Nashville Public Radio to flip 91.1 to Local Music format later this fall

[Tibbs4]

The guy they've put in charge has all the bona fides it takes to do the job. So it probably won't be mediocre. My question is how do they distinguish themselves from stations that have heritage and relationships? Is there something they can do differently? I don't know. A Nashville version of WWOZ is an interesting idea.

Hope I got a little laugh out of you! This will be hard to stay focused on, so let's just say there are four variables (lanes) that diverge on an intersection.

SOUTH - Bona fides don't matter when/if your hands will be tied by budget constraints or boards with ideas and dictates that constrain. Let's hope neither issue arises. Bona fides must make sure that his bosses sign on to a project that can be properly built and can actually be won. My guess is that these issues have been approved to proceed with the project.

NORTH - Is this the time to be trying to revive and connect two seriously tough industries - local music and local restaurants/bars/music venues/GOO/Ryman when they are unable to draw a crowd? Given the project is moving ahead, you make sure these issues are not really issues. You create a win for all potentially involved and build from there.

WEST - Think Multi-Lanes. Can you possibly pull the project together as a more than just regional format with ties into Kentucky for Bluegrass, Memphis and Mississippi for Blues and Soul, Alabama for Southern Rock and Tennessee for literally every genre to give yourself such bandwidth that you literally create a nationally interesting product that renders previous relationships simply too limited. (See SOUTH and NORTH, maybe this makes it THE exact proper time.)

EAST - Market everything from clothing to campers, history, travel and tie-in with public television and online entities that have more access to more people.


Remember, 91.1 has the upper hand on signal depth in Nashville proper over WRLT, WXNA and in some cases, WMOT. Make the call letters work. Create a BRAND. Make it matter and break the rules. Go beyond a frequency and never relent. Allow for no accidents and create one heck of a traffic jam that stops people in their tracks.

 

[TheBigA]

Create a BRAND. Make it matter and break the rules. Go beyond a frequency and never relent. Allow for no accidents and create one heck of a traffic jam that stops people in their tracks.

I like your enthusiasm, but just remember: We're talking about public radio. They don't specialize in that kind of synergy.

 

[Tibbs4]

I like your enthusiasm, but just remember: We're talking about public radio. They don't specialize in that kind of synergy.

Hence... failure or nothing special? Welcome to 2020, Public Radio. Dazzle or disappear, because frequencies matter and we have already seen the such a demise that real radio is on the verge of being finished. And the real local owners can't survive and the corps have no product so...


I could bitch and go on, but why defend the obvious. "Radio dials" in the top 100 markets are so unlistenable (for this audience) that they throw customers to even worse sources with even less content and they pay for it. Time to get over the BS. (Not a stab at your BigA. Far from it. It just that the dial is so lackluster that the younger generation is not interested and time moves on faster than we can even imagine.). And FWIW, I don't play any games on here and hold the family cards close, as you know, but this station seriously has the potential to change our L O C O L market and severely impede every level of current business or take it to the next level. Two current stations (you know who they are) are trying to capture the market, but it is on hiatus as far as traditional platform is concerned, yet amazingly vibrant on today's listening platforms.The needs are not being met on the traditinal platforms of media or in venues with live and local performances. So how do WE find a solution in this pandemic and capture listeners from rather heartless media sources?

 

[TheBigA]

Hence... failure or nothing special?

We don't know yet. They're just starting. But I saw a press release from Lightning 100 that they're launching a Sunday night concert series with a club called 3rd & Lindsley. That place was the launching ground for several major stars including Lady Antebellum. So the competition isn't sitting back and waiting. They're being pro-active. That's the right way to be. We'll see what happens next.

 

[Tibbs4]

We don't know yet. They're just starting. But I saw a press release from Lightning 100 that they're launching a Sunday night concert series with a club called 3rd & Lindsley. That place was the launching ground for several major stars including Lady Antebellum. So the competition isn't sitting back and waiting. They're being pro-active. That's the right way to be. We'll see what happens next.

