WKTU is “The Beat of New York!” Celebrating its 15th Anniversary KTU has never been hotter than it is now. The station is also enjoying some of its best numbers to date under the leadership of Rob Miller who takes us inside the world of everything KTU. From his fond memories of its relaunch in 1996, to the time he got the phone call to become its next Program Director, Miller tells us how KTU has managed to remain New York’s “Feel Good” station for 15 years and counting!

Rob Miller

Rob Miller

By Bob Burke

WKTU…”The Beat of New York” is celebrating its 15th Anniversary and the station has never been more focused or sounded better than it does in 2011. From ratings to revenue it’s one of Clear Channel’s premiere stations in the number one radio market. It was back on February 9, 1996 that the station (then Country formatted WYNY) began airing a looped tape with sounds of a heart beating and liners about a new radio station coming. Then, on February 10 at 12 Noon, WKTU was re-launched as a Dance-based CHR at 103.5 FM. The station instantly skyrocketed to #1 in the ratings and enjoyed years of great success. But in the decade to follow both ratings and audience numbers began to fluctuate and decline as the marketplace changed.

Nowadays, KTU is enjoying some of its best numbers to date under the leadership of Program Director Rob Miller, who arrived in 2006, from Clear Channel sister AC WALK in Long Island. Miller was not seen by many as the ideal choice having come from an Adult radio format but Miller was on a mission to succeed. He accepted the challenge of re-energizing, re-building and re-branding a station that New Yorkers had once so passionately embraced. The KTU call letters have great history and heritage in the Big Apple, from 1975 to 1985, “Disco 92” (WKTU) enjoyed tremendous success going from “worst to first” in the ratings just as it did when the call letters resurfaced more than a decade later in 1996. WKTU is and will always be best defined as New York’s “Feel Good” station but like most things in life, times change, but The Beat goes on!


Fifteen years ago WKTU “The Beat of New York” was re-born in New York City. It would go on to help shift the musical landscape of not only Dance music but would also become a factor in the Pop world. What do remember most about the station’s launch being an outside observer at the time?
I remember the incredible energy and the vibe that emanated from the speakers from the moment it signed on with “Gonna Make You Sweat” from C+C Music Factory. I was in my car on Long Island that Saturday in February of 1996 when the tape loop of a heartbeat that was running for 15 hours finally stopped and the music started. Everything sounded so amazing…the music, jingles, imaging and then the jocks added a whole new dimension. It was like KTU became the station that put a doormat out for all New Yorkers that wanted a good time. One station offering music from the Disco era of the 70’s to the current Rhythmic Pop hits. You have to remember, when KTU signed on, Z100 was basically an Alternative station, so KTU was really a breath of fresh air offering music that had been absent from the market for a long time.

KTU had enjoyed an incredible run in ratings and revenue before the numbers began to decline. What’s your theory on why a station that so many people seemed so passionate about began to struggle for a period of time?
KTU really did have a great run in the ratings under Frankie Blue’s leadership through the end of the 90’s and the station became one of the top billers in our cluster. It had such a huge ratings story…shooting to #1 for the first two books in 1996 and many times that kind of success for a new station is hard to sustain once it’s no longer the “shiny new toy.” Plus, there were two major changes in the competitive landscape when two guys named Tom Poleman and Jim Ryan came to the market to program Z100 and WLTW. They both significantly improved the sound of those two stations and made them major players in the market again. Around 2003 was where KTU really started to lose focus and its direction, chasing the younger end listeners that were into current Dance music and were club hoppers. It is such a niche group of people and even though that audience is passionate, there are not enough of them to garner enough ratings to be a market leading station. Plus, the music they like is polarizing to many of the ordinary listeners that aren’t going to the club several nights a week. KTU became too hip for the room and the room started to empty out.

