Colorado Media Newsroom
December 14th, 2023, 09:30 AM
From Radio Insight:
As 2023 comes to a close, there will be many experts giving their predictions on things that broadcasters should do in the coming year. This is one of those columns, but without the expectation that most of these suggestions will happen. Instead I merely hope that we as an industry continues to innovate and take risks to serve our audiences. These are some of the format changes that I believe would do that.
New Yorkhttps://radioinsight.com/wp-content/images/2015/07/wepn-200x135.pngWe know 98.7 WEPN-FM will be sold in 2024 with Good Karma Brands lease of the station ending (https://radioinsight.com/headlines/258983/good-karma-brands-to-end-98-7-new-york-lma-in-2024/). As I wrote following the announcement, it is possible the sale of the station will indicate a lot (https://radioinsight.com/blogs/259068/what-will-the-future-98-7-new-york-sale-tell-us-about-the-radio-business-going-forward/) about the future of the industry. But since this column is “what I’d like to see” and not what I expect to happen*
A new version of Talk. If you want to get a new Talk format off the ground it needs to be in a place like New York or Los Angeles to make the advertising community get on board. We saw it in New York alone with the debuts of WFAN and Howard Stern. Get away from politics that already divides half of your potential audience. As the world gets even more divided as the internet carves audiences into their specific niches, radio needs to be the place for the masses to unite. Find hosts that can do that in a way that reaches audiences that have departed the medium. Use social media and podcasts to bring them back to the longform content. It will need a deep-pocketed investor to purchase the station, hire the right staff, and give it time to build. Be local, but with a global reach and exclusive content there is still an ability to revitalize a format for a more mass-appeal approach.
San FranciscoThe demographics of the Bay Area are rapidly changing due to many of the tech businesses in the city abandoning their real estate for virtual offices. Audacy Classic Hip Hop “102.1 Jams” KRBQ currently is at a 1.3 share. San Francisco itself is 37% Asian (https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/sanfranciscocountycalifornia/PST045222). While there’s a lot of cultural differences between the different nations, could a format that includes more K-Pop, Bollywood, J-Pop and others along with other CHR and Hip Hop artists create a new mass-appeal brand while featuring hosts from the local communities?
Dallas/Fort Worthhttps://radioinsight.com/wp-content/images/2020/08/kzmj-200x200.pngHip Hop formats in general have been hurt the most in major markets due to audience splintering to streaming or too much competition. Radio One Hip Hop “97.9 The Beat” KBFB is down to a 1.7 share, while rimshot Adult R&B “Majic 94.5” WZMJ is at a 2.1 share. Both stations trail the direct format competitor in Service Broadcasting’s Hip Hop “K104” KKDA-FM at a 2.5 share and rimshot Adult R&B “105.7 Smooth R&B” KRNB at a 3.7. So let’s swap frequencies moving KZMJ to the better in-market signal and KBFB to the north suburban move-in. Give the format with the stronger demographic reach and sales potential the better signal.
Philadelphiahttps://radioinsight.com/wp-content/images/2023/12/y100philly-200x200.jpgHere’s another suggestion for Radio One. 100.3 WRNB has bounced between multiple frequencies, back and forth from Hip Hop to Adult R&B to a mix of both over the years and has been hovering mostly around a 2 share or below for years. While iHeart’s competing Adult R&B 105.3 WDAS-FM leads the market overall, it ranks lower in prime demos. So let’s flip it to 90s/2000s based Rock to split right in between Beasley Rock 93.3 WMMR and Classic Rock 102.9 WMGK. You even have your choice of two heritage brands to choose in “Y100” that was on that frequency from 1993 to 2005 or the former Rock WYSP branding. WMMR in particular has been #1 in 25-54 every month since January.
Washington DChttps://radioinsight.com/wp-content/images/2023/08/wava-200x82.pngI’ve heard rumblings for months that Salem Media Group would move any of their radio stations “for the right price”. So here’s a fantasy sale. 105.1 WAVA-FM to Hubbard. Hubbard, which has a suite of some of the top Hot AC’s in the country in WTMX Chicago, KSTP-FM Minneapolis, and WRMF West Palm Beach, among others. With nobody in the format in Washington, you can create a strong station to create another sales combo for News 103.5 WTOP, the #1 biller in the country.
Bostonhttps://radioinsight.com/wp-content/images/2023/12/1017wfnx-200x200.jpg2023 was the year of the revitalization of heritage Alternative brands with both “99X” Atlanta and “Live 105” San Francisco setting ratings share records for their frequencies since coming back this year. Following iHearMedia’s 2012 purchase of 101.7 WFNX, that station bounced through Variety Hits and Dance identities before settling in as Country “101.7 The Bull” WBWL in 2014. While it has settled into that format, it serves as just a flanker to chip away at Beasley’s 102.5 WKLB. In the meantime Boston has a heritage brand and lack of an Alternative station that could help the station once again rise like a Phoenix.
