Might We Now See Two Greater Media Stations Change Formats??

[Joseph_Gallant]

With the surprise move of WHBA-101.7 to dance-formatted "The Evolution 101-7" (and new call letters spelling-out
"Evolution" likely to come soon), I think there's now a chance that not one, but two local Greater Media stations might be changing formats in the next two weeks.

I still think there's a good chance one Greater Media station (probably WTKK-96.9) will go Urban or Rhythmic CHR, perhaps in time for New Year's Eve.

But now, with no "Jack" or "Mike"-type format (as WHBA was), I think Greater Media may now "blow-up" a second local FM station (probably WBOS-92.9) and replace it with a "Jack"-type station.

But as Radio Insight.com reported that a couple of "Jack" and "Mike"" Internet domains have been registered for 96.9, is there an outside chance that 96.9 could go "Jack" and perhaps and 92.9 go Urban or Rhythmic CHR??

 

[WNTIRadio]

Maybe the EDM on 96.9 was a bluff, and it was going to be a Mike type format all along. 96.9's signal would blow out 101.7 if they were running the same format.

 

[freqlost]

But now, with no "Jack" or "Mike"-type format (as WHBA was), I think Greater Media may now "blow-up" a second local FM station (probably WBOS-92.9) and replace it with a "Jack"-type station.

Why ?

 

[brightonboris]

But now, with no "Jack" or "Mike"-type format (as WHBA was), I think Greater Media may now "blow-up" a second local FM station (probably WBOS-92.9) and replace it with a "Jack"-type station.

Why ?

There's no 'why' in crazy...

 

[taylorjsdad]

But now, with no "Jack" or "Mike"-type format (as WHBA was), I think Greater Media may now "blow-up" a second local FM station (probably WBOS-92.9) and replace it with a "Jack"-type station.

Why ?

I can't see Greater Media blowing up WBOS. It fills a nitch and is everything I hear is that it is profitable. 96.9 going to adult hits I can see.

 

[CTListener]

But now, with no "Jack" or "Mike"-type format (as WHBA was), I think Greater Media may now "blow-up" a second local FM station (probably WBOS-92.9) and replace it with a "Jack"-type station.

Why ?

I can't see Greater Media blowing up WBOS. It fills a nitch and is everything I hear is that it is profitable. 96.9 going to adult hits I can see.

A format that Entercom blew up for sports and CC used only as a placeholder for dance? Looks like the Jack ship has sailed.

 

[pqgeorge]

I could see 96.9 possibly take over where the old WODS left behind. Yes, I know...the typical crap about "higher demographics" a-la Madison Avenue and all that stuff is always bandied about. But, you've got an audience, a LARGE audience, STILL without a station to "call their own". Boston needs such a station like that with the personalities we all liked and enjoyed listening to. Freshen up the delivery and make it fun to listen to. The sound like that of WCBS-FM 101.1/New York (live and local) is such a type of presentation. This is a golden opportunity for Greater Media (a great station group who has previous experience in gold based formats for years) to grab audience that was quickly disenfranchised last summer. Just a thought.

 

[Jimmy128]

Yes, but this is the same company that has the perpetually lame and weak sounding WROR. Would the same company have two, for the lack of a better word, "oldies" formats?

 

[pqgeorge]

Yes, but this is the same company that has the perpetually lame and weak sounding WROR. Would the same company have two for the lack of a better word "oldies" formats?

Yes, to some....WROR is somewhat "milk-toast" and lackluster in it's presentation. But it gets the numbers. It is basically limited rock based 60's with 70's and 80's as the main focus. (Loren and Wally are the bright spots on 105.7 and have been for years.) But with 'ROR, you don't hear any Motown and any pre-64 tunes here. And less and less 60's are found on 105.7 as of late. But putting a more Gold based presentation on 96.9 could be perfect compliment to what 'ROR is doing, with more 50's, 60's and 70's hits on 96.9 . When 'ODS and 'ROR were around at the same time, they were my biggest presets. Greater Media would have the Classic Hits/oldies market sewn up. Hey, it wouldn't hurt. And no matter what the big wigs on Mad Ave. say, "Oldies" is NOT a bad word. I'd listen !

