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What's the Buzz on the Buzz?

C

ChuckRoast

It seems likely WBZZ will be changing formats after Christmas. WTRY went all Christmas too as they do every year but they are still keeping their station identity. Are the on air people WBZZ has on now the same staff that hosted the “Buzz” format before the debut of “Santa 105.7”?

I find it interesting that a FM station centrally located in the Capital Region’s fastest growing community with a great signal has struggled so much in the ratings.

So what will WBZZ become after Christmas? Under what call letters?

I’ve seen various formats suggested for this station and others that may be in transition. The ones this old baby boomer would like to see(unlikely), in no particular order of preference, are:

Liberal Talk-Not as popular by far as conservative talk but this area overall did not go with the Republican trend nationwide in the recent election.

Oldies-(not the limited, redundant playlist of WTRY) of the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s. A good example of what I’m talking about is South Jersey’s Cruisin’ 92.1-WVLT.

Dance-From the 70’s to today(like someone has mentioned in the style of NYC’s WKTU)

Classic Country

Again, 105.7 is located where lots of new people will be coming to work and live in the area. Their format decision is crucial.

So, what do the experts think?
 
Yea... I'm already excited for the flip... can't wait to roll the tape at minutes before midnight on December 26 =)

What would work:
- CHR: FLY needs some real competition, now that Kiss FM has been tanking for the past couple of years against both FLY and Jamz (it'd be even cooler if they could get a hold of the WXLE calls if they're still available... they'd fit CHR pretty well =D)
- Liberal talk: Although not as popular as conservative talk, there's still enough liberals in the Albany area to pull it off
- Dance/Rhythmic AC: Maybe a Movin' style format, or more like WKTU

What might work:
- Classic Country: I'm a bit iffy on this, as wasn't 93.7 The Eagle having problems back in 2005 as well?
- Oldies: Now that WTRY-FM has been going more 70s and 80s, we could try an oldies format on 105.7

What wouldn't:
- Urban AC: remember that short-lived 104.9 Love FM? Pamal took a smooth jazz station and added classic R&B and soul to the playlist, and it pretty much killed off the station =P
- Modern or Classic Rock: Regent already has WQBK for that, and I don't see them flipping Q anytime soon

As for other flips, I'd have to say that 100.9 with its 1.0 ratings and Kiss 102.3 might be going in 2011... I could see Pamal simulcasting WKBE on 100.9 to go up against Q, and maybe 102.3 (probably not 99.5) going AC to give B95 more competition =P
 
105.7 Hasn't done well since it's inception. Call it bad karma, bad programming, who knows. Personally, I think they blew it when then lured Chuck and Kelly from B95 and then DIDN'T put them on the air for months. Regardless of why, they should have done a massive ad campaign during the time they were not on the all. All traction was lost by the time they launched the Buzz morning show.

If they went any kind of local talk, they would do well. The newest "Chuck & Kelly" at GY is a complete snoozefest. They are very competent news people, not talk show hosts. Another example of WGY doing what is easiest, not best.

CHR? Fly could use real competition but remember they are a heritage.

No more country please. WGNA is a powerhouse and has heritage. Pamal's farce of 104.9 will not work sorry. It didn't work when they simulcasted Froggy on 104.9 and Morrell is not known for patience.

I don't' thing anything will work on 105.7, there are too many signals and not enough audience to spread it around.

As far as 100.9 goes? I agree, they should go back to the simulcast of 100.3. The Bridge may be a novelty but it doesn't have legs.

How about putting a Magic style format on 105.7?
 
I think it should be an Urban related format. To me Jamz is a disappointment. Not a fan. Sorry, if I want Urban I'm going to tune into WBLK out of Buffalo, THAT'S a Jam station! That's what we need here. With a Motwon feel and Jazz on Sundays.

I also think Kiss will change after the New Year and I happen to like 1049 The Cat.
 
Take it Classic Hits as it was in its last year or so as WNYQ in Glens Falls. The format they had was right in the middle between Classic Rock and Oldies...and it took down Glens Falls heritage Classic Rock station WCQL with in a matter of months. The station was huge in that area...and after it was moved in to Albany...ABC moved the format and the call letters to the inferior 101.7 which shows up in the Albany book itself from time to time.
 
Chuck and Kelly are such a snoozefest that Uncle Don, when he came back this morning, sounded 30 years younger and peppier than them. And what's with Kelly's microphone? She sounds like she's in the background when they talk together. Or maybe Chuck needs to back off his mike.
 
danikayser84 said:
- Urban AC: remember that short-lived 104.9 Love FM? Pamal took a smooth jazz station and added classic R&B and soul to the playlist, and it pretty much killed off the station =P
Click to expand...

I'm always amazed that when different formats are considered and bantered around, that smooth jazz is ALWAYS missing from the suggestions. :-\ It's been both successful and doomed at the same time... but is no less a surefire money-maker than Liberal Talk or some variation of an urban format. This region DOES have fans who aren't serviced 24/7.
 
For BUZZ 105.7: I think a magic-like format would probably work. It would kill WROW. Classic country did not work with 3 other stations; WPTR-FM(96.3), WVKZ, and WEGQ-93.7, probably would not work at any other Capital District station either. Jazz has been dropped in several markets probably because it did not work.

