The continuing slide at WALK

[mkdanz]

Original Post from RobRosen:

"I'm sure you've noticed the continued slide WALK has been having in the last few books and even the last two monthly trends. It seems like Clear Channel has completely abandoned them. Why would clear channel turn their back on a station that could make them a great deal of money when a buyer somes along. I would thin that continued success would = more money.

Mornings have always been a strong hold there and it looks and sounds like the entire staff is just mailing it in."

Response by Neo11:
" wasn't CC going to divest itself of WALK? That might explain why they have been "abandoned."

 

[mkdanz]

Yes, Clear Channel does have to divest itself of one NYC area station and WALK will eventually be sold. I would expect more rapid action after the acquisition of CC is voted/acted on per the follow from the Associated Press.

Clear Channel vote on $19.5B buyout is imminent http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/business/20070924-1350-clearchannel-buyout.html
SAN ANTONIO – After several delays, a shareholder vote is imminent on a proposed $19.5-billion buyout of radio giant Clear Channel Communications Inc.

The offer from a private equity group led by Thomas H. Lee Partners LP and Bain Capital Partners LLC was first announced last November but was sweetened several times after some large shareholders signaled they would oppose earlier offers.

 

[LIradiofan226]

I can't imagine though what if any changes could be made at WALK once a sale goes through. The breakfast club has been and remains a pivotal part of WALK's lineup, and KT Mills has dominated afternoon drive for years. Plus it's unlikely any company would fiddle with evenings since they're already saving money with Al Lewis and the fact that evenings are not a top priority for stations. Morning and afternoon drives are the most critical parts of any station, and there's something to be said for stability and comfort level. It would be bonkers to mess with the stability of WALK and to start switching morning shows and afternoon announcers would be insane.

 

[TropoDuckie]

In reply to post #2
Dear LIradiofan22,
REALITY CHECK>>>Asking sale price of WALK= ONE HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS!!!
WAKE UP CALL ANYONE???
I don't know what you do for a living or where...but I'm assuming that unless you already work for Disney...it just can't be the Radio division...so it must be "Land"!
Just posing this, But why would you think an well experienced jock like John Williams would leave WALK for the lesser "Bee" a few months back...all on his own steam/good terms? The writing has been on the wall for months!!!
Do yourself a favor...stay out there in Calif...cause the real world of today's corporate radio would eat you alive, just for the pleasure of spitting you out!

 

[LIradiofan226]

John Williams was just a weekend jock who can and was easily replaced. I could fathom that new suits might want to remake the station in their image, but any changes have to be in the best interests of the station. Right now they have a stable block of Mark and Cindy in the morning, Scott Miller on the mid-day, and KT Mills who has been doing afternoon drive for years. Now while I respect Scott Miller I do think he could probably be replaced if the bosses so desire without jarring the audience too much, though it would be sad for Miller to fall victim to corporate interference. On the other hand KT Mills can not so easily be replaced. It's certainly in the bosses perogative if they want a new voice on afternoon drive, but such a move would be foolhardy given her long-time connection to the station and established connection with the listening audience. Any replacement would likely be met with hostility and drive long-time listeners to switch over to KJOY and Bill Edwards for the remainder of the workday. The same can be said with the morning show and familiarity. However Mark and Cindy are indeed the most vulnerable. New management would likely want to launch their own morning show. Before making such a move though they would have to come up with something better than Mark and Cindy to justify the move. It would have to be something on the level of KTU replacing their morning show Baltazar and Goomba with a well-known star like Whoopi. I'm not saying changes can't and won't be made. I just believe that they shouldn't, not because I'm so attached to the status quo but because I believe canning long-time hosts would backfire on the station. Over at Connecticut's Star 99 their morning show has never recovered from the termination of John Harper.

 

[mkdanz]

If you look at the 12+ numbers, while WALK remains in the lead, the gap is narrowing rapidly and consistently. In NYC we've seen similar things happen at WLTW (also CC). Both are AC formats. I'm thinking that there are parallels here.

One is that the both stations with AC formats seem to be losing ground to CBS-FM's classic hits format.
Another is that both stations have been long standing number one stations in their markets.
Can anyone comment on other parallels between WLTW and WALK and what CC is doing to kill both?

 

[AllAroundRadio]

It is in my opinion that as an AC station, middays at WALK would be the safest venue. Long time spent listening at offices on Long Island tuned to 97.5 is a no brainer. WALK hired Scott Miller because of his on air abilities as well as his name recognition of being on Long Island Radio for multiple years. He is doing a fine job.

