Now 97.5 vs. B101: Projections? (And what's with B101's "younger" garbage?)

[Soon Yi CIV.V]

Now 97.5 vs. B101: Projections? (And what's with B101's "younger" garbage?)

I happened upon B101 for a few minutes yesterday afternoon and then for a few more minutes this afternoon. Yesterday, the jock said something about "today's fresh soft rock...[long pause]... Not yesterday's soft rock, it's updated for today." It was awkward, long-winded, and obviously a response to 97.5. Then today, I heard them using new liners that actually use the word "younger." Why are they doing this? It seems desperate and they are certainly not desperate! There's something to be said for fighting fire with fire but they could have come up with something a little less obvious, no? None of that is the point of my post though. The stations' playlists don't seem to be measurably different (in era or otherwise) anyway.

It's been said many times that Philadelphia needs AC competition for B101. We're hearing a lot of opinions but not so many predictions. So what do you think will happen?

Projections will have to be for January, February, and March at the earliest since we're headed into the fall which, as a comparison tool will be useless for Christ's sake (get it?). So what do you see happening in the winter and spring months? Will 97.5 be a miserable failure? Or are 6-shares or even 5-shares in B101's future?

 

[ccuphl]

Re: Now 97.5 vs. B101: Projections? (And what's with B101's "younger" garbage?)

Projections will have to be for January, February, and March at the earliest since we're headed into the fall which, as a comparison tool will be useless for Christ's sake (get it?). So what do you see happening in the winter and spring months? Will 97.5 be a miserable failure? Or are 6-shares or even 5-shares in B101's future? [/b][/color]

First impressions mean a lot, but 97.5 can use the time from now until one and/or the other goes all-Christmas to tweak itself into a decent sounding AC station (whether the consultants will allow it to or not is another thing). In fact, when B-101 goes all-Christmas, I would keep the AC music on 97.5 and let a good portion of B-101's P1s migrate over and sample the station. Between WJBR, WBEB, and WLEV, there's no need for 97.5 to flush the new format.

After Christmas, they'll need a huge promotion, lots of billboards, TV spots, and maintain the commercial-free workdays as long as they can. It'll go a long way in building cume into the spring and summer.

As for the "younger" positioning, it could work, but they can't play a song that clearly defines 70s music then say it's a younger approach to today's soft rock -- IT SOUNDS AWKWARD AND UNCOMFORTABLE.

And while we're on it... "Now"? Really? Is that the well-tested, approved alternative to "fresh?" God forbid someone launches a new station and only uses the frequency and calls on the air. Hell, with the people meter, you don't even need a name for a station.

 

[Soon Yi CIV.V]

Re: Now 97.5 vs. B101: Projections? (And what's with B101's "younger" garbage?)

By George, I think I've got it!

The new 97-5 WPPM
Soft Rock for the Electronic Age​

 

[imhomerjay]

Re: Now 97.5 vs. B101: Projections? (And what's with B101's "younger" garbage?)

If was afternoon drive, Dan Blackman I've noticed often has some awkward turns of phrase, but as for the liners, I don't see "desperate" at all--just a smart pre-emptive move. At this point, virtually no one knows 97.5 exists. They've had zero marketing, just a brief mention in a gossip column. Sure, a few folks may have dialed across it or had it on the presets and noticed it's not jazz anymore, but let's be realistic about the average listeners. They haven't had time to discover it.

A good chunk of folks won't even pay attention to the liners on either station, so let's set them aside. For the group that does have it register at some level, when they turn to 97.5, they'll sound like the copycat.

As for predictions, I think with B101's marketing muscle and heritage, they'll outpace 97.5 (once the Christmas stuff is out of the mix) by about a 3-1 or 4-1 basis. Just a guess.

 

[Soon Yi CIV.V]

Re: Now 97.5 vs. B101: Projections? (And what's with B101's "younger" garbage?)

I've been seeing ads for 97.5 for a couple days now on Clear Channel's electronic billboard on the Walt Whitman Bridge. GM couldn't very well buy ads before the launch but if that billboard is any indication, they're gonna put some muscle behind this.

 

[wprt949]

Re: Now 97.5 vs. B101: Projections? (And what's with B101's "younger" garbage?)

with the way 97.5 is counter programming b101.1 it would not surprize me if they went all x-mas in november to beat b101.1 too it

then agian i could be wrong

 

[Soon Yi CIV.V]

Re: Now 97.5 vs. B101: Projections? (And what's with B101's "younger" garbage?)

