Wild and the Treasure Coast

[ScottBurns]

When I was growing up in the late 80s and early 1990s, the late 95.5 WOVV marketed itself to both the "Palm Beaches and the Treasure Coast." Since WOVV became Star - and through the various Country incarnations - the signal has dropped its appeal to the Treasure Coast. My question is why.My own thoughts are in order. Certainly the Palm Beach market is the bigger one, and as such is more attractive to advertisers. In addition, incomes are much higher among listeners in the Palm Beach market, another boon to advertisers. However, I do not understand why Wild does not market itself to the Treasure Coast, at least secondarily. First off, Wild's stick is on the Treasure Coast, and Wild has a great signal in those parts. Moreover, Wild would be able to broaden its advertising base. Thirdly, when compared to other stations such as Power 96, I cannot understand why Wild does not take advantage o fits signal. Power 96 has historically marketed itself to "Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and the Palm Beaches."Any thoughts? I know The Major will chime in!

 

[The-Major]

I remember when 95.5's top-of-the-hour station identification read something like a who's who of Southeast Florida's coastal cities. It went something like 'Fort Pierce, Port St. Lucie, Stuart, Jupiter, ... And The Palm Beaches !". 97.9-WRMF was the same way. I remember they even added 'Fort Lauderdale' to their I.D. at one time (they may still do). Y-100 went from 'Miami, Fort Lauderdale, And The Palm Beaches' to 'Fort Lauderdale, Miami' to just simply 'Miami'. Obviously all three of these stations have powerful sticks that cover a MASSIVE chunk of Florida real estate. WILD-95.5 can be heard as far north as the Melbourne area and into the southern outskirts of the Orlando area. I can actually pick-up WILD way down in Homestead (with heavy bleeding at times from 95.7). WILD's actually the # 2 station overall in the Fort Pierce radio market (as of last Fall anyway).I think you indicated all the good reasons why they go with the main / most-populous city in their marketing. It's where the people are. It's where the money is. It's easier to concentrate your marketing to one major city or area than to try to sell to an entire region. I agree with you though. I think they should re-broaden their marketing to include the other major areas. I'm also a big fan of the classic-style booming (even over-the-top) top-of-the-hour station identifications. You just don't hear them anymore in this new age of corporation and automation.XL-106.7 ('Tavares, Orlando') is an interesting exception. They are clearly an Orlando station, but they make a big deal of announcing the somewhat obscure 'Tavares' locale every hour - even though their studios are clear across town in Maitland. It's a historical tradition with them that apparently goes all the way back to the late-1950s to the origins of the original 106.7 FM frequency.THE MAJOR

When I was growing up in the late 80s and early 1990s, the late 95.5 WOVV marketed itself to both the "Palm Beaches and the Treasure Coast." Since WOVV became Star - and through the various Country incarnations - the signal has dropped its appeal to the Treasure Coast. My question is why.My own thoughts are in order. Certainly the Palm Beach market is the bigger one, and as such is more attractive to advertisers. In addition, incomes are much higher among listeners in the Palm Beach market, another boon to advertisers. However, I do not understand why Wild does not market itself to the Treasure Coast, at least secondarily. First off, Wild's stick is on the Treasure Coast, and Wild has a great signal in those parts. Moreover, Wild would be able to broaden its advertising base. Thirdly, when compared to other stations such as Power 96, I cannot understand why Wild does not take advantage o fits signal. Power 96 has historically marketed itself to "Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and the Palm Beaches."Any thoughts? I know The Major will chime in!

 

[Faraway]

As I understand it, it's based on city of license - In a legal ID, the LEGAL way is to say city of license after the call letters.<<<<< I remember they even added 'Fort Lauderdale' to their I.D. at one time (they may still do). Y-100 went from 'Miami, Fort Lauderdale, And The Palm Beaches' to 'Fort Lauderdale, Miami' to just simply 'Miami'. Unless Y was ever licensed to "Miami" doubtful that Miami was ever said first unless it was a mistake or a non-legal ID. I think this signal has always been licensed to Ft Lauderdale. <<<<<XL-106.7 ('Tavares, Orlando') is an interesting exception. "Tavares" is probably WXXL's official city of license.

 

[The-Major]

I may have unintentionally clouded the original intent of Scott Burns' initial post below by introducing the official station identifications versus the specific marketing of a particular city or area by (any given) station.Y-100 is licensed to Fort Lauderdale; however, they are known as 'Miami's # 1 Hit Music Channel'. They always refer to themselves on-air as a 'Miami' station. Why not 'South Florida's Hit Music Channel' ? WILD-95.5 is licensed to Fort Pierce - some 50+ miles north of the area that they claim as 'The Palm Beaches' Hit Music Station'. Why not 'The Palm Beaches & The Treasure Coast's Hit Music Station' ?I've always thought that if I somehow came up with millions of dollars to buy my own 100,000 watt station where I live here in Homestead I would (obviously) make it a hit music station. (I have lots of innovative ideas for one.) I would probably go with a slogan that celebrated 'Homestead, Miami, & Key Largo's Favourite Hit Music Station'.There would be no voice-tracking on my station. THE MAJOR

As I understand it, it's based on city of license - In a legal ID, the LEGAL way is to say city of license after the call letters.Unless Y was ever licensed to "Miami" doubtful that Miami was ever said first unless it was a mistake or a non-legal ID. I think this signal has always been licensed to Ft Lauderdale. "Tavares" is probably WXXL's official city of license.

