WRXP: IS EMMIS ALLOWING IT TO FAIL???

[davideduardo]

WTOP is the highest billing station not in NY, LA or Chicago. That's how successful the migration to FM has been.

When probably half the market works for the governement or a contractor, this may not be a typical news market.

CBS has the unique situation of owning two news stations in the same market. If one were to be simulcast on FM, I'd think it would be WCBS-AM, since it is CBS' flagship radio station. WINS would likely be sold or flipped. Three news stations just wouldn't work.

CBS AM tends to be the suburban news station, and the FMs just don't get as far out as the AMs do...

CBS has been successful with a news simulcast in SF and will shortly begin another in Las Vegas. IMHO, the future on FM is about spoken word formats (news, news/talk, sports), not music.

Las Vegas is just a simulcast of a talker, it's not a news station.

 

[Brooklyndon]

The PPM also shows what we knew, but what the diary did not show... each person's second and third most used station often have nearly the same usage as the top one... and they vary over time; this weeks top station is next week's third most used. So playing to that non-P1 cume is important in PPM.

But most formats have finite cume limits, and so attention has to be given to flow, flavor and overall execution.

I think the station interchangability phenomenon is very interesting, and I thank you for pointing it out. Let me ask you, is it typically the case that these three stations are all highly aligned in formats, for example two CHRs and a hot AC, or are they more variation in the formats, for example classic rock, urban, and sports talk?

 

[davideduardo]

I think the station interchangability phenomenon is very interesting, and I thank you for pointing it out. Let me ask you, is it typically the case that these three stations are all highly aligned in formats, for example two CHRs and a hot AC, or are they more variation in the formats, for example classic rock, urban, and sports talk?

That's a good question.

What we have learned from the diary, the PPM and from actually talking with listeners is that there are both alternatives within a style and also mood & need alternatives. A mood alternative might be a harder of softer sound while a need alternative might determine the desired "talkiness" and non-music content of a morning show or the need to tune to a news or talk outlet.

Each person is different, and some stay within a narrow range of formats, while others may have near-eclectic tastes. The PPM shows, as I mentioned, that stations people use but that may not be as "famous" or foreground are actually used more than the diary showed.

A classic case of almost zero song sharing but loads of audience sharing is something we saw in the South in the 90's... country listeners sharing with oldies stations. Obviously, modern country in that period had some texture commonality with oldies hits, even though Randy Travis and Diana Ross were not easily confused.

 

[radioguy39nj]

WTOP is the highest billing station not in NY, LA or Chicago. That's how successful the migration to FM has been.

When probably half the market works for the governement or a contractor, this may not be a typical news market.

CBS has the unique situation of owning two news stations in the same market. If one were to be simulcast on FM, I'd think it would be WCBS-AM, since it is CBS' flagship radio station. WINS would likely be sold or flipped. Three news stations just wouldn't work.

CBS AM tends to be the suburban news station, and the FMs just don't get as far out as the AMs do...

CBS has been successful with a news simulcast in SF and will shortly begin another in Las Vegas. IMHO, the future on FM is about spoken word formats (news, news/talk, sports), not music.

Las Vegas is just a simulcast of a talker, it's not a news station.

KCBS in SF is a 50 kW all-news AM blaster and gets out pretty far. They're simulcasting on 106.9 FM and have been wildly successful. The news simulcast is #1 in the Bay Area, dethroning KGO. The FM simulcast allowed KCBS to increase their numbers in 25-54.

In NY, perhaps it's less expensive for CBS to run an AM/FM all-news simulcast, rather than two separate stations. WINS' ratings have slipped lately and some changes were made. There is the ever-present demo issue on AM.

And yes, I'm aware KXNT is a talker, though they've always marketed themselves as "NewsRadio".

 

[davideduardo]

KCBS in SF is a 50 kW all-news AM blaster and gets out pretty far. They're simulcasting on 106.9 FM and have been wildly successful.

No, not so. The first months of PPM measurement, prior to the simulcast beginning, when KCBS was AM alone, averaged about a half-share below the current level, and debuted in the PPM at #2 overall 12+

The news simulcast is #1 in the Bay Area, dethroning KGO.

The share difference is minimal.

The FM simulcast allowed KCBS to increase their numbers in 25-54.

Actually, the purpose seemed to be to not lose more 25-54 and to preserve billings. In the first PPM books without the FM, the station was 7th or 8th, now it is 6th.

In NY, perhaps it's less expensive for CBS to run an AM/FM all-news simulcast, rather than two separate stations. WINS' ratings have slipped lately and some changes were made. There is the ever-present demo issue on AM.

WINS and WCBS are the two highest billing stations in New York; WINS outbills WCBS on news alone if the baseball revenue on WCBS is subtracted. Each serves a specific segment of the population, one is the City, and the other is the suburbs.

