Worst and possible longest station flip in History?

[lanceventa]

I'm guessing the owner was buying the staff some time while they tried to figure out what format to flip to.

Not the case. The head of programming for Summit died and plans to flip to Hip Hop were put on hold while new programming leadership was assembled as the then-Market President was against the move. They ended up going back to a similar format to what they had previously before eventually going to their planned move to Hip Hop last January.

On The 125th Day Of Christmas Music, Why Is WJSR Still In Holiday Mode?

As the new year and now Valentine's Day have come and gone, SummitMedia's 100.9 WJSR Lakeside/Richmond VA is still in

radioinsight.com

 

[CTListener]

Not the case. The head of programming for Summit died and plans to flip to Hip Hop were put on hold while new programming leadership was assembled as the then-Market President was against the move. They ended up going back to a similar format to what they had previously before eventually going to their planned move to Hip Hop last January.

On The 125th Day Of Christmas Music, Why Is WJSR Still In Holiday Mode?

As the new year and now Valentine's Day have come and gone, SummitMedia's 100.9 WJSR Lakeside/Richmond VA is still in

radioinsight.com

Wasn't there a generic secular music library available to be plugged in and run on autopilot until the new team and format was in place, rather than invite ridicule for playing Frosty the Snowman and Here Comes Santa Claus in March?

 

[lanceventa]

Wasn't there a generic secular music library available to be plugged in and run on autopilot until the new team and format was in place, rather than invite ridicule for playing Frosty the Snowman and Here Comes Santa Claus in March?

But a secular library of what? You don't want to let anyone think your temporary format is the new one. Stunting's purpose is two fold. 1) To clean out the old format audience and 2) to generate attention and buzz for what's next. In that case Summit served the purpose of #2, but failed with the first part since the flip from Jack to Awesome over five months simply was a fresh coat of paint for a similar target audience.

 

[SomeRadioGuy]

I was involved in a format change at now deleted WQMA 1520 Marks, MS back in early 2004. It wasn't bad or super long, but it went longer than expected and it was kinda bizarre.

After the gospel morning show That we did Mon-Fri 7 to 10am one friday, we dropped the Top 40 format and simulcasted a spanish station for the rest of that day, simulcasted a top 40 station Saturday.... I did game show and tv theme songs Sunday, simulcasted an internet station Monday (dont remember which one) and Tuesday when we still werent ready, we played christmas music off a cd on repeat while we did the finishing touches

 

[KilowattKat]

I was involved in a format change at now deleted WQMA 1520 Marks, MS back in early 2004. It wasn't bad or super long, but it went longer than expected and it was kinda bizarre.

After the gospel morning show That we did Mon-Fri 7 to 10am one friday, we dropped the Top 40 format and simulcasted a spanish station for the rest of that day, simulcasted a top 40 station Saturday.... I did game show and tv theme songs Sunday, simulcasted an internet station Monday (dont remember which one) and Tuesday when we still werent ready, we played christmas music off a cd on repeat while we did the finishing touches

Sometime after you left, the WQMA owner Jason Konarz went rogue broadcasting with a deleted license...

WQMA, AM 1520 NEEDS TO BE SHUT DOWN! IT'S NOW DWQMA!

I don't think it is fair that I am a tax paying small station owner, I pay my FCC yearly fees, to to do right in following the rules of the FCC, and they allow somebody like Jason Konarz continue to be on the air, when WQMA, Marks, MS has had its license canceled and the calls deleted. As far as...

radiodiscussions.com

 

[SomeRadioGuy]

Sometime after you left, the WQMA owner Jason Konarz went rogue broadcasting with a deleted license...

WQMA, AM 1520 NEEDS TO BE SHUT DOWN! IT'S NOW DWQMA!

I don't think it is fair that I am a tax paying small station owner, I pay my FCC yearly fees, to to do right in following the rules of the FCC, and they allow somebody like Jason Konarz continue to be on the air, when WQMA, Marks, MS has had its license canceled and the calls deleted. As far as...

radiodiscussions.com

i know alll about the place after i left

 

[vw86]

I remember Jason used to be active on the AT40 boards since they were an affiliate of Casey shows back in the day. I had no idea there was drama

 

[b-turner]

I listened to WQMA once when they were automated "Delta Blues". I have their rate card from back then somewhere...real cheap...under $2 each for a good run. Would love to see Paul reopen a topic on the station.

