New at the Sound

[davideduardo]

Hate to disagree, but I am hearing The Sound in stores and restaurants all over the place. I think this is an early indicator of something that is doing quite well.

That 35th rank in June in the PPM test data says it all.

 

[calguy]

100.3 in LA -- is a train wreck - that happened. It sounds -- minute by minute -- like the end of a police chase -- just the wail of the sirens and 20 cops all yelling "get down -- get down -- get down". Number 1, No one could "Get Down" on "the sound" of 100.3. Your ears tell your mind to "HIDE -- Duck for Cover -- get under a bed -- because you are listening to a train wreck "IN PROGESS". I have heard better sounding High School and college stations. I have had better dog crap stick to the bottom of my shoe -- then "the sound" of 100.3. Thank goodness for commercials -- because after 6 months of no cash -- someone well take out the trash.

Tell us how you really feel! I must be listening to another 100.3 because I'm not hearing a train wreck. I may not agree with everyone they've hired as air talent, but The Sound doesn't sound that bad to me. They sure sound more together that Movin' did when they were a few months in to their new format.
If you feel this way about KWSD I can only imagine what you think of LA's other stations.

 

[955wdhf]

0.7....If that isn't an early indicator of monster success, I don't know what is?

Good call Bonneville...Glad you've got deep pockets, because with this big lemon, you're gonna need the juice!

I don't if they have deep pockets. Remember, they got the 99 cents only store deal from Radio-One for $137 mil.
Not bad for a pretty decent stick.

 

[SuperRadioFan]

Bonneville is not Emmis. And Emmis has given a lot of time for Movin' which maybe or maybe not filled a hole in SoCal formats. OTOH Bonneville believes in this AAA format and they will give it a lot of time to develop a following. It seems to be a very slow process because these days we all expect instant results. They started out with bus stops signs (finally saw one at a Mission Viejo bus stop the other day) and with freeway billboards. They have added real time display billboards showing the song that's playing right now ...though one would hope they reduce the tired classic rock tracks they are playing because if an iPod or satellite radio user glances up at the billboard while driving, and they see "Carry On" - CSN & Y or "The Long Run"-Eagles or "One Way or Another"-Blondie or "Dreamer" -Supertramp ... well what reason would THAT driver have to tune in to The Sound? These are not just song examples, those four songs were actually played during the last two hours! So the playlist has to improve!! Beyond all the above, the station is inviting listeners to participate in Meet Ups "Sound Sessions" where actual listeners can interface with the management team at The Sound and give input. (They've done one so far) What The Sound needs to do in the future is to gain a street vibe and presence in the community. Newspaper and print ads, TV ads (yeh high $$$$), and their playlist (back to that) needs to become more defined. There are other AAA stations with a playlist better representing what the 2008 AAA station should be. And their website/forum needs to be overhauled. Through their website, they need to communicate air talent additions - right now its a secret who they are and when they're on. The forum needs to be easier to use and it needs to make sense. In due time I guess.

 

[scooty430]

From what was suggested by a poster who sounds knowledgable, the idea driving this is to buy the property at a low price, hold it for awhile, and then sell it.

What happens in between probably doesn't matter.

Though like "flipping a house," what worked a few years ago may not be so easy now....

 

[SuperRadioFan]

From what was suggested by a poster who sounds knowledgable, the idea driving this is to buy the property at a low price, hold it for awhile, and then sell it.

What happens in between probably doesn't matter.

Though like "flipping a house," what worked a few years ago may not be so easy now....

WOW what a great idea for a cable TV show - "Flip This Radio Station"

 

[calguy]

0.7....If that isn't an early indicator of monster success, I don't know what is?

Good call Bonneville...Glad you've got deep pockets, because with this big lemon, you're gonna need the juice!

I don't if they have deep pockets. Remember, they got the 99 cents only store deal from Radio-One for $137 mil.
Not bad for a pretty decent stick.

Honestly it seems to be a little early to tell, and we all know that they went AAA based on how rock formats are doing in PPM markets. They still have to get the word out beyond outdoor signage. They'll have to buy some TV time as well and any real broadcasting company usually gives a new format a year before any radical changes. Hell, they don't even have a full airstaff yet. I think we'll have to wait & see how it all shakes out.

 

[radiofreqk1]

IF "AAA" means "all over the road" or "Play anything you have access to" -- then 100.3 in LA is on the mark. A High School kid must be picking the play list. There have always been 30 or 40 times more music and artists than the standard "top 40" songs. The backbone of true local radio has been selection of all that was "play-able" from standaeds to jazz to rock and country and even western. But tossing 5 different types of salads togather and adding raw meat is not a meal you can eat -- nor is it a "format". It's junk. Take it away before someone gets hurt. And I am sorry to hold back on my true feelings.

