Ratings/Revenue....
Ratings UP... in theory,
REVENUE increases as You can charge more.
yes ?
Ratings UP... in theory,
REVENUE increases as You can charge more.
yes ?
-
Get involved.
We want your input!
Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.
After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.
After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/
Thanks in advance and have fun!
RadioDiscussions Administrators
WBUF Flips To Rock
- Thread starter TheBigA
- Start date
Research? Heck, we've got a few on this board.
No.
Not all ratings reports are equally salable.
Certain formats, certain ages have greater appeal than others.
And on the local level, certain owners or groups and certain managers and sellers are more successful.
It's a lot more than just looking good in 12+. Remember, for about 35 years one of the top 2 or 3 billers in New York City has been around 15th in 12+ ratings.
But they are not co-owned, as relates to the discussion here proposing TSQ should have flipped 92.9 to Country, having two distinct Country formats, the existing and market dominating 106.5 and the theorized 92.9. There certainly is a gun fight in Pittsburgh between the iHeart and Entercom Country stations. The Forever cluster of Froggies (toads?) is comprised of rimshots with translators.
As to the theory of Cumulus moving 103.3 to Country, this would bring into play the rule of unintended consequences. It's been observed locally and nationally that Mary Berner and her cabinet have proven themselves to move deliberately and with reserve. Very likely, if a format flip on 103.3 was even broached after TSQ flipped 92.9 to again tangle with 97 Rock, Berner and her national and local staffs would be breaking down the numbers and thoroughly researching the advantages and consequences of such a flip: "What is there to be gained and what is there to be lost by flipping 103.3 to Country? Foremost, how much revenue is there to be lost?"
If there's revenue to be gained by flipping 103.3 to Country, it's theoretical. If there's revenue to be lost, it falls in the reality column of the ledger. At this juncture, it's a high risk roll of the dice. According to reliable sources in sales and programming the Edge is in better shape than was Jack with regard to ratings and revenue. So arguably, there's more to be lost than gained because flipping 103.3 out of Active Rock might put pressure on 97 to become something it's not and something it doesn't need to be. To quote Donald Rumsfeld, "There are known unknowns."
Cumulus has made a big investment in the Edge morning show and by extension the present format and remainder of the broadcast day, which under-performs the morning show. But the local managers have synergy to sell. The sales mavens that read and post here may say the synergy isn't being sold to its full potential, but the synergy exists. In which case, the issue is not the format.
But guessing, speculating and projecting always make this board interesting.
Back in the Randy Michaels era of Jacor and Clear Channel, there were great and entertaining stories of format flips to counter a competitor's flip. In some cases Michaels and his band of radio rebels made the decisions within hours of a competitor's flip. The closest parallel incident these days recently occurred in Detroit, when Canadian operator Bell flipped the formats of its two Windsor (Detroit) stations from Alt and AAA to CHR and Country. Within hours Entercom flipped its Soft AC The Breeze from All Christmas to Alternative to fill the void left by one of the Bell stations. This does not appear to be the manner in which Cumulus operates.
Frankly, it would serve this board and its radio-addicted posters if such a flip did occur, but to this poster it's not likely.
Then again...
There are two different discussions going on in this thread. One suggesting what you said, that obviously didn't happen, and the view presented by Buddy, who says Cumulus should flip The Edge to country. Buddy has also felt that 107.7 should have gone country. I gave three examples where one company is running two different country stations. I can also give examples where one company is running two competing hot country stations. In Kansas City, Steel City owns KBEQ and KFKF. Cumulus owns two competing hot country stations in Des Moines. Also similar examples in Austin and Dallas, but I expect you believe Buffalo is not like either of those cities, and I'd agree.
I'm just saying if you say Buffalo is like Pittsburgh, then Buffalo should be able to support at least one more country station. The fact that Syracuse and Erie each have two competing country stations shows that it can be done.
