AT20 affiliates dropping?

[BrettVW]

Is AT20 falling into a similar trap that AT10 fell into a couple years ago? It seems as if over the last few months there has been a number of stations dropping AT20 in favor of other shows.

WKDD/Akron dropped AT20 for Seacrest
WMEE/Fort Wayne dropped AT20 for Randy Jackson,
KIMN/Denver dropped AT20 for both Seacrest and Randy Jackson
WMC/Memphis (as noted in the classics forum) has dropped AT20 for Dees

And I know there have been a number of station over the last year dropping AT20 for these other shows. Should we be worried, or is it just the way things work? I know of a few other stations that wanted to drop AT20 but couldn't due to either contract or Seacrest/Dees/Jackson already airing in the market or a nearby market.

[Deleted]

I wouldn't worry too terribly much. As long as Premiere has AT20, stations will be forced to carry it and thus with the internet able to hear it at some point each week. Sometimes it's a case where stations are being aired to carry a show, I don't know if that's the case with Jackson's show but I know his show is not owned or distributed by Premiere so it is possible. Also, Seacrest is the newer personality. Many of the more modern Hot AC stations are going to prefer his show because of the product sound and the host. If it weren't for the market exclusive rule, I believe KBIG in LA would air AT40's Hot AC program and in all honesty listening to the station nowadays, it is more suited for it then AT20 in style and production values. Also, stations with an older HAC audience will probably still prefer the Kasem hosted AT20 because the audience listening to it is more my age and older.

[MEF]

MacDonald Garber Broadcasting in Michigan has dropped all their Premiere radio shows expect AT40 w/Ryan on WKHQ. That means AT20 no longer airs on WLXV in Cadillac Michigan. (AT10 was also dropped on WLXT in Petoskey, Michigan) This went into effect in July 2007.

Thus, the only Casey available in lower northern Michigan is AT40 the 70s and AT40 the 80s on WFCX in Traverse City.

Another station that dropped AT20 was WMTX in Tampa Bay, Florida. It has not been on the last 3 Saturdays. Checking yes.com, it doesn't appear it moved to a new timeslot.

Sounds like the new fiscal year started in July, and stations are not paying the $$$ to renew Casey's shows.

[MEF]

Of course, since WMTX dropped AT20, OZ FM is now the only internet webcaster that airs AT20 on Saturdays.

[Deleted]

mef said:

MacDonald Garber Broadcasting in Michigan has dropped all their Premiere radio shows expect AT40 w/Ryan on WKHQ. That means AT20 no longer airs on WLXV in Cadillac Michigan. (AT10 was also dropped on WLXT in Petoskey, Michigan) This went into effect in July 2007.

Thus, the only Casey available in lower northern Michigan is AT40 the 70s and AT40 the 80s on WFCX in Traverse City.

Another station that dropped AT20 was WMTX in Tampa Bay, Florida. It has not been on the last 3 Saturdays. Checking yes.com, it doesn't appear it moved to a new timeslot.

Sounds like the new fiscal year started in July, and stations are not paying the $$$ to renew Casey's shows.

The station in Tampa is a CC-owned channel. Did they pick up something else? Seems odd they would be allowed to drop the show.

[BrettVW]

mef said:

Sounds like the new fiscal year started in July, and stations are not paying the $$$ to renew Casey's shows.

The thing is, all of the shows are run through barter, so it is, essentially, free to run Casey's (or nearly any of the syndicated shows out there) when you agree to run a certain number of commercials during the week. I honestly just think that AT20 is slowly but surely falling into the same trap AT40 with Casey fell into back in 2003 - the style of the show is just what fewer and fewer stations are wanting.

[Deleted]

brettvw said:

mef said:

Sounds like the new fiscal year started in July, and stations are not paying the $$$ to renew Casey's shows.

The thing is, all of the shows are run through barter, so it is, essentially, free to run Casey's (or nearly any of the syndicated shows out there) when you agree to run a certain number of commercials during the week. I honestly just think that AT20 is slowly but surely falling into the same trap AT40 with Casey fell into back in 2003 - the style of the show is just what fewer and fewer stations are wanting.

Thats true, but that still didn't address the CC-owned question. It's also possible I guess that they moved it to a new time on Sundays or something also. Tampa is really strange in that all of the primary radio shows being AT40, AT20, and CT40 all run on Saturday mornings almost totally vs the other. AT40 is on from 6-10 Saturday morning on FLZ, AT20 was on from 7-10 on Mix, and CT40 aired 5-9 on one of the local country stations there too.

[mstgator]

paul said:

It's also possible I guess that they moved it to a new time on Sundays or something also.

Nope, no sign of AT20 anywhere on WMTX for Saturday or Sunday.

They did, however, pick up the daily "John Tesh Radio Show" starting tomorrow evening. Guess they're trying to compete with "Delilah" over on Magic 94.9.

