Access Atlanta > Entertainment > Radio Talk > Archives > 2008 > November > 29 > Entry
11/29: The Bull goes commercial free for a week
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Starting at noon Thanksgiving, 94.9/The Bull has been going 3,000 songs on a row commercial free. The boss Clay Hunnicutt said that this should take about a week, at 16 to 18 songs an hour.
The DJs get the week off, too. (The station got rid of Cledus T. Judd last week but everyone else is apparently still there.) Hunnicutt said this is a present to the listeners. In a sense, it’s a bit of a reboot for the country station which will include some new branding, too. The Bull has been trying to find its footing since its launch two years ago. It hasn’t been able to make a big dent against Kicks 101.5, even with the departure of Eagle 106.7 in February. It started with more oldies than Kicks and even a few Southern rock cuts, a hybrid of Eagle and Kicks. But now it sounds more like Kicks in its music mix.
He said advertisers who can’t advertise on the station for an entire week during the shopping season are being accommodated later.
Radio stations are undergoing some modest changes in the way they are measured for advertisers. Instead of relying on people’s recalls, measurement is now based on actual listening. The preliminary numbers were very poor for the Bull. Early evidence is also showing less talk on music stations and fewer ads help generate more listening. That isn’t a big surprise. The Bull appears to be trying to draw some listeners at this time of year by going commercial free even at the expense of revenue.
And the station is not going all Christmas, the first time 94.9 has skipped this format since 1999. (It was all Christmas from 2000 to most of the way through 2006 as Peach/Lite and did a country xmas a year ago). In fact, Atlanta will only have two Christmas stations (B98.5 and 104.7/The Fish) instead of three for the first time in several years.
Instead, Hunnicutt said they are airing three/four Christmas songs an hour.
Here was a typical hour today at 2 p.m.
Kenny Chesney “She Thinks My Tractor’s Sexy”
Jason Aldean “We Laughed Untl We Cried”
George Strait “River of Love”
Jose Feliciano “Feliz Navidad”
Sammy Kershaw “She Don’t Know She’s Beautiful”
Sugarland “Already Gone”
Toby Keith “Who’s Your Daddy”
Rodney Atkins “Cleaning This Gun”
Trace Adkins “Ladies Love Country Boys”
Martina McBride “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing”
Tim McGraw “Just To See You Smile”
Taylor Swift “Love Story”
Luke Bryan “Country Man”
Brad Paisley “Little Moments”
The Lost Trailers “Holler Back”
Brooks & Dunn “Rock My World”
Elvis Presley “Blue Christmas”
Kenny Chesney “Keg In the Closet”
Comments
By Randall Bloomquist - WGST PD
November 30, 2008 8:58 AM | Link to this
Clay Hunnicut should follow my advice when it comes to programming. Fire the local staff and give the listeners programming that they don’t want to hear. I will have WGST with zero ratings before Hunnicut does. Why does Clear Channel hire people with funny names like Bloomquist and Hunnicut?
By Chuck Deskins
November 30, 2008 9:04 AM | Link to this
Commercial Free!! Hey Hunnicut…that’s a nice way of saying that no one wants to advertise on that piece of garbage of a radio station. How you and Bloomquist are still employed at the Building of Death, and I’m cleaning toilets at the Walmart on Bankhead Highway, is the biggest mystery of all time.
By Cledus T Judd
November 30, 2008 9:12 AM | Link to this
Hey Deskins! Is the Walmart on Bankhead Highway hiring?
By finally
December 1, 2008 7:36 AM | Link to this
As long as I don’t have to hear Chicken Fried every 45 min. I am all for it!!! Also LESS Taylor Swift and Sugarland is a great improvement. There are so many older songs that we would all like to hear once in a while, Cledus used to let listeners request anything on Friday mornings and that was refreshing.
By Anne
December 1, 2008 8:37 AM | Link to this
We miss you Cledus T Judd. It is not the same. No laughing in the morning so I am looking for a new station. All music is good maybe while at work but not early. We need some laughing and fun to get going in the morning instead of just music. We would put CD’s in if we want just music and no talking.
By Anne
December 1, 2008 8:38 AM | Link to this
We miss you Cledus T Judd. It is not the same. No laughing in the morning so I am looking for a new station. All music is good maybe while at work but not early. We need some laughing and fun to get going in the morning instead of just music. We would put CD’s in if we want just music and no talking. We wish you the Best. I hope to hear you soon on another station.
By Bill
December 1, 2008 3:21 PM | Link to this
Give me a break, The Bull is a worhtless radio station that has no audience, and now no commercial customers. The gift for Atlanta would be better djs, and a better radio station. How about bringing The Peach back, a station Atlanta loved until Clear Channel screwed it up and then took it away.
By Jenn
December 2, 2008 9:14 AM | Link to this
I miss you Cledus!!!! You were the best thing to EVER come to ATL radio. It is very sad that you were supportive and honest but got a raw deal. Just remember you are loved and gave many people joy in the mornings. I wish you and your family the best. Gonna miss hearing about your little tater wagon. I am back to CDs. I will keep an ear out for you- maybe we will have the luck of getting you back somewhere on the dial-Dear Santa-all I want….
By clhawkins
December 2, 2008 9:19 AM | Link to this
Kristen Gates was the real pro…she will have a big following…Radio is losing out to HD, XM-Serius…etc…..Cledus is a moron….with a big heart, but somewhat nauseating to listen to especially first thing in the morning…unless of course you are a redneck!!! I have to admit, I switched to XM until after the election anyway!!!
They also have to get some REAL advertisers too…not get rich quick, get out of debt, too good to be true advertisers…..do they think we are all gullible?
Kristen will prevail….I couldn’t listen to Kicks of you paid me to do so!!!
By love country
December 2, 2008 5:51 PM | Link to this
This has been the best week ever for traveling to work. I used to have to switch between the Bull and Kicks to avoid all of that incessant chatting (especially on Kicks)..gosh those people annoy me. As far as I’m concerned, the less talking, the better. Thanks to the Bull for the great music. I wish it could be permanent.
By love country
December 2, 2008 5:52 PM | Link to this
This has been the best week ever for traveling to work. I used to have to switch between the Bull and Kicks to avoid all of that incessant chatting (especially on Kicks)..gosh those people annoy me. As far as I’m concerned, the less talking, the better. Thanks to the Bull for the great music. I wish it could be permanent.
By Kristen Lover
March 6, 2009 6:57 PM | Link to this
As long as Kristen Gates remains at the Bull,all will be fine. She’s cute and sexy. I LOVE HER!! You rock,Kristen darling!!
By Kristen Lover
March 6, 2009 6:57 PM | Link to this
As long as Kristen Gates remains at the Bull,all will be fine. She’s cute and sexy. I LOVE HER!! You rock,Kristen darling!!