XHPRS (105.7 Max FM)/San Diego Programming Taken Off FM Signal In Lease Dispute

[davideduardo]

Why would a Mexican radio station compete with a U.S. station in an English Classic Hits format? Yes, Max does have a great signal.

Remember that many of the Tijuana stations are full Class C operations, while the San Diego stations are limited to Class B operation. So there are a number of Mexican stations that have better signals, even if located at the south end of the market, than most of the true San Diego facilities.

 

[Signal Geek]

On paper, Max FM has a great signal. In reality, reception is spotty in some populated parts of the metro. Yes, they're fine up the coast, and fantastic to the northeast (one of the strongest signals in Campo). Also, Max is about the only San Diego FM you can hear on I-8 through the western Imperial Valley. But... not many listeners live in those Eastern/northeastern areas. In the metro, Max fades away on I-8 near Mt. Helix. It's also hard to pick up on I-15 north of Scripps Ranch. Yes, Max's transmitter has high elevation and above-B-class power, but its location so far south of the border makes North County reception weak, and leaves many shadow areas.

 

[davideduardo]

On paper, Max FM has a great signal. In reality, reception is spotty in some populated parts of the metro. Yes, they're fine up the coast, and fantastic to the northeast (one of the strongest signals in Campo). Also, Max is about the only San Diego FM you can hear on I-8 through the western Imperial Valley. But... not many listeners live in those Eastern/northeastern areas. In the metro, Max fades away on I-8 near Mt. Helix. It's also hard to pick up on I-15 north of Scripps Ranch. Yes, Max's transmitter has high elevation and above-B-class power, but its location so far south of the border makes North County reception weak, and leaves many shadow areas.

That is true of that specific station, but my statement was more generic and in response to "why would a Mexican radio station compete with a U.S. station..."

The reason is that many of the better Tijuana signals are just as good if not better than the SD signals in SD.

 

[Signal Geek]

DavidEduardo, I agree with your comment about Tijuana FM signals in general. I was actually responding to *Gregg*'s statement that Max "has a great signal." Sorry, I don't know how to highlight a previous poster's comments when I'm posting from my phone -- that would have made things clearer

 

[davideduardo]

DavidEduardo, I agree with your comment about Tijuana FM signals in general. I was actually responding to *Gregg*'s statement that Max "has a great signal." Sorry, I don't know how to highlight a previous poster's comments when I'm posting from my phone -- that would have made things clearer

Gotcha!

There are indeed some really good signals in TJ, some kind of middling ones, and quite a few weaker ones. Max is one of those in the middle... the transmitter too far to the southeast to really cover all of San Diego County.

 

[powers]

I've been listening off and on, and the mostly classic alternative playlist with some "novelties" (I've heard Christopher Cross, ZZ Top and a few english songs that I can't identify - when I say novelties, I mean novelties to the mostly classic alternative playlist) is nice to listen to for this 49-year old dude who used to listen to alternative in the early 80s, but one complaint I would have is that nearly every other song is by New Order. It's like they have two CD players - one that is changed out with different music and the other one just has New Order's Greatest Hits and is stuck (or someone is too lazy to change it, or someone REALLY loves New Order!). Every half hour or so they break right into the middle of a song to ID and play some Spanish spots although last night I heard one of the dorky English PSAs in the mix and then they cut back to nearly the end of the song that got interrupted

Since 105.7 Max FM is continuing their stream online for now, would it even be feasible for them to throw in the towel, just become Max FM online (without the 105.7) and just become a permanent online-only station? They could then drop the Mexican PSA's, etc, and it would also probably be MUCH cheaper to operate without the operational and transmitter rental costs - of course it would probably also eventually mean the end of live and local programming, and sponsors might drop away, but in this day and age it might work better for them to just try and be a well-programmed online only radio station, or maybe if they have to be terrestrial they can piggy back on to someone else as an HD-side channel.

 

[davideduardo]

I've been listening off and on, and the mostly classic alternative playlist with some "novelties" (I've heard Christopher Cross, ZZ Top and a few english songs that I can't identify - when I say novelties, I mean novelties to the mostly classic alternative playlist) is nice to listen to for this 49-year old dude who used to listen to alternative in the early 80s, but one complaint I would have is that nearly every other song is by New Order. It's like they have two CD players - one that is changed out with different music and the other one just has New Order's Greatest Hits and is stuck (or someone is too lazy to change it, or someone REALLY loves New Order!). Every half hour or so they break right into the middle of a song to ID and play some Spanish spots although last night I heard one of the dorky English PSAs in the mix and then they cut back to nearly the end of the song that got interrupted

Since 105.7 Max FM is continuing their stream online for now, would it even be feasible for them to throw in the towel, just become Max FM online (without the 105.7) and just become a permanent online-only station? They could then drop the Mexican PSA's, etc, and it would also probably be MUCH cheaper to operate without the operational and transmitter rental costs - of course it would probably also eventually mean the end of live and local programming, and sponsors might drop away, but in this day and age it might work better for them to just try and be a well-programmed online only radio station, or maybe if they have to be terrestrial they can piggy back on to someone else as an HD-side channel.

First, the format on the air now is obviously some kind of fill that the licensee had available. It's pretty obvious that this is a blend made for the Mexican market, not the US. But it does not sound like a long-term proposition.

Max was a low rated station when on the FM, and its potential as a streaming only business are limited. There is no successful business model for stand-alone streaming stations serving a local market.

 

[powers]

Well at some point, if deals aren't made, if the concession goes to someone else, or if the owner ultimately decides to really program it, the days are going to be numbered for Max. They may be able to coast for a few weeks on playing out sponsor contracts, but at some point they are going to need to cut staff and operation costs, you think?