 

[Miss Tuned]

The worst stunt I've come across has to be the Linder group of stations in Minnesota which, for some years, have stunted with a loop of "Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport" by Rolf Harris. This Rolf Harris:

Rolf Harris: Serial abuser and ex-entertainer dies aged 93

The disgraced former TV entertainer, who was jailed for indecent assaults on girls, dies aged 93.

www.bbc.co.uk

He was convicted in 2014, and as late as 2020 Linder were still playing his song:

KFOW Relaunches As Fox News Radio 1170/106.3

After five days of stunting with a loop of Rolf Harris' "Tie Me Kangaroo Down Sport", Main Street Broadcasting flipped

radioinsight.com

Someone should buy the Linders a newspaper.

 

[ted chittenden]

The worst stunt I've come across has to be the Linder group of stations in Minnesota which, for some years, have stunted with a loop of "Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport" by Rolf Harris. This Rolf Harris:

Rolf Harris: Serial abuser and ex-entertainer dies aged 93

The disgraced former TV entertainer, who was jailed for indecent assaults on girls, dies aged 93.

www.bbc.co.uk

He was convicted in 2014, and as late as 2020 Linder were still playing his song:

KFOW Relaunches As Fox News Radio 1170/106.3

After five days of stunting with a loop of Rolf Harris' "Tie Me Kangaroo Down Sport", Main Street Broadcasting flipped

radioinsight.com

Someone should buy the Linders a newspaper.

First of all, what the late Rolf Harris did was, and is, wrong period! In fact, if I remember correctly, Gary Glitter is now serving jailtime in the UK for similar behaviors (he sexually abused minors as I recall). Furthermore (as the Broadway version of the 4 Seasons story points out), before that group became successful, one of its members (Bob Gaudio?) was alleged to have engaged in sexual activities with minors.

However, though many radio stations do not play songs by either Gary Glitter or Rolf Harris because of their criminal activities, I find myself thinking that radio stations should not base their music playlists on the criminal (or alleged criminal) activities of the artists involved. If you placed restrictions like that on radio airplay, then a whole lot of current and past artists of all genres would suddenly lose access to the airwaves. The behavior of many artists, both past and present, is sometimes very offensive (as in the Rolf Harris and Gary Glitter cases), but I, for one, cannot support the idea that their records shouldn't be played over the air or online because of the horrible and offensive things they did to others.

 

[Ed Nielson]

One of the worst flips in radio history would have to be the "Jack" format that was in place for several years on New York's WCBS-FM (101.1).

 

[The New Chico]

First of all, what the late Rolf Harris did was, and is, wrong period! In fact, if I remember correctly, Gary Glitter is now serving jailtime in the UK for similar behaviors (he sexually abused minors as I recall). Furthermore (as the Broadway version of the 4 Seasons story points out), before that group became successful, one of its members (Bob Gaudio?) was alleged to have engaged in sexual activities with minors.

However, though many radio stations do not play songs by either Gary Glitter or Rolf Harris because of their criminal activities, I find myself thinking that radio stations should not base their music playlists on the criminal (or alleged criminal) activities of the artists involved. If you placed restrictions like that on radio airplay, then a whole lot of current and past artists of all genres would suddenly lose access to the airwaves. The behavior of many artists, both past and present, is sometimes very offensive (as in the Rolf Harris and Gary Glitter cases), but I, for one, cannot support the idea that their records shouldn't be played over the air or online because of the horrible and offensive things they did to others.

I can see your point of view here, Ted, but am going to disagree with you for a change. Nobody is owed airplay on your station. Knowingly tying your clients to a convicted sex offender is probably not the best business practice. And I DO mean "knowingly." No shame in not knowing what is not known, but once it gets to the level of court proceeedings I would think it would be time to temporarily pull the plug. And once there is a conviction it should be a permanent ban.

