Colorado Media Newsroom
August 10th, 2022, 10:00 AM
From Radio Insight:
Every month, before writing about what I’ve been listening to, I ask Facebook friends for the best thing they’ve heard over the last month. That thread is worth checking out (https://www.facebook.com/rossonradio) for a long list of great suggestions. A few are highlighted here; many will likely inform Radio’s Best & Worst for August. As you’d expect, there’s also a certain amount of radio encountered while on vacation. And the list begins with a station specifically designed to be heard on vacation.*
https://radioinsight.com/wp-content/images/2022/08/wjrzwwzy-200x200.jpgFormat Battle: Even before Robby Bridges began programming WWZY (107.1 the Boss) Monmouth/Ocean, N.J., (https://1071theboss.com/)it had a poppier feel than most Classic Rock stations. It became the new P1 station for a co-worker who would have usually listened to Hot AC and was surprised how much she liked it. Bridges pulled it further toward Classic Hits, especially presentationally. At the other end of the market is “Jersey’s Greatest Hits” WJRZ, (https://wjrz.com/) doing a poppier version of Classic Hits than the national mean under PD Matt Knight. Different mixes but both with a commitment to a classic radio experience that makes it feel a little like a late-’80s/early-’90s format battle (minus the aggressive sweepers).
Station (U.S.): WLBC Muncie, Ind., (https://www.wlbc.com/)*is a market leader and a great place to hear local radio as well as some titles not always heard on Hot AC. Yesterday, I heard them tease, then frontsell the current Lizzo hit as “About Time,” which sparked this lively Twitter exchange. (https://twitter.com/RossOnRadio/status/1554939417957212162) (If you haven’t seen my Tweets for awhile, I always appreciate the follow.)
Station (International): Isla 106 Ibiza/Mallorca (https://isla106.com/) was brought to my attention by a reader for its dance-classics format. It plays a lot of music from the first few years of the decade, when disco reverted to R&B and the new Urban Contemporary format for several years. But there’s also a lot of Eurodance that wouldn’t typically be on the radio in North America. One of the highest “oh wow” percentages of any station I’ve encountered recently.
https://radioinsight.com/wp-content/images/2022/08/kjee-200x200.pngRatings Story: Of the Alternative format’s success stories, the best publicized are stations such as KPNT St. Louis or WXDX Pittsburgh that lean closer to Active Rock. KJEE Santa Barbara, Calif., (https://kjee.com/MUSIC15.html)was up 6.9-8.0 to tie for the market lead on Tuesday, playing a more down-the-center mix that can include Billie Eilish and Audioslave in the same hour. The music balance is 65/35 gold/current-recurrent, but you can still encounter Rufus Du Sol next to Turnstile. (You can only hear that locally though. KJEE doesn’t stream.) Santa Barbara certainly seems like the sort of market where Alternative would do well, but “arts/college market” isn’t a guarantee anymore.
Streaming Tip (This Week): They were geo-fenced for a while, then only briefly unlocked. But Bahakel’s Chattanooga, Tenn., stations are available again, including AC WDEF (Sunny 92.3), (https://www.sunny923.com/) a successful AC outlet that has always been a little different from its format peers, thanks in part to a strong MD in market veteran Robin Daniels. Classic Country WUUQ (Q97.3/99.3) can be heard again as well.*
https://radioinsight.com/wp-content/images/2022/08/absolutepirates-200x200.jpgStreaming Tip (Next Week): The UK’s Absolute Radio has been known for years for its suite of DAB and streaming side channels. Two years ago, it staged the one-day Absolute Radio ‘40s (https://radioinsight.com/blogs/187009/first-listen-absolute-radio-40s/) channel, a badly needed diversion during the heart of COVID lockdown. Next Friday (12), Absolute ‘60s will become “Absolute Radio Pirates,” (https://planetradio.co.uk/absolute-radio/music/news/introducing-absolute-radio-pirates/) commemorating the end of pirate radio (and the launch of BBC Radio 2) 50 years ago, and featuring Johnnie Walker and Tony Blackburn.