As for 104.9 the cat, they might better bring back the simulcast with Froggy 107.1.

The Bridge, 100.9, a total failure, if Buzz 105.7 does not go with a magic format, put Magic back there.
 
I think the entire shift of formats put in place at ABC is a failure. The 3 stations that have been changed, do not add up to the ratings that Magic by itself when it was on 100.9.

I think both the Cat and the Bridge are being done fairly well. It's ABC's lack of attention and refusal to do some meaningful marketing that will kill both of them. The Cat had an uphill battle all the way with WGNA and ABC's own station, Froggy to the North. The Bridge, athough it is a nice change, can't do alot to grab and keep an audience if nobody knows about them and with a 1 share, it's obvious that's the case.

How long does Morrell stick with this plan before something gets changed? I could see them going back to rock on 104.9 and taking on Q-103. It also would be more beneficial as far as ratings to go to bring Magic back to 100.9 and simulcast it on 590. Hold on, that made sense, so I guess it won't happen at ABC.
 
Reporter said:
THE_KNICKMAN said:
The Bridge, 100.9, a total failure, if Buzz 105.7 does not go with a magic format, put Magic back there.
Click to expand...

Curious, why is it a total failure??
Click to expand...
Bridge's ratings are 1.0... while they had much higher ratings with Magic (at least 3 to 5 times higher)... if Pamal had the right idea, they'd bring back the simulcast of WKBE on 100.9 (Point is far better than Edge ever was, if you ask me) or even move WKBE into the Albany area (highly doubtful, as they'd have to sell at least one of their stations in Albany, and they might not want three 25/50 kW powerhouses either)

And I do think 104.9 should simulcast Magic 590 and increase power to 12.5kW, but that's another thing entirely...
 
OhhMeeOhh said:
The Bridge, athough it is a nice change, can't do alot to grab and keep an audience if nobody knows about them and with a 1 share, it's obvious that's the case.
Click to expand...

Is The Bridge really a nice change? That is the question. I agree that it definitely has a broad variety of music, which is good...but as far as the music itself, I think it is mostly just a bunch of stale overplayed vanilla that most people are tired of listening to. Not saying the songs are bad, just saying that these songs have lost most of their appeal because radio stations have worn them out beyond redemption. And even though the Bridge is new, I do think that their ratings would be much better if they played music that people actually wanted to listen to; I would think that good news should travel fast in this case.

Most people don't like to admit that Magic's numbers were way better, and I think the best thing to do would have been to keep the Magic format but to tweak it a bit. Maybe reduce the 1950s material a little bit, and also cut down on the overtly sugary or sappy songs that might be turning some people away. Based on the ratings, it didn't seem like Magic needed ANY major changes, and it's a shame that they dumped such a unique and surprisingly successful station for an underperforming "white bread" product known as The Bridge. OH WELL.....
 
Bridge has only been on the air for 9 months... relax these things take time.

When the winter book comes out and they are still looking bad, then we can talk.
 
ThatGuyOnTheRadio said:
Bridge has only been on the air for 9 months... relax these things take time.

When the winter book comes out and they are still looking bad, then we can talk.
Click to expand...

Some people had this station in the coffin before it debuted, why?? I like the station. Some of the music I would "delete" but that's me. Add more contemporary, more rock, more country. Let me program it!
 
If 105.7 does indeed go with a Magic-style format, they could bring back the "Wink 105.7" name, since it'd fit a standards/Soft AC format perfectly =)

However, I'm still leaning towards CHR, with the decline of 102.3 Kiss FM and the other two CHR-based formats both owned by the same company (CHR/Mainstream FLY and CHR/Rhythmic Jamz)... maybe 105.7 should do like a CHR/Rock format... but I think a standards/Soft AC format or oldies would be a warm welcome for 105.7 too =D
 
It would be nice if it was Oldies on 105.7 . It would also give WTRY some good competition.
 
danikayser84 said:
with the decline of 102.3 Kiss FM and the other two CHR-based formats both owned by the same company (CHR/Mainstream FLY and CHR/Rhythmic Jamz). =D
Click to expand...

Not sure where the notion that either FLY or JAMZ are declining. FLY is WGNA's strongest competitor in the Albany market. FLY is the P2 station for approx. 25% of GNA's 18-34 audience. Remember that you're looking at a +/- 3% variance in the reported ARB shares that are publicly released and those are just 12+ numbers to which no one pays attention. WGY's 12+ numbers are heavily weighted 55+ so they're less of a factor than they appear.

Also, I've heard that PAMAL has been concerned that JAMZ has been coming on too strong and has been negatively impacting FLY's numbers. That doesn't sound like either station is on the decline. Interesting that Tanch is being reassigned from FLY to program JAMZ if that's true.
 
Boomer: FLY and Jamz aren't declining... I was specifically referring to 102.3 Kiss FM, and I was referring to how both FLY and Jamz are owned by the same company (Pamal) =P
 
JAMZ being more mass appeal has been a problem that they have been going with back and forth up there for a few years.

Go more urban, now more mass appeal, no no too much, go more urban.
 
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