 

[davideduardo]

Well at some point, if deals aren't made, if the concession goes to someone else, or if the owner ultimately decides to really program it, the days are going to be numbered for Max. They may be able to coast for a few weeks on playing out sponsor contracts, but at some point they are going to need to cut staff and operation costs, you think?

Advertisers are not going to pay for Internet only streaming when they bought advertising based, mostly, on the delivery of the FM.

The facility Max broadcast on was leased from the Mexican licensee, and that license is certainly secure for its considerable duration.

Among the possibilities we can speculate about is the chance that the licensee is holding off any definitive change while they see if BCA can pay their past due amount and guarantee future payments. If that does not come through, then the licensee will either start programming the station themselves or find another party to lease to.

Of course, one of the considerations is whether to program in English or Spanish if they station is no longer leased to BCA.

 

[Michael Rivers Kramer]

This stalemate is lasting longer than the Federal one. Almost 60 days of stunting and the Max format continuing only online. Broadcast Company of the Americas had a lay-off today, s[o who knows what’s going to happen.

Advertisers are not going to pay for Internet only streaming when they bought advertising based, mostly, on the delivery of the FM.

The facility Max broadcast on was leased from the Mexican licensee, and that license is certainly secure for its considerable duration.

Among the possibilities we can speculate about is the chance that the licensee is holding off any definitive change while they see if BCA can pay their past due amount and guarantee future payments. If that does not come through, then the licensee will either start programming the station themselves or find another party to lease to.

Of course, one of the considerations is whether to program in English or Spanish if they station is no longer leased to BCA.

 

[philosofy]

Looks like Cha Cha has been removed from the lineup with Frank Anthony now covering from noon-6pm. Who else was let go?

 

[JeremyAndrews]

If they ever get the lease back (Doubtful) they’ll probably need a revamp or format adjustment to improve the numbers.

 

[philosofy]

Following up on my own post: https://www.allaccess.com/net-news/...ogramming-and-operations-mike-shepard-among-l

 

[david]

As of the evening of the last day of February, this unfortunate development - verbatim from 1057max.com:
For the last few months, Max programming has only been available online and on our mobile app. Unfortunately, we have ceased operations for the time being. We can’t thank you enough for bearing with us through this ordeal. From day one, our goal has always been to get back on the air. That remains our hope. We appreciate you and will continue to make every effort possible to get back on the air in the near future.

 

[Signal Geek]

Sad to hear this. That makes two BCA stations which have left San Diego airwaves (the other being ESPN 1700) Wonder how much longer their remaining signal (The Mighty 1090) will stay on. It had a 1.5 in the last book, but faces two other sport talk competitors in a city with only one major-league team.

 

[davideduardo]

Sad to hear this. That makes two BCA stations which have left San Diego airwaves (the other being ESPN 1700) Wonder how much longer their remaining signal (The Mighty 1090) will stay on. It had a 1.5 in the last book, but faces two other sport talk competitors in a city with only one major-league team.

The difference is that in many markets several sports stations can exist, as there is a lot more money available to the format and a special advertiser appeal of sports. And 1090 has a fine signal as well.

 

[spiritof67]

Is there a stream for the operation that is currently on 105.7?

 

[philosofy]

If there is I haven't been able to find one. Have listened a few times and never heard a website. app or anything else where a stream might have been hosted.

 

[david]

Is there a stream for the operation that is currently on 105.7?

Ross on Radio on radioinsight.com recently wrote that NO there is not: "XEPRS San Diego – ...The FM station is now an unusual mix of mostly ‘80s new wave punctuated with Christopher Cross B-sides (yes, literally), the Eagles, and some recent dance that you can only hear in the market or follow through Mediabase outside San Diego. In San Diego, where “Living in Oblivion” by Anything Box is not quite as obscure as other places, it has gone 2.4-1.2-0.7 since the change, but it speaks to the market that there’s still somebody out there."

Personally, I enjoy this obscure 105.7's formatics much more than the prior predictable and burnt to a crisp music mix. I am definitely part of that 0.7 (although have never had the priviledge of having a meter to register my actual listening). I wish the current mix brought on the personalities approach of the prior station (and do not need a response "explaining" that the current mix is probably temporary and the owner has no desire to invest the funds to fully staff the station and generate negative ROI).

 

[davideduardo]

Ross on Radio on radioinsight.com recently wrote that NO there is not: "XEPRS San Diego – ...The FM station is now an unusual mix of mostly ‘80s new wave punctuated with Christopher Cross B-sides (yes, literally), the Eagles, and some recent dance that you can only hear in the market or follow through Mediabase outside San Diego. In San Diego, where “Living in Oblivion” by Anything Box is not quite as obscure as other places, it has gone 2.4-1.2-0.7 since the change, but it speaks to the market that there’s still somebody out there."

Personally, I enjoy this obscure 105.7's formatics much more than the prior predictable and burnt to a crisp music mix. I am definitely part of that 0.7 (although have never had the priviledge of having a meter to register my actual listening). I wish the current mix brought on the personalities approach of the prior station (and do not need a response "explaining" that the current mix is probably temporary and the owner has no desire to invest the funds to fully staff the station and generate negative ROI).

Remember, this is a Mexican licensee doing programming in Mexico.

The English language songs that were hits in Latin America are not a perfect parallel for those that are hits in the USA. In some cases, it's a matter of degree, in other cases a matter of a US hit not being played at all or a US stiff being a hit in some of the countries.

My now-ancient but still valid example is that CCR sold far more records in Latin America than the Beatles, and there were CCR hits that did not get much US play while some Beatles songs go nearly no play at all.