New ratings are in

[fordranger797]

http://ratings.****************/cgi-bin/rol.exe/arb039

Not that they matter (or anyone cares), but here they are for anyone to discuss.

 

[xmtrland]

Why is KPWK still listed twice?
Do the KOMO number include the FM?
Does keeping the transmitter on affect TSL...just kidding.

 

[seatownmedia]

I don't think KOMO-FM has enough listenership to be included in the survey. The AM is just getting by, but has some problems.

What about KUBE-FM? I'm not totally aware of what is happening here, yes they moved to a lesser frequency, were they expecting this decline?

 

[davideduardo]

I don't think KOMO-FM has enough listenership to be included in the survey. The AM is just getting by, but has some problems.

KOMO-FM is listed by Nielsen for Total Line Reporting combined with KOMO (AM). So, no discreet numbers for it or for the translator would be shown.

The combo is hardly "just getting by" as it is in a virtual tie for 4th in billing with KMPS, KRWM and KIRO (AM)

 

[fordranger797]

I don't think KOMO-FM has enough listenership to be included in the survey. The AM is just getting by, but has some problems.

What about KUBE-FM? I'm not totally aware of what is happening here, yes they moved to a lesser frequency, were they expecting this decline?

KUBE was often critiqued around this board for suffering in the ratings as a result of not including any classic hip-hop in their playlist. It looks like they missed the proverbial "boat" on staying relevant in the market now that KHTP is here.

 

[xmtrland]

Come on KUBE is a south sound signal now. Went from a great 100KW signal on 93.3 to the limited signal of 104.9 which is 17KW and does not even properly cover Seattle any more. No wonder the numbers are in the tank. The KUBE signal on 104.9 does not cover the same area that the 93.3 signal does. 104.9 covers Centrailia better than Seattle. How many classic Hip-hopers are in the Olympia-Centralia area? If anything the format is not right for the target of the 104.9 signal coverage, which is a south sound signal. Not a Seattle-Tacoma Signal. KUBE is not really in the Seattle Market station anymore IMHO.

 

[Bongwater]

Come on KUBE is a south sound signal now. Went from a great 100KW signal on 93.3 to the limited signal of 104.9 which is 17KW and does not even properly cover Seattle any more. No wonder the numbers are in the tank. The KUBE signal on 104.9 does not cover the same area that the 93.3 signal does. 104.9 covers Centrailia better than Seattle. How many classic Hip-hopers are in the Olympia-Centralia area? If anything the format is not right for the target of the 104.9 signal coverage, which is a south sound signal. Not a Seattle-Tacoma Signal. KUBE is not really in the Seattle Market station anymore IMHO.

Yo Shawty. Don't be dissin' on the Oly-C. You never know when they be rollin' by in their '84 Ford Tempos. Then POP! POP! POP! POP!....(Their Kraco car stereo speakers get blown turning up KUBE at full blast....)

 

[fordranger797]

Come on KUBE is a south sound signal now. Went from a great 100KW signal on 93.3 to the limited signal of 104.9 which is 17KW and does not even properly cover Seattle any more. No wonder the numbers are in the tank. The KUBE signal on 104.9 does not cover the same area that the 93.3 signal does. 104.9 covers Centrailia better than Seattle. How many classic Hip-hopers are in the Olympia-Centralia area? If anything the format is not right for the target of the 104.9 signal coverage, which is a south sound signal. Not a Seattle-Tacoma Signal. KUBE is not really in the Seattle Market station anymore IMHO.

I wasn't suggesting that KUBE 104.9 is in the position to compete in the Seattle market, but rather the fact that they had the opportunity to make changes that could have changed the course of action. Sure, these ratings don't provide the best picture of what is really happening, but KHTP is definitely not an unsuccessful radio station in this market. Theoretically, KUBE could have tweaked the format to classic hip-hop (along with other changes), and could have possibly righted the ship before KHTP came about. However, that did not happen, and that explains why KUBE's modern hip-hop format is now on 104.9. I'm curious to hear the expert analysis on this one, but it seems to me like it could have ended much differently for KUBE.

 

[bobdavcav]

Here's what I don't understand, KUBE on 93.3 was pretty current. They may have alternated between current and gold on 93.3, but the golds, excepte for maybe one an hour, didn't go back any farther than about 2008. Now it'll go something like 2016, 2006, 2016, 2000, 2016, 2005 etc. Why couldn't that have been tried on 93.3 before they finally blew it up?

 

[AQH]

Here's what I don't understand, KUBE on 93.3 was pretty current. They may have alternated between current and gold on 93.3, but the golds, excepte for maybe one an hour, didn't go back any farther than about 2008. Now it'll go something like 2016, 2006, 2016, 2000, 2016, 2005 etc. Why couldn't that have been tried on 93.3 before they finally blew it up?

They still seldom play songs older than 2010. As KUBE, it had a Rhythmic reputation for nearly 25 years, so you either had to stick to playing the Rhythmic gold that Hot 103.7 has become a specialist in and alienate the mainstream crowd or play the gold Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran and Katy Perry and piss off the folks who prefer Rhythmic.

 

[Rob Piotrowski]

KOMO-FM is listed by Nielsen for Total Line Reporting combined with KOMO (AM). So, no discreet numbers for it or for the translator would be shown.

The combo is hardly "just getting by" as it is in a virtual tie for 4th in billing with KMPS, KRWM and KIRO (AM)

But billing is only part of the story, David. KOMO's expenses are so high that they wouldn't be around were it not for how well its sister FM station does.

