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THE MIGHTY KEEP FALLING

T

Tee Man 82

Latest 6 plus PPM shows HJY and Coast tied at 6.2! How long before HJY becomes a live morning show followed by non-local shows? Is the station even relevant to a desirable demographic anymore? Is the format itself even relevant to a desirable demographic anymore? Years ago CC decided B101 wasn't worth keeping live and local and that the music had to be tweaked. How long before the same thing happens to the mighty HJY?
 
Try what again? I'm making a comment. Why does every comment with you revert to the "troll" philosophy.....except the ones you make.
 
I mean "the mighty" aren't even close to falling. I hate these big blanket statements that have little footing in the reality of the situation that seem so popular around here.

Go ahead and show an example of me trolling.

I wasn't suggesting that you're trolling. I was suggesting that you have absolutely no information to back up your statement that "the mighty keep falling."
 
My point is their numbers have never been lower and CC won't exhibit any more patience for this than they did ten years ago when B101 was doing well but the company wasn't pleased with the composition of their audience. I'm not knocking the station but they've seen better days.
 
A 6.2 in the 6+ doesn't mean too much, but HJY is going to have to make some tough decisions in the next several years. The jocks and music has aged--they're playing much more "classic rock" these days. I feel like HJY's days are numbered before they're really subjected to the Clear Channel iron hand...

Jacko
 
The problem is not the jocks - especially the Heritage ones such as Paul, Al, and Geoff Charles. The problem is the music. The station plays the oldest music of any station in the market - older, in fact, than at least 40% of the songs played on B101. I'd call 'HJY "Classic Rock AC," playing a tight playlist of 70s-heavy music. They play about one modern song per hour. Prior to PPM, the station played am incredible variety of modern and Classic Rock. Many complained that 'HJY was "all over the road." A lot of us liked and miss that WHJY.
 
Wasn't Joe Bevilacqua the P.D. then? 'HJY sounded good then. I can't listen to it now & am sure I'm in their prime demo (Male, 33)! All Nickelback, all the time.
 
Bill Weston and Joe Bevilacqua were both good programmers and were able to give HJY that "all over the road" feel while still getting great results. I agree with Scott, the music has gotten "older" and is essentially a classic rock station now. A common argument is that the current rock product, mainly active rock, isn't doing well, and many active rockers have retreated to playing more classic and 90s rock. WAAF and more recently, WCCC/Hartford, are two examples of this. What is actually doing well currently is alternative. While it's not the alternative explosion of the 90s, bands like Mumford & Sons, Muse, Imagine Dragons, and Phoenix are all doing well. Weston and Bevilacqua weren't afraid to add more alternative-leaning tracks in their time (Sheryl Crow, Smash Mouth, Mighty Mighty Bosstones), and I think that his is what is missing. Rock doesn't have to be all loud, distorted guitars, growling singers, singing about strippers and such. What made HJY great is they played what is big currently in rock music while honoring the rockers from the past. Now they're stuck in the past and may play the occasional Godsmack or Shinedown song. It's a shame.

Jacko
 
Jacko, HJY doesn't even play much 90s Rock, and they play almost none from the early 2000s. Most of its playlist is focused on the 70s. There is so much that can be done with HJY's playlist...
 
You're right Scott. Years ago, HJY seemed to have a wider audience and a larger number of women listeners. In the past decade, the station has definitely become more male-driven, and is nearly absent of any female talent save Jenn Dower, who has been reduced to reading liner cards and merely saying, "Up next is Van Halen and Aerosmith." Amy Hagen and Carolyn Fox attracted more women listeners while keeping male audiences and were allowed to show personality. Obviously, Clear Channel's way of showcasing women's talents on its rock stations is all the pseudo-porn that on its websites. It's nonsense.

Jacko
 
ScottBurns said:
The problem is not the jocks - especially the Heritage ones such as Paul, Al, and Geoff Charles. The problem is the music. The station plays the oldest music of any station in the market - older, in fact, than at least 40% of the songs played on B101. I'd call 'HJY "Classic Rock AC," playing a tight playlist of 70s-heavy music. They play about one modern song per hour. Prior to PPM, the station played am incredible variety of modern and Classic Rock. Many complained that 'HJY was "all over the road." A lot of us liked and miss that WHJY.
Click to expand...

I agree. I was a weekend overnight jock there (Eastern Ave.) in the mid to late 80's and I often broke format. The request line was "blinking" off the hook with compliments. The good old days.
 
The worst part of the playlist is that there are so many good 90s and 2000s Rock and Alternative tracks that would be great on WHJY.
 
did anyone think that maybe it's out of their control?...sort of like a Jan Jeffries situation...there have been situations where the station's consultant chose the music instead of inside the station
 
No question it is out of their control. The one jock that seems immune to such outside control is Charles, who still shows considerable personality on his show and hardly reads any liner-cards.
 
WHJY is in the unique position of having no real competition. No classic rocker. A college alternative station. That's it. They simply are living off their heritage...playing the tracks that test the best with their audience, and if you listen to Paul & Al or Charles, chances are you want the 70's Pink Floyd, Who, Zeppelin, Stones, etc.

Skewing older is a trend with most rockers nowadays. The newer material is not very good and the 2000's stuff doesn't test well. Most mainstream rockers will play the 90's stuff along with the tried and true classics and the occasional current by a core artist (like Foo Fighters), but that formula may not work for WHJY in 2013. If they ever got some classic rock competition or even a true commercial alternative station, they would certainly re-think their strategy. But, since it's doubtful anyone will take 94.1 on directly, expect more of the same...at least as long as the old jocks are still there.
 
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