The Ride out of Hickory is holding on to a 3 something share in the PPM but will never be an aggressive player in the market until they clean up their act. Musically you have to admire Dave for sticking with his beliefs and playing cuts that nobody else plays. The one draw back is there are only so many people out there that appreciate some of these "deep" cuts or marginal hits. With all the tweaking going on in the market WXRC could have a real opportunity to tweak their presentation and kick some butt in PPM. They have a reasonable cume but remain a distant player. WRFX plays the PPM game pretty well while WXRC holds on to the past. Charlotte needs a good Classic Hits stations that borders on Oldies and WXRC could be that station with little or no effort. We've seen CBS do it in market after market and are starting to see Clear Channel jump on the bandwagon. There is a wide open window of opportunity for WXRC in this very competitive market but, the question is will Dave take it. Revamp the music, revisit his image, get a new voice guy, upgrade the presentation, and go for the brass ring! Dave is a great radio person who is very passionate about his station and sticking by his guns to present a very unique format that was way different in the beginning but has grown to be very boring and lame.
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The Ride
- Thread starter nuffsaid
- Start date
Y
yeabutt
Guest
I agree there is a window of opportunity for WXRC or somebody to fill the Classic Hits hole in Charlotte. WTHZ from Greensboro had some fair numbers with adults before they were sold to EMF. The opportuntiy is there but agree that Dave most likely will not react to it.
My favorite time in radio was the late 70's, early 80's when small town stations were getting their bump up to 100,000 watts... you could hear some real creative stuff on the air. The music wasn't a "safe" 400 song playlist that repeated so much that it drove you crazy. Some of my favorite old tunes are a handful of songs that we played as album cuts in this era on WXIK...
But... I understand that small playlist are what brings in the ratings... throw out the daring and odd cuts and go with "safe" proven hits. I understand that argument... it's just neat that someone that started out small town is still creative all of these years later. I know it doesn't bring in the ratings... but for my part I am glad they are still around. I thought I had noticed a difference in their music direction lately and I liked what I have heard.
My days in full time radio went away in 1984 so I have little idea of what brings in the listeners today.
I just appreciate for my part that someone else is still doing something different, and doesn't have Entercom, Beasley, or Clear Channel as their owner...
But... I understand that small playlist are what brings in the ratings... throw out the daring and odd cuts and go with "safe" proven hits. I understand that argument... it's just neat that someone that started out small town is still creative all of these years later. I know it doesn't bring in the ratings... but for my part I am glad they are still around. I thought I had noticed a difference in their music direction lately and I liked what I have heard.
My days in full time radio went away in 1984 so I have little idea of what brings in the listeners today.
I just appreciate for my part that someone else is still doing something different, and doesn't have Entercom, Beasley, or Clear Channel as their owner...
him who pays the bills
makes the...uh...rules.
yeah, that's it.
makes the...uh...rules.
yeah, that's it.
All excellent points and I agree with all that has been stated. Dave is a unique kind of guy and we all need to appreciate what he stands for. The radio station is certainly not a bad radio station but as it stands WXRC will continue to be a mid level station. I guess I am going from the ego standpoint which basically says WXRC could make a huge dent in the armor of the Clear Channels, The Entercoms, and the other big boys who are struggling in the market to maintain their market share. Think this could be more about bragging rights rather than anything else. Hang tuff Dave!
The first post wraps up what I have been saying about The Ride for several years:
"Revisit the image of the station and get a new (better) voice guy".
That liner voice is so slow and far off from the attitude of the music played on the station.
"Revisit the image of the station and get a new (better) voice guy".
That liner voice is so slow and far off from the attitude of the music played on the station.
What's weird is this station is always identified as "classic hits", when in reality a lot of the songs aren't hits.
Whatever playlist they had to begin with should be an HD-2 channel, web-only or an XM channel. No, I don't guess Sirius is interested in innovation these days.
And I still say the WAIZ letters and Big Ways name should move from 630 AM if they ever decide to play real oldies.
Whatever playlist they had to begin with should be an HD-2 channel, web-only or an XM channel. No, I don't guess Sirius is interested in innovation these days.
And I still say the WAIZ letters and Big Ways name should move from 630 AM if they ever decide to play real oldies.
yeabutt said:I agree there is a window of opportunity for WXRC or somebody to fill the Classic Hits hole in Charlotte. WTHZ from Greensboro had some fair numbers with adults before they were sold to EMF. The opportuntiy is there but agree that Dave most likely will not react to it.
