WXBQ dominates again

[oleskoolMM]

Why do you have to be a market manager to appreciate when a great radio station does something good? I'm equally impressed with WIVK's success as well. Am I managing BOTH gigs? What's funny is the XBQ haters that just REFUSE to acknowledge that they are a great station. Sarcastic remarks on threads are NOT hilarious..they're sad. Because, more times than not..it's jealousy or axe grinding, not constructive criticism. And you know who you are..and so do we.

 

[Pratte4Life]

Red's sarcastic comment was MOST DEFINITELY constructive criticism!

East Tennesseeans like to pat themselves on the back for the most modest of accomplishments, as you're proving now.

 

[oleskoolMM]

Pratte..If you TRULY believe that..then you have no concept of what constructive criticism really is. You and others just prove the point that you prefer to attack than face facts. 59 straight #1's is no MODEST ACCOMPLISHMENT. It's a MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENT that ANY radio station would love to have. Beating the competition 2 to 1 most times is a MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENT. But, don't let the facts stand in the way of trashing a company you were probably fired from or weren't hired at in the first place.

 

[Pratte4Life]

What does WXBQ have to do with the fact East Tennesseeans tend to overrate modest accomplishments?

Your response indicates the 59 books IS a modest accomplishment. After all, WXBQ as the only country station in the sticks IS like selling suntan oil to Floridans.

 

[elchupacabras]

What does WXBQ have to do with the fact East Tennesseeans tend to overrate modest accomplishments?

Your response indicates the 59 books IS a modest accomplishment. After all, WXBQ as the only country station in the sticks IS like selling suntan oil to Floridans.

With all due respect you are a luddite. It is not just the fact that it is number one and that it has been number one for 59 books, it also has to do with the huge margin of victory.

 

[Pratte4Life]

Uh, no.

First of all, Luddite is supposed to be capitalized.

Second of all, I am not opposed to technological advancement. I am opposed to the attitudes of people who just say "59 books in a row! WOW!" without looking at WHY.

I've posted the history. I guess those who fail to learn from it are truly damned to repeat it- in this case 59 times.

 

[abccbsnbcfox]

There is one thing you all have missed, and I haven't seen it in a single post (or maybe I did, but it wasn't given the emphasis it deserves).

The number one reason WXBQ is number one, is that nobody who has ever listened to them......has ever changed the radio dial off them. Ask the old people 54 and above who listen to them, "when's the last time you listened to another station besides XBQ?" They will tell you, they can't remember when they have. Ask women 18 to 49 when the last time they ever moved the dial in the car? They will tell you they haven't. Ask men...well, you don't have to ask men.. they NEVER change the radio. And don't even consider tweeners 18 to 25...if you turned XBQ up, you'd never get past their IPODS.

People very seldom change channels, either radio or TV. Channel 5 in Bristol has been the number one station for years, because people simply don't change the channel. NBC is the number 4 network right now in the country, but in Tri-Cities, Tennessee/Virginia, they're number 1. They could carry NBC all day long, and put up color bars and a tone for local TV, and they'd still pull a 50 or 60 share of the market, until NBC comes back on at 8 PM.

WXBQ will always be the Number 1 station in the Tri-Cities DMA. because nobody ever changes the dial off of them. If listeners sampled other stations, they might find something they like, but until they stop being lazy and change the dial, in 10 years, we'll all be commenting on and debating about, WXBQ's 2,685th consecutive week of being Number 1 (or whatever the math is).

 

[bored-op]

While that is a nice thought, it is not entirely true. There is the tell tale cume duplication report in the book. While abc....'s post may be valid for XBQ's P1's, that does not hold true for the rest of the audience. Many P2's and P3's do prefer other station's, but do listen to XBQ some. Therefore they must change stations..........ask any 18-34 targeted station in the market about button pushing.

 

[jackandcoke]

Well, in a way, abc is right for the same reason that RNR is right. One of the enormous advantages of (essentially) being the only Country station in the market is that there's no alternate button to push, so XBQ doesn't have to share the Country audience--which would shred their TSL, which would chop their AQH shares, ratings & persons numbers. You see the parallel phenomenon most commonly in markets where there is a lone Gospel station--usually an AM--where the listeners just turn it on and "rip the knob off!" Even with pretty small cume audiences that kind of huge, uninterrupted time spent listening translates to big AQH.