 

[davideduardo]

But billing is only part of the story, David. KOMO's expenses are so high that they wouldn't be around were it not for how well its sister FM station does.

Yes, the format is expensive but keep in mind that even with expensive formats (I have done all news in several markets) that the difference between a large all news staff and one high profile morning team or person becomes a leveling factor. I have had one cluster where the 24/7 news station actually had lower personnel costs than our personality music station.

And, as expenses go, keep in mind that programming is not the only expense.

As it is, KPLZ does around $11 million and KOMO does $9 million annually. Logically, KPLZ is going to cash flow more but in a cluster with shared expenses on administration, back office, G&A, engineering, etc., both are likely profitable. But your point about KOMO not being around does serve one purpose: it reinforces the benefits of consolidation where an operator can afford to maintain lower margin formats based on shared expenses.

 

[fordranger797]

They still seldom play songs older than 2010. As KUBE, it had a Rhythmic reputation for nearly 25 years, so you either had to stick to playing the Rhythmic gold that Hot 103.7 has become a specialist in and alienate the mainstream crowd or play the gold Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran and Katy Perry and piss off the folks who prefer Rhythmic.

Very true. I'd say a major reason for the success of KHTP is the fact that rhythmic music can be diverse and consistent at the same time. Judging only by what is on their playlist, it was hard to tell exactly what KUBE was trying to be at the end of their stint on 93.3. I would imagine by this point they wish they would have made the moves that Entercom did when KHTP came about.

 

[Radio-X]

Yo Shawty. Don't be dissin' on the Oly-C. You never know when they be rollin' by in their '84 Ford Tempos. Then POP! POP! POP! POP!....(Their Kraco car stereo speakers get blown turning up KUBE at full blast....)

My first trip to Olympia, I got a very fun cabbie...who explained to me that "You're in the 3-6-0 now...come on vacation, leave on probation, return on violation!".

Best area code reference ever.

I think they're making an attempt to target exclusively Tacoma with KUBE. Probably assumed or had research that most of their listenership was south of Seattle. Ditto with KFOO (formerly the Brew). Marginal Seattle signals...slightly better reception in Tacoma. Easier to target just that area with the two.

Radio-X

 

[fordranger797]

I think they're making an attempt to target exclusively Tacoma with KUBE. Probably assumed or had research that most of their listenership was south of Seattle. Ditto with KFOO (formerly the Brew). Marginal Seattle signals...slightly better reception in Tacoma. Easier to target just that area with the two.

104.9 and 102.9 have always been problematic frequencies for iHeart. Out of the two, 102.9 is the only one that seems to have enough juice to cover the Seattle area effectively. They may as well try that as a strategy.

 

[iamarussianpirate]

104.9 and 102.9 have always been problematic frequencies for iHeart. Out of the two, 102.9 is the only one that seems to have enough juice to cover the Seattle area effectively. They may as well try that as a strategy.

you're thinking the wrong way. You're assuming iHeart wants KUBE to be successful on a new frequency...but they don't. If they did, they would have put KUBE on the better 102.9 signal. Here's why they didn't:

1) If KUBE was on 102.9 it's signal would be pretty decent covering most of the Seattle area and all of the south sound where KUBE 93 was traditionally the strongest. So instead of converting those former KUBE listeners into Power listeners, you now have fragmented yourself even more and would be eating away at KPWK and to a certain extent KBKS quarter hours.

2) With that said, why keep KUBE at all? Answer is two-fold. First, if they just threw KUBE in the trash altogether then people would have lost their shit. It's a heritage station with 30 years of history. By moving it to 104.9 they can at least look like they care about the listeners by keeping it around. Secondly, 104.9 works as a placeholder for those call letters and that format. If in 2 years time Power doesn't work, they can come back with the second coming of KUBE 93 and make it a HUGE deal. In iHeart's mind, KUBE is like Sylvester Stalone in Demolition Man. It's cryogenically frozen until there comes a time when they need it again. Until that point, they don't care what happens with 104.9. If it makes some money for them, great...but they're not sweating it at all.

 

[Bongwater]

2) With that said, why keep KUBE at all? Answer is two-fold. First, if they just threw KUBE in the trash altogether then people would have lost their shit. It's a heritage station with 30 years of history. By moving it to 104.9 they can at least look like they care about the listeners by keeping it around. Secondly, 104.9 works as a placeholder for those call letters and that format. If in 2 years time Power doesn't work, they can come back with the second coming of KUBE 93 and make it a HUGE deal. In iHeart's mind, KUBE is like Sylvester Stalone in Demolition Man. It's cryogenically frozen until there comes a time when they need it again.

Hmmm.....I'm not so sure about that. That's assuming you still have any remaining Seattle - Everett listeners who still care if KUBE comes back or not. Or even owns an FM radio of any type. It's not like you can buy them at Radio Shack anymore. Oh wait.

 

[TheBigA]

It's not like you can buy them at Radio Shack anymore. Oh wait.

What's that thing in the middle of your dashboard?

 

[Bongwater]

What's that thing in the middle of your dashboard?

My Pandora thing. AM/FM is just another app on it. And not even the first thing that comes up when it powers on.

And people aren't always in their cars....

 

[AQH]

My Pandora thing. AM/FM is just another app on it. And not even the first thing that comes up when it powers on.

And people aren't always in their cars....

Sometimes it's just better to admit you were wrong and just move on.