As someone stated earlier, they're not in the radio business. They sold the stations already. They've signed the deal. It just needs FCC approval. So they've already gone through this discussion. Perhaps their "other consideration" is keeping the KOMO brand on a Lotus HD-2. We'll see.
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Sinclair selling KOMO, KVI & KPLZ
- Thread starter DN14224
- Start date
As someone stated earlier, they're not in the radio business. They sold the stations already. They've signed the deal. It just needs FCC approval. So they've already gone through this discussion. Perhaps their "other consideration" is keeping the KOMO brand on a Lotus HD-2. We'll see.
Isn't Sinclair already in the news business though? Sinclair doesn't want to be in the radio business, and I don't blame them. I think anybody would agree that KPLZ made no sense in their portfolio. With that being said, KOMO radio is rather unique, because it effectively serves as a compliment to KOMO TV's news operation. A very large percentage of their content is ripped directly from KOMO TV, from weather updates to soundbites, and even simulcasts of KOMO TV news. Given that KOMO already has a team of reporters hitting the streets each and every day, this provides a great opportunity to recycle content and bring down *some* of the costs.
Running a news radio stations is an extremely expensive operation, and I don't think that anybody would disagree with that fact. They have a large team of anchors to pay. With that being said, it sounds like the intent is for newsradio to continue on one of these radio frequencies that have been acquired by Lotus, and I honestly don't see how that will be possible. Can Lotus really continue a news operation if they have to make the investment to do everything that KOMO does for themselves? You know significantly more about how this could work than I do, so I am genuinely curious about how this could work if they DON'T have the KOMO brand and programming on a HD-2. Not trying to promote any wild speculation about what should happen, but from a business standpoint it's more economical for KOMO-TV to have direct influence over a newsradio station.
Why would you buy a station that is around #5 and change it? KOMO should stay all-news.
And if 1000 KOMO stays all-news, it likely needs the FM simulcast at 97.7, which covers Tacoma and Olympia. It wouldn't make sense to put a music format there. Just as KCBS and WBBM need their FM simulcasts for more youthful demos. And KYW just added an FM simulcast as well. If those Audacy all-news stations all have FMs, would KOMO give up its FM?
And is there enough of a Spanish-speaking audience in Seattle for a full power FM signal? Probably not. I assume KPLZ makes enough revenue as a Hot AC to stay in that format.
And if 1000 KOMO stays all-news, it likely needs the FM simulcast at 97.7, which covers Tacoma and Olympia. It wouldn't make sense to put a music format there. Just as KCBS and WBBM need their FM simulcasts for more youthful demos. And KYW just added an FM simulcast as well. If those Audacy all-news stations all have FMs, would KOMO give up its FM?
And is there enough of a Spanish-speaking audience in Seattle for a full power FM signal? Probably not. I assume KPLZ makes enough revenue as a Hot AC to stay in that format.
It's very expensive, has very old demographics and depends on the TV station for much of its news content. It's debatable if it is sustainable. It's around 13th in the market in revenue and in 25-54 ratings, and it may, in fact, not make money.
I can't see Lotus running a costly all news station at all.
KPLZ is about 15th or 16th in revenue, so it is certainly a possibility for a switch to Regional Mexican. They can likely bill much more on that than what KPLZ is doing now.
Lotus is fond of sports in several of its markets. I can see one of the AMs going that way, and maybe the other doing Spanish language sports.
Losing KOMO-AM would be like losing KZOK, or Warm 106.9, or KEXP. You just can't do that. Too many loyal listeners, and the same with KIRO-AM (+ Mariners), which keeps the AM band alive in the Seattle metro.
My dream scenario is KOMO goes to 101.5 (with 1000 simulcast), 97.7 returns to 'The Eagle' KFMY. But dream on...99.3333% not happening. It will likely be La Caliente 101.5, and 99.3/102.9's ratings will shred even more.
And let's say KVI goes under and goes to some Spanish format. Then what happens to Hannity and the other talkers? Off to 1590? Or do we see a quick reaction by another radio owner...maybe Hubbard's 1150 KKNW dumps alternative talk and goes conservative.
My dream scenario is KOMO goes to 101.5 (with 1000 simulcast), 97.7 returns to 'The Eagle' KFMY. But dream on...99.3333% not happening. It will likely be La Caliente 101.5, and 99.3/102.9's ratings will shred even more.
And let's say KVI goes under and goes to some Spanish format. Then what happens to Hannity and the other talkers? Off to 1590? Or do we see a quick reaction by another radio owner...maybe Hubbard's 1150 KKNW dumps alternative talk and goes conservative.
That's just the radio properties, right? It better not be KOMO-TV as well (even though Sinclair's keeping them). What will KOMO 4 do with all that open space, for one thing?
