Apparently, no *new* ideas seem to be coming from anywhere. But dredging up another tired classic rock format, calling it "The Eagle" (in a nation FILLED with other classic rock radio stations that call themselves "The Eagle"), is about as innovative as calling a Hot AC station "Mix".
Tech has changed that. These "heard one, you've heard them all" monikers applied to stale formats have long become an embarrassing radio industry cliche. Radio is no longer separated purely by geographic distance. Most stations have online feeds, but more often than not parrot what the stations in another market are doing.
That said, KLCK-FM had some promise. I actually listened for a while at the beginning. I believe one of the original ideas I read in the P-I or something online when it was launched was to eventually make it accessible to local and indie music, a commercial version of KEXP if you will. What happened to that idea?
But there were problems from the get go. First, they started out alternative (and a super tight playlist, burned me out for life on "Sex On Fire" Kings of Leon and "Kids" MGMT in the first 72 hours!) and a couple months later, swung to Hot AC (Kelly Clarkson?), then swung back to alternative, and back to Hot AC. It's like a country station that swings classical. That's how wide the gap is between alternative and Hot AC is. So of course no one is going to know what to make of them.
So perhaps maybe rediscovering things that actually DID work and fewer gimmicks may be what's in order. I personally don't know anymore. I've long given up imagining anything for radio because nothing you can propose will ever work. Go ahead, toss up a new format idea and see how fast it gets shot down on this board.
But a classic rock station called "The Eagle" - WOW! GENIUS!!
Whatever....