SMOOTH AC WJZA COLUMBUS (OH) DROPS BA MIDDAY FOR LOCAL HOST!

[cklw800]

Well, they're not calling themselves Smooth AC yet, but click to their playlist and you'll see "WJZA Columbus (Smooth AC)". They dropped BA's Miranda for local host Kelly Mitchell from the cluster's oldies station! Very interesting! Bucking a trend we've been seeing. Could this spread? It's local 10A to 2P. Thjey're still local 7P to MID but could this be the trade off? Dropping the night host for BA's Maria Lopez? We'll have to wait and see. Haven't found that a real interesting market until now.

 

[Bill Harmonic]

It's always been the plan by the GM to be "local" in mid days and evenings. He only cares about the appeal of Ramsey and Koz. The premise here being that the so called big personalities from the BA network have any appeal which most know is not true. Listeners are not coming to this station for these sparkling talents. They want the music and not getting that either. The listeners in Columbus know the difference and the majority of the P1's have left. The station still follows the BA song list and all they do is insert what is given to them into those slots and track the rest of it. It's just a step above taking everything off the bird. That way they can open up their inventory and play more commericals during those slots (Got to remember what's important). They also need the promotional inventory at those times. Kelly is doing mid days now to keep her job. I thought she was also voice tracking WODB during the same time period but might be wrong. The station just sunk to a 2.0 share 12+ in the trend and I've always believed that it's just a matter of time before Saga does something else with one or both of those signals. I believe they are waiting for the move in of 104.3 but that may not be until 4th quarter of this year at best. Don't know if they can afford to wait that long. In that building it's all about Sunny 95 and the other two formats are simply step children. At least Kelly is still working and that's important. Nothing is "spreading" at this station. It's just more of the same neglect that Saga Columbus has thrown at this format since they bought the station over four years ago. They have actually made the old owner look good. At least you knew he was a rascal up front but he did love the format and wanted it to work for his own selfish reasons which is better than the "experts" who took over and promised a ton that never came true. This is a company that needs to get back to their little universe and get out of the format because they just don't care and they will not get it under their leadership.

 

[darksoldier]

Honestly, I believe that it will spread. If SJ/SAC/NAC wants to survive in many markets, it is (as ALL radio must) going to have to engage its audience with BODIES, EVENTS, and CONTENT.

I know OUUC will beg to differ, and is awaiting the hulk of wreckage that was radio to wash up on yonder shore. I value that opinion, given where it comes from, but I believe that even OUUC will agree that you don't have success in radio by doing what everyone else does.