The Blitz

[dittohead1]

I agree with so much of this post. It's really one of the best ones I've ever read on ANY radio board, but let me pick a couple of nits

People do not listen to the radio for music. They listen to feel connected to the music.

ABSOLUTELY TRUE FOR SOME FORMATS. Specifically RAWK, Urban/Hip Hop, Top 40. I think Hot AC and AC are a little different and these folks are looking for a little enhancement to their lives. Country is interesting because it is a genre that is reassuring to it's fans that their values and lifestyle is still celebrated even in difficult times (which plays nicely with your take on hard economic times and it makes a powerful argument for the format's being "recession proof"). Bottom line: Some folks have always and will always use radio as an "appliance". These are the "ear wallpaper" people and they need to be serviced too.

I will also take a slight issue with your portrayal of sales and programming "sides". We have to get away from an "us and them" mentality when it comes to sales and programming. It is ALL the same thing and we are ALL in the business of sales. While it may seem quite often that our interests run counter, a little communication can really help integrate things and keep everyone from butting heads at times. Maybe that sales guy can do you a solid and come up with something that really enhances the morning guy's latest "off the wall" idea.

But, having said all that, I wish I was working for you and your boss gave you the money/freedom to implement the changes you outline. It would be a hell of a lot of fun and I understand radio used to be fun.

 

[Kanza Boom]

I don't think I initially realized what kind of board I stumbled into. Definitely wasn't expecting to be running into people who actually run these places. Naivity failed me (lol).

Voicing that realization puts into perspective where I as a listener am coming from. As someone else stated, my opinions are coming from a singular point of view, but they are not unique. The people I hang around with have agreed that the Blitz began to put too much emphasis on playing the new stuff and shoving the 90's music into the background. That alienated us more than anything else. If they have brought more of that music back into the mix, we would have been more inclined to listen as much we did back in the early to mid 90's. This sentiment is still coming from a specific age group, but we felt connected to the station and music back then.

The current playlist ventures to much into the playlists at Qfm and the Brew. I have those stations on my dial for a reason, they play those formats. The Blitz used to represent the next step. They just went too far.

 

[Neanderpaul]

I agree with so much of this post. It's really one of the best ones I've ever read on ANY radio board, but let me pick a couple of nits

People do not listen to the radio for music. They listen to feel connected to the music.

ABSOLUTELY TRUE FOR SOME FORMATS. Specifically RAWK, Urban/Hip Hop, Top 40. I think Hot AC and AC are a little different and these folks are looking for a little enhancement to their lives. Country is interesting because it is a genre that is reassuring to it's fans that their values and lifestyle is still celebrated even in difficult times (which plays nicely with your take on hard economic times and it makes a powerful argument for the format's being "recession proof"). Bottom line: Some folks have always and will always use radio as an "appliance". These are the "ear wallpaper" people and they need to be serviced too.

Agreed. You point it out though. There's still some connection. They listen for a reason. Even if it's a passive listener, we should still produce the product as if it were the only other voice in that person's world. Better they hear and not listen, than listen and not hear.

I will also take a slight issue with your portrayal of sales and programming "sides". We have to get away from an "us and them" mentality when it comes to sales and programming. It is ALL the same thing and we are ALL in the business of sales. While it may seem quite often that our interests run counter, a little communication can really help integrate things and keep everyone from butting heads at times. Maybe that sales guy can do you a solid and come up with something that really enhances the morning guy's latest "off the wall" idea.

I guess I didn't explain that properly. I mean exactly what you're saying. Air talent are also salespeople. We sell a lifestyle. A concept. And together with sales, we make 18.5 billion last year. Imagine if we worked together? What I meant was we need to let them in on our world, and be open to theirs as well. This is part of why radio and records don't work well these days. All record promotions peoples' job are?.....

To SELL RECORDS!!!!

They don't look at it that way. They want to promote singles. So, when radio chooses not to play a single, the lines of communication break down. Funny...in this, the communications industry, there's an incredible lack of it. What radio and records need to do is eliminate the singles mentality. I know...they spend hundreds of thousands working promotional singles. Here's my idea:

Save it.

Give us the full length. Let us play the songs that fit correctly to our brand. This will;

A. Make radio stations actually sound unique from city to city. Because what works in Columbus, may not work in Philadelphia.

B. If we present it correctly, re-excite the audience over hearing stuff they don't hear on every station. Make radio interesting for the listener.

C. Possibly cause them to go buy the music.

D. Save record companies a ton of wasted promotional dollars.

We want audience. They want to sell records. Often times those two ideals are in opposition based upon their agenda being singles related, and ours having nothign to do with theirs. We're not in the business of selling records. And therein lies yet another communication breakdown.

But, having said all that, I wish I was working for you and your boss gave you the money/freedom to implement the changes you outline. It would be a hell of a lot of fun and I understand radio used to be fun.

It still is. You just have to make sure to find the ways to work in a new environment. It's fun every day for me. When it stops being so...I'm out.

 

[dittohead1]

This is "back to the future" stuff and it's what many of us have been telling the "bean counters" for years. This also will re-introduce "The Personality" back into radio. It is the only thing that can SAVE it.

