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ONLY THE STRONG WILL SURVIVE

  • Thread starter motherscratcher
  • Start date

M

motherscratcher

Guest
With both New York and Chicago Infinity oldies stations flipping to Jack on Friday, that will tell you something. It doesn't matter how legendary the station may be, you can't survive ratings that continue to plummit. Both of these stations have been messed with over the past few years to try and make them appeal to a younger demo. And look what happens. There are now 8 Infinity Jack stations and now that the legendary CBS-FM has joined the group, I predict a lot of smaller operators will follow simply because Infinity did it. After all, they're a big player. They must have their finger on the pulse of America! Right? We'll see.

In reality, smaller groups can capitalize on the bigger players abandoning the format. You always hear the story that oldies (or classic hits) it a tough sell. Agencies don't buy the format because the listeners are too old. Too old? I'd be more concerned about how much money they spend rather than their age! Adults in the 45-64 demo have far more assets than a typical 25-45 year old.

Again, you have to have a well-programmed, focused oldies station that appeals to this age group. That's a lot of the reason that nearly two dozen oldies stations have flipped to something else just in the last six months.

The Jack format is really nothing new. If you'll think back to the late 70's and early 80's, CHR stations did pretty much what the Jack stations do now. It certainly wasn't uncommon to play The Pointer Sisters next to the Stones next to Dionne Warwick next to Robert Palmer next to the B-52's. That was CHR! Rememeber the big ratings that we got doing it?

Now Jack is the new generation of oldies that will have to go through some growing pains to find itself. But once it's there, it could be a viable format rather than a format of the month. But, oldies and Jack can co-habitate.

For Jax, will Renda ever make the commitment to excellence that we've been waiting for, or will they let it lay there with a chalk outline on the pavement ala The Arrow?

Anybody?
 
> For Jax, will Renda ever make the commitment to excellence
> that we've been waiting for, or will they let it lay there
> with a chalk outline on the pavement ala The Arrow?
>
Commitment to excellence? How about commitment to mediocrity? It's much cheaper, and why spoil a perfectly good track record.

Here are the fruits of Renda's commitment to excellence agenda:

1. Bringing a third country FM into a market that desperately lacks several other formats. Give the people what they want -- yeah, right.

2. Flipping Arrow to oldies, a format that appeals to many older listeners who would listen at work if only they could pick up the station inside their workplace. Give Renda credit though - they've blown more coin on a jingle package than they have on air talent. Aren't Kool and Arrow really the same station, except for the music and jingles?

3. Buying WSOS and leaving that stupid, cornball, small town local morning show intact. Wouldn't a syndicated show make more sense until they could complete their transmitter work and complete the move-in? Am I the only one who has the feeling that Renda plans to simulcast WSOS with WKQL, to blanket Jax and points north and south with the oldies format? This makes sense from a business standpoint, but bottom line - its cheaper to run than two seperate stations.
 
Well said, but I think they have plans for WSOS. An upgrade to 25K from 19K has been approved. The tower must also be moved closer to Jacksonville, I am not sure if that will happen any time soon.

Jacksonville cannot support 3 country stations. That means in time one will flip to another format. WQIK is a money machine for CC, and they will fight to protect their cash cow. The country ratings battle is really between Rooster and Gator; Gator could crush and swallow the Rooster. But again Rooster is CC who has unlimited resources. Renda is small with limited resources. CC holds the deck of cards they could fight and keep Rooster or take an alternative path by filling obvious holes with Talk Fm, or Jack Fm that Renda failed to see.

Either way it requires creative thinking that so far Renda lacks.







> For Jax, will Renda ever make the commitment to excellence
>
> > that we've been waiting for, or will they let it lay there
>
> > with a chalk outline on the pavement ala The Arrow?
> >
> Commitment to excellence? How about commitment to
> mediocrity? It's much cheaper, and why spoil a perfectly
> good track record.
>
> Here are the fruits of Renda's commitment to excellence
> agenda:
>
> 1. Bringing a third country FM into a market that
> desperately lacks several other formats. Give the people
> what they want -- yeah, right.
>
> 2. Flipping Arrow to oldies, a format that appeals to many
> older listeners who would listen at work if only they could
> pick up the station inside their workplace. Give Renda
> credit though - they've blown more coin on a jingle package
> than they have on air talent. Aren't Kool and Arrow really
> the same station, except for the music and jingles?
>
> 3. Buying WSOS and leaving that stupid, cornball, small town
> local morning show intact. Wouldn't a syndicated show make
> more sense until they could complete their transmitter work
> and complete the move-in? Am I the only one who has the
> feeling that Renda plans to simulcast WSOS with WKQL, to
> blanket Jax and points north and south with the oldies
> format? This makes sense from a business standpoint, but
> bottom line - its cheaper to run than two seperate stations.
>
 
Great analogy Motherscratcher.

In those days stations playing the hits were mass appeal. The target demo was 12 to death! Just look at how diverse the playlists of the late 70s/early 80s were. Main stream pop was blended with edgy AC, Rock, R and B, disco, country and giant hits from the past! Then somebody said in a whiney voice "but this isn't exclusively serving the target demo!" We have to super serve young women!" Broadcasting became narrowcasting!

Any more comments ?

The Soup




>> The Jack format is really nothing new. If you'll think back
> to the late 70's and early 80's, CHR stations did pretty
> much what the Jack stations do now. It certainly wasn't
> uncommon to play The Pointer Sisters next to the Stones next
> to Dionne Warwick next to Robert Palmer next to the B-52's.
> That was CHR! Rememeber the big ratings that we got doing
> it?
>
>
 
nothing new about this

More stations, more choices. I4t isn't any more complicated than that.
It's been this way since operators started buying suburban stations and moving
the signals closer to bigger markets--been going on for 20 years, at least.


> Broadcasting became narrowcasting!
>
> Any more comments ?
>
> The Soup
>
>
>
>
> >> The Jack format is really nothing new. If you'll think
> back
> > to the late 70's and early 80's, CHR stations did pretty
> > much what the Jack stations do now. It certainly wasn't
> > uncommon to play The Pointer Sisters next to the Stones
> next
> > to Dionne Warwick next to Robert Palmer next to the
> B-52's.
> > That was CHR! Rememeber the big ratings that we got doing
>
> > it?
> >
> >
>
 
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