• Get involved.
    We want your input!
    Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.

    After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
    If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.

    After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
    https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/

    Thanks in advance and have fun!
    RadioDiscussions Administrators

Will Hartford Soon Know "Jack"??

J

Joseph_Gallant

Guest
With Las Vegas the newest city to get a "Jack"-type format (today, June 24th), I wonder how long it will be until the format comes to Hartford.

Although Infinity has been the biggest booster of "Jack"-type formats, I doubt any of their Hartford-area stations will switch, since according to phase 2 trends for the Spring 2005 Arbitrons, all four local Infinity stations are (in terms of overall listeners) among the top seven stations in the market.

But if Infinity doesn't flip one of it's stations to "Jack", would someone else flip to a "Jack"-type format?? And if so, who??
 
> But if Infinity doesn't flip one of it's stations to "Jack",
> would someone else flip to a "Jack"-type format?? And if so,
> who??
>
How about WPHH 104.1? Or could Infinity's 96.5 WTIC tweak more towards a Jack format?
 
> With Las Vegas the newest city to get a "Jack"-type format
> (today, June 24th), I wonder how long it will be until the
> format comes to Hartford.
>
> Although Infinity has been the biggest booster of
> "Jack"-type formats, I doubt any of their Hartford-area
> stations will switch, since according to phase 2 trends for
> the Spring 2005 Arbitrons, all four local Infinity stations
> are (in terms of overall listeners) among the top seven
> stations in the market.
>
> But if Infinity doesn't flip one of it's stations to "Jack",
> would someone else flip to a "Jack"-type format?? And if so,
> who??
>

It's interesting that the Las Vegas station was KMZQ, which Infinity just happened to brand as "Lite 100.5". I heard them in 2000, and to be honest, I thought it was better sounding then WRCH! Since then, they canned a local love songs show for John Tesh, and fired most of the morning show, so I see their downfall.

Based solely on the fact that Infinity seems to want to put Jack everywhere, I'd think that they would want it in Hartford, regardless of whether they can get it here. Interestingly, in Las Vegas, they left the Hot AC in place (Mix 94.1), therefore creating co-owned competition. The same scenario occured in Baltimore, and was likely to occur in Boston as well.

While 96.5's ratings are pretty good, how is the billing? If the billing is good, then I doubt that Infinity would flip it. 93.7 and 100.5 both are doing quite well, and there's a 0% chance that WRCH would flip.
 
> > But if Infinity doesn't flip one of it's stations to
> "Jack",
> > would someone else flip to a "Jack"-type format?? And if
> so,
> > who??
> >
> How about WPHH 104.1? Or could Infinity's 96.5 WTIC tweak
> more towards a Jack format?
>

if 104.1 flips again, it wont be to a jack format. it would be to jazz or spanish or something along those lines. i could see tic-fm modifying their playlist a bit, but i'd highly doubt a name change.
 
> Why hasn't anybody mentioned WDRC-FM 102.9 of Hartford?

Buckley does not own a single station with a JACK format. Clear Channel only owns a few. Infinity owns tons of them, and they are still aggressively spreading JACK-FM stations to many of their markets.

To my knowledge, Buckley is not a company that embraces such trends as JACK. Considering that most of the JACK format change decisions were made on the corporate level, I'd bet that 102.9 DRC-FM will be around for a while longer.
 
> To my knowledge, Buckley is not a company that embraces such
> trends as JACK. Considering that most of the JACK format
> change decisions were made on the corporate level, I'd bet
> that 102.9 DRC-FM will be around for a while longer.
>
How about a station outside of Hartford? Kool 96.7? Star 99.9? I-95???
 
> How about a station outside of Hartford? Kool 96.7? Star
> 99.9? I-95???


There's no way I-95 would flip. It does very well with its current format.
 
It'll be WCCC. They're doing well now, but they've only got about 6-7 more months of Stern and then they're dead unless they make the move. Without Stern they are nothing.
 