[nenad]

While I was on vacation, I received a copy of a confirmation mail from WMTX staff that the station has officially dropped AT20, which means - only CFOZ airs AT20 on saturdays, over the internet.

[Deleted]

well that sucks, I was hoping if I moved to Tampa next year sometime I would have an AT20 affiliate for the first time ever.

[MEF]

Casey announced WLXV in Cadillac, Michigan as an AT20 station mention on the 8/25-26 show. I know they don't air the 9 to midnight airing anymore. I wonder if they still air AT20 Sunday mornings from 9 to Noon? I have not been able to check that. The station does not webcast. Their website only says "Coming Soon." The area in Northern Michigan I visit has trouble picking up WLXV.

[MEF]

This falls under "Is Don on the phone......"

Two more stations dropped AT20 Hot AC with Casey Kasem. I discovered this visiting the upper pennisula of Michigan this past weekend (80 degrees in October, very unusual, took full advantage of it!)

WYSS in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan dropped AT20 and replaced it with AT40 CHR with Ryan Seacreat. Casey used to air Saturdays from 7 to 10 am. Now AT40 airs Saturdays from 6 to 10 am on WYSS. The AT40 website confirms WYSS airs AT40 now. It must have started this fall. Casey was still on WYSS in the summer of 2007.

WUPM in Ironwood Michigan used to air AT20 Sunday afternoons from 2 to 5 pm Eastern time. Now they air Rick Dees Weekly Top 40 Hot AC version from 2 to 6 pm Eastern time.

Thus, in the last few months AT20 was dropped from WMTX, WVMX, KBIG, WYSS, and WUPM.

Are we going to hear a press release from Premiere Radio that Casey will only continue with the AT10 show. Casey will no longer do the AT20 Hot AC show. Hot AC stations will now receive the AT40 Hot AC show in its replacement? I hope not.

[Caseyfan4everRyanfanNever]

I hate to see AT20 loosing this many stations since I really enjoy the show. However, I do see more energy being expended on AT10 and also AT40: The 70s and AT40: The 80s. Perhaps, Premiere has decided that "retro" is more in demand and I can certainly understand that, as I enjoy the retro versions of AT40 being broadcast on XM and Terrestial.

Perhaps Premiere needs to retain only one Hot Adult countdown. One option would be to put Casey as host of AT40 HAC. Ryan already has jobs pouring out his ears and probably doesn't need AT40 HAC. If this isn't feasible, then get rid of AT40 HAC and let AT20 be the only Hot Adult show. The problem is that there are two Premiere shows essentially in competition with each other although this was probably not Premiere's intention. Remember that AT40 HAC was born right after Rick Dees was not rehired in 2004 and AT40HAC seems to have been formed as an attempt to not lose stations to Dees.

[BrettVW]

I hope AT20 is around for a long time, as it is my favorite Casey show.

I see AT20 and AT40 Hot AC as indirect competition. Yes, they are both Hot AC countdowns distributed by Premiere, yet as shows they could not be more different. Ryan has his own style with nothing but current hits, while Casey has his style with a variety of music.

The problem is that AT20 doesn't fit incredibly well with stations that do not have many recurrents and golds in their playlist. Therefore, with a station like WKDD and any station that runs a more "Adult Top 40" format than a true Hot AC, I can see where AT20 does not fit extremely well.

However, the traditional "80's, 90's and Today" Hot AC station simply isn't around as much today. Personally, I think AT20 would make a perfect fit on any of the number of Jack or Bob "Variety Hits" stations musically. Those stations simply don't want specialty programs.

I think the problem is that the number of Hot AC stations that demand a show like AT20 just isn't what it once was. But at the same time, with all the HAC shows out there, AT20 is the only one even worth my time anymore. The others are all just so darn repetitive week in and week out.

Plus, we have lost the show to station format flips, which is unfortunately just inevitable.

The only station that truly does not make sense is WMTX. Clear Channel owned with the perfect format. And they didn't even run it in a time slot that was incredibly desirable, nor did they replace it with another show.

[Scott Lakefield]

bassjl2 said:

One option would be to put Casey as host of AT40 HAC. Ryan already has jobs pouring out his ears and probably doesn't need AT40 HAC. If this isn't feasible, then get rid of AT40 HAC and let AT20 be the only Hot Adult show.

Now you're sounding like me, John!

bassjl2 said:

The problem is that there are two Premiere shows essentially in competition with each other although this was probably not Premiere's intention. Remember that AT40 HAC was born right after Rick Dees was not rehired in 2004 and AT40HAC seems to have been formed as an attempt to not lose stations to Dees.

Here, I've got to wonder. I can't help but wonder whether AT40/HAC was created as another way of sending Casey on into the sunset. I hope not, but I guess sometimes I'm a pessimist at heart.