Spring 2008 Winners And Losers

[BoscoGoldBear]

Now that the 12+ numbers (which means nothing, but are a thumbnail of where the real demos are going) are in, let's assess the winners and losers:

WBZ news - losers

Kiss 108 - the big winner - I have nothing except 12+, but I think they beat Magic 25-54

WRKO - winner over last year

WKLB - winner

WTKKK - big winner

Oldies - loser; will switch to classic rock by Labor Day - hey, if co-owned classic rock in the same city works for Cox's WHPT and WCOF in Tampa, I see no reason why WZLX and 103.3/WBZ-FM (or WWBZ) can't both go on the same Led Zep-Aero-AC/DC-Who-Eagles-Mac-Elton-U2-Police-Ozzy diet.

WROR - the big winner among the three classic rockers

Mix 98-5 - a big winner; picking up much of WBOS's audience

'ZLX - loser

'CRB - big loser

'BCN - loser

'PLM-FM - loser

Bob Bittner's WJIB - winner

WILD's reported weekend urban AC format - winner

Radio Disney in Boston - winner

The fat cat owners - winners (although with a s*ck economy I'm not sure of that)

Us listeners - losers (that I'M certain of)

Let's have the peanut gallery out there weign in on this one!

 

[BoscoGoldBear]

I should point out that the comparisons are from year to year!

 

[chitchatjf]

Is WJMN still ahead of WODS among 25-54?

ODS should continue to clone the current CBS-Fm in NY. More 80s and a wider playlist.

 

[kms575]

Is WJMN still ahead of WODS among 25-54?

ODS should continue to clone the current CBS-Fm in NY. More 80s and a wider playlist.

I agree. CBS FM is sounding great these days. I don't think Boston needs more classic rock. ROR and ZLX are enough.

 

[rapking]

Big Winner ! ESPN Radio ! I see them !

 

[WRKOLD]

I bet Reese is getting much better ratings than Fienberg, but there is no way that Finneran is drawing better than Scotto.

 

[radiorama1]

Oldies - loser; will switch to classic rock by Labor Day - hey, if co-owned classic rock in the same city works for Cox's WHPT and WCOF in Tampa, I see no reason why WZLX and 103.3/WBZ-FM (or WWBZ) can't both go on the same Led Zep-Aero-AC/DC-Who-Eagles-Mac-Elton-U2-Police-Ozzy diet.

Ozzy on Oldies 103.3? haha! Now THAT would be funny as all get out, hearing JJ introduce "Iron Man" or "Mr. Crowley" !

 

[BoscoGoldBear]

Oldies - loser; will switch to classic rock by Labor Day - hey, if co-owned classic rock in the same city works for Cox's WHPT and WCOF in Tampa, I see no reason why WZLX and 103.3/WBZ-FM (or WWBZ) can't both go on the same Led Zep-Aero-AC/DC-Who-Eagles-Mac-Elton-U2-Police-Ozzy diet.

Ozzy on Oldies 103.3? haha! Now THAT would be funny as all get out, hearing JJ introduce "Iron Man" or "Mr. Crowley" !

It wouldn't be Oldies 103 anymore - it would be BZ-103 (just a question of how many W's are in front of BZ-FM). The difference, of course, is that 103.3 would play these songs in a Top 40 way, while 'ZLX would play THE SAME SONGS like an AOR. Hence, the only difference between classic hits and classic rock. And (outside of Barry Scott's Lost 45s) 103.3 would play the same amount of disco as 'ZLX, namely NONE, unless they want trouble on their hands. How many of us remember 'COZ being #1 precisely because it played NO DISCO, forcing all other radio stations - Kiss 108 INCLUDED for a time - to dump disco? (And how many of us remember Uncle Dale - what happened to him anyway, heart attack? - announcing "Stairway To Heaven" and "Won't Get Fooled Again" as a 'great disco song?')

 

[mistermicrophone]

The difference, of course, is that 103.3 would play these songs in a Top 40 way, while 'ZLX would play THE SAME SONGS like an AOR. Hence, the only difference between classic hits and classic rock.

WTF does playing a song in a "Top 40 way" or in a "AOR way" mean?????

 

[BoscoGoldBear]

DJ presentations (upbeat in CHR way; mellow in AOR way), jingles (or lack of), background production work - look, I'm not a pro here. I just know by hearing the stations - just listen to the DJs at 'ROR vs. the DJs at 'ZLX. To me, that's the only difference between classic hits and classic rock - musically they play the same AC/DC, Aerosmith, Eagles, Elton John, Who, Led Zep, Hendrix, Fleetwood Mac, Boston, Ozzy, etc.

 

[Retro]

Oldies to classic rock? As usual this statement has no basis on fact.

 

[Jacko]

For the record, WROR doesn't play Ozzy, and they barely play Led Zeppelin or AC/DC. The playlist is a bit different that they include a lot of poppier-rock from bands like Fleetwood Mac, Elton John, Billy Joel, the Eagles and the like. WROR also plays a handful of 60s-70s R&B and soul from Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Al Green and others. WZLX doesn't play any R&B and soul, and they don't play Billy Joel anymore (most classic rockers don't, except for WAXQ/New York, WMGK/Philly and maybe a few others.). And while the two stations do share a lot of the same music, there are clearly a lot of differences in playlists and presentation style, making WZLX classic rock and WROR classic hits.

Now onto Oldies 103.3... I wouldn't get all excited about Oldies falling a little bit in the recent book. In the 12+, they're still ahead of 'ROR and 'ZLX. Perhaps they need to do a little tweaking, but they'll figure it out. Boston already has three "alternative" stations (although in my opinion WFNX is the only real alternative station), I don't think CBS will take Oldies 103.3 to classic rock. If anything, they should incorporate some of the really popular late 50s/early 60s music back into it's rotation. If anyone does flip, it should be to a format that doesn't exist or barely exists in Boston, like urban AC, tropical or smooth jazz.

Jacko

 

[Retro]

Oldies is venturing into more 80's music, mostly upbeat rhythmic stuff. We will see how it goes.