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WJLB Once The Ratings King

Discussion pertaining to Detroit, Ann Arbor, Port Huron, and SW Ontario
Deleted User 14888

WJLB Once The Ratings King

Post by Deleted User 14888 » Thu Jan 10, 2019 7:05 am

When WJLB switched to FM in 1980, this station became the King of Detroit Ratings, through the 80’s and 90’s they shared the ratings spotlight with WNIC, the big question is what the hell happened? When Booth had this station everything was great, Now IHeart(Clear Channel) owns this station and ratings were still successful but something happened within the last few years, but what is the issue, anyone out there have any ideas as to why this station is not on top.



BKRPDM
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Re: WJLB Once The Ratings King

Post by BKRPDM » Thu Jan 10, 2019 8:25 am

IMO,
- Syndicated morning show
- Less of a local feel
- Dropping of the legacy ‘FM98’ name
- More competition from Hot 107.5, Kiss 105.9, Channel 955
- Non-terrestrial radio as competition



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WOHO
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Re: WJLB Once The Ratings King

Post by WOHO » Mon Jan 21, 2019 9:47 am

You answered your own question: iHeart operates the station, and doesn't have a local morning show, that two negatives right there.



Deleted User 14888

Re: WJLB Once The Ratings King

Post by Deleted User 14888 » Mon Jan 21, 2019 9:51 am

It’s sad this was a #1 station and now it’s 💩 crap.



Y M Ionhere
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Re: WJLB Once The Ratings King

Post by Y M Ionhere » Mon Jan 21, 2019 10:12 am

Competition, and format evolution. Back then, it was one of the only R&B stations. If thats what you wanted to hear, youd listen to WJLB or Mix 92.3. (Later 80s on).then other stations came in to compete and fractured the market share.
The format also changed. It went from being softer and more romantic to harder and more hip hop influenced. The older fans may not like the newer, harder sound. Sort of like how old Willie Nelsonesque, truck stop country fans dont think the bro-country is "real" country. People who listened to WJLB in the early 90s probably listen to cds now or tune into "retro" and "throwback" nights. Younger fans dont want soft Luther Vandross "mom music". Now the music skews younger. And in general, things like youtube and music downloading increasingly become the source of newer music for younger demos. R&B listeners do tend to listen to the radio more than todays rock fans ( if I want classic rock, I dont want damn Bon Jovi or U2, and WRIF doesnt play the metal I want to hear-i wanted to hear Overkill yesterday and had to resort to my phone). Ive done some route driving with R&B fans in a truck. They still listen to FM-but they channel surf the presets a lot between 92, 105, WJLB, and 95.5. The station loyalty is gone.



Deleted User 14888

Re: WJLB Once The Ratings King

Post by Deleted User 14888 » Mon Jan 21, 2019 11:36 am

Maybe one day we will see a format change to something completely different, Perhaps to a Rock Format, How about “Jack 97.9” or “The Rock 97.9” who knows only time will tell.



Deleted User 24

Re: WJLB Once The Ratings King

Post by Deleted User 24 » Mon Jan 21, 2019 12:41 pm

Y M Ionhere wrote:
Mon Jan 21, 2019 10:12 am
The station loyalty is gone.
I'm not sure how much loyalty was there to begin with.

I saw an article in Radio and Records in the mid-1980s that discussed Detroit's "urban" radio scene. IIRC, there were seven stations targeted at black listeners. The article noted (but didn't attempt to explain why) that in the last seven books, each of the seven stations had one book where it was the top station of that group.



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Re: WJLB Once The Ratings King

Post by Mega Hertz » Mon Jan 21, 2019 10:19 pm

No, I believe that, like WRIF will probably always be rock and WCSX will always be classic rock, I think WJLB will always be urban. With iHeart ownership, I could be wrong, but if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

I do miss the WJLB of yore. Strong songs. Real R&B. Stuff like Ready For The World. Not this thug shit they play today. I would love for WJLB to revert to the strong songs branding and a true Urban AC playlist, but given they're co-owned with a strong UAC station, not. gonna. happen. Oh well.


