WHTG is dead, long live Indie 103

Right on the heels of the KDLE flip, WHTG throws in the towel and drops Alternative for CHR/Pop. The new brand is "Jersey's Hit Music Connection - Hits 106." It's not their own recipe, it's just a feed from Dial Global. In other words, there are no DJs.

It's interesting that the only two sets of simulcasting alternative stations flipped really at the same time. KDLE simulcast on KDLD and WHTG simulcasts on WBBO. Of course neither station really acheived heritage status. WHTG only had it's last shake up in 2007 as G-Rock radio. Before that in 2005 they retooled again dropped the G-106.3 brand in February 2005 to become G-Rock in the first place. Furthermore, that wasn't long-lived either, that format was only born out of the Press Communications buy out in 2000. Press bought WHTG in 2000, dropped the modern rock format and had retooled the playlist for a female leaning alt-rock.
WHTG seemed determined to tweak their playlist into a working rock format. It just never happened. KDLD by comparison was outright volatile. Their indie 103 playlist was born in December of 2003 droping a flaccid dance format in the process. But that dance format hadn't been around even a full year. The previous january it had ditched "Super Estrella" a Spanish Con brand that ironicly was just retired permanently by Entravision in favor of "Jose FM."

The last song they played was "Le Disko" by Shiny Toy Gun. The song ended with an unexpected flip much like the Indie 103 approach. It's very very breif. But I understand why. There's nearly no hope of taking for audience with you. The demographics are very different. So there's little cause for playlist evolution, or any sort of gentle segue. It's like pulling off a band aid, except you also fire all the airstaff.

KDLE is dead, long live KDLE

At 10:00 am on January 15th the radio station known as Indie 103 KDLE (and simulcast KDLD) began stunting. normal programming ended and they played the song "My Way" as recorded by Frank Sinatra. Then came the announcement. Audio below.

It goes something like this:

"This is an important message for the Indie 103.1 Radio Audience -Indie 103.1 will cease broadcasting over this frequency effective immediately. Because of changes in the radio industry and the way radio audiences are measured, stations in this market are being forced to play too much Britney, Puffy and alternative music that is neither new nor cutting edge. Due to these challenges, Indie 103.1 was recently faced with only one option -to play the corporate radio game..."

The claim is spurious. Idolator had a pretty good article somewhat debunking the claim. But here's the basic facts. For the last year KDLE has had a 0.4 share on average, and peaked at a 0.6 share. With the launch of PPM they've dropped to a literal 0.0 share. The numeral is real. The claims against PPM are iffy.

Complaints that the PPM system relies on too small a sample are also sketchy. The entire LA market relies on a sample of 2,800 meters. A couple state attorney generals have sued over similar complaints. But the truth is that the diary system while it may have provided a larger sample it was a bad sample. It was error prone, and biased. The system's basic function relied on human memory and honesty. once the raw data is that flawed, no amount of sampling, skewing, averaging or auditing can fix it.

Nobody claims the diary data was better, only that it was different. Inevitably the complaints of the PPM system are stations who have lost market share. The accuracy gap between the two is better gauged by Nate Silver than any of the office weasels currently making bald statements. (Please save us Nate!) the history of ratings data shows the same reaction. Every time the data improves, someone complains. That someone is whoever's ratings went down.

My problem is with this phrase "Because of changes in the radio industry and the way radio audiences are measured." That's crap. A 0.4 share is nothing to be proud of. The ratings were bad, they got worse. A 0.4 share is the stake in the ground they're defending in the face of PPM. Only 5 stations rank below it in the most recent book: three religious talkers, a spanish sports talker, and a country station in an adjacent market. That said, I quite enjoy the format. I just don't delude myself into thinking that it's popular enough to be commercially viable.

****UPDATE 01-19-09****

You didn't think I'd stop there did you? On the 16th just minutes before midnight, Indie 103 made the big switch, ending a year of alternative rock for "El Gato" a Regional Mexican playlist. With the demographics of the metro it inevitably will outperform Indie 103, but it's a sad day nonetheless. The only question that remains for me is whether of not it will survive online. In prior years Y100 and WOXY have tried to survive online to mixed results.

I will however give them points for the most abrupt flip ever. They played "Gimmie Gimmie" by Black Flag then after a quick noise effect and a couple samples BANG it was all tuba and espanol. Audio below: