Nash FM 94.7 and Thunder 106

[stationless listener]

I figure somebody would open a thread like this so I may as well be the one to do so. Granted, 94.7 is a full signal while Thunder is a class A that covers mainly Monmouth and Middlesex counties, with a fringe signal going into the city. I can only receive it in the city if I go into Brooklyn in the car. 94.7 I can receive better, although with some difficulty due to the buildings in my area.

However, folks in northern New Jersey now have an interesting situation where they have a choice of tuning into either, depending on whether they are closer or further away from the shore. Do you folks in NJ think that both stations are complementary to each other or do you think that there isn't enough of an audience for the two to coexist?

I realize that there are already topic opened about that subject at the New Jersey board but, I figured, city folk can chime in to give their opinions here, as well as New Jersey residents.

 

[Jeffrey]

I'll bet it will eat away at Thunder somewhat.

 

[mdamico25]

I'll bet it will eat away at Thunder somewhat.

Maybe yes and maybe no. Despite their "New York City to Atlantic City" sweeper, "Thunder 106" is really a Jersey Shore station focused on Monmouth and Ocean Counties in NJ. Any listeners they have outside of the Shore region is gravy to Press Broadcasting. There are many other Jersey Shore stations (WOBM/92.7, WJLK/94.3 "The Point", WRAT/95.9, WWZY/107.1 "The Breeze" that seem to coexist or even thrive with the big NYC and Philadelphia signals offering a similar format.

Just my .02 cents...

-Mike

 

[luperm]

This really has nothing to do with Thunder. They are not a player in NYC. Not even a marginal one.
They are a Monmouth/Ocean NJ station...which is on the fringe of 94.7's coverage.

 

[nd2023]

Thunder 106 got numerous complaints about the 106.3 translator. It was enough to shut them down. Thunder 106 should also have adequate coverage of Brooklyn, but the 106.3 pirate prevents that.

 

[badjef]

I'll bet it will eat away at Thunder somewhat.

Maybe yes and maybe no. Despite their "New York City to Atlantic City" sweeper, "Thunder 106" is really a Jersey Shore station focused on Monmouth and Ocean Counties in NJ. Any listeners they have outside of the Shore region is gravy to Press Broadcasting. There are many other Jersey Shore stations (WOBM/92.7, WJLK/94.3 "The Point", WRAT/95.9, WWZY/107.1 "The Breeze" that seem to coexist or even thrive with the big NYC and Philadelphia signals offering a similar format.

Just my .02 cents...

-Mike

The rate sheet comparison says it all.

Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!

 

[joaniec]

Thunder is going to take a big hit because on Twitter - Nash 94 was retweeting messages for all NJ listners.

 

[badjef]

Thunder is going to take a big hit because on Twitter - Nash 94 was retweeting messages for all NJ listeners.

Thunder will not take that much of a hit because the national branding and sound of "Nash-FM" makes them less personalized.

And the price per spot will be less and more localized, so, more bang for the buck.

It all keeps falling in line with the micro-marketing of full power stations not caring about marketing a big signal with distance.

Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!

 

[LenoxAve]

Thunder will not take that much of a hit because the national branding and sound of "Nash-FM" makes them less personalized.

If people want mainstream country, regardless of being "national," I think Nash will take Thunder Country listeners who have to sit through 106's rock-heavy album tracks just to hear a country hit. As most country stations do, Nash plays the hits (with a few nice surprises I didn't expect to hear that blend quite well and contribute to the overall flow). However, I'm curious to see how much of their signals overlap and how far south Nash reaches, which will be an obvious contributing factor.

While it may work for them in Monmouth/Ocean, Thunder Country's numbers in Middlesex/Somerset/Union have not been as strong as they once were. Signal aside, my gut tells me Nash's format (music, presentation and overall vibe of the station) will be more appealing to the M/S/U listeners seeking country. Having a stronger signal will only help, too. Total speculation, of course. Time will tell.

 

[TimeIsTight]

Actually, Nash-FM may help Thunder Country by growing the number of listeners who sample, become familiar with, and start to spend more time listening to Country Music.

For those newcomers, Thunder will become an alternative second listen, and, possibly, another pre-set on their radios.

In the newspaper business in the shore area, publishers and ad buyers have always been aware of the standard "second read" newspapers.

There have always been those folks, particularly in places like Rumson, Deal, Fair Haven etc, who read the NY-Times, Wall Street Journal, or Star Ledger as a "first read" everyday, and then pick up the "Asbury Park Press" as a "second read" to catch up on all the local news.

It's almost never efficient for local advertisers to buy page spots in anything but the APP, and the same is true for local advertisers trying to reach Country music listeners at the shore.

The Asbury Park Press has done very well for many many decades, there is no reason a well programmed and run Thunder Country can't do the same thing given its new competition on the dial. Hopefully, the competition will make Thunder better, and produce a larger local audience for the music.

