Ratings and format holes

[John Waywoods]

With all of the stations in the market doing so poorly it amazes me that there haven't been any format changes. There have been a lot of comments on this board about adding the AM talk feeds to the FM dial. Personally, I think it is a waste of time, frequency, and most importantly, money. I listened to Orlando's 96.5 FM yesterday and honestly it was laughable. I doubt they will succeed in reaching any saleable demos with the format. Young people living their lives will not tune in to listen to somebody's angry grandfather. Said station will only have their existing listeners move from AM to FM and simply lose a revenue stream.

Anyway, Tampa does have the following glaring holes:

Urban A/C - a winning format in Orlando and Miami.
AAA - I love this format and I still miss the old 102.5. If I want harder rock I have 98 Rock and not its clone. Tampa has the demos for this format.
Smooth Jazz - Sorry, if you can't sell this in Tampa you need a new sales force.
Rhythmic A/C - The old Jo 101.5 outperformed a lot of the existing frequencies.
Christian Top 40 - Would probably do reall well on a decent stick.
Hot A/C - Needs a cool approach with less Lady GaGa. 100.7 really needs to get back to who they were and should be.
Hot Talk - I would try this on AM first. however, it did not really work for 1010 AM. Frequency problem?
Spanish A/C - There is no outlet for spanish love songs and adult music.

 

[Studio20]

Urban A/C - a winning format in Orlando and Miami.

Orlando and Miami have urban listeners, on the mature side with disposable income. tampa bay does not.

AAA - I love this format and I still miss the old 102.5. If I want harder rock I have 98 Rock and not its clone. Tampa has the demos for this format.

Absolutely. Flip the Eagle and also add the New ones from Springsteen and "classic artists"

Smooth Jazz - Sorry, if you can't sell this in Tampa you need a new sales force.

94.1 had the best in the area here and it still died after a decade.

Rhythmic A/C - The old Jo 101.5 outperformed a lot of the existing frequencies.

Format is now so passe here.

Christian Top 40 - Would probably do reall well on a decent stick.

Doubtful.

Hot A/C - Needs a cool approach with less Lady GaGa. 100.7 really needs to get back to who they were and should be.

That would mean CC would have to hire jocks with good pipes AND brains.

Hot Talk - I would try this on AM first. however, it did not really work for 1010 AM. Frequency problem?

Major frequency problem. at least a dozen other threads on that.

Spanish A/C - There is no outlet for spanish love songs and adult music.

Eventually.





[/quote]

 

[gamefreak]

Bring Adult Hits to Tampa, along with the sounds of Cyndi Lauper, Micheal Jackson, New Order, Old-School Rap and so on. Gen X Radio sounds good. Since the demise of The Point this crowd really needs something.

Bring in a Adult Alternative Station to Tampa. Just maybe a company could put AAA on a translator with a good web stream. 107.3 or 102.5 would be perfect for the format. Just wish a company will take a risk and pull off the format.

 

[Parttimer]

Bring Adult Hits to Tampa, along with the sounds of Cyndi Lauper, Micheal Jackson, New Order, Old-School Rap and so on. Gen X Radio sounds good. Since the demise of The Point this crowd really needs something.

Bring in a Adult Alternative Station to Tampa. Just maybe a company could put AAA on a translator with a good web stream. 107.3 or 102.5 would be perfect for the format. Just wish a company will take a risk and pull off the format.

107.3 is a ratings and billing monster. AAA has a track record nationally of being a niche format that is lucky to pull a 2-share (The old Point on 102.5 wasn't really AAA, although I wonder why more programmers don't take the approach they did back in the day... it did pretty well for a few years). It would have to go on a signal like 97.1 or 98.7.

 

[gamefreak]

I got a question about our existing formats. Why do certain Classic Hits stations refuse to play newer music by Classic Artists. Springsteen, The B-62's, Madonna and other classic artists have released newer music that doesn't get airplay. Not on the Classic Hits or the Hot AC stations.

 

[Parttimer]

I got a question about our existing formats. Why do certain Classic Hits stations refuse to play newer music by Classic Artists. Springsteen, The B-62's, Madonna and other classic artists have released newer music that doesn't get airplay. Not on the Classic Hits or the Hot AC stations.

Because they do poorly in music tests.

 

[Studio20]

I got a question about our existing formats. Why do certain Classic Hits stations refuse to play newer music by Classic Artists. Springsteen, The B-52's, Madonna and other classic artists have released newer music that doesn't get airplay. Not on the Classic Hits or the Hot AC stations.

Also, unless you have jocks in their 50's on this format, you run the risk of some young hipster butchering names, dates, etc..or trying to bluff their way through it....um...kinda like my generation did for the "oldies artists"...

 

[deals3rd]

Studio 20 you are mis-informed. Below is the race break out for Hillborough & Pinellas Counties. The core counties in Arbitron. As for the economics of the urban adult format, you are also incorrect. The available income for black adults in the market is significant and exceeds a market like West Palm Beach which has a urban ac. By the way, the appeal of a successful urban ac normally has a 25% plus cume that is non-ethnic.

Races in Hillsborough County, Florida:
White Non-Hispanic Alone (57.3%)
Hispanic or Latino (22.3%)
Black Non-Hispanic Alone (15.5%)
Asian alone (3.0%)
Two or more races (1.4%)
Read more: http://www.city-data.com/county/Hillsborough_County-FL.html#ixzz1r5J5WlTV

Races in Pinellas County, Florida:
White Non-Hispanic Alone (78.7%)
Black Non-Hispanic Alone (9.8%)
Hispanic or Latino (6.8%)
Asian alone (2.9%)
Two or more races (1.3%)
Read more: http://www.city-data.com/county/Pinellas_County-FL.html#ixzz1r5JgbuVJ

 

[gamefreak]

So why did certain Oldies stations back in the day play new music by classic artists. Like some oldies stations in the 70's would play the newer Elvis singles. Or even music by newer artists like Elton John. Due to the fact the newer music blended in well with the 50's and early 60's music.

