The Sound appears to have quietly changed its logo recently. I'm not sure how recently, I just noticed it the other day on my smart phone radio app, then confirmed it today with a quick trip to their website. Although the old logo was rather non-descript, I kinda liked it and thought it fit the station. Perhaps this is because I am partial to blue on black look. Of course the new logo is also rather non-descript as well. Red lettering on a white background, with the phrase "Album Rock. More Variety". (the Truth-o-Meter notes a 50% accuracy rate for this new slogan).
What's more important than the new vs. old look is what the change itself represents. This appears to me to be the dreaded "consultant's recommended image change", wherein it is decided that even though the station is underperforming, the sound of the station shouldn't be tinkered with ("indeed, our research shows no burnout on Boston and Cars tracks at all!"), its just the messaging and the logo that needs to be "freshend up" to give new listeners an opportunity to "discover", and older listeners an opportunity to "rediscover" the station. Bringing in a fresh, but known voice like Rita Wilde, but having her announce the same cadre of AOR hit songs, fits right into the plan.
Of course this change is "dreaded" because it is the last stop of a current format before an executive decision gets made to ax it in favor of something else. Since the listening audience does not care about the logo, or who in fact is telling us about the Police song that just aired, the changes that were recommended will fail to move the needle a bit and the end result is almost pre-determined. What it does do is give the current jocks time to freshen up their resumes and air-checks, because they will soon be needing them. Most people consider one year to be more than fair warning. Consider yourselves warned.
The only way I see this working is if the Sound really goes after KLOS head to head, much like KLOS did against KMET back in the day, but that would require a real change in their method of operation, otherwise David E.'s math prevails - there are only so many classic rock shares to be divided among three stations in this market, and someone has to lose.
Speaking of KMET, it looks like the KMET page that the Sound had on their website is gone with the corresponding new webpage design. Bad Move Sound management! The only time anyone has talked to me about your station is to tell me how much they enjoyed the KMET day a few years back and how (for some unknown reason) the current station actually reminds them of KMET. And the only time they got a real bounce in the ratings was in the aftermath of the KMET day, when they went 100% classic rock. I suspect part of the reason the page is gone is because Jeff Gonzer has been gone from the station for awhile now and the KMET day was (for better or worse) his baby.
What's more important than the new vs. old look is what the change itself represents. This appears to me to be the dreaded "consultant's recommended image change", wherein it is decided that even though the station is underperforming, the sound of the station shouldn't be tinkered with ("indeed, our research shows no burnout on Boston and Cars tracks at all!"), its just the messaging and the logo that needs to be "freshend up" to give new listeners an opportunity to "discover", and older listeners an opportunity to "rediscover" the station. Bringing in a fresh, but known voice like Rita Wilde, but having her announce the same cadre of AOR hit songs, fits right into the plan.
Of course this change is "dreaded" because it is the last stop of a current format before an executive decision gets made to ax it in favor of something else. Since the listening audience does not care about the logo, or who in fact is telling us about the Police song that just aired, the changes that were recommended will fail to move the needle a bit and the end result is almost pre-determined. What it does do is give the current jocks time to freshen up their resumes and air-checks, because they will soon be needing them. Most people consider one year to be more than fair warning. Consider yourselves warned.
The only way I see this working is if the Sound really goes after KLOS head to head, much like KLOS did against KMET back in the day, but that would require a real change in their method of operation, otherwise David E.'s math prevails - there are only so many classic rock shares to be divided among three stations in this market, and someone has to lose.
Speaking of KMET, it looks like the KMET page that the Sound had on their website is gone with the corresponding new webpage design. Bad Move Sound management! The only time anyone has talked to me about your station is to tell me how much they enjoyed the KMET day a few years back and how (for some unknown reason) the current station actually reminds them of KMET. And the only time they got a real bounce in the ratings was in the aftermath of the KMET day, when they went 100% classic rock. I suspect part of the reason the page is gone is because Jeff Gonzer has been gone from the station for awhile now and the KMET day was (for better or worse) his baby.
