NASH-FM

[the_widows_son]

It's the only way they will ever make any money. Cut every bit of overhead and give the majority of radio listeners what they want, music.

Kicks died 2/29/08 so why not assimilate into the rest of the heard? Should have happened years ago. Look for Nash FM on 101.5 in a few weeks if not sooner.
They are launchig Peoria and Detroit next.

 

[acheron1982]

Is not clear channel already doing this with their premium channels? I know "most" of their classic rock, alternative rock and active rock stations all play the same stuff within 15 minutes apart. I remember streaming Project 961 and flipping over to The Buzzard in Greensboro along with Rock 105 in Chattanooga and the same stuff was playing.

People jumped on me when I suggested this was the next step in corporate radio over a year ago. While this is probably just a major step in that direction, and I don't think it will happen overnight, but you can see EXACTLY what's coming.

Cumulus, CBS, Clear Channel and other major radio companies will begin to program single "super stations" for each of their primary formats (CHR, country, AC, classic rock, etc...) and put each format under one generic brand. My example was calling all the CHRs "KISS-FM". They'll take their best jocks and put them in one location and program a single station for each format and feed that programming directly to all their affiliate stations.

We're not talking voice-tracking or syndication but full 24-hour programming, similar to how the TV networks work during prime time, with more focus on selling national radio spots. Then automated local top of the hour IDs and local commercial breaks. They may only have somebody local to do local news, weather and traffic during drive time, but that may be it.

And then the local stations could opt-out of certain dayparts and just have their own local morning show if they so choose. Otherwise the stations are identical.

You can see it coming. At least that's what I believe is coming. It's the only way these radio companies can further reduce overhead and keep quality talent on the air.

It won't effect every station. A few stations can still be profitable and run locally, but there's no way for a market, even as big as Atlanta, to support 20+ locally programmed radio stations with local talent.

 

[kal30005]

Not sure. Did they have the same voice talent on the air all day in those markets or just the same playlist?

Is not clear channel already doing this with their premium channels? I know "most" of their classic rock, alternative rock and active rock stations all play the same stuff within 15 minutes apart. I remember streaming Project 961 and flipping over to The Buzzard in Greensboro along with Rock 105 in Chattanooga and the same stuff was playing.

People jumped on me when I suggested this was the next step in corporate radio over a year ago. While this is probably just a major step in that direction, and I don't think it will happen overnight, but you can see EXACTLY what's coming.

Cumulus, CBS, Clear Channel and other major radio companies will begin to program single "super stations" for each of their primary formats (CHR, country, AC, classic rock, etc...) and put each format under one generic brand. My example was calling all the CHRs "KISS-FM". They'll take their best jocks and put them in one location and program a single station for each format and feed that programming directly to all their affiliate stations.

We're not talking voice-tracking or syndication but full 24-hour programming, similar to how the TV networks work during prime time, with more focus on selling national radio spots. Then automated local top of the hour IDs and local commercial breaks. They may only have somebody local to do local news, weather and traffic during drive time, but that may be it.

And then the local stations could opt-out of certain dayparts and just have their own local morning show if they so choose. Otherwise the stations are identical.

You can see it coming. At least that's what I believe is coming. It's the only way these radio companies can further reduce overhead and keep quality talent on the air.

It won't effect every station. A few stations can still be profitable and run locally, but there's no way for a market, even as big as Atlanta, to support 20+ locally programmed radio stations with local talent.

 

[TheBigA]

They'll take their best jocks and put them in one location and program a single station for each format and feed that programming directly to all their affiliate stations.

Actually, that's been available to radio for 50 years. First via reel to reel tape. Then via satellite. Now via internet. Nothing new. Thousands of non-corporate mom & pop stations run this kind of programming every day.

Having said that, I don't think that's exactly what Dickey is proposing here. He owns the old Satellite Music Networks in Dallas, which is one of the companies that's been doing this for years, and he has never required any of his Cumulus stations to run any of it.