I highly doubt that anyone in Hartford will go Jack. TIC-FM does Way Back Weekends and the River does weekend specials, so they are both featuring good songs from the past 20 years. TIC-FM would cause confusion if they call the station Jack and do promos and TV commercials for Craig and Company. Speculation in this thread about PHH, DRC-FM and CCC: I highly doubt it. It's better to keep the audiences they have than to risk doing somthing that has not been proven over time. I believe PHH's purpose was to take audience away from ZMX. Outside of Hartford: Star 99.9 and I-95 are well established - therefore they most likely will not change.
 
> There's no way I-95 would flip. It does very well with its
> current format.

Does well how? I'm not trying to insinuate it doesn't do well, but you don't explain your observations. Does it do well according to "numbers" (a la arbitron), is it billing well (lots of commercials doesn't necessarily mean it's making money) etc etc.

Again, this isn't a knock on I-95, I happen to like it myself...but the comment sounded more of an opinion rather than of having knowledge the general public doesn't have.

So, please explain...thanks.<P ID="signature">______________
</P>
 
> Without Stern they are nothing.

Actually, I differ with your view on WCCC. I rarely listen when Stern is on...the last time I listened to Stern was the day he made his announcement. I don't like Stern. (Although I will fight for his right to free speech...)

I would say over the past several months, WCCC has been moving to attract the older male demo (25-35+). I could be wrong about that, but I have been able to stand listening more lately. And I attribute that to the fact that it sounds like they are playing more recurrents and golds, and less "new" rock. I, personally, don't like alot of teen-angst-ridden-rock/metal. Maybe I'm not listening long enough to know for sure, but whenever I flip to them, if they aren't babbling on and on about non-sense, they usually have a tune I like playing. A couple weeks ago I actualy listened to one of the jocks babble on with his girl friend (or wife) on the phone about why she liked him. I was more dumbfounded that those in charge allow such inane chatter. On a more upbeat note, they also were doing some kind of flash back to the 90's and they played The Cranberries! Kind of a retro-alternative thing, which I thought was cool. But what I like isn't what most people like...so...

This is purely speculation, I have no evidence of this other than my opinion, but my guess is that they are tweaking the format slightly and will continue to target the upper male demos after Stern's departure. If KROCK in New York is any success, they would be smart to follow.

I haven't seen what the numbers look like for the demo they are after, (I'm not an Arbitron fan anyway) but my guess is they have enough ammo to stick with what they are doing...especially if the $$ is there.


<P ID="signature">______________
</P>
 
> With Las Vegas the newest city to get a "Jack"-type format
> (today, June 24th), I wonder how long it will be until the
> format comes to Hartford.

You know, I'd say we almost already have a Jack format in Hartford, namely The River. While they are rock-based, they have a very wide playlist, from classics to currents, and it's a good mix. Plus their voiceovers aren't nearly as annoying and smarmy as the voiceovers on Jack ... but they do have similar attitude. I also heard a sweeper the other day on the River saying "we're like your personal mix CD for the office ... the river 105-9". And, because I'd bet the River would be the station brought down the most from a Jack (since all Jacks seem to be leaning in the rock direction), I don't see CC putting Jack on any of their FMs. If anything, like cabradio said, PHH would probably go Spanish (or maybe even Kiss!).

As far as TIC-FM goes, Infinity doesn't seem to care about heritage calls and heritage names. It all depends on billing. Has their billing been consistently sliding? While I don't have the numbers, I'm sure their 25-54 demo is doing quite well on the lower end, whereas CBS-FM's listeners kept getting older and older. And agencies didn't want to pay as much.

As far as DRC-FM or CCC goes, it's anybody's guess. DRC-FM has gone through multiple incarnations in the past couple years ... BIG-D, Big Hits, DRC-FM, whatever ... while Jack may not come to DRC-FM, they could re-image ... maybe Spanish on DRC? CCC, they seem to like Picozzi and the rock format and the "freestyle" of the DJ's (yes, they can talk and talk and talk). I don't see them changing, especially as the ONLY outlet for newer/harder rock.

