As we approach the 4th quarter of this year, does anyone have a crystal ball handy with what's next for Jax Radio before 2012? Any more format flips, changes, or tweaks? For example, the recent sudden departure of Gail Austin could indicate more possible change is in the air at WQIK, and, maybe not. Any predictions and opinions are welcome.
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What's Next For Jacksonville Radio?
- Thread starter nfladxer
- Start date
According to the August 6+ PPM's just out, it would appear that 99.9 Gator Country has shifted the Country landscape in their favor in a large way! Meanwhile, even though the newly re-tooled 97.9 Now-FM has made a nice gain, 95.1 WAPE is now at the top of the pack!
It will be interesting to see how this all trends out over the next few months...
It will be interesting to see how this all trends out over the next few months...
Nfladxer, you’ve created what could be an interesting string. As far as what’s next, it’s probably the stuff of a bean counters climax, You know, all the cost cutting and job eliminations all done of course in the name of PPM. Perhaps I’m not my usual, positive self because I’m bummed out. The business of radio is something that has always fascinated me but today there is too much business in radio if that makes any sense.
I won’t give specifics as I don’t believe it has been made public but I am aware of another one of those job eliminations. Since these things happen often, we are supposed to be immune to bad news. Don't count me in that category. So, I’ll just say this person has earned my respect over the years for his abilities, talent and tenure in the Jax market. I wish him well.
With a new manager on board over at CC Jax, the smart money probably spells change there. The benchmark has been established and the new guy probably is tasked with increasing CC’s market share narrowing the wide gap with Cox. All the usual near impossible goals are probably thrown in there for good measure as well. Perhaps wishful thinking but I keep hoping the listener will be treated to something really good.
Anyone who replaces a previous manager also inherits past decisions. Lately, I have been thinking back to that Aloha Trust thing where Rooster Country was killed off. I don't believe that was the correct decision. I may say more on this later. Still, IMO CC Jax has some good formats but they are underperforming. The big task at hand is to change that trend/ And so we will watch or I should say listen to what will surely follow.
I won’t give specifics as I don’t believe it has been made public but I am aware of another one of those job eliminations. Since these things happen often, we are supposed to be immune to bad news. Don't count me in that category. So, I’ll just say this person has earned my respect over the years for his abilities, talent and tenure in the Jax market. I wish him well.
With a new manager on board over at CC Jax, the smart money probably spells change there. The benchmark has been established and the new guy probably is tasked with increasing CC’s market share narrowing the wide gap with Cox. All the usual near impossible goals are probably thrown in there for good measure as well. Perhaps wishful thinking but I keep hoping the listener will be treated to something really good.
Anyone who replaces a previous manager also inherits past decisions. Lately, I have been thinking back to that Aloha Trust thing where Rooster Country was killed off. I don't believe that was the correct decision. I may say more on this later. Still, IMO CC Jax has some good formats but they are underperforming. The big task at hand is to change that trend/ And so we will watch or I should say listen to what will surely follow.
To follow-up on the last post, I've been informed that it is public knowledge A.J. Davis - OM @ WBOB has been released. In keeping with the subject string, maybe there is new direction for WBOB - maybe not. Having extensive experience in numerous music formats as well as news/talk experience. Well, as they say, it can't hurt. I wouldn't be surprised A.J. Davis turns up somewhere in JVille. 
This should probably be posted on a new thread, but I thought it was still appropriate here. Arbitron issued new market ranks today. Jacksonville drops 4 positions from Persons 12+ Market #46 to Market #50! Year to year, looks like the Jax metro lost population - not the best Chamber of Commerce trend, I would think.
Out of curiosity, I read through the “Ocala-Gainesville Radio Format Holes” string and found it very interesting. Poster Rick Schmidt provided examples of song titles and also went into detail comparing a Modern AC format to others and even listed artists that would not be a part of a Modern AC. IMO, it was well thought out – good job!
I will admit knowing nothing about Modern AC or for that matter most anything contemporary as it applies to music formats. But when I think of Jax Radio, in what may surprise many of you, I am of the opinion we have way too many stations playing a lot of the same songs but too many are featuring songs from 4 decades ago – the 70’s.
