WSM-AM article in 1/16/09 Nashville Business Journal

[courier37027]

"The Country Legend" is taking a new approach.

http://nashville.bizjournals.com/nashville/stories/2009/01/19/story2.html?b=1232341200^1763178

 

[Bat Fastard]

So...what's old is new again.

Fascinating. :

 

[tomservo]

Think they'll turn the stereo on again?

 

[jharmon]

Good luck to the crew at WSM. A single AM station in today's competitive environment is going to have a difficult time against the established clusters in Nashville, even if you are the home of the grand old opry.

 

[Holstead]

I spent several weeks and weekends over the past few months in Nashville. I loved the way WSM-650 sounded. I sent their PD a note to let him know. He sent be a "Stubbs" T-Shirt! I think they are gonna do some amazing things being a 'one horse' radio station. I hope they do. Having competed in a market where Gaylord owned things, they are not to be underestimated: even in this climate.

 

[Tibbs4]

I spent several weeks and weekends over the past few months in Nashville. I loved the way WSM-650 sounded. I sent their PD a note to let him know. He sent be a "Stubbs" T-Shirt! I think they are gonna do some amazing things being a 'one horse' radio station. I hope they do. Having competed in a market where Gaylord owned things, they are not to be underestimated: even in this climate.

Key phrases make this a REAL stand alone in 2009:

1.) In the black (as in $$$, not Clint)
2.) Owners name has no letter "C''s in it, so it will be a success.
3.) No mention of Romer in this article (at least no "C" in his last name) Gaylord can't have it all...

Is this the only example of maverick thinking in any Top 50 or larger markets???

 

[deltas69]

for what WSM does aimed at the demo..they do a great job..problem is before long there core audience will die off..much like the OLD FARTS like me who grew up with jan and dean through the rock era..i managed a large music store in gallatin for over 10 years from 83 though 93 , and a large contingent of customers were opry performers, mandrell,billy walker,jim and jesse,kendells,tillis,etc..even back then they were worried about the future of the opry,wsm, and country music in general as they knew the audience for their music was aging along with the performers..and they could see the day down the road where the old school stars would no longer be relevant . even back then the new artists of the day were headed in a different direction from the tried and true opry format as such..true to stay competitive, all things must change..and music is no different..in my day ,,two formats..rock and country..easy to figure..as the years went by the format pie became so fragmented with splinter formats..hard to tell what is what sometimes..WSM is the lone island of stability with a rich history..i don't listen often..but when i do..i know i can recognize what they are playing..but eventually..the time will come when they will have to make a decision on what to play..as their audience will just no longer be there..just like old rock farts like me, they'll bury me with dead man's curve in my right hand, and locomotive breath in my left..lol on a completely different note..i wish thbis board had speel chick.......

 

[scottwmro]

I hope that Gaylord, even though we are having tough times, will keep in mind that WSM-AM needs a full time, 24/7 news staff. They can "hurt" WLAC by having a 24/7 news staff. This srping when the weather breaks out into bad T-Storms, the public should have WSM-AM to turn to for emergency situations. It was that way from the 80's and on back. Why not they can't do it now.

Their brand of country music, local news, weather, and the Opry will bring WSM-AM back up in the Arbitron books. Why? Because the general public, no matter how old they are. will know they can rely on WSM-AM, just like Nashville had from 1925 and up.

Thank God Cumulus is OUT! Bring back WSM the way it was. I rely on them myself and I have all my life. When bad weather strikes, I always find myself going to 650 for any weather info, especially at night. I think Eddie Stubbs would agree.

 

[tomservo]

I hope that Gaylord, even though we are having tough times, will keep in mind that WSM-AM needs a full time, 24/7 news staff. They can "hurt" WLAC by having a 24/7 news staff. This srping when the weather breaks out into bad T-Storms, the public should have WSM-AM to turn to for emergency situations. It was that way from the 80's and on back. Why not they can't do it now.

This will speak volumes about the current state of radio (and tell you when I got interested in radio), but my first though upon reading this was, "a music station with full time news staff? That's crazy!"

As long as they are making money with their format, who cares what their ratings are? Yes, I know - how naïve of me. But just once I'd like to see a big station in a big market succeed by catering to the listeners and not the advertisers.

