Meanwhile, on the First Coast...

[TommyR]

Ty Miller has been filling in for AJ Davis on Sunny 94.1.

 

[John FL]

Tommy, I think I know where you were really going with this on the subject line.

It seems our friends in the panhandle and other parts of North Fla outside of Jax seem to have the enthusiasm and the interest to talk about a whole bunch of topics. Pretty pathetic when even the latest Jax numbers doesn't even generate one response.

And all the buzz about an obscure AMer ready to jump into sports talk that is being done already by others has to make you wonder. Exciting days ahead folks - can't wait to see how the battle lines are drawn splitting that 1 something share. Yawn.
This whole thing can be far more interesting if CC beat everyone to the punch and simulcast The Fox on the Rooster.

 

[alcapone]

I wouldn't hold my breath for CC to do anything with Rooster. This whole CC selling off stations and whether the CC sale itself will even go through in this century is anyone's guess. Somebody needs to do an updated version of Cool 96.9. The atttitude that an updated version of that format cannot be done is only because the younger sales people and marketing managers don't know enough about it and don't care to learn anything. If it weren't for that music genre none of them would even have jobs to begin with. Having Cool as it was can never and should never attempt to be duplicated. The music and presentation needs to be updated and should be on FM not AM. By updated that doesn't mean like a Renda retarded attempt of a wannabe.

 

[wannabepd]

Why should anyone do an updated version of an oldies format in Jax? There are other markets that will support older formats. Is Jax really one of those markets today? Is there any reasarch out there that suggests there is a hole in the market that oldies will fill?

 

[John FL]

Why should anyone do an updated version of an oldies format in Jax? There are other markets that will support older formats. Is Jax really one of those markets today? Is there any reasarch out there that suggests there is a hole in the market that oldies will fill?

Excellent questions. The short answer is YES - there is a hole in the market. Take a look at all the format duplication we have here where just suble differences distinquish one station from another - too many stations sound alike.

I think another important question is, "What is the definition of oldies?" Surely, it has changed from the days of WKQL on 96.9. If you take a look at what Pat Garrett has done a la playlist at Majic 941 in NC, the sound is very much updated. I'm guessing that maybe 30% of what they play was played on the old COOL. The majority of the songs are now from the 70s with nothing played older than mid 60s and they even sprinkle in 80s - many one can hear on a station such as the Point.

No doubt this type of programming is being done to be more competitive in the sales arena. I guess even I have seen the handwriting on the wall to accept what just a few years ago would be considered wacky programming. There was a time not to long ago that even Pat would say (and he did tell me this) that you can't play an Elton John song next to Motown. A few weeks ago, while cringing, I heard in AM drive Donna Summer's Last Dance" followed by Rod Stewart's "Do you think I'm Sexy?" and then a 60s classic - I think it was "Walk Away Renee." Yes, the times have certainly changed.

Looking back, Renda's attempt at keeping an oldies type format in Jax had the promise to be a recipe for success. There were a lot of displaced listeners out there who wanted their station to come back. But we all know the story way too well. The format should have evolved. The station sounded very different from what we were used to. It aliented the very listeners they should have attracted to build their core audience. The station should have introduced more 70s once they had attracted listeners. And of course, the station was given virtually 0 support from corporate and certainly the programming fell to those who simply did not understand the potential of the format.

But back to the original questions regarding the hole in the market. Take a look at the Eagle's target demos. And consider the fact that they too don't play anything older than the mid 60s where the majority of songs come from the 70s and they too sprinkle in 80s -the very songs you can hear on the Point. Sound familiar? It's all window dressing. Today's oldies has more of a pop slant from that period where the so called classic hits stay more in a classic rock type sound. But really, they are for the most part targeting the same audience.

And with all the duplication, it is not beyond the rhelm of possibility that someone could come along and target demos similiar to the Eagle with perhaps a bigger slant toward woman.

Will anyone bring back a hybrid form of oldies back to the Jax market? I'm always hopeful but the odds are tough ones. But there are some markets that are bringing back the format. Almost in our backyard, a station in Savannah that flipped to Jack from oldies is now back to good times and great oldies. Anything is possible.