new Nationally syndicated morning show on WSIX, will it help or hurt WSIX?

[36james]

On Feb 18th, 2013 Bobby Bones will debut on WSIX as the newest National Syndicate morning show, is this going to tank WSIX or should they flip formats in the next couple of days, its sad that Country no longer dominates Nashville the demos are for sure changing, here is more info on Bones show.

http://m.nashvillescene.com/nashvil...r&day=05&id=nashvillecream&month=02&year=2013

 

[Captain Klutz]

According to reports, Billy Bones and crew will relocate to Music City in March.

 

[stod]

I enjoy his sports talk show on Saturdays.

 

[TheBigA]

WSIX or should they flip formats in the next couple of days, its sad that Country no longer dominates Nashville the demos are for sure changing,

I don't know where you get that idea. Country dominates Nashville. The four stations attract more than a 20 share.

This Bones guy is a lot younger than most of the other local hosts, and is more like Gerry in terms of presenting comedy rather than music. It will be a big change for people who've enjoyed the more-music-mornings on SIX. But from what I've seen, their ratings haven't suffered regardless of who hosts. They beat live & local with no host at all for several books. Shows the value of talent. But I think people will be talking about this guy.

 

[Tibbs4]

Wait a sec, BigA.... I thought we've be taught to believe that corporate radio knows best. Less talk, no talk, Voice Tracking reading only liners, less DJ intervention, less time spent on conversation, no interaction with scummy listeners, PPM rules the day. Now we're getting this loud mouthed, long running whipper snapper that's got the whit of Chris Romer and Gerry House? What?? How could this possibly succeed??? Mayday....

So much for the value of regular morning talent.

 

[TheBigA]

Wait a sec, BigA.... I thought we've be taught to believe that corporate radio knows best. Less talk, no talk,

I don't think you can generalize. CC has a bunch of highly paid, highly individualistic hosts who break all the rules, and get great numbers. Ever hear of Ryan Seacrest? This Bones guy reminds me of the Kevin & Bean crew at CBS's KROQ in LA. They're top rated, and make that station one of the top revenue-producers in the country. But as I said, WSIX has been getting pretty good numbers with another ten in a row country and no host. So for now, people listen to the station, not the host. But as others have said, when you have three stations all playing the same country songs, you need SOMETHING to make you choose one over the other.

 

[jetfli]

BigA, to describe what is taking place here, you are using public numbers and generalized national market info without the benefit of local market analysis and long-term local market listening.

The audience that WSIX enjoys was built by Gerry House and other previous employees. The audience has been so fiercely loyal that they are still tuning in the station because they once "locked it in and ripped off the knob". The audience is still at "the Big 98 of Love" because they developed a years-long habit and have yet to be driven away.

House was much more than just another radio talent who was long on morning talk, bits, and "presenting comedy". He was a long-termer in the market, and was music row savvy, being a songwriter himself with a handful of hits. He did not just interview country artists when they came by on media tour, he lived and worked alongside them. He also came to know the city well and most of listeners could identify with him because they viewed him as a home boy. He surrounded him self with some local radio talent, most older than he, to form the House Foundation. His brand of comedy was broad-based and appealed to multiple age groups.

Bobby Bones is new to Country, coming from Austin's Kiss FM. He may have interviewed some Country crossover artists. He has surrounded himself with his 20-something buds. His "comedy" appeals to 30 and below.

Big contrast? Why? Well, that big audience that still hangs around 98 has been around for so long, they are outside of the desired demos. They think of Taylor Swift and say "isn't she darlin'", And CC wants the audience that thinks of Taylor Swift and says "isn't she hot". The Bones show is coming in order to skew 'SIX and any other stations they are on much younger. This is what CC is after, to change the 'SIX audience.

And by the way... Ryan Seacrest is NOT a rule-breaker. He's a play it safe, by the book, corporate kind of guy.

 

[TheBigA]

And by the way... Ryan Seacrest is NOT a rule-breaker. He's a play it safe, by the book, corporate kind of guy.

If you read the context of my comment, you'll understand why I used that term. He doesn't fit the mold of the less talk, more music guys. He battles with the corporate guys about that. This Bobby Bones show will be more about the show and less about the music. I expect non-country fans will tune in for it. All that breaks from the assumptions people make about CC and their approach to radio.

