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WKLB

R

Runrigger

Nobody ever talks about them, I assume because no one here listens to country. They seem to be pretty stable 12-plus from book to book. I've never really looked at Boston as a country market with any kind of format heritage. I know WBOS was country in the late 80s but am not sure of the format's history other than that.

I never get a chance to hear them, but did so on the way back from up north a couple of Sunday mornings ago & heard a country gold show I enjoyed. Every other song seemed to be definite crossover but there was enough music being played that only a real fan of the format over the years would be familiar with.

Any ideas of where their audience is, what stations they share it with, & how subject they are to diary placement?
 
Who?

Seriously though. It's amazing that they survive at all. In the times that I've been in Boston, I haven't seen even a Billboard. I'll bet they do well in the rural suburban areas outside of the 495. Contrary to what people might think, it's pretty country out there. I was out in Carver last December, lots of cattle, lots of farms, lots of pick up trucks.

-G.

> Nobody ever talks about them, I assume because no one here
> listens to country. They seem to be pretty stable 12-plus
> from book to book. I've never really looked at Boston as a
> country market with any kind of format heritage. I know WBOS
> was country in the late 80s but am not sure of the format's
> history other than that.
>
> I never get a chance to hear them, but did so on the way
> back from up north a couple of Sunday mornings ago & heard a
> country gold show I enjoyed. Every other song seemed to be
> definite crossover but there was enough music being played
> that only a real fan of the format over the years would be
> familiar with.
>
> Any ideas of where their audience is, what stations they
> share it with, & how subject they are to diary placement?
>
 
> Who?
>
> Seriously though. It's amazing that they survive at all. In
> the times that I've been in Boston, I haven't seen even a
> Billboard. I'll bet they do well in the rural suburban areas
> outside of the 495. Contrary to what people might think,
> it's pretty country out there. I was out in Carver last
> December, lots of cattle, lots of farms, lots of pick up
> trucks.
>

I enjoy Sunday Morning Country Oldies, good crossover from the 60's and 70's. Not bad for a half canned show.Too bad there signal is weak where I live and drive, being in Andover.
 
> Any ideas of where their audience is, what stations they
> share it with,

WKLB is the only country station in (well, nearest to) the Boston market.

To the north, their competitor is WOKQ 97.5 Dover NH, and to the south, WCTK 98.1 New Bedford, MA (Providence, RI market). Both of those stations come in well enough in their respective outskirts of the Boston market to show up on the low end of the Boston ratings.
 
To Pilot Of The Airwaves

> I enjoy Sunday Morning Country Oldies, good crossover from
> the 60's and 70's. Not bad for a half canned show.Too bad
> there signal is weak where I live and drive, being in
> Andover.
>
Pilot,
What town do you live in? I am in Johnston, RI, just west of Providence and I get a fair signal here. KLB beats our Cat Country 98.1 hands down. They have great variety and are not afraid to throw in some gold (70's, 80's, 90's) on a regular basis. WCTK doesn't even know what a country oldie is.


RadioJay <P ID="signature">______________
Moe: (Sees a microphone in a radio studio) Ooh, a microphonie!

Curly: Or a phoney at the mike!

Moe: Quiet numbskulls I'm broadcastin'!

From The Three Stooges episode "Micro-Phoneys"</P>
 
Re: To Pilot Of The Airwaves

I live in Plympton, tough to get in car and in house, I start to lose it about Hanover on Rte 3
> Pilot,
> What town do you live in? I am in Johnston, RI, just
> west of Providence and I get a fair signal here. KLB beats
> our Cat Country 98.1 hands down. They have great variety
> and are not afraid to throw in some gold (70's, 80's, 90's)
> on a regular basis. WCTK doesn't even know what a country
> oldie is.
>
>
> RadioJay
>
 
> Nobody ever talks about them, I assume because no one here
> listens to country.

"And up here, he said nobody buys 'em
And I said, 'But I will.'
And it was Nashville Cats
Playing cool as country water"--Lovin' Spoonful

I listen to country once in awhile--bits of WKLB, or tapes of stations
from out of town. Just last night at work I was listening to Kix 106
out of Memphis. There are some pretty catchy country tunes out there
("Missisippi Girl", "Mr. Mom", "I Love This Bar", etc.)

