Monmouth/Ocean Ratings: Fall 2014

[SoulCrusher]

Ratings for Monmouth/Ocean are out, and include every in-market station this time around.

http://ratings.radio-online.com/cgi-bin/rol.exe/arb516

 

[njtom]

107.1 is going down, wonder if they have a plan "B" Not too many format options available unless they start thinking way outside the box. Its interesting that WOBM AM holds steady after switching to the talk format. I would have thought WJRZ would have seen an increase with OBM going talk. I think the Country craze is cooling off based on Thunder & Nashes ratings drop. WBBO is up, obviously some need for that format in that neck of the woods.

I think 107.1 would do good with 80s 90s with a few currents mixed in to draw some listeners away from LITE or a well executed Alternative format. In the past few years Press hasn't executed very well at all their properties.

 

[Unregistered]

I think 107.1 would do good with 80s 90s with a few currents mixed in to draw some listeners away from LITE or a well executed Alternative format. In the past few years Press hasn't executed very well at all their properties.

I don't see them morphing back to something Gold-Based (unless an all-out flip to something like a Jack-FM). They moved away from that as the Breeze.

And although ratings wise, Alternative could look good, it often doesn't bill exceptionally well (think Radio 104.5 in Philly). Mix 106 in Philly outbills Radio 104.5, while having lower ratings. Pulling a 1.4 doesn't look good, but that 1.4 could possibly outbill what Alternative could bill with a 3 or 4 for all we know.

 

[SoulCrusher]

I'm surprised The Hawk has sank so low. At this point those ratings may not be cause for alarm just yet, but if they keep up, it may be time to look elsewhere. Could listeners in Ocean County have gone over to The Rat with the addition of 107.9? Only time will tell.

Fun 107.1 is the market's least necessary station. Wherever you are, you can find several stations that sound just like it. I'm thinking that with it and B 98.5, they're making a claim that more young women listen to them than the competition, as both are really heavy on teen pop titles. There is actually little difference between the two of them: the Top 10 songs on each station receive a ton of spins, and it wouldn't surprise me to know that the lists are identical for both stations (Taylor Swift, Meghan Trainor, Maroon 5, Tove Lo, Nick Jonas, etc.). But the ratings for a station that covers the entire market with its two frequencies are just inexcusable, especially given the high level of promotion it has received (just went to the mall today and saw ads for it all over the place). It's a new year - time for a new format for WWZY & WBHX. And if you're really in love with Pork Roll & Eggs, put them back on at B during some shift. It could be that Donnie & Coochie (yeah - that's the name that the female DJ goes by) get better ratings, so they may want to stick with them instead. Whatever the case may be, things seem to be looking up for the B. I could easily see them picking up any listeners that Fun would lose as a result of a switch. But which direction should Fun go in?

Alternative: I've said it before and I'll say it again - through constant tinkering and personnel changes, Press dropped the ball with their version of this format. It took them a few years to finally nail down the sound they should have had all along. By the time that happened, they had given up on adequate promotion of the station. And when the ratings slipped (though even without the promotion, they were still far better than Fun's), they blamed the audience for a perceived lack of dedication. Have they realized that they could have handled that situation better? Let's not forget how many irate listeners there were when G Rock flipped. With the format having more of a broad appeal these days (Press has made it pretty clear they're not interested in running a male-oriented format), this could make Alternative a feasible option. Of course, that would mean that the company would have to admit to making a mistake, and I don't think the word "humility" exists in the vocabulary of the executives at Press.

Variety Hits: Something upbeat, '80s & '90s oriented. Preferably with DJs, but this format has been shown to work without them as well. Play a lot of music that can't be heard elsewhere on the dial. A station that has a lot of appeal to the Generation X crowd. This one seems like it would be a hit with listeners and advertisers alike ... right now, Fun is trying to appeal to the 25 and under crowd, and it's not working.

