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The Future Radio Dial for the Gulf Coast

M

macab4490

Hey, If i100 in P-Cola/Mobile does not work, I think this would be a great strategy but it could possible not work in reality.

100.7 could be a good smooth jazz station. 107.3 the groove could be the premire top 40/chr station that is owned by Clear Channel of course because out all the markets, CC has the best top 40 stations. I like to call it one of the names such as "107.3 Radio Now" or a "Z107.3" type name. I think 107.3 plays those songs that I see them going top-40 all the way. I just dont see i100 succeeding strong with the Groove or possible WABB.

At another point, I like to understand the situation between 94.1 and 99.9. They both play AC tunes and both aire Delilah at night. What? Yes, they do and its beyond me why they do. I actually contact 94.1 and they said "major works" are coming in for 94.1 soon. Whatever that means, right?!

The Pensacola-Mobile radio dial needs a clean up on some of the stations...they're just repetitive and boring. There is no variety really.
 
macab4490 said:
Hey, If i100 in P-Cola/Mobile does not work, I think this would be a great strategy but it could possible not work in reality.

100.7 could be a good smooth jazz station. 107.3 the groove could be the premire top 40/chr station that is owned by Clear Channel of course because out all the markets, CC has the best top 40 stations. I like to call it one of the names such as "107.3 Radio Now" or a "Z107.3" type name. I think 107.3 plays those songs that I see them going top-40 all the way. I just dont see i100 succeeding strong with the Groove or possible WABB.

At another point, I like to understand the situation between 94.1 and 99.9. They both play AC tunes and both aire Delilah at night. What? Yes, they do and its beyond me why they do. I actually contact 94.1 and they said "major works" are coming in for 94.1 soon. Whatever that means, right?!

The Pensacola-Mobile radio dial needs a clean up on some of the stations...they're just repetitive and boring. There is no variety really.
Click to expand...

Your overall perception of radio in Pensacola can be said to be true in most all markets.
 
Although both i100 (100.7) & The Groove (107.3) have just one full book under their belts, the Spring 10 Arbitron holds some clues (click "ratings" at the top of the page). The Mobile summary is no help because of the partial embargo of info, but the Pensacola summary tells a story.

At this point it looks like i100 may be a hit, taking a share or two out of WABB's hide. The Groove, on the other hand, looks like a bust. IIRC, the 1.8 share (12+) is the lowest in the history of the 107.3 frequency in Pensacola.

FWIW, though, I wouldn't anticipate that CC will take 107.3 into CHR--it's a pretty crowded field.

Nor would I hold my breath for a Smooth Jazz format from anyone, anytime in your lifetime. It's pretty much a dead format. Sorry.

The situation between 94.1 and 99.9 has a lot to do with history, and the separation of Mobile and Pensacola as radio markets. Both stations developed strong AC positions in their respective cities, and generally stayed out of each other's way. To add to the oddity, the two sticks are both in Baldwin County about a dozen miles apart (as I recall) and basically cover the same turf. But 99.9 is perceived as a Mobile station, and 94.1 is perceived as a Pensacola station--and, as the marketing gurus say "perception is reality."
 
The one money-making format that could join 'BLX in cross market appeal (no Mobile/Pensacola split) around the coast: Sports radio. Mobile's ESPN is on a small FM rimshotter from Bay Minette, and the format has disappeared from Pensacola altogether.

SEC football, the Saints, SEC football recruiting, the Braves, the SEC football offseason, college basketball, the catering for the Saban/Meyer/Chizik family picnic--there's too much cheap and easy content for regional morning and afternoon drive shows. Somebody with a struggling class C stick is going to capture that undertapped audience (two markets with ONE station) all for themselves--and within two years.
 
Yeah, that would be a great choice. You don't even have to air a local show during afternoon drive. You could air Paul Finebaum during that time and thousands of people would listen, and a local morning show would bring a lot of people. My market, Charleston (in the mid 80s), has three sports stations, all with local/regional shows. I don't know how that area can only support one.
 
Nate Wesley said:
The one money-making format that could join 'BLX in cross market appeal (no Mobile/Pensacola split) around the coast: Sports radio. Mobile's ESPN is on a small FM rimshotter from Bay Minette, and the format has disappeared from Pensacola altogether.

SEC football, the Saints, SEC football recruiting, the Braves, the SEC football offseason, college basketball, the catering for the Saban/Meyer/Chizik family picnic--there's too much cheap and easy content for regional morning and afternoon drive shows. Somebody with a struggling class C stick is going to capture that undertapped audience (two markets with ONE station) all for themselves--and within two years.

Well, nice idea. Who would or what station in the Pensacola/Mobile area would you replace?
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Nate, sports/sports-talk for Mobile/Pensacola may be a little tougher than you think.

