Critics thought all-Christmas radio might have started too early or reached saturation in 2003. But an Edison Media Research analysis of the numbers to date shows an average half-share gain for stations that went all-Christmas. The numbers are even higher for FM stations and for the AC format.
At a time when many operators are scared of the Adult Standards format on AM, it was a bold move for Emmis to put the format on FM. But is the real job ahead of the format to lower the demos or teach Madison Avenue to love the 3-4 share that a Standards station can already bring in?
The “Alternative Gold” format has galvanized programmers and the consumer press alike. But when does it make sense to switch to an adult modern format? And when are programmers walking away from a bigger position to chase a niche format? And even if PDs didn’t get into the format to play Linkin Park and Trapt, has the audience lost their appetite for that music?
Last year, “Alternative Gold” finally made a dent, Country Oldies got traction after nearly a decade of FM attempts, R&B/Hip-hop stations proliferated rapidly, and a Classic Hits/Hot AC hybrid provided the years’ most fascinating mix, although you probably just knew those stations by their first names, Jack and Bob. Here are the stations that helped set format trends in 2003.