Maybe that country gold show is the Sun. morning country oldies on WKLB.

No idea about them ratings-wise other than the fact that they're the
#1 country station in town. Also the _only_ country station in town :)
(not counting rimshotters like WOKQ)

Earlier this year I took a trip to Nashville and Memphis; went to country
hall of fame (recommended) and Ernest Tubb's record shop, and bought best-
ofs by The Carter Family and Homer & Jethro.
 
Re: To Pilot Of The Airwaves

> I live in Plympton, tough to get in car and in house, I
> start to lose it about Hanover on Rte 3

WKLB used to be on 105.7 (orig. as WCLB) and merged with 96.9, which had
also been country, then moved to 99.5 in a format swap. 99.5's stick is up
in Andover so they reach metro north and southern NH pretty well. Also hopefully a good chunk of Boston, metro west, and the south shore.
<P ID="signature">______________
I am the REAL raccoonradio (2 c's). Accept
no substitutes!</P>
 
> Nobody ever talks about them, I assume because no one here
> listens to country. They seem to be pretty stable 12-plus
> from book to book. I've never really looked at Boston as a
> country market with any kind of format heritage. I know WBOS
> was country in the late 80s but am not sure of the format's
> history other than that.
>
> I never get a chance to hear them, but did so on the way
> back from up north a couple of Sunday mornings ago & heard a
> country gold show I enjoyed. Every other song seemed to be
> definite crossover but there was enough music being played
> that only a real fan of the format over the years would be
> familiar with.
>
> Any ideas of where their audience is, what stations they
> share it with, & how subject they are to diary placement?
>
They are interesting because they do okay in the ratings (which foils the "no country in Boston" stereotype) and they generally sound good for a country station. At least one in the northeast. I guess they do pretty well for Greater Media and GM leaves them alone.

The format/frequency swap of 2000(?) was mentioned. IIRC, 96.9 was country and 99.5 was smooth jazz. GM decided to do the FM talk format (which became WTKK) on one of the signals and that the country format would be better served on the suburban stick of 99.5 (Andover) versus the Pru stick of 96.9. A good move too because 99.5's signal booms into southern NH and the northern/western suburbs of Boston. The ratings of WKLB increased after the switch.

And 99.5 does have fierce competition in New Hampshire from WOKQ, which is a heritage country outlet that is quite popular. Yet 'KLB hold its own - especially in the New Hampshire towns that are in the Boston survey area. Where i live, WKLB's signal is actually stronger than WOKQ's - which seems to be true anywhere from Manchester south to Nashua. Combine that with big market talent and WKLB has a winning combination. The Sunday morning gold show is a really nice addition too.

As I said, I'm not a country fan - but WKLB isn't mentioned much because there's really nothing wrong with it. It quietly does quite well without our help. :)
 
In many other cities (including Philadelphia and Providence), big-signal FM country-music stations broadcast NASCAR races.

Here in Boston, WWZN-1510 is broadcasting NASCAR races this year. But it's highly doubtful if WWZN will still be an all-sports station by the time the 2006 NASCAR season begins, and if so, if they'll still be broadcasting the races.

I would not be surprised if WKLB-99.5 ends up being the home of NASCAR on Boston radio starting with next February's Daytona "500", given that so many FM country-music stations already do so.

NASCAR and country-music radio seem to be a good "fit".
 
> Nobody ever talks about them, I assume because no one here
> listens to country. They seem to be pretty stable 12-plus
> from book to book. I've never really looked at Boston as a
> country market with any kind of format heritage. I know WBOS
> was country in the late 80s but am not sure of the format's
> history other than that.
>
> I never get a chance to hear them, but did so on the way
> back from up north a couple of Sunday mornings ago & heard a
> country gold show I enjoyed. Every other song seemed to be
> definite crossover but there was enough music being played
> that only a real fan of the format over the years would be
> familiar with.
>
> Any ideas of where their audience is, what stations they
> share it with, & how subject they are to diary placement?
>


There was speculation several months ago that WKLB would move to 102.5FM, WCRB's frequency in a deal where the 99.5 frequency would be sold. Greater Media would purchase WCRB and move the WLKB calls and format 102.5FM.
 
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