99.7 Jack FM?

Is SF next?

Today Infinity flipped New York's WCBS FM, Oldies 101 to 101 Jack FM. Also in Chicago, Infinity flipped Oldies WJMK 103.4 to 103.4 Jack FM. (FYI...Infinity flipped both stations at 5PM their local time)

Previously Infinity flipped LA's Arrow 93 to Jack FM!

Hmmmm...

Infinity's Jack FM in
New York
Los Angeles
Chicago

All previously 'Oldies' Format

Is the clock ticking before we here "99.7, JACK FM"?

> Is SF next?
>
> Today Infinity flipped New York's WCBS FM, Oldies 101 to 101
> Jack FM. Also in Chicago, Infinity flipped Oldies WJMK 103.4
> to 103.4 Jack FM. (FYI...Infinity flipped both stations at
> 5PM their local time)
>
> Previously Infinity flipped LA's Arrow 93 to Jack FM!
>
> Hmmmm...
>
> Infinity's Jack FM in
> New York
> Los Angeles
> Chicago
>
> All previously 'Oldies' Format
>
> Is the clock ticking before we here "99.7, JACK FM"?
>
Since they already were beaten to the punch by another company in SF that would seem unlikely, but CBS/Infinity/Viacom is a pretty weird company, so you never know. Sad to think that the Bay Area could lose both KFRC's within months of each other.

Infinity will blow up whatever station has the highest fixed costs

Despite Max hanging around, I do think that KFRC could be one of the next to fall. I think it would be stupid... but heck, we are talking Infinity here, the epicenter of stupid.

KFRC has talent under contract at pretty good pay. Think about it from Infinity's perspective... blow up KFRC and you don't have to pay the talent! That's why they blew up JMK and CBS... because they had high fixed costs.

Personally, I completely disagree with this approach. You get great Oh wow numbers in the beginning, and then it begins to slide. Dallas is already slipping IN DEMO. Listeners have to be given a reason beyond the music to stick around. In the case of the Jacks in Canada, the listeners have hung around because all of those stations have great PERSONALITY... i.e. the fixed costs that Infinity is trying to eliminate by going jockless on their Jacks.

I think Infinity will be pleased with the numbers in the beginning, and then they'll pay the piper one or two years down the road.


> > Is SF next?
> >
> > Today Infinity flipped New York's WCBS FM, Oldies 101 to
> 101
> > Jack FM. Also in Chicago, Infinity flipped Oldies WJMK
> 103.4
> > to 103.4 Jack FM. (FYI...Infinity flipped both stations at
>
> > 5PM their local time)
> >
> > Previously Infinity flipped LA's Arrow 93 to Jack FM!
> >
> > Hmmmm...
> >
> > Infinity's Jack FM in
> > New York
> > Los Angeles
> > Chicago
> >
> > All previously 'Oldies' Format
> >
> > Is the clock ticking before we here "99.7, JACK FM"?
> >
> Since they already were beaten to the punch by another
> company in SF that would seem unlikely, but
> CBS/Infinity/Viacom is a pretty weird company, so you never
> know. Sad to think that the Bay Area could lose both KFRC's
> within months of each other.
>

MAX equals MAXimum music?

> Despite Max hanging around, I do think that KFRC could be
> one of the next to fall.

There is one MAX factor that Bonneville hasn't taken into account in this name game that could give Infinity a foot in the door. The name "MAX" is also an english word that can be construed to mean MAXimum Music, and some radio listeners may not even think of it as a male name. "Jack" is also an english word, but I can't think of anything that ties it to radio other than it being a male name.

If Infinity brings us a "Jack," it might not be perceived as a copycat to "MAX."

Re: MAX equals MAXimum music?

> > Despite Max hanging around, I do think that KFRC could be
> > one of the next to fall.
>
> There is one MAX factor that Bonneville hasn't taken into
> account in this name game that could give Infinity a foot in
> the door. The name "MAX" is also an english word that can
> be construed to mean MAXimum Music, and some radio listeners
> may not even think of it as a male name. "Jack" is also an
> english word, but I can't think of anything that ties it to
> radio other than it being a male name.
>
> If Infinity brings us a "Jack," it might not be perceived as
> a copycat to "MAX."

MAX equals MAXimum commercials -- their stop-sets are endless.

The line being put out yesterday in the wake of the NYC and Chicago radio-Jackings is that it was a military secret, kept under wraps until an hour before the switch... but I can't help thinking that SOMEBODY in SF got wind of something weeks ago, prompting the sudden MAX-ng of the Bear. It would certainly explain why MAX sounds so cheap and quickly-thrown-together (at least to my ears). Bonneville was running new TV spots for the Bear as recently as early May! (They're now running ads for MAX.)

> > Is SF next?
> >
> > Today Infinity flipped New York's WCBS FM, Oldies 101 to
> 101
> > Jack FM. Also in Chicago, Infinity flipped Oldies WJMK
> 103.4
> > to 103.4 Jack FM. (FYI...Infinity flipped both stations at
>
> > 5PM their local time)
> >
> > Previously Infinity flipped LA's Arrow 93 to Jack FM!
> >
> > Hmmmm...
> >
> > Infinity's Jack FM in
> > New York
> > Los Angeles
> > Chicago
> >
> > All previously 'Oldies' Format
> >
> > Is the clock ticking before we here "99.7, JACK FM"?
> >
> Since they already were beaten to the punch by another
> company in SF that would seem unlikely, but
> CBS/Infinity/Viacom is a pretty weird company, so you never
> know. Sad to think that the Bay Area could lose both KFRC's
> within months of each other.
>

As I think about this a little longer, I come up with another plan Infinity may have....

Ok, go ahead and flip 99.7 to Jack FM. When they get ownership of 106.9, move the KFRC call letters there. Get the call letters KJCK for 99.7.

Program 106.9 as a Top 40, like the hey day of the "legendary" BIG 610. Make it personality driven. Then simulcast 107 KFRC on ... the BIG 1550 AM!!!

Just a thought!

The legendary big610 wrote:

> Ok, go ahead and flip 99.7 to Jack FM. When they get
> ownership of 106.9, move the KFRC call letters there. Get
> the call letters KJCK for 99.7.


I think you might have that (and the KFRC simulcast on 1550 AM) right, except that the KJCK calls are already taken by a station in Junction City, Kansas.

D.J.

Re: MAX equals MAXimum music?

>
> The line being put out yesterday in the wake of the NYC and
> Chicago radio-Jackings is that it was a military secret,
> kept under wraps until an hour before the switch... but I
> can't help thinking that SOMEBODY in SF got wind of
> something weeks ago, prompting the sudden MAX-ng of the
> Bear. It would certainly explain why MAX sounds so cheap
> and quickly-thrown-together (at least to my ears).
> Bonneville was running new TV spots for the Bear as recently
> as early May! (They're now running ads for MAX.)

Infinity wasn't moving fast enough and Bonneville beat them to the punch. Infinity may indeed be the "epicenter of stupid," but if I were them...at this point I'd wait 2 or 3 waiting periods to see how Max does before blowing up a heritage Oldies station for what many listeners would just consider a "copy cat" format.