I arrive at a sudden team meeting four days into my internship at local radio station X1039 about to hear surprising news. Here I am, a brand-new intern for a station I had listened to for years, completely unaware of what I was about to be told.
After 19 years of bringing alternative rock to the Phoenix metro area, Riviera Broadcast Group made the decision to close down X103.9. On Jan. 12, KEXX became My103.9 on in an attempt to reach out to Generation-X listeners.
Listeners will have to say goodbye to “Mandatory Marley” each afternoon, and hello to ‘70s and ‘80s bands, such as Journey and R.E.M.
By witnessing this sudden transformation, this experience has taught me much about the direction of radio as a business and medium.
Though the alternative format of radio is fun, young and innovative, the advertisers endowing radio stations are unwilling to support the decreasing listenership of young adults. Advertisers and investors want an older demographic, which is what stations — regardless of their personal investments — must provide them.
The move follows the recent pattern of alternative stations closing throughout the country. The Chicago station Q101, recognized as one of the most influential alternative stations, went off the air last year.
Since the announcement was made Jan. 9, Riviera Broadcast Group has been explaining why it made the change.
The way I see it, stations need advertisers. In order to get advertisers, these stations need high ratings. This dilemma presents the common challenge to all stations: how to get ratings.
Though the station worked to stay alternative, it struggled to stay on top due to low ratings. Under the current system of syndicated radio ratings known as Arbitron, alternative stations find it hard to compete.
Introduced in 2007, the Portable People Meter is an essential tool to stations climbing the ratings hierarchy.
Stations receive ratings based on roughly 1,000 Phoenix residents who wear PPMs at all times. The devices pick up frequencies wherever their wearers go throughout the day.
Radio personality Robin Nash cautioned fans, “Radio is a business like any other, and the business must survive in order for it to continue. In the case of KEXX, no radio broadcaster in Phoenix or, for that matter, in the country tried harder or longer to maintain the alternative format and keep it alive.”
Since the introduction of digital music, radio has been fighting to stay innovative and relevant. The minds behind the My103.9 format hope that the station will usher in a new breed of radio.
The inclusive style will utilize listener participation to compile stories, playlists and on-air material based on the input of their followers.
Despite the backlash from a strong yet underrepresented fan base, the former X103.9 crew is excited to make the transition to a new era for the station.
Tom McLaughlin, promotions director for KEXX, said the former format did not represent the current radio landscape.
“Our only option was to try something different in order to stay on the air. We understand X/Edge listeners aren’t happy with the changes, but we’d like them to realize that this is a business decision,” he said. “Companies must do what’s best to stay in business.”
As My103.9 caters to the parents of their former audience, I hope the long-time supporters of the old format understand the dilemma faced by those in charge of keeping the station going.
Alternative radio is awesome. It is energetic and appealing. Unfortunately, the current ratings format fails to adequately represent the demographic of such stations.
Radio is not dead. No one in the radio industry is giving up, including me. I know we all love our iPods and music blogs, but how about giving the FM dial a chance once in a while?
Reach the reporter at mbobman@asu.edu
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