Format changes, flankers, and the state of the industry today

[Matthew Osborne]

In this week's NERW, it was reported that WDVI 100.5 FM Rochester NY (previously WVOR) has changed format to Country, ending a long run with some form of AC format.  It was also reported that their ratings under the previous 'Mix' format were in the low 2s.  This in itself is a shocking fall to me - as a 1999-2000 Rochester radio alum, I clearly remember those days when Mix 100.5 was a solid station with decent ratings and good billing.  We at WBEE saw them as a real competitor and threat in the market.  To see things got so bad there in the ensuing years is difficult to fathom for me. 

What shocks me even more is iHeartRadio's response to this.  They are turning arguably *the* best FM signal in that market into nothing more than a 'flanker' to co-owned news-conservative talk WHAM 1180. They will have only one live and local personality, with all other time parts syndicated and voice-tracked from in and out-of-market talent.  I would expect something like this for a lower-powered sub-optimal signal, but not a full market 50 KW class B FM. 

Is this what the radio industry has come to?  Where even the best and strongest signals in a market that used to stand completely on their own, are now seen as nothing more than low-budget flankers to another station in the market?
Matthew OsborneWest Sand Lake, NY