(I used to write a bi-weekly column, RadioRadio, for Players magazine in the Tampa Bay area. The following story appeared in 1990.)

Mason Dixon

By Bob Andelman

"Does this mean John Lanigan isn't coming back?"

- Bill Connally, Mix 96

Making Sport of Mason

Mason Dixon has been back on the airwaves less than a week but it's already time to see what strategy the competition is developing to deal with the return of one of Tampa Bay's best-known radio talents.

Tick-tock, tock-tick, tick-tock ...

To be perfectly honest, no one will admit to plotting any programming, promotional or marketing changes as a result of Dixon's return. Most program directors in town already have their hands full with existing turf wars; they're not losing sleep over Mason and a reconstituted staff of ex-Q105 air personalities at Mix 96 (WMTX).

Sorry, Mase. Here's what the competition had to say about your return (a.k.a. the worst-kept secret in American radio):

Marc Chase, P.D., Power 93 (WFLZ):

"The hole in the market is the position Q105 vacated by mimicking us musically. The two stations sound a lot alike, (so) I think there'll be some initial sampling of Mix. In the spring book it will change some listening habits - I don't think it'll be as severe as when we debuted (Fall '89). It should really impact Q105 first.

"Honest-to-God, Q105 made a major mistake when they fired Mason. I still don't understand why that decision was done. All they did was create a hole for Mason to come back and re-create Q105. On paper, if he can re-create the old Q105, he can do wonderfully. But you'll see people shift to block him. I would make my station very inoffensive, play oldies, be very service-oriented. But Mason may be ego-driven to get revenge. But if (he) is planning emotionally, it'll be a mistake.

"Part of Mix's problem is they don't have an image. Mason can at least do that for the station. We'll just keep being the Pig."

Greg Mull, P.D., 98 Rock (WXTB):

"I figure between us and the Power Pig, none of our fans are going to be tuning into Mason. They're the people who most hate Mason, the people who are the least bit young and hip.

"It remains to be seen if anybody is going to take a hit (by Dixon). If he does anything, it's going to come from 101, 107, U92, Q105 and maybe YNF (95).

"And I think Q105 is going to come back. They're happening. The Q-bashing is going to quit. The Power Pig is so club-sounding. I forced myself to listen to them for an hour last week and it drove me crazy. It's all dance while Q105 is playing all hits."

Bob DeCarlo, P.D., W101 (WUSA):

"We wish Mason the best. He's got to swim uphill. I think, frankly, that frequency (variously known as 95.7 and 96) is jinxed. It never makes headway. But if anyone can do anything, it's Mason. (He is) no worse than the people who were there.

"It's going to be fun. That's the interesting thing about our business. There's always room for another guy.

"As for Mason, I guess it's better than being on the street after Birmingham blew up on him. Let's hope he doesn't build another 'Power Cow.' (Dixon's unsuccessful format in Alabama.) On the other hand, let's hope he does.

"Strategically, we're where we want to be. We've always been consistent. You always know what you're going to get on 101.

"This marketplace is not about to roll over and play dead. He's got a lot of business to do. I think he'll nick everybody. Wherever all the old Q105 listeners went - the diehards who miss it, they'll find Mason. Is it going to be the old Q105? Well, Cleveland Wheeler and the Zoo were a big part of that. And Mason only had half of Cleveland's audience.

"But hey, Mason? We're willing to take you on, pal."

Jay Taylor, P.D., Q105 (WRBQ):

"You're always aware of the competition. Yeah, he's making a lot of noise, but I don't think he's a factor. I'm not too concerned. I'm not shaking in my boots.

"I assume he'll be taking shots at us. He just can't seem to move on, to move forward."

Body Count! Next issue we'll have a complete listing of who did and did not survive the Mix 96 D.J. Massacre. We'll try to fill you in on what's become of the casualties. (Hint to those M.I.A.: Contact Players ASAP at (813) 578-1400!)

Shannon's Ship Sails Again! Speaking of ex-Q105ers who have encountered rough seas of late, Scott Shannon - fresh off his disastrous L.A. showing with "Pirate Radio" - has returned to New York City. But instead of rejoining his own monster flame-thrower at Z-100, Dr. Shannonstein has gone across town, taking the helm of WPLJ. New format: "Mojo Radio."

Meanwhile, back at the Pirate, former 95 YNF P.D. Carey Curelop hired former 98 Rock D.J. Ted "The Engineer" Pritchard as morning man on KQLZ, Pirate Radio. This is of interest here in Tampa Bay because speculation continues that YNF's Ron & Ron will eventually move west to rejoin Curelop.

Matter of fact, we were bet a lunch it happens by year's end.

Welcome Aboard! Kevin Dunn is the new production director at 98 Rock. He joins the station from WDIZ in Orlando.

First Blush! "Oh, God, all the horrible snickering and guffawing is back."

