WRQQ vs. WNRQ --- will 97.1 get any R-E-S-P-E-C-T???

[Tibbs4]

Since WRQQ has refined its playlist from September's change, I find it kind of interesting that they OFTEN (but not always)
are playing more REAL harder Classic Rock than 105.9 The Rock when you compare the two by scanning at the same time.
In fact, I think they are sounding much better (although the boring tunes from Elton John is still overdone IMHO) than
originally, but are they gaining any respect or fans from RI posters?

Any thoughts as to whether they will impact the ratings of 105.9, regardless of Bob & Tom? Or are they still just a little
to lame?

Also, with Moose programming Jack, anyone even noticed a difference and is it postive or negative?

Figured we needed some discussion other than Sports, Lash or House, since we've argued those points into
the ground. Maybe someone will have an opinion on this before the next ratings are released.

 

[jetfli]

People with whom I've discussed this issue -- radio people, music people, and just plain radio listeners -- all agree that with its Fall changes, WRQQ totally dumped its audience in order to go after WNRQ's audience. All also agree that it will take a long time to even put a dent into WNRQ's audience because of listening habits, because of WRQQ's lack of local "rock jocks", and because any loyal Bob & Tom audience there was to follow them to a new station was miniscule. The only short term benefit here seems to be that WNRQ's sales folks may find their new format an easier sell, but I suspect that's really because of who they know to sell to.

 

[radiofriend1]

People with whom I've discussed this issue -- radio people, music people, and just plain radio listeners -- all agree that with its Fall changes, WRQQ totally dumped its audience in order to go after WNRQ's audience. All also agree that it will take a long time to even put a dent into WNRQ's audience because of listening habits, because of WRQQ's lack of local "rock jocks", and because any loyal Bob & Tom audience there was to follow them to a new station was miniscule. The only short term benefit here seems to be that WNRQ's sales folks may find their new format an easier sell, but I suspect that's really because of who they know to sell to.

or to stop being a 55+ station and become more attractive to more advertisers and listeners those advertisers target

 

[jetfli]

or to stop being a 55+ station and become more attractive to more advertisers and listeners those advertisers target

Oh, how I miss the "old" days of radio when sales staff members actually called upon advertisers in order to sell time to them, rather than these days in which the staff merely deal with media buyers and ad agencies. The result has been that media buyers and ad agencies dictate formats and programming rather than listeners or owners who are interested in radio for the sake of the medium. Many salespeople do now what a hard-working traffic manager once did, and traffic managers are merely schedulers. A 55+ station (even though Oldies is still classified 34+) could do well with hard-working salespeople who don't just wait for the phone to ring or rely on a media buyer's stats to bring in sales. But of course, to have hard-working salespeople, corporate radio would have to pay them what they're worth, and their ROI formulas tell them it's better just to have a lazy hack to answer calls from agencies than to pay a hard-worker to hit the streets. It's become a vicious cycle because corporate radio has created a scenario in which middlemen outside of the industry dictate how the industry will be run. Oops, went on a rant, didn't I?

 

[GETALIFELOSERS]

As far as The Rock and RQQ. The ROCK is still overall a focus outlet. Music is very focued. Mud and squeegie are doing a good job with that. Imaging is ok with a few burps in the system. Personality wise, Mary is very focus and always a pro. Joe in the afternoon is getting a little unbearable to listen to. Plus the clutter now with doing his own traffic reports, joe has to be pulling out his hair. The other airstaff doesnt count. The are all voice tracked and do a poor job of it.

RQQ - One question, who is mr rodgers in the afternoon. its now a "rock" station and he talks at you like he's mr rodgers. Music is very unfocused. you hear the same songs in the same hours in consecutive days. i dont have media base but i bet that would show that they aren't the best a scheduling tunes. talk breaks that are way too long and unfocused. they still have the same image voice? should i go on.... i don't think they still know what they are doing. hey having bob and tom is a great thing, but they will do the same thing the buzz did. listeners will leave and go somewhere else after the morning show.

When it comes to jack, i hear moose is a one man show. SCC hasn't made there mind up and hired a program director. He is doing it all on his own, so if it sounds like it hasen't changed that much ya cant blame him.

 

[radiogal1234]

Radio 101 Facts

1. Media buyers/agencies DO NOT dictate formats and programming

2. A 55+ radio station can attract both local and agency-based advertisers, look at 650 WSM

3. Those who can't (for whatever reason) preach on radio boards

 

[OldiesCat]

fact vs. fiction

Radio 101 Facts

1. Media buyers/agencies DO NOT dictate formats and programming

2. A 55+ radio station can attract both local and agency-based advertisers, look at 650 WSM

3. Those who can't (for whatever reason) preach on radio boards

On #1, you are correct- advertisers themselves dictate who agencies buy. It is they who have the say and they are not at all interested in 55+.

For #2, WSM-AM doesn't exactly bill big bucks. Their FM carries that operation. WSM-AM gets buys simply because they are a legendary radio station.

