Market Changes

[radioprofessor]

Many changes going on in the Seattle market. It pays to listen across all station formats to see if the parameters have changed. I was quite surprised by my
last listening session. Four stations in particular stand out in my view:

+ KWJZ
I primarily listen to this station to relax on weekends. The station has added a significant number of vocals AC cuts and revamped their imaging. They are no longer Smooth Jazz in fact they have removed jazz almost completely from their imaging.The station now refers to "Smoothing Out" or just the call letters. Clearly the station is leaning toward KRWM to pick up some of their sister stations cume and P-2 listeners. This aggressive adjustment is being tried by several jazz stations to try and expand their audience base by expanding the formatic parameter. The danger is the AC based songs that have been added may turn off core P-1 listeners diminishing TSL and ratings. An aggressive experiment that I will be watching closely. It has a chance of success, in my humble view.

+ KRWM
KRWM is increasing spins ever so slightly based on mediabase comparisons, and adding significantly more HOT/AC product. Artists like Leona Lewis. Nickelback, John Mayer, Last Goodnight, Colbie Calait, Daughtry and others indicate their attempt to expand their younger end. More telling is a definite pull back of core AC gold. Again, these are aggressive moves for a Soft AC that is number one in the market right now due to their big Christmas music bubble. Both KRWM and KWJZ are running heavy TV schedules I note from my hotel room. KRWM TV spot features all HOT/AC artists. This adjustment has less chance of success in my humble view. Soft AC is built on TSL and the core is not likely to stick around for some of the rock based AC artists. You need to play 40-50% gold or the audience will leave. Other markets have tried to expand and failed. It also opens up a solid hole for a gold based AC. Add personality to a new AC and KRWM would be vulnerable.

+ KQMV
KQMV is not on TV which is a surprise in my humble view. The station is also adding mainstream CHR artists like Maroon 5, Daughtry and Rob Thomas. This is too significant a departure from the expectation of the audience. The station is also ramping up the personality talk in mornings and other day parts. Both of these moves will drive down TSL and are ill-advised in my humble opinion. This will leave an opening for KBKS and KUBE to edge older and do damage. Both of these stations have superior air talent in my view.

+KBKS
The station is becoming more mainstream in its music approach focusing more on current and recurrent hits and less on "new music." This is an effort to appeal to the 25-54 demographic and take advantage of obvious weaknesses at KQMV, KUBE and KPLZ. The station is now truly hit based. The addition of Tyler in the afternoon puts the focus back on the music. The morning host has been elevated to Asst. PD to focus on the talent side of the equation for the station. These moves have a chance for improving a fairly weak station.

The effort by stations to expand to music out of their format arena can be risky but if successful can lead to increased numbers. There is strong opportunity for growth in the personality sector for all stations. I noted in the last trend that the old line talent remain in the top tier of numbers. Bob Rivers is at the top of his game and has improved in recent months. Ichabod's show will get somewhat younger with the addition of a younger news talent. I cannot explain why kent and alan or bj Shea continue to rebound and grow. Kent and alan are excellent at format mechanics but are dated and aging for the HOT/AC format. Bj Shea has the reverse issue. He lacks format mechanics and consistency, but his show is less dated that Bob Rivers.

Many changes that might escape the untrained eye. A market under re-direction and shifting. Quite exhilarating.

 

[Seattleradiodude]

Nice break down on stations....

While it is true there are "changes" (arent there alwasy changes in the works?) you missed the boat completly on a few of these.

First... why would KWJZ go after KRWM for ratings? Thats the most bone headed move any cluster could ever make, flank a station
(which currently is #1 mind you) to give both stations mediocore ratings instead of only 1? hmm, doesnt make sience now does it.

Secondly... TV spots? that has to be one of the most uneffective ways to gain an audience. Its exactly what happened to the Wolf
and MOViN, they changed formats, ran huge television promotions, and look where they are now. you HAVE to be smart about how
you spend your budgeting doller.

Thirdly... PERSONALLITY is what this market needs to keep, so when you say "The station is also ramping up the personality talk in mornings and other day parts."
(refering to KQMV)
Thats a GOOD thing, look at Portland our friends to the south, and the majority is VT'd and some even out of state. If we become like that i promise you that
EVERYONE will suffer!

and Finnaly... KBKS has a HUGE imaging problem right now, they could change everything they are doing wrong tommorow and
it would NOT help their ratings cause they've pounded into people's heads that when it comes to CHR.... They Fail

 

[djdan]

Comments on the music shifts are interesting. There is an article in last week's R@R about KWJZ's shift and attempt to move away from jazz. It does seem odd that KWJZ would
lean toward KRWM since they are owned by the same company. KRWM already has difficulty maintaining numbers outside of the Nov/Dec/Jan Christmas music spike in ratings. They look good in Fall and Winter but smart agency buyers know the good books are driven by just these three strong months. To have KWJZ attack doesn't seem smart for Sandusky over the long haul unless they are truly planning to change KRWM and go younger. This creates a big opening for Bonneville to change KBSG to a gold based AC. I don't disagree that KWJZ and KRWM are making these moves, I have seen their commercials, I just don't understand the strategy.

