Cox-Tampa Bettin' PPM-Friendly CHR Will Win

A CHR radio battle started at the end of last week in Tampa, as Cox Media flipped it's '80s formatted 101.5 FM WPOI to CHR. 

The move directly challenges Clear Channel's 93.3 FM WFLZ, which has been the dominant contemporary music station in the market since it was the Power Pig knocking off Q105 WRBQ in 1989.

Cox is hoping a more-friendly PPM friendly executed fomart will help it knock-off or seriously dent the 93.3 FLZ, which has trended 6.8-7.4-7.5 in the latest three PPMs (6+ Total Week).

The station is playing 10,000 songs in a row as a kick-off promotion. WFLZ is currently commercial-free 8a to 11a and 2p-5p weekdays.

According to Cox vice president and Tampa market manager Keith Lawless, WFLZ has had the CHR audience of Tampa Bay's for itself for too long, and his company has decided to offer a direct challenge.

Todd Schnitt aka MJ

As part of their strategy, Cox is taking on WFLZ's signature personality, MJ Schnitt. "(Schnitt) plays four songs in morning," Lawless said. "He’s a 45-year-old man trying to speak to women 20 years his junior. We’re going to play more music than them....which is what this audience wants."  Hot 101.5 is expected to add jocks.

And where's MJ while all this is happening?  He's on vacation, unavailable for comment.

Schnitt also hosts a PM Drive talk show on sister 970 AM WFLA.

However, CC Tampa market manager Sam Nein responded to columnist Eric Deggans at tampabay.com via email:

"You know when you are the number one station in the market that you have a target on your back and competitors will come after you. If another group had the number one station in the market and we had an under performing FM, we very well may have taken the same action, so it is an understandable move."

Nein added the new competition will no doubt bring out the very best in everybody involved with FLZ.

A Sampling of 93.3 FLZ' Top Songs

  1 Pitbull - Give Me Everything (w/ Ne-Yo, Afrojack & Nayer)
  2 Lady Gaga - The Edge Of Glory
  3 Nicki Minaj - Super Bass
  4 LMFAO - Party Rock Anthem (w/ Lauren Bennett & Goon Rock)
  5 Adele - Rolling In The Deep
  6 Britney Spears - I Wanna Go
  7 Pitbull  - Give Me Everything
  8 Katy Perry - E.T. (Futuristic Lover)
  9 Britney Spears - Till The World Ends
10 Adele - ROLLING IN THE DEEP
11 Lady Gaga - The Edge Of Glory
12 Katy Perry - Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)
13 Nicki Minaj - SUPER BASS
14 Katy Perry - Last Friday Night
15 Jason DeRulo - Don't Wanna Go Home
16 Britney Spears - I Wanna Go
17 Katy Perry  - E.t.
18 Black Eyed Peas - Just Can't Get Enough
19 THE BAND PERRY - If I Die Young
20 Lupe Fiasco - The Show Goes On

LISTEN HERE!

A sampling of Hot 101.5's Top Songs

  1 LMFAO - Party Rock Anthem (w/ Lauren Bennett & Goon Rock)
  2 Katy Perry - E.T. (Futuristic Lover)
  3 Lady Gaga - The Edge Of Glory
  4 Pitbull - Give Me Everything (w/ Ne-Yo, Afrojack & Nayer)
  5 Adele - Rolling In The Deep
  6 J. Lo - On The Floor (w/ Pitbull)
  7 Lupe Fiasco - The Show Goes On
  8 Nicki Minaj - Super Bass
  9 Britney Spears - Till The World Ends
10 Black Eyed Peas - Just Can't Get Enough
11 Katy Perry - Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)
12 Eminem - Lighters (w/ Bruno Mars & Royce Da 5'9
13 Jason DeRulo - Don't Wanna Go Home
14 Britney Spears - I Wanna Go
15 Afrojack - Take Over Control (w/ Eva Simons)
16 Cee-Lo Green - F You
17 Usher - DJ Got Us Fallin' In Love (w/ Pitbull)
18 Rihanna - Only Girl (In The World)
19 Enrique Iglesias - Tonight (w/ Ludacris)
20 Bruno Mars - Grenade

LISTEN HERE!