Missing formats in Philly?

[rtetro]

I agree about the niche formats. Those are what are missing. For example:

1. Classic Country. It works. I run a classic country internet station and an incredible number of my listeners are from urban and suburban areas of the northeast. (It's not just for southern markets anymore). At the very least WXTU should be running this on one of their HD channels.

2. Full time classical. While WRTI does an admirable job of keeping the music alive, a station that runs classical 12 hours per day and jazz the other 12 just doesn't cut if you're looking for classical after 6PM (unless you have an HD radio).

3. An honest to goodness oldies channel highlighting 50s and 60s. This would make a great AM format for a station that has any kind of coverage of the metro.

4. Adult standards. If WHAT had any kind of a signal, this format would have had a much better chance of success.

 

[Slinky]

Kinda had a rough busy day, not trying to come off rude.

1) WMMR... 75% of what they play is not NEW. It will not clash, let's not be stupid here.

Most hard Alternatives are 90's-based, not new music based. MMR plays a lot of 90's Alternative, so there would be a bit of overlap.

2) No, not Alternative-Active rock hybrid. Hard Alternative - and HFS is a Class A FM in a mostly black market. That's pretty damn good for such an incredibly weak signal in the ... least attractive part of baltimore for that format.

HFS is not really relevant to this discussion since they are in no way a "hard" Alternative. They are similar to WRFF. They play lots of 90's gold, some of which is pop-based (3rd Eye Blind and Stereo MCs got play a few hours ago, for instance).

Also, Baltimore is not a "mostly black market", and HFS is on a translator, not a Class A.

3) RFF is an AAA on weekends, Soft Alternative on weekdays.

RFF does not change formats on weekends- they are always a softish Alternative station.

4) MMR plays entirely too much Classic Rock! It already clashes with MGK enough! What is a need action is something like HFS. Some people are left feeling like their is just nothing good on Philly Radio; many of my friends express "Radio 104.5 is too soft" and "I'd rather listen to WRFF-HD2". I personally, have to stream 105.9 Pittsburgh for a hard alternative. I do not want to do that, at all! I want one in Philly, and am at wits end with this.

Again, Philly has something very similar to HFS- it's called Radio 104.5. Also, I don't believe for one second that many of your "friends" are aware of WRFF-HD2.

6) Alternatives have always found success in Philly. WPLY, WDVE, Y-Rock on XPN. All of these formats did well.

WDVE? You mean WDRE? Great sounding station, but never successful. Y-Rock had its fans, but it, too, just occupied a niche. Another problem with this argument is that none of them had the "hard" Alternative sound you're looking for. WDRE and Y-Rock leaned towards the Indie side of things and Y100 was a pop-leaning Alternative for most of its life.

 

[JH_Radio]

Bring back WJJZ. (Yeah I know, not gonna happen.) \
Its a format. and its not here anymore. I like the other sugggestions of r the formats listede such as Classic Country, B/EZ, classical and 50's-60's Oldies.

 

[RadioPhillyFan]

I'd like to see someone try something new... Classic Country and Adult Standerds sounds like it'd be a natural fit, for Philly. I can come up with a few reasons almost immediately as to why.

 

[MoldaMania182]

If GM really wants to go after RFF, they'll go after it with a AAA format, as there is no AAA in town minus noncomm NPR

Not sure what you mean by noncomm NPR, unless you were trying to say XPN, which is AAA and a full Class B one at that. Don't need another one.

Anyone that thinks Radio 104.5 isn't 'hard' enough,doesn't get the big picture or should look to see how much better it does compared to everyone else.

 

[RadioPhillyFan]

If GM really wants to go after RFF, they'll go after it with a AAA format, as there is no AAA in town minus noncomm NPR

Not sure what you mean by noncomm NPR, unless you were trying to say XPN, which is AAA and a full Class B one at that. Don't need another one.

Anyone that thinks Radio 104.5 isn't 'hard' enough,doesn't get the big picture or should look to see how much better it does compared to everyone else.

But, it's not a "bad" idea. Referring to the "harder alt".

 

[MoldaMania182]

If GM really wants to go after RFF, they'll go after it with a AAA format, as there is no AAA in town minus noncomm NPR

Not sure what you mean by noncomm NPR, unless you were trying to say XPN, which is AAA and a full Class B one at that. Don't need another one.

Anyone that thinks Radio 104.5 isn't 'hard' enough,doesn't get the big picture or should look to see how much better it does compared to everyone else.

But, it's not a "bad" idea. Referring to the "harder alt".

It is a bad idea. It wouldn't work. It's far too niche, doesn't quite fit 2012, and wouldn't generate anything on the terrestrial side, this is why XM and Internet radio exist. It's almost amusing Philly is lucky to have one of (if not the) most successful Alt rock station in the post 2000 era and people still find a way to rag on it. Nearly all of the supposed 'hard' alt acts you originally mentioned get played a lot(and most of THOSE aren't even hard and Korn isn't really alternative anyway)

 

[RadioPhillyFan]

Alright, i'll say this - Would, per say... something like WXDX Pittsburgh find success? It's a... Alternative, if not Active Rock / Alternative.

I understand that, some thoughts are that such station would find failure. But MMR is entirely to Post-Grudge. (I know, WXDX is somewhat Post-Grudge)

But... many people do express this feel that Radio 104.5 is a soft alternative. I know, this is a board of radio enthusiasts who will listen to just about anything that broadcasts to form an opinion and would find excitement in seeing how a format would do. I would be excited if we had such a format.