Talk and/or News: Many stations with this format skew either too old (the ones with Limbaugh & Hannity leading the charge) or too young (remember the short-lived "Hot Talk" experiment featured on brands such as Free-FM?). Find a balance and try to hit that sweet spot with a mix of lighter and more serious topics. Have at least a couple of local shows. Again, I can't see how this wouldn't do better than what they have now. It might cost more than what they are running now, but it would be worth it.

AAA or Adult Rock Hits: I took a trip just outside of Cleveland recently, and heard a station called WLKR. Very much community focused, and the music mix was very interesting. They played a number of the more mature acts that can be heard on Hot AC right now (Adele, Bastille and OneRepublic). But it was combined with a lot of the stuff that's big on AAA radio (Spoon, Fitz & The Tantrums, U2's new material). In between, you could hear everything from Don Henley to IRS-era R.E.M. A mix like this could give the station a broader appeal than going straight AAA would. And again, I know this has a lot more appeal with the post-college crowd than the One Directions and Ariana Grandes that can be heard all over Fun.

 

[atthestars]

Fun 107.1 is the market's least necessary station. Wherever you are, you can find several stations that sound just like it.

I won't argue with you too much here. Especially in Monmouth County. You have The Point in-market, plus WPLJ and Fresh out of market bleeding in. Add in some competition from Z100, AMP, KTU, even Lite 106.7, and it's a crowded field. But The Breeze as a Gold Based AC was a tough sell, so they have taken a chance with Hot AC.

I'm thinking that with it and B 98.5, they're making a claim that more young women listen to them than the competition, as both are really heavy on teen pop titles. There is actually little difference between the two of them: the Top 10 songs on each station receive a ton of spins, and it wouldn't surprise me to know that the lists are identical for both stations (Taylor Swift, Meghan Trainor, Maroon 5, Tove Lo, Nick Jonas, etc.).

They're not making a claim like that, but could be attempting to line up an enticing ad buy for companies targeting women. Having B98.5 and Fun 107.1 is just like iHeartMedia in Philly (Q102/Mix 106), or LA (KIIS-FM, My-FM, KOST) lining up women, or Greater Media in Philly (WMMR, WMGK, and the Fanatic) lining up men.

Playlists are similar because the CHR and Hot AC charts are closer now than they ever were (much like the time when Alternative and Active Rock were close.) The artists you point out (Nick Jonas, Megan Trainor, Taylor Swift, Maroon 5, Tove Lo) all are charting at Hot AC and CHR. So saying that Fun 107.1 should not be playing them because B98.5 IS playing them would mean the station is ignoring research and charts. That's not going to happen. Also, B98.5's top song is getting 91 spins per week, and Fun 107.1's is getting 70. Both on par for the norm's for each format.

But the ratings for a station that covers the entire market with its two frequencies are just inexcusable, especially given the high level of promotion it has received.

I won't deny that the 12+ numbers are low. Do we have billing numbers? County by county breakdowns? How are they doing in the target demo? Without this information, everything is just speculation.

But as for your suggestions of what Fun should flip to:

Alternative: I've said it before and I'll say it again - through constant tinkering and personnel changes, Press dropped the ball with their version of this format. It took them a few years to finally nail down the sound they should have had all along. By the time that happened, they had given up on adequate promotion of the station. And when the ratings slipped (though even without the promotion, they were still far better than Fun's), they blamed the audience for a perceived lack of dedication. Have they realized that they could have handled that situation better? Let's not forget how many irate listeners there were when G Rock flipped. With the format having more of a broad appeal these days (Press has made it pretty clear they're not interested in running a male-oriented format), this could make Alternative a feasible option. Of course, that would mean that the company would have to admit to making a mistake, and I don't think the word "humility" exists in the vocabulary of the executives at Press.

