The Breakfast Club | 105.3 THE BEAT

[Ryan Williams]

What format makes sense for 105.3 though? A WGST reboot to give the Premiere shows a better clearance than the Dickey translator and knock WSB down a bit from the leader board?

105.3 doesn't really make sense coverage wise for spanish language formats.

 

[Radio_Alex_1990]

Well, if people didn’t know 105.3 the Beat was a station before, then people won’t really tune in what station it will be next. Unless you actually advertise and promote it.

 

[lanceventa]

What format makes sense for 105.3 though? A WGST reboot to give the Premiere shows a better clearance than the Dickey translator and knock WSB down a bit from the leader board?

I have a feeling a watered down "Power" is moved to 105.3 to keep the station's reporting status and just chip away a bit at Q. This move feels rushed based on the ratings they got this week.

 

[MarkW]

I'm not sure why they'd be concerned about chipping away at Q100 if they (i.e. iHM) no longer have a CHR format on a big stick, but from a national strategic standpoint, I agree that low budget CHR cannot be ruled out.

A gold based country format to combo with Bull would make some sense.

Filling a format void such as classic hits or mainstream rock would also make some sense (I think the former would be a much smarter move).

96.1 would've been a terrific signal to use for a Mainstream AC to gun straight for Hot AC-leaning B98.5. Seems to me going hip-hop isn't 96.1's highest & best use case.

I just hope 105.3 doesn't flip to iHM's awful take on alternative. It didn't work at 105.7 and certainly won't work at 105.3, if attempted.

Straight up Classic Rock could be an interesting option. That would reach demos their existing brands largely ignore.

My fear is 105.3 will flip to gimmicky BIN programming.

 

[Radio_Alex_1990]

And remove the only Spanish-language FM that substantially covers the market on a full powered stick, therefore taking away an additional revenue stream?

forgive me that 105.7 was spanish. my sincerest apologies.

 

[Radio_Alex_1990]

I'm not sure why they'd be concerned about chipping away at Q100 if they (i.e. iHM) no longer have a CHR format on a big stick, but from a national strategic standpoint, I agree that low budget CHR cannot be ruled out.

A gold based country format to combo with Bull would make some sense.

Filling a format void such as classic hits or mainstream rock would also make some sense (I think the former would be a much smarter move).

96.1 would've been a terrific signal to use for a Mainstream AC to gun straight for Hot AC-leaning B98.5. Seems to me going hip-hop isn't 96.1's highest & best use case.

I just hope 105.3 doesn't flip to iHM's awful take on alternative. It didn't work at 105.7 and certainly won't work at 105.3, if attempted.

My fear is 105.3 will flip to gimmicky BIN programming.

I wonder if this prompts Star 94.1 too make any changes on their end. Maybe go back to Hot-AC? I am sure Q99.7 is relieved to be ATL’s offical CHR station. Which is good, it always should’ve been that way. Like KRBE iin Houston.

105.3 should go Adult Hits - seems like it’s cheap and doesn’t require any live and local talent. But maybe the Lake in Charlotte has live and local talent? It works well there but probably won’t work well in Atlanta because of a) signal b) no one knows it’s an actual station....

 

[lanceventa]

Confirmed: Power to 105.3

 

[RoddyFreeman]

I have a feeling a watered down "Power" is moved to 105.3 to keep the station's reporting status and just chip away a bit at Q. This move feels rushed based on the ratings they got this week.

Maybe. But the staff was told in a meeting this morning that the new Market Manager, Spencer Bynes, had the idea in December and discussed it then with the (also new) Regional VP. They said moving Power to 105.3 has also been in the works since then.

I agree that 105.3 is not the ideal signal for CHR.

 

[RoddyFreeman]

Also wanted to mention in the video posted above, Charlemagne tha God mentioned that he was happy to be on 105.3 The Beat but that the signal was inferior. I thought to myself, "He actually has knowledge of signals." Now we probably know what was behind that statement.

 

[MarkW]

Yuck. I hope iHM enjoys the perennial 1.5 shares that Power will earn at 105.3. 😵‍💫

What a lousy cluster of stations:
- a CHR/Pop with weak numbers
- an AM station with negligible audience
- an upgraded hip-hop station that finds itself in a highly crowded field; time will tell if it can effectively compete with V103 and Hot 107.9.
- a decently performing country station
- a Spanish CHR whose audience is most likely predominantly low income and that earns lousy ratings to boot

 

[ksradiogeek]

What a lousy cluster of stations

Why do you think they reboot some or most of that cluster every few years?