In early 2008 PPMs WINS was around 6th in 12+, and that is where it is now (I look at multi-book averages as the ups and downs of news events makes news stations very wobbly at times).

There is the AM issue, but New York City FMs do not cover the farther parts of the market well, so there are tradeoffs to be made.

 

[davideduardo]

WTOP is the highest billing station not in NY, LA or Chicago. That's how successful the migration to FM has been.

When probably half the market works for the governement or a contractor, this may not be a typical news market.

CBS has the unique situation of owning two news stations in the same market. If one were to be simulcast on FM, I'd think it would be WCBS-AM, since it is CBS' flagship radio station. WINS would likely be sold or flipped. Three news stations just wouldn't work.

CBS AM tends to be the suburban news station, and the FMs just don't get as far out as the AMs do...

CBS has been successful with a news simulcast in SF and will shortly begin another in Las Vegas. IMHO, the future on FM is about spoken word formats (news, news/talk, sports), not music.

Las Vegas is just a simulcast of a talker, it's not a news station.

KCBS in SF is a 50 kW all-news AM blaster and gets out pretty far. They're simulcasting on 106.9 FM and have been wildly successful. The news simulcast is #1 in the Bay Area, dethroning KGO. The FM simulcast allowed KCBS to increase their numbers in 25-54.

In NY, perhaps it's less expensive for CBS to run an AM/FM all-news simulcast, rather than two separate stations. WINS' ratings have slipped lately and some changes were made. There is the ever-present demo issue on AM.

And yes, I'm aware KXNT is a talker, though they've always marketed themselves as "NewsRadio".

 

[radioguy39nj]

KCBS in SF is a 50 kW all-news AM blaster and gets out pretty far. They're simulcasting on 106.9 FM and have been wildly successful.

No, not so. The first months of PPM measurement, prior to the simulcast beginning, when KCBS was AM alone, averaged about a half-share below the current level, and debuted in the PPM at #2 overall 12+

The news simulcast is #1 in the Bay Area, dethroning KGO.

The share difference is minimal.

The FM simulcast allowed KCBS to increase their numbers in 25-54.

Actually, the purpose seemed to be to not lose more 25-54 and to preserve billings. In the first PPM books without the FM, the station was 7th or 8th, now it is 6th.

In NY, perhaps it's less expensive for CBS to run an AM/FM all-news simulcast, rather than two separate stations. WINS' ratings have slipped lately and some changes were made. There is the ever-present demo issue on AM.

WINS and WCBS are the two highest billing stations in New York; WINS outbills WCBS on news alone if the baseball revenue on WCBS is subtracted. Each serves a specific segment of the population, one is the City, and the other is the suburbs.

In early 2008 PPMs WINS was around 6th in 12+, and that is where it is now (I look at multi-book averages as the ups and downs of news events makes news stations very wobbly at times).

There is the AM issue, but New York City FMs do not cover the farther parts of the market well, so there are tradeoffs to be made.

OK, all fair points. All-News on AM in NYC probably can survive long-term. Sports may be a different matter. We all know WEPN (1050 ESPN) doesn't reach many parts of the market and they have the rights to the Jets, Knicks and Rangers. They need to be on FM. WFAN realistically doesn't but if WEPN gets to FM, does CBS look at the possibility of simulcasting WFAN on FM?

 

[davideduardo]

WFAN realistically doesn't but if WEPN gets to FM, does CBS look at the possibility of simulcasting WFAN on FM?

With their Detroit experience, there has to be a positive bias on this idea.

 

[Macker]

I listen to this station a lot. It's weird because, at times (few and far between), the station sounds amazing. Then you flip back an hour later and it's just terrible and completely missing the mark.. really bad music, in general. I would say 90% of the time they miss the mark.

I understand the theory/logic that rock spands a bunch of different generations, and that rock lovers who like one particular genre can appreciate songs from a different period. However, a lot of times the music they play is just bad. Also, I disagree with that theory, in terms of being successful on the radio. It's pretty risky.

I don't think they put an ounce of effort into their playlist. Local stations, like 107.1 the peak and i95, have more thought put into it. K-Rock sounded better. It's just a shame that such a good signal is going to waste on this mediocre garbage. Ultimately, someone's dropping the ball, whether it's the PD or CEO. For now, I'm blaming Leslie Fram, the PD. By the way, I think she's terrible on the morning show. She doesn't come across likable at all. She actually sounds grating and annoying, to the point where you want to change the station. Can anyone here honestly say that she sounds good, or even, not bad?

They seriously need more focus. My suggestion is Gen X 90's Rock/Alternative - Weezer, Nirvana, Linkin Park, Offspring, Sublime, Rage Against the Machine, Pres. of the USA, No Doubt, etc.