I honestly can see pluses to both ideas. Going all-Christmas early and in a big (marketed) way guarantees they get their name out there--especially with the commercial-free workdays. But sticking with AC while B101 goes all-Christmas means regular Adult Contemporary listeners have a place to turn.

Personally, I love Christmas and everything about it. If they flip early, I'll be thrilled. The other side of the coin is pretty dismal looking though. If they don't beat B101 to the punch, that means B101 is gonna be in no rush to flip and leave their P1's to discover the alternative station in town. So B101 may go back to their 36-hour all-Christmas format. This sounds kinda stupid to me because they did better than a 17-share last year with all-Christmas. I'm sure their research shows how many of their P1's were sacrificed to the all-Christmas format. A 17-share may not be worth it to them if it was a good chunk of P1's who turned away and were more-than-replaced by snowbirds who will never tune into B101 again all year come December 26.

This raises an interesting question as well: If 97.5 plans to stay the course and as a result B101 thinks it'd be prudent to not go all-Christmas until December 24, someone in town is gonna do it on Thanksgiving. There's no way everyone's just gonna ignore that 17-share. And it would likely be someone who doesn't get a ton of TSL. The question: Who would that be?

Another interesting question (as a side note based on a thought I was having earlier today): If anyone in town can do an extended all-Christmas format in the mold of our beloved Sunny 104.5, it would be WOGL. Is it worth it to them?

 

[Phillyradiogeek]

Re: Now 97.5 vs. B101: Projections? (And what's with B101's "younger" garbage?)

WOGL handles Christmas the way HomerJay prefers to hear Christmas music on the radio. A few songs here and there (perhaps once every 15 minutes), then every ten minutes, etc. That's not an exact description, but they ramp up to Christmas rather than go all Christmas.

I believe one year they went 50/50 Christmas/regular format the first two weekends after Thanksgiving, then added more throughout the workweek. I welcome corrections/clarifications.

Also: Thaksgiving is late this year, November 27th. How will that affect the launch of any station's all-Xmas format?

 

[wprt949]

Re: Now 97.5 vs. B101: Projections? (And what's with B101's "younger" garbage?)

b101.1 has added commerical free workdays from 8:30 4:30 everyday


wow they responded to 97.5 quick

 

[Soon Yi CIV.V]

Re: Now 97.5 vs. B101: Projections? (And what's with B101's "younger" garbage?)

Also: Thaksgiving is late this year, November 27th. How will that affect the launch of any station's all-Xmas format?

I like to think these things can be predicted but stuff keeps changing! In years past, I've thought most stations who already do well probably want to wait as long as possible before going all-Christmas--and I keep expecting it will eventually stop happening altogether. And I've suspected that the creation of Arbitron's "holiday book" (which I think starts around December 13) means no one's gonna be in any rush.

But why would anyone be satisfied with just a 9-point increase during the "holiday book" when they can also enjoy a 7- or 8-point increase during the December book? And what if 97.5 flips the switch on November 7. Can B101 just ignore that? (Hell, they're copying everything else 97.5 is doing! LOL.)

 

[wprt949]

Re: Now 97.5 vs. B101: Projections? (And what's with B101's "younger" garbage?)

im predicting a christmas music weekend on now 97.5 the first weekend of november
and b101.1 goes full steam that monday morning out of nowhere

 

[Soon Yi CIV.V]

Re: Now 97.5 vs. B101: Projections? (And what's with B101's "younger" garbage?)

b101.1 has added commerical free workdays from 8:30 4:30 everyday

wow they responded to 97.5 quick

Did they? I got one of their Bmail newsletters today and it didn't mention it. And I just tuned in and heard a jock who once again said something about "not yesterday's soft rock" but who didn't mention anything about being your 126-songs-in-a-row station.

If they really did start commercial-free weekdays, it's kinda embarrassing the way they're letting Greater Media run their radio station. Change the imaging, change the music, change the clocks! Makes me wonder what they'll do if 97.5 jumps off a bridge. (Well, that's just silly. Of course they'd drop the more aggressive titles and go back to being the same sleepy, complacent, highly-rated station they are whenever they don't have any competition.)

BTW: The newsletter contained painful little gems like "Thanks to great listeners like you, the music on B101 is younger, fresher, better!" and "B101’s not the old version of soft rock, it’s TODAY’s Soft Rock." Oy vey already!