I am friends with the owner of Lightning 100, and tonight I noticed they are saying "Celebrating 30 Years as Nashville's Independent Radio Station" with their Legal ID/TOH. This may be new. They have been aligned with 3rd & Lindsley for many years. You may be right that they are locking in on a regular basis. Hard to say. This should be a very interesting end to 2020. Of course the latest black eye for Nashville is the "King of Death" Mayor who is about to pay the price for his bad decision making.
The music industry and venues have been severely hurt.

 

[SomeRadioGuy]

They're hiring:

https://nashvillepublicradio.org/employment-opportunities/

 

[TheBigA]

They're hiring:

That's an amazing thing, at a time when most places are laying off staff, this station is looking to hire four new people. I went to the web site, and the GM says they're making this format change because, among other reasons, they're hoping this new format additional funding that they can apply to WPLN, the all news station, in order to hire more journalists. There's a lot at stake.

 

[Tibbs4]

That's an amazing thing, at a time when most places are laying off staff, this station is looking to hire four new people. I went to the web site, and the GM says they're making this format change because, among other reasons, they're hoping this new format additional funding that they can apply to WPLN, the all news station, in order to hire more journalists. There's a lot at stake.

Look at where the money is coming from to advance this project and add more layers of staff and management. There is a lot at stake and I will say, BigA, you said it above....

"we're talking about public radio."

I know a few people associated with WPLN/WFCL and they are excited about the perks and "fun" ahead. Doesn't seem like the drive to thrive is of dyer importance. That may well bode well for, well WMOT and WRLT.
WMOT folks are pretty driven. WRLT are, in their own way, smart and competitive.

 

[Y2kTheNewOldies]

https://news.****************/articles/n39558/Nashville-PR-Names-WNXP-as-New-Music-Discovery-Station

and a New PD has enter 91.1 FM

Nashville Public Radio has announced WNXP-FM (91.ONE) as its new music discovery radio station, while naming Mickey Lernard Parks as Assistant Program Director and on-air host. The station, launching later this fall, will be a platform for new local music and serve as Nashville's Music Experience.

Parks is a Nashville native who hosts "This Is The Place," a podcast about the Nashville restaurant and bar scene. He's hosted several radio shows on Vanderbilt University's WRVU from 2000 to 2005 where he had the opportunity to play new bands before they broke through locally and nationally. Parks also served as the store manager in the first several years of Grimey's New & Preloved Music which has grown to be an important part of Nashville's music scene. Most recently, he has managed a wide variety of corporate teams in the hospitality industry.

 

[TheBigA]

and a New PD has enter 91.1 FM

So this continues the theme of replicating what was previously on this signal as WRVU, except under different ownership.

If this guy can combine his interests of new music and food, it could be helpful when they're raising money.

 

[Tibbs4]

Not exactly the same format or music. WRVU was free-form radio in blocks by mostly college students. There were various attempts by administrators to take the reigns away from ex-students or local fans turned DJs and try to only use
current students.* The school wanted to get out of the "failing" and uncool radio business and, as typical for universities with dumb@$$es with no real business experience, they did what they do best and made so many people miserable
that no one cared and they could not fill the shifts. You know the rest of the story. They sold the liability in their eyes for a couple a million and it cost them that much in upset alums that quit giving to Vanderbilt. So now NPR is trying to
take this actual asset and bring it into this century with a local flair and hipness. So far, gotta give 'em credit for some energy going in.

I agree with the local connection, food/restaurant/bar/venue scene. That synergy should create some attention and certainly raise a few eyebrows.


Most interesting is the direct shot at WXNA 101.5 LPFM with the new 91.ONE calls. Perhaps there is an intended ding at Lightning 100, as well.



*enter WXNA, formed by many ex-RVU members.

 

[TheBigA]

Not exactly the same format or music. WRVU was free-form radio in blocks by mostly college students.

Seems to me they also did some Vanderbilt sports, and that certainly won't happen at the new place.

But sure, it won't be total free form. There will be some structure. Plus "flair and hipness."

