It was no joke when two country stations hit the airwaves in Seattle on April 1.
101.5 KPLZ needed a format change long ago, with ratings in the dumpster book after book.
The station goes by the moniker Hank FM now.
Further down the dial, the BULL has returned to 98.9 FM.
It was a huge mistake for Hubbard to dump country and switch to AAA. Station management came on the air today with an apology to listeners.
Not a stunt.
It’s now a three-way battle. KPLZ stands a chance to Get out of the ratings basement, and maybe the BULL can wrangle ratings points away from 100.7 FM The Wolf…
Here is a Lotus sales pitch.
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Just turned on Hank in the middle of a commercial for over-the-counter pneumonia medicine. “Even if you’ve had your pneumonia shot, this might give you even more protection. Ask your doctor if it’s right etc. etc. ” Cable news snake oil ads without the pictures. Then joined some NOT COUNTRY noise in progress, then repeating the pneumonia medicine ad.
Are they getting the “programming” in exchange for the schlock ads? Hey, guess what? That same pneumonia ad – three times in about 10 minutes and then joining Pam Tillis in progress.
“If you have diabetes, asthma or heart disease, take our pneumonia medicine.” That’s what the ad says, running four times in about fifteen minutes.
Then a promo talking about all the Hank records filling up a football field. Did they play one? Check a, b, or c.
a. no
b. of course not
c. see a or b above
If all 3 play a lot of the same songs they will drag each other down below KIXI
Which is what I assume they plan to do
It always comes down to the ratings leader, and that has been THE WOLF. The Wolf killed the Bull and KMPS. Now, we have three stations again. All I can say is that KPLZ needed some sort of format change. KPLZ could have gone OLDIES and would probably get the same result as HANK, because of the competition in Country music. HANK has to go CLASSIC COUNTRY (cutting out anything from the past 25 years) to have a chance.
my 2 cents. you’re welcome.
THE BULL 98.9 retains the KPNW call letters and brings back FITZ IN THE MORNING.
Would HANK FM 101.5 bring in a morning host or remain automated? I suggest Ichabod Caine for mornings.
Morning drive, no traffic, no time checks, no microphone. I’m guessing the target demo was just a gleam in Grandpa’s eye in the 90’s.
Clint Black sings his first #1 song, A Better Man from 1989, the year I went to work at the Real Country network. It was also the year Clint did a free show in the K-Mart parking lot in Phoenix.
Hearing some older tunes on HANK, but a few re-makes of classics by newer artists. I prefer the originals but that probably won’t happen.
Would like to hear tunes such as:
Get Rythm – Johnny Cash
Steel Men – Jimmy Dean
Don’t Worry – Marty Robbins (never enjoyed watching Marty on tv. He cut up too much while performing on camera. Annoying.)
Hello Walls – Faron Young or Jim Reeves (prefer Jim Reeves’ version)
etc. etc.
I’ve never heard Hello Walls by Jim Reeves. The Talking Walls? Both of those songs are about hallucinations.
Oops!!! Faron Young
I just listened for about half an hour. Satellite with all the regular satellite commercials. Three miscues with songs joined in progress, just growing pains.
commercial
joined in progress Martina McBride – One for the Girls 2003
Willie Nelson and Leon Russell – Heartbreak Hotel 1979
Joe Diffie – New Way to Light Up an Old Flame 1991
three commercials
Randy Travis – Hard Rock Bottom Of Your Heart 1990
long loud promo
joined in progress Justin Moore – Why We Drink 2019
commercial
Clint Black – State Of Mind 1993
Johnny Lee – One In A Million 1980
commercial
Chad Brock – Yes! 2000
commercial
joined in progress Miranda Lambert – The House That Built Me 2010
Liner or promo after every song and every commercial break, no segues.
The music’s okay. One of the records was 45 years old. I wish them well. I’ll be listening.
I will give this station a chance. I have enjoyed the LEGEND format and similar country stations. It will be interesting to see how far back HANK will reach.
1000 song playlist?
Norma Jean, Sonny James, Tompall and The Glaser Brothers, Jean Shepard, Johnny and Jack, Faron Young, Ernest Tubb, Wanda Jackson?
No, no, no, no, no, no, no, and hell no!
Go away, useless old man! Git!!
Same old rehashed focus group Willie and Waylon outlaw dreck, Patsy, Garth (and Tricia!)
And how many potential listeners even know why it’s called Hank?
(Old country music lover pissin’ and moanin’)
Damn, I’m enjoying my 87,000 shit-kickin’ mp3s.
Lotus plans to have at least 16 billboards posted around town soon.