V-103 OUT OF BREATH ?

[gregg75]

The May ratings are out www.arbitron.com and these have to be the lowest
ratings EVER for V-103. Although still #1, they are about half what they
were 10 years ago. No wonder the recent talent shake-up there. Why???

I think all the other R&B and Hip-Hop stations in town have found their
niche and have slowly chipped away from 103. But, that being said, they
can only TAKE AWAY as much as "V" allows them to take. Most of the
others are holding steady or increasing while V-103 seems to be on a
downward spiral.

Talent can only go so far, is it the station's misguided management
bringing them down? Could this be where changes are really needed?

 

[wooder]

Although still #1, they are about half what they were 10 years ago.
No wonder the recent talent shake-up there. Why???

Talent can only go so far, is it the station's misguided management
bringing them down? Could this be where changes are really needed?

Misguided management? V is arguably one of - if not THE - most powerful urban stations in the country. You can't say "Although they are still #1....".
Fact is, they are still #1. Sure they're gonna lose a point hear or there when other competitors enter the market, but to be this dominant still tells me management knows exactly what they're doing. They also happen to print money for CBS.

 

[ShawtyBlack_ATL]

Whoa, never seen V103 that low in 12+. HOT 107.9 is dropping too. They always stayed in the 4 shares, but now they're dropping to 95.5 THE BEAT's level.

 

[RoddyFreeman]

V-103's shares were actually slightly lower at the end of 2006 in the waning days of Tony Brown. But of course that was before the Portable People Meter.

V-103 is still a very dominant station, especially in its target demos. The station happens to have very good management.

 

[rodneyho]

One month doesn't mean much. Let's see how things go during the summer when V-103 should excel.

 

[secondchoice]

How many radio stations have a bad ratings period and remain #1? If you owned V103 and could swap even with any other Atlanta station what or who would you swap for revenue wise? I personally think the recent on air staff cuts/changes are going to take a Littel (sorry for the pun) out of the V. If I was running the operation, Joyce would be back. It is hard to be the “Peoples” station with out people!

 

[Tibbs4]

PPM didn't help Urban formats either...

 

[jabba17]

PPM didn't help Urban formats either...

But ATL has had PPM for a while...why the problems now?

 

[kilamanjero]

PPM didn't help Urban formats either...

Actually, WVEE jumped in ratings post-PPM. It was recording a 10+ share within the first few months of the PPM introduction last year.

 

[kilamanjero]

I'm like Rodney Ho, doubt it is apart of a trend. WALR has finally found their niche in the PPM environ, but doubt they will ever surpass WVEE. Also WPZE has found its niche as well.

WVEE has some slip ups like getting rid of Joyce Littel, but I think Reggie Rouse and Rick Cafferty will decide on whom to place there doing the "Quiet Storm" program and middays. The midday slot should be filled with either Ramona Debreaux or Shay Moore since both have the background in major market midday slots. If they don't bring back Joyce Littel then Osei should do it at nights from 10pm to 2am.

The core of V-103 is their talent combined with strategic selection of music programming throughout the day. They are not only one of the most powerful urban stations in the nation but one of the few whom still chooses to be an "urban contemporary" in a major market, which means they daypart themselves to compete against anyone whom wants to play hip-hop and R&B/soul music.

 

[InSearchOfGear]

Considering how many stations are gunning for them now that didn't exist a decade ago, and the fact they're coming at them from all angles (Urban, Urban AC, Gospel) I'd say they have to be pretty proud of staying at the top of the heap for as long as they've been at it. V remains strong after all these years because they keep reinventing themselves and don't get bogged down by their past. A lesson that needs to be learned by many stations across this great land of ours. The product speaks for itself. When you listen to V, you know you're in ATL and part of a community. That's what radio is supposed to be doing. 12+ #'s wax and wane as people age from demo to another. Check their target.

'nuff said.

 

[secondchoice]

If you owned V103 and could swap even with any other Atlanta station what or who would you swap for revenue wise?

Still no takers.

 

[ShawtyBlack_ATL]

If you owned V103 and could swap even with any other Atlanta station what or who would you swap for revenue wise?

Still no takers.

v-103 IS AN ALRIGHT STATION, BUT THEY HAVE THE BEST SIGNAL IN TOWN SO I WOULDN'T GIVE TO MUCH PRAISE TO THEM.

 

[kilamanjero]

If you owned V103 and could swap even with any other Atlanta station what or who would you swap for revenue wise?

Still no takers.

v-103 IS AN ALRIGHT STATION, BUT THEY HAVE THE BEST SIGNAL IN TOWN SO I WOULDN'T GIVE TO MUCH PRAISE TO THEM.

I doubt even if 97.5, 104.1 107.5, and 107.9 had better overall market coverage that they would be able to take down WVEE. The segmentation of urban format can only work so much in the overall 12+ in a place like Atlanta, where a number of people tend to want to listen to a variety of songs not just the top spun hip-hop and R&B songs currently on the Billboard Hip-Hop/R&B panel. Also the weekday syndication on those other stations doesn't help them craft much of a distinct sound unique to Atlanta either. They sound like the urban stations heard in Birmingham, Macon, Savannah, Columbus, Albany, Mobile, and Montgomery where most are filled with syndication on their top billing periods like mornings and afternoons.

 

[RoddyFreeman]

I agree. V-103's success is a combination of signal, community, unique programming, great personalities, heritage, and being live and local. It's been a great station all around.

 

[GRS86]

I agree. V-103's success is a combination of signal, community, unique programming, great personalities, heritage, and being live and local. It's been a great station all around.

I'd say that a lot of V-103's success over the years is attributed to being the only station catering to an African American audience that has a strong, penetrating signal throughout the metro area, not just in a portion of it. There are a lot of radios tuned to V-103 not because it's a good station, but because it's the only station catering to a Black audience that either a lot of folks can receive with a typical household radio clearly, or can receive at all. If all of the stations catering to a Black audience here in Atlanta had signal parity, it would be a totally different ballgame.

 

[InSearchOfGear]

If all of the stations catering to a Black audience here in Atlanta had signal parity, it would be a totally different ballgame.

Not if those stations are owned by R-1.

 

[gregg75]

I think it's the "heritage" aspect that makes them vulnerable. First, they became complacent with
being the only station in town................now, the same can be said for always being #1. They sit back, put their feet up on the desk, smoke a pipe..........and before you know it their guard is down, windows and doors are open, T's are not crossed, I's are not dotted.................and then BAM they're not #1 anymore.

Their next ratings will tell the story. Was this a temporary drop? Did the talent shuffle help? Have the brakes been put on thier decade of audience loss? OR does their format need some tweaking to be fully competitive in 2010???

 

[jabba17]

I agree. V-103's success is a combination of signal, community, unique programming, great personalities, heritage, and being live and local. It's been a great station all around.

I'd say that a lot of V-103's success over the years is attributed to being the only station catering to an African American audience that has a strong, penetrating signal throughout the metro area, not just in a portion of it. There are a lot of radios tuned to V-103 not because it's a good station, but because it's the only station catering to a Black audience that either a lot of folks can receive with a typical household radio clearly, or can receive at all. If all of the stations catering to a Black audience here in Atlanta had signal parity, it would be a totally different ballgame.

You might have a point. Remember the Cox-Dickey (Midwestern) joint venture AURA (ATL Urban Radio Alliance) from about 15-20 years ago where Cox made a run at V-103 with 104.1 and 104.7 (then owned by Dickey/Midwestern) and 1340? Failed miserably...both 104.1 and 104.7 were not as close in as they are today...and 1340 remains a joke then as now.

Cox has had a man crush on V-103 ever since.