Say Goodbye To Star 93.3

[DToTheJ]

Clear Channel registered rock933.com recently. This led Cumulus, which owns WPDH and WRRV, to register similar domains, about ten total. Money well spent!

Also, Oldies 93.5 and 96.1 Kiss FM may be tweaked with the absence of Star 93.3.

Does the Hudson Valley really need another rock station?

 

[danikayser84]

IMO, Active Rock would be a smart move for 93.3, because there's not a true Active Rock in Poughkeepsie... you could pick up listeners from classic rocker WPDH and modern rocker WRRV if you program it well enough

For urban/rhythmic, you're probably close enough to get the NYC stations (such as Hot 97, KTU, BLS, etc.)... Kiss changing formats to Mainstream (or Adult?) CHR however, you gave some of your audience to the competitor K104...

 

[disney fanatic]

Let's hope that there's never gonna be another "Z-Rock" from the 1990's. Don't let your fingers cross.

 

[DToTheJ]

You mean, this thing?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Z_Rock

Not sure what relic from the 90's I'm trying harder to forget... Z-Rock or "Cop Rock." :

 

[MHVRadiofan]

Star 93.3 has been languishing mid pack for years, so a format flip is not a big surprise. However does the mid-Hudson Valley need another rock station? Between WPDH & WRRV Cumulus, has the genre sown up, and thrown in 'Classic Hits' 92.9, which is essentially a classic rock station the market is saturated . I think perhaps this is just some misdirection on Clear Channel‘s part, unless their goal is to use WBWZ just to hurt Cumulus a bit. I would think they would be better served to try something else, even if it is something I would not listen to.

 

[DToTheJ]

Considering WPDH is in the middle of a Clear Channel logjam in the Top 5 of the Hudson Valley ratings, the strategy is likely to create a new rock station mostly to share away from WPDH - thus have a positive impact on CC's overall ratings in the market.

And in all fairness, Star was languishing in the ratings, so perhaps this was the right move, even if it does mean another rocker.

 

[Steve Green NEPA]

Hya D To The J .....

This 64-year old ex-NYC punk was doing some DXing a few hours ago -- listening for distant stations on an actual radio -- and caught a few stations out of Philly. WRDW, WPST and WISX were among them. They were all FMs. They were all hot and new and Gaga'd and Rihanna'd and all had the hand-stamp of commercial clusters. They all sounded THE SAME.

D, I'm a former music director (four different stations) and I still cannot discern any difference between modern pop stations in 2012 -- CHR, Hot A/C, tepid A/C or gold-based A/C. The music all sounds as though it's aimed strictly at the loins of females age 29 1/2 who want to be 19 1/2 again.

Again, I'm an AARPer for fourteen years. But to my ear, me well out of the demo and underlined in grey: if this current pre-packaged/inspected-by-#34/overprocessed studio masturbation is what passes for rock nowadays, no wonder the kids aren't buying the scam. No wonder stations are 'languishing'.

 

[downhilldave]

And lets hope they get some decent talent on the mornings. Chris Marino sure ain't cutting it.

 

[disney fanatic]

Star 93.3 has been languishing mid pack for years, so a format flip is not a big surprise. However does the mid-Hudson Valley need another rock station? Between WPDH & WRRV Cumulus, has the genre sown up, and thrown in 'Classic Hits' 92.9, which is essentially a classic rock station the market is saturated . I think perhaps this is just some misdirection on Clear Channel‘s part, unless their goal is to use WBWZ just to hurt Cumulus a bit. I would think they would be better served to try something else, even if it is something I would not listen to.

Look at the rock stations what they had. They got WPDH which are tops in the rock format, and so does WRRV/WRRB and of course WBPM. Why not need a fourth rock station on there? It's not going to happen anytime soon, and I hope "Star 93.3" ain't gonna dump Hot AC at all. We shall se how long it lasts, if WBWZ drops hot AC to rock, it will lose a lot of listeners to either "Mix 97.7" or WCTW's "The Cat" at 98.5.