 

[kal30005]

I've seen that with individual shows, like the King Biscuit Flower Hour or AT40 or the Howard Stern Show, but I'm not familiar with anyone simulcasting an entire station in that manner.

They'll take their best jocks and put them in one location and program a single station for each format and feed that programming directly to all their affiliate stations.

Actually, that's been available to radio for 50 years. First via reel to reel tape. Then via satellite. Now via internet. Nothing new. Thousands of non-corporate mom & pop stations run this kind of programming every day.

Having said that, I don't think that's exactly what Dickey is proposing here. He owns the old Satellite Music Networks in Dallas, which is one of the companies that's been doing this for years, and he has never required any of his Cumulus stations to run any of it.

 

[TheBigA]

I've seen that with individual shows, like the King Biscuit Flower Hour or AT40 or the Howard Stern Show, but I'm not familiar with anyone simulcasting an entire station in that manner.

As I said, thousands of stations. Back in the 60s, more than half the stations in the US were running prepared formats.

 

[jabba17]

This may be part of an ongoing effort to make country stations more "urbane" to attract more listeners (especially in more cosmopolitan markets like NYC) while not alienating their core listeners. That was the stated reason the Mouse fired Moby, and may have been the reason for Rhubarb's "retirement" later on.

But this trend goes all the way back (at least) to WPLO-AM flipping from Top 40 to the "town and country" format back in the 60s...considered to be more urbane than your average country station at the time...as well as its flock of imitators that popped up. And it buoyed WPLO with stout ratings all the way into the 80s when AM music stations started giving up the ghost in general...around the time WBIE got all "urban cowboy upped" and slicked up and became Kicks.

 

[RadioDoogie]

I don't think NYC has had a country format in its market in many years. With as many available FM slots in the NYC area, I am surprised a country format has not come sooner. Stations like Kicks 101.5 in Atlanta and Kix 106 in Memphis have been around for 30 plus years. I doubt they will change their brand especially since they do well in their markets.

 

[BarryATL]

From what Lew Dickey has been saying in the interviews for the last two days, they are going to change the branding. To what extent remains to be seen.

As for a bird fed station, there will be some of that. However, it will not be a straight satellite feed. Clear Channel has a premium choice product available to it's stations that basically programs the station automation remotely and drops in voice tracked material. That enables the station music to be programmed with local tastes in mind. Traffic to be dropped in or news. Also, it allows the station to still be live and local during certain day parts and totally voice tracked during others. This should sound familiar as it is how the station operates now.

What this will do is to allow the local station to be totally programmed from a central location. No need for program directors, music directors, local imaging folks. It can all be done centrally. Now, some stations will never go totally that route like Kicks, but Albany, Georgia (or a similar size market) would.

 

[fussbudget]

Agreed. I could see WDEN-FM in Macon going this route. To bean counters, this makes sense. To radio listeners, it sucks.

 

[Kent]

From what Lew Dickey has been saying in the interviews for the last two days, they are going to change the branding. To what extent remains to be seen.

According to Inside Radio, some stations will change completely over to "Nash FM," though it doesn't indicate whether they'll air the exact same programming as 94.7 New York, while others will just incorporate some elements of "Nash" into their programming and brand. KPLX in Dallas, for example, will be "99.5 The Wolf, a Nash station." I'd expect something similar at Kicks 101.5.

 

[TheBigA]

Agreed. I could see WDEN-FM in Macon going this route. To bean counters, this makes sense. To radio listeners, it sucks.

You'd be surprised. A lot of radio listeners have really grown tired of self-indulgent local talent. Especially in small markets. The listeners tune in to music radio to hear their favorite songs, not some DJ talk over those songs. And they really don't care where those DJs are. There was a time when DJs made personal appearances, but not so much any more.

 

[trusty]

We're not talking voice-tracking or syndication but full 24-hour programming, similar to how the TV networks work during prime time, with more focus on selling national radio spots. Then automated local top of the hour IDs and local commercial breaks. They may only have somebody local to do local news, weather and traffic during drive time, but that may be it.

