THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, July 11, 1994 TAG: 9407110228
SECTION: BUSINESS WEEKLY PAGE: 10 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Cover Story
LENGTH: Long : 171 lines
After vanquishing all comers in the Hampton Roads country music radio field since signing on in 1954, WCMS is facing perhaps its most formidable challenger yet. Always widely influential - its former general manager, Irvine Hill, was Norfolk's mayor between 1974 and 1976 - the locally owned station is now up against former Top 40 giant WGH-FM.
Since switching to what it calls ``New Country'' in 1991, WGH, one of three country stations owned by Susquehanna Radio Corp., has seen its fortunes rise.
In a recent Arbitron Trend report covering February, March and April, WGH ranked No. 2 with 7.5 percent of listeners over 12, barely edging out rival WCMS, which landed No. 3 with 7.2 percent. Among those between the ages of 25 and 54, a prime listener demographic, WGH was at No. 1, while WCMS tied for third place with '70s nostalgia vault WAFX-FM.
With the combined shares of WGH and WCMS at nearly 15 percent, a strong argument can be made that country is the most popular radio format in town. Their strength can also be measured by the advertising presences of major car dealers, retailers and beers - the same clients that seek exposure on more mainstream stations.
ALL THIS ACTIVITY DOVETAILS with what WCMS' program director, Mike Meehan, calls the station's new ``offensive strategy.'' The station has promoted itself as ``the Young Country station'' since late spring.
WGH Program Director Smokey Rivers says he misses the point of the on-air aggressiveness that marked the early stages of the ``Young Country'' campaign.
``In this format there's always been a good will toward stations that are competing. We'll fight for things and 'CMS will fight for things,'' Rivers said, ``but you lay off poking at the other station.''
Rivers has noticed WCMS' backing away from its mock-hostility and wonders if audience pressure might be part of the reason.
``We were getting calls and letters here from our listeners. . . . If I'm getting calls and letters about what another radio station is doing, imagine what they're getting.''
Meehan has explained the rancor as being ``all in good fun.'' One example is a fund-raiser for the Virginia Zoological Park held by the station last month.
WCMS staged an ``after-work bash,'' selling chances to ``bash the Eagle car'' with sledgehammers. WGH calls itself Eagle 97.
SUCH ANTICS MAY SEEM SILLY, but the ratings war in area country radio isn't a joke. Advertising revenues in the format rose from $550 million in 1990 to $788 million in 1993, according to Country Music Association figures.
Radio analyst James Duncan of Indianapolis names WCMS as Hampton Roads' fourth biggest biller in 1993, with WGH-FM at No. 10. Total 1993 billing for all radio stations in the market was $36.4 million. Noting that revenues always lag behind ratings, Duncan says Eagle 97's cash flow should soon rise. By some measures, it already has. As of May 1994, WGH's share of country radio advertising billing for the Hampton Roads market was at 11.7 percent, a 45 percent increase from last year. WCMS reaped 8 percent. Although Duncan has no figures yet on 1994 billings, he expects an overall rise of 9 or 10 percent from last year. WCMS general manager Pam Hughes would not comment on revenues.
WCMS is taking a gamble with its new format. It's betting that its base of over-50 listeners will hang with its ``Young Country'' stance. There is even a question of whether the station can legitimately label itself ``Young Country.''
``They're not `young country,' '' says Rivers. He notes that morning disc jockey Joe Hoppel is a 39-year veteran at WCMS.
The station last month teamed him with Rob Wilson, whom Meehan describes as ``twentysomething.''
Still, other old-line features on the station continue to include commentator Paul Harvey and editorials by owner George Crump.
``The audience of 50 and older is huge,'' Rivers says. ``That's their base.''
MEEHAN SAYS WGH's popularity has not hurt his station. Rivers, interestingly, agrees, noting Eagle 97's high regard among newcomers to the music.
Rivers says his station has captured the 18-40 age group.
