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September 22, 2020 5:44 pm  #1


Z103.5 Experimenting?

So just after 4pm today, I get in the car, turn on Z and what do I hear? "I Won't Back Down" by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. I double check the station, yeah, that's Z.

I've been looking at their playlist for today, and while that song is the only one from really long ago that I've seen, they have had older songs on air today. Blink 182 All The Small Things, Honey by Mariah Carey, Usher, and so on.

Are they experimenting a change?

 

September 22, 2020 7:00 pm  #2


Re: Z103.5 Experimenting?

Nah not quite in my opinion, Z103.5 always has a playlist that distinct from other CHR radio stations, especially more throwbacks, dance and urban music. It's not rare that you can listen to a Tom Petty song during the afternoon drive time. If they only focus on 100% throwbacks I'm not sure that they can capture the 18-34 years old audience.

By the way Z recently has their HD Radio turned on, the quality is better than on the typical analog signal.
The only problem is still their weak/fair signal in the downtown Toronto core.

 

September 22, 2020 8:49 pm  #3


Re: Z103.5 Experimenting?

Adrian106072 wrote:

If they only focus on 100% throwbacks I'm not sure that they can capture the 18-34 years old audience.

Nobody can.

The top 4 in 18-34 in the last book were Q107, CHFI, Boom, and Radio One.

We all know that doesn't represent the audio preferences of that demo. It's absolutely pointless for radio to target 18-34. It seems Z's figured that out. A CHR, still playing current music, targeted older with some great gold, makes total sense. 

 

September 23, 2020 8:59 am  #4


Re: Z103.5 Experimenting?

grilled.cheese wrote:

I pronounce it "Zed" 103

WOW REALLY??? I remember when they used to be @ 97.3. I wonder why they moved down the dial?  
 


RadioWiz & RadioQuiz are NOT the same person. 
RadioWiz & THE Wiz are NOT the same person.

 
 

September 23, 2020 11:11 am  #5


Re: Z103.5 Experimenting?

Tom Petty on Z103 is still surprising to me....was it the entire track being played itself or part of a musical mix such as the wayback lunch? 

 

September 23, 2020 3:17 pm  #6


Re: Z103.5 Experimenting?

markow202 wrote:

Tom Petty on Z103 is still surprising to me....was it the entire track being played itself or part of a musical mix such as the wayback lunch? 

The Tom Petty track was played in full during the afternoon hour, probably from listener's request. Previously I've heard Winds Of Change by Scropions, and a 6-minute mashup of Bon Jovi's hits on Z. 

The Wayback Lunch on Z tends to have more Eurodance and old school hip hop tracks, meanwhile The Drive At 5 is more of some EDM stuff.

 

September 23, 2020 3:27 pm  #7


Re: Z103.5 Experimenting?

Adrian106072 wrote:

markow202 wrote:

Tom Petty on Z103 is still surprising to me....was it the entire track being played itself or part of a musical mix such as the wayback lunch? 

The Tom Petty track was played in full during the afternoon hour, probably from listener's request. Previously I've heard Winds Of Change by Scropions, and a 6-minute mashup of Bon Jovi's hits on Z. 

The Wayback Lunch on Z tends to have more Eurodance and old school hip hop tracks, meanwhile The Drive At 5 is more of some EDM stuff.

At the end nothing beats the 80s and 90s regardless of the format/playlist 

 

September 23, 2020 4:21 pm  #8


Re: Z103.5 Experimenting?

markow202 wrote:

At the end nothing beats the 80s and 90s regardless of the format/playlist 

Z 103 has been around long enough now to go all way back playback all the time if they so desire to. 
I think they would do quite well with that as a format change...the powers that be over at Virgin & Kiss most likely agree with me. (for obvious reasons, no doubt, lol)
 


RadioWiz & RadioQuiz are NOT the same person. 
RadioWiz & THE Wiz are NOT the same person.

 
 

September 23, 2020 5:18 pm  #9


Re: Z103.5 Experimenting?

Radiowiz wrote:

markow202 wrote:

At the end nothing beats the 80s and 90s regardless of the format/playlist 

Z 103 has been around long enough now to go all way back playback all the time if they so desire to. 
I think they would do quite well with that as a format change...the powers that be over at Virgin & Kiss most likely agree with me. (for obvious reasons, no doubt, lol)
 

Would be awesome but I still dont think it would work full time.  Perhaps its the era they cater to (lost 90s european dance music) which I grew up with but its not for everyone.

 

 

September 23, 2020 5:38 pm  #10


Re: Z103.5 Experimenting?

markow202 wrote:

At the end nothing beats the 80s and 90s regardless of the format/playlist 

Damn youngsters...get off my lawn!  (oh yeah, never mind I don't have one).


 

Last edited by Media Observer (September 23, 2020 5:39 pm)

 

September 23, 2020 7:24 pm  #11


Re: Z103.5 Experimenting?

Adrian106072 wrote:

By the way Z recently has their HD Radio turned on, the quality is better than on the typical analog signal.
The only problem is still their weak/fair signal in the downtown Toronto core.

Something has happened with their HD signal.. It's been off air for the last few weeks...  Sad because I agree. it really helps clean up the signal.   

Last edited by radiokid (September 23, 2020 7:26 pm)

 

September 23, 2020 8:08 pm  #12


Re: Z103.5 Experimenting?

Radiowiz wrote:

markow202 wrote:

At the end nothing beats the 80s and 90s regardless of the format/playlist 

Z 103 has been around long enough now to go all way back playback all the time if they so desire to. 
I think they would do quite well with that as a format change...the powers that be over at Virgin & Kiss most likely agree with me. (for obvious reasons, no doubt, lol)
 

There has yet to be a station in any market that has done well in the long-term going full 90s/2000s gold. The genres are too splintered, the hits don't have the same staying power, and the audience that grew up with it still wants current music.
 

 

September 24, 2020 6:45 pm  #13


Re: Z103.5 Experimenting?

RadioAaron wrote:

Radiowiz wrote:

markow202 wrote:

At the end nothing beats the 80s and 90s regardless of the format/playlist 

Z 103 has been around long enough now to go all way back playback all the time if they so desire to. 
I think they would do quite well with that as a format change...the powers that be over at Virgin & Kiss most likely agree with me. (for obvious reasons, no doubt, lol)
 

There has yet to be a station in any market that has done well in the long-term going full 90s/2000s gold. The genres are too splintered, the hits don't have the same staying power, and the audience that grew up with it still wants current music.
 

I agree.  Its also a type of era where it works but has to be mixed in with the new stuff also.  
 

 

September 24, 2020 7:04 pm  #14


Re: Z103.5 Experimenting?

radiokid wrote:

Something has happened with their HD signal.. It's been off air for the last few weeks...  Sad because I agree. it really helps clean up the signal.   

It goes off and on quite a bit.  There one day, gone the next.  I can tell when it's gone because WEDG 103.3 is listenable.