 

[Parttimer]

As for the economics of the urban adult format, you are also incorrect. The available income for black adults in the market is significant and exceeds a market like West Palm Beach which has a urban ac. By the way, the appeal of a successful urban ac normally has a 25% plus cume that is non-ethnic.

The issue usually isn't population, it's whether the business community will spend money to attract that demo.....

 

[gamefreak]

I agree with John, News-Talk isn't always the best format. Younger people are going to turn in just because its on FM. Most young people listen to MP3 Players and CD's in the car. Some young people (as well as old) may never even turn on the radio in the car. Unless your dealing with a Young Republican type most people under the age of 30 will not listen to Rush Limbaugh.

98 Rock, Mix 100.7 and other possible FLA simulcast contenders have one thing in common, younger listeners less than 40 years of age. If Clear Channel were to actually pull off an FM simulcast who's to say the listeners who listened to the station prior to the flip will stay. Decisions like this are not very popular with a wider group.

Look at the launch of News-Talk 96.5 WDBO in O-town. It might of made some people happy, but it might of pissed off others. WHTQ's former listeners may have lost Cox's grip and converted to JRR. Some may have said screw radio entirely and started listening to CD/ MP3 entirely or went to Satellite Radio. All this to satisfy some people who were already listening to a News-Talk station when it was on AM-only.

 

[deals3rd]

As for the economics of the urban adult format, you are also incorrect. The available income for black adults in the market is significant and exceeds a market like West Palm Beach which has a urban ac. By the way, the appeal of a successful urban ac normally has a 25% plus cume that is non-ethnic.

The issue usually isn't population, it's whether the business community will spend money to attract that demo.....

Well if the market has found a way to keep CC's the "Beat" profitable...I am sure there is enough disposable income to insure the success of an urban ac in the market. Businesses just need the option.

 

[LLL]

Smooth Jazz - Sorry, if you can't sell this in Tampa you need a new sales force.

Why? What is so special about Tampa? Smooth Jazz can't even survive in NYC, Philadelpia and other markets where it should succeed. I miss the format.

 

[badjef]

Smooth Jazz - Sorry, if you can't sell this in Tampa you need a new sales force.

Why? What is so special about Tampa? Smooth Jazz can't even survive in NYC, Philadelpia and other markets where it should succeed. I miss the format.

The background formats seem to be hurting. Spoken word and CHR are both foreground formats.

Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!

 

[Parttimer]

Smooth Jazz - Sorry, if you can't sell this in Tampa you need a new sales force.

Why? What is so special about Tampa? Smooth Jazz can't even survive in NYC, Philadelpia and other markets where it should succeed. I miss the format.

The background formats seem to be hurting. Spoken word and CHR are both foreground formats.

Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!

Smooth Jazz seems to do poorly under PPM, although as a niche format it might still do OK in a few places. WLOQ in Orlando was sold recently, and CC took the format and is running it on Magic's HD-2 and a translator, and getting some ratings with it. In Dallas, CBS' Oasis has been relegated to HD-2 and streaming, and has really strong streaming numbers along with thousands of registrants for their loyal listener club. So it's not dead yet, and might it might have been a better idea to leave the format on 98.7 after the flip with Wild.

 

[druidhillsradio]

"Jazz is not dead, it just smells funny." Frank Zappa

 

[badjef]

Smooth Jazz - Sorry, if you can't sell this in Tampa you need a new sales force.

Why? What is so special about Tampa? Smooth Jazz can't even survive in NYC, Philadelpia and other markets where it should succeed. I miss the format.

The background formats seem to be hurting. Spoken word and CHR are both foreground formats.

Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!

Smooth Jazz seems to do poorly under PPM, although as a niche format it might still do OK in a few places. WLOQ in Orlando was sold recently, and CC took the format and is running it on Magic's HD-2 and a translator, and getting some ratings with it. In Dallas, CBS' Oasis has been relegated to HD-2 and streaming, and has really strong streaming numbers along with thousands of registrants for their loyal listener club. So it's not dead yet, and might it might have been a better idea to leave the format on 98.7 after the flip with Wild.

94.1, later, 98.7 was a button on my presets before Play. The "smooth" format continues on 98.7 HD2, I do not receive it reliably in Sa-ra-so-ta!, but the HD2 button is still set so that when I go North of the Bridge, I have it without spinning the knob.

OTOH, i do receive 94.1 HD-3 reliablly for WFAN. It stays in pretty tightly. Since 94.1 HD2 is still unused, "smooth" might still be considered an option.

My feeling is, the management from these stations, are still all, uncollectively, taking a "wait and see" attitude toward HDx's. It would explain certain continued flirtations with regard to their use.

Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!

 

[LLL]

But Smooth Jazz basically disappeared from major markets about a decade ago. NYC. Philly. Now it's gone in Tampa.

Did sales staffs have a hard time selling it?

 

[badjef]

But Smooth Jazz basically disappeared from major markets about a decade ago. NYC. Philly. Now it's gone in Tampa.

Did sales staffs have a hard time selling it?

These formats are not completely gone. They exist on the HD-x's. Such as Country in New York City or "Smooth" in Tampa, or the quiet HD-2 battle with "Thunder 103.5" and "Trippin'102.5".

Somebody seems to be trying to shove HD down our collective radio throats.

Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!

 

[Marv-L.A.]

Are WRBQ and WXGL both really Classic Hits stations, as listed on Allaccess?

That's almost undeard of, isn't it?