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Kicks name change

R

Rick Rose 2.0

Guest
Radio Insight has been buzzing that Cumulus will change the name of Kicks 101.5. It seems that it might become New Country 101.5 even though other names have been thrown around based on web domain registrations. Capital Cities debuted the Kicks name in 1981 and it appears the signal was still country before that as WBIE. So im counting 38 years as Kicks but the station is not looking good in the ratings and the Bull which debuted in 2006 is making them look bad. I grew up on country until I became a teen and discovered CHR so I remember listening to 590 WPLO during the 70s but I remember Kicks in my teen years and those Deborah commercials. I was 8 when Kicks debuted. I know getting rid of long time personality Cadillac Jack due to poor ratings probably was another sign the station needs major changes. Though I enjoyed the Kicks and Y 106 battles in the 80s I found it funny they became co owned after deregulation allowed more signal ownership in a market. While I was listening to Z93 and 94Q later Power 99 and Star 94 I still enjoyed country and kept tuned into Kicks and Y 106 sometimes. It was in the early 90s that I discovered contemporary Christian music which is what I listen to 99% of the time but country still has a place in my heart. I find it ironic that I am listening to 106.7 once again and their two hd feeds almost everyday. While LF radio on 93.3 HD 3 is my current favorite station. Any way I hope Cumulus finds a way revive the 101.5 signal into a local ratings leader.
 
Rick Rose 2.0 said:
Radio Insight has been buzzing that Cumulus will change the name of Kicks 101.5. It seems that it might become New Country 101.5 even though other names have been thrown around based on web domain registrations. Capital Cities debuted the Kicks name in 1981 and it appears the signal was still country before that as WBIE. So im counting 38 years as Kicks but the station is not looking good in the ratings and the Bull which debuted in 2006 is making them look bad. I grew up on country until I became a teen and discovered CHR so I remember listening to 590 WPLO during the 70s but I remember Kicks in my teen years and those Deborah commercials. I was 8 when Kicks debuted. I know getting rid of long time personality Cadillac Jack due to poor ratings probably was another sign the station needs major changes. Though I enjoyed the Kicks and Y 106 battles in the 80s I found it funny they became co owned after deregulation allowed more signal ownership in a market. While I was listening to Z93 and 94Q later Power 99 and Star 94 I still enjoyed country and kept tuned into Kicks and Y 106 sometimes. It was in the early 90s that I discovered contemporary Christian music which is what I listen to 99% of the time but country still has a place in my heart. I find it ironic that I am listening to 106.7 once again and their two hd feeds almost everyday. While LF radio on 93.3 HD 3 is my current favorite station. Any way I hope Cumulus finds a way revive the 101.5 signal into a local ratings leader.
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Interesting. I think they're still without a "permanent" PD.
 
101.5 has been country since 1968. It was WBIE "Georgia's Country Giant" until 1981 when it became WKHX "Kicks". It's the longest-running format on a commercial FM signal in the market, and I think the second-oldest moniker behind V-103 (1977).
 
TheBigA said:
They have been distancing themselves from that since Lew & John left.
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Kicks was using the "Powered by NASH" tagline for a while until that time. I doubt they'd bring it back.
 
redman58 said:
I expect a format flip.
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I doubt there will be a major “flip” of 101.5. There most likely will be an overhaul. IMHO in a market this large in the South will support two country signals.

Just to play devil’s advocate, what would 101.5 flip to? Urban is covered, Spoken word didn’t work at 106.7, Cumulus has a CHR and Rock 100.5 already. IMHO the only two format holes are some kind of soft AC and a 1980’s forward pop hits (something like a WCBS FM). The problem with either formats could be the older demographics that most agencies in Atlanta do not target. From the outside looking in it would be much easier to “tune up” 101.5 and so some advertising and promotion of the station than to flip and start with zero audience.

If I was running 101.5 I would have to find the next Rhubarb Jones (rest in peace) or morning team. I did hear Rhubarb and Southside Steve together on 106.7 before Citadel got stupid. They were LOL funny. Southside is doing well at Rock 100.5 so that is not an option.
 