If you re-read his post, Buddy suggested that JACK should have flipped to Country. He said nothing about The Edge (or any Cumulus station) going Country. Maybe Cumulus will retaliate and jettison WHTT or WEDG if they think Country will create more revenue and get younger demos.
WYRK is often #1. I doubt that Townsquare ever considered adding a second Country format to their cluster.
For the time being, JACK is now a Classic Rock/Active Rock mix. The playlist looks really lame. Nothing but burned out shopworn fare...
Yeah. Like ANY of them would be a fit for the new WBUF. (And yes, I get the sarcasm.)
Someone that would be a perfect fit for the station(IF he was available)is Meltdown; he used to work at 103.3 when it was known as the Fox and just celebrated 25 years over at Detroit's WRIF.
My error. On page 3, he said it was JACK that should have gone Country. Of course, he thinks EVERYONE should go Country. Yet, WECK is still Oldies...
I feel like if Cumulus truly felt that country was the move on 103.3, they would've already one it. They clearly believe WEDG serves as an effective flanker to WGRF to not flip it. I also doubt flipping WHTT will happen thanks to the loss of Jack, if there even was any contention there.
I can see WBUF having some success if it really leaned towards a more mainstream, harder rock approach, with some actual personalities. Right now, it seems like it's basically trying to compete with both The Edge and WGRF and the same time. Pat Benatar into Weezer is kind of a yikes IMO. Hopefully that changes.
I can see WBUF having some success if it really leaned towards a more mainstream, harder rock approach, with some actual personalities. Right now, it seems like it's basically trying to compete with both The Edge and WGRF and the same time. Pat Benatar into Weezer is kind of a yikes IMO. Hopefully that changes.
I don't know how many 25-45 year olds are listening to Def Leppard, Loverboy, and other Hair Bands. Maybe in Buffalo. If this format is such a gold mine as you say, why was JACK around for 15 years? They could have made this switch 10 years ago...
Jack plays those artists too. I guess you've never listened.
That's kind of the point. This is just another rehashed format. They've dropped some artists and added more Classic Rock titles. A lot of the songs will be the same.
Many people may not even notice the change...
So what? Chipotle is just another burrito joint. TikTok is just another app. You're just another complainer. Ho hum.
Maybe that is the idea... hold much of the cume, perhaps broaden it a bit, perhaps target a bit younger, and save some money.
Some format shifts are intended to create better cluster strategies, and don't necessarily have the objective of increasing ratings.
Pincer strategy. WGR sports radio 550 on one side of 97, "Everything that rocks" WBUF on the other, the goal being further fragmenting Men 35-54.
Question: Does "everything that rocks" box 92.9 in a corner? There will be no Steely Dan, Rain Song, Angie type songs, and there are more than a few good mid-down tempo songs from 90s and Y2K groups. These are the type of songs that add flavor to 97 that 92.9 wouldn't play by virtue of its "everything that rocks" branding. Or is the issue of tempo irrelevant?
Question: Does "everything that rocks" box 92.9 in a corner? There will be no Steely Dan, Rain Song, Angie type songs, and there are more than a few good mid-down tempo songs from 90s and Y2K groups. These are the type of songs that add flavor to 97 that 92.9 wouldn't play by virtue of its "everything that rocks" branding. Or is the issue of tempo irrelevant?
Seriously, you're comparing a little AM with 3 FM translators to a 76,000 watts Class B FM with a monster signal in the market?
If those translators cover the bulk of the population of the two-county market, the big signal has no huge advantage.
If you're talking about WBUF and WECK, look at the ratings. One has a big signal and the other is an AM with FM translators. The ratings are a virtual tie in the mid 2 share range. (Oldies vs Variety Hits). The big signal on 92.9 has provided no advantage. WECK may actually generate more revenue than 92.9. WBUF has just shifted to harder Rock, but that doesn't guarantee better ratings/revenue.
In the course of this thread, WECK'S owner has suggested that JACK and The Edge should flip to Country. If he thinks he can do better with Country than Oldies, he could try it with his own station...
- Status