RadioNation said:
Whats most important is did Hit 106 hit the demos they need to sell... 12+ numbers dont tell the whole story... obviously though it looks like people can only take so many CHR stations...
Actually, the really important question is "how much are they billing?" Y'see, being a hit radio station does make the salespeoples' jobs easier, because they can march into a potential advertiser's office, turn on the radio, and hear absolutely nothing that challenges that advertisers' sense that there might be something on the station that turns off their customers. The 'truthy' reaction is "everyone likes hit radio - that's why it's hit radio, right?" Even if the potential advertiser can't stand hit radio, they acknowledge that it's still hit radio, and part with some cash.
A good alternative station - e.g. one that challenges its listeners to embrace things that aren't a known quantity - is less likely to provoke that reaction in a potential advertiser, unless that advertiser's already sold as a listener.
So I really don't think this is the death knell for Hit106 - their salespeople are probably nervous, but they're preparing "Plan B": "Sure, the ratings aren't huge, but can you afford to advertise on Z-100, PLJ or 92.3 Now?" That said, there's always the possibility that WJLK - never really their competitor when they were G-Rock - is eating their lunch.
Personally, I think they made exactly the wrong move at exactly the wrong time. Had they stayed the course, their only competition would have been WRXP, and even they've got a guaranteed tune-out every few songs. (I've tried to listen to The Rat, and I honestly can't say they were direct competition - they play all the songs that make me tune out from WRXP.)
Then again, in 2000 I said "Faye would *never* sell that station, it's in her blood!"...so what do I know?
