WMGK is Flat

[TunedOut]

Seems WMGK's numbers have been stuck in neutral for some time now
I would think Greater Media expects more from this format in this market especially if you look at other markets and see classic rock formats are very successful. My question is what is the problem with that station?
I am not a big fan of their DJ's other than Debbi Calton
Their music selection also could use a makeover, sounds stale
Anyone else have an opinion?

 

[Phillyradiogeek]

> Seems WMGK's numbers have been stuck in neutral for some
> time now
> I would think Greater Media expects more from this format in
> this market especially if you look at other markets and see
> classic rock formats are very successful. My question is
> what is the problem with that station?
> I am not a big fan of their DJ's other than Debbi Calton
> Their music selection also could use a makeover, sounds
> stale
> Anyone else have an opinion?
>

Yes, their playlist needs a major overhaul and has for quite some time. The DJ staff, however, is the best overall lineup of any station in the market. If they had a deeper playlist, they'd be a fantastic station.

Of course, the fear among programmers is that an obscure song will lose listeners, but I don't think that should be a concern in a market rich in hard-core classic rock fans like the Philly metro area. If you play it, they will come (or at least they won't tune out).

Yes, bring in Elvis Costello, Ramones, Little Feat, Grateful Dead, and more deeper tracks from the artists they already play. It won't hurt.

 

[Jefferson]

> Of course, the fear among programmers is that an
> obscure song will lose listeners, but I don't think that
> should be a concern in a market rich in hard-core classic
> rock fans like the Philly metro area. If you play it, they
> will come (or at least they won't tune out).
>
> Yes, bring in Elvis Costello, Ramones, Little Feat, Grateful
> Dead, and more deeper tracks from the artists they already
> play. It won't hurt.

My sentiments exactly! WMGK and other classic rock stations need to work on their playlist and promote some more "Oh wow!" moments. The problem I find with Greater Media is that they can't seem to figure out how not to dilute their audience amongst their big-3 FM stations. Heck, I don't hear them trying to capitalize on the loss of their major over-the-air competition. Everything is like it's all being played safe and no risks are involved. I dunno...I'm tempted to put in some money for satellite radio...

--
Jefferson Eng

 

[Betrayed]

> Seems WMGK's numbers have been stuck in neutral for some
> time now
> I would think Greater Media expects more from this format in
> this market especially if you look at other markets and see
> classic rock formats are very successful. My question is
> what is the problem with that station?
> I am not a big fan of their DJ's other than Debbi Calton
> Their music selection also could use a makeover, sounds
> stale
> Anyone else have an opinion?
>
The dozen or so artists that they do seem to play, are treated like one or
two hit wonders. How many people realize that The Who only recorded 1 song
in all these years - Who Are You? David Bowie only recorded 2 albums, Ziggy
Stardust and Young Americans. The Stones? About all they've ever done is
It's Only Rock and Roll. Van Halen? Jump, is about it. Skynyrd? What's Your
Name? (I guess Freebird is too long for them). Fleetwood Mac doesn't have
any songs not sung by Stevie Nicks. Grand Funk Railroad? A one hit wonder
with American Band. Robert Palmer never did anything other than Addicted To
Love. They think the few artists they do play, all stopped recording music
in 1983 or so.

From the Classic Rock heyday: Asia, Elvis Costello, Robin Trower, Emerson,
Lake and Palmer, Humble Pie, Uriah Heep, Jefferson Starship, Stevie Ray
Vaughan's Double Trouble, Thin Lizzy, Renaissance, Barclay James Harvest,
Roxy Music, Al Stewart, Squeeze, Randy Newman, Warren Zevon, Billy Idol,
Kinks and the list goes on and on. MGK's never heard of them.

Local favorites - Hall and Oates, The Babys, Southside Johnny and the Jukes?
Nonexistent.

Wow factor? How about Blackfoot- Highway Song, Sniff & The Tears- Driver's
Seat, Robert Plamer- Sneaking Sally, Bowie - anything from the David Bowie
Live At the Tower - Philadelphia, Leon Russell- Lady Blue, Tim Moore- Second Avenue, Crawler- Stone Cold Sober.

 

[musicrrrr]

It's a simple analogy...WMGK is to Classic Rock as WOGL is to oldies. The fans of these formats...whether they be oldies or classic rock fans, all say the same same thing...

"This station sucks." That is an opinion best left to the individual to decide, but here is the argument. Neither station adheres to the wide variety of the format(s).

I'm not an expert on classic rock, but WMGK sounds even more watered down than WOGL...if that's even possible. I can tune in to 102.9 any day and hear either Billy or Elton within 20 minutes or less.