SEC is certainly big in Mobile, but the Auburn/'Bama split complicates things. Cross the state line and Pensacolians could give a sh*t about either the Tigers or Tide (well, there are some Auburn fans... and the Alabama backfield has a Pensacola flava)--and the tilt is more toward FSU (ACC) than UF (yeah, yeah, there's a fair contingent of Gator alums & fans, but...), so too much SEC talk would just piss 'em off--just as Mobile has NO interest in FSU or the ACC. Extremely complicated. Mostly Saints fans, but plenty of Jags fans. Mobile Bears talk would trigger massive tune-out in Pcola. Messy, messy.

Sports does best in Major League cities, and to a lesser degree in BCS towns. Easier to focus. Easier to attract a crowd. Everyone in Boston is a Red Sox/Celtics/Pats/Bruins fan. Everyone in Knoxville is a Vols fan.

On the other hand, an all-news (not news/talk) Class C FM would kill. And make a shitload of money--because it attracts the demo that can read & write. Nothing like that on the dial...
 
redneckriviera said:
On the other hand, an all-news (not news/talk) Class C FM would kill. And make a shitload of money--because it attracts the demo that can read & write. Nothing like that on the dial...
Click to expand...

Ouch! That was helluva bean-ball. ;D
 
redneckriviera said:
Nate, sports/sports-talk for Mobile/Pensacola may be a little tougher than you think.

SEC is certainly big in Mobile, but the Auburn/'Bama split complicates things. Cross the state line and Pensacolians could give a sh*t about either the Tigers or Tide (well, there are some Auburn fans... and the Alabama backfield has a Pensacola flava)--and the tilt is more toward FSU (ACC) than UF (yeah, yeah, there's a fair contingent of Gator alums & fans, but...), so too much SEC talk would just piss 'em off--just as Mobile has NO interest in FSU or the ACC. Extremely complicated. Mostly Saints fans, but plenty of Jags fans. Mobile Bears talk would trigger massive tune-out in Pcola. Messy, messy.
Click to expand...

I don't think its that complicated at all. It's Alabama, it's Auburn, it's Florida. It's ESPN, CBS, the SEC, and the BCS. It ain't about the 'when are we leaving Jacksonville' Jaguars after the Saints just won the Super Bowl. Nor is it about the Seminoles, who haven't been relevant for years--or the good ACC sports squads 500 miles north or south of here.

Let that Niceville/Fort Walton sports FM appease the Florida State fans, and let whatever's left of WNSP do the Baybears and USA Jags jazz (or let them have nights instead of daytime shine)--because I'm not talking about Class A peashooter talk. I'm talking about a 107.3, 100.7, 98.7, 104.1, or even a 97.5 that can blanket the coast (and then some). That I can get ad buys from Palmer's, Springhilll, Eastern Shore, AND Bob Tyler to hawk Toyotas.
 
redneckriviera said:
On the other hand, an all-news (not news/talk) Class C FM would kill. And make a shitload of money--because it attracts the demo that can read & write. Nothing like that on the dial...
Click to expand...

RNR - I happen to be an All News Radio fan, so I like your idea looking at it from a purely personal perspective. However, from a business perspective, do you really think the ad revenue from an All News outlet in a market the size of Pensacola/Mobile will be enough to offset the tremendous cost involved in programming, in my opinion, one of the most expensive radio formats and still turn a reasonable profit? You've worked that market, whereas I haven't, so you have an inside advantage over me.
 
Nate, America is a great place. No reason that I can think of why you can't slap your own brand of sportstalk on an available Class C in Baldwin County and see how it flies.

And, yes, Dr. Mark--we do share an enthusiasm for all-news. I've watched WTOP-FM/FM/FM and WINS/WCBS and their peers soak up the dollars over the past decade (+). And, no, I don't think the Mobile-Pensacola market is too small. Combining the radio markets--as TV has been for 60 years--bumps Birmingham out of the #57 slot, with 881,100 people (12+)--just behind the likes of Louisville, Richmond & Buffalo.

And, no, an all-news format does not have to be prohibitively expensive. It does require people with specific talents & education (journalists/anchors/reporters) but the days of the 50-person newsroom are long gone.

Besides, high revenues allow for high expenses. Truth is--ask Bonneville--the all-news format may cost a bit more to run than conventional music/AT operations, but they bring in a lot more money.
 
Well, RNR, that all totally, seriously does make complete sense. Especially the last sentence. Not that any radio company over 50 stations would put the cart after the cow or whatever that saying of using logic is. Keep preachin'. Must be getting cooler up Norf.
 
redneckriviera said:
Nate, America is a great place. No reason that I can think of why you can't slap your own brand of sportstalk on an available Class C in Baldwin County and see how it flies.
Click to expand...

I'd love the opportunity to try. I just don't think your ruminations on Alabama/Florida splits in sports interest exist the same way that 'Pensacola prefers WXBM' or 'Mobile likes WKSJ'. This is a UAB fan who knows its an SEC world, and everyone else is just living in it. ;D
 
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