• Get involved.
    We want your input!
    Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.

    After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
    If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.

    After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
    https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/

    Thanks in advance and have fun!
    RadioDiscussions Administrators

Rebuilding a Radio Brand

R

radioprofessor

Guest
This market is getting an excellent lesson on how to rebuild a radio brand without "blowing up" a station. KBKS was a CHR with extremely poor execution. When rebuilding an FM station you must first fix the music. In CHR, that means play only the hits and play them more often. (Powers at 100 spins vs 80 and more recurrent titles) The next step is to rebuild the imaging so it compliments the station. The next step is to coach or upgrade the air staff. In the case of KBKS you had an established night air talent working in afternoons (Tyler). An established afternoon talent( Marcus in SF and Seattle) not even on the air. These were easy fixes and paid off in the first trend as both shows jumped to number one with 14 share extraps 18-34. Next is to fix mid-days and mornings. These are harder fixes for any station, but the first step, if the talent is in need of coaching, is to focus more on music and then rebuild or upgrade. Finally, promotion is added to the mix, when all is correct. (that can't be discussed on this board).

To often in our business we blow up stations, that just need to examine their execution. Mainstream CHR is a viable format nationally and in perceptual research. Now it is being done much better in Seattle. MOVIN will be shut down by next summer as KBKS comes back. KUBE shares will diminish to a normal parameter for a rhythmic CHR. WOLF will see 18-34 numbers fade as well. All three stations saw the benefit of KBKS's sloppy execution and poor talent. The station is 70% fixed. In Seattle, that could be good enough for number one 18-34. Other stations in town like KNDD, KBSG, KRWM, JACK and the AM stations can learn from the KBKS example. These stations can rebuild their brand (except maybe niche based JACK) provided they execute the proper music and/or mechanics of their formats. Get back to the basic and execute and you will win, in this market. KMPS is a pretty good example of a station that did this over the last six months too. They fixed the music, fixed mechanics, now they need to work on mornings just like KBKS, in my humble view.
 
Whilst understanding the need to save certain stations/formats, there does come a time when a lot of change can be good. Keeps the blood circulating in my opinion. If it's not a beloved heritage station like KISW or KMPS or anything older than 20 years, it's usually fair game....
 
radioprofessor said:
MOVIN will be shut down by next summer as KBKS comes back. KUBE shares will diminish to a normal parameter for a rhythmic CHR. WOLF will see 18-34 numbers fade as well. All three stations saw the benefit of KBKS's sloppy execution and poor talent.
Click to expand...

Can't wait for Fitz's (TakeItFromMe) and Lisa's (MammaKnowsBest) take on this;) I believe it! How much do I owe ya for this quarters tuition professor?
 
Oh PUH-LEEZ! Lisa (Wood) is NOT "MammaKnowsBest". It's either the former "Danadee" or "IKnowItAll". Only THEY respond like "Mamma". I can tell....
 
Bongwater said:
Oh PUH-LEEZ! Lisa (Wood) is NOT "MammaKnowsBest". It's either the former "Danadee" or "IKnowItAll". Only THEY respond like "Mamma". I can tell....
Click to expand...

You've been gone a liittle TOO long, Larry.


The "Lisa" being referred to is former Movin 92.5 PD Lisa Adams, now in Portland. Coincidentally, Lisa Wood is also in PDX.
 
mamma is laughing so hard in hurts!!! Does the radio professor even know what the ya ya sisterhood is?? Things change and stations run their course. Gone are the days of all boys club radio with an aging guy PD (KISS) and a sexist morning host (KISS and KUBE) Here are some big brands that got blown up and a strong brand came in like KLSY became MOVIN and the ratings are twice as strong and so are the talent. If your big move on KISS was to spin songs every 80 minutes versus every 100 minutes and put back on talent that didn't work the first time and leave on an ewwwwww spokane morning show that is genius professor!!! WOLF is better than Buzz, MOVIN is better than KLSY, JACK is better than Rock, and the list goes on of stations better than the brnad before them. Mamma thinks prof needs to go back to radio school. Mamma says this time next year MOVIN is still ahead of KISS WOLF will be locked it a boy battle with KMPS. Mamma can't figure out who she is? Lisa or lisa or dana or knowit, or takeit, or prof, or maybe just someone who brings a fresh female perspective to a woefully male board. Right Monti? Right Janet? Right Lisa? We know who were are and what we are doing and that is why blowing up a brand can be better the rebuilding a brand that has run it course. Go sisters go!!! Mammaknowsbest along with the new ya ya sisterhood of Seattle/Portland radio
 
To be fair, some brands need to be blown up. Some examples:

1. Beautiful Music (the audience aged)
2. 80's (Limited playlist, niche format)
3. Mega (Limited playlist, niche format)


Oldies may be in the Beautiful Music situation and certainly JACK and MOVIN are in the niche format arena. These brands have a life cycle and can be changed. Solid brands like AC, Mainstream CHR, Classic Rock, Jazz and more can be rebuilt. It isn't necessary to blow them up unless the market is overloaded in the genre. KLSY could have been rebuilt into a solid AC with heritage call-letters. I am not familiar with the Buzz or the format prior to JACK. Sounds like they were niche and needed to be rebranded. Of the stations doing poorly in Seattle right now only JACK and MOVIN deserve to be blown up. One could also make a case for KBSG using the Beautiful Music example above. The END, KRWM, KBKS and other stations not performing in their demographics might be better served by rebuilding the brand, in my humble view. One other note, I find it irritating that this board keeps try to figure out who is posting. The purpose of this type of board is to allow free expression of opinions, without fear of retribution. I realize some mis-use the board, but their comments are easily scrolled past to get to legitimate conversation. This board would be better served by dealing with the subject matter, not the person posting it. I believe there are programmers on this board that are trying to educate or explain what they do. There are also those who view this board that get interesting analysis, albiet distorted, of many things. As a relative newcomer to Seattle the discussion on JP Patches was very enlightening. I hope Seattle continues to recognize the contribution of heritage broadcasters in radio and TV.
 
There's enough room in the Seattle market for Movin and KBKS to be viable CHR outputs. KBKS has been sloppy and misguided which was most likely a two-fold factor of Preston's legacy which dwindled toward the end and Marcus, who did not have the leadership and experience to help the suffering station. On-air talent is suffering during the middays and mornings, however their afternoon jock Tyler got them to number 1 and that new girl Mac who replaced Keola with whatever little radio experience she has, had a killer trend for the nightshow: that had nothing to do with Marcus. Marcus back on afternoons sounds old and contrived, at least with the other two they have a fresh sound that is new and identifiable to their audience. The morning show sounds completely confused and out of place on the station. Freshen up KBKS, and I'm assuming Rivers is going to keep it old school radio: increase your powers and just play the hits. Eh, just some thoughts on the KBKS situation.
 
Status
This thread has been closed due to inactivity. You can create a new thread to discuss this topic.


Back
Top Bottom