 

[Radio_Alex_1990]

Power 105.3 ---- barely has any power to reach the whole ATL listening area?
What a complete joke.
And a waste.

What do they hope in accomplishing in this?

 

[101tm]

Yuck. I hope iHM enjoys the perennial 1.5 shares that Power will earn at 105.3. 😵‍💫

What a lousy cluster of stations:
- a CHR/Pop with weak numbers
- an AM station with negligible audience
- an upgraded hip-hop station that finds itself in a highly crowded field; time will tell if it can effectively compete with V103 and Hot 107.9.
- a decently performing country station
- a Spanish CHR whose audience is most likely predominantly low income and that earns lousy ratings to boot

You forgot about the class A in Union City 🤣

 

[megahertz]

It kind of seems like IHM is rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic, especially for Power. 1.8 on the full market signal. Will they even get a 1.0 on the limited signal?

Obviously, the real winner in this situation is Q99.7.

With the success of The River and 99X, you would think that they would give a rebirth of 96 Rock a shot. Not necessarily on 96.1. Heck, even the small signal of 96.7 did pretty well across the market back in the day with The Buzz.

 

[TheBigA]

Yuck. I hope iHM enjoys the perennial 1.5 shares that Power will earn at 105.3. 😵‍💫

Keep in mind that the main purpose is to clear Jubal and Seacrest in the market. Not to get numbers.

Apparently they feel their best shot at making the Top 5 is with The Beat. Not country or CHR.

 

[MarkW]

There was a time when 94.9, 96.1 and even 105.7 (as Radio 105.7) were all performing well in the ratings at the same time.

iHM ruined a good thing at 96.1 when it kept firing local morning talent for no good reason.

It kind of seems like IHM is rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic, especially for Power. 1.8 on the full market signal. Will they even get a 1.0 on the limited signal?

Obviously, the real winner in this situation is Q99.7.

With the success of The River and 99X, you would think that they would give a rebirth of 96 Rock a shot. Not necessarily on 96.1. Heck, even the small signal of 96.7 did pretty well across the market back in the day with The Buzz.

Indeed, I thought maybe that's what was being considered for 105.3. We all know 97.1 has monster numbers, and 105.3 happens to reach the portion of the market where 97.1's signal isn't so hot.

 

[ShawtyBlack_ATL]

THEY NEED MORE LOCAL PRESENCE!!!
The other 3 hip-hop are always at festivals, community, concerts and nightclubs.

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[RoddyFreeman]

THEY NEED MORE LOCAL PRESENCE!!!
The other 3 hip-hop are always at festivals, community, concerts and nightclubs.

They can use a street team for those events. But if they want to be a major player, they'll need at least 1 local air talent to make appearances.

 

[Radio_Alex_1990]

THEY NEED MORE LOCAL PRESENCE!!!
The other 3 hip-hop are always at festivals, community, concerts and nightclubs.

Perhaps this is not their long-term goal. To be on a larger signal and be a formative contender in the already competitive Urban market is their long-term goal. There is nothing that screams LOCAL about the new 96.1 the Beat. Take a look at their logo for starters. Q93.3 in New Orleans appears to be more local than the Beat. When living in NOLA you always get local events advertised with Q93.3. But I could be totally wrong here. Wish the folks at iHM could’ve been a little more creative and original with the Beat logo, like c’mon.

 

[acheron1982]

Perhaps this is not their long-term goal. To be on a larger signal and be a formative contender in the already competitive Urban market is their long-term goal. There is nothing that screams LOCAL about the new 96.1 the Beat. Take a look at their logo for starters. Q93.3 in New Orleans appears to be more local than the Beat. When living in NOLA you always get local events advertised with Q93.3. But I could be totally wrong here. Wish the folks at iHM could’ve been a little more creative and original with the Beat logo, like c’mon.

Spot on. I would argue iHM is probably the least local of all the players when it comes to radio stations. They are the leader of satellite fed crap. Yeah, Cumulus does it at times on some stations, but Cumulus also gives a bit more control to the local MGMT - Look at Q and X for example. When Alternative was on 105.7, I despised it because A) The playlist was way too safe and B) Very little local talent. When you go to the FB page and it's little about Atlanta and more about pop culture and limited concert promotions that are local - Should be a key.

I'm not a hip hop fan at all but I still think 96.1 as hip hop has potential, even in this crowded hip hop market in Atlanta. How? Be local and be relative to Atlanta.