Where's WMMS?

[AllMightySting]

Driving around this evening and in to the wee hours I had noticed that WMMS seemed to have wiped their calls from any station ID. Didn't hear a legal, but all the bumpers between songs just said "100.7." No other kind of identifiers. Top banner on the website has been changed to just "100.7" with "Cleveland" and the skyline in the background. Still a few buzzard things around but not as prominent. Anybody know of any official changes in imaging happening over there?

 

[YEKIMI]

Hmmmm...Maybe there's going to be some new call letters soon in the Cleveland market?

 

[AllMightySting]

Heard a legal today and it still said "100. 7 WMMS Cleveland The Buzzard" However their DJ's today have all been referring to the station as only "100.7" on the air. And all the bumpers just say "100.7." I can't imagine a call letter change....but it's weird how all of a sudden any mention of WMMS or The Buzzard has been almost totally dumped.

 

[74WIXYGrad]

Seeing this thread, I took a look at their website.

http://www.wmms.com/main.html

Where WMMS and the buzzard are still visible on the page the header says "100.7 Cleveland"

 

[robmadden1]

Look at the ownership records here: http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/own_list.pl?Facility_id=73273

the first 2 whe you click on info says new not WMMS weird.

 

[AllMightySting]

The music variety has gotten a bit broader as well. They played Switchfoot this morning. Playing a lot of deeper tracks from artists too. Pretty cool. Wonder what the deal is though.

 

[Rusty Muck]

It's kinda taking the final nail in the coffin. And yet... the WMMS calls, as faded as they are, are still too damn valuable to give up. CC would be nuts to change them otherwise.

- nate81

 

[AllMightySting]

All mention of WMMS or The Buzzard is completely gone from their website. It's all 100.7 now.

 

[Rusty Muck]

Something's up here... no mention of the Buzzard either. Except for a small glimpse on the "MMS Photos" link. Doesn't really hurt CC, as they inherited the copyright to the character. But it's just a ghost.

It stinks of a stunt. Honestly, can anyone imagine the station going on like this, promoting the station JUST as "100.7" from now on? Most any of the listeners will still think "Buzzard" or "WMMS," even if they do. Might help when the Arbitron diaries are filled out... but it's looking like CC's infamous "Plan B" for killing off WMMS: do it while no one notices. Unlike the much-hyped 1998 "Death of the Buzzard," there may not be enough people left to protest it.

I sense a "hot talker" along the way, with the existing Maxwell and Bob & Tom, plus there IS WTAM's Dave Ramos and Paul Rado that could be in the wings. But they might still call it "100.7 WMMS," as was the case when 102.7 WNEW-New York did the same exact thing and under the same circumstances.

- nate81

 

[richwithhatred]

Mark it down, the days of 'WMMS' are done.

“In lots of ways the call letters and the stations mascot character, the Buzzard, are actually hurting rather than helping ME. Because younger people don’t get it and older people will never hear it the way it once was… When people see our van with the call letters they holler and scream, but I believe it’s because of something that happened 30 years ago and not because of what is on the radio right now.” - Bo Matthews

 

[AllMightySting]

I don't really see how you can go on branding your station as just a frequency, I'd say that something has got to come to the surface, some kind of change.

Seems like the Buzzard's best chance for re-claiming its fame may have been back in the Next Gen Days of the mid 90s. I keep thinking that if the station would have continued on that path it may have become another K-Rock in L.A., or 91X in San Diego, or 107.7 The End out of Seattle. Then again this is Cleveland, so maybe not. However in my opinion that was the best The Buzzard has been in the past 15 years as far as music and personalities is concerned. There are some good things about WMMS right now....but c'mon, Bob And Tom in the morning?? Please.

 

[MarkW]

“In lots of ways the call letters and the stations mascot character, the Buzzard, are actually hurting rather than helping ME. Because younger people don’t get it and older people will never hear it the way it once was… When people see our van with the call letters they holler and scream, but I believe it’s because of something that happened 30 years ago and not because of what is on the radio right now.” - Bo Matthews

The reason the younger people "don't get it" is because WMMS has a couple of cackling geezer from Indianapolis in morning drive and then plays a bunch of obscure 80's butt rock mixed in with the 90's & newer rock.