As for PM Drive, thank heavens for CC- Less is more. As I head home for my 20 minute drive, I want music, traffic and a heads up of what the weather will be tonight and tomorrow. Not for rants or raves... quite often I turn to another frequency to get what I want. I assure you it is quite a challenge to be witty but brief. Not in this case. Have the programmers at this LI powerhouse turned to another frequency as well? Possibly 103.5?

 

[NickFM]

As for PM Drive, thank heavens for CC- Less is more. As I head home for my 20 minute drive, I want music, traffic and a heads up of what the weather will be tonight and tomorrow. Not for rants or raves...

Mr. AllAroundRadio, last i checked, WALK's PM Drive consisted and still consists of music, a traffic update after each stopset (equaling 3 for the hour), and a weather update following the :25 stopset and going into the :55 stopset. Now since your drive home is only 20 minutes, that would mean that whichever 20 min chunk of the hour you're hearing that day may not have a weather or traffic update in it simply because of where they are in the hour. For example if you tune in at 6:02pm and make it home by 6:22, you may not here it since they follow a specific clock and neither updates fall into that chunk. So its not really fair to complain about this station just because their clock doesnt fall into your convenient 20 min drive home. If you want traffic and weather more often, go to 1010 Wins. Simple as that.

As far as 'ranting and raving', with WALK being the type of station that it is, i dont know where any jock would have enough time to talk for it to be considered a rant or rave. Now if it's a matter of content you're referring to, can you please elaborate on exactly what kind of ranting and raving it is you're referring to?

 

[BACKnUSSR]

As for PM Drive, thank heavens for CC- Less is more. As I head home for my 20 minute drive, I want music, traffic and a heads up of what the weather will be tonight and tomorrow. Not for rants or raves...

Mr. AllAroundRadio, last i checked, WALK's PM Drive consisted and still consists of music, a traffic update after each stopset (equaling 3 for the hour), and a weather update following the :25 stopset and going into the :55 stopset. Now since your drive home is only 20 minutes, that would mean that whichever 20 min chunk of the hour you're hearing that day may not have a weather or traffic update in it simply because of where they are in the hour. For example if you tune in at 6:02pm and make it home by 6:22, you may not here it since they follow a specific clock and neither updates fall into that chunk. So its not really fair to complain about this station just because their clock doesnt fall into your convenient 20 min drive home. If you want traffic and weather more often, go to 1010 Wins. Simple as that.

As far as 'ranting and raving', with WALK being the type of station that it is, i dont know where any jock would have enough time to talk for it to be considered a rant or rave. Now if it's a matter of content you're referring to, can you please elaborate on exactly what kind of ranting and raving it is you're referring to?

Not to nitpick, but with three traffic reports and two weather updates and hour....doesn't it seem unbalanced that there would be none of these during any twenty minute span? You would almost HAVE to be in the first 20 minutes to miss all of it (AND ALL COMMERCIALS) as well.....strange programming.

 

[NickFM]

Not to nitpick, but with three traffic reports and two weather updates and hour....doesn't it seem unbalanced that there would be none of these during any twenty minute span? You would almost HAVE to be in the first 20 minutes to miss all of it (AND ALL COMMERCIALS) as well.....strange programming.

Strange programming? As I resort back to my previous example, WALK is not WINS, therefore they're not obligated to give anymore of those updates than they already give. And as a matter of fact, for a station like WALK, it's perfectly balanced. They give traffic updates from 4-7pm at the top of the hour, :25 after, and :45 after. As well as weather updates at :25 and :55 after and sometimes even one in between if a long ramp or backsell allows it. And if you're that unfortunate to be listening in that 20 min cluster where you dont hear any of them, then that's just the way it is. WALK's listeners want to hear a majority of music with information thrown in where it's needed. (evenly throughout the hour) And honestly, with all the avenues we have to choose from when it comes to seeking out a simple weather update... whether it be via the internet, mobile alert, TV, a news & info radio station, or dare i say... looking out the window , are we THAT desperate for anymore updates that a station like WALK is willing to provide? I would hope not.

 

[BACKnUSSR]

Not to nitpick, but with three traffic reports and two weather updates and hour....doesn't it seem unbalanced that there would be none of these during any twenty minute span? You would almost HAVE to be in the first 20 minutes to miss all of it (AND ALL COMMERCIALS) as well.....strange programming.

