Philly's Pfirst Post-PPM Pformat Change
Written May. 17, 2007 by Sean Ross in Technology + Terrestrial Radio with 1 Comment
However it may do long term, and my colleague Tom Webster certainly has some strong feelings about it, the change from Tropical to an Adult Modern format at WUBA (Radio 104.5) Philadelphia will go down as the first format change prompted by PPM ratings. Even if Philly's one Spanish-language FM was flat, not diminished in the way its Clear Channel Urban sisters WUSL and WDAS were, the first PPM quarterly made a bigger, more tempting target out of stations with AC and Adult Rock functionality.
The new Radio 104.5 has elements of both. It's along the lines of recent Clear Channel launches like KJMY Salt Lake City and WDVI (the Drive) Rochester, N.Y.--stations that straddle the line between Modern AC, Modern Rock, and Triple-A. That, not surprisingly, was the turf occupied by WPLY (Y100) during its most successful period in the mid-to-late '90s, and while triple-A WXPN has moved in that direction, the hole for a female-friendly Rock station had never been exactly filled.
Here's WUBA at 8:20 this morning:
Green Day, "American Idiot"
Red Hot Chili Peppers, "Aeroplane"
Evanescence, "Call Me When You're Sober"
Bob Marley & Wailers, "Three Little Birds"
Barenaked Ladies, "Brian Wilson"
Midnight Oil, "Beds Are Burning"
Modest Mouse, "Float On"
R.E.M., "What's The Frequency, Kenneth?"
Semisonic, "Closing Time"
Killers, "Mr. Brightside"
Republica, "Ready To Go"
Foo Fighters, "All My Life"
Reader Comments
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I was surprised and dismayed last week when I turned on the radio to 104.5 that 'Gullo Latino' had disappeared only to be replaced by yet another English Language "Adult Modern Format' station. I, my family, and friends all thought that this station played the best Regatone music around. As a Gringa, listening to 104.5 afforded me an opportunity to improve not only my Spanish, but learn what was new and hip in music in another culture (not to mention, there was always dance music to keep any party going or to listen to over a nice evening diner).
I feel you have completely missed the boat as to the needs of this area's population, the music market, and frankly what occurs due to being open to cultural diversity. You have certainly alienated me (I will not be listening to 104.5 again) as well as I suspect much of the Latino population in this area. You had an opportunity to really be at the forefront of bringing great new sounds to this area. Instead, might I suggest to you that the line up of songs you mentioned above could be heard on say 94.7 as well as many of the other stations on the air. I hope your now apparently unemployed DJs are picked up by another station in the near future as I will be waiting to hear from them again soon.