When Kestrel9000, who works in the radio business, sounded the alarm with the diary "What the hell is this?: Oppose the performance tax. Save local radio", I sympathized greatly, but as an Atlanta metro resident, felt I had no dog in the fight. Apart from NPR, I found the music stations here pathetic and largely unlistenable (from dull to pure torture), largely a corporate wasteland of focus grouped playlists manufactured by boardrooms at Big Radio and the recording industry. The one station I used to love back in the '90s, 99 X, had gotten a bit tired and finally was taken off the air in January 2008, replaced by Q100, a top 40 radio station. 99 X did not completely die - it went on line for 18 months. And, now, in a truly surprising move to me, is back on the FM dial at 97.9! More below the fold.
There was a reason that 99 X went off the FM dial in the first place, of course. Sean Demery, a former music director at 99 X, made a diagnosis after its demise last January:
After Q100 was added to the Susquehanna Atlanta family, Leslie was upped to oversee both Q100 and 99X and Chris Williams became PD. During this time and in observance of emerging market conditions 99X took a harder male exclusive turn that began to alienate women and alternative lifestyle groups that the station was originally based upon. It was yet another calculated risk that just didn’t pan out. I can honestly say that if I had still been there during that time I might have strayed down that path as well. This new direction put 99X’s sound at odds with itself. In effect, for a time 99X lost its way. This happens to many radio stations as well as branded products in any industry. Once you alienate a treasured listener it is hard to get them back.
By the mid 2000’s, at least three different consultants had their fingers in 99X’s pie. The result of this guidance from three converse advisors was something I call "programming by consensus". By doing this you get a down the middle compromise which ends up not serving any one listener with anything they really want. I’m guessing that it drove Leslie Fram crazy. She’s a smart programmer who had to spend daunting hours in meetings and on conference calls listening to multiple pundits postulate about what the station needed to do. Leslie spent much of 2000’s having to deal with outside help that management wanted as a pacifier, help she didn’t need. What she needed was to be left alone in the same way as when she helped create the station in the first place.
The more unfocused the station became the more the station took on a defensive posture. Defensive posturing is boring. No one throws a punch they just hold their hands in front of their faces and wait for the fight to end... and it has.
One could argue the entire music industry has been stuck in this "defensive posture" since the turn of the century at least, but for 99X it spelled death. For its penance, 99X did not cease to exist entirely, and started webcasting at 99X.com, and has done so for over 18 months. Admittedly, I didn't listen to it, but I think this was a smart move to prepare for its comeback on FM. Competing with Indie rock greats like WOXY.com no doubt did it some good, and it was always ready to switch platforms if the opportunity arose. That moment came along in April this year:
In a surprise move, 99X, the biggest rock station in Atlanta in the 1990s, went back on the FM dial Friday after 15 months online only, this time at 97.9.
Cumulus, which owns Q100 and Rock 100.5, recently took over 97.9, which is called a "translator." It’s a relatively weak in-town signal emanating off the Q100 tower at 250 watts (vs. 100,000 watts for Q100). Even at 250 watts, it can carry reasonably well. Folks in Acworth and Woodstock have been able to hear the station.
"There’s a whole lot of excitement," said Gary Lewis, the general manager. "The day feels different. The sun is back in the sky with 99X back on the air." He noted that 5,500 people joined a Facebook page lamenting the end of the station on the FM dial.
I actually am relieved that the station has a relatively "weak signal". That means a smaller, dare I call it, bluer audience, focusing more on the city and less on exurban or rural Georgia. I have been listening for a couple of hours now. Yes, they are still playing Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins, and Red Hot Chili Peppers, but I also heard new music by artists I hadn't heard before, and the big shocker:
They played "How Soon Is Now" by the Smiths. More of that please, guys, and more eclectic alternative, and I think they can get some loyal listeners beyond the Facebook group. More here about their programming:
Loyal listeners will be instantly be familiar with the format and staff of the station. Atlanta native, BJ Kinard, anchors afternoon drive 3-7pm and also maintains Program Director duties. "This is the station that made me want to get into radio. It’s a very exciting time for me and 99X." says Kinard. 99X station vet, Lewis, is the midday personality from 10am-3pm with Jillian as the night host 7pm to midnight. 99X is bringing back Organic X with Matt "Organic" Jones 7am to 1pm every Sunday.
Programs and features that will continue include "Xposure," featuring new and breaking artists; "Live X", live acoustic band performances in the 99X studio attended by listeners; "Freeloaders," a rewards program for listeners; and "Unplugged in the Park", a Sunday night concert series including Organic X artists. 99X is looking forward to bringing back all the annual benchmark events it has delivered to Atlanta listeners over the years.
Organic, baby!!! And I like that they are doing live concert stuff, which will add culturally to the city. But I also think it comes down to listeners calling in and giving feedback, which is where alt rock Kossak fans in Atlanta come in. This station could go either way: Dullsville or Fabulously Interesting. Given their weak signal, it seems to me they may be given more leeway to experiment. It's up to us to help them go in that direction. I for one will encourage them to play for adults, particularly women, in addition to offering fare for the teenage boy set.
I will end with this caveat: although I am excited I finally have a radio station to tune in on the FM dial (particularly in the car), I'll tell the truth that I am more excited about internet radio which has far more variety. And readers of Kestrel9000's diary need to know an important fact which was not mentioned: Internet radio, along with satellite and cable radio, already pay performance royalty fees. Only terrestrial radio is exempt from these royalties. So I remain conflicted on the issue: I don't want smaller radio stations to die on account of the fees but I also think it is deeply unfair that satellite, cable, and particularly internet radio (who pay the highest fees of all radio platforms) has to carry all the weight while largely corporate terrestrial radio pays nothing (they pay the royalty to writers only, not for the actual performance).
Great Internet Radio
Pandora (Create your own stations!)
Radio Paradise (Awesomely eclectic!)
Somafm (Check out "Groove Salad"!)
WOXY (acclaimed Indie Rock station!)
And so many more . . .
Happy listening in Atlanta (a great break from the crazy wingers shouting at town hall meetings)!