Can WRRK-FM be saved (A Pittsburgh radio rant)
pmin...@yahoo.com
Can WRRK be saved?
Anyone,who happens to be a radio fan will note that classic rock is
usually a last resort format for a station that's dying. It was true when
WXKR-FM in Toledo reverted back to classic rock after dying as an adult
alternative station. It was even more true when WRRK (then known as 97 Rock)
was on the verge of extinction when WLTJ bought the station and reverted it
back to the classic rock predicessor of WMYG-FM "Magic 97."
For one thing,the station bought in personalities that would bring its ID
even more into Pittsburgh's airwaves. You had the brashness and the boldness
of Jude Sheets in the afternoon drive.Apart from Stern,Paulson and Krenn and
to a lesser extent,Doug Hoerth,how many jocks would bring in touring adult
film starlets who were performing at the local strip joints? (The brashness
earned Jude honors as the best afternoon personality in the market) You have
Rob Allen mixing in the classic rock with some local groups. In addition you
also have Jim Quinn,who became the new pin-up boy for paranoid Republicans.
Quinn's morning show was so much of a threat to KDKA's AM dominance that they
had an audience with him,according to insider skinny. Add to that the inspired
programming that allowed classic rock staples,left-field classic tracks and
new material from classic rock artists to co-exsist. WRRK was a semi-decent
classic rock station.
But something happened. I have been observing from the posts in the
messageboard that Quinn was lambasting programming over bad decisions made.
(and they do say that you have to keep the star happy or they will walk)There
was messages that stated that Jude Sheets has lost his edge in the afternoons.
And the inspired mix that made WRRK somewhat listenable? It's no longer
there,it's the usual classic rock suspects. So what's going on with WRRK? Have
they went back to complacency? Have they gone "soft"(a Ferrall-ism)?
From what I was able to suss out,the blame could be pointed in the
direction of their new PDer who replaced Bill Knight (now doing weekends at
3WS). They say that he came from Louisville where he had sparkling credentials
in the rock format. People were expecting him to create a miracle. WRRK,with
fierce competition from WZPT-FM (The Point) needed one.
WRRK could have done several things in order to keep their name in the
radio marketplace. The biggest one could have been that they could have taken
slight digs at WDVE-FM because WDVE became the new radio home of the Penguins
and due to an influx of local sportscasters and sports scribes coming in on
Paulson and Krenn's show. (i.e. John Steigerwald,John Fedko,Stan Savaran, Guy
Junker(these two also do a sports-talk show on Sundays as well as appearing
drive-time with Sean),etc. Another sportscaster, Alby Oxenreiter appears with
Michelle Michaels,who follows P&K middays)
WRRK could have done that and also went a little more after WZPT.
However,that strategy isn't paying off as WZPT is becoming the classic rock
station of choice in Pittsburgh. If WRRK wants to be around still,they really
need to let their DJs have fun and get loose. Let Jude be Jude, Let Quinn be
Quinn (or whatever,don't put him in a room with Lynn Cullen).
If WRRK stays steadfast and not make any changes to regain form. I really
think that WZPT should snare Sheets for the afternoons. (and with CBS's
backing,make him a possible heir apparent to Stern) I also think that WPTT
should consider hiring Quinn for the mornings,which would easily strengthen
their identity in Pittsburgh. (I also think that he would make a perfect foil
for Cullen at the station-btw the station has a token local conservative:Ruth
Ann Baker).
As for WRRK,they should just jettison the format for harder rock or wait
untill a new owner(i.e. Jacor) comes in with the big bucks. I don't think
that the current owners can keep with the big boys. It's hard to take on the
big boys in local radio (Chancellor/ CBS) when you don't have a lot of money.
In the case of WRRK,it's sad but true.
Those are the musings I have, you're free to answer them in the Rant
Board.
Check out the Pittsburgh Media Insider website at
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"If they only knew my secret"
webmaster,Dennard Summers Pittsburgh Media Insider
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Tim Brown
pmin...@yahoo.com writes:
> As for WRRK,they should just jettison the format for harder rock or wait
>untill a new owner(i.e. Jacor) comes in with the big bucks. I don't think
>that the current owners can keep with the big boys. It's hard to take on the
>big boys in local radio (Chancellor/ CBS) when you don't have a lot of money.
>In the case of WRRK,it's sad but true.
I think they should donate the station to me, so it can be run right.
But nooooo! They'll never do anything that sensible!
--
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Read THE LAST WORD before the Kenton County Public LIEbrary censors it!
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Jay Hawk
pmin...@yahoo.com wrote:
>
> Can WRRK be saved?
