WBNR/WLNA Where's the Numbers?

[MTNProductions]

This is definitely my follow-up to the previous post that I have just mentioned. As you know, to get back on a recent Nielson Audio's HV ratings book, WBNR in Newburgh and WLNA in Middletown both never showed up in the ratings, thanks to WRWD and "The Wolf" for putting country on there. It's been a few months since WBNR and WLNA gave up "Hudson Valley Talk Radio" to make way for "Real Country" as part of the Cumulus Networks under the "Powered by Nash" tag as you've heard on any of the non-Cumulus outlets using the brand. This is same problem that they did with "Fox Oldies". I listened to "Real Country" on 1260 and 1420 AM via TuneIn and it sounds good, but it's a mixed bag of classic country gold as well as many songs from the last several years right into the 2000's. This is even worse than the other two country stations that do successfully well. Where I live in Kingston, WBNR's signal is terrible where you cannot reach. Poughkeepsie had a decent signal at all, but thanks to the other two country stations like I said.

WBNR and WLNA didn't show up well in numbers, but I have to plead guilty on the "Real Country" format which has been around since Spring. Pamal would disagree about this one. Look at CC's WRWD, it did incredibly well and so does Townsquare's "The Wolf", it does very well with the exception of CJ. He does a great morning show, and I love CJ, and I'm a huge fan going back to the "B94" days as a CHR station before "The Wolf" came along. I hope CJ will do better, but the station sounds okay, Brandy Hunter has let go from middays to make way for Jess, because Brandy is now on WRRV doing mornings with Deuce and she's not going back to "The Wolf".

I hope the station should've have a translator for FM to relay WBNR and WLNA to bring in fans of the "Real Country" format, but it's not happening. "Real Country" on 1260 and 1420 are a complete waste, that is too many country stations in the HV listening area. I hope that "Real Country" will fall flat in the face in the Fall ratings when it comes out.

 

[Unregistered]

[QUOTE="Real Country" on 1260 and 1420 are a complete waste, that is too many country stations in the HV listening area. [/QUOTE]
To a non-country fan it may seem like too many stations but to long time country listeners 'Real Country' and contemporary country are 2 distinct formats. It would be like saying why have an oldies station when you already have several Top 40 stations in the market. I have listened to country for many years but right now it is stuck in one of those cycles of too many same sounding songs. "Real Country" is right now focused on the '70's-'90s with some older & newer songs that sound little like the country of today, a period of creative and interesting lyrics and singers. Whether or not they find their audience, it is probably not people listening to contemporary country radio.

 

[Unregistered]

Wbnr/wlna

First of all it's WBNR/Beacon, and it's WLNA/Peekskill, not Newburgh and Middletown as you stated. Secondly small AM station aren't going to show in the new HV market of Orange, Westchester and Putnam counties. Some of the smaller FM stations don't cover the entire market and struggle to show in the ratings. For example, WGJK/Newburgh has a .8 and WRRV/Middletown has a .7, while WFAS-FM/White Plains prior to format switch had a .6. We should be applauding WBNR/WLNA for doing something instead of syndicated talk or sports. The sales department will probably use these stations as add ons when selling WHUD and WSPK.

 

[MTNProductions]

First of all it's WBNR/Beacon, and it's WLNA/Peekskill, not Newburgh and Middletown as you stated.

Thanks for the correction. Sorry, my mistake!

Secondly small AM station aren't going to show in the new HV market of Orange, Westchester and Putnam counties. Some of the smaller FM stations don't cover the entire market and struggle to show in the ratings. For example, WGJK/Newburgh has a .8 and WRRV/Middletown has a .7, while WFAS-FM/White Plains prior to format switch had a .6. We should be applauding WBNR/WLNA for doing something instead of syndicated talk or sports. The sales department will probably use these stations as add ons when selling WHUD and WSPK.

Like I said, in the Poughkeepsie market, the two oldies stations like WGNY-FM and WEOK both have no ratings, except WBPM has gained a few numbers above the 1.0. To get back on the country bandwagon, WRWD did very well and so does WKXP/WZAD's "The Wolf" did okay, except due to the Yankee games which is simulcasting from WFAN on both AM AT 660 & FM on 101.9 in NYC, but the Yankees on "The Wolf" sounded a lot like WFAN which is on 101.9 which is kinda odd and it's the flagship of Yankees Radio Network.

Over on WBNR/WLNA's "Real Country", nothing, it's just the same thing that WRWD and "The Wolf" plays is still a waste of time since Pamal flipped it back in April. Like I said, "Real Country" is a syndicated network that play country gold from the 60's through the 90's and they thrown in a few stuff from the 2000's which fits the "Real Country" brand.

 

[Unregistered]

Wbnr/wlna

Who cares what the FM Country stations are doing. Yes, Real Country is a syndicated format, again who cares. The format is aimed at those that want a more traditional Country sound. Praise to Pamal for doing something on AM besides national talk and sports. I actually listen to WLNA, and I like it. They aren't going to get ratings, they didn't have ratings with the syndicated talk programs either. WABC and WOR are struggling to get numbers. By the way, the vast majority of the FM stations in the HV market are voice tracked, and their ratings aren't great. Yes, there are now three Country stations in the Poughkeepsie market (minus WLNA). Now why don't you count all the Contemporary music stations. That number is bigger. K104, WHUD, Lite 92, CZX and Kiss FM come to mind all play a lot of the same artists.

 

[wavesurfer]

Pamal should put that Country AM station on an FM repeater in PK. that would be fun.

 

[Roger]

I think that Pamal should put Real County on WBPM 92.9 and have JJ Carter do the morning show.