I’ve taken a serious look at ratings in other markets that feature the classic hits format more along the lines of what we have in WJGH. First off, by definition, hybrid oldies is where we should expect to hear a lot of 70s songs not heard on other stations. Here in Jax, we have country oldies and a number of stations playing classic rock tracks going back to the 70s as well. Our AC features a lot of old music. The other day I went out to eat and I thought the business had Magic 107.3 on. I was wrong - it was the AC station. In a 7 song set, I counted 5 (70s and 80s) songs I often hear on Magic. Our AC having a track record of success, perhaps there is an unwillingness to modernize a bit. But I’m beginning to think something is going to have to give somewhere to reduce all this song duplication. It's no wonder the Classic Hits audience seems to have lost a good number of listeners. Hard to figure where they went but I'm thinking they headed to music offered from this century from country to rock and CHR.
In other markets I am noticing the 70s have pretty much vanished on AC. Cox’s AC in Miami will very occasionally go back to the 70s and it’s just to feature one of the disco devas such as Donna Summer. That seems to work given a lot of their rhythmic orientation. The Greatest Hits station in that market concentrates more on rock 'n roll so you have far less overlap as you have here in Jax. "The Best Variety of the 90's, 2K, and Today" is a tagline I’m seeing more and more elsewhere. Could that work here?
If you are interested, take a look at the song list Rick provided in that other string. Since I don’t know the music, does Jax offer anything like this and should it? If a Modern AC came to Jax, what impacts would that make and what station would be most effected? I have no idea where this format would fit but I often think of the very positive response when RadioNow was born and they did that Throwback weekend presentation. My understanding is they went back to lots of 90s hits. Maybe the 90s are underrepresented, maybe not – I don’t know. I'm thinking 97.9 may have better luck not competing with WAPE directly. Thoughts?
I will admit knowing nothing about Modern AC or for that matter most anything contemporary as it applies to music formats. But when I think of Jax Radio, in what may surprise many of you, I am of the opinion we have way too many stations playing a lot of the same songs but too many are featuring songs from 4 decades ago – the 70’s.
I’ve taken a serious look at ratings in other markets that feature the classic hits format more along the lines of what we have in WJGH. First off, by definition, hybrid oldies is where we should expect to hear a lot of 70s songs not heard on other stations. Here in Jax, we have country oldies and a number of stations playing classic rock tracks going back to the 70s as well. Our AC features a lot of old music. The other day I went out to eat and I thought the business had Magic 107.3 on. I was wrong - it was the AC station. In a 7 song set, I counted 5 (70s and 80s) songs I often hear on Magic. Our AC having a track record of success, perhaps there is an unwillingness to modernize a bit. But I’m beginning to think something is going to have to give somewhere to reduce all this song duplication. It's no wonder the Classic Hits audience seems to have lost a good number of listeners. Hard to figure where they went but I'm thinking they headed to music offered from this century from country to rock and CHR.
In other markets I am noticing the 70s have pretty much vanished on AC. Cox’s AC in Miami will very occasionally go back to the 70s and it’s just to feature one of the disco devas such as Donna Summer. That seems to work given a lot of their rhythmic orientation. The Greatest Hits station in that market concentrates more on rock 'n roll so you have far less overlap as you have here in Jax. "The Best Variety of the 90's, 2K, and Today" is a tagline I’m seeing more and more elsewhere. Could that work here?
If you are interested, take a look at the song list Rick provided in that other string. Since I don’t know the music, does Jax offer anything like this and should it? If a Modern AC came to Jax, what impacts would that make and what station would be most effected? I have no idea where this format would fit but I often think of the very positive response when RadioNow was born and they did that Throwback weekend presentation. My understanding is they went back to lots of 90s hits. Maybe the 90s are underrepresented, maybe not – I don’t know. I'm thinking 97.9 may have better luck not competing with WAPE directly. Thoughts?
In the last post, I asked what I believe were very valid questions. At a minimum I would have expected something like “John, a Modern AC could work in Jax for these reasons or John, no a Modern AC would not be a good idea and here’s why.” Oh well.