 

[ScottBurns]

Hey Major, Do you have any tapes of 95.5's old top-of-the-hour IDs? The earliest I have is from 1987, when they did their classic, "Jammin' the Palm Beaches, the Treasure Coast, the Bahamas, and a slice of the Bermuda Triangle." WRMF has a unique ID today; they are the only station of which I know that uses counties in their legal ID. They identify themselves as "97-9 WRMF, Palm Beach-Broward." To its credit, WRMF has one of the most impressive signals in the market; their reception in front of American Airlines Arena is quite impressive. I agree with you about the quality of the signals of the region's CHR stations. The deceiving part about Wild's reception is that it is so poor in southern Palm Beach County and northern Broward. However, Wild's signal is quite impressive to the west - even as far away as Belle Glade. Moreover, its northern reach is quite impressive. I have picked up Wild in the parking lot of the Ron Jon Surf Shop in Cocoa Beach. I completely agree with you regarding those "classic-style booming (even over-the-top) top-of-the-hour station identifications." A couple of stations that still have that booming ID include KIIS in Los Angeles, as well as KDTB ("Da Bomb") in Honolulu (I know that you mentioned that you visited the Aloha State earlier this year, Major). Scott

 

[The-Major]

If I could somehow re-live the past 20 or so years of my life I would do a lot of things differently. One thing in particular I would do is continue adding on to my vast collection of airchecks. I have old tapes upon old tapes upon old tapes - some of them quite dusty because I didn't take very good care of them - of old airchecks of WJOK AM-1150 ('All Comedy Radio') from 1983 when I used to live up in the Washington D.C. area. I also have two years worth of old tapes (in better condition) of BBC Radio 1 from 1985 to 1987 when I used to live in the U.K. (I was stationed there at the time). And you thought 'The-Major' was merely a gimmick ! ANYWAY - NO - I unfortunately have no airchecks of any South Florida radio stations since I've lived down here. I wish I had the dance and freestyle incarnation of HOT-105 from 1988, a lot of the 'Bobby & Footy' material from Y-100 during the late-1980s and early-1990s, and basically the entire first year (2002) of PARTY-93.1.THE MAJOR

Hey Major, Do you have any tapes of 95.5's old top-of-the-hour IDs?Scott

 

[The-Major]

According to Radio-Locator WRMF's signal (out to fringe) traverses way north to southern Brevard County, way west to the outskirts of the Fort Myers / Naples area, and way south down to Homestead. According to me (here in Homestead) I have no problems at all picking them up. There's a little bit of static here and there, but what do I expect from a station that's about 90 miles away. Let's hear it for their MAMMOTH 1,350 foot stick !Ron Jon Surf Shop in Cocoa Beach - I used to hang out there (virtually live and breathe there) back in 1993. I don't visit much anymore since they opened up shops at Sawgrass Mills in Sunrise and Festival Bay in Orlando.Back to South Florida radio:I recently heard a new top-of-the-hour station identifier for Y-100. It's quite impressive, but it could be better. It mentions something to the fact that they 'broadcast free and clear from the sexiest place on the planet' (or something to that effect). I am hearing subtle improvements every day with Y-100 (syndication and voice-tracking notwithstanding).THE MAJOR

WRMF has a unique ID today; they are the only station of which I know that uses counties in their legal ID. They identify themselves as "97-9 WRMF, Palm Beach-Broward." To its credit, WRMF has one of the most impressive signals in the market; their reception in front of American Airlines Arena is quite impressive. I agree with you about the quality of the signals of the region's CHR stations. The deceiving part about Wild's reception is that it is so poor in southern Palm Beach County and northern Broward. However, Wild's signal is quite impressive to the west - even as far away as Belle Glade. Moreover, its northern reach is quite impressive. I have picked up Wild in the parking lot of the Ron Jon Surf Shop in Cocoa Beach. I completely agree with you regarding those "classic-style booming (even over-the-top) top-of-the-hour station identifications." A couple of stations that still have that booming ID include KIIS in Los Angeles, as well as KDTB ("Da Bomb") in Honolulu (I know that you mentioned that you visited the Aloha State earlier this year, Major). Scott

 

[mikedow]

Wow! Somebody else remembers the Burmude Triangle line from WOVV's Legal ID in the early 90s!WRFM's legal ID is quite clever. As I'm certain you know, the station has to identify its call letters and its city of licence. WRMF is licenced to Palm Beach (not West Palm Beach). You are welcome to say whatever you want after the city of licence. WRMF, Palm Beach (Broward, Dade) is misleading but accurate.Mike