February PPM

[carolinaradio]

Looking at the latest PPM, K-104.7 seems to be getting a bigger lead over Lite, who looks to almost be withering away after Christmas.  Quite a change from last year.  What's happening to Lite?  Now it looks like they're the AC to watch for changes.  Is it the music?  Air talent?  Delilah? 

Channel was down a bit but still maintaining a lead over Kiss.

[Johnny Caudle]

What's happening to Lite?

It's not Lite. The music doesn't match the name.

[carolinaradio]

I don't think that's hurting them.  106.7 Lite FM in NYC is a top performing station and their playlist is much more upbeat than 102.9's.

[Mike Sheridan]

I don't think that's hurting them.  106.7 Lite FM in NYC is a top performing station and their playlist is much more upbeat than 102.9's.

For years I heard about the great 106.7 Lite FM in NYC.  Then I heard them when XM started carrying them.  All I can say is if that's what you call upbeat.... I thought it was bland and uninteresting music.

[carolinaradio]

I don't think that's hurting them.  106.7 Lite FM in NYC is a top performing station and their playlist is much more upbeat than 102.9's.

For years I heard about the great 106.7 Lite FM in NYC.  Then I heard them when XM started carrying them.  All I can say is if that's what you call upbeat.... I thought it was bland and uninteresting music.

They've gone considerably more upbeat in the past year or two, but then again, more AC's are sounding like them, so maybe they don't stand out as much.  I don't find them that great sounding either, but you can't argue with their success.

I just wish one of the AC's in Charlotte would go classic hits.  It's such a wide open void.  Does the market really need 3 AC stations?  Or even 2? 

[Mike Sheridan]

I can argue with their success... If you like Soft A/C there really isn't much to choose from.  They are all chasing the younger demos which I understand, not that I like it.

It would be interesting to see what a soft A/C would do in the ratings up against these stations.  I hear very little of the music Lite played back in the '90's.  There was an abrupt change a few years ago.

I have no research to back this up but I can't be the only one who feels this way.  It wouldn't have to be Classic Hits but that might work too.  All I can say is for years I was an avid radio listener, now I rarely listen.  There isn't much on the radio that I like anymore. A bit like losing a friend I've always had.

[wpb1999]

I can argue with their success... If you like Soft A/C there really isn't much to choose from.  They are all chasing the younger demos which I understand, not that I like it.

It would be interesting to see what a soft A/C would do in the ratings up against these stations.  I hear very little of the music Lite played back in the '90's.  There was an abrupt change a few years ago.

I have no research to back this up but I can't be the only one who feels this way.  It wouldn't have to be Classic Hits but that might work too.  All I can say is for years I was an avid radio listener, now I rarely listen.  There isn't much on the radio that I like anymore. A bit like losing a friend I've always had.

I think you take the WMGC/Soft Rock 105.1 Detroit approach, and go mainly 70s-80s-90s, with "soft rock and DRAMATICALLY LESS TALK" 

[carolinaradio]

There's been a long discussion on the AC board about why "soft music" isn't played anymore.  There have been a lot of different cases made, that make sense.  I'm no expert, but I understand why it isn't played much anymore.

I enjoy "soft" music, as well, but I've resigned to the fact that the only place I can hear it is on the 70s-early 90s "soft" station I created on Pandora.com.  Actually, the last time I was through Charlotte, I found Lite to still be the softest of the 3 AC's.  That's not saying much, but what I observed.  No market needs 3 stations playing the same format, especially something like AC.  It's an ongoing battle between 'KQC and 'LYT that never produces a clear winner.

[carolinaradio]

Maybe it's too soon to suggest something like this, but maybe WLYT should "re-invent" itself and go in a direction like WMYI/Greenville or WNIC/Detroit?  Both were heritage CC AC's that were past their prime and, in WMYI's case, had settled in to low numbers and had become the second-rate AC.  WMYI has more of a "Fresh" AC format, and WNIC is more of a conservative Hot AC. 

I mean, being the lowest rated of 3 AC's and in 11th place isn't good.  I'm just surprised that of the 3, it's 'LYT that's struggling.  Heck, maybe classic hits could end up there someday.

[CrazeeCarroll1]

OK Call me CRAZEE, but with CC jumping on the classic hits bandwagon if Lite continues to drop... Robert Murphy was let go from Rewind 100... Here is an idea and I know it is a long shot since they ditched the format from magic, but bring Murphy in to do mornings and shift from AC to Classic Hits... Like I say it is a long shot, but hey anything is possible...