No, I don't want advertisers dictating programming, but I would think that the advertisers would really appreciate their marketers looking out for them. Most classic rock stations no longer play Brown Sugar by the Stones any more, and part of that is driven by the Stones themselves who removed it rom their live set lists some years ago.

Are there problematic band members/ solo artists in the classic rock and classic country formats? Sure are, but most of them were never prosecuted at the time and much of what was "known" was heresay.

Sorry to get so off topic.

 

[The New Chico]

One of the very long time posters on this board is a successful smaller market owner. He is also a crack engineer, and has built out numerous PNW area rimshots that he and his business partners have then sold. He has no intention of origramming these signals himself, but rather gets the candle lit while putting them on hte market.

In one case he had a loop of birds chirping for many months while the station was being marketed then through the sale process. The potential buyers get to hear the signal while the signal remains a "clean slate" for the new buyer. Not sure this qulifies as a stunt per se, but it sure wasn;t inteneded to be a permanent format.

Punch line- there were listeners who missed the chirping birds! Becuase of course they did.

 

[michael hagerty]

I can see your point of view here, Ted, but am going to disagree with you for a change. Nobody is owed airplay on your station. Knowingly tying your clients to a convicted sex offender is probably not the best business practice. And I DO mean "knowingly." No shame in not knowing what is not known, but once it gets to the level of court proceeedings I would think it would be time to temporarily pull the plug. And once there is a conviction it should be a permanent ban.

No, I don't want advertisers dictating programming, but I would think that the advertisers would really appreciate their marketers looking out for them. Most classic rock stations no longer play Brown Sugar by the Stones any more, and part of that is driven by the Stones themselves who removed it rom their live set lists some years ago.

Are there problematic band members/ solo artists in the classic rock and classic country formats? Sure are, but most of them were never prosecuted at the time and much of what was "known" was heresay.

This is a really tricky area.

How many people who hear "Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport" even know who Rolf Harris was, much less what crime he was convicted of? Are you really "tying your clients to a convicted sex offender"?

That said, do I want to indirectly put money in the pocket of such a person (not an issue because Rolf's dead, but Gary Glitter could still profit)? No, I don't. And yeah, I'd pull the record(s) until and unless I knew the money wasn't going to them.

But if we do draw a line, where do we draw it? Phil Spector produced 19 top ten records. Do those vanish because he shot and killed Lana Clarkson?

Chuck Berry got busted with a 14-year-old in 1962. Why did we ever hear him again (much less "My-Ding-a-Ling", but never mind that now)?

Peter Yarrow of Peter, Paul and Mary was sentenced for the sexual assault of a 14-year-old in 1970. Radio kept playing "Puff, the Magic Dragon", "Leaving on a Jet Plane" and "I Love Rock and Roll Music".

Tupac Shakur was sentenced to prison for sexual assault. He was shot and killed while the case was on appeal. Today, he's considered more of a martyr than a sex offender.

What would our museums look like if we pulled art off the walls based on the things those artists did in their time? Is there value in considering the dichotomy of a monster who could create works of beauty?

 

[CTListener]

I can see your point of view here, Ted, but am going to disagree with you for a change. Nobody is owed airplay on your station. Knowingly tying your clients to a convicted sex offender is probably not the best business practice. And I DO mean "knowingly." No shame in not knowing what is not known, but once it gets to the level of court proceeedings I would think it would be time to temporarily pull the plug. And once there is a conviction it should be a permanent ban.

No, I don't want advertisers dictating programming, but I would think that the advertisers would really appreciate their marketers looking out for them. Most classic rock stations no longer play Brown Sugar by the Stones any more, and part of that is driven by the Stones themselves who removed it rom their live set lists some years ago.

Are there problematic band members/ solo artists in the classic rock and classic country formats? Sure are, but most of them were never prosecuted at the time and much of what was "known" was heresay.

Sorry to get so off topic.

Michael Jackson, although never convicted of anything, bought silence from numerous people whose accusations could have made him a cellmate of Jeffrey Epstein or someone similar. I don't know of any station that's ever canceled him, and it's hard to imagine today's classic hits/classic r&b stations doing so. As a musical icon, he is many magnitudes more significant than Gary Glitter or R. Kelly.