ALL speculation, but it comes down to this: radio's a business. If anyone's billing falls, they're subject for a change. But the question is, especially with the river already present, would a change to Jack make more sense than a Spanish? Don't forget ... Infinity also blew up HFS in Baltimore and turned it into El Zol!<P ID="signature">______________
-EricM</P>
 
> I highly doubt that anyone in Hartford will go Jack. TIC-FM
> does Way Back Weekends and the River does weekend specials,
> so they are both featuring good songs from the past 20
> years. TIC-FM would cause confusion if they call the
> station Jack and do promos and TV commercials for Craig and
> Company. Speculation in this thread about PHH, DRC-FM and
> CCC: I highly doubt it. It's better to keep the audiences
> they have than to risk doing somthing that has not been
> proven over time. I believe PHH's purpose was to take
> audience away from ZMX. Outside of Hartford: Star 99.9 and
> I-95 are well established - therefore they most likely will
> not change.
>
Don't expect a buzz arounf WEBE 108 anytime soon--why mess with a 50,000 watt FM powerhouse that is number one?
 
> With Las Vegas the newest city to get a "Jack"-type format
> (today, June 24th), I wonder how long it will be until the
> format comes to Hartford.
>
> Although Infinity has been the biggest booster of
> "Jack"-type formats, I doubt any of their Hartford-area
> stations will switch, since according to phase 2 trends for
> the Spring 2005 Arbitrons, all four local Infinity stations
> are (in terms of overall listeners) among the top seven
> stations in the market.
>
> But if Infinity doesn't flip one of it's stations to "Jack",
> would someone else flip to a "Jack"-type format?? And if so,
> who??
>


I said it before, I'll say it again, look north to Springfield.
 
> > There's no way I-95 would flip. It does very well with
> its
> > current format.
>
> Does well how? I'm not trying to insinuate it doesn't do
> well, but you don't explain your observations. Does it do
> well according to "numbers" (a la arbitron), is it billing
> well (lots of commercials doesn't necessarily mean it's
> making money) etc etc.
>
> Again, this isn't a knock on I-95, I happen to like it
> myself...but the comment sounded more of an opinion rather
> than of having knowledge the general public doesn't have.
>
> So, please explain...thanks.
>

Almost 30 years of rock. Number 1 or 2 constantly. Sales through the roof. A 50,000 watt station of that long life status sells without much convincing.

I would like to see Star expand the playlist a little. But most of Southern CT would I'm sure.
 
> I said it before, I'll say it again, look north to
> Springfield.
>
theres only 2 stations i can possibly see being jacked in springfield... here's why.

WMAS 94.7 - listened to in EVERY office... people could listen to lite 100.5 but theres alot of localism on wmas that people like. #1 in market

WAQY 102.1 - when hell freezes over. #4 in market. just about every person 40+ would be extremely mad.

WPKX 97.9 - #2 in the market and one of the best country stations i have heard in a long long time.

WYHN 93.1 - always solid and consistant. #3 in market.

WLZX 99.3 - good alternative to wccc of waaf... which sometimes have a hard time hearing west and north of spfld, which is what makes wlzx so valuable. #8 in market - 2nd choice for being jacked

WRNX 100.9 - 1st choice of getting jacked...


LONGSHOT - WRSI 93.9 from turners falls... not the greatest signal in the city but its an outside chance...
 
DRC would be the best to segue into such a format. The Jack format looks like the future of oldies to me and DRC has always been good at stedily moving along with the times.

The River could segue into it easily as well, but with their decent recent numbers, I don't think so.

None of the Fairfield County stations will since they rate and bill well to the area they target, an area that can pick up WCBS by the way.

And yes, if 104.1 does change formats, it will have to be Spanish. That is very consistant with Clear Channel's Spanish strategy. I don't know what they're waiting for. "Viva 104.1"!
 
> LONGSHOT - WRSI 93.9 from turners falls... not the greatest
> signal in the city but its an outside chance...
>

I doubt WRSI would get flipped. Doesn't do huge numbers, but I can't imagine the billing is all that bad. The River has a 20-plus year heritage and a fiercely loyal following in Northampton, the upper Pioneer Valley and Southern VT.
 
Status
This thread has been closed due to inactivity. You can create a new thread to discuss this topic.


Back
Top Bottom