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News Archive: November 2006
November 19, 2006
One correction from yesterday: Clear Channel owns KTOZ-FM in
Springfield, MO, which falls into the group of stations that CC will be selling off. In all likelihood, we won't hear anything about who might be buying that station until 2007.
November 18, 2006
Based on the information that I have analyzed, the new Majic 94.1 (WTHZ) in Greensboro, NC is not a Variety Hits station (there's already one there: WSMW.) I'd say that it falls into the same category as 107.9 The Track in Indianapolis as an expanded playlist Classic Hits station. That is a sub-genre that deserves close examination for its own pros and cons, but I feel it shouldn't be lumped into the Variety Hits category because of the vast differences that exist between the two. 1973-present (with it bell curving toward the middle portion) is a wide era to span, which expanded playlist stations don't all necessarily cover (Nine FM in Chicago would be the modern equivalent.) I respect radio pros who disagree with this assessment, but I feel pretty strongly that it is on target.
Clear Channel announced this past week that it plans to sell off the stations that it owns in markets 101 and below. This shouldn't affect the limited markets where CC owns Variety Hits stations; Louisville (WLUE), Grand Rapids (WMAX-FM), and Columbia, SC (WLTY) are all in the Top 100 (though Columbia just barely makes the cut.)
CBS Radio is selling its Fresno stations to Peak Broadcasting for a reported $90 million. Included with that is 105.9 Jack FM (KFJK); there's no word yet on what changes, if any, will happen to the formats of the stations involved in the deal. Peak will take control of 105.9 Jack FM (and the other stations in the cluster) via a time brokerage deal in December.
November 14, 2006
New York City's Jack FM (WCBS-FM) has hired an on-air talent. All Access reports that Delphine Blue has begun hosting Sunday morning acoustic sessions on the station, which air from 7 AM-noon. Also, Mike O'Reilly, most recently PD of Cumulus' KCJK/Kansas City, has been hired by Sparknet Communications to join the JACK-FM team of consultants.
The strong ratings results continue for the format in many markets. According to information that I've obtained, in the coveted P25-54 (Adult 25-54 years old) demo in the Summer 2006 book, WCJK/Nashville was #1, WLUE/Louisville and KPKX/Phoenix were #2, and KZJK/Minneapolis, WRRK/Pittsburgh, KYCH-FM/Portland, OR, and KJKJ/Las Vegas were #4. St. Louis is a market where it has done well in the past, though I don't have any information on its ratings (because of their value for stations, demographic breakdown info can be very tough to find.) For being a "niche format", Variety/Adult Hits is providing to be a success beyond the short-term in many different markets with a variety of presentations of it.
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