 

[KFodor]

I hope that Gaylord, even though we are having tough times, will keep in mind that WSM-AM needs a full time, 24/7 news staff. They can "hurt" WLAC by having a 24/7 news staff. This srping when the weather breaks out into bad T-Storms, the public should have WSM-AM to turn to for emergency situations. It was that way from the 80's and on back. Why not they can't do it now.

This will speak volumes about the current state of radio (and tell you when I got interested in radio), but my first though upon reading this was, "a music station with full time news staff? That's crazy!"

As long as they are making money with their format, who cares what their ratings are? Yes, I know - how naïve of me. But just once I'd like to see a big station in a big market succeed by catering to the listeners and not the advertisers.

I hate to burst your bubble here, but you don't make money without good ratings...there's a direct correlation there.

Listen to the listeners instead of the advertisers? You must do both to survive. What some people who frequent these boards don't understand is some of the "listeners" who complain on boards like these are people well over 55, a demo that will not get you advertisers. (I'm 52, so I'm pretty close to being in that same boat). It has not been proven (except in small towns and cities with large populations of 55 plusers) that you can make any real money going after the older demo. I wish it wasn't that way, but with 35 years in the biz, I only know what I've seen over 3 decades.

All that having been said, there are some things WSM-AM has going for it. And with owners who are seemingly committed to the product (that don't have the albatrosses of debt some of the consolidators have), there are things they can do which can help them stay viable and, hopefully, profitable with better numbers than they've had lately. What do they have going for them?

1.) Their heritage. Yes, those 3 little letters "W-S-M" have meaning. This station is capable of successfully
playing the "heritage card" and striking pay dirt.

2.) The Grand Ole Opry. Yes, some nights the show features artists few under age 50 care to hear. But,
that's the WSM heritage and it needs to be a portion of their programming. (BTW: I was first backstage
at the Opry in 1975, so please don't make the suggestion I have no respect for the older artists. I've
swapped stories Roy Acuff and Marty Robbins, and think, out of character, Minnie Pearl was one of the
nicest and most elegant ladies I have ever met.)

Both of those things are important ingredients to bringing things back around. However, a few points remain to be said:

With a good, solid news operation, WSM-AM becomes a "news station" that happens to play some music in-between the informational elements. That's the formula that made for successful country and Top 40 stations back in the 60's and 70's The music is basically there to entertain the station's fans...the info can bring some 35 plus listeners back to the table, if the news is done well and consistently 7 days a week.

Still, to be truly successful, the station needs to focus the music it plays better than it's done lately. Focus on the real classics, not just "so-and-so had a big hit record in 1963, so here it is..." I've heard songs from the 90's on WSM-AM that are stiffs in most radio markets today...even in a "classic" format (though they were hits when they were new). Let the various Opry shows keep that heritage alive. That's what they do best. And that's why people will listen to those programs. But realize what works in the context of an Opry broadcast is not necessarily what works on a day-to-day playlist.

Look at truly successful oldies stations to understand what I'm talking about here. You can have a base library of 1,500 or so oldies. But you only play so many hundred of them as a playlist. You use the base "library" to sprinkle in the library songs when you truly need to. A WSM-AM could even do this, too. But, you just can't play everything all the time. I'm not saying that's necessarily what they're doing (I don't work there, obviously), but that's an "impression" I have from times I have listened, and from music monitors I've seen.

Lastly, they must be "seen" in the market. But, Gaylord did that before, so I have no reason to think they won't do that now.

I know there are current WSM-AM staffers who read these boards. I have no quarrel with you, and I know you work hard. But, any dispassionate look at the numbers of late (basically, the low 2 shares 12 plus) are the type of numbers which put a lot of AM's I've worked for in the past on satellite. Add to it this is a 50,000 watt border blaster, and the numbers make me wince even more when I see them. But, that the station has a company behind it which may focus more on the product initially than the balance sheet could be a really good thing. Good luck to them. I hope it works.

 

[TheBigA]

But just once I'd like to see a big station in a big market succeed by catering to the listeners and not the advertisers.

First of all, WSM caters to its audience. It would be very expedient to stick to tried and true country classics, keep a tight leash on Eddie Stubbs, and control the eclectic format of the Opry. That's what most stations with that format do. WSM is unique in what it does, and I believe it's because of the heritage, the Opry, and the city of license. This station would die in just about any other place. In fact, similar stations HAVE died in other places.

