King Kong

1/12/1996 

It’s about time.

The entire radio and record industry has talked about a full-fledged Alternative station debuting in New York for about as long as the format has been alive.  Although many have made attempts in some form or another, no station, with a signal big enough to cover the New York metro has made a full-fledged commitment to the Alternative format.

That all changed last week.

King Kong. In the form of KROQ Los Angeles programmer Kevin Weatherly, is now climbing the Empire Stare Building.

How will Kevin succeed where others haven’t?  Simple. Weatherly is one of the best programmers in the country.  It’s that simple…but it isn’t that easy.

Alternative radio has been the flavor of the month for several years with varying degrees of success.  The Alternative format has been the dominant format in more smaller markets than large.  Is there a reason for this?  You bet.

Who are the biggest guns?  Bill Gamble at Q101 Chicago, Brian Phillips at WNNX Atlanta, Joel Folger at The Edge in Dallas and Kevin Weatherly at KROQ Los Angeles.

And the biggest of these, by market size and audience share, is King Kong Kevin.

Is there a reason why these four programmers have succeeded in the Alternative format beyond the audience shares experienced by most?  Of course.  It isn’t blind luck, no matter what some people would have you believe.  Each is an experienced programmer who knows how to put together an exciting radio station that attracts the audience.

Is it just coincidence that each of the most successful major-market Alternative programmers have deep experience in the Top 40 arena?  Not by a long shot.

In becoming the flavor of the month, the Alternative format has been perceived as a music format and not much more.  Many stations have flipped to the format because, in many cases, it is a relatively inexpensive format to run and maintain.  The thought is that all one needs to do is program Alternative music and the Audience will come, Pied Piper-style.

This is both true and false.  In smaller markets, where the competitions isn’t as deep, an Alternative playlist will often keep a station at the top.  In larger markets, it takes a whole lot more.

Most stations switching to an Alternative format experience an immediate spike in ratings because of the music.  Let’s face it, even in the worst-case scenario, Alternative is the freshest format on radio today.  However, that spike soon fades if the audience isn’t satisfied with what it hears between the cuts.

Many Alternative stations fail to become dominant in a market simply because of programming.  The stations aren’t very good.  No matter what the music, a radio station must combine all the elements to become dominant.

Kevin Weatherly has done this better than anyone else in our business.

In a format filled with mediocracy, because too many music directors are in charge of programming, KROQ stands alone.

KROQ is great radio station that happens to program Alternative music.

Is Kevin Weatherly an Alternative music guru? Hardly.  (Although he could be the only Alternative programmer who regularly dips snuff.)  Kevin is simply a great programmer.  Before KROQ, he was a Crossover genius.  (Not, by the way, the only Crossover programmer who dips snuff.)

Are you getting the picture?

I’ve said before that I believe KROQ is one of the best programmed radio stations in the country—regardless of the format.

The KROQ jocks are well-schooled and professional.  Sure they know the music, but more than that, they know the basics of the format.

KROQ produces exciting promotions that hit the middle of the lifestyle.  Too many Alternative stations look at promotions as something dirty.  Too many feel promotions aren’t hip or cool.  Let me explain it in a way you can understand:  Losing isn’t hip or cool.  KROQ doesn’t hesitate to stage promotions that involve the audience in the entire radio station…not just the music.

The production and staging on KROQ are some of the country’s best.  Production Director John Frost is the best.  The staging and production between the music sets up the image and style of KROQ.  The jock doesn’t have to say it.  The production does.

Too many Alternative programmers pay too much attention to KROQ’s music list.  Kevin is the first to tell you that’s a mistake.  KROQ programs music for a unique L.A. audience.  Music isn’t what makes KROQ dominant.  It’s only part of the reason.  Alternative programmers should check out the entire package.  Program your station like KROQ and choose music that is particular to your market, then you’ll have a winner.

Our industry, as a whole, has a problem understanding Alternative radio.  A lot of people want to believe the format is musically special and needs some very hip, very understanding, very cool vibe to make it grow and prosper.

Bullshit.

The success of the Alternative format…any format…lies in the abilities of the individuals who program the stations.  There is a reason that Scott Shannon, Steve Smith and Steve Kingston program in New York.  Will Kevin Weatherly succeed?  Of course.  Just like the others have.  Scott Shannon programs the most profitable Hot A/C station in the country.  Want the definition of Crossover success?  It’s spelled S-t-e-v-e S-m-i-t-h.  The epitome of Mainstream Top 40 programming is Steve Kingston.  The real story is that you could swap all of these guys’ stations around and they would all still be successful.

Because they are great programmers.

Alternative programmers need to spend less time concentrating on being ultra-cool and hip and more time concentrating on programming their stations.  It’s a lot more than just the music. 

I don’t know the definition of cool and hip, but I do know that Kevin Weatherly, Bill Gamble, Joel Folger and Brian Phillips don’t fit it.  They do, however, fit into an even more important category.  It’s called winners.

And that’s the coolest.