Too Little, Too Late (Bye Bye 104 The X)
After writing at a blistering pace (for me) last week, I was held up this week penning my masterpiece: How To Save 104 The X, the modern rock station in Baton Rouge. It’s not without flaws, but it is the only modern rock station that we have. Without it, the quality of concerts will suffer.
It baffles me that modern rock stations always seem to falter in Baton Rouge. They perform respectably in New Orleans and Lafayette. Our demographics are not that dissimilar. I’m not going to get into pointing fingers as to why Baton Rouge fails and simply say this: modern rock,a format that needs to break music to survive, is hindered most when it is allowed to become stale.
After spending 5 days on what now reads like a business plan for succeeding with modern rock in the Baton Rouge market, I learn in the Daily Report that the station is being flipped to news/talk. I’m not sure that the ratings will be better, but I am sure that it will breached to get advertisers. The problems it will face are simple. It’s not on a very good signal. It is not being built around quality local talent. The top syndicated talent is already on the air on the market leading AM station.
I guess this means that Baton Rouge will get Glenn Beck on the air. I don’t even know who else is an option. Rush and Hannity are on WJBO. That’s a tough block to beat. But afternoon drive is open. Mornings are a possibility too. Who knows? Maybe it’s the right call. But its a sad day for music lovers.