So, yeah, even a half-assed local Country FM could whack WXBQ's share pretty good, just by forcing them to share their audience more than they do now. Not enough to beat them, necessarily, but enough to bring them closer to the rest of the pack.

 

[oleskoolMM]

Well, in a way, abc is right for the same reason that RNR is right. One of the enormous advantages of (essentially) being the only Country station in the market is that there's no alternate button to push, so XBQ doesn't have to share the Country audience--which would shred their TSL, which would chop their AQH shares, ratings & persons numbers. You see the parallel phenomenon most commonly in markets where there is a lone Gospel station--usually an AM--where the listeners just turn it on and "rip the knob off!" Even with pretty small cume audiences that kind of huge, uninterrupted time spent listening translates to big AQH.

So, yeah, even a half-assed local Country FM could whack WXBQ's share pretty good, just by forcing them to share their audience more than they do now. Not enough to beat them, necessarily, but enough to bring them closer to the rest of the pack.

Again...most of you are missing the point. There ARE other Country stations in the market...WMEV, a 100,000 watt FM from Marion whose signal is city-grade. WIVK also comes into the market. There's WEYE..104.3..WGOC..Classic Country..SO your argument is weak. All these stations shares combined can't hold a candle to WXBQ's in the market. And...The Tri-Cities market is not unlike the rest of the world. This is the age of multiple choices, and people KNOW there are alternatives to the Rabbit Station. They just CHOOSE to stay with it because they PREFER it over everything else. It seems some of you can't fully grasp that concept, but it is based on FACT.

 

[jackandcoke]

Well, in a way, abc is right for the same reason that RNR is right. One of the enormous advantages of (essentially) being the only Country station in the market is that there's no alternate button to push, so XBQ doesn't have to share the Country audience--which would shred their TSL, which would chop their AQH shares, ratings & persons numbers. You see the parallel phenomenon most commonly in markets where there is a lone Gospel station--usually an AM--where the listeners just turn it on and "rip the knob off!" Even with pretty small cume audiences that kind of huge, uninterrupted time spent listening translates to big AQH.

So, yeah, even a half-assed local Country FM could whack WXBQ's share pretty good, just by forcing them to share their audience more than they do now. Not enough to beat them, necessarily, but enough to bring them closer to the rest of the pack.

Again...most of you are missing the point. There ARE other Country stations in the market...WMEV, a 100,000 watt FM from Marion whose signal is city-grade. WIVK also comes into the market. There's WEYE..104.3..WGOC..Classic Country..SO your argument is weak. All these stations shares combined can't hold a candle to WXBQ's in the market. And...The Tri-Cities market is not unlike the rest of the world. This is the age of multiple choices, and people KNOW there are alternatives to the Rabbit Station. They just CHOOSE to stay with it because they PREFER it over everything else. It seems some of you can't fully grasp that concept, but it is based on FACT.

PULEEZE.

WMEV "city grades" Abingdon and is audible in Bristol but beyond that disappears whenever you turn a corner or get on the south side of a hill. People in Greeneville and Morristown can hear 'IVK, but 107.7 is just a rumor in the Tri-Cities. Yes, you can hear WEYE in Kingsport, but nowhere else. And WGOC's 500 watt, 4-tower directional night signal burns up Bloomingdale but that's about it.

The combined Country shares from stations other than WXBQ usually add up to around a 7 share, which normally is good for 4th in the market--right behind WTFM & WQUT--and a year ago (Winter 08) their combined 8.2 share would have bumped 'QUT out of the #3 position, less than a share out of #2. Considering the half-dozen different dial positions and call letters and complete lack of coherent marketing, this is actually a pretty good indication that there is plenty of room for a legitimate Country challenger in East Tennessee.

But, look, it ain't gonna happen. So just be happy with the great hand you've been dealt and sit back on the front stoop and whittle and sip on your white lightning. Life is good for The Rabbit. Some folks are lucky. Count your blessings.

And don't brag too much, or you'll risk rousing the people over at Holston Valley out of their lifelong nap.

