Star 94 is on the move!

[taylorengineer]

People have been talking about the genius of one Scott Lindy, PD of Star 94. Look at the May numbers.....Star is #6 in the overall 6+ numbers. I can't remember the last time they were that much of a player.......
I listened this weekend and actually recognized some of the music. (I hope this is not the kiss of death for Star)
What are some of the specifics he has done to make this major ratings improvement? Is Star now a totally different animal or is this just another Arbitron "jiggle?"
Seems like wherever Lindy shows up the numbers go up!

 

[artiemad]

Star ranks 3rd overall among A 25-54, don't think they've smelled that high a ranking in maybe 10+ years.
Art

 

[Wildstyle K]

I am not surprised. I can smell good formatting from a mile away and saw this coming a long time ago. I also strongly believe that WWVA is on a move, too. Mark my words... whether it be a few months or a year from now that I come back to say "I told you so".

By the way, I'm only good with (feeling / predicting) chr type sounds, so when it comes to country or oldies...etc, I really cannot get a feel for what will work or not, which is why I tend to "disappear" or become non-existent when it comes to posting in those topic areas. I'm so/so with urban, and unbelievably, I'm bad at calling shots with dance music formats (even though I post a lot in regards to and know very much about dance MUSIC)!

It was a no brainer that Star 94 would be achieving the success it is now with the current PD.

 

[RoddyFreeman]

People have been talking about the genius of one Scott Lindy, PD of Star 94. Look at the May numbers.....Star is #6 in the overall 6+ numbers. I can't remember the last time they were that much of a player.......
I listened this weekend and actually recognized some of the music. (I hope this is not the kiss of death for Star)
What are some of the specifics he has done to make this major ratings improvement? Is Star now a totally different animal or is this just another Arbitron "jiggle?"
Seems like wherever Lindy shows up the numbers go up!

It's not just an "Arbitron jiggle," and the trends prove that. He has done some very smart things.

 

[MarkW]

What are some of the specifics he has done to make this major ratings improvement? Is Star now a totally different animal or is this just another Arbitron "jiggle?"

I highly doubt it is a "jiggle." Look at how the numbers have been trending over the last 6 months; there is very clear upward momentum. While I don't know if the station will be able to crack a 5 share in ages 6+ every month like it did in May, it most certainly has proven itself to be a major player again.

Programming wise, the stationality is hip but very adult friendly and mild. The station sounds like a true Adult CHR instead of a kiddie CHR for 15 year old girls filled to the brim w/ American Idol / Disney crap. The overall tone of the station is more mature and upscale than before.

Demographically, I'd say the emphasis on the 25 - 44 year old listener has greatly increased. I doubt many 12 - 17 year olds are hanging out at Star these days. For the longest time, Star 94 sounded little more than a clone of Radio Disney music wise.

 

[RoddyFreeman]

Well said, Mark. Star 94 is programmed as a Hot AC and not an Adult CHR, as it used to be. Not that there's a lot of difference.

 

[rho01]

Star (third) beat Q100 (fifth) in 25-54 for the first time since PPMs came into existence, an impressive feat to say the least considering where they were a year ago when Star was ranked 17th 25-54 while Q100 was tied for fourth. I'll post the 25-54, 18-34 rankings tomorrow. B98.5 was third 25-54 a year ago in May, 2010. This year? 10th place.

 

[Nyte Ryder]

Star is doing well overall but they only beat Q100 Persons 25-54 because of a "jiggle" in Men 25-54. It was an abnormal jump to 3rd in Men for Star. Q100 wins every female demo.

Not to take anything away from them, Star is the most improved station on the dial.

Wild has maxed out and Elvis Duran is dead in the water.

Besides that, what the heck happened to Dave FM? Worst numbers in a year?

And let's make sure to ignore the highest numbers in Q100 history as well. Because it's not cool to admit what they are doing is working.

Something's gotta give in the Rock wars. Project, River, Rock and Dave all seem to be limping along.

 

[MarkW]

Besides that, what the heck happened to Dave FM? Worst numbers in a year?

Simple -- they lost listeners to Star.

I have a feeling the 90's weekends are doing very well for Star (and likely contribute to the strong male numbers).
The question becomes: how long before those songs burn?

Star is positioned nicely between Q100, B98.5 and Dave-FM. Aside from Dave, no station in town was really hypertargeting the age 30-something listener. Star's playlist has much broader appeal than Dave -- so Star wins.

(No disrespect to Dave -- that station is still performing quite well ratings-wise for an Adult Album Alternative.)

 

[jabba17]

Besides that, what the heck happened to Dave FM? Worst numbers in a year?

