Baltimore: The City That Alternative Forgot

[evolve991]

 Channel104.3 has flipped format to "Charm104.3 Baltimore's Best RnB". Rather than dig deeper into a truly vast format CC insisted on skimming the surface of Modern/Alternative and compounded the problem by simulcasting Elliot in the Morning instead of offering what Baltimores Alternative fans want.....music. CC's Radio104.5 is getting good ratings in a market with several Rock formats. Note that they play music in the AM drivetime. Amazing. Thank You Clear Channel!!! You have proven yourselves as incompetent as CBS and that takes some major stupidity. BALTIMORE YOU HAVE NO ALTERNATIVE!!!!!!!

[Mike]

NOW its top 40

as z104.3 why not just leave the name as channel 104.3 would have been a good fit

[CHRles]

Z-104.3 is here and it sounds great!
It's beyond long overdue that Baltimore finally got back a true blue CHR/Pop station

http://www.z1043.com/mediaplayer/?station=WCHH-FM&action=listenlive&channel_title=

[MarcB]

Thank You Clear Channel!!! You have proven yourselves as incompetent as CBS and that takes some major stupidity. BALTIMORE YOU HAVE NO ALTERNATIVE!!!!!!!

It's not a viable format period. That's why WHFS, WBCN, and K-ROCK (NYC) no longer exist. Ratings were slipping for years on those stations.

CC (and its predecessor) programmed Modern/Alternative Rock on 104.1 in Hartford from 1994-2003 and during much of those 9 years the station's ratings were in the basement. CC flipped it to Urban Contemporary in September 2003 and ratings remained in the basement. Yes they went up slightly but they were still the #9 FM Radio Station in a 9 FM Station market. In October 2007 CC flipped it to Classic Alternative. Ratings remained in the basement. In May 2009 under new ownership of Red Wolf Broadcasting they were flipped back to Modern/Alternative Rock and they still remain in the ratings basement - #9.

[MarcR]

It's not a viable format period.
[/quote]

 What nonsense! When WHTG switched from Alt-Rock to CHR/Pop, its ratings nose-dived! The switch to CHR/Pop in New York by CBS  Radio hasn't exactly made a ratings impact either. Meanwhile, in the realm of music sales, the Modern Rock genre has shown solid growth, while the rhythmic leaning genres (hip hop, R&B, Latin) have all shown substantial drops. And incidentally, 'BCN and K-Rock leaned more Active Rock than Alternative.

[MarcR]

 And I should've added that the Alt-Rock format already performs strongly in Los Angeles, Seattle, Philadelphia, Portland, Oregon, San Diego, Houston, Detroit etc..

[radiojomo]

So sad to see another Alternative casualty. If only they followed the format that makes it successful in other markets...The format isn't like smooth jazz. The format is a viable player in the PPMs, the format makes MONEY but when not programmed correctly, it can turn out into a big mess.

[bgowing]

The radio stations in the Baltimore region lack variety already.  Taking away the only alternative rock station is simply a bad move.  The reason the ratings are low for this station has nothing to do with the type of music, it's the fact that they play the same songs over and over.  I heard the same songs on this station over and over every single day.  There are decades of great alternative rock songs to choose from but they failed to mix it up.  I loved the music but longed for variety.  There was no need to change to another horrible R&B crap pop station, all they needed was a more diverse playlist.  I hope this station flops miserably.  I'll miss Elliot in the morning too....sad day all around.  I think clear channel made a horrible mistake.  Maybe satellite radio is in my future.

[AC Tones]

So sad to see another Alternative casualty. If only they followed the format that makes it successful in other markets...The format isn't like smooth jazz. The format is a viable player in the PPMs, the format makes MONEY but when not programmed correctly, it can turn out into a big mess.

Clear Channel not programming something correctly?  What a shocker?   I agree, guys.  I am a native Baltimorean, and the radio is this town STINKS to high heaven and lacks true variety.  I have to say I am not a huge fan of Adult Alternative/Modern Rock music, and really have never been.  Just not my style.  That said, I do very much appreciate the value of diversity on the radio dial, and Baltimore radio has gotten so vanilla and predictable it is disgusting.  For the record, I AM a Smooth Jazz guy, and the death of the format is directly attributable to poor and unimaginative programming, and shrinking playlists, something Clear Channel excels at unfortunately at the expense of the listeners.  Sure, I concede the format was never a huge moneymaker, but before Clear Channel and corporate radio got it hands on it, it was profitable and had a loyal and passionate base of listeners.  But as you guys know, radio really could care less about listeners these days, and play whatever ad execs and consultants tell them they should play.  The Internet is your haven for well-programmed music.  Seek it out like myself and my listeners have and tell corporate radio to take a hike.

Chris

[CHRles]

And I should've added that the Alt-Rock format already performs strongly in Los Angeles, Seattle, Philadelphia, Portland, Oregon, San Diego, Houston, Detroit etc..

That's great and all but it was NOT performing well in Baltimore. In fact, Hot 99.5 Washington managed to outcume Baltimore's Modern Rocker. It was a no-brainer for Clear Channel to flip one of its properties to CHR/Pop in Baltimore, and with Channel 104.3's lackluster ratings it was a rather obvious choice.