 

[1069_KIFR]

A great idea for a TV commercial would be...
Playiing different songs as they show close ups of
peoples butts dancing to the music!

That would really get the word out about the sound!

I can picture it already.

 

[goriajk]

1069_KIFR WROTE "A great idea for a TV commercial would be...
Playiing different songs as they show close ups of
peoples butts dancing to the music!"
Sorry to bust your butt...The Sound is not Movin' - two years from now KSWD will do fine, and not at a 0.7 - Movin had two years, and it's time for 93.9 to pack, baby. JG

 

[davideduardo]

two years from now KSWD will do fine, and not at a 0.7 -

eah, if it last two years, it will have a 1.1 like KSCA did... and like KSCA, they will blame it on the bad signal, too.

 

[SuperRadioFan]

two years from now KSWD will do fine, and not at a 0.7 -

eah, if it last two years, it will have a 1.1 like KSCA did... and like KSCA, they will blame it on the bad signal, too.

Come on David that song is really getting old!! This is not 1997 anymore. Are you comparing Bonneville mgmt with GWB?? Now you may be right about the 1.1 but these people (whom I have met) do NOT seem the type to make a weak excuse about the signal.

 

[davideduardo]

Come on David that song is really getting old!! This is not 1997 anymore. Are you comparing Bonneville mgmt with GWB?? Now you may be right about the 1.1 but these people (whom I have met) do NOT seem the type to make a weak excuse about the signal.

Of course, the signal issue will be an easy excuse, since the KSCA signal and the Sound signals are virtually identical.

But the issue remains that even in PPM it seems that there is nust not a big enough potential cume base for that kind of station in LA.

 

[SuperRadioFan]

Of course, the signal issue will be an easy excuse, since the KSCA signal and the Sound signals are virtually identical.

But the issue remains that even in PPM it seems that there is nust not a big enough potential cume base for that kind of station in LA.

How many ways does it have to be stated, David? ... I will bet you they will NOT ever use that excuse about a weak signal. You name the stakes, David.

EDIT: As a follow up, it ocurred to me that like many people, I listen online to The Sound's stream..... So signal is not an issue for me, I have a friend who lives in Lompoc, do you think signal is an issue for him?

Which also brings up another point.... About a month ago, online they replaced their over the air commercials with instrumental filler. I can't be the only one who spends some time on a computer listening to them, so if PPM would credit the station with online listeners, what does that mean to an advertiser whose product will not be heard? Something wrong with the whole picture and the issue of AFTRA ... I also have listened and still listen to the online stream of another AAA station in an unrated market Westchester County in NYC area--- WXPK 107.1 The Peak and I hear every single commercial. Not that it means much for an advertiser 3000 miles away heh heh. Still don't get why some stations stream their commercials while others do not.

 

[davideduardo]

[EDIT: As a follow up, it ocurred to me that like many people, I listen online to The Sound's stream..... So signal is not an issue for me, I have a friend who lives in Lompoc, do you think signal is an issue for him?

Which also brings up another point.... About a month ago, online they replaced their over the air commercials with instrumental filler. I can't be the only one who spends some time on a computer listening to them, so if PPM would credit the station with online listeners, what does that mean to an advertiser whose product will not be heard? Something wrong with the whole picture and the issue of AFTRA ... I also have listened and still listen to the online stream of another AAA station in an unrated market Westchester County in NYC area--- WXPK 107.1 The Peak and I hear every single commercial. Not that it means much for an advertiser 3000 miles away heh heh. Still don't get why some stations stream their commercials while others do not.

Online streams that are not a perfect simulcast, and what you describe is not a simulcast, are considered by Arbitron to be separate stations, and will be listed separately in the ratings, whether diary based or PPM based.

So online listening subtracts from the audience of the on air signal.

Stations that get any agency spots usually remove all spots; it is hard to do the logistics for individual spots although some stations do make the effort. Still, with just a few spots removed, the station is no longer simulcasting with the stream, and gets no benefit directly from the stream.

As a rule, agencies that use AFTRA voice talent forbid stations from streaming their spots.

 

[SuperRadioFan]

Online streams that are not a perfect simulcast, and what you describe is not a simulcast, are considered by Arbitron to be separate stations, and will be listed separately in the ratings, whether diary based or PPM based.

So online listening subtracts from the audience of the on air signal.

IIRC that seems to contradict what you've said early on about how PPM "hears" the digitally encoded signal whether one hears it online thru their computer speakers or over the air. Did I remember incorrectly or has there been any new info discovered since I thought you said that.