It has absolutely nothing to do with the station's moniker.

Bo seems to be suggesting that the station is underperforming across the board right now.

Here's a hint: IT'S THE PROGRAMMING, STUPID!

They thought they could do collateral damage to WNCX in the post-Stern era by skewing older musically speaking and putting Boob & Turd in morning drive.

Their plan backfired.

All they did was tick off much of their existing audience without picking up nearly enough new listenership to offset it.

When people see our van with the call letters they holler and scream, but I believe it’s because of something that happened 30 years ago and not because of what is on the radio right now.

If he truly believes that, doesn't that seem to suggest that his own product is deficient?

Adding some deep Modern Rock gold is a nice touch, but it sure looks ridiculous alongside the likes of Ratt and Tesla. They need to drastically cut back on the 80's categories, and ditch Bob & Tom.

Quite honestly, they should've never messed with the music formula they had a year or two ago. One bad morning show decision after another has hurt them. Their last local morning show couldn't even cut it in PM Drive in Grand Rapids (Market #67)! True, they didn't suck nearly as bad as Rocko. Still, how the hell they ever got morning drive on MMS is beyond me.

 

[indebiz]

RE: The "100.7" branding


Question: How many of you have actually seen a completed Arb diary? For those who haven't, stand by... For those who have... how many times did you see a station's moniker (The Buzzard, KISS, Mix, Z, Q, etc, etc, etc) written down? How many times did you see only a station's NUMBER / FREQUENCY written down?

The days of moniker branding are gone, for the most part. An overwhelming number of your listeners only know the station by its location on the dial, not its moniker. For those of you who are on the air, think about your contests... when you wrap a call with the typical "what station made you a winner?" question, how many times out of ten does the caller respond "100.7," etc?

Point.

 

[MarkW]

Name me one example of a station whose Arbitron ratings magically went up simply because a station droppped all identifiers other than its dial position.

I cannot think of a single one.

The reason most Arb entries are by frequency only is simple -- there's no reason to write in the full name of the station.

Want the ratings to climb? FIX THE PROGRAMMING!

 

[VODood]

Something's up here... no mention of the Buzzard either. Except for a small glimpse on the "MMS Photos" link. Doesn't really hurt CC, as they inherited the copyright to the character. But it's just a ghost.

It stinks of a stunt. Honestly, can anyone imagine the station going on like this, promoting the station JUST as "100.7" from now on? Most any of the listeners will still think "Buzzard" or "WMMS," even if they do. Might help when the Arbitron diaries are filled out... but it's looking like CC's infamous "Plan B" for killing off WMMS: do it while no one notices. Unlike the much-hyped 1998 "Death of the Buzzard," there may not be enough people left to protest it.

I sense a "hot talker" along the way, with the existing Maxwell and Bob & Tom, plus there IS WTAM's Dave Ramos and Paul Rado that could be in the wings. But they might still call it "100.7 WMMS," as was the case when 102.7 WNEW-New York did the same exact thing and under the same circumstances.

- nate81

nathan

believe it or not the 1998 "stunt" wasn't a stunt from the outset. Jacor/CC WAS going to flip WMess to 100.7 KISS-FM. It was a done deal. Then the public outcry locally, and from former Clevelanders across the country, poured in. I was there when it was all going down. Mitch Todd, who produced the "Bury the Buzzard" imaging told me and some others that it was a done deal. Then, Jacor/CC re-canted and decided to give 'MMS another go.

Well, the numbers, and most likely the revenue, are in the toilet. You can't re-brand 100.7. Like u said, it's been WMMS since 1968 and "The Buzzard" since about 71-72. It's either an poor attempt at re-branding... or a flip.

I agree. HOT FM Talk is the most obvious format, and the least expensive to launch using mostly syndicated shows. It's low overhead, targets 25-54 and makes money.

 

[VODood]

Mark it down, the days of 'WMMS' are done.

“In lots of ways the call letters and the stations mascot character, the Buzzard, are actually hurting rather than helping ME. Because younger people don’t get it and older people will never hear it the way it once was… When people see our van with the call letters they holler and scream, but I believe it’s because of something that happened 30 years ago and not because of what is on the radio right now.” - Bo Matthews

What's on the radio right now is CRAP. Bob & Tom aren't the answer... just a cheap answer. We all know that. So does Bo. He didn't make that decision. I don't care if he is "Top 30 Under 30", he didn't make that decision. Gene Romano did.

