Great. Do all radio like that then.
-
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
What's going on at JOY...oops, I mean MIX 96?
- Thread starter Rob Piotrowski
- Start date
Great. Do all radio like that then.
Like grandpap says, never put all your eggs in the same basket.
Unlike your handle, clearly you don't know radio cluster programming strategies. WBUF is a "flanker" station - one with a format that takes listeners from the competition without cannibalizing the cluster's other stations. Jack is a low-cost format that fits perfectly in that flanker role. It raises angst with a handful of folks on an anonymous radio board, but I bet TSM management don't give a whit.
Management does indeed read this board, and at times a few comments from a few posters get under their skin. Most often they snicker at some of the propositions here. They certainly don't make decisions based on what posters here opine. Why would they? Jack is indeed a flanker, but it has at times skinned Mix, especially as the latter has become more current-recurrent-90s intensive. Jack mostly gets in the hair of 97, 103 and 104. Yezi has been around here for years, and although he can sometimes appear obtuse, (who among us hasn't) he's contributed some good commentary to this board, especially when Canadian issues come into play. Cut the guy some slack.
Usually you use a deficient signal as a flanker or niche format. 107.7 is an example. My point is that they have a big signal on 92.9 that they're not using to its full potential. It does what it does relatively consistently, but it could be more. In particular, 97-Rock lost a heritage morning talent. Townsquare had an opportunity to crank up a competitive morning show, and did nothing. Seems to me like an opportunity lost.
The current format on 107.7 is not a niche. It's a mainstream
Rock format on a limited signal. Something like The Lake or a
AAA format would be a niche. "Alternative" is a misleading moniker.
92.9 was once Alternative and abandoned it.
Ratings may no longer matter, but we know which approach
reached a larger audience on 107.7 FM...
Rock format on a limited signal. Something like The Lake or a
AAA format would be a niche. "Alternative" is a misleading moniker.
92.9 was once Alternative and abandoned it.
Ratings may no longer matter, but we know which approach
reached a larger audience on 107.7 FM...
Here we go again...
The heritage morning talent retired. He's almost 70. Allow him to retire gracefully. You don't want him to be like Imus in NYC.
And as I've said before, adding talent to Jack is a break in format, a format controlled by Sparknet.
Point taken. Apologies to you, Yezi.
Maybe TSM ran the numbers and determined it would make more money to keep what they've got on 92.9 than lay out the cash to hire a morning show, promote the hell out of it and give it time to get traction in a community not known for embracing "new" and "different" (which is why Norton's legacy is so hard to erase).
And to "A" - When KFMB/SD ran the Jack format it had the “Dave, Shelly and Chainsaw” morning show - so clearly it does NOT break format having talent on a Jack station.
Just because one station does something doesn't mean it's not a break in format.
So when is a break in format not a break in format? When "A" is doing the talking. Sheesh. (standing by for "A"'s retort...)
First of all, Norton's a ways from 70. Secondly, who's against "allowing him to retire gracefully" (as if he'd give a rat's butt about what you consider "graceful").
The "Jack" format insists on no jocks for several months after the format is instituted. They are more flexible beyond that period. Townsquare could also simply jettison "Jack" - as a number of stations have done - and do their own brand of Adult Hits. The point remains that it's a big signal that's underachieving.
The "Jack" format insists on no jocks for several months after the format is instituted. They are more flexible beyond that period. Townsquare could also simply jettison "Jack" - as a number of stations have done - and do their own brand of Adult Hits. The point remains that it's a big signal that's underachieving.
No, they obviously found a way to get permission to break format from Sparknet. They're not the only one.
It doesn't change the fact that for almost all of the stations who use Jack, there are no local personalities. That's part of the format design.
Townsquare would either have to get permission from Sparknet, or drop the format altogether.
I haven't seen any evidence that they are unhappy with the performance for the format as it is.
That's not true. The format contract has a number of rules in order for you to use their copyright. No local DJs is one of them.
Two stations out of 44 got an exemption to that rule. One ultimately dropped the format. The second still uses it. They are current ranked #9 in their market, with the same size share as WBUF.
The station makes a ton of money with minimal expenses. How is that underachieving?
Last edited:
"Ton of money"? Sez who? If that's true, why is Townsquare second in the market to Entercom, who arguably has a much weaker group of facilities?
As stated several time earlier, does Townsquare really need "Jack"? They're more than capable of executing a similar - and perhaps more locally oriented - format.
As stated several time earlier, does Townsquare really need "Jack"? They're more than capable of executing a similar - and perhaps more locally oriented - format.
Last edited:
My complete sentence was "ton of money with minimal expenses." That's the difference. The goal isn't revenue, but profit. Just as the ratings goal isn't 6+ numbers, but demographics. Entercom is #1 in revenue because sports and talk make more money than music. But they also COST more to operate. That eats away at profits. The TS cluster has three stations with large staffs, and one station with little or no staff. If that balance changes, they might have to make some staff cuts at the other stations.
Did CBS really need Jack? They were capable of doing it themselves. But that's not what they did. CBS is still using Jack at KCBS in Los Angeles. The same market where they own the classic hits leader KRTH. It's getting a 3 share there, just like WBUF. Sure they have the resources to do a variety hits station themselves. But they haven't. There must be something THEY know that you don't know. The big difference being that it's their job to know.
All this attention to Jack on a thread about Mix is amusing. I heard Mix is testing a new co-host with Laura Daniels in morning drive. The guy's name is Tony. He's a local comedian. I listen to Mix only so often, but my wife listens regularly. She tells me this is the fourth or fifth co-host since Joe Chile left. After a while, you have to wonder, is it the host or co-host who needs replacing.
Thank-you Element9!
Thank-you. Apology accepted.
- Status