 

[radiojohncmh]

Just to give a different opinion...

I know it's hard for some of you with the change but I actually like it. I remember listening to the Blitz back in the mid-90's when I was in high-school and really feeling "connected" with the music they were playing. There were classics bands like Boston that were played in addition to the new stuff just coming out. It was a younger alternative to QFM. The past 8 or so years though I have hardly listened to the Blitz. Maybe as I have grown older I changed but the music just became trash to me. Every time I tuned in there was some band I didn't know screaming something that wasn't even decent and it really turned me off to the station.

I for one am happy to see a change. Remember though, at the end of the day it isn't what the listeners want, it's what the advertisers want.

 

[alans613]

They just did the same format here in louisville ky we had this very badly programmed alt/active rocker wlrs and they flipped it to active/classic rock but did not change the call letters and did no stunting wtf!!!Isn't the idea of stunting is to create buzz about something coming???It is better but i would Much rather have a station like cd 101 or radio 106.7 but wlrs is an improvement now if only they get the right pd. It was a former radio one station till mainline bought the five stations down here.

I'm surprised that Mainline didn't do any stunting for 'LRS. They did a 24-hour stunt on WGTZ/Z-93 in Dayton when they dumped CHR/Pop...They did the big "Countdown of doom" with Pink Floyd's "On the Run" playing in the background up until the big flip to Adult Hits Fly 92.9. Mainline never changed Fly's calls, either...I guess they don't care about calls.
The biggest problem right now is Active Rock is in a bad spot. WAY too hard for my tastes. Let's not forget that a bunch of Alternative stations became those horrible "Active-Alternative" hybrids that are starting to die across the country. WXEG/The X in Dayton just isn't the same station it was back in the 90s when they played good Alt-rock without having to play Mudvayne and Korn.
What I would've done with 99.7 if it was mine...I would've made it into a replica of 94.9 The Sound in Cincinnati...Now THAT is the way Alternative radio should be done(Listen online if you don't believe me). Forget the Ozzy and the other Classic Rock...Let Q-FM have it, and I would leave the 80s to someone else(Mix 97.1 anybody?). Stay mainly in the 90s, with a few from the last few years. OWN your music.
IMO...The Rock is just OK to me. Not a runaway success by any means.
Whomever is running the board this morning is messing up big time. I heard a really long fade-out from Whitesnake's "Is This Love?" to Linkin Park, and misfires galore. Not to mention commercials this past weekend telling you to go to wbzx.com, and spots talking about "Mark the Shark's Saturday Sports Blitz" being brought to you by certain sponsors still running, when Shark's show WASN'T EVEN ON. A little quality control folks!

 

[hotpatrick2004]

But z-93 they may have kept the calls but they don't use them.They say fly 92.9 here in louisville mainline is still using the wlrs calls very odd.They go by the moniker the new 105.1 wlrs everything that rocks.

Alans613 you are right the sound in cincinnati is great for a a commercial alternative in todays market. But why would you want a to flip a station to something like the sound in columbus? You already have cd101 and radio 106.7?

Anyone have any idea why mainline doesn't flip call letters? Seems very strange to me when you are rebranding for the listener.

 

[kidcapri]

Why would anyone want to steal from a .6 share (Radio 106.7) and a 1.9 share (CD101) 12+ . I think all this talk of more flipping is ridiculous.

The only problem I see with the new Blitz is Columbus isn't as Blue Collar as many of the other towns where that type of format works.

 

[Whodey07]

I have been a fan of the Blitz since it went on the air. Loved it with Howard Stern. Loved it with Grego and Mo. But then it changed. They started playing more music, and it did not fit. Motley Crue? Next to System of a Down? And Grego started playing music. I didn't like that at all. It reminds me of when 92X changed. They were hot because all the 80s rock was hot. But the 80s music changed and 92X did not change with it and were just left with playing 80s rock after 1990 began. That wasn't going to work so they changed to oldies. The grunge scene started and 997 left classic rock for the real new rock that 92X was afraid to play. Metallica, Nirvana, etc. They also mixed in some of the 80s rock and even 70s rock that was classified as heavy metal like Zeppelin and Sabbath. That was what, 15 years ago? Well now it appears 997 did not change with the new rock. So they got stuck playing nothing but Metallica, Saliva, and Tool. But is that because new rock stinks or because it changed like it did in 1990? In 2 years will some other station come on the air as the "new rock" station with new rock that sounds different? Everything evolves right?

Now then, the good side of this, at least for me personally, is that this new 997 sounds more like the old 997 and that is the station i loved. So that being said, I like the change musically. From what I have read here, it sounds like Ronni Hunter will be back on the air again and I think that is a great thing. I just wish we could have either Howard or Grego back. Mo is hilarious, but he was so much better with Grego. I saw someone mention O&A. I still don't get that. To me they are horrible. I would rather just hear music in the morning than O&A.