> Anyone,who happens to be a radio fan will note that classic rock is
> usually a last resort format for a station that's dying.
Aw, say it ain't so. Next, you'll probably say Little Jimmy Roach is on
a country music station.
Maybe the success or failure of the format depends on how it's
presented. In San Antonio, KZEP leads the ratings with a top-notch
classic rock format. During the Winston and Alice (Ian) morning drive
time show, the humor sometimes gets a little raunchy, but it's always
mature and never vulgar. As a matter of fact, all of the KZEP
personalities remain a cut above the others I've heard. Hell, they
still play Flashback (produced by Dan Fomento--formerly of WDVE, if my
memory is correct) on Sunday mornings, and the King Biscuit Flour Hour
in the evenings. Geez, they make me feel like a teenager again.
KRZZ in Wichita, KS, has stayed true to it's classic rock roots for
years. However, they usually play head-banger stuff in the evenings.
You can listen to this station right on the net, but I listened to it in
Wichita before the internet was widespread. They're still one of the
best stations in the midwest, and they remain commercially successful.
Anyway,
Long live rock.....
Dave Perrussel
On Sun, 03 May 1998 13:26:50 -0600, pmin...@yahoo.com wrote:
>Can WRRK be saved?
From your ranting and raving, it sounds like you either work for a competitor
for WRRK and can't wait for them to be sold or you work for them and are
disatisfied with them.
It is still a good station. As for your claim that "classic rock is for a
station is about to die" is simply NOT true. Maybe in that case you said, but
not in Classic Rock stations in general. I spend quite a bit of time in
Washington DC and they have a great Classic Rock station (WARW 94.7 Bethesda,
MD) and it is a ratings winner.
Maybe the PD should be fired and maybe let the jocks be themselves - but is that
alone the problem? Maybe less commericals and less talk - like WZPT. Their
conecpt is simple - play the music and shut the heck up. I don't see most
stations (including WRRK) adopting that format.
With that in mind, I wait for comments
Tom Pendergast
Dave Perrussel wrote:
9snip)
> Maybe the PD should be fired and maybe let the jocks be themselves - but is that
> alone the problem? Maybe less commericals and less talk - like WZPT. Their
> conecpt is simple - play the music and shut the heck up. I don't see most
> stations (including WRRK) adopting that format.
The concept of "more music, less talk" is a little mind game that's
been played by radio stations since the beginning of time, and will
probably go on forever.
If you think about it, when do you hear these claims being made by
stations??? For the first few months after they've made a format
change! If they were totally homest ...
Uhhh, we changed formats, so we had to let our old advertisers
out of their contracts and commitments, so we don't have a
damned thing in the way of paid commercials to play right now,
so uhhhh, here's uhhhhh, some more music! That's it! -- MORE
MUSIC! And, uhhhh we haven't hired any new jocks yet, so uhhhh,
LESS TALK! Yeah, that's the ticket, MORE MUSIC, LESS TALK!,
LESS COMMERCIALS!...
And as the new sales fore gradually start to sell a few spots and
a few on-air personalities are rounded up, the claims start to
quietly issapear...
But I digress ... I think WRRK is selling some more commercial time
these days (at least they are during Quinn) and that may be what is
getting peoples' shorts in a knot.
--
Tom Pendergast
Proud to be called a "Conservative Republican".
Any "Liberals" out there?... I didn't think so.
pmin...@yahoo.com
In article <3552853...@news.clark.net>#1/1,
bbsc...@juno.com (Dave Perrussel) wrote:
>
> On Sun, 03 May 1998 13:26:50 -0600, pmin...@yahoo.com wrote:
>
> >Can WRRK be saved?
>
> From your ranting and raving, it sounds like you either work for a
competitor
> for WRRK and can't wait for them to be sold or you work for them and are
> disatisfied with them.
>
errr...WRONG,while I used to work in radio (primarily in the midwest),I own
no alleigence to any radio clique in Pittsburgh. I still stand by my
contention that if a certain format dies due to ratings,classic rock or
oldies is THE LAST resort for a station. With a few exceptions,there's no
imagination to the format it's the X amount of songs played per 5 hours.
> It is still a good station. As for your claim that "classic rock is for a
> station is about to die" is simply NOT true. Maybe in that case you said,
but
> not in Classic Rock stations in general. I spend quite a bit of time in
> Washington DC and they have a great Classic Rock station (WARW 94.7
Bethesda,
> MD) and it is a ratings winner.
>
> Maybe the PD should be fired and maybe let the jocks be themselves - but is
that
> alone the problem? Maybe less commericals and less talk - like WZPT. Their
> conecpt is simple - play the music and shut the heck up. I don't see most
> stations (including WRRK) adopting that format.
