107.3 WKAZ Stunting

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Jay Nunley
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Re: 107.3 WKAZ Stunting

Post by Jay Nunley »

I'm loathe to be critical. I respect the entire WV Radio operation, but from an outsider's perspective, this appears to be the radio equivalent of putting your right arm into a shark tank, a shark biting it off, and then sticking your left arm in there to see if it happens again.

Not all "Jack" type formats have failed. The successful ones had/have three things. 1. A strong morning show/strong air talent. 2. Research out the ass (for their specific market, not some generic playlist). 3. Strong marketing. I would add you need an actual target demo, but those three things are the crtitical pieces.
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Re: 107.3 WKAZ Stunting

Post by Big Media »

Jay Nunley wrote:Not all "Jack" type formats have failed. The successful ones had/have three things. 1. A strong morning show/strong air talent. 2. Research out the ass (for their specific market, not some generic playlist). 3. Strong marketing. I would add you need an actual target demo, but those three things are the crtitical pieces.
Unfortunately, radio companies switch to "jack" type formats to avoid spending money on the 3 items you listed above. They are almost mutually exclusive.
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Re: 107.3 WKAZ Stunting

Post by Arp2 »

Alright......so what are we thinking about this these days?
"I don't know the same things you don't know."

"Yes, you do; you just won't admit it!"


"Yeeee...it looks like a 'Belt Buckle & Ball Cap' convention in here......"
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Re: 107.3 WKAZ Stunting

Post by Big Media »

Hot dogs?
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Re: 107.3 WKAZ Stunting

Post by Dave Allen »

I like hot dogs.
Titties and beer...thank God almighty for titties and beer!
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Re: 107.3 WKAZ Stunting

Post by Jay Nunley »

Arp2 wrote:Alright......so what are we thinking about this these days?
I recently spent some time with it.

I still don't have any solid thoughts.

If the idea is to generate recall by causing users to think "That's not a party song," it is genius (if it works).

I gave it 6 or 7 listening occasions and I honestly couldn't figure out the strategy. That means I can't even begin to evaluate the execution.

It is either a brave and bold experiment or an ill conceived debacle and I'm not leaning toward either.

If it is a brave and bold experiment they need to market it better.

If it is an ill conceived debacle they need to take a long look at the market demographics and the competitive matrix and determine whether an all 80s format with all the nostalgic bells and whistles imaging or a classic country (Waylon to Garth with absolutely no Bro Country) can pull the most ears and dollars. I don't see any other holes. The other choice is to go after a competitor which will require even more marketing, long term dedication to the mission, and smart programming.

Any of those choices will need a full time, quality air staff.
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Re: 107.3 WKAZ Stunting

Post by Shanen Wright »

Well, it looks like Tailgate 107.3 didn't launch with a bang, at least 12+. Guess there aren't that many party people here in the Kanawha Valley after all.

My takeaway is (still) that the Beat belongs on 107.3. If you look below, 98.7 spiked in the spring, then lost nearly half of their 12+ numbers in the fall. I've seen that trend before. Has to be diary placement with the limited signal.

Kudos to V100 for another good showing. Maybe some of that was Xmas music? Always seems to spike AC numbers.

Also looks like 580 isn't trending the way it would want to. Could we eventually see CHS on FM to try to reverse the trend, or even dumping Rush for more advertiser-friendly and younger-skewing talk?

Regardless, I give a ton of credit to WVRC for creativity on 107.3, but it could be last call at the Tailgate before long...

Charleston, WV
RADIO RATINGS FOR SUBSCRIBING STATIONS
Data Released: 1/23/15

AQH Share for Persons 12+, Mon-Sun 6AM-Mid

Click on any column heading to sort by subscriber, format or survey period.
Subscriber Format SP 13 FA 13 SP 14 FA 14
WQBE-FM Country 18.4 19.2 16.6 16.5
WVAF-FM Adult Contemporary 6.6 7.8 7.5 9.1
WVSR-FM Pop Contemporary Hit Radio 9.4 7.8 10.0 9.1
WKLC-FM Mainstream Rock 8.6 8.2 7.1 8.3
WKWS-FM Country 5.5 7.8 7.1 6.1
WMXE-FM Classic Hits 5.5 5.7 4.6 5.7
WRVZ-FM Rhythmic Contemporary Hit Radio 4.7 5.7 8.3 4.3
WCHS-AM News Talk Information 5.5 4.5 4.6 3.9
WVTS-FM News Talk Information 2.7 2.0 1.7 2.6
WKAZ-FM Adult Hits 3.1 1.6 2.5 2.2
WKAZ-AM Oldies 2.3 0.8 1.7 0.9
WBES-AM All Sports * * 1.2 *
WJYP-AM Southern Gospel 0.8 * * *
WSCW-AM Classic Country 0.8 * * *
WSWW-AM All Sports 0.8 * 0.8 *

*Data are not available for this station/survey.
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Re: 107.3 WKAZ Stunting

Post by cgarison »

Ouch!

But you have to take into consideration that all of these iPod on Shuffle/"Jack" style stations failed and those that are still left (like Greater Media's Ben-FM in Philly) have morning and afternoon drive time shows with tighter AC playlists. Yes, the shows are heavily voice tracked, but they are still using voice talent for traffic, weather, and to announce music.
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Re: 107.3 WKAZ Stunting

Post by Big Media »

WRVZ's 8.3 last book had to be a fluke. I still haven't heard 10 minutes of this station because I can't pick it up. Maybe it would be better on 107.3. Obviously the redneck mix isn't working, there.
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Re: 107.3 WKAZ Stunting

Post by Ace Purple »

Jack FM is still doing quite well in Nashville, but of course there are plenty of examples of where the format eventually fizzled.

There is plenty of leeway with it being in most cases a wide playlist Classic Hits/Hot AC hybrid, though the notion that they play "anything" is of course a gimmick. Ultimately, after the wow factor for songs not heard on the radio in years fades, you've got to play the hits.
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Re: 107.3 WKAZ Stunting

Post by cgarison »

Ace Purple wrote:Ultimately, after the wow factor for songs not heard on the radio in years fades, you've got to play the hits.
And that is why Ben-FM here in Philly works so well. Back in 2005, they were the traditional weird "Jack" mix of music, but over the last 10 years, they have transformed the station into a more pop-music oriented adult contemporary station than their traditional AC competitor WBEB-FM across the street. But the biggest reason that "Ben" has stuck in Philly is that they added DJs during the drive times somewhere around 2007/2008. Of course, having John O'Hurley voice talents perform the majority of the stations liners and bumpers since it came on the air on May 9, 2005 certainly does not hurt in Ben's longevity either.
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Re: 107.3 WKAZ Stunting

Post by Ace Purple »

cgarison wrote:And that is why Ben-FM here in Philly works so well. Back in 2005, they were the traditional weird "Jack" mix of music, but over the last 10 years, they have transformed the station into a more pop-music oriented adult contemporary station than their traditional AC competitor WBEB-FM across the street. But the biggest reason that "Ben" has stuck in Philly is that they added DJs during the drive times somewhere around 2007/2008. Of course, having John O'Hurley voice talents perform the majority of the stations liners and bumpers since it came on the air on May 9, 2005 certainly does not hurt in Ben's longevity either.
John O'Hurley is really good at doing voiceovers. Cuts through without being agitating.
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