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stopnswop2
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Re: WJLB Once The Ratings King

Post by stopnswop2 » Mon Jan 21, 2019 10:33 pm

Mega Hertz wrote:
Mon Jan 21, 2019 10:19 pm
No, I believe that, like WRIF will probably always be rock and WCSX will always be classic rock, I think WJLB will always be urban. With iHeart ownership, I could be wrong, but if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

I do miss the WJLB of yore. Strong songs. Real R&B. Stuff like Ready For The World. Not this thug shit they play today. I would love for WJLB to revert to the strong songs branding and a true Urban AC playlist, but given they're co-owned with a strong UAC station, not. gonna. happen. Oh well.
They play "jungle music" only today.
It's garbage


Music is my life.

borderboy653659200
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Re: WJLB Once The Ratings King

Post by borderboy653659200 » Tue Jan 22, 2019 11:40 am

"Jungle Music?????" stopnswop2,how many times do you get your white sheet and hood laundered ? Do you have George Wallace,Jesse Helms,Strom Thurmond and Donnie Trump posters (to say nothing of the Confederate slavery/rape/murder/torture/TREASON/LOSER rag ) in your meth lab,I mean,parents' basement ?



stopnswop2
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Re: WJLB Once The Ratings King

Post by stopnswop2 » Tue Jan 22, 2019 1:43 pm

I'm going to assume I somehow offended you?


Music is my life.

Mr.Transistor
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Re: WJLB Once The Ratings King

Post by Mr.Transistor » Tue Jan 22, 2019 2:13 pm

stopnswop2 wrote:
Tue Jan 22, 2019 1:43 pm
I'm going to assume I somehow offended you?
uh- oh now you've done it. And don't forget Cowboy never says anything racist or prejudiced on the board. He's completely innocent :lol



Y M Ionhere
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Re: WJLB Once The Ratings King

Post by Y M Ionhere » Tue Jan 22, 2019 2:42 pm

Mega Hertz wrote:
Mon Jan 21, 2019 10:19 pm
No, I believe that, like WRIF will probably always be rock and WCSX will always be classic rock, I think WJLB will always be urban. With iHeart ownership, I could be wrong, but if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

I do miss the WJLB of yore. Strong songs. Real R&B. Stuff like Ready For The World. Not this thug shit they play today. I would love for WJLB to revert to the strong songs branding and a true Urban AC playlist, but given they're co-owned with a strong UAC station, not. gonna. happen. Oh well.
I was talking about music with an acquaintance of mine who grew up in the 80s, in an urban area. He grew up when rap first came into the picture. He believes that R&B is dying. He said traditional R&B has fallen out of favor and mostly been replaced by hip hop or a hip hop hybrid.if he is right, that poses a major challenge for traditional R&B radio. Rock fans feel the same way- that electronic music has completely replaced rock. My friend feels like few new R&B acts are hitting it big. Same with rock fans- they think the few current acts are too rooted in electronic and dance sub-genres. And thats what I alluded to earlier. R&B acts like the more romantic, gospel-influenced 80s acts are not selling or finding big audiencies. Stations like WJLB relied on fresh, current material. There is a seeming lack of that in the format and fans of the smooth, older style rapoing and pounding beats. They want multi-octave singing with sparse, gentle backing rhymes. Much like rock fans lament the loss of current guitar-centered rock.



stopnswop2
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Re: WJLB Once The Ratings King

Post by stopnswop2 » Tue Jan 22, 2019 9:26 pm

Mr.Transistor wrote:
Tue Jan 22, 2019 2:13 pm
stopnswop2 wrote:
Tue Jan 22, 2019 1:43 pm
I'm going to assume I somehow offended you?
uh- oh now you've done it. And don't forget Cowboy never says anything racist or prejudiced on the board. He's completely innocent :lol
Oh nooo, he is such a gentleman, not racist at all.. mmmhmm. LOL


Music is my life.

borderboy653659200
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Re: WJLB Once The Ratings King

Post by borderboy653659200 » Wed Jan 23, 2019 10:42 am

You turkeys STILL don't get it,do you ?(Well,since your IQ is likely 75....) I don't impugn people's character by race,just point out racism whenever I see it here or anywhere else. Calling something "jungle music" is what dumb rednecks said in the 50's when rock and roll began as a mixture of black and white music,as these mostly (but believe me, not entirely) Southerners had lurid fantasies about their daughters' dating black men. (See:Emmett Till,Mack Lee Parker and other thousands of lynchings for spurious reasons.) Apparently,some folk here wish to return America to those less-than-open-minded times .



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