YOUNGSTOWN'S Y-103 TAKES "LIVE AND LOCAL" OUT OF MORNING SHOW

[Jeremy Scott]

Anyone listening to Y-103 this morning may have noticed there was no Wendy... instead, the syndicated Free Beer and Hot Wings. From what I understand, she was let go Friday. The move comes at an interesting time, when the powers that be were supposedly looking for a replacement for Scott Kennedy.

This brings up the grand old question of "why." Was it a measure by Cumulus to save some Citadel money, as I have heard some speculate, or was it a residual effect of what allegedly happened with Mr. Kennedy, as I have heard others speculate?

 

[ScottyBman]

I am sure both. Really didn't come as a big surprise. Small market, chance to save money. It is the just the sad state of radio.

Local TV just ran a blip about the change. I know in our office, the two people that listen to the station have chnaged the dial, at least for the AM.

 

[static_cling]

Now would be a good time for the powers that be to drop the increasingly ridicuous "Live and Local" liners that are routinely heard on Y-103. Just sayin'...

 

[tcsnrayp]

Ridiculous to trumpet Live... *OR* "Local" if you use a syndicated show.

 

[DToTheJ]

And with "Free Beer and Hot Wings" on the menu, it's even more relevant to trumpet the "Y" (as in, "why?" Yes, we know the answer to this rhetorical question).

 

[rubberchicken]

This show is based out of an Alternative rock station and most affils are Active or Alternative Rock. It's an 18-34 show. Seems to be an odd fit.

 

[1sttimecaller]

Using the phrase "Live and Local" as a positioning statement means NOTHING to the audience, and is unnecessary verbiage. I've seen countless surveys that all have the same conclusion. My employer (an ad agency) is constantly being pitched a particular station because they are “live and local”. We did a focus group, albeit it small, out of the 20 people in the room, not one understood what that line meant. When explaining the difference between live radio and voice tracking not one of the participants said it would change their listening habits.

While we’re at it: telling everybody you are #1 in something usually signals to the audience, you are dead last in everything.

In Youngstown, I wonder if the new CC Sports outlet will still carry the Dan Patrick show when Free Beer and Hot Wings fill in?

 

[radiomayor2]

sounds to me like this radio station just ate their gun......

 

[agent31]

Let's start a grass roots movement to get LIVE and LOCAL back> Wendy would be ideal along with a co-host. Let's start bombarding Mr. Rick Parrish, General Manager at Cumulus. His email address is [email protected] I would mention the fact that you have listened to new show, not the same as live and local and YOU HAVE TURNED OFF Y-103 for that time slot!!!!

 

[Rusty Muck]

I guess Y103 severely wants to distance themselves from Scott Kennedy. And with the Citahell buyout, Cumulus will now be squeezing dimes so hard, they turn into half-dollar coins. Either way, this is just a bad bad move.

At some point, Y-103 should just give up and simulcast ESPN 1240. Or do a frequency swap with WWIZ/103.9 and turn 103.9 into a relay for WPIC/790.

 

[ScottyBman]

I thought they did very well ratings wise, why do simulcast. I bet the new morning show won't even make a difference in the ratings. Local radio is pretty much dead, especially here in Youngstown.

 

[1sttimecaller]

Typical Nate: give it up and go sports. How about some new creative ideas?

The station performs very well, while the previous morning show was underperforming the rest of the day. Local aint always better. FBHW will make the station sound fresh, something needed against the tired Bob and Tom. Any station that had a personality named Mr.Sports obvisouly needed a time warp jump out of 1984.

 

[Rusty Muck]

Eh, the cheapo route is going to be seen a lot coming from Cumulus over the next few years. You thought they were bad now, wait until they finish eating up a bankrupt giant in Citadel. The poster child for the "too big to fail" company.

The classic rock format itself is tiring and stuck in an eternal time warp from the mid-80s. Every single station will be facing that same problem. Especially WNCX. It's an unsustainable format. I don't think a morning show that by definition clashes against a format like that helps in the long run, but it could be a transitional show out of the format.

 

[Dave Sarnoff]

The classic rock format itself is tiring and stuck in an eternal time warp from the mid-80s.

QFT

Every single station will be facing that same problem. Especially WNCX. It's an unsustainable format.

Au contraire - it's one of the most sustainable formats. That's why it is still so prevalant -it has millions of second- and third-generation listeners. Go to any garage or body shop - anywhere you see 20- to 40-something white males with greasy long hair wearing Van Halen or AC/DC t-shirts working - and guess what kind of station you'll hear playing? Classic Rock, every time.