I do have to say, my entire opinion is based off of my wants - and some of what I have seen on this forum, also how formats like what I am imagining are performing in other markets.

My hopes and extreme interest in some new emerging Hard Alternative Rock acts seem to push me into such silly thoughts.

( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_xzqN0JY6s ) - I find this song very interesting, which is weird for someone of my age (30's)

 

[Slinky]

WXDX works in Pittsburgh for two big reasons:

1) The only other rocker in Pittsburgh is WDVE, which plays mostly classic rock. WXDX has the 90's-now rock market cornered. This is unlike Philadelphia, where WMMR and WRFF share the 90's and some of the 2000s. A new WXDX-type station in Philadelphia would have to compete with both WMMR and WRFF.

2) Pittsburgh is a more blue-collar, working-class city compared to Philly. Harder rock generally does better with that audience.

The fact that WXDX runs Penguins games may help as well.

 

[MoldaMania182]

The fact that WXDX runs Penguins games may help as well.

"And boom goes the dynamite"

 

[RadioPhillyFan]

The fact that WXDX runs Penguins games may help as well.

"And boom goes the dynamite"

As more then likely 50% of the audience is drawn from that, it's not like that's the sole reason (but obviously the main one).

 

[Jersey Maiden]

It is a bad idea. It wouldn't work. It's far too niche, doesn't quite fit 2012, and wouldn't generate anything on the terrestrial side, this is why XM and Internet radio exist. It's almost amusing Philly is lucky to have one of (if not the) most successful Alt rock station in the post 2000 era and people still find a way to rag on it. Nearly all of the supposed 'hard' alt acts you originally mentioned get played a lot(and most of THOSE aren't even hard and Korn isn't really alternative anyway)

Tell me about it. New Yorkers don't have an alt rock station of ANY kind. And I do tend to hear Tool a lot on 104.5 when I listen online. I would say that while RFF plays more softer artists from the 90's (ie, Goo Goo Dolls), the alt rocker we used to have, RXP was softer overall with an AAA lean (with classic hard rock like AC/DC thrown in once in a while).

I live in Jersey, where the only choice for any current rock we now have is WDHA, a sister station of WMMR. I've compared their playlists and I can tell you that DHA relies A LOT more on classic rock. I think I remember someone told me that Greater Media also owns a classic rocker in Philly but not in Jersey, which probably explains this difference.

 

[RadioPhillyFan]

I live in Jersey, where the only choice for any current rock we now have is WDHA, a sister station of WMMR.  I've compared their playlists and I can tell you that DHA relies A LOT more on classic rock.  

Well, MMR still is somewhat Classic Rock (it's mostly Post-Grudge) (depending on the time of day, during what they call the pit it's a lot less classic rock).

But, can't you get RFF in Jersey?

 

[Jersey Maiden]

I live in Jersey, where the only choice for any current rock we now have is WDHA, a sister station of WMMR. I've compared their playlists and I can tell you that DHA relies A LOT more on classic rock.

Well, MMR still is somewhat Classic Rock (it's mostly Post-Grudge) (depending on the time of day, during what they call the pit it's a lot less classic rock).

But, can't you get RFF in Jersey?

In some parts of central Jersey, you can. Sometimes I put it on when I go to work (my job is in South Brunswick). It's fine in North Brunswick (I doubt that most residents there know they can get Philly stations) but starts to break up in New Brunswick when you drive back up Route 1. I live in Edison and it comes in clear when I'm parked in my driveway but problems ensue when the car starts moving. Most of the time, it's just not worth it. I'm sure that if I really wanted to, I could listen to MMR on my way to work but when DHA actually works for my entire commute, it doesn't make sense for me to do that.

What I find weird is that MMR would sometimes throw in alternative artists like Weezer and Coldplay but DHA would never touch them. Not sure why GM believes that there are more active rock purists in Jersey than Philly but check out their playlists.

http://www.wdhafm.com/Last105Played.aspx
http://www.wmmr.com/BroadcastHistory.aspx

 

[MikefromDelaware]

Rterto said: I agree about the niche formats. Those are what are missing. For example:

1. Classic Country. It works. I run a classic country internet station and an incredible number of my listeners are from urban and suburban areas of the northeast. (It's not just for southern markets anymore). At the very least WXTU should be running this on one of their HD channels.

2. Full time classical. While WRTI does an admirable job of keeping the music alive, a station that runs classical 12 hours per day and jazz the other 12 just doesn't cut if you're looking for classical after 6PM (unless you have an HD radio).

3. An honest to goodness oldies channel highlighting 50s and 60s. This would make a great AM format for a station that has any kind of coverage of the metro.

4. Adult standards. If WHAT had any kind of a signal, this format would have had a much better chance of success.


WDSD HD2 94.7-2 offers Foggy Mountain Country from I heart radio. Not a bad mix of the country greats. I listen online via:
tunein.com Also 97.5-2 WPEN-FM HD2 offers Classical Music which you can also get via tunein.com. Of course WRTI offers classical at night via their HD-2 station and Jazz during the day at the HD-2 station.

But I agree with you, those formats are missing from the Philly radio market and would be a great addition to the airwaves here in the Delaware Valley.