Latest PPM out 5/18

TheBigA said:

What everyone is missing is that the Wolf still hasn't replaced the numbers lost by KMPS. The focus shouldn't be on KNUC. We know why they're a 2 share. That's easy. But why hasn't the Wolf become a 4 share station? Last summer, KMPS was close to a 5. The Wolf is at the same place it was when it was competing against KMPS. Are Matt & the morning crew not gelling after a year? What was KMPS doing right that The Wolf can't copy? As I said, there appears to be an opportunity here for someone.

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KMPS was a fixture in the Seattle area. It was the station they probably grew up listening to in their parents car. (With a 40 year run, their GRANDPARENTS probably listened to it.) That may not register from the business end of it, but in a market like Seattle, it could always be a factor no matter how insignificant it looks overall.

Where did those listeners go?

It takes a lot to drive a country fan to the web for music everywhere else. But not in Seattle. Even the biggest local Luddite here is at least 3 degrees of separation from someone working at the Amazon/Microsoft/Adobe/Google/Facebook campuses or any number of locally based tech businesses. Either you work in tech or you know someone either directly or through an acquaintance/co-worker/friend/relative who is. And when the topic of music comes up, they offer sweet digital temptation galore.

The only other scenario could be KMCQ - that's right, I said it, KMCQ. We won't know if it factored overall or not until the June or July books, but commercial free jukeboxes, even those with limited signals have their appeal (as witnessed by the first oldies KMCQ on 104.5 and Hot 103.7's first book.) I don't think the second KMCQ had PPM. But even without it, if KKWF/KNUC were to have a point or two bump in the coming months, that may explain something.

Bongwater said:

Either you work in tech or you know someone either directly or through an acquaintance/co-worker/friend/relative who is. And when the topic of music comes up, they offer sweet digital temptation galore.

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Which is why music can't be the only thing a radio station offers.

There was a time when people listened to KMPS for the DJs, not the music. The music was just there. So as I said in another thread, if KNUC has a morning show that people view the way they did with Ichabod, it doesn't matter what music they play. They won't get that from Pandora or even Sirius. The thing that's caught my attention is that the Wolf appears to have topped out. That's not good.

Goi said:

Dear God at what point do you have to take a look and say "Hum... maybe the guy(s) calling the shots over there don't have a friggen clue and it's time for them to hit the bricks" - I mean seriously how can anyone of any intelligence allow a manager with such a failed track record continue to flail around in the toilet bowl of ratings. Seriously the only good thing they ever did was bring in one guy who built Movin and that dude bailed on them as well.... That is the only thing they have had to hang their hat on. Warm is a joke trying to figure what they are or who they are and throwing everything they can to see if something, anything will stick.

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Thank you for your insight.

Not being a radio insider here in Seattle, I was just curious as to the big 'secret' concerning Hubbard's issues. You filled in the blanks adequately.

As a former worker in the industry and a listener, all I could see is a company that apparently does well in other markets, has the #1 music station in Seattle, and had a decent (if underperforming) rock station that they blew out of the water.

98.9 needs to sound less like a CHR masquerading as a Country station.

I'm being kind by describing their playlist as awful. Zero depth. Their powers are being played in CHR-like rotation. Whomever is making the music decisions is doing an outrageously poor job. It's a great station for the five people who love hearing Kane Brown (arguably the worst Country artist I've heard in my entire life), Sam Hunt and Florida Georgia Line many times daily.

100.7 The Wolf plays a lot of that same junk, too, but they do not OD on it quite as much as 98.9 does.

Entercom screwed up by dumping KMPS, but the disaster known as 98.9 The Bull is an even bigger joke.

MarkW said:

98.9 needs to sound less like a CHR masquerading as a Country station.

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That's what the format is now. It's a currents-based format, like CHR. Twenty currents, each getting played 30 times a week. What do you think got KMPS a 5 share?

Kane Brown is the top selling artist in country right now. And consequently, he also has the week's #1 song, which is why you're hearing him a lot. Sam Hunt just won a couple of Billboard awards last night, he had the #1 song for all of last year, and his latest single just powered into the Top 20 in its first week.

They could focus on meaningful ballads and classic country, but they'd get a smaller and older demo. Not what I'd advise for a commercial station. Great idea for a non-com, though.

MarkW said:

98.9 needs to sound less like a CHR masquerading as a Country station.

