What about a Reggae format in NYC?

[Brooklyndon]

To me, it seems like Reggae is one of those formats that, carefully executed, could appeal to tastes of both New York City and its suburbs. As a format, its billing potential is untested, but its common on pirate stations in the Bronx and in Brooklyn, and I know tons guys from Jersey and Long Island that like to unwind with a little Bob Marley on the commute home. I think listenership is there. And certainly beer companies and other image advertisers would see the format as creating favorable “relaxation” brand associations.

It seems like the type of format that Emmis, with its knowledgeable programming staff at 97.1 and 98.7, could put on its 101.9 frequency, pull in a suburban male audience, and also augment, not cannibalize, its urban audience, all without any competition from Clear Channel on terrestrial or CBS on Internet and HD2.

Thoughts?

 

[Barry]

WRTN, transmitting from the Bronx on 93.5 FM, has lots of reggae music programming. The pirate stations provide plenty of competition. When I occasionally visit a West Indian neighborhood in the Bronx, I hear lots of store radios tuned to various unlicensed Caribbean formatted stations.
There is also a full time (partially live) Caribbrean broadcast on 97.9 HD2.
I'm not convinced that WRXP is doing badly. People on radio boards who claim that it is seem to be basing their opinions merely on the overall ratings that are available to the public, rather than for the specific demos they are trying to reach.

 

[Brooklyndon]

WRTN, transmitting from the Bronx on 93.5 FM, has lots of reggae music programming. The pirate stations provide plenty of competition.

And they can be shut down at any time if a legitimate broadcaster files a complaint.  It's not real competition.

I'm not convinced that WRXP is doing badly. People on radio boards who claim that it is seem to be basing their opinions merely on the overall ratings that are available to the public, rather than for the specific demos they are trying to reach.

Yeah, that arguement holds water when trying to say that station #8 is fairing worse than station #6.  WRXP is station #20. No 20th ranked station is doing well in any demo.  It is a dog.  Face the truth.

 

[MarcB]

WLIB 1190 used to be Regaee before Air America LMA'd them. But after the LMA ended for whatever reason Inner City decided Gospel Music was a better option for WLIB.

 

[RadioFixerCLE]

RL-16 (WWRL) also used to do reggae music on the weekends, back when they were still at their original building in Woodside (Woodside Radio Laboratories).

However, when Air America leased time on that station, and the facilities moved to Manhattan, station ownership decided to go with bad infomercial talk on weekends. :-\

 

[MarcB]

Yep. They were Urban Oldies during the week and Regaee on the weekends. That also included the brokered West Indian Music Show The Bhawnie Singh Show, which moved over from WPAT 930. I remember that show because it was also carried on WXCT 990 in Hartford, Connecticut.

 

[kevinsealy]

Brooklyndon,

We know you're talking about a fulltime (24/7) station.

The only problem that this proposed format is besides never being tested on a fulltime bases, is there an audience for this music. Unless it is proven that the Reggae audience is growing, this music may just be reserved for specialty programs that's featured on WQHT (Hot 97).





Thanks,
Kevin L. Sealy

 

[nd2023]

Just tune in to one of the several pirate stations broadcasting reggae music. They ain't going anywhere.