Chuck Geiger is a Top 40 radio veteran and the Director of Programming for Frontier Media USA’s stations in Juneau, Ketchikan, and Sitka, Alaska. His Hot AC KSUP (Mix 106) Juneau has evolved over the last two years from a traditional Hot AC to a yesterday-and-today CHR along the lines of WFLC (Hits 97.3) Miami or, now, WBBM-FM (B96) Chicago.
In a market with no other CHR, throwbacks (along with a lot of current remakes and interpolations of older hits) are a boon for Mix 106. Recently, Geiger gave Ross on Radio an inside look at the station’s mechanics of the sort that was once common in the radio trades, but hasn’t been seen as much recently beyond our First Listen and Fresh Listen columns. Here’s what he wrote about Mix 106.
“I’m ready to celebrate 50 years next year in radio, the last 30 in programming for multiple formats. I came to Juneau in 2017 and returned to the lower 48 in 2019. I program and manage the content for the Alaska stations and Country KBYB (Hot FM) Texarkana, Ark. I bonded immediately with owner/president Richard Burns, who handed off the station to BTC Holdings, led by Cliff Dumas. Juneau has only our group of stations, as well as a handful of non-comms.
“Mix 106 was a Mainstream Hot AC until spring 2021. We decided we needed to broaden the music and [target] to under 25. The need for Kelly Clarkson, Pink, and Imagine Dragons as the sonic mainstays wasn’t there any longer. It became focused on Dua Lipa, Justin Bieber, and Olivia Rodrigo. The slogan changed from ‘Today’s Best Mix’ to ‘Today’s Hit Mix.’”
“As we rolled into 2022, we heard from listeners that they wanted to hear ‘old school’ and ‘throwbacks.’ When they went to Seattle, they would listen to [KHTP] Hot 103.7. I took their biggest songs and created a ‘Jam’ category and programmed it 4x per hour with set-up imaging or open breaks in front of them.
“For the currents, I tracked Hot AC and Top 40 stations in the Pacific Northwest. Recently, I noticed the separation where the two formats are not sharing songs like they used to. We don’t need [a lot] of recurrents — only 7-9 ‘stay currents’ and 11 recurrents. The currents are pretty tight, with former powers going back to ‘B’ before becoming recurrents. There are five powers, nine mediums, and 11 lights.
“The power gold and ‘Jam’ categories reflect the current sound of the station. KIIS Los Angeles uses a great methodology for gold titles. Miley Cyrus, Rihanna, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, and more are in active rotation to reflect the currents by some of these artists or their standing in pop culture. Today’s hits are perfect because of their throwback sound. There is no issue playing ‘Yeah!,’ ‘Temperature,’ and ‘Get Ur Freak On’ against ‘Players,’ ‘Die for You,’ and ‘Flowers.’”
Here’s Mix 106 on May 2, 2023:
- Metro Boomin’ f/the Weeknd & 21 Savage, “Creepin’”
- Altego f/Britney Spears & Ginuwine, “Toxic Pony”
- Morgan Wallen, “Last Night”
- Harry Styles, “As It Was”
- Pink Pantheress f/Ice Spice, “Boy’s a Liar Pt. 2”
- 2pac f/Dr. Dre, “California Love”
- Lady Gaga, “Bloody Mary”
- Rihanna, “S.O.S.”
- NF, “Happy”
- SZA, “Kill Bill”
- Coi Leray, “Players”
- Shakira, “Hips Don’t Lie”
- Jvke, “Golden Hour”
- Mark Ronson f/Bruno Mars, “Uptown Funk”
- Toosii, “Favorite Song”
- Kali Uchis, “Telepathia”
- LMFAO, “Party Rock Anthem”