PittsburghPittsburgh is one of the oldest skewing metros in the market. With iHeartMedia’s combo of Classic Hits “94.5 3WS” WWSW and Classic Rock 102.5 WDVE combining for over a 21 share, there is an opportunity for a full-market signal to chip away at the older end. Would a 60s/70s based format on Steel City Media Hot AC “Q92.9” WLTJ be a good flanker to their Variety Hits “96.9 Bob-FM” WRRK?
Las Vegashttps://radioinsight.com/wp-content/images/2021/11/kexp-200x200.pngLas Vegas has too many FM signals for the market to support. When there are two stations running brokered Dance formats in a market, that’s usually a sign there isn’t much in the market left to be done. However, based on the artists regularly performing on the Strip how is there no Indie Alternative in the non-commercial space? If KEXP is looking for further expansion beyond San Francisco, Las Vegas would be a perfect next step. If not for their current financial issues (and the amount of tourism between the two markets) KCRW would also make sense to market and get the financial boost from being in Las Vegas.
NorfolkiHeartMedia has four FMs in the market. Three of the four are on signals they shouldn’t be on. After a series of unsuccessful music formats (moving from Adult R&B to Classic Hits to CHR to Alternative), 105.3 WNOH became one of the launch affiliates of the Black Information Network in 2020. It also happens to be one of only two stations in the cluster along with Hip Hop “103 Jamz” WOWI that covers the entire market, yet is a non-factor with a 0.4 share. Rhythmic Hot AC “Movin 107.7” WMOV-FM is at a 1.4 share, while Classic Hip Hop “92.1 The Beat” WHBT-FM is on the worst signal with a 1.3 share. Time to start from scratch. Let’s move BIN to the 92.1 Class C3 rimshot signal to keep that clearance alive. Then let’s take 107.7 WMOV-FM to pair up with the large amount of military transplants in the region and give the market its first FM Conservative Talker. Let’s then combine the remnants of WHBT-FM and WMOV-FM’s current formats on 105.3 and combine them as a 90s/2000s station playing much of the Rhythmic hits broken in the market in the 90s and 2000s by WOWI and Audacy CHR “Z104” WNVZ.
MemphisFollowing its purchase of Audacy’s 94.1 earlier this year, Educational Media Foundation currently has its “K-Love” network on both 94.1 (now WMLE) and 94.9 WKVF, which both cover the entire market, while “Air 1” is on a rimshot and translator. The dominoes created by the 94.1 sale left Memphis without any gold based format on FM. So lets get 94.9 into the hands of Cumulus or Flinn to bring Classic Hits or Variety Hits to the market.
Those are mine, what are yours?
more (https://radioinsight.com/blogs/262047/format-changes-i-would-like-to-see-in-2024/)
As 2023 comes to a close, there will be many experts giving their predictions on things that broadcasters should do in the coming year. This is one of those columns, but without the expectation that most of these suggestions will happen. Instead I merely hope that we as an industry continues to innovate and take risks to serve our audiences. These are some of the format changes that I believe would do that.
New Yorkhttps://radioinsight.com/wp-content/images/2015/07/wepn-200x135.pngWe know 98.7 WEPN-FM will be sold in 2024 with Good Karma Brands lease of the station ending (https://radioinsight.com/headlines/258983/good-karma-brands-to-end-98-7-new-york-lma-in-2024/). As I wrote following the announcement, it is possible the sale of the station will indicate a lot (https://radioinsight.com/blogs/259068/what-will-the-future-98-7-new-york-sale-tell-us-about-the-radio-business-going-forward/) about the future of the industry. But since this column is “what I’d like to see” and not what I expect to happen*
A new version of Talk. If you want to get a new Talk format off the ground it needs to be in a place like New York or Los Angeles to make the advertising community get on board. We saw it in New York alone with the debuts of WFAN and Howard Stern. Get away from politics that already divides half of your potential audience. As the world gets even more divided as the internet carves audiences into their specific niches, radio needs to be the place for the masses to unite. Find hosts that can do that in a way that reaches audiences that have departed the medium. Use social media and podcasts to bring them back to the longform content. It will need a deep-pocketed investor to purchase the station, hire the right staff, and give it time to build. Be local, but with a global reach and exclusive content there is still an ability to revitalize a format for a more mass-appeal approach.
San FranciscoThe demographics of the Bay Area are rapidly changing due to many of the tech businesses in the city abandoning their real estate for virtual offices. Audacy Classic Hip Hop “102.1 Jams” KRBQ currently is at a 1.3 share. San Francisco itself is 37% Asian (https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/sanfranciscocountycalifornia/PST045222). While there’s a lot of cultural differences between the different nations, could a format that includes more K-Pop, Bollywood, J-Pop and others along with other CHR and Hip Hop artists create a new mass-appeal brand while featuring hosts from the local communities?
Dallas/Fort Worthhttps://radioinsight.com/wp-content/images/2020/08/kzmj-200x200.pngHip Hop formats in general have been hurt the most in major markets due to audience splintering to streaming or too much competition. Radio One Hip Hop “97.9 The Beat” KBFB is down to a 1.7 share, while rimshot Adult R&B “Majic 94.5” WZMJ is at a 2.1 share. Both stations trail the direct format competitor in Service Broadcasting’s Hip Hop “K104” KKDA-FM at a 2.5 share and rimshot Adult R&B “105.7 Smooth R&B” KRNB at a 3.7. So let’s swap frequencies moving KZMJ to the better in-market signal and KBFB to the north suburban move-in. Give the format with the stronger demographic reach and sales potential the better signal.
