Which station to buy?

[djdan]

Let me be so bold as to post a sales question. Got a 18-34 male buy coming down for 20 weeks of business beginning this Fall. Where would you spend your money. KISW looks best on a four book, but the staff has been completely rearranged and BJ's numbers were strongest in January when he wasn't on the air? Is KISW still for real? KNDD used to be the natural buy, but they have faded into oblivion. JACK looks strong on the two book, but will they be that strong come Fall and Winter? KZOK looks good, but leans older. KBKS is dying in this demo, in all demos right now. KMPS will be hurt by WOLF. Right now if I buy one station it is probably KUBE. They are number two in the four book (behind KISW), but I am right to assume that T-MAN will pick up some 18-34 Stern numbers? KBKS is declining and KQMV is targeted female. It looks like they are the defacto number one male buy 18-34? Buying males in this market, outside of KZOK, has never been tougher.

 

[AQH]

KISW is probably the strongest buy, Jack second.Kiss might have a 'new' PD, but their issues will take awhile to repair, not soon enough for your clients' flight.KNDD might not be around later this year.Infinity has been devoting a LOT of its resources to keeping KMPS strong. To the point of affecting their other properties.I don't think enough of Stern's listeners will go over to T-Man. Different type of show and appeal.

 

[WarpFactor]

I'm sure you client (and the media agency you work for) would love to know that you base your buy decisions on the opinions expressed on a message board.You should be ashamed.

 

[voicetrack]

Ha! This from the guy who knows a guy who knows a guy....Warp, go be a jerk someplace else. This place is infection free so far.

 

[Itchisakamoto]

I disagree BJ has had a proven track record in the 18-34 demo in Seattle which is very hard to argue with. His afternoon slot killed on the BUZZ. The fact he has managed to keep a significant number of Sterns listeners in this demo while so many others are failing at it tells me he will remain strong, not to mention his listeners are very responsive to his spots just ask Gary over at Everett Hyundai

 

[WarpFactor]

Trust me, I know more than “one guy”. You have no idea who I am. I am employed in Seattle radio, in a full time management capacity, and I find the thought of a lowly media buyer basing his decision to on which station to place the client’s money on the thoughts opined on an anonymous message board, populated by radio “wanna-bees” and disgruntled ex-partimers distasteful, to say the least.This message board is a fine venue for discussion of the daily minutiae of the radio business. Formats, air staff, which PD should be fired next. However, when an Internet message board post precipitates revenue decisions… I’m sure if my station were able to meet the CPP and I lost out on this (or any other 18-34 male business), a copy of the original post would be sent to everyone in the advertising community. Would someone lose a job? Maybe not… but I’d bet that DJDAN would think twice about posting on a message board and trawling for advice on placing a client’s money. I guarantee new policies on internet use would be set into place at every agency in town.Food for thought, eh Dan?

 

[D7]

Food for thought, eh Dan?

Yeah Dan. It's better to act from arrogance and ignorance than to gather opinions and weigh them into a larger picture to evaluate the landscape and come to reasonable conclusions.Duh.

 

[WarpFactor]

If Dan has to "gather opinions" from a radio message board on which stations to buy, he's not qualified to do his job.

 

[jdweaver]

Ok children. You can't go too wrong with either KISW or KUBE. As an old friend of mine from North Carolina used to say "You are arguing over fly shit in black pepper!"

 

[FMSteve]

First of all, many of us on this board are either in or out of radio as Warpfactor noted, and we have genuine opinions here that are interesting. I'm not sure if I'd like someone to tell me I shouldn't respond to a request for my opinion. That being said, for 18-34 males, I'd buy KUBE, KNDD, KISW, Funky Monkey, and maybe KJR Sports Radio, and add in a little X104 for some young, local spice.

 

[djdan]

Wow. Didn't expect to get such anger from a simple question. I hardly will base any buy on what is said on this board. In fact, I try to give a sales perspective to a board that is programming driven. What I find offensive is when I see some agency media buys placed by just looking at a two book and grinding out a CPP without even paying attention to what stations they bought. Worse is when a station changes format and they don't want to change the buy because it is "too much work." Believe it or not there are a few of us in agencies who actually take the time to look beyond the numbers, at what is going on in a market, to make sure our client gets not only their CPP goals, but RESULTS! The best media buyers get information from everywhere and then seperate fact from fiction. Ratings are history, buys are made for months into the future. In defense of this Board, some of the discussion here is well thought out, much slanted. Do you think the information we get from account execs isn't slanted toward their station? Good media buying means seeing the truth as best you can from every source. A good media buyer knows that whenever you make a decision get as much information as you can. I enjoy getting multiple perspectives, but trust me, no single source will determine a buy. I can't say the same for my media buyer brethern, many just trust a single source: Arbitron. It is the major factor, but shouldn't be the ONLY factor. Media buying is part looking at history, part looking at the future and then negotiating like hell to get a good deal.

 

[AQH]

Wow. Didn't expect to get such anger from a simple question. I hardly will base any buy on what is said on this board. In fact, I try to give a sales perspective to a board that is programming driven. What I find offensive is when I see some agency media buys placed by just looking at a two book and grinding out a CPP without even paying attention to what stations they bought. Worse is when a station changes format and they don't want to change the buy because it is "too much work." Believe it or not there are a few of us in agencies who actually take the time to look beyond the numbers, at what is going on in a market, to make sure our client gets not only their CPP goals, but RESULTS! The best media buyers get information from everywhere and then seperate fact from fiction. Ratings are history, buys are made for months into the future. In defense of this Board, some of the discussion here is well thought out, much slanted. Do you think the information we get from account execs isn't slanted toward their station? Good media buying means seeing the truth as best you can from every source. A good media buyer knows that whenever you make a decision get as much information as you can. I enjoy getting multiple perspectives, but trust me, no single source will determine a buy. I can't say the same for my media buyer brethern, many just trust a single source: Arbitron. It is the major factor, but shouldn't be the ONLY factor. Media buying is part looking at history, part looking at the future and then negotiating like hell to get a good deal.For what it's worth Dan, in my book I know where you're coming from and I know you're not making a buy based on this board.That said, if I were your client, and I learned the question you posed here, I would be asking a lot more questions. Based on the knowledge you have demonstrated before, I think you'd be able to convince me to make the buy you recommend.

 

[maybescrewed]

Er..warp factor

The question asked was done so as a rhetorical question where you, the one answering, are that "lowly" buyer. *By the way..great way to look at the one walking through your door with the means to keep your doors open in the first place...those LOWLY buyers are the ones who pay your bills and vote with their feet if you're a big enough *******All he was asking was..if it was YOUR money...where are you going to spend it.Nowhere in that post was there any mention of...Gee..better check radio Info before I buy a flight.Sheesh.