More Appointment Listening: Noncomm KEXP Seattle (https://www.kexp.org/) is celebrating 50 years by spotlighting a different (non-sequential) year each week. This week is 1981. Thanks to reader Jill Passmore. Also, this weekend, Wink Martindale’s*The History of Rock & Roll plays the top 100 TV themes. You can hear it on*WRME (Me TV FM) Chicago, (https://metv.fm/)*starting Saturday morning at 8 a.m. ET.
More Anniversary Love: “WABC New York’s (https://wabcradio.com/77-wabc-celebrates-100-years/)ongoing documentaries celebrating 100 years. Well done! They air them on Saturday afternoons. Previous episodes are archived” on the station site. From Alt 92.3 New York’s Scott Lowe.
Device Promo: Gold-based ACWQLT (Q107) Florence, Ala., (https://www.wqlt.com/)could have also gone in the “Ratings Story” section, since it leads its market with a 15.3 share. Or in segues, since I heard Mr. Mister, “Kyrie,” into Sly & the Family Stone, “Hot Fun in the Summertime,” last night. But its “listen to us anywhere” streaming app promo got my attention in a way that device promos rarely do, because it was geared to listening on a boat. The runner-up is “tell that woman whose name begins with an A” to play Adult Standards WLML (Legends 100.3) West Palm Beach, Fla. (https://legendsradio.com/)
Best Sense of Place (Local): That one also goes to WDEF (Sunny 92.3) Chattanooga, whose “Friday Night Lights” crew is coming to your high-school football game tailgate party, in conjunction with Wendy’s, and is already soliciting entries.
Best Sense of Place (National): I didn’t hear it myself. I discovered it from a Facebook thread started by reader Brandon Charles, who heard Alternative WNYL (Alt 92.3) New York p.m. driver Brady (https://www.audacy.com/alt923/hosts/brady) construct a bit by making it known that he was broadcasting from Seattle. “He just massively earned my respect for being real and making it sound authentic.” Taking advantage of being national, rather than being fake local, is something we’ve been encouraging for a while. (https://radioinsight.com/blogs/224199/if-you-can-afford-only-one-local-host-do-this/)
Most Unsettling Sense of Place: The hour of Alternative KBZT (Alt 94.9) San Diego (https://www.audacy.com/alt949)that I profiled here last week (https://radioinsight.com/ross/234909/fresh-listen-kroq-wnyl-kbzt/) was sponsored by “ReadyForWildfire.org,” (https://d.docs.live.net/950ec650329f8e02/Documents/ReadyForWildfire.org) California’s wildfire-preparedness organization. Three days later, at the other end of the state, the McKinney Fire began. *
Best Artist Interview: Alternative Triple-J’s Lucy Smith with (https://www.abc.net.au/triplej/programs/mornings/my-first-triple-one/13981430) Australian rap crew Triple One, who were there to premiere a new song, but also told the story of how they’d seen their slot rained out on their first festival date, only to be recruited as last-minute headliners. It had the desired effect of sending me off to stream music by an act that I would have never sought out otherwise.
https://radioinsight.com/wp-content/images/2022/08/elton1057-200x112.jpgBest Artist Feature: Duran Duran chronicler and ROR contributor Annie Zaleski (https://radioinsight.com/blogs/210107/falling-in-love-with-the-band-from-rio/) cited Classic Hits WMJI (Majic 105.7) Cleveland, (https://wmji.iheart.com/) which saluted Elton John’s “Farewell Yellow Brick Road” tour by playing him for the entire day of the show. “Loved hearing deeper cuts you don’t hear often,” she wrote. Those included a lot of ’80s/’90s Elton–“Nikita,” “Through the Storm,” “Club at the End of the Street,” “Blue Eyes,” etc.