 

[kd4rnc1964]

ANYTHING! HV does would be an improvment. The AC format TFM is doing is a disaster. It's putting me to sleep. I've heard the "at work" deal better in other places."106.3 The Mountain" in Sevierville sounds better than TFM and the super hits on WKPT combined. I don't know if the Tri-Cities needs two country flamethrowers but anythings possible. Jim Mabe sounds good on MEV. If they put a guy or lady in with him. HV might have a chance to peel the rabbits' ears back.

 

[oleskoolMM]

from jack and coke
PULEEZE.

WMEV "city grades" Abingdon and is audible in Bristol but beyond that disappears whenever you turn a corner or get on the south side of a hill. People in Greeneville and Morristown can hear 'IVK, but 107.7 is just a rumor in the Tri-Cities. Yes, you can hear WEYE in Kingsport, but nowhere else. And WGOC's 500 watt, 4-tower directional night signal burns up Bloomingdale but that's about it.

The combined Country shares from stations other than WXBQ usually add up to around a 7 share, which normally is good for 4th in the market--right behind WTFM & WQUT--and a year ago (Winter 08) their combined 8.2 share would have bumped 'QUT out of the #3 position, less than a share out of #2. Considering the half-dozen different dial positions and call letters and complete lack of coherent marketing, this is actually a pretty good indication that there is plenty of room for a legitimate Country challenger in East Tennessee.

But, look, it ain't gonna happen. So just be happy with the great hand you've been dealt and sit back on the front stoop and whittle and sip on your white lightning. Life is good for The Rabbit. Some folks are lucky. Count your blessings.

And don't brag too much, or you'll risk rousing the people over at Holston Valley out of their lifelong nap.

PULEEZE is RIGHT! Obviously, you don't live in the Tri-Cities, because WMEV comes in LOUD AND CLEAR in Bristol. CITY GRADE! It's good in Abingdon and Johnson City as well. Heck, WXLZ in Lebanon is audible in Johnson City AND Kingsport along with Bristol. WIVK is clear enough to make the switch, and 104.3 CAN be heard in Bristol as well. Face facts...as much as you seem to enjoy defaming the good people at Bristol Broadcasting with redneck slander, my guess is you'd give your third tooth to work there. And life is goodat BBC I'm sure BECAUSE of hard work and dedication to the product. As as far as Holston Valley is concerned, I sure they appreciate your kind words as well. Either say something of value, or spare us your lame arse attempt at sarcasm.

 

[jackandcoke]

PULEEZE is RIGHT! Obviously, you don't live in the Tri-Cities, because WMEV comes in LOUD AND CLEAR in Bristol. CITY GRADE! It's good in Abingdon and Johnson City as well. Heck, WXLZ in Lebanon is audible in Johnson City AND Kingsport along with Bristol. WIVK is clear enough to make the switch, and 104.3 CAN be heard in Bristol as well. Face facts...as much as you seem to enjoy defaming the good people at Bristol Broadcasting with redneck slander, my guess is you'd give your third tooth to work there. And life is goodat BBC I'm sure BECAUSE of hard work and dedication to the product. As as far as Holston Valley is concerned, I sure they appreciate your kind words as well. Either say something of value, or spare us your lame arse attempt at sarcasm.

All sarcasm aside, the term "city grade" is an FCC term to describe the 70 dBu contour of an FM signal. In WMEV's case, with 100kw @ 452 meters HAAT, the "city grade" contour misses Bristol by about ten miles. Bristol is, however, within WMEV's 60 dBu "primary" contour--generally considered to be listenable on most car radios, though usually too weak to be heard on radios inside buildings (especially important since most radio listening, regardless of format, is done at work). WMEV's 60 dBu signal contour includes both Bristols, but falls short of either Kingsport or Johnson City.

Bristol/Nininger has an outstanding reputation, and for at least the last 20 years I have personally cited WXBQ as a model of programming and promotional excellence. As it happens, I work for a radio company in that same league. My observations are not intended as an attack on either WXBQ or B/N.

You stuck your neck out, soliciting praise for winning in a non-competitive market. Several posters have chastised, teased or mocked you for your narcissism. Get it?

Now, cool down and count your damn blessings.

