Would The Breeze work in NEPA?

[CurtisNEPA]

Since no one has posted any topic in quite a long time...

With so many stations across the country having switched to a soft AC format called "The Breeze", including the one down the PA turnpike which used to be classic Hip-Hop, my speculation is that one of the stations in NEPA could be considering adapting that same format. It has worked before and it could be more successful giving the fact that the two soft AC stations in Florida as well as in San Francisco have boasted #1 in overall ratings. There used to be two runs of a soft AC format, both owned by Entercom; 102.3(known as Wish 102 back in the 90's) and 103.1(then known as EZ 103 before being switched over to the WILK FM simulcast years ago). 102.3 was satellite fed while on the other hand, 103.1 was live and local. Don't forget 94.3, which had a lite AC station before being bought by Bold Gold Media and switched to talk a couple of years ago.

If any station decides to launch a faster growing soft AC format similar to The Breeze to compete against ratings leader Magic 93, the candidates are:

1) 92.1 - Had three runs as an Oldies station along with a failed hot AC format. Seems under a current alternative format they are trying to compete with Cumulus' 97.9X but there are some overlap
with co-owned Rock 107. I would say, a 50-50 chance of that happening.
2) 93.7 - Some Nash FM stations are failing, but with co-owned Magic 93, any chances of a soft AC are slim.
3) 102.3 - Highly likely, since it used to be a soft AC and went through several format changes over the years, including a more successful run as "The Mountain" and a failed sports talk format.
Also, Entercom now owns a soft AC in Seattle and they have recently launched one in Detroit.
Anyways, there are way too many rock and 80's leaning pop out there!

Of course, if there's going to be the Breeze format coming to NEPA, then hopefully it would be a lot more successful like Florida and SF.

 

[Y2kTheNewOldies]

https://www.iheart.com/live/the-breeze-8143/

Update Iheart has released a national feed of "The Breeze" on their app. Yes this edition of the Breeze is meant for Audiences outside of San Francisco and Sacramento.

 

[Steve Green NEPA]

The cynic in me, Curtis, suggests that this is another of the seemingly bi-annual Flavour of The Month formats. The place down the Turnpike you mentioned was just off the latest industry-desperate Baskin-Robbins format. To my ears and taste, there isn't room in many markets for another A/C or Hot A/C, all of which are aimed somewhat at the same demo anyway. There's little choice to slide in yet another one.
It'd be nice to see a soft A/C work. It would about time that there was a push (or an attempt, anyway) toward marketing to the older demos. And as you mentioned about those stations in Florida, I agree; WDUV Tampa was a widely-enjoyed station when the wife and I vacationed there last. That was when they really *were* Soft-A/C, of course. But if for a decade or more, agencies and regional sponsors obstinately continued to disregard how many of WDUV's older audience 'responded' at advertsing -- a number ONE 12+ audience at that -- then I consider that a station sales failure. Don't blame the listeners.

The thought here, though, is that, in WB/S, a breeze-type approach would have to be on a big signal. Class A FMs, irrespective of how many translators, is not going to cut it.

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O/T note: I read some time back about a Barsky morning show on Philadelphia (or maybe it was WOR 710 New York?). I never heard him or her. I don't wake up until noon, anyway. Well, just yesterday we were entertained for a while in the car by a Jason Barsky, via WILK 980, and on 103.1, and on 1300 Hazleton. Same person ?
Not a bad listen! He obviously has more than a bit of Howard Stern in his approach, and for maybe an hour didn't complete a sentence. But that's okay. Rush Limbaugh hasn't completed a sentence in ten years.

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Footnote: iHeart doesn't appear to have a station licensed to WB/S. Would that mean a station using 'The Breeze' in that market would be exonerated from any trademarking conflict?

 

[EasyBakeOven]

It was Paul Barsky who worked in Philadelphia (off and on) in the 80s, 90s and early 2000s.