It’s safe to say that there were many people both inside and outside the industry who were skeptical when an Adult Radio programmer was given the programming reigns at a Dance leaning station in radio’s #1 market. What was the most appealing and maybe not so appealing aspect of taking on such a high pressure gig?
I will never forget when I interviewed with Tom Poleman in 2006 for the KTU gig. We were talking about the fact that it wasn’t going to be an easy task to fix the station, but it would be a career defining opportunity for me. Tom got Z100 on track and Jim Ryan turned WLTW around. My name could be added to an elite list of programmers that had revived heritage stations like they did or I could fail and become one of the program directors that tried and lost. We both agreed I needed to have “a win” here that would validate my programming abilities in a competitive major market.
I had only worked for one other station at that point, WALK on Long Island. Started out as an intern in 1990 and worked my way up to Program Director in 2001. I know when it was announced that I was the new KTU PD, a few members of the staff and industry peers were probably thinking…what does this guy who has been playing Elton John, Kelly Clarkson and Billy Joelsongs know about programming a Rhythmic leaning station? Truth is I was a listener and fan of KTU since 1996 and knew a ton about the station. WALK had always been one of the best performing AC stations in the country and a dominant station on Long Island with consistent #1 ratings way before I took over programming there. This was my opportunity to show the industry that I had the goods to program a different format and if I could make KTU a winner again, I could write my ticket for future opportunities. It was indeed a risk, but I’ve always believed that you take calculated risks to ultimately win the game.

What was the first thing that needed to be done when you arrived in the building?
As silly as it may sound, I had to restore some order and accountability and set systems in place so that we could perform at a higher level. We had an incredibly talented staff that needed direction and everyone had to get on the same page about our vision, who our audience really was and the next steps that were necessary for KTU to once again be a leader in the market. We streamlined the music, cleaned up the on-air clutter, tightened up the jock’s talk breaks. A lot of the specialty shows and mix show programming were eliminated so that it was clear what KTU was whenever you listened.
As we were doing all of this, I was preparing well in advance for the launch of PPM, Arbitron’s new radio ratings system. We were executing PPM tactics a year before it launched and I believe that was a game changer for us. I would have to say that the first year and a half at KTU was a tough one for me. I was commuting from Long Island into Jersey City…sometimes driving 2-3 hours in each direction. It enabled me to spend a lot of time listening to the station, but also gave me a lot of time to reflect on the day’s events. Some of the days weren’t great ones. There were a bunch of times that I just wanted to quit because I felt the world was rooting for me to fail, but I didn’t come to New York City to lose, so I sucked it up and pushed forward. With each month that passed, things got better and we began to rise from the ashes.

3747240Programming in a PPM world has been a game changer in many markets when it comes to strategy and critical programming decisions. What are your observations, both positive and negative, when it comes to PPM methodology?
There are definite tactics that when used properly, can maximize your station’s success in PPM. My advice for programmers is to be a student of PPM, analyze what the stations that are performing well in your market are doing and replicate them on your station.

Nowadays, and even most recently, KTU has enjoyed some if its best numbers to date. Can you give us some of the highlights that have made this quite the year for KTU?
KTU has been like the sleeper success story in the ratings for the past couple of years…creeping up slowly back up to the top of the ratings while many people in the industry weren’t focused on it. 2011 has been the most amazing year for us in our 15 year history. Each month since January, we’ve grown our share in our target demo of Adults 25-54 and what is incredible is that our success is illustrated in each daypart with ratings increases month to month. We have grown more than 2 shares A 25-54 since the start of the year and have ranked #1 for the past three months, posting our highest share of a 7.5 in the September book. Another major accomplishment…the station had a clean sweep of #1 rankings in every daypart in ratings released earlier this week.
          The strength of the KTU brand is evident across multiple demos and age cells too. We currently rank #1 with Women and Men 25-54, #1 with Persons 18-34, #1 Persons 18-49 and #2 6+ with a cume of more than 5.3 million, right behind WLTW. I’m so proud of our team. Paul “Cubby” Bryant and Cindy Vero have been doing mornings together for the last four years. They have great chemistry and play a ton of music. They are now the #1 Adult 25-54 morning show in the city! Wendy Wild just started full time in middays last year and has done a tremendous job of growing our at-work audience. Hollywood Hamilton is killing it in afternoon drive and currently has the highest audience share on the station and his “War Of The Roses” feature has become the biggest benchmark on our station. Jagger was my first hire at KTU to do nights and doubles as the Music Director for Z100, and his daypart has seen the most forward momentum this year, growing 4 shares since January. It’s true that this city never sleeps, and when they are listening to the radio at night, Jagger’s keeping them moving. Bartel is my APD/MD, covers the overnight shift and is our primary swing jock. He’s had a lot of major market experience both in management and on-air and has been my partner in crime since I started. As my role has expanded to overseeing other CC radio stations, Bartel is the glue that holds everything together. Our ratings climb has been a total collaborative effort. Every department at the station has made a huge contribution and we do have the best team in New York City.