 

[oleskoolMM]

All sarcasm aside, the term "city grade" is an FCC term to describe the 70 dBu contour of an FM signal. In WMEV's case, with 100kw @ 452 meters HAAT, the "city grade" contour misses Bristol by about ten miles. Bristol is, however, within WMEV's 60 dBu "primary" contour--generally considered to be listenable on most car radios, though usually too weak to be heard on radios inside buildings (especially important since most radio listening, regardless of format, is done at work). WMEV's 60 dBu signal contour includes both Bristols, but falls short of either Kingsport or Johnson City.

Bristol/Nininger has an outstanding reputation, and for at least the last 20 years I have personally cited WXBQ as a model of programming and promotional excellence. As it happens, I work for a radio company in that same league. My observations are not intended as an attack on either WXBQ or B/N.

You stuck your neck out, soliciting praise for winning in a non-competitive market. Several posters have chastised, teased or mocked you for your narcissism. Get it?

Now, cool down and count your damn blessings.

My tongue in cheek remark about showing some love for the Rabbit was intended for those like you who never miss a chance to nail the Rabbit station when ratings dip, or when some other station in the market makes a little gain. And..just as I suspected, you mock or slander when someone says something GOOD about the station's achievements. Your whittle, white lightning remark was a slap in the face to the people at BBC and anyone who read it knows it. So don't hide behind your portrayal of my intentions. Own up to the fact that you can't
sell us on WXBQ's "Lucky 59".

Case closed :

 

[ratingsgeek]

All sarcasm aside, the term "city grade" is an FCC term to describe the 70 dBu contour of an FM signal. In WMEV's case, with 100kw @ 452 meters HAAT, the "city grade" contour misses Bristol by about ten miles. Bristol is, however, within WMEV's 60 dBu "primary" contour--generally considered to be listenable on most car radios, though usually too weak to be heard on radios inside buildings (especially important since most radio listening, regardless of format, is done at work). WMEV's 60 dBu signal contour includes both Bristols, but falls short of either Kingsport or Johnson City.

Bristol/Nininger has an outstanding reputation, and for at least the last 20 years I have personally cited WXBQ as a model of programming and promotional excellence. As it happens, I work for a radio company in that same league. My observations are not intended as an attack on either WXBQ or B/N.

You stuck your neck out, soliciting praise for winning in a non-competitive market. Several posters have chastised, teased or mocked you for your narcissism. Get it?

Now, cool down and count your damn blessings.

My tongue in cheek remark about showing some love for the Rabbit was intended for those like you who never miss a chance to nail the Rabbit station when ratings dip, or when some other station in the market makes a little gain. And..just as I suspected, you mock or slander when someone says something GOOD about the station's achievements. Your whittle, white lightning remark was a slap in the face to the people at BBC and anyone who read it knows it. So don't hide behind your portrayal of my intentions. Own up to the fact that you can't
sell us on WXBQ's "Lucky 59".

Case closed :

Oh, lighten up man, before someone notices that your Fall book was 7 shares down from 10 years ago. Or that you're stuck in market #102 out in the middle of nowhere. You got what you were fishing for: some nice compliments ("outstanding"... "excellence"). If you insist on drawing this out, somebody at Citadel might wake up and decide that gambling QUT's #3 rock billing on a flip to Country isn't much of a risk. Forget TFM. Rock stations are bailing out of the format everywhere. If they can swap that 6.5 share for 7 or 8 shares of available Country audience and cut y'all to a 12-to-15 share in one fell swoop, it's one of them win-win things.

 

[GTC]

A station that's #1 for 59 books isn't going to lose 7 to 8 shares just because another station signs on in the same format with a decent signal. Even spending major bucks on marketing isn't going to turn things around overnight, they have to be in it for the very long haul, and fight the heritage and brand that WXBQ has created for those 59 books. Throwing away a 6 share station in this economic climate to gain maybe 2 to 3 shares would be idiotic, let alone a VERY costly gamble. Even perfectly programmed, in the Arbitron world, things aren't going to change quickly, and the PPM is years away from that market.

See WCYQ vs. WIVK battle in Knoxville. WCYQ lost nearly a share in the switch from 80's on WMYU (2.4 Summer) to Country, and gained a .1 share with I'd bet $50K in TV/billboard marketing for the Winter book. To a 1.6. Unless you're #1, the view never changes....

One of the reasons Rock seems to be dying is the target demo of older men isn't as easy to sell as female targeted demos. Beer, bikes and soda aren't as profitable as they used to be for radio....that and the format is in serious need of an overhaul/freshening.

