Why hasn't Country worked before?

[kws31a]

Re: WHY IS THIS STILL A DISCUSSION??

I disagree. Y-107 did very well in Northern NJ. Even with a limited signal. It was NOT lack of interest that caused thier demise. It was new owners that had no background in the format and thought they could do better with Spanish language. (we saw how long they were in business!) That was a real brainiac move. Y-107 is the station that should have continued with the country format.

 

[kws31a]

Re: Because it's NYC., different demographics

I disagree when it comes to todays music. If that's the case, then some Hip-Hop and "Gangsta rap" make "city dwellers" look like gun toting criminals. (which we know is not entirely true..there are alot more good than bad people that live here) Any type of music is simply a mode of expression, and it comes down to personal taste or mood as to what we listen to and when.

Bottom line is on the country station debate....Most posters on this board are NOT associated with the industry and therefore, have no effect on what will or will not happen with a company's radio station format. There is nothing wrong with all our opinions, but that's all they are. Stranger things have happened in the industry..WE have no control over that.

 

[briancraig]

Re: Because it's NYC., different demographics

country
> IS still for the rural at heart.
>
> After being to a Loretta Lynn concert, I dont think anyone
> else but leather outfitters and discount liqour outlets
> would want the listeners.
>


Why is it when some people discuss country music on the New York board, they seem stuck in 1953.

Country radio is strictly for the suburbs these days, not for the rural areas. It has been this way since the late 1960s.

Loretta Lynn has not been a regular on country radio since about 1982. Which is a shame, because her last album was great.

The CMA's job is to promote country music, so of course they want a station in market #1. While New York is certainly not the entertainment capital of the world anymore, it is still the media/publishing capital. Having a country station in New York would help get country artists more publicity in magazines and on tv. WHN in the 1970s certainly helped in that area.

A country station in New York would have more 12+ listeners than Jack, PLJ or XRK have right now. I'm not talking revenue, just ratings.

It is hilarious to read how some people still think New York has the best radio in the country. No country, no modern rock, no oldies, but yet there are 6 stations where one could hear "I Will Survive" or "Got To Be Real" in a given hour. Radio is so much better in Chicago, Los Angeles, or even Hattiesburg, Mississippi.

--Brian Craig
Proud to be in Tennessee, where one can hear every kind of music on the radio.

 

[Jay_F]

Re: WHY IS THIS STILL A DISCUSSION??

> Am I missing something here? How in the world do these
> trained monkeys think for a second that COUNTRY will make it
> big on NYC radio when classic NYC-based genres haven't
> gotten their due? Don't ever in your lives think that
> country will return to the airwaves before CLASSIC OLD
> SCHOOL HIPHOP and ELECTROFUNK does.
>
> POINT BLANK -- NYC never fostered an environment for country
> music to be a common-day sound no more than South Dakota's
> efforts in preserving the history of the DJ scratchin and
> cuttin.
>
> I've had it with these random mindless out-of-towners
> chatting about country in NYC...what's the big deal already?
> No one's trying to vie for a classic hiphop station in
> South Dakota because we know the reality....now face it
> folks!
>


I agree that classic hip hop would do far better in NYC than country. Often times I see posts that say something like "How can the nations largest media market be missing formats like country and active rock?". I have the exact opposite thought. Why would formats that play in Peoria, South Dakota, Syracuse, or Albany do well in a city as huge and ethnic as NYC? I think country is a great format, but even if executed perfectly will get no better than a 1.9 share in NYC.

 

[radiochickpa]

COUNTRY IN NYC

> I believe the problem in N. Y. C. is similar to the image
> problem that was experienced in Rochester. For a full power
> station country to be successful the owner would have to be
> patient. Go thru several books just to show that ratings
> success is not a fluke. I don’t think any ownership in N.
> Y. C. would be that patient. In the #1 market they want
> immediate results. Too much money is involved. You can’t
> run a country station cheap. It takes a lot of involvement
> with the listeners. That would mean a full staff of
> personality driven jocks. I don’t think Clear Channel or
> Infinity would want that expense on a gamble.


Sales numbers of Country's core artists (Tim McGraw, Toby Keith, Keith Urban, Martina McBride,Brad Paisley,etc.),in NYC, are the TOP 5 sales in the Country.
The interest is there. When I worked in Allentown,PA, we got calls from listeners IN NYC that listened on the rooftops of 2 Fire stations and several balconies so they could here our station!!!! Alot of the folks that want Country have turned to streaming stations and to XM/Sirius. The numbers are there,too... But, they would rather have a local station.
Check out the Country listener demographics before you say it won't work.
The listeners aren't hicks. They have $$$ to spend, which means ad revenue is very viable.

 

[Jeffrey]

Re: COUNTRY IN NYC

>
> Sales numbers of Country's core artists (Tim McGraw, Toby
> Keith, Keith Urban, Martina McBride,Brad Paisley,etc.),in
> NYC, are the TOP 5 sales in the Country.

I've heard this before but have yet to see STATS that back this up.
In addition there are many tourists in NYC. from all over the country that pass by city's most touristy areas where most of the CD stores are located these days seeing as the majority of them have closed due to the increase in MP3 players and music download trends. Perhaps it is the tourists and older demographics that are purchasing the majority of country music cds. It is not the average New Yorker buying Tim McGraw as country advocates make it sound.