As for #3, please get real. If what you say is true, radio GMs and GSMs would be jumping up & down on desks for upper-demo formats if they really had that much revenue potential.

In the real world of radio in 2007, they simply do not. There are virtually no 55+ or even 35-64 buys out there-it's all 25-54 and 18-49 or a subset of those demo cells. And, don't bring up, "well, news/talk is older skewing and gets it's share of business". That's true but they only bill fairly well because their spot loads are so huge compared to FM music format stations. So, if you want to charge puny rates and run 22 minutes an hour and a fifteen second sponsor billboard on every weather forecast, traffic update and time check, please have at it. And, enjoy your 1.6 share.

By the way, this is not a personal opinion-these are the real truths in radio today. You can choose to ignore them and stay in denial or wake up and smell the realities of radio today. If you pick the former, good luck to you and enjoy your new career outside of radio.

 

[Evangelist]

Technically, WSM-FM doesn't "carry" WSM-AM. You'd have to say all the FM stations "carry" WSM-Am, assuming this is true.

Cumulus sells its stations and also handles sales for WSM-AM, but WSM-AM is still owned by Gaylord. WSM-FM is a Cumulus station.

 

[jetfli]

Re: fact vs. fiction

1. Media buyers/agencies DO NOT dictate formats and programming

Talk to your friends at agencies. Advertisers go to agencies so that agencies can help them determine what and how to advertise, to whom to advertise, and where to advertise. Agencies pull their talent and ideas together and make a presentation to the advertiser that includes their recommendations. The advertiser may tweak it a little, but most of what the agency recommends is accepted. The advertiser listens when the agency pulls out all of their statistics, ratings charts, etc. The power is in the hands of the agency.

For advertisers that do their advertising in-house, the job falls to the in-house media buyer to make the selection.

These choices dictate to stations that want to stay in business what types of formats and programming they need in order to attract the media buyers and agencies. Especially corporate clusters who have demanding ROI formulas to meet.

 

[OldiesCat]

Re: fact vs. fiction

1. Media buyers/agencies DO NOT dictate formats and programming

Talk to your friends at agencies. Advertisers go to agencies so that agencies can help them determine what and how to advertise, to whom to advertise, and where to advertise. Agencies pull their talent and ideas together and make a presentation to the advertiser that includes their recommendations. The advertiser may tweak it a little, but most of what the agency recommends is accepted. The advertiser listens when the agency pulls out all of their statistics, ratings charts, etc. The power is in the hands of the agency.

For advertisers that do their advertising in-house, the job falls to the in-house media buyer to make the selection.

These choices dictate to stations that want to stay in business what types of formats and programming they need in order to attract the media buyers and agencies. Especially corporate clusters who have demanding ROI formulas to meet.

But it's the advertisers themselves who tell the agencies, "look, here's our target audience. Please make spot buys based on that". Agencies, big picture, do nothing more the place buys on behalf of their clients. They have to, because if they continually advertise on the wrong stations, the agency is out of business. The real power is in the hands of the agencies' customers, the advertisers themselves.

Again, I'll throw this out there (though, everytime I do, I get no reply): IF (and that's a major "if") there was such a big return on investment targeting 50+ consumers, IF the revenue potential was that big, IF all that "disposable income the baby boomers have and are willing to spend" existed, don't you think radio groups, GMs and GSMs would be lining up to take advantage of it? Today's radio operaters constantly get trashed for being "all about the money" and "all they care about is the bottom line", but if that's true, why would they intentionally ignore such a large revenue stream? "Yeah, sure-all we care about are the big bucks but, uh, we don't like oldies, so screw the money, we don't need it that bad!". Not in a million years.

Advertisers largely do not care if you're AC, country, rock, top 40 or punk polka- all they're after is ROI on 18-49 or 25-54 audience. Saying ad agencies make those decisions exclusive of their clients is as misguided as saying consultants are really in charge of their client stations, that the GM and PD have no say. The consultant works for the radio operator and ad agencies work for their advertising clients.

 

[randyraley]

Excellent discussion. The Oldies format is losing steam all over the country. Maybe the songs are just fried. If you want an excellent example of what Oldies II sounds like, listen to KCMO FM in Kansas City, they have done a fine job and they stream. Interesting take on the station by some previous posters. It will be interesting tos ee where and how it all shakes out. BTW, I don't think I have ever heard Mr. Rodgers say the word "pissy". Maybe I'm wrong on that. I will, however be happy with his fame, fortune and reputation.
It's all good.

 

[SwissVol]

When 105.9 WNRQ burst back on the Nashville scene in 1998, I had much hope for them and the Nashville classic AOR market, but over the years WNRQ is stale. Nothing speuial about what they are doing in the music format these days. How many more times will we hear Pour some sugar on by Def Leppard?

I checked out 97.1 the first month or so after the change and quickly detenmined that it was the same ole same ole.

Thank God for XM and Sirius!!!