Something's gotta give in the Rock wars. Project, River, Rock and Dave all seem to be limping along.

Dave goes straight up, then straight down again. Why are they so inconsistent? It's not just the Falcons.

Project has been consistent if not spectacular (still waiting on those Buzz/96 Rock-size numbers CC promised, though). I'm guessing that River and Rock100.5 are waiting for the other one to move first. But Cox has the patience of Job. Cumulus should know better than that. Once something happens to either River or Rock100.5, there will be a big rebalancing in the ATL AOR market.

Rock 100.5 will likely get a Bravos boost in the next book.

Has B98.5 run its course? Should Cox stand pat with B98.5, tweak it (if so, how?) or blow it up (and replace it with what?)? B98.5 is one bad book away from getting beat by The Fish, not to mention all of the other flavors of AC beating it today. When that happens, then B98.5 will be Atlanta's Least Favorite To Listen To At Work.

 

[Wildstyle K]

I thought B98.5 was (and still is) tweaking? . .... ..

 

[atlantaboy]

Star is doing well overall but they only beat Q100 Persons 25-54 because of a "jiggle" in Men 25-54. It was an abnormal jump to 3rd in Men for Star.

I don't think that's an accident - Lindy's been playing Thirty Seconds To Mars, Linkin Park, My Chem Romance, Parachute, and even tries to balance out the recurrents so a Katy Perry song is followed by a Creed or Nickelback song from the 2000s etc.

Seems like a (successful) attempt to bring male listeners over from Dave-FM

 

[MsMusicRadio]

He did a great job with WTVR in Richmond during the Nineties. CC has turned it into a jukebox with only 2 local shows.

 

[buddysomeday]

I thought B98.5 was (and still is) tweaking? . .... ..

Onair and on the web they drop soft rock for the best of the 80's, 90's and now! Maybe to blunt the Cumulus Journey rumors.

 

[jabba17]

I thought B98.5 was (and still is) tweaking? . .... ..

Onair and on the web they drop soft rock for the best of the 80's, 90's and now! Maybe to blunt the Cumulus Journey rumors.

Again, B98.5 is a snuck-in version of Cox's "Point" 80s format. Maybe they think that they can steal/keep listeners from WYAY and are going for the niche between WYAY and Star/Dave. And I guess they feel that soft AC is a non-starter (never hurt Peach, though...)

 

[jabba17]

I thought B98.5 was (and still is) tweaking? . .... ..

Onair and on the web they drop soft rock for the best of the 80's, 90's and now! Maybe to blunt the Cumulus Journey rumors.

Again, B98.5 is a snuck-in version of Cox's "Point" 80s format. Maybe they think that they can steal/keep listeners from WYAY and are going for the niche between WYAY and Star/Dave. And I guess they feel that soft AC is a non-starter (never hurt Peach, though...)

A prime example of this is Nena's "99 Red Balloons" during PM drive yesterday and outside of an all-80s weekend. This is the kind of song that B98.5 specializes in that nobody else will touch--too new/New Wave for AGH, too poppy for River, too lowbrow for Dave, and too old for Star.

Regarding soft AC, I wonder how Peach would have done in a PPM world...would soft AC have gone the way of smooth jazz?

 

[trusty]

Star 94 is programmed as a Hot AC and not an Adult CHR, as it used to be. Not that there's a lot of difference.

Here' s where we find part of our "problem" today. Stations in large markets program so specifically resulting in a narrow playlist. I mean how large IS the difference between Hot Adult Contemporary and Adult Contemporary Hit Radio, especially when the formats themselves are evolving? How about the great difference between Classic Rock and Classic Hits, etc.? The more you specialize, the narrower your playlist.

The absence of "just having fun" in a large market really shows because tight = stress. It's convenient go to a certain jukebox station to satisfy your mood (which may change next rating book), but listening to one station all the time gives you a shallow listening experience.

(Of course, take this argument with a grain of salt; it goes along the same lines as "When Alternative Radio starts getting the numbers, it is no longer alternative, but mainstream." ) Vicious cycle.


(Maybe a new thread needs to be started about this... Maybe not.)

 

[Nyte Ryder]

I don't think that's an accident - Lindy's been playing Thirty Seconds To Mars, Linkin Park, My Chem Romance, Parachute, and even tries to balance out the recurrents so a Katy Perry song is followed by a Creed or Nickelback song from the 2000s etc.

Seems like a (successful) attempt to bring male listeners over from Dave-FM
[/quote]


Star went from a year long 3 share in 25-54 Men to a 7 share in 4 weeks. Jiggle.