Speaking of A Top 40 Competitor to Kiss and Jam'n...

[raccoonradio]

It's true that WEEI had a rebound in the ratings with the move to FM. It also helped that the Red
Sox collapse (big story, lots of talk) happened at the same time. Now WEEI has gotten more reach what with the FM signal, and it remains to be seen how the content will affect their show by show/
cume or overall ratings. We did see improvement in the last period for EEI, though I think 98.5
still won all time periods except for evenings.

Again, you have the different ratings demos (we often see 6 plus, 12 plus, etc...but 25-34, 25-54
etc are more important). You have the cume ratings and how they go up or down. And show by
show--how is AM drive doing, PM drive, etc. WEEI has earned a lot of money for Entercom but
a) they now have that competition and b) the Red Sox contract cost them a lot of money. Having
the FM signal added was a big plus.

If that NBA season doesn't get underway at all they lose the potential audience for C's games and
C's talk. Of course there's Sox, B's, and Pats talk. WEEI will have some play by play in the next few
months, including college sports and some NFL. BZ-FM will have Pats and B's. Then come late
Feb., the Sox are back.

You have play by play, and then the talk shows. For now 98.5 still leads those show-by-show
ratings, and the move to FM was necessary for EEI. Again, access matters (being able to
actually hear them!) as does content. Boston is a big enough sports town for two well-done
stations, and it's up to CBS and Entercom to provide a good product.

And there's nothing like a little competition to make a station that's gotten lazy and complacent
to suddenly "wake up".

 

[iknowpeople]

I'm a little weary looking at a monthly as proof of a resurgence. They are on a new frequency. Some listeners of Mike may be sticking around. Sports Hub listeners might be switching back and forth to see what WEEI is up to. But it's that "excitement period" right now. We'll see what happens 3 months from now. That said, while WEEI had a gain in ratings, Sports Hub is #1 still everywhere but nights with men.

Thus my point with KISS & JAMN needing a competitor. I don't expect them to drop to 2 shares... but I would be willing to bet the house that the new CHR will shoot up big as long as it's done right.

Jackson Blue is the ONLY voicetracker that is worth listening to. He is an amazing talent and it sucks that this market couldn't keep him around. That said - that is one of the FEW examples nationwide where the tracking talent has actually been to the city they are broadcasting to, nevermind lived in.

As far as Seacrest - not sure if you've listened. The content is terrible. It stops the flow of music with yesterday's LA morning show being thrown into a blender and spitting out what resembles some sort of :30 mongoloid break. The show is -IMHO - a PPM killer... if, you know, there is another station for people to flip to.

I actually have nothing against Dylan (seems like a great guy) or any of the people at CC/Boston. I'm friends with some of them. It's not a local idea to have everything tracked - certainly came from above. Dylan inherited this. I just don't like stations winning - I'm sorry, KILLING - by default. I hate it. If it was an un-contested CBS station, I would have mentioned them. If you are #1 by a mile, and no one is competing, then perhaps someone should be competing.

Mix likely makes great money. I always hear things being monetized (Mix and other CBS properties) so they obviously have a great sales force. Good on them. I'm not trying to pick on them. Just the lay of the land, as it is right now, would probably put Mix as being the one that'd have to do it. Greater Media doesn't do CHR. Entercom isn't going to flip AAF any time soon. All signs point to it having to be CBS, and considering CBS' portfolio and the fact that Mix is a chromosome-and-a-half away from being there already, it'd have to be Mix.

 

[Retro]

Just a thought, if Mix did go CHR (I believe that they could even do it with keeping the Mix handle,) then it is likely that either Entercom or Greater Media would flip one of their signals to Hot AC instead. And if they did it like Mix does it now, then they could do so without having any serious affect on Magic either.

 

[mistermicrophone]

I'm a little weary looking at a monthly as proof of a resurgence. They are on a new frequency. Some listeners of Mike may be sticking around. Sports Hub listeners might be switching back and forth to see what WEEI is up to. But it's that "excitement period" right now. We'll see what happens 3 months from now. That said, while WEEI had a gain in ratings, Sports Hub is #1 still everywhere but nights with men.

Thus my point with KISS & JAMN needing a competitor. I don't expect them to drop to 2 shares... but I would be willing to bet the house that the new CHR will shoot up big as long as it's done right.

Jackson Blue is the ONLY voicetracker that is worth listening to. He is an amazing talent and it sucks that this market couldn't keep him around. That said - that is one of the FEW examples nationwide where the tracking talent has actually been to the city they are broadcasting to, nevermind lived in.

