Here is a follow-up to yesterday’s news that G-Rock radio, 106.3 FM, is changing from modern rock to pop:
Less than a week after the Jersey Shore station WHTG (G-Rock) 106.3-FM switched from an alternative rock format to contemporary hits, a group calling itself “Bring Back G-Rock,” with a Facebook page, is planning a protest at noon Saturday, outside the station’s studio at 2355 West Bangs Ave. in Neptune.
“Over 400 people have RSVP’ed and will be there,” said group organizer Elyse Jankowski of Middletown. “It will be done in an organized manner, completely peaceful – we don’t want to make anyone nervous or the police and authorities alarmed – however we want to make it known how upset we are.”There are more than 3,500 in the group, Jankowski said.
Um. OK.
I agree with the group’s goal, as I think yesterday’s blog post makes clear. But I have to wonder whether the 400 people planning to march on the station could be using their energy in more important ways. For instance, the state is conducting a homeless persons census and needs volunteers to do the count and distribute food. There is a need for volunteers for stream cleanups, food bank sorters and soup kitchen servers. They could be protesting two wars, helping to organize communities and workers, helping out at their cash-strapped local library.
There are a lot of issues that need addressing. I’m just not sure that fighting to keep a commercial radio station from changing its format should rank very high on the list.
Hank Kalet 
Agreed Hank. Especially when the station has invested monetarily in the new format, so it\’s unlikely they are going to break whatever contract they signed with the satellite network to switch back.They did their research and made their move in the name of squeezing more profit out of a dying industry.Time to move on. There are myriad ways to get the music they played.–*Rob
Probably the vast majority of the time, the vast majority of us could be using our energy in more beneficial ways. I probably won\’t even get off the couch Saturday.
So Hank,Do you do any of the above things you mentioned? I hope that if you ever lose your job, you get half as many supporters protesting on your behalf. (sarcasm)Why does it bother you if people have the passion to protest about something they care about even if you dont feel its important.Guess it must be a slow news day in Princeton
Well, yes and no. On the one hand, as you say, there are more important things in the world, sure.On the other, station owners have once again failed to see that they don\’t just run radio stations. What they run, especially if they\’ve done their job very well, is a focus point for the community of their listeners. The better they are at fostering that community, the bigger the gap they leave when they discontinue the thing that community loves.And the termination of G-Rock, both on its own and as the carrier of the FM106.3 legacy, spanning back 25 years, leaves a whopper of a gap.The best analogue: WCBS-FM\’s switch to Jack-FM. Listeners were incensed to action there, and we\’re talking about oldies fans in that case – the jilted group this time is a lot younger, and a lot likelier to take action. Look at me – the last time this happened, I went ahead and created a web radio station. Yay me.So what\’ll it change? I agree, probably nothing in the short term, though the news that has trickled out after a couple of days that Press Communications has retained most of the airstaff is kind of interesting. But if it causes Press or some other station owner to think \”hmm, maybe we should give our listeners some notice and let them know what their alternatives are\” the next time they consider such a plug-pulling, media fans will have scored a victory.But will it happen?Naaaaaaaaah.
Sounds like you are passionate about a lot of issues. I\’d like to see you organize something for the causes you mentioned.