> Here's some of my predictions for New Orleans radio in 2006.
>
>
> * I predict that before the first quarter of the year is
> over, Citadel will do a major frequency shakeup. I'm going
> out on a limb and saying that Diva will move over to 106.7,
> the End will move to 100.3 (with a new name, since they'll
> be in the middle and not the end), and Citadel will put a
> New Orleans-focused country format on 92.3. Martini and
> 102.9 will stay will they are.
We would have wished for anything like that but Citadel has been shortsited unless it's to deal with formats that I think personally won't amount to anything in ratings and revenue when all is said and done. (Martini under a different name probably would have worked pre Katrina if imaged and directed right... But now it's maket is still scattered IMO and right now I don't have a full grasp on if it's "fans" would be back in numbers to support)
My prediction like others would have been Diva to 106.7, 102.9 and 106.1 stays the same, put your country on 100.3, and rock out 92.3 going after guaranty in Br and owning the market here as it's still engranded on people's minds as ROCK 92.3 (Hey what better way to help your imaging on the cheap than play on nostalgia in a city that lives on it)... I would like to see a active/alternative hybred in place there as South Louisiana has no outlet for some of the newer rock that doesn't fit on Alt. Rockers...
If Entercom was smart, they could have added newer rock to Bayou to try to lure those like me who flip between the two... Or have CC realize that the same 400 songs ain't gonna work anymore and flip 99.5 back to it's mainstream days
But this is Citadel (a company owned by stockholders who should know not to try non standard stuff in top 50 markets) and they will probably put some new wimpy format on 100.3 that's gonna get it's butt kicked with Diva wasting a kick butt signal and see a few people leave Citadel New Orleans casue of it.
Unless Citadel wants to do what's on the 2nd and 3rd highest towers in the state (KQID and KNOE) and put CHR on it (Right up John McQueen's alley and apparently what Diva is slowly maturing into by what I've heard)
> I say they would have done this sooner, if not for Katrina.
>
> * I predict that 'TIX-FM will NOT get better jingles and
> production, although I wish they would. They now have the
> ammo needed to blast Kool out of the water... if they choose
> to. Knowing Costello, they won't.
I predict Costello will stay true to what he wants , even though I agree he could have taken the oldies away from Kool if someone else actually programmed it. Despite what others have said, Nola is a nostalgic town and Bob Walker with Sgt. Boudreaux will bring in the listeners (until the music selection runs them away or they get to liking the eclectic approach to classic hits.
>
> * I predict that Hot 104.5 will go out of business, seeing
> as their regular tower won't be ready anytime soon, and none
> of their STA attempts are flying with the FCC.
Can we say fire sale or license gone in 2007? (once the last of the STA's is expired and the one year to get it going is passed).
One of the locals, need to make an offer on this one and keep it IMO but truthfully, One of the religious channels hungry to preach the gospel in NOLA will pay the money homeboys gonna want for it.
>
> * I predict that WIST will go down the toilet, since people
> won't confuse them with 'TIX, and there's no real New
> Orleans connection on the air.
WIST will do about the same ratings as before... they got rid of the tix more for the Namer vibe from the 90's they want to distance from than confusion over the call with Tix-FM
Probably get better ratings as the Mighty 690 again playing classic hits than another talk station...
>
> * I predict that 94.9 will drop the Praise for a St. Charles
> Parish-focused format, and 94.7 will be a St.
> Tammany-focused format as "94.7 the Lake".
>
St. Charles Parish focused format?!?!?! I agree that parish should have had it's own station but with the newest line of putting the tower in Lafourche, I think he's gonna try a river parishes/ bayou thing.. and agree with Smashedcd..look for a move in COL to lafourche or Terrebonne parish and depending upon what happens on the bayou, either country or classic hits.
Sunburst media just took over the Guaranty cluster in a LMA basically here on the Bayou... Soft rock 96.7 is still Christmas songs right now (usually Guaranty would pull the plug on the all holiday music on Christmas day at 6pm) ... Could we be seeing a new format on the bayou? They have classic rock and country tied up, leaving either newer rock, something a/c, or classic country as some choices (if a local would own it, I would have added swamp pop on there)
I don't think Dowdy is like Ciadel and waste a signal on half a service area so depending upon what happens on the bayou may likely see what comes...
and here are my predictions and wishes on the FM commercials in the area:
92.3 - predict- it will stay the same and will probably slowly change it's playlist until it's more Hot a/c or top 40 (ala 104.1 pre Clear Channel)
- wish - Bang that thing with Rock till the nose bleeds (either that or jack a country station there ) even hot a/c minus the Diva name...
93.3 - predict- will stay the same, slight line up changes that normally occur about all
- wish- I could be a grinch as I'm not too fond of the format but truthfully CC and company doing a pretty good job in the 504
94.3 - predict- nothing other than other names you remember from other stations and have fond memories of possibly filling in the air chair
- wish- Costello realizing what he's got, put his collection to the side or to a less rotation schedule and go right after Kool when they are down.
94.9 - predict- Praise be gone ..To be filled with ?
- wish- Classic country
95.7 - predict- another year of slight tweaking of the format, normal shift changes and spud trying to sound like a 9th warder....
- wish - Entercom getting rock newer than 2002 in rotation more often
97.1 - predict- will go back more urban but still try to be CHR
- Wish - They finally decide what F***in' aim they want for the station and stick with it cause they shure can't program hot a/c flavored CHR..
98.5 - predict- no real changes
wish - no real changes
99.5 - predict - depending upon 95.7, what they will do as they are in a holding pattern
wish- get a clue and flip it mainstream rock
100.3 - predict - FLIP! if Citadel ever gets the LMA or the sale... to what? my guess is some other off the wall format..or could it be like Red in BR and become the big muddy 100.3? Slight possiblity the new home for Diva ?
wish - a format flip to something that is resonalble like the variety hits, Hot a/c or classic hits...
101.1 - predict- no real changes
wish - Big D and Bubba gone, real local in the mornings (Eddie again?) and Eddie keeping his music business stories for saturday nights where they belong.
101.9 - predict/wish - no real changes
102.9 - predict/wish - no real changes
104.1 - predict - CC promoting it to a T..promoting it as a sort of Katrina relief channel.... relief your misery in the power of the Lord...relief it listening to the gospels of 104.1 and 940 am...
wish- CC to stop thinking it's a savior.. if they wanna keep the gospel flip this to be a rebroadcast of 940 am ..my wish would be anything rock or country
104.5 - predict- short of a miracle from the Gods at the FCC, look for a huge stuggle on 104.5 with it being on and off not developing anything. For the cash strapped company..look for a sale, My guess being a releigious outfit wanting to bang it's message in the 504 and won't mind a little investing to do it. Or even the 504's first FM spanish outfit for someone wanting to invest to get the property up to snuff...
wish - Send the frequency back to Grand Isle where it was originally with Jimmy Buffet and Kenny Chesney's islands albumn going all the time
Truthful wish would be selling it to a local who would do a Spanish language music format not heard around here.
105.3 - predict - It's coming back as oldies but for how long?
wish - they keep their promise and stay oldies for awhile...
106.1 - predict - format will be tweaked but no real changes for a year .. later on, I think they will have a loyal audience but not enough to sustain.. may do like 97.1 in St. Louis and do half standards and half news/ talk.. all depends upon the Demo coming back to the 504 and the northshore...
wish - no comment
106.7 - predict - Hopefully Citadel get it on the air together soon so we can hear the end again. With no competition, see normal changes but nothing extraordinary
Wish - flip Diva and the End with each other..... cause the End could do better on the other end of the band.
Rant time off
RFLA