The music is the star on a music station - and the music sucks. Poor mix. All over the place. Does WMMS want to be an active rock (which doesn't make $$$), or a mainstream with gold titles... IMO a better way to go. Especially with B&T and to fit snugly between WNCX and KRock.


I agree that the call letters and mascot have no impact on ratings. Sure perception is sometimes reality, but like I said, ultimately a station sinks or swims with two things: Morning show and the music. Both are deficient on WMMS.

Oh, and hair bands DONT TEST WELL. If u wanna do a big hair wednesday or friday night, play one or two songs for that hour. It's all in the presentation/imaging. You dont, and shouldn't play big hair in rotation or for a full hour, let alone 3 hours on a friday night. That shit is 20 years old. has no place on an active or mainstream. hell, most classic rocks dont' play big hair music. Not the good ones.

 

[Rusty Muck]

nathan

believe it or not the 1998 "stunt" wasn't a stunt from the outset. Jacor/CC WAS going to flip WMess to 100.7 KISS-FM. It was a done deal. Then the public outcry locally, and from former Clevelanders across the country, poured in. I was there when it was all going down. Mitch Todd, who produced the "Bury the Buzzard" imaging told me and some others that it was a done deal. Then, Jacor/CC re-canted and decided to give 'MMS another go.

Well, the numbers, and most likely the revenue, are in the toilet. You can't re-brand 100.7. Like u said, it's been WMMS since 1968 and "The Buzzard" since about 71-72. It's either an poor attempt at re-branding... or a flip.

I agree. HOT FM Talk is the most obvious format, and the least expensive to launch using mostly syndicated shows. It's low overhead, targets 25-54 and makes money.

And Maxwell would be a nice little cornerstone for it. He'd have to be in the mix at whatever happens with "100.7," what without Kevin Metheny's odd choice of words towards The PD's Julie Washington on August 25:


"Looking at other stations in the Clear Channel group, WMMS FM/100.7 afternoon host Maxwell gained listeners against what Metheny called "formidable competition" -- Mike Trivisonno on WTAM and Opie and Anthony on WKRI FM/92.3 "K-Rock" (formerly WXRK).

Maxwell's edgy show reflects the in terests of young people and is "a project that's working," Metheny said.


That's the kicker: "a project that's working." Honestly, when I read that, I really didn't think much of it. But two weeks after that article ran, "WMMS" and "The Buzzard" were shed from the station.

Honestly, why ID his show as a "project" when it's been on the air here for about two years?

- nate81

 

[jessejames44]

This all makes me laugh...then cry...then laugh again even louder.

 

[Rusty Muck]

Oh, and hair bands DONT TEST WELL. If u wanna do a big hair wednesday or friday night, play one or two songs for that hour. It's all in the presentation/imaging. You dont, and shouldn't play big hair in rotation or for a full hour, let alone 3 hours on a friday night. That ------ is 20 years old. has no place on an active or mainstream. hell, most classic rocks dont' play big hair music. Not the good ones.

Even back in the 80's, only ONE commercial station in Cleveland tried to air all-hair bands, all the time. On January 1, 1987, Elyria-Lorain's WBEA/107.3-Elyria flipped to "Z-Rock" WCZR - carrying the Sattelite Radio Networks' 24/7 hair band format. By mid-November, Elyria-Lorain flipped it again to "The Wave" WNWV. Which it is to this day.

Oh... I guess I should ALSO note that WBEA, even with the Cleveland-grade signal, was aimed to Lorain and Elyria just as WEOL was (and still is) prior to 1987. So for ELB, "Z-Rock" was probably more just to establish 107.3 as a Cleveland station, and they could afford airing it off the bird... so it probably wasn't a big hit for them.

But still, the principle is still the same. For hair bands, they had a following in college radio, and some artists (Poison, Billy Idol, Bon Jovi) are successful as cross-overs. But not all the time. Not for three hours, and certainally not a whole weekend! It's not worth it.

- nate81