As far as Seacrest - not sure if you've listened. The content is terrible. It stops the flow of music with yesterday's LA morning show being thrown into a blender and spitting out what resembles some sort of :30 mongoloid break. The show is -IMHO - a PPM killer... if, you know, there is another station for people to flip to.

I actually have nothing against Dylan (seems like a great guy) or any of the people at CC/Boston. I'm friends with some of them. It's not a local idea to have everything tracked - certainly came from above. Dylan inherited this. I just don't like stations winning - I'm sorry, KILLING - by default. I hate it. If it was an un-contested CBS station, I would have mentioned them. If you are #1 by a mile, and no one is competing, then perhaps someone should be competing.

Mix likely makes great money. I always hear things being monetized (Mix and other CBS properties) so they obviously have a great sales force. Good on them. I'm not trying to pick on them. Just the lay of the land, as it is right now, would probably put Mix as being the one that'd have to do it. Greater Media doesn't do CHR. Entercom isn't going to flip AAF any time soon. All signs point to it having to be CBS, and considering CBS' portfolio and the fact that Mix is a chromosome-and-a-half away from being there already, it'd have to be Mix.

This discussion is about KISS, not about other markets. If Jackson is the only tracker worth listening to, why did you originally chastise KISS for tracking at night??

You used the Hub vs WEEI as someone taking on a station that was "killing it by a mile". CBS felt it was worth sacrificing what WBCN was billing to take on a station that had an obvious weakness (WEEI's AM signal). Similar to Entercom sacrificing what MIKE-FM was billing was worth it to protect WEEI (also taking operating costs for talent and contracts with Sox and C's into account). How does MIX removing itself from the 25-54 pie make it worth it to CBS? That "chromosome-and-a-half" is the difference between MIX making money and MIX not.

I agree that KISS an JAMN are as dominant as they are by default and putting on a station that will split them down the middle could work to erode some numbers (more on JAMN than KISS, IMHO). But, it would have to be a station that isn't successful in its demo or isn't making money. MIX doesn't meet those criteria. By deductive reasoning you've already ruled out Greater Media and Entercom. So, unless CBS decides "screw making money, let's flip a profitable property just because KISS and JAMN are doing so well", your dream of blowing up MIX ain't gonna happen.

 

[iknowpeople]

CBS has made the decision to screw making money before. LOL

 

[Retro]

You mean like when they blew up WHTT in the 80's, or more recently flipped more than a few stations to Jack-FM instead only later to admit that they made a mistake?

 

[MassMusicMan]

Greater Media doesn't do CHR.

Well, they should hire somebody who does.

 

[atlantaboy]

Sure, flip 'em to CHR, right between KISS and JAMN as you outlined before. That makes them an 18-34 based radio station, focused right on 18-24.

So Boston would have three CHRs targeting 18-24 and no adult CHR/HAC targeting 25-34? Guys, it's not gonna happen - NYC has three 18-24 CHRs, but it also has two 25-34 Hot ACs

 

[mistermicrophone]

Sure, flip 'em to CHR, right between KISS and JAMN as you outlined before. That makes them an 18-34 based radio station, focused right on 18-24.

So Boston would have three CHRs targeting 18-24 and no adult CHR/HAC targeting 25-34? Guys, it's not gonna happen - NYC has three 18-24 CHRs, but it also has two 25-34 Hot ACs

Uhhh...atlantaboy...you took that line out of context; I then outlined why that wouldn't work in the next couple of sentences. And that wouldn't leave 3 stations targeting 18-24 as KISS leans older (not enough to call it an Adult CHR, but definitely not an 18-24 focused station) which is what seems to upset "iknowpeople". But thanks for clearing it up for us (rolls eyes).

 

[Retro]

Kinda off-topic, but does Pro-FM still lean Adult CHR? I haven't listened to them in recent years.

 

[atlantaboy]

Sure, flip 'em to CHR, right between KISS and JAMN as you outlined before. That makes them an 18-34 based radio station, focused right on 18-24.

So Boston would have three CHRs targeting 18-24 and no adult CHR/HAC targeting 25-34? Guys, it's not gonna happen - NYC has three 18-24 CHRs, but it also has two 25-34 Hot ACs

Uhhh...atlantaboy...you took that line out of context; I then outlined why that wouldn't work in the next couple of sentences. And that wouldn't leave 3 stations targeting 18-24 as KISS leans older (not enough to call it an Adult CHR, but definitely not an 18-24 focused station) which is what seems to upset "iknowpeople". But thanks for clearing it up for us (rolls eyes).

