MOVIN'S FIRST 100 DAYS

[OttoM]

Monday will mark day 100 of the BIG FORMAT CHANGE on 92.5.

And there's still no airstaff, a yawner website, the same boring production and the same terrible music rotations.

What's the problem over in Factoria? Why drag your feet on getting the station up and running 100%?

 

[djdan]

Be fair. Many new formats launch without a staff for months and given the June trend I doubt the team at MOVIN is looking too hard. The station was number two in the market 18-34 behind KUBE and well ahead of KBKS and The End in June. If the summer and Fall shape up the same way MOVIN could be a player by next Spring for 18-34 dollars replacing KBKS. Everyone wanted KLSY to flip, they did, the second trend looked strong, let's see if it has legs before burying the station. I give them credit for doing well
and if they beat KBKS for a couple of books, they will get some critical dollars.
The lesson learned from THE POINT and THE BEAT is that adding airstaff killed the stations. KJR-FM has done well by having only one live shift and automated mornings. MOVIN is a nice contrast to KBKS and KUBE by providing a music alternative to 12-24 year olds who don't like all the DJ banter. Give it time, see if it works. IF the next few trends bomb, go ahead and add talent, until then MOVIN is smart to see if their music approach to a young audience works.

 

[70radio]

Disagree on the 'same terrible music rotations,' Rob. There has been a distinct change in both the artists/titles and rotations in all day parts and day part placement at Movin'. All for the better. Talent will be added when the time is right and that talent will compliment the new and improved music and music rotation.
They know what they're doing.

 

[Kelly]

They bought some TV at launch, and there is always a pop up in cume when a format change happens anyway. It's how consistent they can be in the long haul, say over the next three full books that will tell the story.

That being said however, if they don't spend some dinero and get some above average talent soon, (aka. better than Mitch and Whatsername), then the format will have no shot. First impressions during the initial sampling are important, but that is exactly what they are. You'd be amazed how many listeners will give you one shot, and one shot only. If a station tries to drag the development of the overall sound over too long a period, their TV dollars, and cume pop will be spent, with the chance of sucess over.

 

[AQH]

Disagree on the 'same terrible music rotations,' Rob. There has been a distinct change in both the artists/titles and rotations in all day parts and day part placement at Movin'. All for the better. Talent will be added when the time is right and that talent will compliment the new and improved music and music rotation.

Care to provide any specifics?

 

[70radio]

AQH, mine are thoughts simply from a listener's standpoint. They've changed a couple of positioners. Like 'most' of our music is upbeat and if you listen for an HOUR, you'll probably 'feel good.' It seems to me, because it's Summer and school's out, they play more of the younger demo heavier rhythmic stuff during the day that you'd normally expect to hear after 7p, thus the #2 showing in A 18-34. But, with it, a good mainstream mix of familiar artists and titles.
Maybe they did more focus groups/market research and it came back that they should mainstream it more, which it sounds as though they indeed have done in an attempt to skew toward that stated target demo of W 25-44. The changes I've noted are just in the past 14 days.
May have to wait until Spring '07 for that 4 book average.

 

[WarpFactor]

Let's be fair... in the last 90 days, Movin has done the following:

1) Improved the production from the original start up package. It's now more CHR sounding and faster in tempo. Fewer jingles, more "hip" sounding sweepers and bumpers.

2) Removed and/or dayparted many of the ballads.

3) Cut waaaaay back on the "oh wow" disco cuts.

4) Added more currents to the rotation.

5) Added more recurrent titles.

6) Restructured the clocks to make the quarter hour flow much more "younger" with a batter balance of C/R vs. Gold.

7) Bought TONS of schwag to hand out at street hits.

8) Built morale in the building by being ballsy enough to go after KUBE and KISS with guerilla marketing.

Let's give them some credit for blowing up Mix and trying a new format. Let's also watch the station evolve and see if it can be a real player 25-54, or if it'll just be an "also ran" with a share or two by next Spring.

