Death Of A Heritage CHR

For many years, CHR as a format was wildly successful. As ratings increased, revenue increased. Over time, the focus of too many of these stations shifted from 18-34 to 25-54 because they saw revenue opportunites. That would have been fine if these stations had made those 25-54 listeners the priotity - leaving the CHR format behind in favor of adult radio for adults.

Instead, too many CHR's were trying to beat their market's AC stations in AC demos! Meanwhile, teen and early 20's listeners lost all passion for the station that should have been trying to entertain them: the CHR.

When your CHR works harder to keep a 40 year old than it works to entertain a 20 year old, you're done.

D. O. N. E.

It's simply a matter of time until a struggling station in a different format decides to go after those neglected younger listeners.

We lost lots of heritage CHR's this way in markets large and small. A new name and sweeper package can't undo a decade of being viewed as "my mom's station." What always saddens me is seeing people get put out of work due to misguided programming from years previous. Some great people lost their jobs this week at B94, Pittsburgh, due to poor decisions and the mismanagement by those who came before them.

It's sad.