 

[raccoonradio]

It could work, or 70s-90s with some rhythmic/R&B stuff thrown in (as ROR is pretty vanilla). And ROR does make $, and 96.9 could, too. The thing is there are ratings and there are earnings. WODS was doing fairly well in ratings not long ago but maybe in demos the advertisers don't really want to go for (or not as much as some younger folks). 101.7 and the 2 other FMs CC has in town are "for
those who think young". (I wonder if PPMs hurt WODS the way talk stations, etc. got hurt...)
But earnings/billing has to be taken into account, yes.

Now 96.9 could replicate what WODS was doing pretty much (but would it steer some folks
away from their WROR?) at 96.9, should they try it...or do 70s-80s-90s etc. Maybe even
do what the Harbor had been doing. Difference? 101.7= 6 kW ---96.9? 50 kW Or just about.
Add some rhythmic stuff and offer a bit more flavors than vanilla.

The new 101.7 pretty much hits within the 128 belt, college students etc.

 

[Eli Polonsky]

Very unlikely that anyone would launch a new format here that would appeal to mainly a 50+ year old demographic. I'd love a '50s/'60s/'70s oldies format with lots of Motown and other Soul/R&B music, but I'm 56 years old, YES, OUTSIDE OF TARGET DEMOGRAPHICS, and I've never subscribed to the "I like it, so it should work!" theory of radio programming that I see so often on these boards.

I still theorize that WROR doesn't include any Motown/soul/R&B in their Classic Hits format because their co-owned cash cow WMJX has always included some of the major warhorse '60s/'70s Motown hits and '70s disco hits (many of the ones that also used to be played on WODS) in their rotation along with the contemporary AC hits. That's what makes an adult female-leaning AC station work. WROR, with an all-rock hits based Classic Hits format, skews somewhat more male, and doesn't erode the numbers of their top station WMJX as it would if it also played Motown/soul/disco, etc... For many years when WODS was "Oldies 103.3", Greater Media's competition for WODS was WMJX, not WROR, which was more of a competitor for WZLX.

Greater Media could surprise us with a '70s/'80s/'90s rhythmic/classic dance format on 96.9, no one else here is currently doing that (except 93.7 HD2), or an "Adult Hits" format that leans that way rather than playing WROR's rock hits, and that could be done complementing rather than competing with their own WMJX, which could tweak to focus on more recent years AC hits to keep their audience from eventually aging out of the demo (seemed to be heading that way lately anyway before the Xmas music hit). But, I'd still guess that an "oldies" format that goes back to the '50s and '60s is extremely unlikely to be launched here in this day and age.

 

[raccoonradio]

Agreed even if some would like an "oldies" revival. Good points about WMJX etc

Baby boomer generation was huge but we're aging or dying off or less attractive to advertisers. As I've noted, the day before the WODS flip I heard them play I Wanna Hold Your Hand. If you were
12 when that came out, you're 60 now. Granted much of WODS' music was a bit more recent than that but...the move is for younger or maybe heading toward middle age, but if you're my age (50)
or older you're just not a good target demo.

 

[taylorjsdad]

But now, with no "Jack" or "Mike"-type format (as WHBA was), I think Greater Media may now "blow-up" a second local FM station (probably WBOS-92.9) and replace it with a "Jack"-type station.

Why ?

I can't see Greater Media blowing up WBOS. It fills a nitch and is everything I hear is that it is profitable. 96.9 going to adult hits I can see.

A format that Entercom blew up for sports and CC used only as a placeholder for dance? Looks like the Jack ship has sailed.

Entercom only blew Mike up because CBS put sports on FM they felt the need to react by putting WEEI on FM. Otherwise I am sure 93.7 would still be Adult Hits and making money for them.

 

[Jimmy128]

Greater Media has an Adult Hits station WBEN in Philadelphia. And on WBEN HD2 Club Ben. Maybe a combination of the two?