 

[JustaLissner]

With the Movin' move and KISS 106 making changes I am in a little bit of a pop phase of my radio listening. I don't consider it permanent but I'm enjoying it. My radio all day has been on KISS for a couple of weeks now. In the car and at home I click back and forth between Movin' and KISS. I like the variety on Movin' and concur that they have come a long way in improving their music list. It has the feel of the Top 40 of my younger (say, 80's) days but with more variety and still manages not to sound like they are specifically going after being an 80's station. It feels contemporary and yet retro at the same time. Good job! I'd keep my radio there if there were likable DJ's. But I have to go back to KISS for that. Shame.

 

[mammaknowsbest]

MOVIN has changed a ton since the launch. The station launched aiming at 25-54, but has narrowed to attack 18-34 and is winning in the early trends. The station is directly attacking KBKS and KUBE, distancing itself from sister station KRWM (who is the big winner in all of this). Sandusky knows what they are doing. KRWM has leaned a bit younger and the rest is history. KPLZ is left hanging out to dry in a format that Sandusky's GM and many others around the country have declared dead. The spring numbers for STAR are not real, KBKS is already beaten and in a complete revamp mode, KUBE is slipping, but will be the hardest battle yet. Love seeing the guerilla war on the streets between MOVIN and KUBE. Best since the KUBE/KPLZ battles of the 80's.

 

[70radio]

...furthermore, speaking of positioners, jingles and/or image lines, I heard an image line on Movin' today: 92 DOT 5. Not since KXRX........
Does that mean they've got to change all the jingles, image lines and positioners??
Interesting....BTW, AQH, if you want specifics, which I didn't have time to get into in my earlier post way too early this morning, just go to www.yes.com, punch in KQMV and choose your hour. More mainstream, more often.
Movin' is indeed movin'.

 

[IveGotAFaceForRadio]

KBKS is already beaten and in a complete revamp mode, KUBE is slipping, but will be the hardest battle yet. Love seeing the guerilla war on the streets between MOVIN and KUBE.

Please explain more...how is KUBE slipping? They are number one accross the board (unless I'm mistaken). Also, I'll agree that KBKS is beaten, but I don't think they are in any kind of revamp mode. They seem pretty content being second rate. Have you noticed any changes? I haven't.

I will say that MOVIN has done a really good job of getting the word out. I only see MOVIN and KUBE banners around. I don't think until Seattle gets another hip-hop station (yeah right) anybody will be real competition for KUBE though.

 

[AQH]

AQH, mine are thoughts simply from a listener's standpoint. They've changed a couple of positioners. Like 'most' of our music is upbeat and if you listen for an HOUR, you'll probably 'feel good.'

Hmmmm... "our music," huh? Getting a paycheck in Bellevue, huh?

Changing a "couple of positioners" doesn't revolutionize a station.

I feel good when I sleep in on Sunday mornings or when I pass gas. Bubblegum positioning statements don't make me feel good. Nor do I 'feel good' when I hear ODB on Movin', like I did today.

It seems to me, because it's Summer and school's out, they play more of the younger demo heavier rhythmic stuff during the day that you'd normally expect to hear after 7p, thus the #2 showing in A 18-34. But, with it, a good mainstream mix of familiar artists and titles.

Heavier rhythmic stuff.....normally expect to hear after 7pm. Where would you normally hear that after 7p?

I just heard the station play Puff Daddy, then Ciara then Rick Astley's "Never Gonna Give You Up." The National Transportation Safety Board calls that a trainwreck, because there likely wouldn't be anyone around after that.

Maybe they did more focus groups/market research and it came back that they should mainstream it more, which it sounds as though they indeed have done in an attempt to skew toward that stated target demo of W 25-44. The changes I've noted are just in the past 14 days.
May have to wait until Spring '07 for that 4 book average.

Wait a second, you just said they are playing heavier rhythmic stuff normally heard after 7pm. Did they mainstream it, or are they playing the 'heavier rhythmic stuff?' By the way, what songs are the 'heavier rhythmic stuff?'

They have platooned some songs, but it still remains 65%-75% gold each hour. But you can hear more gold from the past seven years having been added over the past couple of weeks.

 

[AQH]

...furthermore, speaking of positioners, jingles and/or image lines, I heard an image line on Movin' today: 92 DOT 5. Not since KXRX........
Does that mean they've got to change all the jingles, image lines and positioners??
Interesting....BTW, AQH, if you want specifics, which I didn't have time to get into in my earlier post way too early this morning, just go to www.yes.com, punch in KQMV and choose your hour. More mainstream, more often.
Movin' is indeed movin'.