 

[Tibbs4]

Seems to me they also did some Vanderbilt sports, and that certainly won't happen at the new place.

But sure, it won't be total free form. There will be some structure. Plus "flair and hipness."

Most of the "old days" of music on RVU were run by non-local college students that enjoyed playing their electronica, international or non-Nashville music, mostly. It was actually quite interesting at times. WXNA has some similar "roots."
As for sports, Big A, check this out - this week Vanderbilt sports are on 93.3 Classic Hits. Signal barely covers Davidson County (actual county Nashville is in, "proper.") W??? 91.1 actually covers 1/2 dozen surrounding counties. Vandy Sports
has been on 5-ish stations. No one cares. Sadly.

 

[TheBigA]

91.1 actually covers 1/2 dozen surrounding counties. Vandy Sports has been on 5-ish stations. No one cares. Sadly.

I also believe they're paying those stations to carry Vandy sports. My question to the university is how many people listen to their online radio station?

 

[Tibbs4]

I also believe they're paying those stations to carry Vandy sports. My question to the university is how many people listen to their online radio station?

There is one station broadcasting football and men's basketball in Nashville* and here is the "$ituation-le$$." Vanderbilt pays for all the people required to announce, promote and produce the product that
WQZQ feeds through their station. So the product itself is free. No real cost to WQZQ, except to put a person in the studio to run the board. Vanderbilt buys the air time as an overall buy-in package
and then WQZQ gets space for local spots, in addition to the obvious Vanderbilt driven sponsors. Not a ton of profit or cost depending on which side your are on. Sadly, Vanderbilt has fallen from
grace. That air-time is surprisingly cheap. I have heard the figure from one of the coaches and it's almost nothing.

*95.9 WNSR does broadcast women's basketball and baseball. Baseball actually has the largest audience of all. Vanderbilt doesn't even know the proper call letters of this station on their website.


I am not sure how many actual listeners are still listening to "WRVU's" tragic online experiment. Probably 25-50 at any given time? I really have no idea. Your estimate? Interesting question!

 

[TheBigA]

I am not sure how many actual listeners are still listening to "WRVU's" tragic online experiment. Probably 25-50 at any given time? I really have no idea. Your estimate? Interesting question!

Some schools run their online stations in the student centers. Not unlike the old Part 15 AMs schools used to run in the old days.

 

[CTListener]

Baseball actually has the largest audience of all.

As well it should. It's the only major sport in which Vanderbilt is a perennial national power.

 

[Y2kTheNewOldies]

https://radioinsight.com/headlines/199915/wnxp-adds-jewly-hight-marquis-munson/

Here is more coming to WNXP

Nashville Public Radio announces Jewly Hight as 91.ONE, WNXP’s Music Director, and Marquis Munson as WNXP’s Production Coordinator. Hight and Munson complete the listener-supported station’s weekday on-air staff. WNXP, launching later this fall, will be a platform for new and local music and serving as Nashville’s Music Experience.

“Jewly’s work and her passion for Nashville exemplify WNXP’s mission of bringing context to the music and connecting with the community,” Wilkins said. “And Marquis may be the most open- minded music fan I’ve ever met and WNXP listeners will love his welcoming on-air style.”

Hight arrived in Nashville in 2003 and quickly became a music journalist for the Nashville Scene and eventually a radio reporter at 90.3 FM, WPLN News, a sister station of WNXP. She quickly rose to be a key contributor for the NPR Arts Desk and NPR Music and regularly files feature stories on Nashville music for Morning Edition and All Things Considered and critical essays online. She has also contributed to the New York Times, Vulture/New York Magazine, Los Angeles Times and The Guardian.

 

[CTListener]

The article continues with Munson's background, which is in sports talk radio and as the host of a hip-hop show. There may not be a corner of Nashville's music scene that this station won't cover. Now, will it find an audience, and will that audience be a generous one?

 

[RFCCRadioAudio]

After half a year of waiting, it's about dang time they launched! But we still have to wait til 3 PM for it to be official? Why not launch earlier to avoid losing listeners to All Things Considered?