JAMES M. SPEA
When you're out of choices it's time to make some changes.
At noon on Friday the 6th of September, listeners got a real surprise when they tuned into Q99 expecting to hear alternative rock. Many thought they had the wrong radio station. All at once the music format was changed, beginning anew with Led Zeppelin. Some listeners are upset about the change. Many more are glad to finally have a 'real rock' station back in town.
Chet Buchanan, the program director for both Rock99 and Hot94.9, said the change from 'pop alternative' to 'real rock' was for the best. He also said the change will target a greater listening audience.
Many listeners still want to know just why the change was made.
There are several other alternative music stations that may have contributed to the station's decision to change formats. The newest of these stations, 107.5 The End, quickly became popular with the 'twenty-something' crowd, and captured a large listenership. Dom Casual, the music director of 107.5 The End, said he didn't feel that they were the main reason for Q99's switch.
'We weren't in direct competition with with Q99. ... We were going after a different target altogether -- not teenagers,' Casual said.
'Ratings for Q99 have been eroding for some time now and people at the station were all asking where we would go from here,' Buchanan said.
He noted there was a gaping hole in the market for aggressive rock, and it was time to make the switch. Dom Casual agreed.
'Since Z93 changed to country music, there really hasn't been a true 'classic rock' station,' Casual said.
There are other rock stations in the valley and some even play classic rock songs, but Buchanan was quick to draw a contrast between Rock99 and other rock stations like Arrow 103.5.
'When they are playing the Doobie Brothers, we're playing Jimmy Hendrix,' Buchanan said. He explained that Rock 99 offers a much more driving format than the other rock stations.
What happens after a station changes formats? What do they do with all their old music? Buchanan laughed, telling me about the employees at the station.
'There was a feeding frenzy at the studio. ... Everyone was saying, 'hey we won't be needing this any more will we?'' Buchanan said.
I was quick to volunteer my home as a more permanent place to store the unused music. But for now the library of compact discs will remain. Buchanan explained that a lot of the music will come in handy at their other station, Hot94.9.
Along with changing formats come new expenses and risks; however, buying new music is not one of them. Buchanan said most of the music comes to the station as free promotional copies.
There is the chance that a station may lose its advertising sponsors who don't like the new format choice. Buchanan was very happy that they didn't lose one advertiser.
Other possible problems can arise during a format change.
Discontent among the DJ's is one of them. A switch from one genre to another is sometimes all it takes to make a DJ leave and look for another station.
Buchanan said that all of the DJ's were cool with the change, and that they didn't lose one of them. However, at least one DJ was moved from the evening show on 99 to the morning show on their sister station, 94.9.