It's almost that time again!

Well, folks, it's almost that time again. Either WMJX or WROR(or both) will switch to Christmas and holiday music. Of course, if I want to get a wide variety of holiday music, I'll go on the internet.

Most likely Entercom's WMJX again, but not WROR (Beasley) unless they feel like a duel. And WROR I understand is doing conflicts of games (Pats/B's/Celts) at same time

Beasley should go with Christmas music on 92.9 and launch a new format after the New Year.

How about Kiss 108 FM?

blackgold said:

How about Kiss 108 FM?

Click to expand...

LOL!

DavidZ said:

Beasley should go with Christmas music on 92.9 and launch a new format after the New Year.

Click to expand...

Same old questions: Is there a format hole in Boston that would result in better billing for WBOS? (No,pop-oriented oldies is not a correct answer, nor are soft adult contemporary or smooth jazz.) Or is there a station with a current monopoly on a format that could be vulnerable?

Yacht Rock.

CTListener said:

Same old questions: Is there a format hole in Boston that would result in better billing for WBOS? (No,pop-oriented oldies is not a correct answer, nor are soft adult contemporary or smooth jazz.) Or is there a station with a current monopoly on a format that could be vulnerable?

Click to expand...

I know I can’t see the breakdown of the ratings but I think they had higher overall ratings with their many incarnations of the AAA format. And I have no idea how the billing is for Alt 92.9 vs. the former.

BTW, I’m not suggesting they return to the AAA format but the present alternative format doesn’t seem to be a ratings winner either. Are they billing substantially higher?

It seems to me despite lower ratings, I still hear radios tuned into WBOS, so there must be more going on behind the scenes than it appears.

WMJX is still running Christmas music on their HD2 year 'round, so I'd think it's a sure bet they will go with it on the main channel (HD1) as usual. It has been a December ratings winner for them.

Don't know whether Beasley will compete with another station since they no longer own WMJX, but besides mixing in some format-related Christmas music closer to the holiday as many stations do, I doubt they'll go full-time with it early and battle WMJX for it, but you never know.

I'd like to see WBZ Newsradio 1030 drop its regular format on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day to play traditional Christmas music. Maybe they could talk to Bob Bittner to allow them to do that.

blackgold said:

I'd like to see WBZ Newsradio 1030 drop its regular format on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day to play traditional Christmas music. Maybe they could talk to Bob Bittner to allow them to do that.

Click to expand...

It won't happen, but why would they have to ask Bob? Just because his stations do that doesn't mean any others have to ask his permission.

Will anyone flip this Holiday weekend ?
Out of market 96.1 is usually first, aren't they ?

freqlost said:

Will anyone flip this Holiday weekend ?
Out of market 96.1 is usually first, aren't they ?

Click to expand...

Somebody told me that 96.1, whose signal blankets much of the market, will be flipping tomorrow.

Sounds logical, and maybe a wk from tomorrow for WMJX.
XM has at least 3 all Christmas stations already-- 3, 4, and one in Spanish nr the highest channel numbers.

It is an interesting question about WMJX and WROR. Will they both flip since they are no longer co-owned and each station has found a big ratings bump when they did it in the past?

Well, certainly WMJX will. It is an AC station and in nearly all markets, the AC station makes the switch. But in other markets, the Classic Hits station does it. For instance, in Minneapolis, there is no AC station and the Classic Hits station goes all-Christmas. In some markets, both the AC and Classic Hits station do it. That was true in Philadelphia, Dallas, Detroit, Kansas City and a few other markets. This year, it won't be done in Philly because Entercom now owns both the AC and Classic Hits stations. It may happen in Phoenix, since the Entercom Classic Hits station has already indicated it will, especially since the AC station in Phoenix is owned by iHeart.

Keep in mind, WROR is a rock-leaning Classic Hits station. No Madonna, Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson or Gloria Estefan for them. So does it make sense for a rock-leaning Classic Hits station to do it? Cancel the Van Halen and Aerosmith to go with Bing Crosby and Nat King Cole? Well, they did it for quite a few years.

I'm sure 96.1 WSRS Worcester will make the flip well before Thanksgiving as it usually does, maybe this coming weekend.

But will Boston have two Christmas stations this year? Hmmm.

Mix just mentioned on the air that one of their sister stations will be going all Christmas! Now I wonder which station that will be?

Retro said:

Mix just mentioned on the air that one of their sister stations will be going all Christmas! Now I wonder which station that will be?

Click to expand...

WKLB or WBWL going country Christmas would be a possibility if either were an Entercom station, but....

If people really want all Christmas now and have XM/Sirius, the satellite service has a huge number of channels already running all Christmas..a couple low on the dial, ch 3 and 4...Christmas stations doing soul, country, rock, jazz, Spanish language, 60s-70s etc. And "Radio Hannukah" by end of the month.

Yes can't see iHeart or Beasley flipping 101.7 or 102.5 to Christmas, other than a day or two before 12/25.

raccoonradio said:

If people really want all Christmas now and have XM/Sirius, the satellite service has a huge number of channels already running all Christmas..a couple low on the dial, ch 3 and 4...Christmas stations doing soul, country, rock, jazz, Spanish language, 60s-70s etc. And "Radio Hannukah" by end of the month.

Click to expand...

The country and soul Christmas channels don't start until next month. Some of the other Christmas specialty formats are online/streaming only, not available to radio users.