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Thoughts on Select Alabama Radio Stations

S

ScottBurns

Having spent much of the past week between Mobile and Birmingham, I have a few thoughts on what I heard:

1. WABB/Mobile - Still one of my favorite CHRs. The station has incredible reach - of course, it is crystal clear from Destin to Gulfport, but it came in nicely around the Selma area to the northwest. The station is programmed very well - the Jammer does a great job. The music is great, yet perhaps they should play some more CHR Gold from the 90s to distinguish themselves from Hot 104.

2. Hot 104/Mobile - Music-wise, nearly indistinguishable from WABB. There were several times that the two stations were playing identical songs. Would so well to distinguish itself from WABB, which seems to have the Heritage in the market. Its signal is not as strong as WABB's, especially towards the Mississippi line. However, it does slightly better north into the Montgomery area (I actually picked it up decently as far north as Prattville). Finally, they don't seem to identify much with either Mobile or Pensacola, as they bury their station ID.

3. "The Rocket"/Mobile - Not enough variety. Could focus on more recent Classic Rock a bit more. Signal fades west of Mobile, but is strong to the east, well into Pensacola.

4. Y102/Montgomery - Too conservative for a CHR. Playlist too tight. Lacks the variety of WABB or Hot 104. Even while in Montgomery, I found myself wanting to listen to one of Mobile's CHRs.

5. The Point/Birmingham - Proves that some markets can support 80s stations. The playlist is broad, which I like. Seems to have found a niche in a unique market.

6. "Bama Country"/Montgomery - Good variety, very upbeat.
 
> Having spent much of the past week between Mobile and
> Birmingham, I have a few thoughts on what I heard:
>
> 1. WABB/Mobile - Still one of my favorite CHRs. The
> station has incredible reach - of course, it is crystal
> clear from Destin to Gulfport, but it came in nicely around
> the Selma area to the northwest. The station is programmed
> very well - the Jammer does a great job. The music is
> great, yet perhaps they should play some more CHR Gold from
> the 90s to distinguish themselves from Hot 104.
>
> 2. Hot 104/Mobile - Music-wise, nearly indistinguishable
> from WABB. There were several times that the two stations
> were playing identical songs. Would so well to distinguish
> itself from WABB, which seems to have the Heritage in the
> market. Its signal is not as strong as WABB's, especially
> towards the Mississippi line. However, it does slightly
> better north into the Montgomery area (I actually picked it
> up decently as far north as Prattville). Finally, they
> don't seem to identify much with either Mobile or Pensacola,
> as they bury their station ID.
>
> 3. "The Rocket"/Mobile - Not enough variety. Could focus
> on more recent Classic Rock a bit more. Signal fades west
> of Mobile, but is strong to the east, well into Pensacola.
>
>
> 4. Y102/Montgomery - Too conservative for a CHR. Playlist
> too tight. Lacks the variety of WABB or Hot 104. Even
> while in Montgomery, I found myself wanting to listen to one
> of Mobile's CHRs.
>
> 5. The Point/Birmingham - Proves that some markets can
> support 80s stations. The playlist is broad, which I like.
> Seems to have found a niche in a unique market.
>
> 6. "Bama Country"/Montgomery - Good variety, very upbeat.
>

IMO, the 5 best stations in the state are(or shall I say my Favorites actually) :
1. WXFX 95.1 Montgomery "The Fox"
2. WRKH 96.1 Mobile "The Rocket"
3. WRTT 95.1 Huntsville "The Rocket"
4. WZRR 99.5 Birmingham "Rock 995"
5. WRTR 105.9 Tuscaloosa
---
104-9 The Dingo - http://www.dingofm.tk
103-9 The Wolf - http://www.wrcf.tk<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by BamaWOLF on 10/13/05 02:42 AM.</FONT></P>
 
> 2. Hot 104/Mobile - Music-wise, nearly indistinguishable
> from WABB. There were several times that the two stations
> were playing identical songs. Would so well to distinguish
> itself from WABB, which seems to have the Heritage in the
> market. Its signal is not as strong as WABB's, especially
> towards the Mississippi line. However, it does slightly
> better north into the Montgomery area (I actually picked it
> up decently as far north as Prattville). Finally, they
> don't seem to identify much with either Mobile or Pensacola,
> as they bury their station ID.