Naw I know you were being sarcastic - but, in other words, if Mix were to transition to CHR, it WOULDN'T be 18-24 focused - it would be a 25-34 adult-leaning CHR, since Boston already has two 18-24 female targeted stations (I guess you're probably local, but it's really hard for me to believe that Kiss "leans older", since its playlist is pretty much in line with 18-24 callout - a CHR that leaned 25-34 would be adding The Fray, Gavin DeGraw, and Lady Antebellum out of the box)

 

[atlantaboy]

Kinda off-topic, but does Pro-FM still lean Adult CHR?

Yeah, look at their playlist and then look at Kiss 108's - it's like night and day

 

[mistermicrophone]

Sure, flip 'em to CHR, right between KISS and JAMN as you outlined before. That makes them an 18-34 based radio station, focused right on 18-24.

So Boston would have three CHRs targeting 18-24 and no adult CHR/HAC targeting 25-34? Guys, it's not gonna happen - NYC has three 18-24 CHRs, but it also has two 25-34 Hot ACs

Uhhh...atlantaboy...you took that line out of context; I then outlined why that wouldn't work in the next couple of sentences. And that wouldn't leave 3 stations targeting 18-24 as KISS leans older (not enough to call it an Adult CHR, but definitely not an 18-24 focused station) which is what seems to upset "iknowpeople". But thanks for clearing it up for us (rolls eyes).

Naw I know you were being sarcastic - but, in other words, if Mix were to transition to CHR, it WOULDN'T be 18-24 focused - it would be a 25-34 adult-leaning CHR, since Boston already has two 18-24 female targeted stations (I guess you're probably local, but it's really hard for me to believe that Kiss "leans older", since its playlist is pretty much in line with 18-24 callout - a CHR that leaned 25-34 would be adding The Fray, Gavin DeGraw, and Lady Antebellum out of the box)

What a station adds "out of the box" is not the best indication of how it leans. Rotation, recurrents and gold records are all factors too. Are you even in Boston, atlantaboy?

 

[iknowpeople]

Kiss plays your garden variety of CHR, probably one part less Rhythmic, one part more Bon Jovi. Matty In The Morning does attract a wide variety of demographics, many of them older. Which is why I'd like to see a station try to take the lower end of the demographic. Matty will win the upper end.

And MrMic we are now accepting bets on the whereabouts of ATLBoy. I'm guessing Kentucky. ;D

 

[atlantaboy]

Yeah, I'm just going off Kiss 108 playlists on AllAccess - the currents don't seem very adult-leaning to me (especially compared to stations like Pro-FM), but the only time I ever actually hear the station is when I go up to visit my parents up there

I did grow up in Boston, which is why I wanted to join in here, but yeah I'm basing all this off AllAccess, so I should probably shut uplol

 

[iknowpeople]

If it were up to MrMic, we'd all shut up. He seems a little TOO sensitive about the Mix mention. It's alright. I like Mix, great station... Still think there needs to be a second solid CHR that doesn't cater to the older demo.

 

[mistermicrophone]

If it were up to MrMic, we'd all shut up. He seems a little TOO sensitive about the Mix mention. It's alright. I like Mix, great station... Still think there needs to be a second solid CHR that doesn't cater to the older demo.

Wow, that hurts (not really)! I'm sorry if I enjoy good "point-counter point" debate about radio and I'm passionate about my stance on an issue. I would never want anyone to "shut up"; sorry if my sarcasm and long-winded rants come off that way.

And I wasn't asking Atlantaboy if he was here in Boston to be rude, I just wanted to know if his knowledge of KISS's playlist was from listening or reading their the list of their currents online. As most of us know from listening, KISS leans a little older (during the day) with the recurrents and gold records they play.

I promise, I'll start being nicer from now on!?! Nah...(bleep) that.

 

[atlantaboy]

Just looked up Kiss 108 on yes.com, and I definitely see what you guys mean - they have no problem with adult-leaning tracks that are gold/recurrent, but they stay away from adult-leaning currents (Lady Antebellum, Nickelback, The Fray, etc.)

I might be out on a limb here, but I think Clear Channel keeps Kiss away from adult-leaning currents on purpose so that what you guys are talking about doesn't happen (i. e. it's not adult enough for CBS to launch an 18-24 Amp/Now station to compete with it, but it is adult enough to keep a lot of the Matty listeners throughout the workday)