Another QC scenario...

[EnergyDeKalb2]

Ok, so here is another version of what would happen if KUUL was to switch to a Top 40 format....

Cumulus would be forced to compete again with their highest ranked station head on with the people who were running neck and neck with them before.

Cumulus might say they are going to answer what the Quad-Cities wants by putting oldies with a 60's-70's base on Star 93.5. By doing this, those Star listeners will be forced to pick between listening to oldies, not likely, or switching to one of the other stations in town. The most like them would be either Mix 96, which is not really like Star all that much, B100 which is still too far rythmic for star listeners, or the new top 40 on 101.3.
Now clear channel has the best of both worlds, plus they are dumping a potential problem format in the near future, plus they are taking on their competitors top rated station, adding on to their higher rated Mix 96, they look more diversified to the advertiser. They can force buys on the new top 40 when people buy on for WLLR, and no one will stop them since they OWN the market with WLLR anyway.

The people at Cumulus will be forced to try to cross sell oldies, on a new station, with a mostly modern rock station, a country station that is a distant second to the market leader, and a rythmic leaning top 40. While I as a listener would appreciate the variety and enjoy seeing all this new tweaking in the market to possibly make for some interesting radio, I bet Cumulus has no idea what they would do if some scenario like that happened. Plus, they have to spend a lot of money into marketing their new morning show on 97 Rock soon, spend to promote a new oldies station, waste all of the money they spent on trying to build Star, pay out the remaining contract on their syndicated shows on Star, start advertising their top rated station again.

Clear Channel loses out in what way? They dump a huge expense in Dwyer and Michaels, they still have Bob and Tom on the cheap, they dump a format with a short life expectency. They only have to pay to advertise on one station that is new. The others will pick up the remains by just being there.

Please do not take this as a "I have a grudge with Cumulus" as I don't, I think they have more flare in their programming than Clear Channel does. I just would like to see a shake up in the market.

Any other ideas on what might or could happen, and what an affect it would have on the QC market? Thanks!!

[jmohare]

Energy- I think you are right.  You essentially have created the same scenario as I had thought of.  Also, I agree that Cumulus has more flare with their programming; however, when it comes to long term goals and decision making, Cumulus has always come up short.  That's not to say that Clear Channel (or should I say, Citycasters) knows everything about long term goals and business relationships (i.e., Dwyer and Michael's contract negotiations)



By the way, I think a shake up in the Q.C. market will be exciting to see.  Let's find out what happens Monday the 5th!

[EnergyDeKalb2]

You seemed to hint that there would possibly be a shake up in QC radio on the 5th, but nothing happened.
Do you know something the rest of us don't know? If you do, how about a hint?

[icycool7227]

My my EnergyDeKalb, you really want this to happen don't you? I'm not being rude (like a certain someone on American Idol says) but talk to the owners of KUUL if you want something to happen. I highly doubt that some posts by you are going to make them think otherwise about things. If I had it my way, everything would stay the same forever and ever.

[EnergyDeKalb2]

Actually, it will not really affect me in any way if they change their format or not. I just am a huge fan of radio and the QC radio market, for the most part, sucks. I would like to see some changes so something new and fresh will be here in the market, and I like talking about all the different possibilities. It is not often that a station in this market changes formats, and as bad as some of the numbers are on some of the stations, and with losing a station to a non-comm (WHTS last year) there is an option or three these stations will have to face. We all know WLLR and WOC is going nowhere. It would be interesting to see the number 3 station in the market slip and fall in what appears to be an easy change, and see what else happens in the market. With only so many commercial stations, the days of having some competitive radio is limited. So head to head, the only one REALLY going at each other, format wise, is: WLLR and River Country, and to a MUCH lesser extent, Mix 96 and Star 93.5. But their formats are different, it only looks like competition on paper. No top 40 battle, meanwhile places like Springfield (who has 3-4 city grade stations playing similar Top 40 formats) and Cedar Rapids (who is smaller but has Z102.9 and B100 and 92.3 from Cedar Falls) have ongoing battles constantly. 97 Rock versus Q106? No way, different formats. Oldies versus ? No one of course. If it wasn't for the LPFM on 92.5, Urban would be completely unrepresented in this market...Meanwhile we have these AM stations, 88.1 and 98.9 all playing Christian TARGETED (not all are similar, just a couple) formats, plus there is some off the wall LPFM no one has even mentioned on here before, 107.9.

[radiohost40]

Does 107.9 air any local programming? From what I know, I think it just airs satellite programming. I thought LP-FM's are required to air local programming. I saw there's an LP-FM on 102.7...looks like another religious station.