Research is being conducting right now for a new oldies station flip against WOMC. With overkill of various rock stations in the market fragmenting audiences none have true ratings superiority and none compete with an oldies format against WOMC that has great ratings. This didn’t take a genius to figure out. Now the question is which Clear Channel or Cumulus station will it be. Each as poor performing properties in there stable.
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New Oldies Station Coming
- Thread starter 413Me
- Start date
Doug's ratings have crashed since the Cumulus takeover, so maybe them. I don't see CC flipping the D already, as their ratings have been improving. Maybe Fresh could flip. Are you certain it will be a CC or Cumulus station? I wouldn't be completely surprised if Bell flipped 93.9, as their ratings have been garbage on that mammoth stick.
Isn't the Detroit market a bit saturated for an oldies station?
WOMC
WCSX (classic rock)
WRIF (sort of classic rock)
CKWW
I don't see Bell Media moving CKWW to FM.
Certainly WOMCs recent performance is bound to attract imitation attempts, but CBS Radio executes well in this market.
Not saying it can't happen, but I just don't see a flip happening to oldies anytime soon.
WOMC
WCSX (classic rock)
WRIF (sort of classic rock)
CKWW
I don't see Bell Media moving CKWW to FM.
Certainly WOMCs recent performance is bound to attract imitation attempts, but CBS Radio executes well in this market.
Not saying it can't happen, but I just don't see a flip happening to oldies anytime soon.
93.1 should try to go after WYCD if anything... or maybe it's time for WJR-FM? 
Don’t know if it is CC or Cumulus, but substantial money being spent on research leads me to believe one of the big guys. CC competes with CBS oldies stations in a number of large markets very well. As stated, as defined WCSX (classic rock), WRIF (sort of classic rock) aren’t oldies stations and CKWW cannot be heard.
93.9fm would make the most sense, They have a little bit of History with this format. Moving CKWW's format to 93.9 would make sense.
105.1 plays so much older stuff (and not much new stuff at all), could they just transition in to classic hits?
I would be absolutely thrilled if they brought back CKLW on FM as they did back in May, 1986. Although that was 26 years ago and I know it would be cost-prohibitive to capture the excitement of "The Big Eight" from the 1960's, it certainly would attract a small audience.
The station would definitely need to have an excellent working relationship with the ad agencies to get some "mercy" buys. 93.9 does have a signal that covers Detroit, Northern Ohio, and Cleveland (if you don't mind a little "chop" in the audio).
Any other thoughts as to whether this is a possibility?
The station would definitely need to have an excellent working relationship with the ad agencies to get some "mercy" buys. 93.9 does have a signal that covers Detroit, Northern Ohio, and Cleveland (if you don't mind a little "chop" in the audio).
Any other thoughts as to whether this is a possibility?
carolinaradio said:
How does 105.1 sound now as "Soft Rock 105.1" compared to when it was "Magic 105.1"?
The music is much older, and they even play 60s occasionally - it's pretty sleepy, but they do play some more aggressive music from the 2000s (no currents, I believe).new_friends_gr said:
danikayser84 said:93.1 should try to go after WYCD if anything... or maybe it's time for WJR-FM?
I think WJR-FM would do quite well in Detroit (or even the current CKLW-AM simulcasted on 93.1 and also would like to see 93.9 flip back to Oldies as they were as CKLW-FM...they could simulcast with 580 AM CKWW. If 93.1 couldn't flip to WJR-FM or CKLW-FM then they could try country.
Smooth jazz was recently brought back to Cleveland when Rubber City Radio Group bought out WNWV 107.3 the Wave with huge ratings success only after 2.5 months of being back. If Rubber City Radio Group bought out one of the other stations in Detroit, could there be a return of V98.7 (not necessarily on that frequency) on a full power signal?