We always hear so many definitions or opinions of what KTU is and what it’s not. Define KTU in 2011.
KTU is a mass appeal adult Top 40 music station that plays upbeat, feel-good music with the best mix of today’s biggest hits coupled with flashback songs you grew up listening to. It is unique in sound and VERY New York, catering to the melting pot audience available in this city. Our personalities know the city, live the lifestyle of our listeners and relate to them. We welcome in everyone that wants to be energized during their day. It doesn’t matter if you’re the best dressed or live in the worst neighborhood. Everyone converges on KTU for the positive vibe we create and it’s infectious! Plus, thanks to streaming and iheartradio, KTU is available worldwide and that is opening up our audience reach to so many different people.

The KTU call letters have meant so much to a city like New York. Are their similarities in the KTU that re-launched in 1996 and the KTU of today?
One of the best things about KTU is the variety of music it offers and how it truly is the soundtrack to New York. That hasn’t changed in 15 years. KTU has gone through many musical evolutions over the years that were essential for us to remain relevant in the marketplace and continue to super serve the available audience. I’ve been careful as I’ve made changes to keep the critical pieces of our heritage in place. There are things that are synonymous with KTU. We’ve always been the “Feel Good Station.” Everything still needs to pass through that filter. Our jingles have always had a distinct personality. Even though we have adjusted our music over the last few years, we have remained true to the sound of the jingles since they bleed KTU. “War Of The Roses” was a big feature for us in morning drive back in the early 00’s. We had taken it off air when we became the flagship affiliate for theWake Up With Whoopi syndicated morning show. I brought it back in afternoon drive shortly after I arrived because it was the thing that I was always asked about most when I would see listeners at events.

Over the years what’s been the one thing that’s enabled KTU to remain a player when it comes to creating great radio in a market like New York City?
The key to us winning is being consistent and always delivering on what we promise to the audience. A lot of stations fail because they say they are one thing and when you listen, you hear another. When you listen to KTU today, you know exactly what you are going to get. It’s a companion for people from all walks of life and those that listen are passionate about the station. The staff is clear on the audience expectation and we continue to deliver. Plus, we’re always two steps ahead of our competition. When they are trying to figure out the question…we’ve already implemented the answer.
          KTU has had head on competition in the past decade from a Rhythmic AC “Mix 102.7” and a Dance station “Pulse 87.” Both stations set out to steal audience and beat us, and both stations eventually had to change formats. Today, sister station Z100 is under direct attack and KTU is helping tag team to deliver a one-two punch to CBS Top 40 92.3 NOW, which has been trying for over two years to beat Z100 and climb up in the ratings. KTU’s audience growth the past few years has prevented 92.3 NOW from being a major player in the market.

When people hear or see the KTU call letters what do you ultimately want them to think of most?
I want them to smile and think “That’s MY station and I love it.” I want them to continue to tell their friends about what they hear on the station and turn more people onto us. The best form of advertisement is a personal recommendation. I don’t want them to ever forget that on their worst day, we’ll be here to pick them up and make them feel good!