Oh, and Brown Sugar is still played on the local classic rocker, WHDQ Claremont, NH. But then, racial sensitivity is not exactly top of mind in Claremont with demographics like this: The racial makeup of the city was 95.9% White, 0.6% African American, 0.3% Native American, 0.9% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.4% some other race, and 1.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.3% of the population. (Wikipedia, 2020 Census).

 

[Miss Tuned]

One of the very long time posters on this board is a successful smaller market owner. He is also a crack engineer, and has built out numerous PNW area rimshots that he and his business partners have then sold. He has no intention of origramming these signals himself, but rather gets the candle lit while putting them on hte market.

In one case he had a loop of birds chirping for many months while the station was being marketed then through the sale process. The potential buyers get to hear the signal while the signal remains a "clean slate" for the new buyer. Not sure this qulifies as a stunt per se, but it sure wasn;t inteneded to be a permanent format.

Punch line- there were listeners who missed the chirping birds! Becuase of course they did.

This was a whole thing in the UK, around the time of the 2008-9 financial crash, commercial DAB was largely empty due to the economic situation, and one of the channels that filled space was a birdsong station:

Silencing of Birdsong radio ruffles feathers

Listeners outraged at closure of cult test transmission station playing English country garden sounds, creator says

www.theguardian.com

 

[michael hagerty]

Michael Jackson, although never convicted of anything, bought silence from numerous people whose accusations could have made him a cellmate of Jeffrey Epstein or someone similar. I don't know of any station that's ever canceled him, and it's hard to imagine today's classic hits/classic r&b stations doing so.

Jackson's airplay cratered when he was arrested in 2003, recovered a bit when he was acquitted in 2005, but not to anywhere near the level of what it had been. His death in 2009 caused a huge spike in his airplay (Reuters, citing Neilsen BDS, says it was by 1,735%), and until the 2019 "Leaving Neverland" documentary, most people seemed to focus on the music rather than the allegations.

 

[knapfordsouthern1]

One of the worst flips in radio history would have to be the "Jack" format that was in place for several years on New York's WCBS-FM (101.1).

There was actually a theory that WCBS-FM only adopted Jack FM as a sort-of "New Coke"-like scenario to try and usher out the older audiences, so CBS could introduce a classic hits format once the "old" WCBS returned.

A even dumber flip would be KGO in San Francisco flipping to sports betting talk (and it was dead within two years, with KSFO moving to 810 AM - Cumulus probably knew California was not gonna legalize betting and just flipped it to that format to give a retroactive excuse to move their better-performing conservative talker to a better frequency)

 

[michael hagerty]

There was actually a theory that WCBS-FM only adopted Jack FM as a sort-of "New Coke"-like scenario to try and usher out the older audiences, so CBS could introduce a classic hits format once the "old" WCBS returned.

That theory might--maybe---sorta---have made sense if CBS killed Jack and brought back "Classic" WCBS-FM in 90 days.

They did Jack for damn near two years, and lost a metric ****ton of money during that time.

A even dumber flip would be KGO in San Francisco flipping to sports betting talk (and it was dead within two years, with KSFO moving to 810 AM - Cumulus probably knew California was not gonna legalize betting and just flipped it to that format to give a retroactive excuse to move their better-performing conservative talker to a better frequency)

That theory doesn't hold water either---the flip was less than a month before the vote on Prop 27.

Cumulus ran that format for two years. And they did it for one reason---it was a format that didn't rely on ratings to produce revenue. When the calculus changed (likely because the revenues weren't living up to expectations), they moved KSFO, which was pulling a 1.8, to 810, figuring the stronger signal couldn't hurt, and took 560 dark.

They were wrong about the move, and KSFO, on a stronger signal, is now down to a 0.7. 560's still dark, and at this rate, it won't surprise me if I live to see them shut 810 down as well.

 

[knapfordsouthern1]

They were wrong about the move, and KSFO, on a stronger signal, is now down to a 0.7. 560's still dark, and at this rate, it won't surprise me if I live to see them shut 810 down as well.

Expect both KSFO and KZAC to be brought up in the next "which Bay Area station will be sold/change formats next" thread