Having said that, WSM is not supported financially by its listeners. I have studied how they sell the Opry, and if they apply those techniques to WSM, they will find a way to sell their niche audience to advertisers looking for a very select customer, especially now that they're free from the Cumulus contract.

 

[TheBigA]

With a good, solid news operation, WSM-AM becomes a "news station" that happens to play some music in-between the informational elements. That's the formula that made for successful country and Top 40 stations back in the 60's and 70's

I don't believe what worked in the 60s and 70s can work today, for many reasons. Back then, you had full-service AMs. That's what WSM was in those days. That's very expensive, and very limited interest.

Atlanta has one news radio station with a 12 person staff, and people complain that's not enough. Heck, the cable news channels aren't live 24/7. Personally, I don't believe there's enough news in this town to justify a 24/7 news staff here. Chasing after every ambulance and fire engine isn't news, and it's not really in the public interest.

 

[Evangelist]

WSB is a news/talk station, although it has an all-news program in the morning and another in the early evening. Something like that could work here as well if it's done properly. WSM did "All That's News" during PM drive for years. WLAC did all-news in the morning more than once and had there not been the belief that morning shows must be changed often and also a little more promotion, it could have been very successful. (I speak as the only person to have been involved in all three incarnations of WLAC's all-news efforts in morning-drive.) Both WSM and WLAC have had good newspeople over the years. There's a place for local radio news if it is done properly and it doesn't have to be all-news; I don't think an all news, all the time format would fly here. I also agree that every incident involving the police or fire departments is not newsworthy. I'm reminded of what the radio news director in Miami once told his staff--"I don't want to hear about any robbery of less than $1,000. In other police matters, I'm not interested unless they're dead." Maybe a bit dramatic, but he had a point.

Would that work with WSM's new plans? Not so sure. I am interested to see what they will do and hope they succeed.

 

[MsMusicRadio]

to Delta 69---------are you talking about Ernie's Record Mart that is part of the John R legend? I can only say "How cool is that" . That might of been the best nighttime American music show ever.
( not counting the Oprey)

 

[deltas69]

to Delta 69---------are you talking about Ernie's Record Mart that is part of the John R legend? I can only say "How cool is that" . That might of been the best nighttime American music show ever. i'm not sure what thread your speaking of here that i may have referenced..i recall listening to radio as a kid and hearing spots about ernies record mart (not to be confused with ernies egg mart) may but i think they were opry related....but i do know john r spotted for randy's record shop in gallatin. john r put randy's on the map worldwide back then..

 

[KFodor]

With a good, solid news operation, WSM-AM becomes a "news station" that happens to play some music in-between the informational elements. That's the formula that made for successful country and Top 40 stations back in the 60's and 70's

I don't believe what worked in the 60s and 70s can work today, for many reasons. Back then, you had full-service AMs. That's what WSM was in those days. That's very expensive, and very limited interest.

Atlanta has one news radio station with a 12 person staff, and people complain that's not enough. Heck, the cable news channels aren't live 24/7. Personally, I don't believe there's enough news in this town to justify a 24/7 news staff here. Chasing after every ambulance and fire engine isn't news, and it's not really in the public interest.

Big-A:

I never said "24/7" news. Nor did I advocate chasing ambulances.

But, look at the facts here. Playing music with limited news and information is getting the station a 2 share...barely. And, if you could break the demos out, I'd respectfully suggest that most of that 2 share is out of the "salable" demographic range. So, how else are you gonna "lower the demos" on an AM station when, virtually no one under 40 ever bothers to listen to AM anymore?

The answer is: news and information.

No...you don't need to chase ambulances, but you do need to know when the interstate is shut down and you need to get that info on the air in a timely manner. You need to have a weather image. Live news
5 am - 7 pm, with a 24 hour weather image would be a good start. You could do some limited live news on the weekends, maybe 6 am - 12noon on Saturday and 12 Noon - 6 pm on Sunday. Yes, it's an investment in product. But it's not the major "12 man news department" you might think it has to be. And you could grow it as the station grows and advertising permits.

Now, you add the other elements that are great about WSM-AM (the heritage, the Opry, a focused library of classic country music, DJ's who can relate to the music) and you might just see reasonably decent ratings of a 35 plus nature.

I've watched too many AM stations over the years fail when managements decided "news is too expensive". For an AM, especially a 50,000 watt AM, a news component is absolutely essential.