Interesting choice for Entercom/CBS alternative format captain...

Michael Martin ?!?!?! Isn't he a CHR guy???

Over Kevin Weatherley? Over the PD of 107.7 The End in Seattle? Over the PD of 96.5 The Buzz in Kansas City? Over Jacent Jackson of Live 105 in S.F. ?


https://radioinsight.com/headlines/120952/entercom-announces-post-merger-format-captains/


I wonder what this means for KROQ? Will it start to sound like a weak-sauced Modern AC, like most of Entercom's so-called alternative stations?

MarkW said:

Will it start to sound like a weak-sauced Modern AC, like most of Entercom's so-called alternative stations?

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For starters, I'll tell ya now 'RBZ/KC and 'NRK/PDX are far from a Modern AC.

Pretty much all of Ecom's alts are fairly adventurous and broad in their playlists.

MarkW said:

Michael Martin ?!?!?! Isn't he a CHR guy???

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Remember, Kevin Weatherly was a CHR guy before taking KROQ to the top of the charts.

Still, I too couldn't help but notice his absence in the list of format captains. Perhaps something bigger is in store for Mr. Weatherby.

For starters, I'll tell ya now 'RBZ/KC and 'NRK/PDX are far from a Modern AC.

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The texture of the music is similar to what a Modern AC would play. Other than an occasional Nirvana or Pearl Jam song, you'll be hard pressed to hear any actual alternative ROCK music on either station.

MarkW said:

Other than an occasional Nirvana or Pearl Jam song, you'll be hard pressed to hear any actual alternative ROCK music on either station.

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I would echo these comments for most alt. stations while there are exceptions and more exceptions now than say 2 years ago. However for the most part soft sounds have been imposed on the alt. format from coast to coast over the last Many years.

It is no joke that an AM Nostalgia station that plays some Christopher Cross or Alan Parsons Project can sound "harder" than your garden variety alt. station these days. Really says a lot on many levels.

One small part of Michael Martin's role wasn't necessarily what it means for the sound of alternative stations. I expect that will remain within the purview of the individual stations. However, Martin has an additional title:

"MARTIN will also continue in his role as SVP/Programming and Music Initiatives."

Music Initiatives has to do with his relationship with record labels, and perhaps furthering the format and artist development. One possible example would be expanding the KROQ Weenie Roast concept to other stations. Let's face it: The Alternative format is stagnant. It's stagnant because its platform is too small and localized. It needs to be broadened, and perhaps Martin can use his relationships to bring new life to the format.

TheBigA said:

One small part of Michael Martin's role wasn't necessarily what it means for the sound of alternative stations. I expect that will remain within the purview of the individual stations. However, Martin has an additional title:

"MARTIN will also continue in his role as SVP/Programming and Music Initiatives."

Music Initiatives has to do with his relationship with record labels, and perhaps furthering the format and artist development. One possible example would be expanding the KROQ Weenie Roast concept to other stations. Let's face it: The Alternative format is stagnant. It's stagnant because its platform is too small and localized. It needs to be broadened, and perhaps Martin can use his relationships to bring new life to the format.

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So the answer is "take the Weenie Roast concept and go national with it".

I couldn't think of anything less alternative if I tried. Congratulations alternative music, it has been going on for quite some time, but now its official: You have been AORized.

ChannelFlipper said:

So the answer is "take the Weenie Roast concept and go national with it".

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I don't know if that's what he'll do, but I hope it's a possibility. The Weenie Roast is a great concept. KFOG used to do something like it in San Francisco.

As I said, the format is stagnant, and so is KROQ. It needs help or it will die. Rather than thinking provincially about keeping Alternative the way it is, I believe someone has to be more proactive. Hopefully that's what this is about. I wouldn't compare it to AOR, because AOR has been dead for 30 years.

TheBigA said:

I don't know if that's what he'll do, but I hope it's a possibility. The Weenie Roast is a great concept. KFOG used to do something like it in San Francisco.

As I said, the format is stagnant, and so is KROQ. It needs help or it will die. Rather than thinking provincially about keeping Alternative the way it is, I believe someone has to be more proactive. Hopefully that's what this is about. I wouldn't compare it to AOR, because AOR has been dead for 30 years.

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It is that kind of thinking that killed it.

ChannelFlipper said:

It is that kind of thinking that killed it.

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You have selective memory. If the format stays status quo, it will die on its own. Status quo thinking and complacency is what killed AOR, and it was overtaken by other genres. You don't have to look very far in the LA message board to see that KROQ has been dropping in the ratings. It's been going on for a while. If you look around the country, the format is in trouble. The music has become average, the fans know it, and it's hurting format growth. The record labels have given up, so there's no leadership there. Something has to change, and someone needs to fix the format or it will go away completely. Everyone knows that Alternative music is best enjoyed live, and there needs to be more inter-relationship between the live experience and radio. Hopefully that will happen.