98 (Lite) Rock! We heard talk that 98 Rock was getting ready to take a turn for the harder this summer and asked P.D. Greg Mull if this is the case.

"We're definitely not going to go more hard. If anything, we've been working to make the station more familiar," he says, confirming the suspicions of those who felt the station was playing more classic rock in its advancing age. "We have added songs to the library and that may be why we sound more classic.

"There's not as great a (selection) of new music. ... I'm thinking about pulling back a 'current' position and replacing it with a recurrent or an oldie. We may have been playing the new music too much," he says.

Numbers, We've Got Numbers! We usually wait until the whole ratings book is in, but the winter Arbitrons are too interesting to pass up for two weeks.

Here's the top 10 Tampa Bay radio stations - based on overall audiences ages 12+ - followed by their Fall 1990 and Winter 1991 ratings:

FALL '90 WINTER '91
1. WWRM 107 FM 10.5 10.8
2. WQYK 99 FM 9.6 8.9
3. WFLA 970 AM 4.7 7.4
4. WRBQ 105 FM 5.7 6.3
5. WUSA 101 FM 8.0 6.1
6. WYNF 95 FM 5.1 5.9
7. WFLZ 93 FM 7.4 5.5
8. WDUV 103 FM 6.0 5.5
9. WXTB 98 FM 3.0 4.6
10. WYUU 92 FM 4.1 3.5

As you can see, WFLZ - the Power Pig - is falling off the face of the earth as Q105 begins the long climb back. This, incidentally, was the first full ratings book under new Q105 P.D. Jay Taylor.

"We're pretty happy," says Taylor. "I think we're going in the right direction. We're redefining what CHR is in the market. We're developing all the elements, all the characters. Our personalities are getting more known. That's as important as the music."

The fall-offs for QYK and W101 are less significant because they tend to rollercoaster a bit at this time of year. And while we have great respect for WFLA, there's no doubt it received a huge boost as the bay area's leading source of news and information during the Persian Gulf crisis. (WTKN 570 AM, which became a CNN Headline News simulcastor at the start of the war, would have benefited from greater promotion at the height of tensions.)

What is most striking is that both rockers 95 YNF and 98 Rock both boasted major total audience gains.

The top five stations in the ages 18-34 division is even more telling of changes in listening habits:

FALL '90 WINTER '91
1. 95 YNF 14.5 15.2
2. 98 Rock 7.9 12.1
3. WQYK 7.2 9.8
4. Q105 8.7 9.7
5. Power Pig 13.1 9.1

Again, 95 and 98 showed total audience gains, but check out how much larger 98's audience became in the winter quarter. And, by the same measure, take note of how far off the Power Pig fell.

Just a guess, but the consensus at RadioRadio Mission Control is steady-as-she-goes at 98 ("We're going to pop a bottle of champagne or two," says Mull) while the Pig reconsiders its morning show (Is there a slot available for Jack Harris on WFLA?) and goes back to the roots of its music format. Think "power pop," - rap, rock and pop, no ballads - not dance music, fellas, and maybe you'll rediscover what turned us on to the format in the first place. It wasn't just the irreverent Q-bashing.

Everybody Dance Now! Disco is most decidedly undead in Tampa Bay. Both Q105 and the Power Pig (93 FM) have begun daily, hour-long dance music shows.

Raoul Rodriguez does the prerecorded mixes for Q105's "Hot Mix at 9" - p.m., that is, an hour of dance music during the last quarter of Johnny D's shift. The Power Pig uses Biarritz night club jock "Matt the Brat" to mix its dance picks, although why the show runs at noon during Dave Mann's air shift is anybody's guess. Maybe that's the only time they could air a show called "The Nooner."

Q105 smartly countered the dance mix on 93 with an all-request lunch hour hosted by Alicia Kaye.

Movers and (Salt) Shakers! Former Q105 jockess Patty Cheek made a pre-Mason Dixon appearance or three on Mix 96. ... Former 95 YNF weekend and fill-in DJ John Stewart has moved on to WWRM 107 FM. ... Marty McFly has joined Hawk Harrison on the Power Pig from 8 p.m.-midnight. They're the "Late Night Lunatics."

Program Notes! Upcoming Orlando Thunder football games on WFNS 910 AM include: vs. New York (4/27, 7:45 p.m.); vs. Frankfurt (5/4, 7:45 p.m.); and vs. Sacramento (5/11, 7:45 p.m.). ... Incidentally, WFNS has Cincinnati Reds, Orlando Thunder and Chicago Cubs broadcast schedules available free to listeners. Call the station at (813) 620-9100 to request a copy. ... Florida Gov. Lawton Chiles is featured on "Live with the Governor" on the third Tuesday of each month. The next edition of the program will be carried on May 20 at 6 p.m. by WTKN (570 AM).