Yes.com doesn't detect subtle changes made in a radio station.

While Movin' hasn't changed its curents much, it IS playing more stuff from the past seven years and backed off on the moldy stuff a little, sounds like one or two songs per hour were changed.

Also, is sounds like more Christina Aguilera, Kylie Minogue and Britney Spears have been bumped up in rotation.

 

[boaz]

Everyone knows they had a music test not too long ago and from the sounds of it things have tightend up musicaly. Less 70's Disco and as someone said "moldy" cuts -

Agree that ODB, Cierra, and then Rick Astley makes for an odd 3 song snapshot. Like the newer current songs.....Hearing Sean Paul's Temprature in mid-days was a new twist. I liked on the website they play DC and Beyonce too !!! In my book they are all one in the same - seems sorta redundant but ok... Better songs and looks for sure that someone is skewing for the 18-34 demo. It's a good start and laying a good foundation to build on. You go girl git yer Move on !

 

[70radio]

AQH: The word “our” was part of Movin’s positioner. Haven’t been near Factoria in months.
ODB doesn’t make me feel good either, but like the liner says: ‘listen for an HOUR and you’ll feel good,’ or something to that effect.
By heavier rhythmic stuff I mean light/med rap, hip-hop, a little bump and grind. Re: hearing certain titles after 7p. It’s called day parting….airing particular titles at a particular time that will reach that listener most likely to like those titles and most likely to be listening at that time. No school in the summer, right? Play some of the stuff you’d normally play evenings, middays, which Movin' has done and is doing, but they're playing less of those titles during the day NOW and playing more mainstream titles instead, including, as you say, more gold from the past 7 years. PD, Ciara and Astley back to back to back? It’s called variety. If you don’t like one of those titles, it doesn’t mean you’re going to tune out for good.
RE: yes.com…YOU detect the subtle music changes by either checking yes.com more frequently and comparing notes (should you so desire) or listen to Movin’ for an extended period of time. Like boaz says, at this point in time, Movin’ continues to lay a foundation.
Once the foundation is set, they’ll reach that W25-44 target.
Have a good day.

 

[pbf1]

More correction

It’s called day parting

Actually, it's one word. Dayparting.

 

[70radio]

Re: More correction

It’s called day parting

Actually, it's one word. Dayparting.

No big thing, but you're right. Use of a hyphen is also accepted. Day-part or day-parting.
Good bye or is it goodbye?
Tnx

 

[RadioCoug]

Sandusky is tight financially......

This is a no brainer. Their cash flow does not look good. The newspaper business in Ohio is sinking. Everyone from Craigslist to iPods/MP3, to Podcasting, to Satellite Radio and a little bit of Streaming thrown in there, is hurting their bottom line. Sandusky has alway been conservative with spending, now they are just plain tight. Take a look at all newspapers, both locally and nationally. There is a crisis at hand, and your wondering why Movin' is not bringing on board live full time jocks? Sheesh. Do the math. Live high paying personality radio is a thing of the past. They simply don't want to spend the money.

 

[FMSteve]

Yeah.....as much as I wanted live jocks on Movin' , it may not happen for a while. Surprised at the success of 18-34. Maybe this is a backlash against KUBE's Ghetto Rap, especially among the ladies. I've always said that Movin' may have the capability
to reduce KUBE's higher end (26-34) and reduce their strongest demo to 18-24 males. And KISS, what a waste. What are they? There's no branding, and they go from Pop to Country to Urban, all in three songs consecutively. The young female KISS listener (Metro, not TSA) could now be in Movin's pocket. Get out there, Street Team. I'm rooting for you.

 

[only1moore]

Well I have noticed the station slipping in more currents like Nelly Furtado's "Promiscous" and beefing up its Rhythmic and Dance library, so they must be doing something right. I also noticed that they are now preparing to do a new series of "butt-shaking" ads featuring locals and is launching is first club night ("Fly Girl Sundays") at Element featuring Movin's in-house mixer DJ Kaz.