Things To Look For In The Upcoming Spring Book This Month

[Mark_Giardina]

We might get a hint of what Rochester radio listeners think of the “Fickle” format.

Who will come out in first place between WHAM and WBEE. The winter book had them at a virtual tie.

If WXXI can manage to stop hemorrhaging as its ratings have gone from a 3.1 to a 1.8 (12+ overall) within a year’s time.

Is the Air America format a fluke or will WROC-AM continue to pick up more listeners at the expense of public radio.

If WCMF will increase its audience since they revised and improved their music.

Will WYSL show up in this book? I mean it’s a bit strange that a station in Dansville appears in the diaries, yet one just 30 miles south of Rochester, with a signal that covers a large part of Monroe County doesn’t even register. This isn’t Denmark but something sure smells fishy.

<P ID="signature">______________
"I won't be wronged, I won't be insulted and I won't be laid a hand on.
I don't do these things to other people and I expect the same from them".</P>

 

[Element9]

Re: Buffalo Issues and Jack Chicago

First, before we get to the Spring Book issues in Buffalo, check this Jack column from the Chicago Sun Times.

Joel Hollander, in some of his quotes, sounds like a raving corporate fool who cannot control his emotions when speaking to a columnist-reporter, or he's in need of some serious P-R 101 skills. Could be that he's bluntly honest, but he gets no points from the average guy in the street who's reading the article and no longer able to hear his favorite radio station because it was replaced by Jack.

Back to the Buffalo Issues. Jack is going to make some headway and the Spring book should reflect some good numbers. This is a given with any new format with a good signal. Where else did WBUF have to go but up?

With the programming talent and the air personalities and promotion departments at stations like Star, 97 Rock and WHTT, Jack's success is likely to be short-lived. Why? Because quite simply, those stations can expand their playlists, increase their active on-air libraries and let out the rotations while continuing to maintain the genre of their respective formats, all the while, not sounding anywhere near discordant as Jack sometimes sounds.

In Rochester, the same would apply to stations like Warm, WCMF, The Fox and WPXY, although, from what I've read and heard, WPXY may be the weakest station of the lot and be more susceptible to not rebounding.

It's going to be more interesting, I think, to find out what becomes of The Lake: Weak signal, ecclectic format, un-radio presentation, live story-telling Lake Guides.

You may argue that Jack and The Lake have little in common as to their target audience, that they are mutually exclusive. I'm not so sure. I would guess-timate that at least 50% of the listeners who cume The Lake would be prone to sample Jack and if Jack has the variety and uniqueness that they're looking for, they may listen to The Lake less and for shorter periods of time.

One more thing, the non-P1 Lake listeners may find Jack gets into offices and workplaces better than The Lake ever could, especially in the city. Hence, my curiousity regarding what happens to The Lake.

The bigger issue, however, may be the enormous and debilitating spotloads that Jack's competitors run.

 

[topsound]

Re: Buffalo Issues and Jack Chicago

> First, before we get to the Spring Book issues in Buffalo,
> check this Jack column from the Chicago Sun Times.
>
> (clip)

Well said as always, e9. My .02:

I've been listening more to WHTT lately since Don and Mike disappeared. I think the station sounds very well. Intelligently expanded variety, uptempo for the most part, agressive street promo and contesting, plenty of personality. I've always loved Harv's solo act, back to Y103 (!), and Pastrick sounds back in the groove. WHTT has remained a "real" radio station with all the elements necessary for a quality listen. The shuffle feature is a nice way to add a twist to the inevitably voice-tracked nights.

AFA The Lake, it's starting to sound old, slow, and tired compared to 'HTT, the solid and dependable 97Rock, and now Jack, which handles 70s-80s musically the same way 'HTT covers 60s-70s. The Lake Guides are okay, but the music teases into commercials are ridiculous. For God's sake just tell me what artist is coming up next instead of turning every stopdown into Trivial Pursuit. And I can no longer take the great outdoors sweepers.

 

[BuffRad]

Re: Buffalo Issues and Jack Chicago

Looks Like Jack has died on Chippewa with their hogs and hunnies promotion. some guy that isn't on an airshift was doing fake remotes a couple weeks ago (studio recorded breaks saying he was live on the street) , last wednesday they didnt even show up and the bars jack did the promotion with were empty or closed. No food no nothing.

 

[anoldradioguy1]

> Will WYSL show up in this book? I mean it’s a bit strange
> that a station in Dansville appears in the diaries, yet one
> just 30 miles south of Rochester, with a signal that covers
> a large part of Monroe County doesn’t even register. This
> isn’t Denmark but something sure smells fishy.

What smells fishy is the programing on WYSL. Could it be more borrrrrring?
The A. P. radio news is very hard to listen to. I am glad they are going to go dark. Maybe they'll put something on WYSL more listenable like local programed oldies. WDNY is more more professional sounding and entertaining. Maybe some books ended up in southern Livingston County and it paid off for WDNY. Not that showing up in the Rochester book would do them any good in the revenue dept.

 

[ThePickleReport]

Re: Buffalo Issues and Jack Chicago

>
> AFA The Lake, it's starting to sound old, slow, and tired
> compared to 'HTT, the solid and dependable 97Rock, and now
> Jack, which handles 70s-80s musically the same way 'HTT
> covers 60s-70s.

I couldn't help thinking the same thing the other day. Every time I tune in to The Lake I seem to catch a Jackson Browne ballad or something. Makes me wanna hurl!

My hope for the Lake when they started is that they would play a few newer artists who get huge crtical acclaim but little airplay---like John Hiatt or Wilco for example. It doesn't seem to be in the cards.

 

[Radknowski]

Re: Buffalo Issues and Jack Chicago

> Every
> time I tune in to The Lake I seem to catch a Jackson Browne
> ballad or something. Makes me wanna hurl!
>
<font face="times new roman" size="3" color="330066">
Y'know, the posts regarding The Lake on this thread have been dead on. We expected more. The Lake simply is not delivering. Topsound makes a good and humorous point regarding the Trivial Pursuit type breaks.</font>

> My hope for the Lake when they started is that they would
> play a few newer artists who get huge crtical acclaim but
> little airplay---like John Hiatt or Wilco for example. It
> doesn't seem to be in the cards.
>
<font face="times new roman" size="3" color="330066">
Apparently not, though you've made some very good observations and suggestions with which I wholeheartedly agree. After the Spring numbers come in, The Lake may have no other choice and nothing to lose but to offer more new music in the Adult Alternative mode.</font>

 

[StangBuddy]

>
> If WXXI can manage to stop hemorrhaging as its ratings have
> gone from a 3.1 to a 1.8 (12+ overall) within a year’s time.
>
>
> Is the Air America format a fluke or will WROC-AM continue
> to pick up more listeners at the expense of public radio.
>
> If WCMF will increase its audience since they revised and
> improved their music.
>
WCMF will realize, once and for all, that Entercom hijacked there conservative playlists from the 80's and 90's and there's nothing they can do about it without some drastic changes. Unfortunatly they allowed the CC competitor to stake a claim.

WXXI-FM is dead until they embrace other audiences, such as the many jazz and blues lovers that populate the market. Public is so glacial...

Air America will continue to slowly grow so long as Marines remain targets in Iraq.

 

[geolee]

"The Lake"

The biggest success they had was when they were part of the former agricultural network across New York State. Prior to their sale to Pat Robertson.