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Dayton's Soft Rock 92.9 = RATINGS DISASTER

M

MarkW

In the just released spring numbers, the station reached what has got to be an all-time record low.

In 12+, the station finished behind Hank FM, behind Alt 103.9, and barely finished ahead of 95.3/101.1 The Eagle.

50,000 watts...and they couldn't even crack a 2.0 share!!! Absolutely embarrassing. Given the fact this station's programming primarily appeals to grandma, it would not surprise if their A25-54 numbers are even worse.

How long before this dead-end format is tossed out the window?
 
Alpha has owned the station for two years, and it was under their watch that the station flipped to this format. I'd suggest it was ill-advised since this is a dying format in most larger markets. I don't know how high Dayton is on the company radar after the most recent acquisitions.
 
There really isn't a better alternative. If Alpha didn't already have a strong Urban in the market, that might be viable, but Dayton is already saturated with Country, Alternative is a joke, and a CHR would just cannibalize another Alpha station. This format allows them to do well at Christmas and sell advertisers a broad package of formats. Perhaps the OP can enlighten us as to what format he thinks would do a lot better.
 
Their WDHT came in #2 in the beauty pageant numbers, and the established A/C, iHeart's WMMX, suffered as well. A bad book for A/C. It didn't seem to me that 92.9's music changed all that much from "Fly" to "Soft Rock" but it's been awhile since I've listened in-depth. Dayton had 2 A/C's owned by Clear Channel for a long time, Mix skewing younger and the former Lite 99.9 skewing older, but there's not really room for 2 A/Cs splitting the audience.
 
CHR would just cannibalize another Alpha station
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Would there be some cume overlap between Hot 102.9 and a new Mainstream CHR? Sure, but no more overlap than what currently exists between 99.9 and 107.7, or to use a Cincinnati example - Mix 94-9 vs. Q102.

I think a Mainstream CHR (especially one with an adult lean) on 92.9 would complement Hot 102.9 nicely.

There are numerous clusters around the country that feature both an Urban and Mainstream CHR, or a Hot AC and a Mainstream CHR, or a Hot AC and a Mainstream AC. This would be no different.

I do have to say the thought of Country on that massive signal is interesting. It certainly would've been a better move than "Soft Rock." I just looked at the playlist and see little in common with a traditional Variety Hits station. Variety Hits stations generally feature playlists that appeal to both sexes. The playlist on 92.9 is definitely geared toward women over the age of 35. They drove away probably a good 30% - 40% of their existing cume with the re-image, I'm guessing, and picked up little in the way of new listeners to backfill that loss. The programming apparently isn't compelling enough to convince 107.7 listeners to change loyalties.
 
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I have to believe the format was chosen to avoid competing with their other formats, and because it makes a marketwide package an easier sell. The market is saturated with Country, but Alpha owns Soft Rock. While the ratings are not great, the format is a good sell because of where it's likely to play and because of the Christmas music. While I don't have access to the billing data for the station, I do suspect the current format is the best alternative for the station in that market.

I doubt that a move like 105.1 made in Detroit with an quasi oldies hip-hop would play well in Dayton, but would see a move along those lines with a non-standard format as an alternative if one is even needed.
 
Everybody will probably think I'm crazy, but I've been pushing for Alpha to move Hank to 102.9, and send Hot to 92.9. The Columbus market (especially areas West of Columbus) has been lacking a classic country format for quite some time now. I live in the Marysville area, and the only country stations that come in decently well are 92.3 and 100.3. 92.3 basically plays new country, and 100.3 out of Newark does have a decent playlist (especially since Wild Walley landed there,) but it's difficult to get it in Marysville at times. 102.9 comes in loud and clear all the way to Columbus. 92.9 used to barely penetrate the Marysville area, but the 92.9 LP WDLR station that just fired up kills any chance of WGTZ making it this far now.

As far as a replacement for 101.5, I'm honestly not too sure what would go well there. I know their signal struggles to get North of Urbana. I made a trip down 68 from West Liberty to Springfield, and couldn't pull 101.5 in very well at all until I was right around the old 101.7 tower site South of Urbana.

It does seem like a waste to get that little share on a 50kw signal.
 
Yes I am aware of that. However, WDHT's signal reaches Columbus well. Are there laws that prohibit businesses from the Marysville and West Columbus area to advertise on a "Dayton" station? 102.9 is a popular station in Marysville, yet the commercials reflect Dayton and Springfield. Seems to me they could tap a little into the Columbus market with a classic country format. Columbus has 5 or 6 places on the dial for "R&B" style music already.
 
They'd reach relatively few in the Columbus market and the bulk of the audience in Dayton and Springfield aren't likely to patronize Columbus businesses often enough to make it worthwhile.
 
MarkW said:
There are numerous clusters around the country that feature both an Urban and Mainstream CHR, or a Hot AC and a Mainstream CHR, or a Hot AC and a Mainstream AC. This would be no different.

.
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CHR today probably wouldn't cannibalize 'Hot' too much, as there's really not that much Hip Hop product on CHR, especially compared to 10-15 years ago. Doing an Urban/CHR combo could be an excellent way to nail down the 18-34 buys and knock iHeart down a peg or two.
 
Another stellar book for Soft Rock 92.9!!!! LMFAO!!!

Newsflash - the handle "Soft Rock" is toxic in the year 2017. It went out of style about 20 years ago, in fact.

Newsflash #2 - mixing football with sappy AC music is generally not a good programming strategy.

Yes, there are other stations in the market with terrible ratings, too. B94.5 is an absolute disaster. However, 92.9 has no excuses given its MASSIVE signal.
 
Just saw the trends. According to the December/January/February ratings, WGTZ improved slightly to 2.4 and tied with WCLI. But imho Alpha should do something and make it more creative, which is what the other ACs in other markets are doing.
 
Tuned into 92.9 WGZT almost by accident today, ( I don't listen to regular radio much anymore). You know, the old "Eaton Dayton Alive from the 1980's). Not a bad format. Every other tune is an eighties tune. Played some good stuff. How have the ratings been? I see from earlier posts that a few years ago the ratings were not anything to brag about. I remembered when I moved to Eaton in 1984 the station was a real powerhouse up there. Then formats changed and everything changed. There were some great rock stations up that way back then. WDAO had just flipped in '85 I think and VUD was still great. Guess the eighties were the last of the great rock stations. Seemed like after about 91 or 92 when most went to rap and hip hop many of is older guys turned them all off. Well, what do I know; I'm only a listener.
 
Sounds like Mark will have something to celebrate this weekend...
 
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