Philadelphiahttps://radioinsight.com/wp-content/images/2023/12/y100philly-200x200.jpgHere’s another suggestion for Radio One. 100.3 WRNB has bounced between multiple frequencies, back and forth from Hip Hop to Adult R&B to a mix of both over the years and has been hovering mostly around a 2 share or below for years. While iHeart’s competing Adult R&B 105.3 WDAS-FM leads the market overall, it ranks lower in prime demos. So let’s flip it to 90s/2000s based Rock to split right in between Beasley Rock 93.3 WMMR and Classic Rock 102.9 WMGK. You even have your choice of two heritage brands to choose in “Y100” that was on that frequency from 1993 to 2005 or the former Rock WYSP branding. WMMR in particular has been #1 in 25-54 every month since January.
Washington DChttps://radioinsight.com/wp-content/images/2023/08/wava-200x82.pngI’ve heard rumblings for months that Salem Media Group would move any of their radio stations “for the right price”. So here’s a fantasy sale. 105.1 WAVA-FM to Hubbard. Hubbard, which has a suite of some of the top Hot AC’s in the country in WTMX Chicago, KSTP-FM Minneapolis, and WRMF West Palm Beach, among others. With nobody in the format in Washington, you can create a strong station to create another sales combo for News 103.5 WTOP, the #1 biller in the country.
Bostonhttps://radioinsight.com/wp-content/images/2023/12/1017wfnx-200x200.jpg2023 was the year of the revitalization of heritage Alternative brands with both “99X” Atlanta and “Live 105” San Francisco setting ratings share records for their frequencies since coming back this year. Following iHearMedia’s 2012 purchase of 101.7 WFNX, that station bounced through Variety Hits and Dance identities before settling in as Country “101.7 The Bull” WBWL in 2014. While it has settled into that format, it serves as just a flanker to chip away at Beasley’s 102.5 WKLB. In the meantime Boston has a heritage brand and lack of an Alternative station that could help the station once again rise like a Phoenix.
PittsburghPittsburgh is one of the oldest skewing metros in the market. With iHeartMedia’s combo of Classic Hits “94.5 3WS” WWSW and Classic Rock 102.5 WDVE combining for over a 21 share, there is an opportunity for a full-market signal to chip away at the older end. Would a 60s/70s based format on Steel City Media Hot AC “Q92.9” WLTJ be a good flanker to their Variety Hits “96.9 Bob-FM” WRRK?
Las Vegashttps://radioinsight.com/wp-content/images/2021/11/kexp-200x200.pngLas Vegas has too many FM signals for the market to support. When there are two stations running brokered Dance formats in a market, that’s usually a sign there isn’t much in the market left to be done. However, based on the artists regularly performing on the Strip how is there no Indie Alternative in the non-commercial space? If KEXP is looking for further expansion beyond San Francisco, Las Vegas would be a perfect next step. If not for their current financial issues (and the amount of tourism between the two markets) KCRW would also make sense to market and get the financial boost from being in Las Vegas.
NorfolkiHeartMedia has four FMs in the market. Three of the four are on signals they shouldn’t be on. After a series of unsuccessful music formats (moving from Adult R&B to Classic Hits to CHR to Alternative), 105.3 WNOH became one of the launch affiliates of the Black Information Network in 2020. It also happens to be one of only two stations in the cluster along with Hip Hop “103 Jamz” WOWI that covers the entire market, yet is a non-factor with a 0.4 share. Rhythmic Hot AC “Movin 107.7” WMOV-FM is at a 1.4 share, while Classic Hip Hop “92.1 The Beat” WHBT-FM is on the worst signal with a 1.3 share. Time to start from scratch. Let’s move BIN to the 92.1 Class C3 rimshot signal to keep that clearance alive. Then let’s take 107.7 WMOV-FM to pair up with the large amount of military transplants in the region and give the market its first FM Conservative Talker. Let’s then combine the remnants of WHBT-FM and WMOV-FM’s current formats on 105.3 and combine them as a 90s/2000s station playing much of the Rhythmic hits broken in the market in the 90s and 2000s by WOWI and Audacy CHR “Z104” WNVZ.
MemphisFollowing its purchase of Audacy’s 94.1 earlier this year, Educational Media Foundation currently has its “K-Love” network on both 94.1 (now WMLE) and 94.9 WKVF, which both cover the entire market, while “Air 1” is on a rimshot and translator. The dominoes created by the 94.1 sale left Memphis without any gold based format on FM. So lets get 94.9 into the hands of Cumulus or Flinn to bring Classic Hits or Variety Hits to the market.
Those are mine, what are yours?
more (https://radioinsight.com/blogs/262047/format-changes-i-would-like-to-see-in-2024/)