Rock Radio in the Upstate

[D-Oradio]

93.3 The Planet and 96.7 The Buzzard are the only 2 stations providing a glimpse at NEW rock. I just moved to Spartanburg from Columbia and these 2 stations combined do not give airtime to a lot of the new rock out there that Rock 93.5 in Columbia does. I remember a few years ago, The Planet used to be a little more modern rock than they are now. Now that I lvie here, and listen to The Planet more often, most of their playlist is just like The Buzzard's, which is more of a mainstream rock format. I can understand The Buzzard being kind of like a flanker for Rock 101 and The Planet playing mostly 75% classic rock, but why is WTPT's playlist so redundant and predictable these days? Not an hour goes by that I hear the same Ozzy, GNR, Pink Floyd, Metallica, and so on songs. I miss hearing the latest from alternative/modern rock on a regular basis. Does this market lean more towards the big city mainstream rock sound? (For example WMMR in Philly, the Buzzard in Cleveland) If I am making no sense here, please point it out to me and tell me to chill, LoL. But, I am just trying to understand the market more and what works here, and what doesn't. But, I must say that The Rise Guys morning show on The Planet is the best morning radio I've ever heard. Thanks for reading, and for any insight.

 

[hamNcheese]

Do either stream on-line?

 

[SCRadioInsider]

I don't understand why Entercom allows Planet to venture so far into Rock 101s territory. It seems like they are just damaging one of their own products. Rock 101 has suffered greatly from Planets classic rock lean.

 

[D-Oradio]

Thank you, that is exactly what I mean. Rock 101 is a solid classic rock station, and Planet should rock the new stuff. I have never heard any Bravery, Jimmy Eat World, Racoteurs, etc on WTPT! Planet should lean alt/hard rock and feature artists such as Slipknot, Pantera, and more mixed in with the traditional active/alt rock artists. Their themed weekends are getting very tired. They did an all 80's weekend this past weekend, but when it comes down to it, most of their playlist daily leans on 70's-90's rock. Don't get me wrong, the DJ's, imaging, and overall feel of the station is great. But, they should stop trying to be ROCK 101 "2".

 

[SCRadioInsider]

I just figured that Planet is Mark Hendricks baby and Rock 101 is mostly syndicated or something so he wants Planet to perform better and that is why he is playing a bunch of classic rock on Planet so it will do better than Rock 101. The big question is why someone at Entercom doesn't see that and tell him to quit it! Strange.

 

[ATOMO]

96-7 The Buzzard is CC's top rock streamer in the country. Hear us at www.thebuzzardjustrocks.com. As far as the new stuff goes, we do the Buzzard's Buzz Bin every weeknight @ Midnight (Sun-Thurs). We do play a lot of the alternative and some other things we'd otherwise not play during the day, etc. We hit more new rock overall during the evening but we're still a mainstream rocker. We're not a new rock station and don't plan to be...TPT's core has slid to 14-21 so they're probably trying to age it up and, perhaps try and force us out of the game. ROQ is virtually a classic hits station so, in reality, there's room for TPT to air AC/DC and such...they just shouldn't say 'New Rock' introing Kashmir and the like. Other artists in our regular rotation the new rock station isn't playing include The Fray, Raconteurs, White Stripes, Blue October, The Panic Channel, Rehab, AFI, Dashboard Confessional, Panic! At The Disco, 30 Seconds to Mars and some others. TPT's been around long enough to claim the image just by saying it and playing a few tunes. BTW- our HD-2 channel comes on-line in a couple of weeks featuring classic alternative....80/90's alt/retro rock, it will be streamed as well.