 

[indystorm]

What Boston needs is a Lite rock station that only plays music from 1965-1995..... You know.... what WSRS/WWLI used to be in the early 90's..... No such stations exist anymore, as they are filled with this hippy teenie bopper crap now. I think such a station would do extremely well, as it would be the only one of its kind....!

But now, with no "Jack" or "Mike"-type format (as WHBA was), I think Greater Media may now "blow-up" a second local FM station (probably WBOS-92.9) and replace it with a "Jack"-type station.

Why ?

I can't see Greater Media blowing up WBOS. It fills a nitch and is everything I hear is that it is profitable. 96.9 going to adult hits I can see.

 

[WNTIRadio]

Entercom only blew Mike up because CBS put sports on FM they felt the need to react by putting WEEI on FM. Otherwise I am sure 93.7 would still be Adult Hits and making money for them.

It didn't make as much money as you would think. It was a station without P1's, mainly a 3rd choice station with low TSL.

 

[brightonboris]

What Boston needs is a Lite rock station that only plays music from 1965-1995..... You know.... what WSRS/WWLI used to be in the early 90's..... No such stations exist anymore, as they are filled with this hippy teenie bopper crap now. I think such a station would do extremely well, as it would be the only one of its kind....!

But now, with no "Jack" or "Mike"-type format (as WHBA was), I think Greater Media may now "blow-up" a second local FM station (probably WBOS-92.9) and replace it with a "Jack"-type station.

Why ?

I can't see Greater Media blowing up WBOS. It fills a nitch and is everything I hear is that it is profitable. 96.9 going to adult hits I can see.

How did you figure out 'what Boston needs'? Have you analyzed demographic census data, researched income levels, broke down household composition, done an expensive market study,held focus groups, etc. to conclude that?

Those stations don't exist on big signals for a reason - they couldn't find a mass appeal audience.

 

[BostonRocks]

Perhaps the whole 96.9 flip thing was a meta-stunt? Sort of the radio equivalent of the ever-popular "plea for attention?" Probably not, but it's fun to consider.

 

[raccoonradio]

I'd think Greater only changes WTKK. Maybe they were set to launch a "Beat" format yesterday only to have CC pull out the rug from beneath them with Evolution, but who knows...maybe they intended
a rhythmic AC as opposed to the dance 101.7 is doing, and it still could happen. Just after
Christmas? New Year's?
I have seen two diff. posts in various places, one saying 101.7 is targeting a male demo,
one a female. Who knows, could be both?

--How long does talk format last? Supposedly the contracts for E&B and Graham are up in '13
(not sure when). Does TKK try to keep talk going a little while longer? Do they do a temp.
re-up for the talent...or do they get rid of local (prob not) and just run syndie? That would be
weird esp. after the news-talk, we're the go-to place for local stuff brand... Or is it inevitable
that music is what's next?

--Rhythmic AC? Or maybe a Harbor/Mike-like format that skews a bit younger...80s-now, maybe an occasional 70s tune thrown in? (Oldies, 60s-80s? WROR is doing that, actually mostly 70s. I get the feeling they won't though--not a desirable demo, hence WODS' change.).
Maybe go classic rock to grab WZLX listeners (some domain names suggested it).
---------------------------------------
some reg names
969TheBone.com
Groove969.com
SportsRadio969.com (naaah! And besides, if so, Entercom lawyers on line 1...)
969MikeFM.com (Entercom lawyers on line 2...)
969jackfm.net
ClassicRockThatReallyRocks.com
Variety969.com

and a bunch with "beat"

>>a meta-stunt?

Who knows. And maybe the other 4 GM stations are making enough $ to make WTKK a "loss
leader". Prob wouldn't happen but if GM wants to get rid of it (and again prob not), sell it
to Entercom: New FM home for RKO. Ahhhhhhhhhh.

 

[taylorjsdad]

Entercom only blew Mike up because CBS put sports on FM they felt the need to react by putting WEEI on FM. Otherwise I am sure 93.7 would still be Adult Hits and making money for them.

It didn't make as much money as you would think. It was a station without P1's, mainly a 3rd choice station with low TSL.

93.7 spent six and a half years with an Adult Hits format. It must have been pretty profitable for them.