How hard is it to program a station around the 18-25 rock demographic? If that's even the demographic they're targeting. It definitely sounds more like they're going for 25-54. Can't they just take a sampling of 50 rock lover's ipods, from their demographic, and come up with a universally accepted, solid playlist?

 

[DToTheJ]

A good way to take the temperature of a radio station's fan base in today's world: just visit that station's Facebook page.
http://www.facebook.com/1019RXP

I would say that they average about 2-4 comments per day on their "just others" section. Interestingly, I was able to find the following comment posted within the last 24 hours: "The programing of music in the past few weeks has been GOD AWFUL, It's like listening to the old KRok, What's with all the repeats, it seems like ever time i turn it on all I hear is red hot chilli peppers, gnr, acdc, the seatlle stuff and all the other music that goes along with that old Krok format. you lost another listener."

Yet when I go back two months, I cannot find any similar negative comments about the station. MY guess is that they are receiving these comments and deleting them. I see plenty of listeners asking WRXP to play certain artists; these remain up. As well as the occasional "Q104 sucks" posts. Those stay. ;D

And for those of you keeping score: as of today, the station is 200 "fans" short of the 10,000 mark. And the station has been on the air how long?

 

[frozenfiresb]

I'm sure a good chunk of the "fans" of 'RXP's Facebook page are not regular listeners and I'll bet plenty of them don't live in NY either.

 

[WRXPinsider]

Folks, you can go back and forth about song selection and Facebook friends and Twitter followers, etc., but here's the bottom line:

From a business pov, the station isn't working.

The previous jazz format, from what I hear, cost much less to operate, generated higher ratings, and produced significantly higher revenues. Contrary to the spin coming out of the executive offices, we barely have a pulse over here.

Our promo director just quit out of disgust, because she saw that the station is on a fast track to obliviion.

We're all petrified about losing our jobs, and the folks in power could care less: they're having a grand old time playing with this toy of theirs that makes them feel very cool. If the station flips, no problem: they'll all still have important jobs and huge incomes.

So getting back to my original thought, why/how is Smulyan & co. allowing this failure to continue???

 

[TheBigA]

So getting back to my original thought, why/how is Smulyan & co. allowing this failure to continue???

Back to your original thought, you said it had to do with taking the company private.

In the last few days, it looks like that isn't going to happen.

Care to come up with a new theory?

 

[Dorothy]

A few jocks that aren't trying to be funny or "cute" a la the Nik Carter syndrome would go a long way.

Didn't get him at first, but grew to enjoy listening to him. A complex but *real* personality.
On the contrary, I would say he's been imitated, sans the amount of wit.
Would have to say he was the s'mores at a campfire that
was doused by his departure and the music update.

 

[mjb1124]

A good way to take the temperature of a radio station's fan base in today's world: just visit that station's Facebook page.
http://www.facebook.com/1019RXP

I would say that they average about 2-4 comments per day on their "just others" section. Interestingly, I was able to find the following comment posted within the last 24 hours: "The programing of music in the past few weeks has been GOD AWFUL, It's like listening to the old KRok, What's with all the repeats, it seems like ever time i turn it on all I hear is red hot chilli peppers, gnr, acdc, the seatlle stuff and all the other music that goes along with that old Krok format. you lost another listener."

Yet when I go back two months, I cannot find any similar negative comments about the station. MY guess is that they are receiving these comments and deleting them. I see plenty of listeners asking WRXP to play certain artists; these remain up. As well as the occasional "Q104 sucks" posts. Those stay. ;D

Or maybe they just weren't getting all these negative comments two months ago. I think this is a sign that their new "Rock 101.9" direction is not getting them any new listeners, but only alienating the listeners they already had. Not that those listeners would have been enough to keep the station afloat for much longer anyway, but there you have it.

And for those of you keeping score: as of today, the station is 200 "fans" short of the 10,000 mark. And the station has been on the air how long?

That's fewer fans than the "Bring Back GRock" group! Maybe that's a sign of which direction they should take the station in...

 

[Barry]

Do we know for sure that WRXP is not doing well, or at least improving, with the demos they are trying to reach? Most of the comments on radio boards about this station appear to be based on the overall ratings that are available to the public. Those may not accurately reflect how well they are reaching their intended audience.

 

[leethalweapon]

Do we know for sure that WRXP is not doing well, or at least improving, with the demos they are trying to reach? Most of the comments on radio boards about this station appear to be based on the overall ratings that are available to the public. Those may not accurately reflect how well they are reaching their intended audience.

Barry has a good point. Does anybody on these boards really know the actual breakdawns? There must be something in there that keeps the management going down this path.