In the meantime, in case you hadn’t heard, Patty Steele is back on NYC radio as the producer and sidekick for the 10am-noon Joe Crummey talk show on WABC News/Talker. If Patty is still heard on WYRE-FM here in St. Aug, she would have to be VT-ing. If not, perhaps there are changes at WYRE?
Per the last post as well regarding song duplication, Magic 107.3 (WJGH) rolled out Retro Saturday Night with Tony Mann 7-midnight. It was really awesome hearing songs I never heard in Jax before. I felt like I was transferred back in time listening to a lot of the elements of the old Y-100.Miami of the late 70s/early 80s. If you include AT40 the 70s as well, at least there are opportunities to hear some different songs. Differentiating yourself from all the others is half the battle. Across the country, the Greatest Hits formats are adding more rhythmic elements to programming. IMO, it's the way to go.
In the meantime, in case you hadn’t heard, Patty Steele is back on NYC radio as the producer and sidekick for the 10am-noon Joe Crummey talk show on WABC News/Talker. If Patty is still heard on WYRE-FM here in St. Aug, she would have to be VT-ing. If not, perhaps there are changes at WYRE?
Per the last post as well regarding song duplication, Magic 107.3 (WJGH) rolled out Retro Saturday Night with Tony Mann 7-midnight. It was really awesome hearing songs I never heard in Jax before. I felt like I was transferred back in time listening to a lot of the elements of the old Y-100.Miami of the late 70s/early 80s. If you include AT40 the 70s as well, at least there are opportunities to hear some different songs. Differentiating yourself from all the others is half the battle. Across the country, the Greatest Hits formats are adding more rhythmic elements to programming. IMO, it's the way to go.
JohnJax,
Yes, Tony Mann did a great job with the new Saturday Night Dance feature on Magic 107.3 - He knows the music and presents it well. Although the show sounded voice tracked and not live. I assume you heard most of this music, when it was new, in South Florida, in your younger years. Of course, just as in Miami, most of the Disco hits were being played here in the late 70's and early 80's on several stations. I remember hearing them mostly on WAPE AM 690, and on Y-103 (WIVY-FM 102.9)! Also, regarding saturday evening specialty programming - the old Adult Contemporary 97 WAIV (96.9 FM) started a "Saturday Night at the Oldies" show, which was live and local, and they took requests! As I recall, the program became very popular, and eventually, in a way, led to WAIV becoming full time Oldies WKQL (Cool 96.9) in 1990, until that format's demise around 2005.
Yes, Tony Mann did a great job with the new Saturday Night Dance feature on Magic 107.3 - He knows the music and presents it well. Although the show sounded voice tracked and not live. I assume you heard most of this music, when it was new, in South Florida, in your younger years. Of course, just as in Miami, most of the Disco hits were being played here in the late 70's and early 80's on several stations. I remember hearing them mostly on WAPE AM 690, and on Y-103 (WIVY-FM 102.9)! Also, regarding saturday evening specialty programming - the old Adult Contemporary 97 WAIV (96.9 FM) started a "Saturday Night at the Oldies" show, which was live and local, and they took requests! As I recall, the program became very popular, and eventually, in a way, led to WAIV becoming full time Oldies WKQL (Cool 96.9) in 1990, until that format's demise around 2005.
John Jax, thanks! I truly believe there are markets that Modern AC would work, esp where you have a strong alternative station and pop station to draw cume from. I'd park a modern ac right between APE and X. While I programmed Planet, we were constantly battling over Matchbox 20, Goo Goo Dolls, Counting Crows, etc....Cat had it leaning very mainstream pop, kinda like G105 in Raleigh was back in the day...and without a 80s station, perhaps you could do it and be wide with eras. APE stayed that way until Kiss came along and they had to defend the top40 position more. I still think there is room for it. I thought Kiss could go that direction but they shifted to more top40/hot ac and it seems to be working....maybe that killed the space for a mod ac there. We'll never know until a non Cox stick takes the chance.
jmtillery said:
Not that I'm promoting another website, but there is a new "Retired Broadcasters of Jacksonville, Florida" group on a major social networking website (with a blue "f" for a logo), full of people from that era who could give you exact dates.