In any case if stations don't get credit for online listening, there seems to be something wrong with that methodology. Did Arbitron ask the diary respondents if they listened online or over the air?

Another issue as has been discussed in the past is, with PPM, the unit does not care (after all its not human LOL!), I'll rephrase: The PPM does not register whether one is actively listening or just passively hearing the content. There's no way it could. This methodology stinks IMO because it's not accurate enough to give the advertisers the value they perceive in what they pay the radio station or agency to get their message out. And most probably won't ever realize that...

 

[davideduardo]

IIRC that seems to contradict what you've said early on about how PPM "hears" the digitally encoded signal whether one hears it online thru their computer speakers or over the air. Did I remember incorrectly or has there been any new info discovered since I thought you said that.

Nonsimulcast web streams are separately encoded. The audio going to the terrestrial transmitter has one encoder, the stream another. Arbitron considers non-simulcast programming to be separate stations.

In any case if stations don't get credit for online listening, there seems to be something wrong with that methodology. Did Arbitron ask the diary respondents if they listened online or over the air?

Stations do not get credit only if what is on the stream is not 100% identical to the on air signal. If it is different, it means that Arbitron can not tabulate the data together, as stream listeners did not hear the same thing as on air listeners. This has been the rule for AM_FM simulcasts or ntetworks well into the past.

Of recent Arbitron has been moving diary respondents to identifying not just AM and FM and location, but other delivery methods too.

Another issue as has been discussed in the past is, with PPM, the unit does not care (after all its not human LOL!), I'll rephrase: The PPM does not register whether one is actively listening or just passively hearing the content. There's no way it could. This methodology stinks IMO because it's not accurate enough to give the advertisers the value they perceive in what they pay the radio station or agency to get their message out. And most probably won't ever realize that...

Ad agencies and advertisers asked for this methodology. Otherwise, why would radio have selected a system about two-thirds more expensive than the diary? Advertisers do not care about the difference in listening and hearing, but to want to know about exposure.

 

[scooty430]

IF "AAA" means "all over the road" or "Play anything you have access to" -- then 100.3 in LA is on the mark. A High School kid must be picking the play list. There have always been 30 or 40 times more music and artists than the standard "top 40" songs. The backbone of true local radio has been selection of all that was "play-able" from standaeds to jazz to rock and country and even western. But tossing 5 different types of salads togather and adding raw meat is not a meal you can eat -- nor is it a "format". It's junk. Take it away before someone gets hurt. And I am sorry to hold back on my true feelings.

You're confusing The Sound with JACK, which I think already put to bed the idea that you can't mix different genres.

It also put to bed the idea you can't have a deep playlist, but quite a few didn't get that memo. (Are you listening KLOS and KRTH?)

The Sound really does not sound very eclectic to me, so I don't really understand your critique. It sounds like classic rock with a few surprises. Uncle John's Band, Traffic - Freedom Rider, Santana - Jingo, INXS - What You Need, Zeppelin, And She Was, Desperado.... These are classic rock songs, folks.

Maybe Eduardo needs to say "Classic rock cannot work in Southern California" instead of "AAA cannot work in Southern California."

 

[calguy]

IF "AAA" means "all over the road" or "Play anything you have access to" -- then 100.3 in LA is on the mark. A High School kid must be picking the play list. There have always been 30 or 40 times more music and artists than the standard "top 40" songs. The backbone of true local radio has been selection of all that was "play-able" from standaeds to jazz to rock and country and even western. But tossing 5 different types of salads togather and adding raw meat is not a meal you can eat -- nor is it a "format". It's junk. Take it away before someone gets hurt. And I am sorry to hold back on my true feelings.

One man's "junk" is another man's treasure. But really, who's going to "get hurt" if the format continues? And if a high schooler in LA picked the songs it would most likely sound like KIIS. I get that you don't like the station, you're quite passionate about it, but I don't see the Sound the same way I do a Top 40. There are rotations just like any other station. Listen long enough and you tire of the repetition. Do I personally like deeper playlists? Yes, but you won't find many stations getting big numbers that way. Even KRTH, which gives the illusion of a deeper playlist, is relatively tight, but as I've said before it's all how you maintain the music. You have to stay on top of it to give the illusion of going deep. It’s a tough balance to keep.

 

[OCradiodude]

As a rule, agencies that use AFTRA voice talent forbid stations from streaming their spots.

That's something I have never quite understood. Does that include AFTRA jocks that pre-record their own commercials?
Is there more information available somewhere about this? I'd like to read up on it.