WWLV, formally WTHZ had not been sold to anyone. It is leased for 5 years to EMF with the option of going back to oldies if a new tower location is approved closer to Charlotte! 2 poster, poster, where did you get this information?
Y
yeabutt
Guest
Why would anybody lease a station for 5 years? I heard it was "LMA'd" for a period of time to see if Mr. Hilton could build a new tower to give EMF a better signal in Charlotte. if that should happen within the time frame EMF would pay attional dollars for the station. I seem to recall reading on these boards that you are a relative of the Hiltons and certainly may have more information that any of us.
yeabutt said:Why would anybody lease a station for 5 years? I heard it was "LMA'd" for a period of time to see if Mr. Hilton could build a new tower to give EMF a better signal in Charlotte. if that should happen within the time frame EMF would pay attional dollars for the station. I seem to recall reading on these boards that you are a relative of the Hiltons and certainly may have more information that any of us.
And if you believe in signs, I just noticed that big ape's post count is at: 1440 -- WLXN? Just sayin... ;D
And if you believe in signs, I just noticed that big ape's post count is at: 1440 -- WLXN? Just sayin... Grin
hahaha
Do you really think XRC is deep? 70% of what they play you can hear on half a dozen other radio stations. For me, I wish they would go a bit deeper. Maybe it won't boost their ratings, but they already have a consistent 2 or 3 share. If I own a 100,000 watt station in Charlotte and can turn a profit, I'm happy. More power to you Dave!
Dave is awesome for standing his ground...but some of the ground he stands on is kinda looking like quicksand.
The voice guy absolutely grinds the station to a dead halt every time he opens his old, tired mouth. The worst imaging anywhere in the Southeast, by far. And...he's on about ten times more than the barely-visible jocks. Harriet is such an asset...but you barely hear her...just more of Mr. Old Voice every other segue. Egad...it forces me to change the channel or puke every time I hear that guy.
The music has just enough deep stuff to be interesting. Question is, with Pandora and all the rest of the alternatives for music lovers, who listens to the radio for that anymore? I'd play the hits...those people still use radio. Deep Tracks fans left radio a long time ago. Fox barely plays a third of Ride's list. Yet they have twice the share. That ain't all JB&B.
You need more than a music box and a bad image voice to get it done in 2011. The Ride needs a personality transplant. How about putting on jocks who talk about and know the music. That would be fitting for what they do.
The voice guy absolutely grinds the station to a dead halt every time he opens his old, tired mouth. The worst imaging anywhere in the Southeast, by far. And...he's on about ten times more than the barely-visible jocks. Harriet is such an asset...but you barely hear her...just more of Mr. Old Voice every other segue. Egad...it forces me to change the channel or puke every time I hear that guy.
The music has just enough deep stuff to be interesting. Question is, with Pandora and all the rest of the alternatives for music lovers, who listens to the radio for that anymore? I'd play the hits...those people still use radio. Deep Tracks fans left radio a long time ago. Fox barely plays a third of Ride's list. Yet they have twice the share. That ain't all JB&B.
You need more than a music box and a bad image voice to get it done in 2011. The Ride needs a personality transplant. How about putting on jocks who talk about and know the music. That would be fitting for what they do.
I wonder if any of the people writing here have actually seen Dave lately. He looks like years of working 20 hour days have caught up to him. "Mr Old Voice" has one big asset. He was paid for a long time ago. The operation is still getting over the financial disaster that was Howard Stern and Dave starting cutting beyond fat and into the bone of the operation several years ago. Many of the points made here are valid, but Dave would need to sink in more $$ to do them, and I just don't see it happening.
While Dave may have drug his feet making changes to the station he is by no means stupid! He likes the stations the way it is and as long as he owns it and it is profitable I am sure nothing will change. Yes Dave has a golden opportunity but as we all know he will not alter the format to reach for that golden ring. Mr Voice has been there for years and most likely will be for years to come. The Ride was formulated after The Drive in Chicago however The Drive has made constant changes in music and their presentation to garner a top five spot in the adult demos in Chicago and that is way different than The Ride. Dave could be a major player in Charlotte without a huge amount of money beind dumped into the station.
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