Segue of the Month: July’s contenders:
Triple-A KINK Portland, Ore., (https://www.kink.fm/) going from Doors, “Break On Through,” to Gorillaz, “Dare,” in keeping with its emphasis on songs that stream;
102.9 Hot Tomato, Gold Coast Australia, (https://www.mygc.com.au/1029-hot-tomato/)a very hot Adult Top 40 recently heard going from Walker Hayes, “Fancy Like,” to “Signs” by Snoop Dogg f/Justin Timberlake & Charlie Wilson.
Sweepers of the Month:*
Gold-based AC WKQC (K104.7) Charlotte, N.C., (https://k1047.com/)is promoting “the best ’80s high-school variety.” A related liner promises, “We’re taking it back to K104.7 High.”
Classic Country KWDO (The Legend 105.5) Fresno, Calif., (https://www.facebook.com/thelegendfresno/?_rdr)declares, “We don’t do ‘bro.’”
Ad Copy: “Why go bar-hopping when you can hop on the bar?” An ad for charter party cruises as heard on Top 40 WAYV Atlantic City, N.J. (https://www.951wayv.com/)
Reader’s Station: If you listen to WHPC Long Island, N.Y., (http://www.NCCradio.org)around the time this column comes out (midday Thursdays), it’ll be doing a student-hosted “2k through today” Adult CHR format. If you listen later on Thursday afternoon, the Italian show that’s been on the air over 25 years is on from 5-7 p.m. The voice of Nassau Community College was the only such station nominated for this year’s College Radio Station of the Year Marconi Award. Station director Shawn Novatt is one of the principals behind the annual IBS College Radio Conference.
Out of Office Message: “Did you know that every year more than 2 million mini-donuts are eaten at the Calgary Stampede? True story!”—Sony Music Canada’s Derek Hauser, celebrating the Stampede’s return from COVID hiatus earlier this month.
more (https://radioinsight.com/blogs/236209/radios-best-worst-july-2022/)
Every month, before writing about what I’ve been listening to, I ask Facebook friends for the best thing they’ve heard over the last month. That thread is worth checking out (https://www.facebook.com/rossonradio) for a long list of great suggestions. A few are highlighted here; many will likely inform Radio’s Best & Worst for August. As you’d expect, there’s also a certain amount of radio encountered while on vacation. And the list begins with a station specifically designed to be heard on vacation.*
https://radioinsight.com/wp-content/images/2022/08/wjrzwwzy-200x200.jpgFormat Battle: Even before Robby Bridges began programming WWZY (107.1 the Boss) Monmouth/Ocean, N.J., (https://1071theboss.com/)it had a poppier feel than most Classic Rock stations. It became the new P1 station for a co-worker who would have usually listened to Hot AC and was surprised how much she liked it. Bridges pulled it further toward Classic Hits, especially presentationally. At the other end of the market is “Jersey’s Greatest Hits” WJRZ, (https://wjrz.com/) doing a poppier version of Classic Hits than the national mean under PD Matt Knight. Different mixes but both with a commitment to a classic radio experience that makes it feel a little like a late-’80s/early-’90s format battle (minus the aggressive sweepers).
Station (U.S.): WLBC Muncie, Ind., (https://www.wlbc.com/)*is a market leader and a great place to hear local radio as well as some titles not always heard on Hot AC. Yesterday, I heard them tease, then frontsell the current Lizzo hit as “About Time,” which sparked this lively Twitter exchange. (https://twitter.com/RossOnRadio/status/1554939417957212162) (If you haven’t seen my Tweets for awhile, I always appreciate the follow.)
