Station Rivalries

[Michael1973]

I'm sure this has been discussed here before, but I couldn't find the thread.  Does anyone here think this need for stations to prove themselves superior has gotten out of hand?

One of the local AC stations runs constant promos, citing a certain other AC station and pointing out all their flaws.  The latest one I heard said, "Last hour, WXXX played 14 commercials and broke for ads 3 times.  WE only did blah, blah, blah..."

On top of that, this station can't go more than 10 minutes without a DJ repeating the same word for word self-plug for all their terrific features.

The worst part?  This station has perhaps the tightest playlist in the entire listening area.  I've heard they have so few songs in their music library that it's impossible to go 24 hours without a repeat.  The station they keep slamming has a much wider selection.  Makes me nuts.

Any thoughts?

[EvanJ]

Are you talking about WEZN talking about WEBE (because I've heard that)? You can PM me the answer if you don't want to post it.

[tico]

In Atlanta, the two AC stations try to bill themselves as being the #1 station to listen to at work. They even have these long music streaks in the A.M. hours. I think WSB-FM has two hours of music commercial starting at 9. I can't remember how much WLTM does.

[Love Plastic Love]

I have two alternative stations who fight. One is a newer, younger type station and the other one has been around forever and caters to a slightly different crowd.
The newer station does most of the bashing-it seems like every commercial break has some ad about how they think the other station is boring. What makes me mad is sometimes they bash good artists saying that only grandmas listen to them.
(I would give examples of the artists but for the life of me, its slipped my mind who they said that pissed me off)

[Michael1973]

Yes, Evanj.  Those are the stations in question.  I used to like WEZN, but now I think they've gotten way out of hand with the WEBE-bashing.  Not to mention what I found out about their playlist.

Interestingly, the stations that golden eagle boy mentions in Atlanta sound almost identical to the ones I mentioned here in Connecticut.  It's starting to bother me how stations can't think for themselves anymore, and that they're all carbon copies of each other.

[EvanJ]

Well to compare Bridgeport and Atlanta AC stations:
Atlanta: WSB-FM (Cox) and WLTM (Clear Channel)
Bridgeport: WEZN (Cox) and WEBE (Cumulus)
WSB-FM and WEZN are both owned by Cox and neither is on the AC panel.

[Michael1973]

I can't speak for the Atlanta station, but I can tell you exactly why WEZN isn't on the AC panel.  They hardly play any current music.  I am not exagerrating when I tell you they don't add more than 3 or 4 new songs to their playlist per year.  They have same exact playlist from month to month and from year to year.  That's one of the reasons I've lost faith in them, and also why I'm ticked off that they're the ones bashing the competition.

[reception]

KRTR Honolulu, a Cox station just like WEZN is also VERY slow in playing current music. I'm beginning to think the Cox AC stations sound alike.

[jimmy74747]

Michael1973 said:

but I can tell you exactly why WEZN isn't on the AC panel.  They hardly play any current music. 

This from a radio station that claims to be soft and contemporary. Talk about misleading advertising.

[tico]

CONCACAF said:

WSB-FM and WEZN are both owned by Cox and neither is on the AC panel.

WSB-FM not on the AC panel? Since when?

[tico]

Love said:

I have two alternative stations who fight. One is a newer, younger type station and the other one has been around forever and caters to a slightly different crowd.
The newer station does most of the bashing-it seems like every commercial break has some ad about how they think the other station is boring. What makes me mad is sometimes they bash good artists saying that only grandmas listen to them.
(I would give examples of the artists but for the life of me, its slipped my mind who they said that pissed me off)

Almost sounds like the two alternative stations in San Diego. When KBZT changed to alternative two years ago, they immediately started going after the heritage station 91X. KBZT (FM 94/9) plays a lot of nu-wave and older alternative music and bills itself as a adult alternative to the younger-leaning 91X. 94/9 also distinguishes itself as not being corporate-driven since 91X is managed by Clear Channel. (For the record, since 91X is a Mexican-licensed station, Clear Channel cannot outright own the station)

[Michael1973]

reception said:

KRTR Honolulu, a Cox station just like WEZN is also VERY slow in playing current music. I'm beginning to think the Cox AC stations sound alike.

I'm inclined to agree with you. I was travelling in Virginia back in August and I heard a station there that was literally a carbon copy of WEZN. Same announcers, same features, same catchphrases, you name it.

And not only are they extremely slow to add new music, their selection of older songs remains unchanged from one year to the next. They may be considered AC, but the stagnancy of the playlist rivals most Classic Rock stations.

[EvanJ]

golden said:

WSB-FM not on the AC panel? Since when?

www.mmr247.com/mmrweb/AllAccess/Panels.asp?format=a1R lists WLTM but not WSB-FM. I don't remember WSB-FM being on the panel any time recently. WSB-FM is on the a1m panel though.