WPLR - New PD

[kms575]

Scott Fybush is reporting that a new PD is coming to WPLR: http://www.fybush.com/nerw.html

His name is Scott Laudani and he comes from WHJY/Providence. Any thoughts as to whether he can liven things up a bit at 'PLR? HJY usually gets pretty good reviews as a station and 'PLR, let's face it, is about at stale as 6 month-old bread.

 

[videokilledtheradiostar]

Scott Fybush is reporting that a new PD is coming to WPLR: http://www.fybush.com/nerw.html

His name is Scott Laudani and he comes from WHJY/Providence. Any thoughts as to whether he can liven things up a bit at 'PLR? HJY usually gets pretty good reviews as a station and 'PLR, let's face it, is about at stale as 6 month-old bread.

The new PD should start by expanding the existing playlist. Some many great classic rock tunes. He might change the image of the station???? But everything comes out of Cox Fla.

 

[amfmradio1]

Scott also programmed Saga Communications sister stations Rock102-WAQY/Springfield & Lazer99.3-WLZX/Northampton MA

 

[CTListener]

Scott also programmed Saga Communications sister stations Rock102-WAQY/Springfield & Lazer99.3-WLZX/Northampton MA

So much for expanding the playlist. WAQY's is even tighter than WPLR's, judging by what I hear. Not that deep playlists have ever translated into big ratings or big dollars, of course. The consultants know exactly what the sheep want, always have.

 

[amfmradio1]

CTListener,

Agreed. That was going to be my next post. WAQYs' playlist is even tighter than 'PLRs' - but it would be indescribable to watch Scott work his magic & maybe infuse some Active Rock cuts that 94HJY & Lazer99.3 play on 'PLR.

 

[mistermicrophone]

So much for expanding the playlist. WAQY's is even tighter than WPLR's, judging by what I hear. Not that deep playlists have ever translated into big ratings or big dollars, of course. The consultants know exactly what the sheep want, always have.

Maybe, just maybe, WAQY was, and has been, programmed to be successful. A good programmer knows what has to be done at each individual station based upon it's competitive situation. Just because a PD's station in one market won because the way it programmed doesn't mean that formula is going to work at the next station/market and a GOOD programmer knows how to adapt...as an armchair PD, you may not realize that. To say that someone who hasn't even started yet is going do something is extremely premature, wouldn't you say?

 

[CTListener]

So much for expanding the playlist. WAQY's is even tighter than WPLR's, judging by what I hear. Not that deep playlists have ever translated into big ratings or big dollars, of course. The consultants know exactly what the sheep want, always have.

Maybe, just maybe, WAQY was, and has been, programmed to be successful. A good programmer knows what has to be done at each individual station based upon it's competitive situation. Just because a PD's station in one market won because the way it programmed doesn't mean that formula is going to work at the next station/market and a GOOD programmer knows how to adapt...as an armchair PD, you may not realize that. To say that someone who hasn't even started yet is going do something is extremely premature, wouldn't you say?

Anything is possible, I suppose, but how is the New Haven market all that different from Springfield for a classic rock station? Are you thinking that WAQY has no nearby-market classic rock competitors, while WPLR must contend with WRKI to its west? If so, is I-95 eating away at PLR's listenership/billing sufficiently to force PLR to change what has been a successful formula (albeit a maddening one to "armchair PDs") for decades?

What does New Haven want in a classic rock station that Springfield doesn't? More Springsteen? Less Aerosmith? That's not expanding the playlist.

 

[videokilledtheradiostar]

Scott also programmed Saga Communications sister stations Rock102-WAQY/Springfield & Lazer99.3-WLZX/Northampton MA

So much for expanding the playlist. WAQY's is even tighter than WPLR's, judging by what I hear. Not that deep playlists have ever translated into big ratings or big dollars, of course. The consultants know exactly what the sheep want, always have.

Consultants don't know everything about a particular format. I have seen some come into a market and completely BOMB!
Taking stabs in the dark at what might work. What works in Oshkosh, Wisconsin might not in New London, CT.

 

[mistermicrophone]

Anything is possible, I suppose, but how is the New Haven market all that different from Springfield for a classic rock station? Are you thinking that WAQY has no nearby-market classic rock competitors, while WPLR must contend with WRKI to its west? If so, is I-95 eating away at PLR's listenership/billing sufficiently to force PLR to change what has been a successful formula (albeit a maddening one to "armchair PDs") for decades?

What does New Haven want in a classic rock station that Springfield doesn't? More Springsteen? Less Aerosmith? That's not expanding the playlist.

I wasn't drawing any conclusions about either market. My point is that you are writing off a PD who hasn't even started just because he programmed another station in another market. MOST radio professionals will give him a chance to at least set up his voicemail before flaming him on this board!

 

[MisterBilge]

Scott brings a good cross section of experience (jock, Music Director, PD, etc) from a variety of markets. He's an astute programmer and good people person. I think that within a year you'll see an energized PLR - both inside and outside of the building.