>
You gotta have money to promote your station adequately. apart from Quinn,I
haven't seen RRK do so with other jocks. I still think that WRRK is a target
for a broadcasting company to hit the market (i.e. Jacor, Cumulus,etc.) and
pump money into the station. I don't think that Saul Frischling can do that
decently when you axe your news and sports anchors in favor of a "canned"
service.
Dennard Summers
(former WXUT air ace/ freelance media writer)
webmaster,Pittsburgh Media Insider
http://www.geocities.com/TelevisionCity/Set/7010
David Radin
pmin...@yahoo.com wrote:
> Anyone,who happens to be a radio fan will note that classic rock is
>usually a last resort format for a station that's dying.
When I first came to Pittsburgh in the early eighties, there were several
stations that would probably have been classified as part of the genre --
most of which have undergone either modest or major programming changes in
the ensuing years. From what I've seen of the radio industry during the
past 2+ decades, the real motivator for format selection is not so much that
the format needs to be changed or that the station is or is not profitable.
It usually comes from new management or new owners who think they need to
make their mark.
In the Pgh market, we've seen plenty of movement as ownership has
consolidated in several large companies purchasing clusters of stations to
bring down costs (with in some cases little or no programming changes). But
that's not the only cause.
Take KDKA, WDVE, and WTAE, for instance.
WDVE recently pulled the Penguins broadcasts from another station owned by
the same management group. Does it really fit the format? There's
certainly an arguement to be made for the fact that sports programming
interrupts the flow of standard fare on this highly rated station. But
sports programming pulls in additional revenue -- even though it may cause
actual ratings to shrink. Look at WTAE. Although they've been thought of
for many years as Pgh's sports station, they have recently added a bunch of
sports hours and now have recast themselves as all sports. Yet, there's a
gardening show, a financial show, and my computer/Internet show on weekends,
as well as hot talk during the morning hours. Many of us are still waiting
to see what the final fate of WTAE will be; but until we know, we have an
"all-sport" station that costs less to run, and brings in a fair amount of
dollars per listener -- which in itself is "a sports thing". So WTAE will
probably continue to bill itself as all-sports.
KDKA during the past two years has had three changes of programming
leadership (including interim PDs). Most listeners haven't noticed that the
station's programming has changed. But it has. It has added a significant
amount of news content while losing talk hours. The clock has changed too.
So -- is WRRK pulling a last resort move. I doubt it. There are a lot more
first resort moves in radio programming than there are last resort moves.
;-)
DRR
David Radin
ra...@x-insiderradio.com (remove x- to send personal mail)
host, "Internet Insider with David Radin" -- Radio with Byte!
A syndicated radio show -- available on a broadstation near you (or via
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http://www.insiderradio.com
LazerAce
Dave Perrussel wrote in message <3552853...@news.clark.net>...
>On Sun, 03 May 1998 13:26:50 -0600, pmin...@yahoo.com wrote:
>
>>Can WRRK be saved?
I'm not EXACTLY sure what's going on here. But, I listen to the radio quite
a bit. Two stations only WDVE & WRRK. I listen to Scott Paulsen and Jim
Krenn every morning, I like to start my day (or end my day, nightshift)
lightheartedly, with some new laughs. Sometimes I get a little tired of DVE
playing comedy cuts all the time, or the same songs, but this only happens
cause I listen to them quite a bit. So, I'll change it over to RRK, it's
funny cause they play different kind of classic rock during different hours
of the day. During the day and evening they play upbeat music, stuff that
gets your toes tappin' and sing along type stuff. Then they mellow out
later in the night to Pink Floyd and more mellow stuff. Which is a fine
format. What they don't play is some of the newer stuff DVE plays which I
want to hear every once in a while. RRK is doing fine, it also depends on
how old you are as well, DVE is pretty much all ages, that's why I think
the ratings are so high for them. RRK is more for an older group of people,
the X is more for a younger group. The Point...I don't know what the hell
they are trying to do. I don't know if this shed's any light on the
subject, but I think Pittsburgh has a great set of radio stations. I know
the competition is fierce and I also know the job market is fierce in
broadcasting as well.
Eric
Ronald R. Funk Jr.
acting as if:
Paul Long is still an anchor; Sophie Masloff is still Mayor;Bubby
Brister is still the QB;Ronald Reagan is still Prez;The Pens are still
exciting;
Sounds like a couple of Stanley P. Kachowski,Booger Smoot, Ben
Klinkston, Buddy and Buddy Howard Stern wannabees.