I mentioned in one of my posts there that I remember my mother's favorite station being 97 WAIV after she bought a new 1987 Duster with an FM radio! I can confidently say it was an AC/oldies hybrid--perhaps up to 50/50--at the time, all the way up to 23:59:59 on 12/31/89, then it flipped to "96.9, Cool FM!" Before that (circa late 70's) it was definitely AOR, as one of my co-workers can attest. And before that...search "Jacksonville Radio Commercials" on the major video sharing site to see a collection of spots John Harrell and I compiled. WPDQ-FM is the first one. The spot was produced in 1972 by channel 17.
Speaking of Harrell, his live "All Request 70's Saturday Night on Mix 103" was a hoot, as he broke format and threw out the cheesiest of punch lines at every break, just like a stereotypically bad 70's jock--or like Terry "Motormouth" Young after taking a speech course! I'm glad special Saturday night programming is back, even if it's more restrained.
Back to the subject of AC-type stations bridging the gap between WEJZ and WAPE...why didn't Mix 105 succeed? I enjoyed it while it lasted.
I would argue that you can't totally blame the signal. Something else had to be off. Marketing, perhaps?
Could we have some insight from those involved in that battle?
I would argue that you can't totally blame the signal. Something else had to be off. Marketing, perhaps?
Could we have some insight from those involved in that battle?
I’ve been in NY the last couple of weeks and didn’t have much opportunity to respond so I’ll do so now.
Mix 103 had the makings of a good station. I considered John Harrell very entertaining and talented. I loved his request show. John could have earned a 20 share but really, would the outcome been any different?
Hindsight is 20/20. Certain formats bit the dust because they didn’t fit into the corporate model, especially if talent was a key component. On these boards I often cited programming deficiencies as a major reason for ratings decline and eventual demise. There are a lot of bright minds in radio but some things never rang true.
I’m not about character assassination. But I’ve always believed the MM/GM role carried a lot of influence to make or break a format. Protecting the cluster cash-cow probably kept even indirect competition in that cluster back. Radio is not unique in that it uses incentive pay (bonuses) as part of a total management compensation package. The decisions these people make certainly defines them as a person. True, some decisions are out of their control.
What’s next for Jacksonville? Well, some changes have already occurred. Maybe a better question is “How do you really win with PPM?” For starters, it’s important to keep an open mind and not fall for all the BS /hype about listener preferences. There’s a new management team @ CC Jax. IMO, their diverse format cluster represents potential for growth. I like what I’m seeing so far. Personally, it’s so good to see adult hits being given every opportunity to succeed. That’s a huge departure from our past and that’s a step in the right direction and about time too. It's so good to see personality radio return to Jax. IMO, a good strategy to differentiate yourself...more is to come I believe...stay tuned...
Mix 103 had the makings of a good station. I considered John Harrell very entertaining and talented. I loved his request show. John could have earned a 20 share but really, would the outcome been any different?
Hindsight is 20/20. Certain formats bit the dust because they didn’t fit into the corporate model, especially if talent was a key component. On these boards I often cited programming deficiencies as a major reason for ratings decline and eventual demise. There are a lot of bright minds in radio but some things never rang true.
I’m not about character assassination. But I’ve always believed the MM/GM role carried a lot of influence to make or break a format. Protecting the cluster cash-cow probably kept even indirect competition in that cluster back. Radio is not unique in that it uses incentive pay (bonuses) as part of a total management compensation package. The decisions these people make certainly defines them as a person. True, some decisions are out of their control.
What’s next for Jacksonville? Well, some changes have already occurred. Maybe a better question is “How do you really win with PPM?” For starters, it’s important to keep an open mind and not fall for all the BS /hype about listener preferences. There’s a new management team @ CC Jax. IMO, their diverse format cluster represents potential for growth. I like what I’m seeing so far. Personally, it’s so good to see adult hits being given every opportunity to succeed. That’s a huge departure from our past and that’s a step in the right direction and about time too. It's so good to see personality radio return to Jax. IMO, a good strategy to differentiate yourself...more is to come I believe...stay tuned...
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