> The interest is there. When I worked in Allentown,PA, we
> got calls from listeners IN NYC that listened on the
> rooftops of 2 Fire stations and several balconies so they
> could here our station!!!!


While I'm not doubting the credibility of your statement I'm quite sure this was a rare occurance due to the fact that to pull in FM from Allentown you'd have to have an amazing radio due to bleed.
I'm on the 24th fl. of a high rise on the Hudson and cannot even begin to pull in stations from Allentown even when DXing..
I'm not saying it's impossible but certainly a rarity! I certainly don't see thousands clamoring to listen to a country station 90 miles away.
Just not THAT popular here!

Lastly as you know country station have been tried here and failed before.
If there are so many fans, sales and need they would have pulled in at least a 3.0 which they did not!



<P ID="signature">______________
www.airamericaradio.com
</P>

 

[ThePickleReport]

THIS IS WHY! OPRY HITS NYC

http://billboard.com/bbcom/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001480140

 

[radiochickpa]

Re: COUNTRY IN NYC

> >
> > Sales numbers of Country's core artists (Tim McGraw, Toby
>
> > Keith, Keith Urban, Martina McBride,Brad Paisley,etc.),in
> > NYC, are the TOP 5 sales in the Country.
>
> I've heard this before but have yet to see STATS that back
> this up.
> In addition there are many tourists in NYC. from all over
> the country that pass by city's most touristy areas where
> most of the CD stores are located these days seeing as the
> majority of them have closed due to the increase in MP3
> players and music download trends. Perhaps it is the
> tourists and older demographics that are purchasing the
> majority of country music cds. It is not the average New
> Yorker buying Tim McGraw as country advocates make it sound.
>
>
>
> > The interest is there. When I worked in Allentown,PA, we
>
> > got calls from listeners IN NYC that listened on the
> > rooftops of 2 Fire stations and several balconies so they
> > could here our station!!!!
>
>
> While I'm not doubting the credibility of your statement I'm
> quite sure this was a rare occurance due to the fact that to
> pull in FM from Allentown you'd have to have an amazing
> radio due to bleed.
> I'm on the 24th fl. of a high rise on the Hudson and cannot
> even begin to pull in stations from Allentown even when
> DXing..
> I'm not saying it's impossible but certainly a rarity! I
> certainly don't see thousands clamoring to listen to a
> country station 90 miles away.
> Just not THAT popular here!
>
> Lastly as you know country station have been tried here and
> failed before.
> If there are so many fans, sales and need they would have
> pulled in at least a 3.0 which they did not!
>
As far as the #'s go. Soundscan's got 'em. And, as far you not believing that we got the callers...we did! Plus I bunch of emails asking us to get a bigger signal (funny).
The last station failed because they weren't that good. If you do it right AND take some risks, it will fall into place.

 

[Jay_F]

> > > Folks, many of you have been stating that Country can
> work
> >
> > > in NYC. A lot of you state that you miss the old
> station.
> > I
> > > haen't heard anybody say it was a bad station.
> > > So why is isn't still on the air?
> >
> > each station that has left the format did so because they
> > either did not make money or did not, in the owner's
> > perspective, make as much money as they could have made in
>
> > another fomrat.
> >
> There have been several posts regarding country stations in
> upstate markets, but so far no mention of Rochester so let
> me jump in here on this. I am up here in Rochester. In
> spite of what you may have heard, there are no cows grazing
> on Main Street in downtown Rochester (that would be Utica).
> Rochester is probably the most white-collar city in
> upstate N. Y. It also, has a long history of country on
> the radio. In the 60’s 70’s and early 80’s it was WNYR 990.
> WNYR was one of the most successful country stations in the
> Northeast for many years.
> In the late 80’s WBEE –FM came on (I was there in the
> beginning doing weekends and later 7- midnight). When WBEE
> came on the competition made fun of it. They called it W’ve
> B een E verything E lse after so many format changes on
> 92.5. They said country would never last on a full power
> station in such a sophisticated city. Well, they were
> proven wrong in the first book. The station was a ratings
> success from start. However, the station ran into the same
> problems that N. Y. C. Stations ran into. Agencies would
> not buy. The country image was of hayseeds, & toothless
> country rednecks, also, older demos. Over a period of time
> the agencies and backseat experts were all proven wrong.
> Country listeners in Rochester listen in their offices at
> Kodak and Xerox and while driving their BMW’s and Porches.
> WBEE has continued to be a very successful country station
> and is usually # 1, 12+
> I believe the problem in N. Y. C. is similar to the image
> problem that was experienced in Rochester. For a full power
> station country to be successful the owner would have to be
> patient. Go thru several books just to show that ratings
> success is not a fluke. I don’t think any ownership in N.
> Y. C. would be that patient. In the #1 market they want
> immediate results. Too much money is involved. You can’t
> run a country station cheap. It takes a lot of involvement
> with the listeners. That would mean a full staff of
> personality driven jocks. I don’t think Clear Channel or
> Infinity would want that expense on a gamble.
>


The major difference is NYC is far more ethnic than Rochester. Also Rochester is more culturally middle American. Many people in Rochester have traditional values that are in line with country music, while NYC is more leftist/elitist. Ethnicity is the bigger issue though, so many more recent immigrants in NYC from all over the world and few if any will listen to country. Country can get double digits in most of NY state, but not over a 2 share in NYC.