Why Does Classic Hits KOFX El Paso Have Such Great Ratings?

[Gregg.]

In the latest ratings, KOFX makes double digits. There are very few stations in a top 100 market rated this high. It is 100,000 watts, owned by Entrevision, which usually specializes in Spanish-language formats.

El Paso is an interesting market, with an 83% Latino audience. So you'd think KOFX might play a lot of rhythmic artists on its playlist of 70s, 80s & 90s hits. Plenty of Michael Jackson, Madonna, Whitney Houston, Jennifer Lopez? No. KOFX leans toward Classic Rock.

Here's what was played from 7 to 8:30 a.m. 5/7/21

Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - Refugee
The Beatles - Hello, Goodbye
Bob Welsh - Ebony Eyes
Peter Wolf - Lights Out
Fleetwood Mac - Dreams
REO Speedwagon - Roll with the Changes
Santana - Winning
The Eagles - Heartache Tonight
T. Rex - Bang A Gong, Get It On
Cheap Trick - Tonight It's You
Aerosmith - Walk This Way
Stevie Nicks - I Can't Wait
Yes - Changes
Steve Miller Band - The Joker
The Who - I Can See for Miles
Van Halen - Ice Cream Man

I thought I knew these artists pretty well. But at this minute, I don't know Van Halen's "Ice Cream Man." And I'm a big fan of Fleetwood Mac/Stevie Nicks. But I can't hum "I Can't Wait" for you right now. Not to mention, "Hello, Goodbye" and "I Can See for Miles" date from 1967, both 54 years old. "Bang A Gong" is from 1971, 50 years ago. I didn't hear anything newer than the 1980s.

Interestingly, in the listener comments section, all but one of those leaving comments have Hispanic names, divided about 50/50 male and female. As I pulled up the station to live stream just now, I got a McDonald's commercial in Spanish before the streaming began, followed by a Nissan spot also in Spanish. That may just be on the stream, not over the air.

One more oddity: this is morning drive and I haven't heard the morning DJ speak. No weather, no traffic, no headlines, all automated so far. I did hear the midday DJ when I was streaming a few weeks ago.



.

 

[davideduardo]

At one point in the 80’s in Lima, Perú, of 23 FM stations, 17 played English rock and Top 40. U.S rock and pop have been huge throughout Latin America and it is natural that a station appealing to mostly later generation Hispanics on the border would like that music.

And not all the u.S. hits were hits elsewhere… sometimes very different songs. And, for example, CCR was bigger than the Beatles throughout Latin America.

 

[TheBigA]

This is a funny post. But I can't ascertain if it's a complaint or a compliment. I mean, so what's your problem?

In a market that's 80% Hispanic, with an owner of mostly Hispanic radio stations, you are likely to hear some Hispanic commercials. Beto O'Rourke is fluent in both, and he often will switch languages in mid-thought. Maybe that's just Beto. Although I witnessed similar behavior among French Canadians in Montreal. They mostly spoke French, except when they cursed. Then it was in English.

I think it's time for Marc Bolan.

 

[davideduardo]

In a market that's 80% Hispanic, with an owner of mostly Hispanic radio stations, you are likely to hear some Hispanic commercials. Beto O'Rourke is fluent in both, and he often will switch languages in mid-thought. Maybe that's just Beto.

Beto gets by in Spanish, but much of it is show. He has pronunciation, conjugation, tense and gender mis-match issues that are pretty pronounced. His accent is passable but not perfect.

 

[TheBigA]

Beto gets by in Spanish, but much of it is show. He has pronunciation, conjugation, tense and gender mis-match issues that are pretty pronounced. His accent is passable but not perfect.

The same could be said about French Canadians.

 

[davideduardo]

The same could be said about French Canadians.

Quebec French is a dialect, just as American English is when compared to British English. I found it harder to speak and understand than the “ same” language in France

 

[TheBigA]

Quebec French is a dialect, just as American English is when compared to British English. I found it harder to speak and understand than the “ same” language in France

Especially when the locals mix in American obscenities. As they so often do. Particularly the women.

But I digress. I can see why people like KOFX. Just as I can see why some people like Chimichangas.

 

[davideduardo]

Especially when the locals mix in American obscenities. As they so often do. Particularly the women.

But I digress. I can see why people like KOFX. Just as I can see why some people like Chimichangas.

The playlist reflects he songs that got the most airplay in Mexico, not the US. That would seem logical as the Cd. Juárez rock stations were popular in El Paso.

 

[Gregg.]

But then why is Rhythmic so much more popular in other heavily Hispanic markets around the U.S.? The higher the Latino population, the more likely Rock stations will do poorly and Rhythmic stations will do well. In very white cities, Boston, Minneapolis, Seattle, there are multiple successful Rock stations. But in markets like LA, Fresno, Dallas, Houston, Miami, rock stations struggle. In those markets, you'll find either one or no rock stations in the top 10.

