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WLTE

J

JockFan

So what's going on with this station? No morning show listed...2 live dayparts? No wonder their numbers are in the tank. Any insight?
 
I suspect the station's movement toward Hot AC and trimming of known talent in the last couple of years has cost it its upper end. The 25-44 female cells are fairly well served by KDWB, KS95 and Cities 97 (although Cities is at present a ship without a rudder). WLTE's strategy of abandoning 35-54 women never made sense to me...probably driven by sales' inability or unwillingness to sell it. Just my opinion; I could be totally wrong.
 
The station has been underperforming for years. The hot A/C move as MM states is not "lite".

The station sounds automated, even with live talent. Every song is announced ( front or back ) with a generic liner "Title" "Artist" .

What to do, what to do:

1. Sports, sports, sports. CBS did it in Cleveland with a lot less. However, CC moving sports to FM in August may be enough to prevent it.

2. 830 simulcast. Well, AM isn't what it used to be, so it's a possibility. WCCO isn't what is was "back in the day", but they're a relatively healthy N/T.

3. Country. You take on CC's KEEY, and hope you can cut off some of their numbers to propel WCCO back to #1.

4. Classic Country. Format hole, plus you might take enough away from CC stations to make it work.

5. Limp along. I'm sorry, but change doesn't come quickly or easily in the market. This is sadly the best bet. Play well-testing songs over and over and over and over and over and....

6. See what damage Cumulus does when they come to town. Culumus won't touch Classic Rock KQRS or ACtive Rock KXXR ( well, format wise ). The Love 105 oldies/soft oldies format is susceptable for a tweak ( True Oldies moves from 740 ) or a flip ( Journey? Classic Country? )
 
I just read that CBS has claimed a bunch of new domain names for WLTE including AMP, Oldies and country (several decoys).
Thoughts?
 
One gets the feeling that the rumored flip might be tied to that upcoming flip that could take place at KHTC. It'll be interesting to see which one beat each other over what format they nab first.
 
Radio Insight is mentioning that the station is teasing saying "Something Fresh is coming to the Twin Cities" and Fresh1029.com and Fresh1029fm.com both redirect to the WLTE website.

Sounds like WLTE might be doing the same thing KEZK did in St. Louis. So perhaps we'll be saying hello to the new Fresh 102.9 after Christmas?
 
Country 12/26

CBS Radio's soft AC "102.9 Lite FM" WLTE goes away after Christmas, replaced by country "BUZ'[email protected]." The website for the new country format (here) already works. "Lite" tied for the #15 spot in the November PPM rankings, though no doubt its current all-Christmas format will improve that position, and give the new format more potential sampling. The WLTE airstaff has already been told they'll be leaving, and on December 26, CBS will re-target to country, as "BUZ'N'." Clear Channel's country "K102" KEEY is ranked #1 in the Twin Cities market, going 9.5 to 8.3 in the last two monthly Arbitron books. The Minneapolis-St. Paul Board of Radio-Info.com is talking about the new country station, here.
 
This makes sense, but it's still a shock that a 25+ year format and calls (presumably) are history in one week.

It makes sense since...

1. Out of market signals that are country show up in Twin Cities ratings.
2. Taking a swipe at K102 could take them down to 2nd or 3rd, moving WCCO back to #1.
3. WLTE has been a holy mess for about 5 years.
 
It is a shame. A little TLC could have saved it. But CBS has the dough to go up against CC. It is also a little revenge for the GM, as he was nuked by CC at their Minneapolis COUNTRY station!
 
wirelessfugu said:
Country 12/26

CBS Radio's soft AC "102.9 Lite FM" WLTE goes away after Christmas, replaced by country "BUZ'[email protected]." The website for the new country format (here) already works. "Lite" tied for the #15 spot in the November PPM rankings, though no doubt its current all-Christmas format will improve that position, and give the new format more potential sampling. The WLTE airstaff has already been told they'll be leaving, and on December 26, CBS will re-target to country, as "BUZ'N'." Clear Channel's country "K102" KEEY is ranked #1 in the Twin Cities market, going 9.5 to 8.3 in the last two monthly Arbitron books. The Minneapolis-St. Paul Board of Radio-Info.com is talking about the new country station, here.
Click to expand...

This is too bad! I actually streamed Lite-fm quite a bit here in Seattle because I like the mix of music and the overall presentation of the station (better than our main AC station here), and I liked the hosts too. I'm just curious though, how is is that in a major market like the Twin-Cities that a station like WLTE comes in so sub par in the ratings like it did, where in most other markets, stations like that are usually in the top 5??

Again, I'm a radio guy in Seattle, so I'm not the most familiar with the listening habits of the Twin Cities...so if anyone can shed some light on this that would be great! In the meantime, I wish all of the on-air staff from Lite-fm well and hope they land on their feet real soon!
 
Wright County Guy said:
This makes sense, but it's still a shock that a 25+ year format and calls (presumably) are history in one week.

It makes sense since...

1. Out of market signals that are country show up in Twin Cities ratings.
2. Taking a swipe at K102 could take them down to 2nd or 3rd, moving WCCO back to #1.
3. WLTE has been a holy mess for about 5 years.
Click to expand...

In order for WCCO to be #1, they'd also have to find a way to knock out KS95 and KDWB. With Lite gone, I'm sure KS95 benefits strongly. I think they'll be at the top within a couple months. KQRS is a non-factor now, they're slowly dying.

There are two other country stations nearby. One in the far northwest suburbs (KLCI, which serves the area between Minneapolis and St. Cloud). They've been rimshotting the Twin Cities for about two decades now with country and have never really made a huge dent (even with Chuck Knapp and the Timberwolves). K102 has never been afraid of them.

The other one is in St. Cloud proper. The market does include some of the St. Cloud listening area, so quite a few stations there do show up at the bottom of the TC ratings.
 
And I wonder if the recent format change speculation at KHTC scared CBS into making a move. Country was one of the formats most commonly bandied about, but it sounds like they're staying CHR with a call sign change to KTWN (I am skeptical though).
 
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