I'm being kind by describing their playlist as awful. Zero depth. Their powers are being played in CHR-like rotation. Whomever is making the music decisions is doing an outrageously poor job. It's a great station for the five people who love hearing Kane Brown (arguably the worst Country artist I've heard in my entire life), Sam Hunt and Florida Georgia Line many times daily.

100.7 The Wolf plays a lot of that same junk, too, but they do not OD on it quite as much as 98.9 does.

Entercom screwed up by dumping KMPS, but the disaster known as 98.9 The Bull is an even bigger joke.

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You hit the nail squarely on the head.

I'm not in demo, and I've never really cared for country, but today's country is just plain awful. I found Garth Brooks tolerable back in the day, along with his clones...not so today.

TheBigA said:

That's what the format is now. It's a currents-based format, like CHR. Twenty currents, each getting played 30 times a week. What do you think got KMPS a 5 share?

Kane Brown is the top selling artist in country right now. And consequently, he also has the week's #1 song, which is why you're hearing him a lot. Sam Hunt just won a couple of Billboard awards last night, he had the #1 song for all of last year, and his latest single just powered into the Top 20 in its first week.

They could focus on meaningful ballads and classic country, but they'd get a smaller and older demo. Not what I'd advise for a commercial station. Great idea for a non-com, though.

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I get that a CHR approach gets the youngin's, but the station just sounds awful. KYCW (96.5) sounded better...except for the reverb.

KXA said:

I get that a CHR approach gets the youngin's, but the station just sounds awful. KYCW (96.5) sounded better...except for the reverb.

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You'd be surprised how many 50 year old women love Luke Bryan and Blake Shelton. It's female friendly. Which may be why some of the old KMPS listeners stayed with The Sound after the change. But I bet they'll still go to see the country stars this summer. Maybe because they can't see Jim Croce anymore.

As I said in another post, they may need to bring in a veteran PD who can work on the imaging and coach the talent. I think the social media has gotten better.

TheBigA said:

You'd be surprised how many 50 year old women love Luke Bryan and Blake Shelton. It's female friendly. Which may be why some of the old KMPS listeners stayed with The Sound after the change. But I bet they'll still go to see the country stars this summer. Maybe because they can't see Jim Croce anymore.

As I said in another post, they may need to bring in a veteran PD who can work on the imaging and coach the talent. I think the social media has gotten better.

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Who ever is doing the VO's for the station sound like a bunch of high school kids...especially the girl...fingernails on a chalkboard.

TheBigA said:

You'd be surprised how many 50 year old women love Luke Bryan and Blake Shelton. It's female friendly. Which may be why some of the old KMPS listeners stayed with The Sound after the change. But I bet they'll still go to see the country stars this summer. Maybe because they can't see Jim Croce anymore.

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Those 50-year-olds were 5 when Croce died.

TheBigA said:

As I said in another post, they may need to bring in a veteran PD who can work on the imaging and coach the talent. I think the social media has gotten better.

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What, you don't think their current "veteran PD" (as in veteran of three stations in that cluster) can get the job done?

And what "veteran PD' in their right mind would pull up stakes and move to the end of the earth to work for this management team?

That's what the format is now. It's a currents-based format, like CHR. Twenty currents, each getting played 30 times a week. What do you think got KMPS a 5 share?

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I would have no issue with 98.9 spinning the current hits from the artists I mentioned 30x per week. The problem is - 98.9 is spinning at least a couple of its top hits 80+ times a week, and the station's total weekly playlist is probably less than 250 unique songs.

The station's formatics literally remind me of a late 80's / early 90's CHR, especially the absurd pitching of the audio chain. Trying to sound younger & hipper than 100.7 is NOT the path to ratings success. The ratings suggest 98.9 & 100.7 collectively are leaving potential country radio AQH share on the table. What used to be 8 shares of total in-market country listening is now down to 6 shares. (I'm not sure what type of numbers Olympia's KYYO generates in the Seattle MSA.)

BTW, Luke Bryan and Blake Shelton are absolutely deserving of frequent airplay, and yes, their music appeals to a wide range of ages. I greatly respect both artists. Country hip-hop hack artists such as Kane Brown and Chase Rice do not belong in the same league as those two great artists.

MarkW said:

I would have no issue with 98.9 spinning the current hits from the artists I mentioned 30x per week. The problem is - 98.9 is spinning at least a couple of its top hits 80+ times a week, and the station's total weekly playlist is probably less than 250 unique songs.

