Will The Big Talker Survive?

[boogiecheck]

Let's play the new "what if" game.

What if 100.3 goes country? What will the new formats on Q93 and Merle be?

I think Q93 would be a slam dunk for Oldies and Merle would do very well with more of a "MOR" infused classic country (think late 70s, early 80s AC).

What if 100.3 goes CHR/Top-40? What then for Star 102.1, The River, Jack and Hot 104.5?

I think Star would be better served going more AC and targeting B97 head on while The River could swing more "MOR" and take on the newly minted MOR" MERLE. Hot 104.5 would be a player in the active rock arena, their signal is better than 94.3 and most of their listeners would never know the difference.

 

[gr8oldies]

Why the assumption that Star and 104.5 would fold their tent and go home immediately if 100.3 were to go CHR? The signal means a lot but it's not automatic that the signal alone wins (unless its a really bad signal). The CHR audience now doesn't remember WOKI as a CHR.

 

[boogiecheck]

It doesn't matter if the current demos "remember" "WOKI" as a CHR or not.

The fact remains that they would be a new player in the region and able to penetrate much further into the outlying areas with their signal. Beyond that they have far more money than the other stations for promotion and would give all current competition a real run.

 

[BRH]

I'm also hoping for a CHR format myself. But I agree, if they did go CHR, I don't just see Star folding up and running. Signalwise, honestly there is not that much difference between 100.3's full class C and 102.1's C1 signal. (The only measurable difference is in the very far flung outlying areas like Southeast KY, way down towards Chatt. and N. Georgia, etc., which really don't factor into the ratings anyway). As far as the actual metro counties that really count, the signal situation is not that much different. It's not like a Class C going against a Class A where there IS a big difference.

Anyway, both Star and Hot are really entrenched with the CHR/18-34 audience. They have no memory of WOKI's CHR days, so who knows, it could go either way. We all know that CHR audiences are fickle and will quickly jump to new stations, but that initial surge doesn't mean they can hold them after a couple of books, so an out and out defeat of Star and Hot is not a given.

Also, as far as the rock idea goes (and the mention of moving it to 104.5, etc. I personally wouldn't do that. Rock formats have been trending down for years now. Let's be honest, with todays teens, 20s and even 30 somethings, rhythmic music is THE choice. Rhythmic formats have much greater followings in the 18-34 demo than rock formats. Granted, there is still a young rock audience, but it is nowhere near as big as it used to be, and those who do prefer it tend to prefer ipods, etc. over radio. But there has been a big swing in the past 20 years with younger and middle age demos away from rock leaning music and towards rhythmic. So, given a choice, I'd go rhythmic over active rock/alternative anyday if I wanted to grab 18-34s.

And as far as stations beating WIVK in the past. Yes, WRJZ did beat them in the late 70s, and I'm pretty sure they were the last to do so in the 12plus Arbitron numbers. Although, I'm pretty sure, WIMZ did beat WIVK a couple of times in the early to mid 80s in the old Birch Ratings that used to favor younger listeners.

Who knows what will happen to 100.3, but I'm glad at least there's finally a buzz in this market. As I said, I'm hoping for CHR (or anything but country really). Oh, and if Ed is really going to be on the air, he'd better use a name other than the call letters (as Ed never has been able to pronounce "W" correctly "Dubler IVK"

 

[Tennessee Cowboy]

Anyway, both Star and Hot are really entrenched with the CHR/18-34 audience.

I agree with much of what you said, BRH. It's pretty tough to stay entrenched with an audience that young, though. Most of them would change favorites to get a better looking t-shirt.

It could get interesting if it was any kind of younger format. Every direct competitor would have to ramp up its game. Audiences could fluctuate from book to book, and everyone would have to stay flexible and smart. More people would want to give up their monthly automobile jukebox subscriptions. The guys that could make decisions locally would have a huge advantage over the companies programmed somewhere else.

CHR would mean having to go all-in for overall dominance. An older demo format would be safe and conservative but keep them running with the pack instead of ahead of it.

Stay tuned.