``I've taken most of mine from (adult contemporary and Top 40 ranks),'' he said. ``We offered them a choice.''
As for WCMS' older audience, ``Somebody has to service these people. That's a huge audience. We all can't go after 18-34. Some of us can; some of us can't. You superserve (the 50 and older crowd). They're just as loyal.''
``Young' doesn't mean age,'' counters Meehan, who says the slogan has worked well for stations in other markets. ``It's a state of mind.''
The great new artists Meehan cites, however, are all in their 20s and 30s: John Berry, John Michael Montgomery, Faith Hill, Clay Walker. He points out that his is one of only a few major-market country stations that still plays sixty-something George Jones.
To Meehan, one strength of country radio is its focus on current sounds. ``If you look at Joy or WLTY, most adult formats are oldies.''
Meehan says the new slant has received thumbs-ups from most listeners he's spoken with. ``They've reacted very positively, for the most part. I'd say it's been 90 percent positive.''
He goes on to say that WCMS' core of older listeners has accepted the ``Young Country'' slogan, although ``I had one gentleman complain about our morning team. He said they sounded like a couple of kids.''
THE BATTLE FOR COUNTRY listeners is being fought on more than just the air waves. For the past two Harborfests, organizers have chosen WGH to sponsor the annual event's country stage, previously a 15-year WCMS plum.
Last year, WCMS owner George Crump used his broadcast commentary time to ask, ``Why were we fired from Harborfest '93?'' and conclude that ``WCMS got the shaft.''
Festival officials said WGH simply offered a better package of support, and that WCMS had turned down opportunities for some other presence at Harborfest. It did the same this time around.
``We took Harborfest weekend off,'' says Meehan. ``They asked us to be a part of it, but we had a lot of other promotions we were doing.''
Rivers says he can't afford to take that weekend off.
``It's great. The Harborfest thing is probably the one thing we do in the summer that seems to reach everybody. . . . How do you avoid a festival where there are a half million people?''
BOTH WCMS AND WGH are keeping high profiles this summer, with numerous promotional efforts at concerts and other outdoor gatherings. WCMS also celebrated its 40th anniversary with the burial of a ``time capsule'' at its offices June 30. It has been trumpeting the milestone for months.
``A bunch of public events'' is a must, says Meehan. Rivers seconds him, particularly in the case of the younger listeners who may have yet to make a decision in favor of one station or another, or even for the music itself: ``Once you get 'em, you have got 'em. But they are the toughest demo to win.''
The kind of interaction afforded by in-person contact is one way to do it. Rivers: ``It's very important for the success of any radio station to meet somebody new every day.''
Even if the rise in country's popularity flattens out, many under-35s may have switched permanently to spots on the dial they might once have considered unlistenable hillbilly outposts.
One thing, however, is clear to Smokey Rivers and Bill Whitlow. Rivers bluntly states that he expects to have the No. 1 station in Hampton Roads. How long does he think it will take?
He pauses. ``Two years.''
Quietly, Whitlow demurs.
``One year.'' ILLUSTRATION: Color photos by JOSEPH JOHN KOTLOWSKI
On the Cover: WCMS
WGH Program Director Smokey Rivers, left, and General Manager Bill
Whitlow in Eagle 97's control room with DJ Mare Carmody.
Rivers, who also pulls on-air duty at WGH, says his station has
captured the 18-40 age group and ratings surveys back him up
leaving the 50-and-older segment to rival WCMS. We all can't go
after 18-34, Rivers says.
Russ Cassidy has been a DJ at WCMS for more than 20 years, which at
first glance belies the young country image the station is now
promoting. But, Young doesn't mean age, says Program Director Mike
Meehan. It's a state of mind.
Program Director Mike Meehan poses with some of the promotional
figures of younger country music artists that WCMS is building its
new format on.
DJ Cassidy talks to the crowd during WCMS' 40th anniversary bash in
late June.
The New Country EAGLE 97.3 FM
Young country FM 100 WCMS
by CNB