Last month, Alt 105.7 sunk to an all-time low (counting its time as Radio 105.7, too) of a 1.2 rating overall. I'm just wondering why you all think the station's ratings keep on falling. It also makes me wonder whether IHeart will make a move on this station given how poorly it's doing. It used to get ratings twice, if not more, just two or three years ago. Its performance has steadily sunk and the new syndicated morning show out of L.A. the Woody Show has clearly not helped.
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Why are Alt 105.7 ratings tanking?
- Thread starter rohocop2121
- Start date
Last month, Alt 105.7 sunk to an all-time low (counting its time as Radio 105.7, too) of a 1.2 rating overall. I'm just wondering why you all think the station's ratings keep on falling. It also makes me wonder whether IHeart will make a move on this station given how poorly it's doing. It used to get ratings twice, if not more, just two or three years ago. Its performance has steadily sunk and the new syndicated morning show out of L.A. the Woody Show has clearly not helped.
The morning show is actually pretty good. But agree that it’s obviously not helping. The music mix is too active rock leaning (current and past) in my opinion. If they mixed in a lot of the TOSOTR music, then it would succeed. I’m a firm believer if TOSOTR was on a better signal, it would do phenomenal.
The music mix is too active rock leaning (current and past) in my opinion. If they mixed in a lot of the TOSOTR music, then it would succeed. I’m a firm believer if TOSOTR was on a better signal, it would do phenomenal.
That's one of those battle zone arguments among alternative fans. The hard core fans like currents. But if a station wants ratings, they play more classics. More classics alienate the hard core fans. My take is the hard core music fans are typically not among the people who participate in Nielsen ratings. They're underground, no permanent address, not reachable via traditional research. But I know from talking with my music friends that there's a huge alternative community in Atlanta. So I agree with the above, and that's probably what they'll do, since it's what most of the better-rated iHeart stations have done in other cities.
I think alt stations across the country that lean more current have better ratings. Look at your Entercom and cumulus alt stations and compare those ratings to 105.7. Plus, 105.7 is boring with both its older stuff and it’s currents. The playlist is very small and finally, the station just does a piss poor job at being an Atlanta radio station. Go look at their Facebook and you won’t even realize you are on a radio stations page much less an alternative station out of Atlanta. No community involvement at all. Much prefer 99X any day.
I think alt stations across the country that lean more current have better ratings. Look at your Entercom and cumulus alt stations and compare those ratings to 105.7.
The Entercom stations may be better than 105, but they're not very good either. iHeart's WRFF is doing better in Philadelphia with a 3.5.
The thing that hurts current alternative is the music. You have a handful of artists who have hit songs, and they get played a lot. The format needs more artist development, and that means more investment and better marketing from record labels. Not much radio can do with a genre of music that's not a priority at the record labels.
I guess to me, that is what makes alternative, well, alternative. It's not a very commercial driven genre of music. True, you have some hit makers coming out of this genre but this genre is known for new releases and breaking music trends.
I can talk outside both sides of my mouth on this subject and even question if true alternative music has any place on commercial radio. That's why I despise 105.7 so much because it's basically Alt 40 with gold 90s. For starters, they play too much 90s and not enough new music and the 90s they play isn't anything deep at all. General run of the mill 90s grunge/alternative hits. Station is boring and like I said above, go to their facebook and it's not but cute pointless memes people like and share. Hardly anything music related, much less alternative or Atlanta related.
Maybe if HD radio takes off and becomes more popular, we can see these deeper more obscure formats. While my personal taste is more deeper/independent radio which your ihearts/Cumulus stations never intend on trying to be - I will say the best formula for rock/alternative is what Emmis (now Hubbard) has done over at KPNT in St. Louis. A active rock (metallica) lean during the day and a more indie/current lean at night with 90s weekends that go anywhere from 10,000 Maniacs to Tool and deeps cuts from Nine Inch Nails and Nirvana. Also, go view that stations website and facebook page. Hyper local station and very music themed driven.
I can talk outside both sides of my mouth on this subject and even question if true alternative music has any place on commercial radio. That's why I despise 105.7 so much because it's basically Alt 40 with gold 90s. For starters, they play too much 90s and not enough new music and the 90s they play isn't anything deep at all. General run of the mill 90s grunge/alternative hits. Station is boring and like I said above, go to their facebook and it's not but cute pointless memes people like and share. Hardly anything music related, much less alternative or Atlanta related.
Maybe if HD radio takes off and becomes more popular, we can see these deeper more obscure formats. While my personal taste is more deeper/independent radio which your ihearts/Cumulus stations never intend on trying to be - I will say the best formula for rock/alternative is what Emmis (now Hubbard) has done over at KPNT in St. Louis. A active rock (metallica) lean during the day and a more indie/current lean at night with 90s weekends that go anywhere from 10,000 Maniacs to Tool and deeps cuts from Nine Inch Nails and Nirvana. Also, go view that stations website and facebook page. Hyper local station and very music themed driven.
One more thing: Nearly all iheartradio stations (alternative) sound identical. Two distinctly different ones is the Philly one you mentioned above and the Denver one. Iheart got the hell out of the way for those two stations. I think Philly is a bit more safe today than 5 years ago but still a little more adventurous that most iheart radio station.
COX is the worst! The Jax FL station is literally the worst. Worse than 105.7.
COX is the worst! The Jax FL station is literally the worst. Worse than 105.7.
The music mix is too active rock leaning (current and past) in my opinion.
Active rock leaning?!?! You're joking, right? The station doesn't sound even REMOTELY like an active rock station. There's little if any Metallica. No Tool. No Avenged Sevenfold. No Volbeat. No Disturbed. No Halestorm. The vast majority of core Active Rock artists receive absolutely ZERO airplay on Alt 105.7.
The problem with alternative - as it's presently defined - is too many artists are "one & done" and, frankly, much of the music isn't very good!
Acheron1982 characterized 105.7's formula 100% correctly - it's Alt 40 blended with female friendly 90's & early 2K's alternative hits. I also agree that a KPNT-like direction would be an outstanding move for Alt 105.7! Will never happen, though. iHeart basically plays the same playlist on all of its Alt-branded stations across the country. The current regime at iHeart prefers a female-friendly slant to its alternative stations. I'm not sure why, as many of their alternative stations generate soft to downright terrible ratings. Atlanta is hardly alone in that regard.
The current regime at iHeart prefers a female-friendly slant to its alternative stations. I'm not sure why, as many of their alternative stations generate soft to downright terrible ratings. Atlanta is hardly alone in that regard.
The demos are easier to sell than a bunch of slacker guys.
Alt 105.7's troubles
Do you think IHeart might be tempted to change formats or just try to adjust Alt 105.7 to make it more broadly appealing (if that's even possible)?
I bet Alt 105.7's billing is terrible. They aren't performing well in any meaningful demographic.
Active Rock stations do have trouble generating strong billing in the southern states; you are right. But I bet Project 9-6-1 billed significantly better than the present-day 105.7.
Do you think IHeart might be tempted to change formats or just try to adjust Alt 105.7 to make it more broadly appealing (if that's even possible)?
Given the recent fascination with the Soft AC format, anyone think they might want to bring a “Breeze” into Atlanta? I know the signal isn’t very good, but could using the signal to frag B be a better use than clearing Woody and a format that there really isn’t any local interest in?
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