After a decade as 101.5 The Point, an adult A/C format, Cox has flipped formats and plans to go directly after Tampa's long-time Top 40 winner WFLZ. Cox is calling it ?Hot 101.5" and they are targeting women 18-34. Cox is trying to draw Clear Channel into the battle, which, of course, would give them the needed publicity to take on WFLZ. They are not only going after the music, they are directly attacking popular morning show host Todd "M.J." Schnitt. Cox's Tampa Vice President and General Manager Craig Lawless tells Radio Ink, "They just don't play a lot of music, and their morning host is a 45 year old man only playing 4 songs an hour."
WFLZ has had a strangle hold on the Top-40 or Hits audience for more than two decades and Lawless says "We uncovered that WFLZ was effectively on an island. A vast majority of their top songs are played exclusively on WFLZ." Cox kicked off the new format with 10,000 songs commercial free, which started Friday. The station is also being streamed live at Hot1015TampaBay.com and their is a new Facebook page: facebook.com/hot1015. Lawless says the approach of the new format will be "music quantity and relevance to the core listener."
When a flip like this takes place, the station being attacked always has to decide should we respond or leave it alone. If you respond you risk giving your new opponent the credibility he seeks. If you leave it alone, it may come across as complacency not only to the listeners, who always love something new, but to your staff. They hot the streets every day. They see how the community responds. They talk to local business owners. Of course, Clear Channel is not your typical foe. They face attacks every day from every angle. And, WFLZ is a powerhouse in Tampa. So we wait to see how Clear Channel will respond if at all? And, how deep are the marketing pockets of Cox to try to chip away at the big dog?
In a video on the stations website, promoting the new format, Cox begs Clear Channel for a fight, using their address and logo in the video (wonder if they got permission to use that logo). The video blasts FLZ big times: "For 22 years, it's been a ton of commercials and way too much talk on FLZ. What happened to the music? For 22 years listeners on FLZ are from outside haven't' even been from Tampa Bay. Who cares of someone from Wisconsin wins? MJ has been getting older and older and older. How's your new MySpace account MJ?"
(7/5/2011 11:09:04 AM)
I wonder if there is any way to get any old promo tapes of the Power Pig. That would be cool stuff to listen to and archive.
Ed
It's all in good fun John. Have you ever heard the stuff FLZ did when it launched as The Power Pig? This looks absolutely tame compared to what they did to Q105. Plenty of personal attacks on FLZ's part back then.
(7/5/2011 8:35:53 AM)
I'm detecting age discrimination here. Could get HOT in the courts if the players aren't careful. Makes me wonder how OLD the management is at Cox.
Now, now CHILDREN... you are looking dumber and dumber.
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