Strange programming? As I resort back to my previous example, WALK is not WINS, therefore they're not obligated to give anymore of those updates than they already give. And as a matter of fact, for a station like WALK, it's perfectly balanced. They give traffic updates from 4-7pm at the top of the hour, :25 after, and :45 after. As well as weather updates at :25 and :55 after and sometimes even one in between if a long ramp or backsell allows it. And if you're that unfortunate to be listening in that 20 min cluster where you dont hear any of them, then that's just the way it is. WALK's listeners want to hear a majority of music with information thrown in where it's needed. (evenly throughout the hour) And honestly, with all the avenues we have to choose from when it comes to seeking out a simple weather update... whether it be via the internet, mobile alert, TV, a news & info radio station, or dare i say... looking out the window , are we THAT desperate for anymore updates that a station like WALK is willing to provide? I would hope not.

So the poor guy misses it by a minute or so on either side.
And yes...nice defense. Maybe that would be a good positioner....
"WALK FM 97.5....Long Island's Best Variety From Yesterday and Today...for weather, look out your window!"
or
"WALK 97.5....why do another traffic or weather update when the majority of our listeners are on the road, when we could squeeze in another John Mayer song" or maybe that's too long.

 

[AllAroundRadio]

ok- basically I don't like KT's on air presence. She is over dramatic. Obviously- just my opinion.

 

[The_LI_5150_Guy]

It is in my opinion that as an AC station, middays at WALK would be the safest venue. Long time spent listening at offices on Long Island tuned to 97.5 is a no brainer. WALK hired Scott Miller because of his on air abilities as well as his name recognition of being on Long Island Radio for multiple years. He is doing a fine job.

As for PM Drive, thank heavens for CC- Less is more. As I head home for my 20 minute drive, I want music, traffic and a heads up of what the weather will be tonight and tomorrow. Not for rants or raves... quite often I turn to another frequency to get what I want. I assure you it is quite a challenge to be witty but brief. Not in this case. Have the programmers at this LI powerhouse turned to another frequency as well? Possibly 103.5?

I have to agree with Mr. AllAroundRadio. The only reason why WALK's numbers are so good IS BECAUSE of the office crowd. It's the most neutral station on LI. The company where I work has 97.5 broadcasting over "Cubeville" as well. I would rather listen to that in the backround, than nothing. :-\




It's 5150 time!!!

 

[LIradiofan226]

Speaking of WALK has anyone seen the high-school photos WALK posted of their air staff? Wow is all I can say.
Patrick Shea and Al Lewis were god-awful ugly. Cindy and Donna Vaughn however were very pretty. Meanwhile I can only imagine how horrendous Scott Miller must have looked because he's the only DJ who doesn't have his picture up there.

 

[NickFM]

So the poor guy misses it by a minute or so on either side.
And yes...nice defense. Maybe that would be a good positioner....
"WALK FM 97.5....Long Island's Best Variety From Yesterday and Today...for weather, look out your window!"
or
"WALK 97.5....why do another traffic or weather update when the majority of our listeners are on the road, when we could squeeze in another John Mayer song" or maybe that's too long.

He's just one guy. No business will ever be able to please everyone. If you miss what you're waiting to hear due to YOUR schedule, too bad. Adjust and move on. I see the guy's point and i've been in his position before. But, to say WALK needs more traffic and weather updates just because it doesnt fit one person's schedule is just plain stupid.
Now its one thing that you have yet to give me an example of the 'ranting and raving' you've referred to in the past, but since you decided to take this discussion into a downward spiral of irrelevance by making up silly positioning statements, this is where i end my thoughts with you on this particular topic.

 

[NickFM]

ok- basically I don't like KT's on air presence. She is over dramatic. Obviously- just my opinion.

The beauty of message boards.... everyone gets to weigh in with their 'opinion' while hiding behind fake names and their keyboards. And I understand you're certainly entitled to your opinion, but do you have some sort of deeper issue with KT? You often seem to go out of your way to take an out-of-left-field jab at her. What you may consider 'over-dramatic', to me, is what is sorely lacking in radio these days, and that's having an actual personality rather than your generic 'artist-song-album-call letters'. Now granted it's not always the jocks fault for being generic, for decades corporate and lawyers have played a huge part in taking the personality and the fun out radio.
Opinion is one thing, but the fact is that KT Mills has always pulled great numbers in afternoon drive time, she's passionate about her performance and she's proven that she's one of the best in the business, not to mention, someone who I feel could get a bigger and better gig if she were to persue it.

 

[NickFM]

Now its one thing that you have yet to give me an example of the 'ranting and raving' you've referred to in the past

My apology to you 'BACKnUSSR', as this part of my post was intended for 'AllAroundRadio'.