FYI-- The signal isn't nearly as strong once you get past the Mississippi state line due to the former KSTE-FM / New Orleans (don't know the calls now), which is also 100,000 watts. The legal id for WYOK is WYOK- Atmore/Mobile, which -- if memory serves -- is buried in the open of their TOH jock bed.<P ID="signature">______________
Aaron Tyler
Nights / MD
WVZA / Marion - Carbondale, IL
LISTEN LIVE! www.kissfm927.com

Weekends / Swing
KSLZ / St. Louis

Cyber Nights
WAKZ / Youngstown, OH
</P>
 
> IMO, the 5 best stations in the state are(or shall I say my
> Favorites actually) :
> 1. WXFX 95.1 Montgomery "The Fox"
> 2. WRKH 96.1 Mobile "The Rocket"
> 3. WRTT 95.1 Huntsville "The Rocket"
> 4. WZRR 99.5 Birmingham "Rock 995"
> 5. WRTR 105.9 Tuscaloosa

Yeah, too bad I can't pick up any of them. Man, I live in the lamest part of Alabama as far as radio listening is concern.

Well, 106.9 The Point is ok I guess. In a strange way, it reminds me of The X but they don't play that much current alternative rock. It must be the 106.9 The Point promos that reminds me. The station comes in strong sometimes but most of the time it's that static but strong type of signal.
 
I would agree about The Pointe's signal. It is crystal clear in Montgomery and Selma. It is definitely listenable halfway down I-65 from Montgomery to Mobile.
 
> I would agree about The Pointe's signal. It is crystal
> clear in Montgomery and Selma. It is definitely listenable
> halfway down I-65 from Montgomery to Mobile.
>
Same in Huntsville when you are away from the mountains, I listen to it on the way to work in the morning sometimes and really only lose it when i pass north of Drake Mountain.<P ID="signature">______________


<div align="center"><a href="http://wrcf.tk">
wolf_logo3a.png
</P></span></P></span>
http://dingo100.tk
http://wrcf.tk</P>
 
> > I would agree about The Pointe's signal. It is crystal
> > clear in Montgomery and Selma. It is definitely
> listenable
> > halfway down I-65 from Montgomery to Mobile.
> >
> Same in Huntsville when you are away from the mountains, I
> listen to it on the way to work in the morning sometimes and
> really only lose it when i pass north of Drake Mountain.
>

You know it would be really weird if 100.5 The X would flip to another format, and The Point becomes full on alternative because of the huge demand from whoever was anti-The X (Because the WRAX station goes down the crapper). It could come full circle when all the ex-WRAX djs rejoin with Hurricane Shane and the spirit of the old X comes back locally in Birmingham. Maybe this is just a warped fantasy of mine but you got to admit, it's a good warped fantasy.
 
Haha. I SECOND THAT MOTION! I really like that. Problem is, Cox likes to compete, not fill voids. Hell, they'll even compete against themselves just to prove a point (97.3 against ZZK). I personally don't like The Point because it's a cookie-cutter station. I mean, the inspiration came from the same exact station in Houston...it's even called the point and it's at 106.9. Point is, Cox is not original. I've always thought the format was just an interim because Cox used it as barter in trying to get the WWWQ situation resolved. Why it's survived...I don't even know. It's consistently the lowest rated FM station in Birmingham, which is sad because it is the strongest signal in B'ham. Ive been banking on it and 97.3 to flip for some time...it just hasn't happened. But who knows? Cox is dumb, so we'll see.

BTW, have they even noticed The Bull now gets better ratings than their country tag-team?



>
> You know it would be really weird if 100.5 The X would flip
> to another format, and The Point becomes full on alternative
> because of the huge demand from whoever was anti-The X
> (Because the WRAX station goes down the crapper). It could
> come full circle when all the ex-WRAX djs rejoin with
> Hurricane Shane and the spirit of the old X comes back
> locally in Birmingham. Maybe this is just a warped fantasy
> of mine but you got to admit, it's a good warped fantasy.
> <P ID="signature">______________
"He deserved to have ice cream smashed in his face, because he's a lying 50 year-old man!"
-Dane Cook</P>
 
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