Platinum 96.7: Good Station, Bad Marketing

[Gregg]

Platinum 96.7 has a good sound and is doing quite well in the ratings, #11 in the most recent PPM Monthly.

But I think the marketing, including the station's name, is wrong. Citadel is presenting KPMZ as an Oldies station, right down to calling it Platinum (a more expensive metal than Golden Oldies?). The station's slogan is "Forgotten Hits." But why image yourself as an Oldies station when what you really are is a very soft music station that happens to play oldies?

Look at Tampa's #1 radio station, book after book, The Dove 105.5 WDUV. WDUV sometimes scores in the double digits and also does remarkably well in the Sarasota and Lakeland-Winter Haven books, even though its tower is quite far from those sub-markets. The Dove images itself as a soft music station. And its playlist is virually the same as Platinum's, except it plays late 70s and early 80s songs that Platinum doesn't. As I listen to Platinum, all the songs are soft. No Doors, no Stones, no Steppenwolf and not even many uptempo Motown tunes... no Signed Sealed Delivered, no Respect, no Hot Fun in The Summertime.

Platinum is the softest station now on the Dallas FM dial (not counting Classical WRR), certainly softer than "Soft Rock" KVIL, maybe even softer than Christian AC KLTY (and we all know God doesn't like too much uptempo music). As I'm writing this, I'm hearing Carpenters, Fifth Dimension, even Henry Mancini's Love Theme from Romeo and Juliet. Now that's a Soft radio station.

So if Citadel has decided to take this approach, why image the station as an Oldies station? Why compete JUST with KLUV? Surely in this new world of PPM, where at-work listening is SO important, why not market yourself as Easy 96.7 or Mellow 96.7 or The Dove 96.7?




Gregg
[email protected]

 

[txchipk]

If I recall, WDUV's audience is mostly over 55 and, thus, revenue regularly trails behind other stations in the market with much less listeners in the 12+ numbers.

WDUV is sort of a soft AC/standards hybrid...much like KAAM here. KPMZ musically isn't that far off. I suspect it is marketed in such a way to avoid being lumped into such a category since advertisers don't generally rush out to buy ads on stations geared towards the over 55 crowd.

 

[rbrucecarter5]

Platinum 96.7 has a good sound and is doing quite well in the ratings, #11 in the most recent PPM Monthly.

So much for DE's theory that rimshots cannot do well. Actually, Platinum comes in on my car radio past Ennis. There is trouble East of Mesquite with another station, but at least in cars they cover the Metroplex quite well.

As for the soft music - I'm smack in the demographic, but they do play too many klunkers. I'm right back to KLUV and satellite when they do.

and we all know God doesn't like too much uptempo music).

Ha Ha! good one! Christian radio is, for the most part, making itself irrelevant and setting itself up for failure when it doesn't program to the prime youthful demographics sought by secular radio. The music exists - all that lacks is the desire on the part of Christian stations to play it. Ichabod.

 

[little1]

#11 in ratings or revenue?

Because there's a world of difference, and a station can do really well in PPM and still not be able to sell those numbers.

And remember, these are businesses that are being run. It comes down to being able to turn a profit...

 

[davideduardo]

If I recall, WDUV's audience is mostly over 55 and, thus, revenue regularly trails behind other stations in the market with much less listeners in the 12+ numbers.

.

Most of it is over 65... but it's #1 12+, yet about 15th in billings in a much smaller market.

 

[davideduardo]

Platinum 96.7 has a good sound and is doing quite well in the ratings, #11 in the most recent PPM Monthly.

It is not even in the top 20 in 25-54 in the most recent week (weeks and months have same panel sample size in PPM)

Look at Tampa's #1 radio station, book after book, The Dove 105.5 WDUV.

For major signal FMs, WDUV is last in 25-54, and at the bottom in billings, too.

No Doors, no Stones, no Steppenwolf and not even many uptempo Motown tunes... no Signed Sealed Delivered, no Respect, no Hot Fun in The Summertime.

And no listeners under 65.

So if Citadel has decided to take this approach, why image the station as an Oldies station? Why compete JUST with KLUV? Surely in this new world of PPM, where at-work listening is SO important, why not market yourself as Easy 96.7 or Mellow 96.7 or The Dove 96.7? [email protected]

Most people over 65 are retired and do not listen at work.

 

[davideduardo]

So much for DE's theory that rimshots cannot do well. Actually, Platinum comes in on my car radio past Ennis. There is trouble East of Mesquite with another station, but at least in cars they cover the Metroplex quite well.

It's not a theory; smaller signals have done poorly in PPM everywhere.

And Platinum in the most recent report is 21st in 25-54. Really, anything under 65 is out of its core, and there are no significant accounts looking for that demo.