Recent Comments
Re: “High expectations and low ratings (so far) at WDUQ”
Big shock,
I wonder how the station where the music matters (as long as it is whiney pseudo top 40) fared this period?
Posted by
jvp
on 08/15/2011 at 8:04 PM
Re: “Mugged: The deal for WDUQ could leave employees and jazz fans feeling robbed”
markdaniels1010 really?
WYEP (except for 2 partial days a week)is a adult alternative format- based pre-programmed pseudo top 40 station that has very little to do with its community based origins ( I remember back in the day when they used to actually not have play lists)
Posted by
jvp
on 03/01/2011 at 11:40 AM
Re: “High expectations and low ratings (so far) at WDUQ”
For their model to work EPM does not just need to maintain audience, they need to grow, quite a bit. All that talk about doubling the numbers was not just pie in the sky, they need to raise their audience to pay for all that NPR programming, which is a lot more expensive than locally produced jazz, so status quo does make ends meet. Now on the other hand, they may have it in their heads(somewhat cynically), that their target audience for NPR talk is a more well heeled than DUQ's previous audience and that they will generate more in fundraising and corporate underwriting per listener (yeah these guys are true champions of public nonprofit radio) so they do not need to grow that fast. Where I think they could fall short is their overestimation of potential new listeners, I believe those people where already listening and supporting WDUQ, and this magical audience of potential listeners who did not support the station already and they can attract with their talk radio format, is really a lot smaller than they think. While they might attract a few new listeners and maintain others, it will not offset all the jazz fans that they basically ticked off and pretty much lost permanently (Myself included). Just my opinion of course but we will see. I imagine they worked some operating cash into the mix from their new owners in order to help them through their initial roll out period, but if these numbers don’t start to really grow after 18-24 months you are going to have to wonder where that funding is going to come from. If it does play out this way, they can in, a small part, thank that clown for writing such an antagonizing op-ed piece.