Station (International): Isla 106 Ibiza/Mallorca (https://isla106.com/) was brought to my attention by a reader for its dance-classics format. It plays a lot of music from the first few years of the decade, when disco reverted to R&B and the new Urban Contemporary format for several years. But there’s also a lot of Eurodance that wouldn’t typically be on the radio in North America. One of the highest “oh wow” percentages of any station I’ve encountered recently.
https://radioinsight.com/wp-content/images/2022/08/kjee-200x200.pngRatings Story: Of the Alternative format’s success stories, the best publicized are stations such as KPNT St. Louis or WXDX Pittsburgh that lean closer to Active Rock. KJEE Santa Barbara, Calif., (https://kjee.com/MUSIC15.html)was up 6.9-8.0 to tie for the market lead on Tuesday, playing a more down-the-center mix that can include Billie Eilish and Audioslave in the same hour. The music balance is 65/35 gold/current-recurrent, but you can still encounter Rufus Du Sol next to Turnstile. (You can only hear that locally though. KJEE doesn’t stream.) Santa Barbara certainly seems like the sort of market where Alternative would do well, but “arts/college market” isn’t a guarantee anymore.
Streaming Tip (This Week): They were geo-fenced for a while, then only briefly unlocked. But Bahakel’s Chattanooga, Tenn., stations are available again, including AC WDEF (Sunny 92.3), (https://www.sunny923.com/) a successful AC outlet that has always been a little different from its format peers, thanks in part to a strong MD in market veteran Robin Daniels. Classic Country WUUQ (Q97.3/99.3) can be heard again as well.*
https://radioinsight.com/wp-content/images/2022/08/absolutepirates-200x200.jpgStreaming Tip (Next Week): The UK’s Absolute Radio has been known for years for its suite of DAB and streaming side channels. Two years ago, it staged the one-day Absolute Radio ‘40s (https://radioinsight.com/blogs/187009/first-listen-absolute-radio-40s/) channel, a badly needed diversion during the heart of COVID lockdown. Next Friday (12), Absolute ‘60s will become “Absolute Radio Pirates,” (https://planetradio.co.uk/absolute-radio/music/news/introducing-absolute-radio-pirates/) commemorating the end of pirate radio (and the launch of BBC Radio 2) 50 years ago, and featuring Johnnie Walker and Tony Blackburn.
More Appointment Listening: Noncomm KEXP Seattle (https://www.kexp.org/) is celebrating 50 years by spotlighting a different (non-sequential) year each week. This week is 1981. Thanks to reader Jill Passmore. Also, this weekend, Wink Martindale’s*The History of Rock & Roll plays the top 100 TV themes. You can hear it on*WRME (Me TV FM) Chicago, (https://metv.fm/)*starting Saturday morning at 8 a.m. ET.
More Anniversary Love: “WABC New York’s (https://wabcradio.com/77-wabc-celebrates-100-years/)ongoing documentaries celebrating 100 years. Well done! They air them on Saturday afternoons. Previous episodes are archived” on the station site. From Alt 92.3 New York’s Scott Lowe.
Device Promo: Gold-based ACWQLT (Q107) Florence, Ala., (https://www.wqlt.com/)could have also gone in the “Ratings Story” section, since it leads its market with a 15.3 share. Or in segues, since I heard Mr. Mister, “Kyrie,” into Sly & the Family Stone, “Hot Fun in the Summertime,” last night. But its “listen to us anywhere” streaming app promo got my attention in a way that device promos rarely do, because it was geared to listening on a boat. The runner-up is “tell that woman whose name begins with an A” to play Adult Standards WLML (Legends 100.3) West Palm Beach, Fla. (https://legendsradio.com/)
Best Sense of Place (Local): That one also goes to WDEF (Sunny 92.3) Chattanooga, whose “Friday Night Lights” crew is coming to your high-school football game tailgate party, in conjunction with Wendy’s, and is already soliciting entries.
Best Sense of Place (National): I didn’t hear it myself. I discovered it from a Facebook thread started by reader Brandon Charles, who heard Alternative WNYL (Alt 92.3) New York p.m. driver Brady (https://www.audacy.com/alt923/hosts/brady) construct a bit by making it known that he was broadcasting from Seattle. “He just massively earned my respect for being real and making it sound authentic.” Taking advantage of being national, rather than being fake local, is something we’ve been encouraging for a while. (https://radioinsight.com/blogs/224199/if-you-can-afford-only-one-local-host-do-this/)
Most Unsettling Sense of Place: The hour of Alternative KBZT (Alt 94.9) San Diego (https://www.audacy.com/alt949)that I profiled here last week (https://radioinsight.com/ross/234909/fresh-listen-kroq-wnyl-kbzt/) was sponsored by “ReadyForWildfire.org,” (https://d.docs.live.net/950ec650329f8e02/Documents/ReadyForWildfire.org) California’s wildfire-preparedness organization. Three days later, at the other end of the state, the McKinney Fire began. *
Best Artist Interview: Alternative Triple-J’s Lucy Smith with (https://www.abc.net.au/triplej/programs/mornings/my-first-triple-one/13981430) Australian rap crew Triple One, who were there to premiere a new song, but also told the story of how they’d seen their slot rained out on their first festival date, only to be recruited as last-minute headliners. It had the desired effect of sending me off to stream music by an act that I would have never sought out otherwise.
https://radioinsight.com/wp-content/images/2022/08/elton1057-200x112.jpgBest Artist Feature: Duran Duran chronicler and ROR contributor Annie Zaleski (https://radioinsight.com/blogs/210107/falling-in-love-with-the-band-from-rio/) cited Classic Hits WMJI (Majic 105.7) Cleveland, (https://wmji.iheart.com/) which saluted Elton John’s “Farewell Yellow Brick Road” tour by playing him for the entire day of the show. “Loved hearing deeper cuts you don’t hear often,” she wrote. Those included a lot of ’80s/’90s Elton–“Nikita,” “Through the Storm,” “Club at the End of the Street,” “Blue Eyes,” etc.
Segue of the Month: July’s contenders:
Triple-A KINK Portland, Ore., (https://www.kink.fm/) going from Doors, “Break On Through,” to Gorillaz, “Dare,” in keeping with its emphasis on songs that stream;
102.9 Hot Tomato, Gold Coast Australia, (https://www.mygc.com.au/1029-hot-tomato/)a very hot Adult Top 40 recently heard going from Walker Hayes, “Fancy Like,” to “Signs” by Snoop Dogg f/Justin Timberlake & Charlie Wilson.
Sweepers of the Month:*
Gold-based AC WKQC (K104.7) Charlotte, N.C., (https://k1047.com/)is promoting “the best ’80s high-school variety.” A related liner promises, “We’re taking it back to K104.7 High.”
Classic Country KWDO (The Legend 105.5) Fresno, Calif., (https://www.facebook.com/thelegendfresno/?_rdr)declares, “We don’t do ‘bro.’”
Ad Copy: “Why go bar-hopping when you can hop on the bar?” An ad for charter party cruises as heard on Top 40 WAYV Atlantic City, N.J. (https://www.951wayv.com/)
Reader’s Station: If you listen to WHPC Long Island, N.Y., (http://www.NCCradio.org)around the time this column comes out (midday Thursdays), it’ll be doing a student-hosted “2k through today” Adult CHR format. If you listen later on Thursday afternoon, the Italian show that’s been on the air over 25 years is on from 5-7 p.m. The voice of Nassau Community College was the only such station nominated for this year’s College Radio Station of the Year Marconi Award. Station director Shawn Novatt is one of the principals behind the annual IBS College Radio Conference.
Out of Office Message: “Did you know that every year more than 2 million mini-donuts are eaten at the Calgary Stampede? True story!”—Sony Music Canada’s Derek Hauser, celebrating the Stampede’s return from COVID hiatus earlier this month.
more (https://radioinsight.com/blogs/236209/radios-best-worst-july-2022/)