 

[Fidel Ipac]

Star 93.3 has been languishing mid pack for years, so a format flip is not a big surprise. However does the mid-Hudson Valley need another rock station? Between WPDH & WRRV Cumulus, has the genre sown up, and thrown in 'Classic Hits' 92.9, which is essentially a classic rock station the market is saturated . I think perhaps this is just some misdirection on Clear Channel‘s part, unless their goal is to use WBWZ just to hurt Cumulus a bit. I would think they would be better served to try something else, even if it is something I would not listen to.

But what else is there to put on the FM dial in the Hudson Valley that isn't there already? Classic Country? Maybe, but I don't see that happening. One of the issues here is how the Clear Channel "Lite" stations have evolved. They aren't really "Lite" anymore. Neil Diamond and Barbra Streisand left the building a long time ago. Lite sounds more like what Star/Z-93 was when they launched making that format redundant.

Competition hasn't hurt PDH. Cumulus management has. Cooper's awful morning show has. The only way for Clear Channel to make a dent in PDH with rock on 93.3 is to put a better product on the air. The chance of them spending the money to get that done seems pretty slim. Just tossing an I-heart-radio voicetracked/syndicated Clear Channel cookie-cutter Rock format with a morning show out of Indianapolis won't have much of an impact on PDH/RRV.

 

[DToTheJ]

Why not need a fourth rock station on there? It's not going to happen anytime soon, and I hope "Star 93.3" ain't gonna dump Hot AC at all...

Sorry...
"WBWZ made the switch from Hot AC to Classic Rock... billed as The Next Generation of Classic Rock..." Kinda like "107.3 The Eagle" down in Tampa. First hour playlist posted on the link, with the first song being Elton John's "The Bitch Is Back" (a mod to the "Z-Rock" era on that frequency?). I have a feeling that'll be the only time that song is played on the new Rock 93.3.

 

[Fidel Ipac]

DToTheJ I think you're right about that being the only time that Elton John song is played on Rock 93.3 (or at least it should be if they're smart) but I don't think it has anything to do Z-Rock. "The Bitch Is Back" is the antithesis of what Z-Rock was all about. It was exactly the kind of tune they would never play. I remember when Z-Rock first signed on they were constantly playing Nazareth's Hair of The Dog with the message "Now you're messin' with a son of a bitch!" directed straight at PDH. Rock 93.3 music sounds like 1988 PDH, not 1992 Z-Rock.

 

[DToTheJ]

If there were any Elton John song that would be a staple, "Rocket Man" might stick; I believe the aforementioned Eagle plays that one...

Looking at their playlist, when you take away the 90's tracks, it's almost identical to The Eagle.

And speaking of identical: Google "the next generation of classic rock" and you'll find other Clear Channel stations with that tagline. (Are they all using the same "Premium Choice" playlist, too? I wonder...)

 

[The Rock n Roll Dr.]

Does the Hudson Valley need another rock and roll station? Are you kidding. To have just 1 would be nice. You don't think that WPDH, the home of smut and droll, is a real rock station, do you? Their playlist is all of 400 songs, I've heard them play songs from the same band 3 times in the course of 1 shift. The children who claim to be disc jockeys weren't even born when the actual rock songs they play were on the air for the first time. The morning jock has got the worst voice in the history of radio. I've heard 2 disc jockeys actually pronounce the letter w correctly. They have dumbed down the Hudson Valley for so long with their lack of musical knowledge, misinformation, and absolute immaturity. They won't be missed, at all. Unfortunately 93.3 won't succeed. Their playlist is all of 65 song longer and became very boring to listen to in less than 1 weekend. One day someone with real talent and a true rock and roll vision will put a good station on the air. The popular buzz phrase will be WPD who?

 

[MHVRadiofan]

The Rock N' Roll Dr.,

Certainly, WPDH can be improved upon, and we can hope that the new competition in Rock 93.3 will force them to do that, but I would not bet on it. Not to beat a dead horse, but Coop in the morning is horrible, and as the morning show, lead in to the rest of the day hurts the station. However, I dispute your statement about Robyn Taylor, Boris, and Tigman.

