Will News/Talk Fly on FM 101.9?

[Steve_Green]

Re: WRXP May Be Going to Female Oriented News/Talk

Bob 1370 and Barry are looking at this positively. And indeed, it just might be way past due for someone to give NYC's dials the good throttling it hasn't had since WHTZ gave all the gals born after the first official astronauts green lights to start liking to dance again with less fear of social guilt mumbled by the boys who never could dance in the first place.

But that early-80's feat was done through *music*.

This latest valentine takes that current 30-40 target -- already scarred and tattooed with enough holes from niched arrows -- and separates it into yet a smaller slice. Yet another form of separate currency has been issued for those going into a mall to buy something.

The music-free-zone is the part that galls me. Going without a hook or a riff or a musical link 24/7 makes this just another on-line classified. As the hot-talk format hooked solely males who weren't getting any, a female-heavy preset seems destined to appeal to the lowest common denominator in that realm, too. It is no longer how music and its fashion link *sounds*. It's how it looks.

In stereo. Yeah, like, ohmigod, like, right. Appearance does not translate to radio.

101.9 best hope it can sign the Yankees for some credibility.

Sorry to disagree, Bob 1370. Love you like a brother, and you know that. I just think radio needs more music in 2011 for its survival than it does more yentas.

 

[pjc1961]

Remember WPIX on 101.9?What exactly was their format?

http://www.angelfire.com/nj2/piratejim/nycfmhistory2.html (scroll down to what's currently listed as WRXP - 101.9 FM New York)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WRXP

 

[Rusty Muck]

Re: WRXP May Be Going to Female Oriented News/Talk

I just think radio needs more music in 2011 for its survival than it does more yentas.

The problem is, the popular music scene has never been worse. Part of that is due to the consolidation of radio, but part of that is also due to a total dearth of actual musical talent.

Sorry, but when someone like Rebecca Black can laugh all the way to the bank, then pop music is DOA.

And that's not taking into account how stereotypical every format is. Classic rock, classic hits, CHR, Hot AC, country, rock, etc... you all know what you're going to get. Lather, rinse, repeat. A huge bunch of blah. (Yes, if I had the money to buy my way into the market, I'd put a country format on... but only as a flanker. Not as a standalone signal.)

 

[Fozzie]

Re: WRXP May Be Going to Female Oriented News/Talk

Dangit, I am a woman. I loved WLIR. I listen to new rock (it is out there). I don't want to hear anything "aimed at women," at least not what radio suits think women want. I now have little reason to ever tune away from WFUV.

Country would have been been than talk. Yes, I said it, HAHA

RIP RXP, I enjoyed you.

 

[TheWitch]

Re: WRXP May Be Going to Female Oriented News/Talk

NYC radio has become mundane. The rock scene in NY is alive and well. Rock radio? Not so much. So much good music out there and the only places you can hear it are iPods, the internet and satellite radio(oh yeah, cd's and vinyl too). Gone are the days where you could turn on the FM dial and hear one great song after another. Artist development has gone by the wayside as well as great standout radio personalities. Why is it that the powers that be, think all people of a particular age group, drop one kind of music and listen to another because they reached a certain age?? If anything, musical tastes expand with age. You want to hear the songs you grew up with and you want to hear whats new too. They have it all mixed up. Who says that if you have a few kids and have a van you aren't supposed to listen to Black Rebel Motorcycle Club anymore?? If listeners were exposed to it more, they would enjoy it. Thank heaven for college radio.

 

[hubcity]

Re: WRXP May Be Going to Female Oriented News/Talk

I now have little reason to ever tune away from WFUV.

If you ever come to the Jersey Shore with an HD radio, I have a proposition for you ;D

 

[hubcity]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WRXP

Let it be noted that WRXP lasted longer than its closest progenitor on that frequency, WPIX-FM's "From Elvis To Elvis" format, which didn't last long, but I swear everyone who listened to it became a DJ.

 

[radioguy39nj]

Re: WRXP May Be Going to Female Oriented News/Talk

Do MILF's really want to listen to talk radio? This had better not be all-talk Blink FM! I hope that with all the hard news people Merlin lured away form WINS that this is not a fluff format! ???

 

[pjc1961]

Re: WRXP May Be Going to Female Oriented News/Talk

NYC radio has become mundane. The rock scene in NY is alive and well. Rock radio? Not so much. So much good music out there and the only places you can hear it are iPods, the internet and satellite radio(oh yeah, cd's and vinyl too). Gone are the days where you could turn on the FM dial and hear one great song after another. Artist development has gone by the wayside as well as great standout radio personalities. Why is it that the powers that be, think all people of a particular age group, drop one kind of music and listen to another because they reached a certain age?? If anything, musical tastes expand with age. You want to hear the songs you grew up with and you want to hear whats new too. They have it all mixed up. Who says that if you have a few kids and have a van you aren't supposed to listen to Black Rebel Motorcycle Club anymore?? If listeners were exposed to it more, they would enjoy it. Thank heaven for college radio.

