WILD SOLD?...ACCORDING TO LOCAL SUNDAY TALK SHOW HOST, YES!

[N1WVQ]

No, they shouldn't operate @ a loss. I agree with S.M.s figuring out more innovative ways to get ad dollars. In fact, I like innovation for all of radio. Something other than the same old same old. I don't disagree with your post.

 

[BRNout]

Re: not gonna happen...

Sorry, BRNout. You have made alot of assumptions, without
FACTS to back them up. Even assuming there is as much
of an audience that you seem to think exists, there is a hole
in your assertions that you could drive a truck through:
which [size=10pt]advertisers[/size]
would pay good money to appeal to this audience???
Unless you have commitments in writing, this is not worth diddlysquat...

What do you want for facts? What would satisfy you? The fact that there is little in the way of "rhythmic" formats in a large and increasingly diverse market? That more WHITES listen to rhythmic music (and fewer to rock) than ever before? That you have all these pirates featuring rather raw urban formats to serve an unserved community?

How are the ratings at the bottom tier? For example (ownership aside, of course), wouldn't you agree that WFNX would garner A LOT more listeners if they had an urban format? I sure as Hell would. Their ratings suck. Even an urban that wasn't particularly well programmed (or bird feed) would almost certainly beat the 0.7 that they have. But, alas, they are owned by someone almost as obstinate and stubborn as you are on this subject. So, they'll sit there with no listeners, serving as the owner's personal jukebox.

Let's look at others near the bottom of the overall barrel: WCRB. Yeah, I know, a dead issue. Ownership and tradition, you know. Yet, a rhythmic CHR or urban contemporary would do better than the 2.0 overall rating that they just got. Not to mention the demos. You'd go from fossilized to youthful. Remember, you have 6 1/2% of the market that's black. And a solid chunk of whites who would listen too. Lots of potential. Mike: 2.7; WAAF 2.9 (on two signals). Again, the right format would do wonders. But, again, Entercom won't do it here.

Who is on top? WXKS with an almost unheard-of in a large market 10.2. Second? WJMN with a 7.3. And, those are about the only 'rhythmic' stations in the market. Nobody even tries to go after them.

No, this isn't merely my "unsubstantiated" opinion, this is reality. The market can use another format to shake things up. Yet you've got tons of rock/classic rock/etc. mired down in the <4.0 range. And I am the one who's wrong?

And Marc, your comparisons to Hartford are not valid either. 104.1 did reasonably well until CC screwed it up programmingwise. And WYBC actually gets some ratings there (and they do VERY well in New Haven). Not to mention that it's simply a different market and we're not discussing it. So, you're dismissed. ;D

 

[WLYNWAZNgm]

...and, again, those advertisers would be....???
Political correctness can only go so far...

 

[tomservo]

I find it hard to believe that a tight urban format couldn't find SOME advertisers to make it work in a city as big as Boston. Granted, I've only ever driven through the city and don't know much about it… but the times, they are a changin', and it's away from rock.

Reading through this thread, I get the impression Boston is kinda like a lot of the bigger markets in the US, where radio changes at a glacial pace even when the demographics are on the move. NYC, Chicago, LA, San Fran, Atlanta… they just don't seem to respond to changes in taste and demographics quickly enough. Everyone's just in their comfortable groove. Or rut, if you prefer.

 

[WLYNWAZNgm]

Boston has been called a very parochial town. It is a city of
neighborhoods. Every neighborhood has different demographics/interests.
A small, very vocal group on this board seems to hijack many threads, and keeps
saying the same position, over and over again: we want what we want, when we
want it. To keep repeating things does not change the facts. If you have any
station that is to be supported by advertising (unless you use a different
business model...) you need advertisers who will support it. Make it all personal,
if you like, but that does not influence the business of radio (or any other
for-profit business). Until you can cite specifics, you are just blowing smoke...

 

[CTListener]

Re: not gonna happen...