Why does the board constantly attack Seattle personalities? After listening around the country I believe Seattle has some of the strongest, established personalities in the country. Ichabod's show is not better because Don Rigg's left, or worse. It remains a ratings winner. Same with Bob Rivers, BJ Shea, Kent and Alan and T-Man. They may dip in ratings, but come right back in their key demo. Isn't that the sign of a show that is connecting to the community? Radioprofessor unintentionally said it well:

I noted in the last trend that the old line talent remain in the top tier of numbers.

Maybe relatively newer shows like Jackie and Bender, Fitz, the rotating KQMV shows and others have a difficult time because the "old tier" talent is better than many on this board think.
It took a couple of months before someone started posting that Rivers, Ichabod, K@A are "old and washed up." but it seems to get posted every year and just when they seem dead, the audience returns. I actually don't think the new shows in town are terrible either, they just face some tough competition in a crowded market. When you travel to other markets and listen to a lot of radio, you come to appreciate what we have in Seattle. The voicetracking in Portland is a shame. That market had great talent just five or six years ago and many are gone.

 

[Bongwater]

KWJZ ATTACKS!! CHILL OUT FOR YOUR LIVES!!

To have KWJZ attack doesn't seem smart for Sandusky over the long haul unless they are truly planning to change KRWM and go younger....

KWJZ? ATTACKS? Well, well, well...."Smooth out", my ---!

On the other hand, after 15 years, those saxophones are enough to get to anybody.

But seriously, KRWM seems to be going exactly the same path as KLSY did in the '80s and '90s until it tried to quit acting like the AC station and it's inevitable implosion thereafter. Since smooth jazz radio is disappearing with the words "disposable income", it does seem rational that KWJZ would be slowly retooled for soft AC.....

 

[LITTLEBOYBLUE]

Many changes that might escape the untrained eye.

I ain't got no graduate degree....but wouldn't that be ...untrained EAR?
Watching my radio is like watching paint .... well, you know....

 

[AQH]

Re: KWJZ ATTACKS!! CHILL OUT FOR YOUR LIVES!!

But seriously, KRWM seems to be going exactly the same path as KLSY did in the '80s and '90s until it tried to quit acting like the AC station and it's inevitable implosion thereafter. Since smooth jazz radio is disappearing with the words "disposable income", it does seem rational that KWJZ would be slowly retooled for soft AC.....

Warm, in a way, forced KLSY out of AC. But of course, on this board, it's a conspiracy and the clearly the lack of personality is at fault.

KWJZ is likely being "retooled" for different reasons than otherwise posted here.

 

[Bongwater]

Re: KWJZ ATTACKS!! CHILL OUT FOR YOUR LIVES!!

But seriously, KRWM seems to be going exactly the same path as KLSY did in the '80s and '90s until it tried to quit acting like the AC station and it's inevitable implosion thereafter. Since smooth jazz radio is disappearing with the words "disposable income", it does seem rational that KWJZ would be slowly retooled for soft AC.....

Warm, in a way, forced KLSY out of AC. But of course, on this board, it's a conspiracy and the clearly the lack of personality is at fault.

KWJZ is likely being "retooled" for different reasons than otherwise posted here.

But you also gotta remember Sandusky owned KRWM too by 1996. With two ACs in the barn, one was going to have to get hotter. Somehow, KLSY was the chosen lamb for this.

However today, I do see a hot new trend happening in "smooth jazz" - it's disappearing. Many former smooth jazzers are switching to everything from AAA to AC to active rock. Some people will say smooth jazz radio is safe and secure on the West Coast. I personally think it's the next to go in dropping the format (You also gotta remember B/EZ lasted a longer time out here than in most areas of the country.)

No conspiracies that I can see, just the inevitable I think adding more vocals is the easiest way to slide out of the "smooth jazz" genre. KTWV has been doing that for a few years now and now, aside from the occasional instrumental, they almost sound totally AC (albeit more gold AC than current...) I listened yesterday to KWJZ and I'm starting to see the same pattern develop. It's not an instant change, just a slow gradual weaning off the instrumentals and on to more vocals....

Which of course, no matter what fancy name the biz can come up with for it....it's still soft AC......

 

[RockJazz]

In the past I would turn to smooth jazz when the rock stations played a song that I couldn't stand period or have just gotten tired of. Recently I started tuning there more often. Personally a major reason I go there is to get away from vocals entirely and I certainly don't want AC. I probably can't listen to saxophones all day but I like enough smooth and regular jazz and chill music that I would welcome the station staying within that range instead of blending in r&b and soul and vocal pop. If they extended their range I'd prefer they do it with instrumental rock or new age or maybe even avant-garde classical chamber music.

But the market is a beast and I am probably not where much of the rest of the audience is on these issues.

 

[djdan]

Glad this thread was re-started. Looking at what the radioprofessor said three months ago and recent trends show he called it on the money with adjustments at KBKS, KWJZ showing growth in the last couple of trends. KQMV, KRWM and KPLZ shows some decline. Rock stations KZOK and KISW are solid. Still think late spring and summer are times CHR and Country do better. AC stations and AM news stations do a bit better in Fall and Winter. (Mariners used to make a difference, but no longer) Time will tell if KBKS recent couple of trends are momentary blips or real, same for KWJZ. I suspect KRWM and KPLZ will do fine again once Fall rolls around.

 

[bossbill]

An earlier poster opined that TV advertising was not a good way to promote a new radio station. What then would be a good way? Put the signal on the air and wait for the world to find it?