New Q100 positioning: 10-in-a-row!

[caller10]

I was listening to Q100 this morning during Tracy St. George's midday daypart, did I hear her say (I'm paraphrasing) ... "we're in the middle of ten-in-a-row, ten-in-a-row every hour on Q100!" ??  And did I hear an image sweeper say something like "You get Bert Show in the morning and ten-in-a-row all day".Wow!  What an original idea!  That's the most unique original positioning I've ever heard on a CHR station.  Ten-in-a-row!  Row row row your boat.  Cumulus, this station is going down fast.It gets worst ... 2pm top-of-the-hour: "Hi it's Bert and let's do this thing!  Let's kick off ten-in-a-row now!"It's over.  It's really over.

[RoddyFreeman]

I respectfully disagree.  Most Atlanta listeners don't hear CHR stations in other markets.  I've been thinking they should stake the more-music position and felt they finally took a step in the right direction with their "Now back to the music faster" sweeper that they were running in the past couple of months.  After hearing "Now with a bigger, more powerful, clearer signal" 10 times an hour for the past 7 months, I think the time is right to move on.

[caller10]

Actually Roddy I'm kinda of being a bit of a devil's advocate in my position ..... it might be a good move .... since I understand Star throughout the 90s staked a claim with only stopping the music twice an hour.  And now particually in afternoons with Cindy & Ray my impression of Star is that it doesn't come across as music intensive in the afternoons.    Can Cumulus actually keep the spot inventory under control so Q100's two spot sets an hour aren't the spot sets from hell?  It's just that I've been hearing "xx in a row" since the 80s .... after all these years there's nothing new in this industry. I'm just making fun of it since it sounds lame.  Or maybe because it's Cumulus. 

[caller10]

I can't put a finger on it ... music sounds different. ... and a shotgun jingle without any additional imaging.  Sounds like Q is mixing it up a bit.  And now Geller can't stop the music for ten songs and has to fit his bits during the intros of songs only.now at about 6:36 pm ... a stright seq from music into traffic ... then Geller talks for like THREE SECONDS max to intro Tracy from The Bert Show at a remote. Sounds like the new OM is really tightening things up.Comments?

[RoddyFreeman]

Dylan is a smart guy.  But personally I felt Q100 has been too "junked up," too many things happening at once.  And the endless "bigger, more powerful, clearer" was a part of that.  Yes, that should have been promoted in a big way.  But 10 times an hour along with a bunch of other stuff being promoted?  I even felt that Jamie Massey on the afternoon drive show added to the clutter.  It seems that outside of morning, the top-rated CHR's make music the star.  I like the "all the hits" positioning.  But a clean, more music sound should go along with that.  I do love the jingle package.

[caller10]

killer jingles yes indeed.  Some of the best jingles IMHO since some the Jam packages of the mid 80s through early 90s.  Including the top of hour bed, which only Geller had something formatic where he spoke live on it.   Of course the only problem is Geller had like a nine minute image voice produced lead in! Otherwise, it's been the bed for Q's top-of-the-hour production (with the image voice) for a little while now. http://www.reelworld.com/flashindex.php?station=106However, I will stand by my orginal post in one respect.  If I'm the air talent or PD and I've had this free reign (call it clutter) ... for a long while .... and a new OM and say maybe a new consultant come in as outsiders and tighten things up ..... I think I'm feeling a little constrained right now.Notice, no hourly entertainment buzz (middays voiced by Jen Hobby) ... then in afternoons voiced live by Dylan and Jamie (ie... clutter??)Does anyone notice any changes on the Bert Show yet?  Sounds like Cumulus is at least committed to it ..... afterall with "Bert Show in the mornings and ten-in-a-row every hour" .... the Bert Show is even more intregrated into the core positioning of Q100.  Heck, even some of these things might "effect Q100". 

[RoddyFreeman]

Geller is the one personality who could have a problem with this.  Geller is an entertainer, and I like him for that; there's aren't many entertainers left on radio.  But at times I'd wish music were playing.