 

[amfmxm]

A station that's #1 for 59 books isn't going to lose 7 to 8 shares just because another station signs on in the same format with a decent signal. Even spending major bucks on marketing isn't going to turn things around overnight, they have to be in it for the very long haul, and fight the heritage and brand that WXBQ has created for those 59 books. Throwing away a 6 share station in this economic climate to gain maybe 2 to 3 shares would be idiotic, let alone a VERY costly gamble. Even perfectly programmed, in the Arbitron world, things aren't going to change quickly, and the PPM is years away from that market.

See WCYQ vs. WIVK battle in Knoxville. WCYQ lost nearly a share in the switch from 80's on WMYU (2.4 Summer) to Country, and gained a .1 share with I'd bet $50K in TV/billboard marketing for the Winter book. To a 1.6. Unless you're #1, the view never changes....

Quick? Nothing happens in one or two books anymore. But a shift could show in a 2 or 3 books and within a year it could be close. One of my pals was a longtime jock at WTQR in Winston-Salem. They racked up 20 years of #1's, too, and thought they were unbeatable. Turned out they were wrong.

The CYQ thing doesn't compute. It's a Class A trying to knock heads with a Class C. That's called "suicide."

But speaking of WIVK, the smartest thing Citadel could do in the Tri Cities would be to flip WQUT to a simulcast of WIVK. Expenses on 'QUT go to zero overnight and a tired undersold format disappears in favor of one of America's most dominant Country stations. 107.7 already pulls a share or two in Johnson City, so there's a base to work with. Adjacent markets in East Tennessee make it easy to promote and sell.

A no brainer.

 

[allngoodtime316]

First off, i am not in radio business so i will give an outside prosective. I do believe that the people that run a station has a lot to do with how a station does. 'XBQ and 949 are both good sounding stations and run by the same people. On many forums, i have read people believe 949 is the best top 40 or one of the best top 40 stations in the region. 1027 classic hits, is cutting into wqut market. They play a better blend of classic rock plus a mix of the 80s. I do believe that the classic rock format is dying and is getting a bit boring. I not sure if knocking wxbq down or finding a better nique is best. I knew 1049 the peak was going change and they went HOT AC. It is too early but I personally like the morning show pretty well and think they are sounding more focused finally. I wonder if looking at station to put country on would be 959 the Hog. I know it gets ok numbers but truthfully i never hear it played like all the other stations that have been talked about. Of all the HV stations why not flip 959 to country. It is strong enough. 993 does a decent job with the rock and let 1027 add some of the harder music to their format. I don't know but i think there are many other options at going wxbq. I just wonder if two almost 100,000 watt country stations in the tri-cities would really be worth the stigma. Change one of the less powerful ones or move one in but don't mess with wqut or wtfm, unless u change them to a format other than country....
just an outsiders thoughts which means little...

 

[redneckriviera]

First off, i am not in radio business so i will give an outside prosective. I do believe that the people that run a station has a lot to do with how a station does. 'XBQ and 949 are both good sounding stations and run by the same people. On many forums, i have read people believe 949 is the best top 40 or one of the best top 40 stations in the region. 1027 classic hits, is cutting into wqut market. They play a better blend of classic rock plus a mix of the 80s. I do believe that the classic rock format is dying and is getting a bit boring. I not sure if knocking wxbq down or finding a better nique is best. I knew 1049 the peak was going change and they went HOT AC. It is too early but I personally like the morning show pretty well and think they are sounding more focused finally. I wonder if looking at station to put country on would be 959 the Hog. I know it gets ok numbers but truthfully i never hear it played like all the other stations that have been talked about. Of all the HV stations why not flip 959 to country. It is strong enough. 993 does a decent job with the rock and let 1027 add some of the harder music to their format. I don't know but i think there are many other options at going wxbq. I just wonder if two almost 100,000 watt country stations in the tri-cities would really be worth the stigma. Change one of the less powerful ones or move one in but don't mess with wqut or wtfm, unless u change them to a format other than country....
just an outsiders thoughts which means little...

WTF? LOL! Ummmm... competition makes us all better. And beating up on little guys isn't really competition. At least that's what some of us think.