They won't simulcast CKWW on 93.1...93.1 is owned by Cumulus and CKWW is owned by Bell Media and I don't see Bell looking to send it's revenue across the border. As much as I'd love for jazz to come back, nobody is in the market to sell a decent signal.
carolinaradio said:
I hope not. I finally had the chance to listen to 105.1 a few weekends ago and was quite pleased that it leans slightly on the softer side of AC.
Is WOMC considered a Classic Hits station?
new_friends_gr said:
Every Oldies station on the dial is branding itself as 'classic hits'. The oldies label has a stigma attached to it now that's driving ad buyers away.
And technically speaking, 107.3 in Cleveland isn't smooth jazz, but "Smooth AC"... which means they play more soft rock/R&B than your typical smooth jazz station. I've long thought that a format like 94-7 The Wave in L.A. could work in Detroit if done right. However, the hole for a softer adult music station isn't as big now as it was before 105.1 went softer. I would personally love to see CBS buy the silent 94.3 translator and put V98.7 HD2 on it. I always thought Martz should have done the smooth jazz on 94.3 all along instead of the DOA piece of junk that was The Bone.
I also agree with A.J. about Soft Rock 105.1. Detractors may call it "sleepy" but I personally like that kind of music and find it refreshing and enjoy the oldies lean. Detroit needed an adult music station that wasn't some variation of classic rock and at the same time didn't overload the listeners with Katy Perry, Lady Gaga and other "turbo-pop" as Sean Ross would call it, and 105.1 fits that bill nicely... a nice way to appeal to 40-something women without going into WDUV territory. And listeners may remember Magic had already started going a little softer a few months before the "Christmas 105.1" stunt.
I also agree with A.J. about Soft Rock 105.1. Detractors may call it "sleepy" but I personally like that kind of music and find it refreshing and enjoy the oldies lean. Detroit needed an adult music station that wasn't some variation of classic rock and at the same time didn't overload the listeners with Katy Perry, Lady Gaga and other "turbo-pop" as Sean Ross would call it, and 105.1 fits that bill nicely... a nice way to appeal to 40-something women without going into WDUV territory. And listeners may remember Magic had already started going a little softer a few months before the "Christmas 105.1" stunt.
new_friends_gr said:
Yes, most oldies stations today are now being tabbed as 'Classic Hits'. Oldies are not what they used to be.
This is just my opinion, so take it for what it is. I am not 100% sure that a new oldies station could work against WOMC. first of all, 104.3 has been the market leader for oldies for many years. when you think oldies, that's where you go. second, a real old school 50's and 60's oldies station took a hit when CBS first dropped oldies from 104.3's position title, and then, over the next few years, WOMC added even more 70's music that they normally didn't play, and when they started playing 80's music, I think that kinda finished the old oldies sound(if that makes sense). right now, with the variety of depth of music that they play, and the personalities that they have, I just think WOMC would beat any station that tried to compete against them. country may be the format that needs a new station with 99.5 doing well. finally, if the goal is to take WOMC down a peg, then it's worth a shot. but I just don't see any station flipping to a format to rarely if ever be the leader and peak at a 2.5 share perhaps?
It would be prudent if operating costs were kept kinda low, and it was a 'we can't be any worse than we are now' situation. One thing Detroit has going for it is that it does have an older-skewing dominant demographic and it's the birthplace of Motown. I still remember in the mid-90s when WNIC, very much an AC station, still included a lot of classic motown cuts in their playlist.
So...it's got a 50/50 shot. I'd like to see any competitor give WOMC a run for its money.
So...it's got a 50/50 shot. I'd like to see any competitor give WOMC a run for its money.
It's good to see the name, Ken and hawk and not hear blather about the White Sox. Staying on topic, you made very good points about what could work against WOMC, and the keeping costs down? without a doubt. I just think the time to go after 104.3 would have been within the last few years as they were tweaking their sound. a little risky with the economy tanking, but maybe it could have been worth a shot. and although I am not a die-hard oldies guy, what they've done over the last few years with their music direction, and the personalities that they've brought in, I personally believe that they have made any potential competitor's road difficult.
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