What format would do well in Atlanta right now?

[buggo1]

The absolute best example of All-News is WTOP/Washington DC, which is currently top five 12+, number one in cume, makes boatloads of money....oh, and they're on FM. Plus their staff just doesn't leave, so you know they're not chewing through staff nor shoestringin' it. In fact, the success of WTOP spawned an all Federal News station (WFED) and a long-form All News station with the Washington Post (WTWP) which is simulcast on AM and FM.

The combined share and revenue of the 2 CBS All-News stations in New York (WINS & WCBS) is huge. Same goes for KNX/KFWB in Los Angeles.

All News in Atlanta would work, and work well. But do it on a real signal! And since Atlanta has a grand total of 1 AM that doesn't have signal problems in some portion of the market at night (750) it would almost need to be on FM. Considering the success of WTOP, it's a doable thing here - especially if the ownership and management is committed.

Besides, if you do All News here you instantly have the ears of almost all of the newsroom, anchor and operations staff at One CNN Center. And that has to count for something.

 

[Windreader]

All you've done is quote back to me the same numbers I gave you a few weeks ago. DC is a unique market. New York and LA are large enough to incorporate even the most baroque radio formats. It's not a viable choice in most places. Nobody in Atlanta will take another chance on all news in Atlanta, certainly not in the current radio environment... which is less, not more.

 

[Evangelist]

All News DOESN'T WORK... it's the most expensive format on the planet; it eats through people and resources at an unbelievable rate and has practically no audience retention. Nearly every station that tried it found it necessary to convert to "news/talk" to remain solvent.

I'll take a wild guess that you're not consulting CBS Radio. ;D

The CBS properties in Philly are news/TALK.

No, they're not. Only WPHT is news/talk. KYW has been all-news, all the time since 1965. It consistently ranks in the Top 5.

 

[RadioGaGa75]

An Oldies format would do well, as long as you can get some sales-weasels that are willing to sell outside the 285 loop.

That's right. . .sales weasels who are actually willing to hit the streets outside the 285 loop instead of waiting on the fax to ring.


BRILLIANT POST bnaivar! ;D

 

[buggo1]

All you've done is quote back to me the same numbers I gave you a few weeks ago. DC is a unique market. New York and LA are large enough to incorporate even the most baroque radio formats. It's not a viable choice in most places. Nobody in Atlanta will take another chance on all news in Atlanta, certainly not in the current radio environment... which is less, not more.

No argument that DC is a unique animal, but it still says something that WTOP is the top cumer in town with 2 other variations of all-news on the air (WFED & WTWP) in the market. There's no doubt that it can work in Atlanta, but it requires an owner who's committed to it.

Oh, and if KQV/Pittsburgh can consistently be in the black as an all-newser with signal problems and a 1.0 share then there's no reason why it's not on the air here.

 

[Windreader]

There's no doubt that it can work in Atlanta

Excuse me? Obviously, there is plenty of doubt or it would have happened by now... and it's not going to. Every trend in this market is headed in exactly the opposite direction. I don't really see the validity of cherry picking a couple of isolated instances where "all news" is still hanging on. The question is: what format would do well HERE?

 

[deadman]

Two Formats -
DANCE - a hybrid of XM RADIO's BPM,The Move, & The System
Talk & Rock - Opie and Anthony in the morning; Sean Demery - Middays; Toucher & Rich - Afternoon Drive; Axel - Evenings.

 

[bdcsi]

The problem with predicting a successful format in Atlanta is none of the other major market models and scenarios are anything like Atlanta. We are under allocated. There is no incentive at all to do anything other what somebody else is doing. What I would personally like to hear is a station that doesn't feel like they have to ID every person on the air as WXXX's (insert jock name). Whatever happened to the legal ID at the top and bottom of the hour and every now and then..not every time the jock/news guy opens their mouth. I can't listen to Atlanta's morning news for this very reason.. and a few of those folks are friends of mine!

If I had a big stick, downtown... FM.... I would....... Sell it!

BD

 

[coachmark1]

I wish someone in the schools would form a house, power dance and electronica with a top40 mix type of station. I listen to one on-line (Seattle's c89.5), that is run by Nathan Hale High School students. It is the greatest station playing cutting edge stuff that shows up on Star, Q-100, the Beat and many other "top40" type stations about 3-4months after I hear it on c89.5...

 

[millhouse]

Talk & Rock - Opie and Anthony in the morning; Sean Demery - Middays; Toucher & Rich - Afternoon Drive; Axel - Evenings.

...and Leslie Fram programming with Keith Eubanks (r.i.p. no disrespect) voicing the station. Deadman, there are other good radio people out *there (* outside of GA.) other than the people you constantly harangue us all about. Toucher isnt dominating in Boston. I heard they got their asses handed to them by WAAF as a matter of fact. They arent even winning the dumb, white male Rock audience. So did Opie and Anthony. But you continue to worship at their altar of arrogance/stupidity. Figures.

 

[littlejohn]

They won't be the first people who got handed their heads by WAAF from "High above the Cocaine Realty Building! WAAF - CRANK IT UP!!!"
What ever became of Zip Zipfel and the crew from the early days? They'd do well here.