 

[boogiecheck]

Regardless of which format they do pick, this market is ready for something new and fresh. Too many jukebox formats which have driven countless listeners to MP3s and non-terrestrial listening.

Country? CHR? Rock? We've got about a month until we know for sure. A month is a long time if you're sitting behind a console on Kingston Pike, Amhearst Road or on top of Sharps Ridge wondering.

 

[MurvleJumpUp]

Although, I'm pretty sure, WIMZ did beat WIVK a couple of times in the early to mid 80s in the old Birch Ratings that used to favor younger listeners."

BIRCH..god I had forgotten about that one! James A. hated it cause it was phone and just spent more on ARB so it went the heck away. My fav was the tri county Pulse. KGN would beat NOX at night in the Pulse and Pete used to say his hair dryer had more power then 1340.

Dang fun days...but heck if 100 comes alive it could be fun again.

 

[Big Bopper]

[My fav was the tri county Pulse. KGN would beat NOX at night in the Pulse /quote]

Really? Has anyone got any old ratings data that supports the threory that WKGN ever beat WNOX back in the day? I hear those rumors all the time, but I don't remember it being close.

Maybe the smaller station got an edge from it being a 3-county metro, but something about that doesn't feel right. Either that or my memory's fading.

 

[Tennessee Cowboy]

[My fav was the tri county Pulse. KGN would beat NOX at night in the Pulse /quote]

Really? Has anyone got any old ratings data that supports the threory that WKGN ever beat WNOX back in the day? I hear those rumors all the time, but I don't remember it being close.

Maybe the smaller station got an edge from it being a 3-county metro, but something about that doesn't feel right. Either that or my memory's fading.

No data. Just some stuff overheard from George Mooney. He told several people that it took a lot of money and a lot of effort to do it.

 

[MurvleJumpUp]

according to some of the elderly who were lucky enough to be included in the good staff (the ones who came to KGN to be heard and move to a bigger market) they will tell you they actually SAW the pulse.

 

[Big Bopper]

according to some of the elderly...they will tell you they actually SAW the pulse.

[/according to some of the elderly who were lucky enough to be included in the good staff (the ones who came to KGN to be heard and move to a bigger market) they will tell you they actually SAW the pulse. quote]

In thinking over the ratings info I heard in the past versus the comments I have seen here, perhaps the different stories can be traced to different eras. When my group discusses the good old days, we are talking about the time when WNOX and WKGN were both at the top of their game, when the jocks were the cream of the crop, Top 40 was fairly unique, and there were 4 or 5 stations fighting for that teen-centric piece of the ratings pie. Later, when new talent came along (who grew up with those original jocks as role models and, frankly "borrowed" a lot of their style and content), WATE, WJBE and WBIR ceased to be factors, and WRJZ was, like FM, not yet on the radar. Just to be fair, my comment reflects those days between WNOX's Top 40 launch, until the FM days began. Oh, well...fun to discuss, anyway.
Anybody got a copy of the Pulse from 1965-70?

 

[Tennessee Cowboy]

according to some of the elderly...they will tell you they actually SAW the pulse.

[/according to some of the elderly who were lucky enough to be included in the good staff (the ones who came to KGN to be heard and move to a bigger market) they will tell you they actually SAW the pulse. quote]

In thinking over the ratings info I heard in the past versus the comments I have seen here, perhaps the different stories can be traced to different eras. When my group discusses the good old days, we are talking about the time when WNOX and WKGN were both at the top of their game, when the jocks were the cream of the crop, Top 40 was fairly unique, and there were 4 or 5 stations fighting for that teen-centric piece of the ratings pie. Later, when new talent came along (who grew up with those original jocks as role models and, frankly "borrowed" a lot of their style and content), WATE, WJBE and WBIR ceased to be factors, and WRJZ was, like FM, not yet on the radar. Just to be fair, my comment reflects those days between WNOX's Top 40 launch, until the FM days began. Oh, well...fun to discuss, anyway.
Anybody got a copy of the Pulse from 1965-70?

It was mentioned somewhere else on this board that Mr. Mooney is back in town. If he's healthy enough to talk to you, he might be able to point you in the right direction.