And Marc, your comparisons to Hartford are not valid either. 104.1 did reasonably well until CC screwed it up programmingwise. And WYBC actually gets some ratings there (and they do VERY well in New Haven). Not to mention that it's simply a different market and we're not discussing it. So, you're dismissed. ;D

That wasn't Marc, that was me. And urban was only on 104.1 as a placeholder format until CC could sell the station. The new owners flipped it back to modern rock. So much for the potential of urban. As for WYBC, it's owned by Yale University and operated by Cox on an LMA. Yes, it does well in the New Haven ratings (as well it should, given the demographics in play there) but I doubt it bills half as much as, say, WPLR does. It doesn't have to, really; Yale is a very big sugar daddy.

Urban AC isn't a format with the suburban appeal that hip-hop has. It's primarily an adult format for African-American audiences and that's who the advertisers on WYBC are targeting.

 

[trock]

Boston has been called a very parochial town. It is a city of
neighborhoods. Every neighborhood has different demographics/interests.
A small, very vocal group on this board seems to hijack many threads, and keeps
saying the same position, over and over again: we want what we want, when we
want it. To keep repeating things does not change the facts. If you have any
station that is to be supported by advertising (unless you use a different
business model...) you need advertisers who will support it. Make it all personal,
if you like, but that does not influence the business of radio (or any other
for-profit business). Until you can cite specifics, you are just blowing smoke...

WOW! Why are you so offended by our comments. All we're doing is expressing our opinions. Thats the whole point of this forum. Now if I went to the wzlx thread and started talking about this then you would have a point. But you came into this thread and started whining about how we repeat ourselves too much. If you don't like it then don't read it.

 

[trock]

Now with that said I partially agree with u. I don't know if an straight up urban would work in Boston. But I do think a rhythmic leaning station like a HOT 937 in Hartford or just a well programmed chr would bring Jamn and Kiss back down to earth. Clear Channel used this strategy in NY to protect Lite fm and Z100 from getting annihilated by HOT 97. Why cbs or Entercom or even greater media aren't doing this boggles my mind. There has to be more to it than "Oh we can't get enough advertising."

 

[NHRadio]

But I do think a rhythmic leaning station like a HOT 937 in Hartford or just a well programmed chr would bring Jamn and Kiss back down to earth. There has to be more to it than "Oh we can't get enough advertising."

Kiss and Jamn combined are at or near a 20 share. They ARE well programmed. You and I may find it unlistenable, but you don't get ratings like that without knowing what you're doing.

And no, there is not more to "we can't get enough advertising"...for the 300th time Radio is a BUSINESS. Public service is a very very distant 2nd. Profits are #1.

 

[tomservo]

Now with that said I partially agree with u. I don't know if an straight up urban would work in Boston. But I do think a rhythmic leaning station like a HOT 937 in Hartford or just a well programmed chr would bring Jamn and Kiss back down to earth. Clear Channel used this strategy in NY to protect Lite fm and Z100 from getting annihilated by HOT 97. Why cbs or Entercom or even greater media aren't doing this boggles my mind. There has to be more to it than "Oh we can't get enough advertising."

Do Entercom and CBS operate any successful urban or urban ACs in their other markets? Maybe it's a lack of experience with the format. Seems like every big radio corporation has their place, and one or two formats they execute well. Off the top of my head I can't think of any Entercom or CBS urbans, but then I am not very familiar with them outside of a few markets.

 

[wdb2003]

WVEE V103 in Atlanta owned by CBS

 

[WLYNWAZNgm]

Am I offended by these comments? No, just bored by them.
SSDD...

 

[MR. JAROME_CALVIN]

Now with that said I partially agree with u. I don't know if an straight up urban would work in Boston. But I do think a rhythmic leaning station like a HOT 937 in Hartford or just a well programmed chr would bring Jamn and Kiss back down to earth. Clear Channel used this strategy in NY to protect Lite fm and Z100 from getting annihilated by HOT 97. Why cbs or Entercom or even greater media aren't doing this boggles my mind. There has to be more to it than "Oh we can't get enough advertising."

Do Entercom and CBS operate any successful urban or urban ACs in their other markets? Maybe it's a lack of experience with the format. Seems like every big radio corporation has their place, and one or two formats they execute well. Off the top of my head I can't think of any Entercom or CBS urbans, but then I am not very familiar with them outside of a few markets.