Kroq isnt going anywhere. Alt rock had its heyday n the mid 90s. More then likely it will never b that big again. But some alt is spilling over into CHR aka the artist portugal the man with feel it still. KROQ has been the same format for over 30 years it isnt goin anywhere. The format will never die it will always be around!!!

DavidEduardo said:

But KROQ is being beaten rather significantly by Alt 98.7 in LA, and iHeart just won over the APD and MD of KROQ for a leadership position both locally and nationally.

Entercom does not seem to like off-air PDs, so the message was clear. And KROQ lost a person with huge relationships and contacts among music folks, both labels and artists.

Entercom's "modern rock" station in Miami shows that, thus far, they do not get how to make formats like this work in markets that are highly ethnic. In Miami, they have by far the lowest rated full C1 signal out off all of them, and it's the format's lack of adaptation to a market that is very rhythmic, driven by over 50% Hispanics and 20% African Americans.

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Wouldn't Ecom just slide in their new captain to steer the ship for KROQ?

ksradiogeek said:

Wouldn't Ecom just slide in their new captain to steer the ship for KROQ?

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That's not how format captains work. Their job is to be a resource for the local PDs, to provide big picture information that can help them program locally. The problem with being a local PD is you tend to see everything from your own square foot. The format captain provides context, so you can find out about trends before they hit your market. Typically a format captain doesn't give up his own local job. The captain position is done in addition.

DavidEduardo said:

You are touching on a real problem. Gather 10 alternative partisans, and they will want 10 different blends of music...

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The problem is that's not a radio format, that's a personal ipod. Radio stations need to create some kind of consensus. Right now, the only consensus music in alternative is the old stuff. Everyone is happy with the old stuff, and it gets good numbers. But everything grinds to a halt when we get to current music. In the old days, the record labels would help. But there's no money in it for them anymore, so no one's doing artist development anymore. My hope is that radio can help here, because it's in our best interest to have a vibrant, active format.

TheBigA said:

The problem is that's not a radio format, that's a personal ipod. Radio stations need to create some kind of consensus. Right now, the only consensus music in alternative is the old stuff. Everyone is happy with the old stuff, and it gets good numbers. But everything grinds to a halt when we get to current music. In the old days, the record labels would help. But there's no money in it for them anymore, so no one's doing artist development anymore. My hope is that radio can help here, because it's in our best interest to have a vibrant, active format.

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SiriusXM is putting some effort into it and playing a bunch of current artists and bands, but its alternative music is scattered among four channels -- one of which, The Loft, is about to be forced off the satellites until the new year by Hotel California Radio, a six-week channel dedicated to all things Eagles. Alt Nation is the "mainstream" alt channel, and Sirius XMU is the "college" alt channel, and the Americana side of alt gets exposure on Outlaw Country. But with no push from FM, the new acts are only reaching a minuscule audience.

DavidEduardo said:

Entercom's "modern rock" station in Miami shows that, thus far, they do not get how to make formats like this work in markets that are highly ethnic. In Miami, they have by far the lowest rated full C1 signal out off all of them, and it's the format's lack of adaptation to a market that is very rhythmic, driven by over 50% Hispanics and 20% African Americans.

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Is there any "modern rock" product out there that might work with such an audience? Most of the alt rock I hear is dense, guitar-driven music or singer-songwriter-type stuff, about as far from hip-hop, reggaeton, salsa or any other rhythmic genre as you can get. Other than playing old Los Lobos tracks -- and I'm not even sure that LA band had much of a Mexican-American following even in their heyday -- what would the Miami station have to do to start winning the hardwired-for-rhythmic demographic over?

TheBigA said:

That's not how format captains work. Their job is to be a resource for the local PDs, to provide big picture information that can help them program locally. The problem with being a local PD is you tend to see everything from your own square foot. The format captain provides context, so you can find out about trends before they hit your market. Typically a format captain doesn't give up his own local job. The captain position is done in addition.

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So almost like a consultant in a sense, right? I have to say: at the stations I'm at, we just use consultants. Never have heard the 'format captain' term until Beasley merged with Greater.

ksradiogeek said:

So almost like a consultant in a sense, right? I have to say: at the stations I'm at, we just use consultants. Never have heard the 'format captain' term until Beasley merged with Greater.

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In house vs out of house. It's a way to keep talented people in the company. Otherwise, at some point, they leave and consult. It's more of an issue for the bigger companies.