Radio U: targeting the college market.

• Author: Johnson, J. Douglas
• Position: University Broadcasting-owned radio stations

College students nationwide have a constant companion. They wake up to it in the morning. They Walkman across campus with it by day. They study with it half the night. It's their favorite radio station. In Indiana, the stations they tune in to are likely to be owned and managed by University Broadcasting Co. The company's chairman, president and founder, Arthur A. Angotti, sets his sights on college markets almost exclusively.

"University markets have faster growth, lower unemployment and are more upscale than average communities," Angotti says. "They are recession-resistant and resilient because of the universities. In Indiana we have station WAZY-FM in Lafayette and WBWB-FM in Bloomington." The company also operates the Bloomington area's WGCT-FM, which has a different owner.

College markets tend to be similar in size, economic makeup and demographics, angotti adds. "The median age in a university town is around 26 or 27. Our typical listener is probably a female about 29 years old. Businesses cater to the 18 to 34 age group as premier customers."

What broadcast diet attracts the 18-to-34 age group? Angotti is successful with what he calls "hot adult contemporary music.' That's the broadcast industry's name for a format consisting of today's hits and some oldies. Listeners want background that is not too intrusive yet lively enough, certainly not elevator music. We definitely target office listeners and run a lot of contests specifically designed for them. At nights 'B97' targets the younger demos, students, who like music that is more hit- and dance-oriented. During the day we play sofer music."

How do University Broadcasting's stations rate in their markets? According to the ratings firm Arbitron, WBWB-FM is No. 1 in Bloomington. It has more listenership than the other top Bloomington stations combined.

Music on WBWB-FM and WAZY-FM is chosen in the studio to reflect market tastes. For example, the station in Bloomington plays more John Mellencamp thant other "hot A/C" stations because he is a local artist. The Greater Lafayette area, home of Purdue University, also counts on WAZY-FM for hot A/C entertainment. Like WBWB, WAZY is tops in the local Arbitron ratings.

University Broadcasting also owns and operates two stations in Fort Collins, Colo., home of Colorada State University and about an hour north of Denver. The arrangement there is an AM/FM combo. KIMN-FM, is hot A/C and KCOL-AM has a news and talk format. Its features include...