Bill Zurmuehl said:
What will they flip to?
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The only format holes I see are soft AC and adult/variety hits. And I don't think they're bigger holes than being a second country player, provided the product (both music and delivery) is good. I think they'd have more success with classic rock than either of those two formats. If they flipped to classic rock, it would give Rock100.5 more freedom to go newer/harder and they could pick off some of River's listeners, provided they offered something significantly different than River (deeper and/or newer).

Alternatively, Clear Channel tried to freshen up 96 Rock with Project 9-6-1, and that ended up killing the station (along with 105.3 The Buzz) instead of rejuvenating it.

What is the problem with country generally? I haven't listened to country in a while...is it bad product? Country seems to go through the "format doldrums" periodically much like CHR does (for CHR, late 1980-early 1982, 1991-1992, etc.), except it lasts longer for country than it does for CHR (for country, 1985-1989, late 90s into the first half of the 2000s, etc.)

How has country been doing in other markets? Even US 101 in Chattanooga's numbers seem a little off...and they dominate the Chattanooga book the way V-103 used to do here.

Bull doesn't seem to be benefiting greatly from Kicks' misfortunes...is there really room for a second country station at this time? I've always wondered if the Bull-Kicks battle was a "two men enter, one man leaves" cage match.
 
That name is SO TIRED and screams 1993.

In my opinion, the name either should be changed to something more modern or the playlist should be changed to a library-based format to better match the existing name.
 
MarkW said:
In my opinion, the name either should be changed to something more modern or the playlist should be changed to a library-based format to better match the existing name.
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Cumulus is having great success in Nashville with a more gold-based format on WSM-FM.

I notice Kicks & Bull's playlists are very similar in terms of size and spins. Very different in terms of song choices. The Bull jumped on the new Aldean out of the box, while Kicks has no new adds. But both of them spin their heavies at about 60 or so a week. It'll be interesting if Brian takes more of an interest in this station, since he was the architect of The Wolf in Dallas. His changes resurrected that station from near death to market leader in the 90s. He focused the playlist more around Texas music than the more typical diverse music selection. So he may look for a common theme like that here.
 
TheBigA said:
Cumulus is having great success in Nashville with a more gold-based format on WSM-FM.

I notice Kicks & Bull's playlists are very similar in terms of size and spins. Very different in terms of song choices. The Bull jumped on the new Aldean out of the box, while Kicks has no new adds. But both of them spin their heavies at about 60 or so a week. It'll be interesting if Brian takes more of an interest in this station, since he was the architect of The Wolf in Dallas. His changes resurrected that station from near death to market leader in the 90s. He focused the playlist more around Texas music than the more typical diverse music selection. So he may look for a common theme like that here.
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Kicks did try that with a "90s to now" format a few years back. Not purely gold-based, but more so than Bull.
 
Go with a "heritage" type of format and play the really old music that people want to hear. Also,tell about artists such as Blind Willie McTell & the Atlanta 12 string music. D
o something that sets them apart from the others.
 
The demos for the 2 stations are quite different. Overall P6+, The Bull kills Kicks. But The Bull is much younger. I was looking at some Women 35-64 numbers, and Kicks ties or is very slightly ahead of The Bull.
 
RoddyFreeman said:
The demos for the 2 stations are quite different. Overall P6+, The Bull kills Kicks. But The Bull is much younger. I was looking at some Women 35-64 numbers, and Kicks ties or is very slightly ahead of The Bull.
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So the Bull is doing better in the younger demos? Are the younger demos more important revenue wise in Atlanta?
 
secondchoice said:
So the Bull is doing better in the younger demos? Are the younger demos more important revenue wise in Atlanta?
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Beyond age, the Bull just has more listeners.

In an average of Apr-May-Jun, in 18-49 The Bull is 7th while Kicks is 15th.

And last year The Bull out-billed its competitor by about two to one.
 
Dang - that's a downright embarrassing state of affairs if you are WKHX.

Cumulus needs to exit the Atlanta market. They are clearly outmatched.
 
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