The other night (Sunday) I heard Rob Tyler on Mix 104.1. He's been on almost a lot of stations here in this area.
Instead of having him on there
Because of the loss of W I L D, why not them make it an effort to at least some Urban AC shows, or play (some) Urban AC music on there such as New Jennifer Hudson music, or Charlie Wilson music, or Tank

if they don't want to do it, than
93.7 should consider changing to "Funkytown 93.7" and on weekday afternoons put "Doug Banks", weeknights put "Keith Sweat Hotel", and add some Urban AC shows on weekends.

 

[WLYNWAZNgm]

: : : SSDD

 

[NHRadio]

Lauro, how many times are you going to say the same damn thing? It. Will. Not. Happen.
Why can't you understand that very simple idea?

 

[CTListener]

Is there any market, anywhere, where Urban AC is anything but a fringe player? Seems that the cruder, younger-skewing side of black music is the only side the advertisers (or listeners) will support.

 

[tomservo]

Is there any market, anywhere, where Urban AC is anything but a fringe player? Seems that the cruder, younger-skewing side of black music is the only side the advertisers (or listeners) will support.

Sure. Markets with large black populations.

In Birmingham, Kiss 98.7 is usually a top 3 in the 12+ ratings and seems to have a lot of support amongst local listeners. It's usually number 2 or 3, under the contemporary 95-7 Jamz. (The other top three station is of course country and it's a real money maker because it is Alabama after all.)

Memphis has a urban AC or two and they seem to do OK. I used to hear Soul Classics 103.5 out of more shop and car radios than probably any other format besides hip hop.

In both these cases, there's a large affluent black adult population to drive listenership. Dunno how they compare to Boston's black population, though.

 

[Jimmy128]

Lauro, how many times are you going to say the same damn thing? It. Will. Not. Happen.
Why can't you understand that very simple idea?

Lauro: The only thing I can tell you is to get an HD radio and listen to Funkytown on 93.7 HD2.
It's not an R&B Urban station though it's a dance station.

 

[beantownradio25]

Now with that said I partially agree with u. I don't know if an straight up urban would work in Boston. But I do think a rhythmic leaning station like a HOT 937 in Hartford or just a well programmed chr would bring Jamn and Kiss back down to earth. Clear Channel used this strategy in NY to protect Lite fm and Z100 from getting annihilated by HOT 97. Why cbs or Entercom or even greater media aren't doing this boggles my mind. There has to be more to it than "Oh we can't get enough advertising."

Do Entercom and CBS operate any successful urban or urban ACs in their other markets? Maybe it's a lack of experience with the format. Seems like every big radio corporation has their place, and one or two formats they execute well. Off the top of my head I can't think of any Entercom or CBS urbans, but then I am not very familiar with them outside of a few markets.

The other night (Sunday) I heard Rob Tyler on Mix 104.1. He's been on almost a lot of stations here in this area.
Instead of having him on there
Because of the loss of W I L D, why not them make it an effort to at least some Urban AC shows, or play (some) Urban AC music on there such as New Jennifer Hudson music, or Charlie Wilson music, or Tank

if they don't want to do it, than
93.7 should consider changing to "Funkytown 93.7" and on weekday afternoons put "Doug Banks", weeknights put "Keith Sweat Hotel", and add some Urban AC shows on weekends.

Your like a broken record player. One with very bad ideas. Even if they did pick up that programming, youd probably start hijacking every thread with the same post over and over again on how radio needs to be local again. Email Entercom or something, no one wants to hear this for the 1000th time.

 

[R.D.P.]

Amen to your thoughts Mr. Zach. 

95% of Alabama has a big enough audience for the Urban format.

My hometown being among the top of that list.

Wouldn't it sound logical that if Urban was a money maker, someone else would be catering to it already? 

Since Urban doesn't have a big enough audience there, it doesn't make sense to have one right now.

Just some food for thought, concerning the subject at hand.

R.D.P. <><