Stay tuned for new formats as local radio adjusts to changes
Business First of Louisville - by Rick Redding
Eight local radio stations quietly changed hands last month, under orders from the federal government, creating a three-way battle for dominance of local airwaves.
The primary players are San Antonio's Clear Channel Communications, Atlanta's Cox Radio Inc. and Cincinnati's Blue Chip Broadcasting. (See box at left.)
Gone from the market, after its merger into Clear Channel, is Cincinnati's Jacor Communications Inc. (See related story on page 50.)
Between them, the three groups own 18 local stations, including all of the top 10 in morning drive, the 6 to 10 a.m. time period in which stations build their audience.
Most listeners won't notice the ownership changes, but some may reconsider their allegiances. Many media buyers wonder what effect Wayne Perkey's departure from traditional market leader WHAS-AM will have on its loyal audience.
Most predict at least a few stations will alter or change formats soon as a result of ownership shifts, and stations might start spending more on promotions to attract listeners.
Perkey unplugged
No one in the radio business seems willing to guess how much of WHAS' massive morning audience Perkey replacement Bob Sokoler will retain.
"This is uncharted water," said Creative Alliance Inc.'s Tim Lucas, group media director for the area's largest advertising agency. "We're all anxious to watch what happens. I don't see them (WHAS) falling because listener habits are hard to break."
Janice Kreutzer, associate media director of Sheehy & Associates, believes other stations have a great opportunity but aren't taking advantage.
"I'm surprised that other stations haven't taken a proactive move to pick up his audience," she said. "People listened to Perkey, not WHAS. People who listened because they always have will look for something else. Nobody has made a proactive move to get the 35-plus, 45-50-plus (audience). There is no place for them. No show is saying, `come listen to me.' They all go after young people."
WHAS general manager Mark Thomas, of course, believes the station will continue to lead the way in local morning ratings.
"You don't replace a legend like Wayne Perkey. It won't ever be the same," Thomas said. "We've gotten a positive response so far. This is a guess, but (Sokoler) might bring in a younger audience."
Seth Huberman, a local independent media consultant, agreed that Louisville now has an audience up for grabs.
"They'll lose older people who grew up with Perkey, though Bob Sokoler will do fine. He's a good choice," Huberman said. "It's anyone's guess as to what will happen."
Bill Gentry, vice president and general manager of the Blue Chip group of stations, said he doesn't see WHAS losing a great deal, but he joked that he would hire Perkey on the spot if he'd agree to be a disk jockey on his rock station.
Gentry said that if he were with WHAS, "I would have done anything I could do to retain Perkey.
"They have such strong heritage," he said. "When a gray cloud floats across the sky, people turn to them. There will be some softening of their numbers, but I think the audience will give Bob Sokoler a chance."
Musical chairs
Gentry said the changes in ownership have caused a ripple effect in both real estate and sales personnel around town.
For the six stations now under his control, the sales process was reorganized in May. No longer does each station have its own sales manager.
"All our salespeople have a little thicker briefcases, because they're all selling all six stations," Gentry said.
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