It is funny how passionate we can be about our radio. Some of the things Neanderpaul said I think are right on target. I am hearing Def Leppard's Rock of Ages right now, and it isn't that I was dying to hear this song, but so many memories go through my head when I hear it. I am definitely connected. Radio still beats satellite. I can't get anything local on satellite. Can't get it free. Don't get me wrong, it definitely has its entertainment value. I think satellite radio is great. But it still isn't quite local radio for me. Radio has just always been there for me. For a one time payment of about $10, I can have a radio and a battery and find something I like at just about anytime. The radio stations have not always been loyal, but radio itself, free radio I mean, has always been loyal. Again, it has just always been there for me.

 

[alans613]

In an earlier post I read something about 92X being afraid to play newer rock, and 99.7 The Blitz running with it. Well, for one, 92X left Columbus airwaves in 1990. The Blitz didn't even debut until July 4th weekend, 1992. Bad comparison. However, 92X was mainly killed off because at the time Great Trails Broadcasting was cutting costs left and right because the company was bleeding cash. Jason Roberts can fill us in on the rest...He was with the company at the time.
Also, I don't for one freakin' second buy the fact that radio is dead. Just because iPods are the in-thing today could also mean they're in the clearance bin tomorrow with cut-out copies of Guns N Roses "The Spaghetti Incident" cassettes. Radio is very much alive. With an iPod I know what's coming up next. The fun thing about radio is I have no idea what's coming up next. Also, no need to pay a buck for each song...I can listen for hours to hundreds of songs and I don't have to pay a dime out of my pocket. Radio will always be here in one form or another. As a great man once said, radio is the best there is, the best there was, and the best there ever will be. Take that Steve Jobs! ;D

 

[Whodey07]

Alan,

Go read it again. I said 92X made the change, grunge took off, and then the Blitz went new rock. Yes it was 2 years later, I realize that. But had 92X been the new rock station, the Blitz wouldn't have come along. But 92X was afraid to play the stuff. You know, Master of Puppets from Metallica came out in 1986. 92X would never touch anything like that. But that was in fact what the new rock audience really wanted.

 

[Hollis]

92X was straight-up Top 40 in 1986. So you're right, they never would have touched Metallica. But in 1989 they switched to a rock-focused format and yes...they played Metallica. So I guess I'm not quite sure of your point, Whodey. ???

 

[V.Riley]

As for 92X, by 1990 I believe they were playing a mix format, at least I'm sure that is what they were playing just before they flipped to WCOL.

 

[Nu_Roo_2]

92X never had a mix format, at least not by any definition I've ever heard for mix.  I believe they were Rock 40 (rock-oriented To 40), then went back to their former more-mainstream Top 40 for awhile, and then to Oldies.

 

[Jake Sommers]

92X

Hi All,

I was hired from KJ103 in Oklahoma City to come do the Afternoon show on 92X when they blew all the staff out (including Suzi Waud). We were Top 40 for about 2 months then made the change to "Rock 40" (like Pirate Radio). The format was a blast, but we ran out of product to play. I left and went to KEGL in Dallas to do Mid Day and the station went Oldies not long after that...

Jake

 

[bowserb]

This is truly a shame as the Blitz was a good station. I hope something a little more devoted to more recent rock will return. It seems the Brew handed over part of their playlist to the Rock. I can't say I am a big fan of the 80's hair rock....

 

[ripwfjx]

It is a shame. I personally think "The Rock" should be a real rock station, not whatever it is now. The playlist seems more of a set list. I would love to see something like WIOT or WTUE, which I think was mentioned previously. An IOT with a wider playlist would be a success, I think. WRKZ is too restricted. Hopefully it will improve soon?

 

[alans613]

Thanks for the clarification, whodey. Sorry about that.
Here's another idea of what I would've done if I owned 99.7...I would've probably went with Adult Hits, as long as Hal Fish wasn't involved(TED on a bigger stick would NOT be an option!). I would've done something along the lines of Fly 92.9 in Dayton. Adult Hits was a flop on TED for a number of reasons, one being Hal didn't get the format. TED was an abysmal failure not due to the crap signal, it was all in the execution. Hal was at the helm and the blame or the success of said station rode on his shoulders. Fly 92.9 does Adult Hits right. 99.7 as Adult Hits would've given 97.1 and Sunny a run for their money, not to mention the other big dogs in town, just as Fly in Dayton is giving the AC and Hot AC(Lite 99.9 and Mix 107.7)a run for their money. At least a good AH station would be something different in Columbus. 8)
The Rock is OK...However, I don't see this format lasting long. Columbus is over populated with Rock and Country stations...All we needed was one more. :

 

[dawg4life]

Man I'm torn on this subject. I like a lot of the songs that 99.7 is playing now but I miss the Blitz. And can somebody please tell me why in the hell they changed the name to the Rock? I don't know, I like 99.7 now but in some ways I don't.

 

[CBusDave]

Well if their goal was to broaden their audience, I think they succeeded. I hate to admit but I like The Rock more than I like Radio 106.7. I'd say I fit into both station's target demo and I'm being pulled in both directions as I listen. The Rock makes the decision easy though when they play anything from the 80's... my dial instantly turns to Radio 106.7