. They have dumbed down the Hudson Valley for so long with their lack of musical knowledge, misinformation, and absolute immaturity.

Robyn has been on 101.5 for many years and is excellent mid-days Boris has brought his fine show over from WRRV, and I always enjoyed Tigman in the evenings and before that overnights. I was disappointed when Cumulus took him off for a while and am glad to hear him back. They are quality jocks and they do know what they are doing. Although younger than me (59) I would not call them children. The only one who has ‘Dumbed down’ the station and has stupid and immature humor is Coop. In any event, jock less Rock 93.3 is not an improvement. WBWZ promos they will play ‘lots of Classic Rock music‘. I wonder not when but if they plan to add jocks. They probably will use Clear Channels Premium Choice when and if they do, so why not get to it already.

 

[The Rock n Roll Dr.]

Sorry to disappoint you but the pigman is a thug. Bore us does exactly that. Wrrv is Wrrargabe. Real rock n roll is a thing of the past in the Hudson Valley. When Dyson owned WPDH, it was a better station, with better jocks. Robyn has displayed her versatility and adaptability since leaving PDH the first time. She is one of only two who can actually say the letter w correctly. Please remember that a monkey can be trained to push buttons. A disc jockey is paid for their ability to speak the English (or the closest rendition of) language. Quaility rock stations like WPLJ, WNEW, WAPP, and WRKI are things of the past. PLJ-pop, NEW-? APP-gone-formerly the best), RKI- still around and rocking. Bore us does not have a fine show. The pigman is exactly that. Robyn is skilled but tries to sound too much like a little girl. But then again the Hudson Valley is the valley of the adult child, people refuse to grow up. Have you ever worked in the broadcast industry? You sound like you think you know so much. I have worked in radio and television. In fact WPDH was my first 2 radio jobs. I quit the first time only to have them contact me again and hire me back. How does this happen? Can you say talent? Oh, I have a face for radio too, that's why I was on TV. Too much talent for this area, why did I come back? Perhaps to fulfill a dream, remember my last entry, WPD who?

 

[tmart714]

Rock n Roll doc, you make some interesting points, but I take issue with your comments on Tigman. He's a good dude and I know a lot of people are really glad that he's back on-air full-time. You obviously have worked in the business and know a lot about it so my question to you is this: what would your ideal rock n roll station sound like?

 

[The Rock n Roll Dr.]

tmart 714,
Thanks for the response. I can't let the cat out of the bag, yet. Come over to my house, I have the largest library of music. 1400 cd's and counting. At WPDH we had albums. They had about 400, I had 1500. I pride myself in my variety and amount of music. Similar to the old WDST days.

 

[MHVRadiofan]

Rock n Roll doc
No, I never actually worked in broadcasting. It was just a dream of mine, as I have always loved the business. I actually took some courses, as an adult at Duchess Community College, but with family obligations, the money starting out just would not work. Therefore, I have to be satisfied with observing from the sidelines. I completely agree WPDH is not the great station it was under Dyson. However ,what station is in this age of mega corporations, with mega debt trying to wring out a profit, by constantly cutting costs. I just think you were unfair trashing the on air staff. You said you worked for WPDH twice; perhaps some personal issues color your thinking. Obviously, I have no idea who you are.

 

[The Rock n Roll Dr.]

MHVRadiofan,
Personal issues don't color my feelings at all. I liked everybody there. Pam Brooks, Stew Schantz, Mike Harris, just to name a few, the ego driven radio station it has become since then has disgusted me tremendously. Radio is about the job, not the individual. If one is good at what they do, the station will profit which will then lead to the individual profiting. The adolescent mind set of people in the Hudson Valley does not allow people to grasp these truths. To put it in vernacular, if you are good, your boss will make more and in turn you will make more. Unfortunately, too many people have believed too many lies for too long. Stick around, real rock n roll is coming back.