And then the local stations could opt-out of certain dayparts and just have their own local morning show if they so choose. Otherwise the stations are identical.

Network radio - what a concept. Will Kicks be on the Nash Red Network or the Nash Blue Network?

Really, I was wondering: Who will profit by this deal? I don't know anybody named "Kicks", but there's THIS country singer....

 

[BarryATL]

They NYC board has been talking this to death. The general thinking is Nash FM is a brand. It will not change local programming. As I said earlier, the general thinking is each station will be programmed individually, but the "music director" will be in Atlanta instead of Albany, GA or Lake Charles, LA. With automation systems what they are, all of the mid to small market stations could use the same DJ overnight with voice track segments dropped in the automation system from Atlanta. Music would stay with the local stations normal format. That means the DJ will have to do some more work, but hey one DJ replacing 40 or 50 other people is worth it to Cumulus. Truthfully, the sound would probably be better than someone local voice tracking the overnights.

 

[BarryATL]

Here is something to explain what is going to happen straight from the mouth of Lew Dickey (via InsideRadio.com):

http://insideradio.com/Article.asp?id=2607990&spid=32061#.UQAYEKLir0R

... With 83 country stations already, Cumulus Media could add to its roster. “We’ll be opportunistic,” Dickey says. “We have a unique position in this format and we’re going to leverage it.” In the meantime more stations will roll out the “Nash FM” brand. Some will use it as their handle, others with strong local positions like “99.5 The Wolf” KPLX, Dallas will refer to themselves as a “Nash station.” Some Cumulus country outlets will carry the 24/7 Nash FM programming, but many others will pick up vignettes, weekend programming and live music events. “The presence of the brand will be felt on all of our country stations,” Dickey says. To keep the format under wraps for the past four months, Cumulus didn’t hire any personalities. That process has now begun.

The article has some other interesting information. Click on the link to see the entire article.

 

[kal30005]

They NYC board has been talking this to death. The general thinking is Nash FM is a brand. It will not change local programming. As I said earlier, the general thinking is each station will be programmed individually, but the "music director" will be in Atlanta instead of Albany, GA or Lake Charles, LA. With automation systems what they are, all of the mid to small market stations could use the same DJ overnight with voice track segments dropped in the automation system from Atlanta. Music would stay with the local stations normal format. That means the DJ will have to do some more work, but hey one DJ replacing 40 or 50 other people is worth it to Cumulus. Truthfully, the sound would probably be better than someone local voice tracking the overnights.

Like I suggested, this branding is a first step. I agree that things immediately won't change that much. It will be more of an evolution.

But I actually believe even in the short run, it will make LESS work for the DJs doing voice tracking. Now they can do one set of generic "Nash-FM" branded tracks that can be used on all the stations. But over time, I think voice tracking will largely go away and be replaced by a direct feed.

I also agree that the overall sound and personality quality will probably be better, especially in smaller to mid sized markets. Outside of drive time slots, I don't think people are going to care as much how "local" the talent sounds.

 

[BarryATL]

Outside of drive time slots, I don't think people are going to care as much how "local" the talent sounds.

For music formats, agreed. Spoken word formats are a different animal.

 

[TheBigA]

For music formats, agreed. Spoken word formats are a different animal.

Depends on the market. There's some heritage to local talk in Atlanta. Not so much in other places. Talk radio in most places means the various syndicated hosts.

 

[HippieGuy]

Nash FM NYC...looking for 'personalities'

http://insideradio.com/Article.asp?id=2608911&spid=33084#.UQWWyUqjd5w

 

[the golden boy]

I don't think NYC has had a country format in its market in many years. With as many available FM slots in the NYC area, I am surprised a country format has not come sooner. Stations like Kicks 101.5 in Atlanta and Kix 106 in Memphis have been around for 30 plus years. I doubt they will change their brand especially since they do well in their markets.

Not saying it will happen, but keep in mind that Clear Channel got rid of Peach 94.9 in favor of Lite FM. Heritage doesn't mean much to radio conglomerates these days.