 

[Soon Yi CIV.V]

Re: Now 97.5 vs. B101: Projections? (And what's with B101's "younger" garbage?)

im predicting a christmas music weekend on now 97.5 the first weekend of november
and b101.1 goes full steam that monday morning out of nowhere

No way. If they're gonna do it early, they're gonna do it to stun B101. They're not gonna give a two-day heads-up.

 

[Soon Yi CIV.V]

Re: Now 97.5 vs. B101: Projections? (And what's with B101's "younger" garbage?)

b101.1 has added commerical free workdays from 8:30 4:30 everyday
wow they responded to 97.5 quick

It's 2:50 p.m. and B101 is in the middle of a break right now!

 

[ccuphl]

Re: Now 97.5 vs. B101: Projections? (And what's with B101's "younger" garbage?)

BTW: The newsletter contained painful little gems like "Thanks to great listeners like you, the music on B101 is younger, fresher, better!" and "B101’s not the old version of soft rock, it’s TODAY’s Soft Rock." Oy vey already!

One of the most well-programmed, well-researched, well-executed, dominating radio stations in the country is now (no pun intended) no more original then the new station across the street. Apparently, "fresh" is the new buzz word in AC until your market gets a second AC station - then you just start randomly throwing words on the air.

Maybe Greater Media is onto something with their "Psychological AC" format. If you're a 50 year old female and someone tells you, "wow, you look really young today," you're gonna feel good about yourself. If you're 45 and listening to AC music, don't you want to feel "now" and current like your kids?

 

[nd2023]

Re: Now 97.5 vs. B101: Projections? (And what's with B101's "younger" garbage?

I hope WOGL surprises everyone by going all-Christmas first. Oldies 103.3 in Boston, also owned by CBS, went all-Christmas in November last year, and played similar music to Sunny 104.5. Why do the Philly AC stations now sound worse, in my opinion? They are practically Hot ACs. Now plays some music that isn't even AC, like Angel by Shaggy. Even the New York City AC stations sound like Hot ACs. I liked the sound of Now 97.5 its first 2 days, when it wasn't "now". One thing's guaranteed, someone will want the 17 share of all-Christmas. If WOGL flips first, Xerox 101 will flip too, and Now may or may not flip. If Now flips first, Xerox 101 will flip in minutes, and WOGL won't flip. Xerox 101 got the idea to copy the other stations after Sunny flipped to all-Christmas in 2002 by itself, and got a 9 share. The thought of 3 (and 5 receivable) all-Christmas stations in Philly is daunting.

 

[Soon Yi CIV.V]

Re: Now 97.5 vs. B101: Projections? (And what's with B101's "younger" garbage?)

I do love the idea of WOGL doing it. I think they did all-Christmas weekends in years past and they were quite good.

B101's approach (as may or may not have been documented by me previously) is not very appealing. I'm not sure whether they are doing too much research or not enough...but the end result is just plain boring. I would bet good money that B101 is going to do even more research year since the general wisdom is that the other guys in town aren't gonna let them have that 17-share to themselves again.

I wonder if they'll pull that transparent on-line music testing gimmick again this year. I wonder how many non-radio geeks fell for it and wasted their time filling it out!

Anyway, to get back the the point: I agree that WOGL would do a very good job with it. I wonder how risky it would be for them in terms listeners coming back in January. (Doesn't seem like it would be an issue for a station like WOGL but they may feel otherwise.)

I love that we're talking about all-Christmas formats more than three months before Christmas!

 

[Phillyradiogeek]

Re: Now 97.5 vs. B101: Projections? (And what's with B101's "younger" garbage?)

WOGL's transmitter could go dark and they'd still get the ratings they're getting now. Like B101, OGL just can't seem to do anything wrong, at least ratings-wise.

I agree though, that WOGL going all-Christmas would likely be awesome!

 

[Tibbs4]

Re: Now 97.5 vs. B101: Projections? (And what's with B101's "younger" garbage?)

97.5's playin' K C & the Sunshine Band's "Get Down Tonight" --- B is toast.

 

[Soon Yi CIV.V]

Re: Now 97.5 vs. B101: Projections? (And what's with B101's "younger" garbage?)

97.5's playin' K C & the Sunshine Band's "Get Down Tonight" --- B is toast.

This is sarcasm, right? And did the song tag say "Gloria Estefan...Turn the Beat Around"?