Matt Pinfield tends to agree with "TheWitch". He's interviewed by the Hollywood Reporter, discussing the end of WRXP, Rock'n'Roll & the rebirth of MTV2's 120 Minutes. Also talks about the recent problems of Coheed & Cambria's bassist Michael Todd:

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/matt-pinfield-last-days-wrxp-211266

 

[Rusty Muck]

In NYC I doubt it? Too much over saturation on AM. Oh, maybe you want to compete with Sirius/XM talk channels or how about internet talk like Republic Broadcast Network? Man do I miss the late Terry Anderson. Programming and Formats get duller by the second on NY FM radio. If Merlin wanted to grab a spot and make a real splash they should take over 50s, 60s, and 70s music which is totally missing in NYC. With a playlist of 60,000+ songs (Not the boring CBS-FM same 300 hits rotation) they could do some real damage. Putting a mix of WINS refugees and WABC/WOR/WNYM/WWRL type talk shows won't put a dent in the NY FM band. Disco 102 had it going on and since then they never made any more sparks. They keep bringing in out of towners and consultants that don't know jack about the NY audience. Here we go again folks! LOL

I disagree. WABC and WOR only bill because they are the de facto talk stations in the market, but both are so poorly run. There's nothing special about either of them, and WABC is only live/local for two hours in the late morning. No news department, and no local newscasts after 8PM. WOR has a purely schizophrenic lineup. Boring to blah, and then there's Savage... if Gambling and Malzberg weren't there, 710 would be hurting big time.

If you put up WABC and WOR against strong talk powerhouses like KFI in Los Angeles, WLW in Cincinnati, KGO in San Francisco, KTAR in Phoenix or KIRO in Seattle, they all crush WABC and WOR handily. Plus neither station's ownership is showing any willingness to invest in the stations whatsoever.

If Randy plays his cards right and puts a full-service, all-local talker with a 24/7 news department, it crushes WABC (and could overwhelm Citadel/Cumulus, as it is their top station) and ages WOR ever more... probably to the 75-dead demographic.

When WHTZ was considered back in 1983, Malrite exec Carl Hirsch was considered to be absolutely nuts. We all know how that turned out.

 

[Rusty Muck]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WRXP

Let it be noted that WRXP lasted longer than its closest progenitor on that frequency, WPIX-FM's "From Elvis To Elvis" format, which didn't last long, but I swear everyone who listened to it became a DJ.

Also bear in mind WPIX-FM was more noted for longtime personality Dennis Quinn, who somehow stayed at the station through all of the format flips from 1972 right up until CD101.9's flip to WRXP.

 

[d21ofnj]

Re: WRXP May Be Going to Female Oriented News/Talk

Do MILF's really want to listen to talk radio? This had better not be all-talk Blink FM! I hope that with all the hard news people Merlin lured away form WINS that this is not a fluff format! ???

W whY New York? Can't someone like ESPN swap with Merlin?

 

[Rusty Muck]

Re: WRXP May Be Going to Female Oriented News/Talk

I think this "female news/talk" is a total ruse meant to distract from Merlin's actual plans. Would hardly be earth-shattering if that is indeed the case. Meant to gather even more intrigue into the station's "big reveal" when it does take place.

I submit this classic example. And this well-produced one.

At least thank God that female news/talk is being flown as a trial balloon and not country.

 

[badjef]

Re: WRXP May Be Going to Female Oriented News/Talk

"Female News/Talk" would be code for "We're News for Metrosexuals walking around Manhattan."

The "feminization of the male" continues.

Seriously, I would agree, it's probably a "perk-up".

Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!

 

[NorwoodBoundD]

Re: WRXP May Be Going to Female Oriented News/Talk

This format will fail. No one wants to hear women talk! They already own daytime TV. OWN is sucking ass at the moment.

 

[uncamark]

Re: WRXP May Be Going to Female Oriented News/Talk

This format will fail. No one wants to hear women talk! They already own daytime TV. OWN is sucking ass at the moment.

Proud to be a sexist pig?

 

[badjef]

Re: WRXP May Be Going to Female Oriented News/Talk

This format will fail. No one wants to hear women talk! They already own daytime TV. OWN is sucking ass at the moment.

Proud to be a sexist pig?

NorwoodBoundD could be an underground hero on the 'boards with that comment. ;D

Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!

 

[TimeIsTight]

Re: WRXP May Be Going to Female Oriented News/Talk

W whY New York? Can't someone like ESPN swap with Merlin?

Hey, ESPN certainly had their chance and plenty of time to make the decision.

Emmis announced last year that it had to sell WRXP because it had a big refinancing or debt payment due this fall.

ESPN, just got outbid in the buying process by Merlin.

Looks like ESPN may be out of luck in finding a for sale FM in New York for a long time. And don't think WFME will be sold anytime soon, its probably one of the last stations that will be sold. It has no debt to worry about.

 

[danikayser84]

Re: WRXP May Be Going to Female Oriented News/Talk

Ditto for WBAI... I don't picture either that or WFME getting sold for a long time

 

[ansky212]

Re: WRXP May Be Going to Female Oriented News/Talk

NYC radio has become mundane. The rock scene in NY is alive and well. Rock radio? Not so much. So much good music out there and the only places you can hear it are iPods, the internet and satellite radio(oh yeah, cd's and vinyl too). Gone are the days where you could turn on the FM dial and hear one great song after another.

Radio has become a catch-22. If your playlist is too broad you lose listeners that don't want to hear all the songs they don't like that are mixed in with the songs they like, so they tune away. If your playlist is too narrow you only attract a small, niche following, that results in low ratings. Neither of these situations is viable for a radio station. Speaking for myself, country is the only format I listen to where I like just about every song that is played (I listen to WKMK locally, as well as numerous internet stations).