[TheMusicMan]

ARE YOU SERIOUS?The Cumulus head honchos do not have a bone of originality in their bodies. This positioning has their stamp of corporate approval all over it, as some of their other CHR's are using the exact same bull. (Z102-Savannah, Hot 101-Youngstown as examples). They've upped the power spins (Temperature was spun 100x this week - great). Only a matter of time before their playlist mirrors those of Clueless' other CHR's (they're on their way actually, they just randomly added Rob Thomas' "Ever The Same", a song that's completely done), I suppose. I thought their music could use some more spice before... but come on.As for Geller, IMO he's one of the station's strong points right now. I've enjoyed his stuff since his days at KZHT-Salt Lake City. (And before you ask, no, I'm not Geller). I don't think I like that they're limiting him, but I'm not shocked. And caller10, should I assume that your note that Jenn Hobby is doing mid-days was a goof, or is Tracy St. George off? Also, I'll agree regarding the jingles - they sound awesome on the Q. I've always been a fan of Q100's imaging. Have there been many changes in that regard since their Imaging Director departed as part of the cuts earlier this month?Any other changes enacted recently? I'm interested in hearing about it. Q100 - er, All The Hits Q100 - has always been a favorite of mine in Atlanta, and I'm not big on the idea of Cumulus screwing them up.

[caller10]

you write:"And caller10, should I assume that your note that Jenn Hobby is doing mid-days was a goof, or is Tracy St. George off? "_____________________________________________________________________________________________Jenn Hobby never did did middays and doesn't now. TSG is middays.  Q100 did do as a formatic element "Entertainment Buzz" as a lead-in to the top-of-the-hour.  Jenn Hobby voiced it (recorded) 11am - 2pm; I think Dylan did "Entertainment Buzz" live.  Jenn Hobby is still Jenn Hobby of The Bert Show.  I cannot believe that Cumulus is going to dump the exact same programming on a CHR in market 10 as they do in say market 125.    But I will predict that the era of contests on Q100 that require callers to try to guess what inadament object is making a sound (for days on end) has come to an end ... and we'll be seeing something like Star 94's Birthday Cash or 955 The Beat's Beat The Buzzer.I can hear it now ....."When Q100 calls out a number from 50 to 200, be caller 100 at 404-741-1005.  If that number matches your pulse recorded at your last physical at your doctor's office, you win $10,005!  If you've got a beating heart and a pulse, you can win cash."

[TheMusicMan]

Jenn Hobby never did did middays and doesn't now. TSG is middays.  Q100 did do as a formatic element "Entertainment Buzz" as a lead-in to the top-of-the-hour.  Jenn Hobby voiced it (recorded) 11am - 2pm; I think Dylan did "Entertainment Buzz" live.  Jenn Hobby is still Jenn Hobby of The Bert Show. 

My bad. I can actually understand why they would yank the top-of-hour Entertainment Buzz, that sounded a little goofy to me - maybe before a stopset, but coming out of a song, talking for a minute into the top of hour jingle/ID, into another song...that's too much, especially every hour. But why was Hobby doing it in the first place? It's not as if TSG is incapable of doing something like that. Guess it's irrelevant now.LOL @ your "pulse number" contest idea. It would be a shame for Q100 to flush its promotions down the toilet, as they've always been good in my opinion, but who knows at this point.Oh, and by the way...

It gets worst ... 2pm top-of-the-hour: "Hi it's Bert and let's do this thing!  Let's kick off ten-in-a-row now!"It's over.  It's really over.

WHAT??First off...why is voiceover Bert coming on? Why not let the current jock intro it, since it appears they're being limited anyway? And "Let's do this thing"?!? WTF? How cheesy! Finally, does doing it at the top of the hour imply that they'll have two stopsets at the bottom of the hour, right near each other? Great! Makes *perfect* sense!