Am I crazy that in a market that's 83% Hispanic, I'd expect the Classic Hits station to play Michael Jackson and Madonna, not The Who and The Beatles... and get a 10.0 playing these artists?

 

[davideduardo]

But then why is Rhythmic so much more popular in other heavily Hispanic markets around the U.S.? The higher the Latino population, the more likely Rock stations will do poorly and Rhythmic stations will do well. In very white cities, Boston, Minneapolis, Seattle, there are multiple successful Rock stations. But in markets like LA, Fresno, Dallas, Houston, Miami, rock stations struggle. In those markets, you'll find either one or no rock stations in the top 10.

There is a difference between second generation children of immigrants in markets that are not on the border. In places like the LRGV, El Paso, ABQ, San Antonio, etc., the bulk of the Hispanic population is much later generational and the families have been there, sometimes, for over a hundred years.

And some agricultural and food processing communities, like Fresno, are also mostly later generational although they have a sizable recently immigrated population, too.

Then separate the markets like NYC and Miami, where the Hispanics are mostly from the Caribbean. There used to be a moderately successful rock station in San Juan, and even in Santo Domingo. They are gone now, as newer generations are more rhythmic in taste and the rock generation is too old for radio to sell to advertisers.

The markets you name like Dallas, Houston and LA, are destination markets for new immigrants. That group is far, far away from either growing up with rock in Mexico and Latin America or from any contact with that flavor as second generation kids who grew up here.

Am I crazy that in a market that's 83% Hispanic, I'd expect the Classic Hits station to play Michael Jackson and Madonna, not The Who and The Beatles... and get a 10.0 playing these artists?

Just look at the big city rock stations in Mexico... they do hugely well because they have their audience concentrated in the A and B socioeconomic classes, not C, D and E. The same thing has occurred with stable, later generational successful families of Mexican heritage in the US: they were exposed to rock in the late 60's, 70's and 80's when it was played on Top 40 stations and many grew into rock fans, not pop fans.

Finally, remember that recent immigrants come from, mostly, rural Mexico. They have no exposure to the urban rock phenomenon in the big cities back in the era I just mentioned.

 

[davideduardo]

But I digress. I can see why people like KOFX. Just as I can see why some people like Chimichangas.

... except that chimichangas are not Mexican! Best bet is that the dish originated somewhere in Arizona at a "Mexican" restaurant.

 

[TheBigA]

... except that chimichangas are not Mexican! Best bet is that the dish originated somewhere in Arizona at a "Mexican" restaurant.

Yes I know all that. That's my point. Mmm. A lot of people don't care about what's authentic. I once had pizza in Naples. It was very different from what we have here.

Entravision ran a country station in Sacramento a while back. They did a pretty good job even though it was probably the only country station in their portfolio. The Fox isn't a textbook classic hits station, but they're doing a good job reaching an audience.

 

[wastedtalent23]

El Paso is a very unique market. I worked there in the mid-90s and there have been few significant changes in the last 25 years. KOFX has always been top-3 in the market(back then it was considered an "Oldies" station), KLAQ has always been the dominant or only rock station, and KTSM the only AC, and KHEY the only Country station. 93.1 used to have the calls KAMZ and played classic rock, but didn't fare very well, then they flipped to Hot AC KSII. Classic rock was tried again soon after, with a station called "The Bandit", which was a flash in the pan, then a couple more times, most recent was in 2013 when 105.1 XHIM was classic rock for a short time. KLAQ plays a few classic rock songs per hour but is classified as Active Rock. They've always done well, and as of late they're doing exceptionally well. I don't know of many Active Rock stations pulling a 9.6 share. My point is, it seems that there would be a hole in the market for Classic Rock, but the ones that have tried it failed miserably, and KOFX and KLAQ continue to rule the market.

KPRR was a Rhythmic CHR powerhouse that played a balance of 90s dance, freestyle and hip-hop. Now KPRR plays very little hip-hop and leans heavy on pop artists. XHTO wasn't around back then.

I find it interesting that the Top-7 stations right now are English-speaking. That was not the case then. I don't expect much to change anytime soon, considering iHeartMedia and Townsquare are pretty well-set doing what they have done for years.

 

[AnyHuman]

El Paso needs a hip hop station that doesn't play mostly pop like 102.1 does.

 

[davideduardo]

I find it interesting that the Top-7 stations right now are English-speaking. That was not the case then. I don't expect much to change anytime soon, considering iHeartMedia and Townsquare are pretty well-set doing what they have done for years.

The really good Spanish language stations are in Juárez, not El Paso. Many of them sell in El Paso, but at quite low rates, taking away the ability of El Paso stations to do Spanish at a profit. It's a worse radio market than Albuquerque. About as bad as Key West and Charlotte Amalie.

 

[davideduardo]

El Paso needs a hip hop station that doesn't play mostly pop like 102.1 does.

The Black population in El Paso is less than 4%. The Hispanic population has, for the most part, moved to stations in Spanish that play reggaetón and Spanish language rhythmic music.