A lot has been said about OTA radio not attracting younger listeners, and I believe one of the reasons is the talent is too old. It's about time radio started moving in younger talent who know how to entertain.

 

[secondchoice]

I am not a CC fan, but occasionally they do the right thing for Radio's future . They are going after Pandora with their I Heart platform which is a good thing. CC is going after the sub 40 demos (future life long listeners) when ever it see a chance. CC started a CHR war in Atlanta which I predict CC will win Cumulus' flagship station for their "Nash" Country music network is in New York City (just like the salsa commercials) NEW YORK CITY!. CC is going to try to do a Country network from Nashville. Both Nash and Bones will most likely put air talent out of work sooner or later which I don't like but is a fact of life. But if you are trying to do Country: IMHO it is better to do it in Nashville.

 

[TheBigA]

CC is going to try to do a Country network from Nashville. Both Nash and Bones will most likely put air talent out of work sooner or later which I don't like but is a fact of life. But if you are trying to do Country: IMHO it is better to do it in Nashville.

One air talent doesn't make a network. Premiere and CC already have a strong presence in Nashville with Blair Garner's After Midnight and Big D & Bubba. So does Cumulus with Tony & Kris, Cody Alan and Kix Brooks. So don't be swayed by press releases. They're both already originating a lot of content from Nashville. And probably more to come from both.

 

[Rocky2539]

OK, just to regain some perspective here without the hype and the catch phrases:

An aggregate 20 share for a format is not "domination" by any mature sense of the word. A 20 share means 80 percent of the audience isn't there. Way more of the population isn't there.

Comparing Gerry House and Billy Bones won't be meaningful until Billy Bones has been #1 in Morning drive and carried the rest of the station for at least one decade.

"Break all the rules" is a marketing slogan which disguises a reality that is the opposite. What rules?

And Ryan Seacrest does not "battle with the corporate types" - he is the ultimate corporate type.

Clearly (Channel) a younger audience seems to be the aim at WSIX. Whether that will be an achievable goal in the near term very much remains to be seen, doesn't it?

 

[TheBigA]

An aggregate 20 share for a format is not "domination" by any mature sense of the word. A 20 share means 80 percent of the audience isn't there. Way more of the population isn't there.

The reality in 21st century radio programming is that you program to niches. No one has a majority any more. Too many stations, and too many genres. But country is a unified format, where all reporting stations basically play the same music. The three Nashville country FMs have the biggest share of the market by virtue of what they play, not by standard statistics.

And Ryan Seacrest does not "battle with the corporate types" - he is the ultimate corporate type.

Then obviously you're not familiar with his battle with corporate types over the amount of talk in his show. Back when PPM was introduced to LA, the suits told him to cut the talk. He said no. He's still getting great numbers even with PPM. The big guy with the big contract wins. Ryan is at a point in his career where radio is no longer the most important thing he does. They need him more than he needs them.

 

[jetfli]

What passes as negotiations in the business world is often translated as "battle" by constantly over-hyping celebrity "news" outlets. One battle (or even more) does not a corporate rebel make. Do not always "type" media talent by what you read/hear. Seacrest is very in tune with the corporate world of media and plays very well in that world, much more than most.

Nichecasting is indeed the current trend in radio, a direction that has come about today because of corporate owners with multiple stations to program. That's especially true here in Nashville where one corporation owns two big Country stations, so rather than broadcast to a mass audience with both stations, they are going to make a play for both the mainstream country audience (KDF), and the new younger, less rural Country audience. The Bones show is not a Country show at all. In fact, there is quite a bit about it that will ruffle the feathers of the mainstream country audience. The show would work far better with listeners of alt country, but the corporation is going to continue to push the same Swiftish music rather than allow much deviation down that path. But CC is obviously wanting to change the SIX identity by going in this direction. The show is good enough to succeed in reaching the niche, but will never have the numbers SIX had when it was mainstream. But the niche is who advertisers want to reach.

 

[TheBigA]

The show would work far better with listeners of alt country,

There is no audience for alt country. Even in Nashville.

 

[romer979fm]

The Bones show is not a Country show at all. In fact, there is quite a bit about it that will ruffle the feathers of the mainstream country audience.

not trying to be difficult...but that logic was also applied when drums first appeared on the opry broadcasts...
everything moves forward.