WEDR Holds on .. Hispanic Appeal Heavy Community Interaction and Proves the Point Intelligence and Pride
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May 22, 1987 R &H is 47 URBAN CONTEMPORARY WEDR's Winning WALT LOVE Elements Strong black base WEDR Holds On .. Hispanic appeal Heavy community interaction And Proves The Point Intelligence and pride Eighteen months ago WEDR /Miami was in real dan- some people around and gave doesn't turn over very faso.. We ger of losing its audience to the slicker, more mainstream THE STAR some parttimers a chance in don't want too much repetition to WHQT (Hot 105). Now WEDR is the market's number one fulltime positions. What I wanted run our listeners away. ` . 99.1 English language music station with a strong 5.012+ win- was for all of my people to be as "Our jocks are given the free- ter '87 Arbitron. sharp and bright as possible, but dom to program the music during their shifts. They have categories As recently as a week before the WEDR to pick from, but it's their respon- winter ratings came back, market sibility to see to it that they get the gossip had "Star Force 99" proper music mix. They can't just (WEDR) going Country. Signifi- near nothing compared to the other do what they want; we want them Hot 105 cantly, chose not to battle stations. We've made a commit- to explore but in a tasteful way. We 'EDR and took on CHRs Y100 and ment to the black community, so put hits next to pieces of unfamiliar WPOW (Power 96), which went we took a stand. We took to the music, and we keep things very heavy on Hispanic -oriented dance streets, churches, and schools. Our tight with our oldies and recur - titles and targeted South Florida's visibility increased 100% in the rents. So we're always playing a hit huge Cuban population. Hot 105, black community - not that we no matter what it is." which posted 3.4 a share 12+ in the don't care about other segments of George has a unique way of test- winter ARB, has since moved our population. ing new releases on the air at more in a CHR direction. (The "I figured if we were going to WEDR. "I have different days move makes Hot 105 the third "Ze- where I'll put a song on the air and bra" Urban forced out by a "black- have any audience erosion, it would be blacks. So I wanted black purposely won't say a thing about er" outlet this year following the the record. Then I wait anc see WZZR/ people to know that there are peo- earlier demise of Rich- what type of response we get. if it's mond and WDMT /Cleveland's ple at this station who care about George Jones good or interesting, people will call switch to CHR last month.) Jerry Rushin them and their problems. And blacks here do have some heavy Loyalty Will Out Community Service social problems that we continue to still be as black as possible without So how did WEDR fend off multi- Tradition try and deal with from our sphere offending our other listeners. "Our success during ple competitors "Being black on the air doesn't - and with only a Much of the black population's of influence." any book has always low promotional budget? "We loyalty to WEDR stems from its mean being `chitlin'.' You can be maintain a strong black base," tradition of community service, articulate, intelligent, and profes- been downplayed. It's a said VP /GM Jerry Rushin. "I be- including raising money for sional - and still be black with carryover from the lieve that 90% of the black listeners children's organ transplants and "I never want anyone pride. I really think being what we helped us get the job done. Our '60s." in this town are loyal to WEDR and antidrug campaigns. During Mi- to be able to predict are have been. A lot of the Hispanics ami's infamous Liberty City thing wasn't totally falling apart, - Jerry Rushin who live here also like the same riots, Rushin personally took to when they can hear a so we just tightened up a bit. We've rhythms we do for the most part." the streets to help calm listeners, song on our station." basically stayed the same but at risk to his own personal safety. -George Jones we're better at what we do." and begin asking questions about "After seeing that other stations the song. Our audience really gets "Always Playing A Hit" a chance to decide what songs "The mass exposure of weren't serious about making a commitment to the black commun- Despite the presentational we're going to air for the week, and black music on stations ity, I just increased my efforts in Tightening Up tightening, WEDR still runs a our jocks get to interact with heir music." in other formats has that area. Most South Florida market ob- long playlist by major market public and talk "Black advertising dollars aren't servers agree that the Hot 105 chal- standards. MD George Jones Sales Still Tough really been a anything in this market compared lenge has made WEDR's presenta- said he believes in variety. "I Although WEDR is Miami's :ìew to the general market dollars. It blessing." tion a lot slicker since 1985. Were never want anyone to be able to number one, Bushin said, "It's go- just didn't make sense to me -Jerry Rushin that there any airstaff changes? "Yes, predict when they can hear a song ing to be a hard sell getting more these people would fight me for but I didn't fire anybody. I moved on our station. Our current music dollars. People just want to look the other way when a Black stadon That's fortunate for WEDR be- does well. We're hoping that this cause Miami's black population is will help our national business. We 14% compared to a Hispanic com- do well locally because people see munity that makes up 43% of the results when they buy time here - city. "People in other parts of the our listeners respond. We're hop- country don't realize that there are ing for more positive attitudes to also blacks who were born in a deal with at the agency level. number of Latin American coun- "Our success during any book tries. To me this helps our cause has always been downplayed. [t's because they love festive music just a carryover from the '60s. with a festive approach. We also Agencies and some broadcasters in have a heavy West Indian popula- other formats continue to talk tion from Nassau, Jamaica, and about what we don't have in '.the the Virgin Islands, along with the form of money. They talk about Haitian community." what we don't buy, which we all Rushin, who joined the station 14 know by now is a lie. Or they're years ago as a parttime air talent just misinformed. and later became PD, added, "The "I don't think some of these peo- mass exposure of black music on ple's mentality has changed over stations in other formats has really the years, but Black radio certain- been a blessing. The same Cauca- RAINY HEADS EAST - While on an East Coast promotional tour, Rainy Davis made stops in Boston and Roches- ly has changed for the better. Our sians who had never really been ter. Photo #1: Davis (I) meets with WILD /Boston PD Elroy RC Smith, Columbia's Mike Bernardo and Jodi Williams: music has also changed. Musicians exposed to black music now want Photo #2: Davis does an on -air interview with WDKX/Rochester Ass't PD Jeff Grant. are now making black music with to hear more." a mass appeal feel to it." www.americanradiohistory.com.