I don't see this happening. Press flipped G-Rock because it wasn't billing well. Alternative HAS had a nice resurgence in the past few years, but ask DavidEduardo... it can be a very tough sell still. In Philadelphia, Radio 104.5 consistently beats Mix 106 in the ratings, but Mix 106 consistently outbills Radio 104.5. Usually fairly handily. Would a 3.0 share with Alternative make more money than a 1.4 with Hot AC? Who knows? But its easier to package Fun together with B when selling.

Variety Hits: Something upbeat, '80s & '90s oriented. Preferably with DJs, but this format has been shown to work without them as well. Play a lot of music that can't be heard elsewhere on the dial. A station that has a lot of appeal to the Generation X crowd. This one seems like it would be a hit with listeners and advertisers alike ... right now, Fun is trying to appeal to the 25 and under crowd, and it's not working.

I COULD see this... running it on the cheap. The market doesn't have a true Adult Hits station like a Jack or a Ben. I don't know how much they'd save in talent salaries by going this way (I'd assume that most of the talent outside mornings is part-time or tied to other duties within the cluster.)

But I MUST call BS on the "Fun is targeting the under 25" claim. They are not. They are targeting women, let's say 25-49 with the music mix. Hot AC and AC are sounding much more contemporary these days. It's not all Natalie Imbruglia and Sarah McLachlan anymore. Bastille. Meghan Trainor, etc. all have proven to appeal to the upper end of the demographic. Hell, my 64 year old mother tunes into a Hot AC station more than a Classic Hits one. She says she likes the music better.

That being said, since the music is fairly close, I think B98.5 and Fun 107.1 could use some updated production to help differentiate themselves from each other.

Talk and/or News: Many stations with this format skew either too old (the ones with Limbaugh & Hannity leading the charge) or too young (remember the short-lived "Hot Talk" experiment featured on brands such as Free-FM?). Find a balance and try to hit that sweet spot with a mix of lighter and more serious topics. Have at least a couple of local shows. Again, I can't see how this wouldn't do better than what they have now. It might cost more than what they are running now, but it would be worth it.

I'll point out again what you said that proved they won't do it...

It might cost more than what they are running now

Bingo. Not going to happen.

AAA or Adult Rock Hits: I took a trip just outside of Cleveland recently, and heard a station called WLKR. Very much community focused, and the music mix was very interesting. They played a number of the more mature acts that can be heard on Hot AC right now (Adele, Bastille and OneRepublic). But it was combined with a lot of the stuff that's big on AAA radio (Spoon, Fitz & The Tantrums, U2's new material). In between, you could hear everything from Don Henley to IRS-era R.E.M. A mix like this could give the station a broader appeal than going straight AAA would. And again, I know this has a lot more appeal with the post-college crowd than the One Directions and Ariana Grandes that can be heard all over Fun.

Would this format get a higher-income audience than Fun? Maybe. Would it be a VERY tough format for getting ratings and sales income? Most definitely.

Overall, Fun COULD have been a good station. But two things have made it absolutely fumble:

First... Bad air talent. The non-morning staff can be downright grating. The afternoon guy is quite possibly one of the pukiest talents I have ever heard. Any female talent I have heard isn't very relatable. Press dumped a LOT of good talent at the end of the Breeze in a salary dump, and those who replace them don't sound ready at all for full-time.

Second... The bigger problem. What do people expect when they tune into 107.1 or 99.7? I don't think people really know anymore. In the past 2 years, it has gone from Gold AC to Mainstream AC to Gold AC to Gold AC to Modern AC (as the Breeze) then morphed? (is that a good word to explain it?) into 107.1 as Modern AC then more morphing into Hot AC, then rebranding as Fun 107.1 staying Hot AC with a more current/recurrent lean. Of course they need to promote and advertise the station, because no one knows what they're supposed to be. If they flat out killed off the Breeze, and flipped straight to Fun 107.1, it might have had a chance. But the morphing and dragging people along etc... doomed the station. They COULD have wedged in as a decent Hot AC (and I do remember in ONE singular book right when they were morphing into 107.1, they were ahead of The Point in the ratings, but too much tinkering screwed them up.