WOGL (like most oldies stations) is boring in my opinion, but at least they play a wider variety of artists. I could dig out my stack-o-matic RCA record player out of the basement, load up 6 45's on the spindle and present a wider variety of music to anyone within listening range (approximately 25 feet) than WMGK does on a consistent basis.

There has been a recent surge in Rock posts here on the board with the demise of Y100 and YSP, and a lot of people are saying, "There is only one Rock station in Philly...WMMR." People don't even mention WMGK.

Why? Because WMGK to a lot of folks is a "Classic Hits" station. Many of their songs could be heard on the "B" and no one at the water cooler would rush to change the "inappropriate, offensive sounds coming out of the radio."

Just because they play a Led Zeppelin tune in between Elton and Billy every once in a while doesn't necessarily qualify them as a "Rock" station.

 

[eyg2181]

i know this is an old topic, but...i agree wmgk is more classic hits than classic rock...they kinda suck...97.5 the hawk is a REAL classic rock station, but as we all know is being changed into jazz soon...my point is wmgk should be the one going bye bye...not WTHK

does anyone else agree?

 

[odomski]

As I don't like to see the demise of a station, I agree the station that should change is WMGK. It seems The Hawk plays alot more than WMGK would ever think of playing. Perhaps with the demise of The Hawk, WMGK would pick up the slack (play more classic rock on top of classic hits), to gain The Hawk's audience?

 

[Those RRRRs]

That is old! I remember writing that back on the OLD board BEFORE the great switch of '06.

Those were the good old days before most of us lost our original screen names.

I listened to WMGK on Monday for the first time in a while to see what I had been missing. I'm still trying to figure it out.

 

[csp-1]

i like all of wmgk's deejays .... but that is where it all ends for me ...... the same freakin' 200 songs over and over again .... typical big radio market rock playlist .... smaller market radio , allows much more of the "oh-wow" type tuneage .............

 

[eatspaste]

I would think Greater Media expects more from this format in this market especially if you look at other markets and see classic rock formats are very successful. My question is what is the problem with that station?

Simply put, WMGK is what it is to protect WMMR.

WMMR has been kicking ass since Y100, WYSP, and Stern went away. If WMGK had an awesome product on the air, it would erode WMMR's audience (and revenue). If WMGK flipped to something else (smooth jazz), it would open a door for someone to do a fun, well-executed classic rock format, which would erode WMMR's audience (and revenue). With WMGK on the air, no one is going to put a second classic rock station on the air in Philadelphia, no matter how safe or boring the market is.

WMMR gets the billboards, Preston & Steve get all of the press, Pierre Robert will own the month of November as he celebrates 25 years on the air in Philadelphia.

I'm not a fan of bastardizing one station to protect another, but that's the way it is with consolidation.

 

[Slant]

MGK is a pretty good station, but I have hard time listening to anyone but Debbi Calton and Andre. Debella might have history in Philadelphia, but his morning show is pretty terrible with the exception of Jenn Posner. I would like to see Debella replaced with Pierre in the morning which would make the station a little more listenable and perhaps as a result give Debbi a bit of a decent lead-in to her show. But, if the morning show continues trend WAY behind the rest of the dayparts on MGK, Debella could be out of there anyway. I'm not sure how long GM will allow their most expensive show on MGK to pace way behind middays and afternoon drive. BRING ON PIERRE!

 

[8638]

WMGK's best days were as 'Magic 103.' They've steadily declined ever since, although their '70's station' format was novel and entertaining for a while. Of course, GM isn't exactly what I'd call a bunch of programming geniuses; witness the implosion over at WPEN. You could probably run an unmodulated carrier and generate as much ratings as they're getting there! I know, it's AM, but it WAS getting numbers as the 'Station of the Stars.'

WMMR and WMGK are really two different rock animals. If someone at GM had, let's say, a brain aneurysm, and said, "let's move the Hawk to 102.9," I don't think 'MMR's ratings would be impacted that much. Hell, throw the Hawk on 950...better AM than nowhere at all...fire up the AM stereo exciter and roll with it (please, NO IBOC...PLEASE!!!). The wild card here: Nassau seems to be programming/promoting the Hawk as if no impending change is coming. Gives me pause to think...and hope!

 

[eyg2181]

i listen to the hawk more than anyother station, and they show no sign of going anywhere. they are saying nothing about it whatsoever, and i was on some page and they were advertising their freedom fest 2006 on thanksgiving weekend (26th) (i think its freedom fest) but something is being advertised somewhere, the main point...they show no sign of going anywhere...

im hoping this whole wjjz going to 97.5 is 1 HUGE misunderstanding

 

[RunWithScissors]

I think DeBella is the best, in fact I was one of the people that had him assigned to WMGK mornings, when they had a few other jocks in mind. I routed a survey and nominated him for the morning slot. If you want to hear a true bias empty headed loser, tune in to Joyner.