 

[badjef]

Thunder will not take that much of a hit because the national branding and sound of "Nash-FM" makes them less personalized.

If people want mainstream country, regardless of being "national," I think Nash will take Thunder Country listeners who have to sit through 106's rock-heavy album tracks just to hear a country hit. As most country stations do, Nash plays the hits (with a few nice surprises I didn't expect to hear that blend quite well and contribute to the overall flow). However, I'm curious to see how much of their signals overlap and how far south Nash reaches, which will be an obvious contributing factor.

While it may work for them in Monmouth/Ocean, Thunder Country's numbers in Middlesex/Somerset/Union have not been as strong as they once were. Signal aside, my gut tells me Nash's format (music, presentation and overall vibe of the station) will be more appealing to the M/S/U listeners seeking country. Having a stronger signal will only help, too. Total speculation, of course. Time will tell.

Thunder doesn't so much care about Middlesex, Somerset, or Union Counties, those Counties are a different Market.

Thunder is concerned about the "Jersey Shore" which in this case is really just Monmouth and Ocean Counties. The 106.5 signal is to take up for signal deficiencies in Southern Ocean County from the 106.3 signal for Toms River.

If they get some New Brunswick listeners driving to Freehold, that's OK, just get on Route 18 and you can get to the Eatontown area as well.

But the micro-marketing philosophies of radio stations in recent years, won't care, neither will Thunder.

Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!

 

[luperm]

Thunder 106 got numerous complaints about the 106.3 translator. It was enough to shut them down. Thunder 106 should also have adequate coverage of Brooklyn, but the 106.3 pirate prevents that.

Thunder encouraged it's listeners to complain to the FCC. There was no uprising. Thunder is a Monmouth/Ocean signal, period. To even call it a rimshot would be a major exaggeration. Let's not make it more than it is. Coverage of Brooklyn is limited to the immediate coastline.

 

[badjef]

Actually, Nash-FM may help Thunder Country by growing the number of listeners who sample, become familiar with, and start to spend more time listening to Country Music.

For those newcomers, Thunder will become an alternative second listen, and, possibly, another pre-set on their radios.

In the newspaper business in the shore area, publishers and ad buyers have always been aware of the standard "second read" newspapers.

There have always been those folks, particularly in places like Rumson, Deal, Fair Haven etc, who read the NY-Times, Wall Street Journal, or Star Ledger as a "first read" everyday, and then pick up the "Asbury Park Press" as a "second read" to catch up on all the local news.

It's almost never efficient for local advertisers to buy page spots in anything but the APP, and the same is true for local advertisers trying to reach Country music listeners at the shore.

The Asbury Park Press has done very well for many many decades, there is no reason a well programmed and run Thunder Country can't do the same thing given its new competition on the dial. Hopefully, the competition will make Thunder better, and produce a larger local audience for the music.

We have a similar situation in Florida with regard to your post.

Most people in Florida are from someplace else. A lot of the people who live in New Jersey, moved from across the Hudson. (before moving to Florida, lol) Monmouth and Ocean Counties are included in it. The habits of residents relocating normally have them reading the same papers as where they came from. So, the Press will be that secondary paper as a result of their relocation to the Press area, more than a function of the paper itself.

Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!

 

[NJMark]

Thunder encouraged listeners to complain to the FCC ... because those listeners were complaining to Thunder that they wanted to hear the station, but could no longer do so because of the translator's interference.

 

[WNTIRadio]

Don't think that will matter now. Why bother trying to pull in Thunder when there's a class B blaster right up the road?

 

[badjef]

Don't think that will matter now. Why bother trying to pull in Thunder when there's a class B blaster right up the road?

The rate card.

Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!

 

[WNTIRadio]

Huh?

Thunder's rate card won't change because of a few people way north of their primary coverage. If a business in Brooklyn is buying time on a Jersey shore station, that business owner is a dope.

The usual locals will continue to advertise on Thunder.

Nash will be mainly agency and larger client driven, like most other NYC stations.

 

[ansky212]

I listen to Thunder fairly regularly (I have no problem picking them up at my house in Essex county). From what I've heard on air it sounds like they have a fairly strong following on Staten Island, and I have regularly heard advertisements for a car dealership on Staten Island. So while it may be a Jersey Shore station, I believe they put a pretty strong signal into SI and have advertisers there. So this could be one area where there becomes some competition between Nash and Thunder.

 

[badjef]

Huh?

Thunder's rate card won't change because of a few people way north of their primary coverage. If a business in Brooklyn is buying time on a Jersey shore station, that business owner is a dope.

The usual locals will continue to advertise on Thunder.

Nash will be mainly agency and larger client driven, like most other NYC stations.

You are looking at this as Thunder being a secondary signal for New York. I am looking at this in terms of Nash being a secondary signal in Monmouth/Ocean Counties.

The rate card will probably have some wording changed, like "the strongest country signal for the area", etc.

When advertisers see the rate cards for each, the locals will stay with Thunder.

Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!