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They are promoting themselves as playing the most new music: "Nobody Plays More New Country." So that means they're playing more songs an hour. Which means the currents are getting more plays per week. That is not uncommon in a market where there are two country stations. A station that plays its currents 80 times a week will have a younger audience than the other station in town. So that may be their target.

The country format is also built around a wide range of musical influences. It draws on 70s rock, 80s CHR, and current hip-hop. No other format is that diverse, with artists ranging in age from the early 20s to the 50s. That's how the format has been able to grow from a fringe genre to one that can compete with pop, and one that respects Taylor Swift for all she's accomplished within and without the format. She's a featured vocalist on a new Sugarland single that's getting airplay on The Bull. So everything you're criticizing is what has made the country radio format competitive.

Are they leaving potential listeners on the table? Sure. But from what I can see, they're older and less desirable by advertisers. As I said earlier, this station is not going after musical purists or Americana fans. They're just giving them the hits, and lots of them. It's kind of like what The Wolf did when it signed on against KMPS, promoting itself as the younger alternative to the more tired and traditional KMPS. Then KMPS fired everyone, and rebuilt the station around young and energy. That's what's happening here. They're out-wolfing the Wolf. We'll see where it takes them.

TheBigA said:

The country format is also built around a wide range of musical influences. It draws on 70s rock, 80s CHR, and current hip-hop.

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"'Emerson, Lake and Palmer, Duran Duran and Waka Flocka Flame? On MY country radio station?' It may be more likely than you think..."

But seriously, it's times like these I miss George, Patsy and Loretta.

Bongwater said:

"'Emerson, Lake and Palmer, Duran Duran and Waka Flocka Flame? On MY country radio station?' It may be more likely than you think..."

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George Jones grew up listening to Mel Street, Roy Acuff, and Hank Sr. Jason Aldean grew up listening to Lynyrd Skynyrd and the Allman Brothers. Today's stars will tell you that they consider Skynyrd and The Eagles to be country music. The artist who brought it all together was Hank Jr.

There was a recent exhibit at the Country Music Hall of Fame that brought together Bob Dylan & Johnny Cash, and demonstrating how that partnership on Nashville Skyline influenced both rock and country.

In prime KNUC tied KKWF in W18-34, W18-49, and W25-54 in the April book. That was their fifth full book since they flipped, and that includes the throwaway holiday book. To be tied with your direct competitor in your target demos 5 months in isn’t a bad start.

I understand that doesn’t fit most of your narratives, and I get that many of you love nothing more than to sh*t on Seattle radio groups, but thems the facts. Personal opinion and 6+ numbers don’t make for strong arguments folks.

I wouldn't rush to draw any conclusions based on a a single survey period, if I were you.

How do both stations' recent W25-54 numbers compare to those of 94.1 KMPS during its final few books?

MarkW said:

I wouldn't rush to draw any conclusions based on a a single survey period, if I were you.

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What conclusion did I draw? I provided facts and said that tying KKWF in key demos after 5 months isn't a bad start.

And yes, of course you can't draw any conclusion this early. As I've said in previous posts, it's too soon to draw any kind of conclusion on how KNUC or KSWD will do long term. They've existed for 5 months. Saying either station will be dead by Columbus Day is just as ignorant as saying they'll be #1.

Also, you said in previous posts that "(KNUC) is a great station for the five people who love hearing Kane Brown (arguably the worst Country artist I've heard in my entire life), Sam Hunt and Florida Georgia Line many times daily. 100.7 The Wolf plays a lot of that same junk, too, but they do not OD on it quite as much as 98.9 does. Luke Bryan and Blake Shelton are absolutely deserving of frequent airplay...Country hip-hop hack artists such as Kane Brown and Chase Rice do not belong in the same league as those two great artists."

KKWF's is powering Kane Brown "Heaven", and played a Kane Brown track 100 total times in the past 7 days. KNUC isn't powering Kane Brown. They gave him 77 total spins in the same period.

KNUC is powering Blake Shelton "I'll Name The Dogs", and played a Blake track 146 total times in the past 7 days. KKWF isn't powering Blake. They gave him 86 total spins in the same period.

Sure you're listening to the right station?

One other detail about Kane Brown is that he was actually IN SEATTLE on Saturday, and visited with both stations.

Pictures of Kane with the new KNUC morning show were posted yesterday.

Its not unusual for stations to play a lot of certain artists to promote their concerts.