I have fond memories of 97.7 The Eagle! Unfortunately, there is absolutely no more ad revenue to target in the south sound. Pretty much all of the signals down south rely on Thurston County as their primary market for sales, with limited sales in Pierce County, Lewis County, and Grays Harbor County. It will be very interesting to see if/how Lotus resolves that problem. Assuming that 101.5 does flip to Spanish language programming, it will be interesting to see what becomes of some of the signals down south. Bustos Media will probably have some concerns.
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ATSC 3.0 is going nowhere. Sinclair was pushing the radio on ATSC 3.0 narrative because as a whole, ATSC 3.0 is a solution looking for a problem. Not the other way around.
Retaining only one radio asset would be a huge mistake. Nobody in a major market, other than maybe a few religious stations, operates only one station. You still have to run the station, and being a stand-alone means being out on a tiny sales/demographic island surrounded by hungry sharks. Sinclair was right to have gotten out of the radio business. It's not in their wheelhouse and has been, at least from a business standpoint in Seattle anyway, on the revenue decline.
Expect to see one or more of the Sinclair AM's being spun to another local group soon.
Most news radio listening occurs in the car.
Much more convenient to flip on a radio station in the car than have to mess with some digital phone app through clunky infotainment system software.
Every other defunct analog AM & FM station to the best of my knowledge that has gone "digital only" or HD2/HD3 only has seen tiny numbers.
I do agree with many of the earlier posts that Star 101.5 is likely a goner.
Oh please. Spare us the drama. It's a business, not a statue or county park.
Apparently not enough.
Don't you worry. There are plenty of derelict AM's in the market to move these shows to.
So are you also saying they'd buy a newspaper? Of course not.
When CBS and ABC sold their radio stations, they retained the news brand and continued their national news radio syndication services. Perhaps that's Sinclair's plan. But not just Seattle.
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They have an interesting definition of "news business". In the recent cuts, Sinclair wanted cuts to "Entertainment" division, so they went after TV Sports, Seattle Refined, STAR. KVI, however, was deemed "news" ... which seems to fit the narrative of many of the darling media outlets of right-leaning content purveyors. Betcha "Weather" survived being labeled Entertainment by skin of its teeth!!
You don't consider Sports entertainment? Many local TV stations around the country have cut their sports departments/sports anchors. Those who have a separate sports segment are doing it with their local RSN talent via some coop arrangement rather than keeping sports folks on the payroll. None of this is new.
When it comes to local news, "weather wins". You won't see stations cutting weather, considering that's what many viewers tune into local news for.
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KOMO/Sinclair doesn't own Fisher Plaza anymore. It's owned by a real estate group out of Canada, I believe.
Radio took up part of the 3rd floor. That floor will be leased out for something else.
That makes sense. I don't blame Sinclair one bit for wanting to be out of the radio business. It seems like the all-news radio format is simply going to go away. All I'm trying to say that KOMO-TV is (or was) by far the best equipped station in the market to run an all-news radio station. I'm not trying to say that they must keep doing it even if they can't afford it or don't want to, but there is no way that it would make any sense for another company to continue an all-news operation.
Like I told Kelly, all I'm trying to say is that KOMO-TV was by far the best equipped station in Seattle to run an all-news format. They aren't obligated to do so, and I don't blame them for wanting out, but it certainly isn't going to be easy for any other company to attempt an all-news format. It seems like that format is dead in Seattle.
I don't think KOMO-TV News has anything to do with selling the radio properties. Not sure why that's even in this discussion.
If you meant to say KOMO Radio, then I'd agree, but not if they lose some of the shared resources of KOMO-TV News. As David pointed out, Lotus has a track record of running it's stations efficiently. Unless associated with a newspaper, TV news, or WTOP in Washington D.C., running an all news radio station is as inefficient a model as one could get in the business.
Actually, while in-car listening is approaching the half-way mark, most radio listening is still at home and at work.
What we do find is that more AM listening is in the car because new gadgets and devices create so much AM band noise that at home listening to AM is very difficult. But that affects all formats. Because the only remaining viable AM formats are news, talk and sports, we see that all of these get higher in-car listening 'cause they can't be heard in many homes!
The newer in-car systems make streams easier to listen to than radio stations in some cases.
No FM has gone "digital only" unless the analog main carrier format was failing and was moved to an HD2 or beyond channel. The only AMs that have gone all digital are a couple of experimental ones.
Yes, I meant the KOMO radio format. All-news radio is extremely expensive, and I don't see it continuing without KOMO operating their own radio station with the format, and using their own content to fill the time. I think it's a 100% guarantee that all-news radio is history in this market.
Regarding in-car listening, I was referring specifically to the newsradio format, David. That format is more heavily reliant on mobile listening than, say, a music oriented FM or long form talk station.
Every in dash system I've used to access live streaming of radio stations is glitchy and not user friendly. Android Auto is somewhat better but far from perfect. I've not tried Apple CarPlay. I do suspect the technology will continue to improve with time.
Every in dash system I've used to access live streaming of radio stations is glitchy and not user friendly. Android Auto is somewhat better but far from perfect. I've not tried Apple CarPlay. I do suspect the technology will continue to improve with time.
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