MAJOR CHANGES COMING TO LINCOLN FINANCIAL STATIONS...

[hdsucks]

(taken from front page of radio-info website)

The Charlotte Observer reports that Greater Media GM Rick Jackson, who oversees Talk WBT-AM/FM (1110/99.3) Charlotte and WLNK (107.9), is leaving the market after 17 years. He’s going to San Diego to head up Lincoln Financial’s cluster: KSON “Country 97.3” and its simulcast KSOQ (92.1), plus Alternative KBZT (94.9) and “Smooth Jazz 98.1” KIFM. Jackson previously worked for Lincoln when it owned the Charlotte stations, before selling to Greater Media in 2007. Greater Media says “We wish Rick the best” in his new job, and that Greater Media VP/Radio, based in Philadelphia, will temporarily oversee Charlotte.

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this should get really interesting --

[nocoradio]

Things will get interesting with these stations.  KSON and KIFM are in a ratings freefall since PPM began.  Clearly, the PD's had no strategy for the "post-diary" world.  And KBZT has never really gotten off the ground, ratings-wise.  Look for some big changes when the new GM arrives.

[BossJock1947]

Things will get interesting with these stations.  KSON and KIFM are in a ratings freefall since PPM began.  Clearly, the PD's had no strategy for the "post-diary" world.  And KBZT has never really gotten off the ground, ratings-wise.  Look for some big changes when the new GM arrives.

Clearly, the PD's had no strategy for the "post-diary" world.

Really? What kind of preparation should they have done all knowing one?

[Q Tip]

oh boy  here we go again  it never stops    they do need more music in am on kson  too much chatter right now  cindy spicer on us 957 is gaining ground on kson

[nocoradio]

Well Boss Jock, let's take a look at who's winning the PPM battles so far.  Magic, The Walrus and KHTS.  CC has been prepping for over a year bringing in research folks, tweaking on air presentation, shortening breaks, cutting clutter and lame giveaways, using call letters less, observing what is working in other PPM markets, and applying what they've learned to the station in SD.  Lincoln has just continued to give away cash.  That worked in the diary world.  People report they listen to win cash, but in reality they don't listen as much as they report.  That's where LFM stations that rely heavily on cash contesting are left behind.  The programming and promotions on the stations need to fundamentally change, as the methodology for ratings measurement has changed.

[hdsucks]

BossJock... just listen to the differences between the stations that are surviving well in the PPM world.  i am no expert, but from the little i listen to their stations.... they need a clutter cutter consultant and a smooth flow plan.  you cant afford to hang the listeners with bouncing in and out of commercials, talking, weather, promotions, etc.  they need to keep the music flowing and watch very carefully when they break flow... early ppm research shows this is where you lose the most listeners -- and just from casual observation - they have real problems in this area.

if you look at the stations that are doing well now, they seemed to be aware of this ahead of time and adapted either before or almost immediately when ppm started... lincoln, from what i can tell, hasnt really adapted.

[Jay F]

In regards to KIFM in particular, all Smooth Jazz stations take a big hit in PPM compared to the diary. That is the main reason so many SJ stations have flipped formats over the past year.