lite about Lite and what decade is this with the Lite thing anyway. This is almost 2007 not 1985. Guess an original idea isn't on the renda agenda

WALK AWAY FROM THE LIGHT. YOU ARE BURNING TO MANY BRAIN CELLS WALK AWAY FROM THE LIGHT

 

[mhsbroncos2005]

I think that most who post on this board does not realize that Renda's AC stations in Pittsburgh and Oklahoma City did the same as well by going all Christmas....I really should say there is not to much to worry about, but I am seeing listners in Jacksonville are not ready to put up with a second round of BS in less than 2 years with this all christmas stuff just to see their favorite station flip formats...but I say why would Renda throw away one of there top money makers? I just don't see a flip happening.