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Power 106 faltering against 92.3?

V

victorres43

I know Power 106 is a brand that has billed well for a long time, but lately they have continuously lagged well behind Real 92.3, even with similar cume numbers. And even when Real had Big Boy, Power 106 had the ability to be in parity with Real in the ratings. Now, they aren't doing as impressively in either 18-34 or 18-49, yet Real is holding its own. This, despite Hip Hop radio in general not doing as amazing nationwide and the Reggaeton genre becoming even more prominent for Latino listeners who desire "rhythmic" music. And even ALT and KROQ (yes, KROQ) are beating Power 106 in cume and share; at the least, ALT is doing better than Power within 18-34.

And to think that Power 106 was considered a real threat (no pun intended) to KIIS since its launch in 1986.
 
Hip hop can be seen struggling in some markets. I don't know if the Zoomer kids are ignoring radio entirely, with YouTube on their phones?

KUBE blew up. KUUU flipped to throwbacks. Maybe two hip-hop stations are more than the LA market can bear? (I certainly hope that's not the case, as I enjoy having 3 stations -- if you count KDAY in there as well).
 
henry said:
Hip hop can be seen struggling in some markets. I don't know if the Zoomer kids are ignoring radio entirely, with YouTube on their phones?

KUBE blew up. KUUU flipped to throwbacks. Maybe two hip-hop stations are more than the LA market can bear? (I certainly hope that's not the case, as I enjoy having 3 stations -- if you count KDAY in there as well).
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Power always focused on a larger Hispanic core than Real has done. With the rise of reggaetón, with the two stations in that format getting about 7.5 shares total in 18-34, there is a lot less left among Hispanics for Power.
 
DavidEduardo said:
Power always focused on a larger Hispanic core than Real has done. With the rise of reggaetón, with the two stations in that format getting about 7.5 shares total in 18-34, there is a lot less left among Hispanics for Power.
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So what does power need to do in order to be more competitive again?
 
My thought process would be:

Have Power 106 focus on a wider age demo. Be the "KROQ" of hip-hop and play the best of new, recurrent, and classic.

Except... then Murelo would be stepping on their own KDAY. So, that plan wouldn't work.
 
KPWR finished as high as #6 in 18-34 as recently as March (with KRRL at #3), so they've shown they can still be competitive. It's all about making the right adjustments to put them back in a competitive spot. Hip Hop centric stations have been bouncing back nationwide over the past few months, so I'm not surprised KRRL is doing as well as it is.
 
Power 106 has a special pleace in my heart and the Latino community in general imho.
I once had a colleague tell me "Why do you listen Kiss FM? You're Latino!" lol
 
KDAY could always go in more of a classic Urban AC direction to open a wider lane for Power 106 to play more classic hip-hop.
 
MarkW said:
KDAY could always go in more of a classic Urban AC direction to open a wider lane for Power 106 to play more classic hip-hop.
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KDAY has long been associated with hip-hop music in Southern California. I don't know what Meruelo can do to lure listeners away from Stevie Wonder's FM.
 
victorres43 said:
KDAY has long been associated with hip-hop music in Southern California. I don't know what Meruelo can do to lure listeners away from Stevie Wonder's FM.
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Yeah I can’t see KDAY flipping to Urban AC because of its heritage as the 1st hip hip station. KDAY sounds like Power 106 in the mid 90’s and 2000’s.
 
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KDAY hip hop from Sugar Hill Gang to 2005.
Power, like mentioned, kroq of So. Cal hip hop.
2005 to now. BUT share the snoop, Nate, Pun, Pac, with KDAY but just the strongest songs from Pre Kanye like twice an hour outside of mixes. Go heavy with the mixes, trust the Mixologists, just let them know the rules, counter those oh shhhh.... With a familiar follow up.
Radio can do this best because you ain't just fighting real. Be that unique one place for that hit it up on the drive never know what surprises are in store but trust in that it's consistently good!
 
DOB said:
KDAY hip hop from Sugar Hill Gang to 2005.
Power, like mentioned, kroq of So. Cal hip hop.
2005 to now. BUT share the snoop, Nate, Pun, Pac, with KDAY but just the strongest songs from Pre Kanye like twice an hour outside of mixes. Go heavy with the mixes, trust the Mixologists, just let them know the rules, counter those oh shhhh.... With a familiar follow up.
Radio can do this best because you ain't just fighting real. Be that unique one place for that hit it up on the drive never know what surprises are in store but trust in that it's consistently good!
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I highly doubt that KDAY & Power 106 will share the same throwbacks to avoid overlapping issues.
 
34james said:
Good observation
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Thanks. I grew up listening to Power 106 and I know their was a time when they weren’t all hip hop when they were going up against KIIS in the 80’s. They finally changed to hip hop in the 90’s when the original KDAY went off the air and 92.3 The Beat was kicking butt in the ratings with their No Color Lines campaign.
 
radio128 said:
I think another factor was Emmis' Hot 97 in NY recently transitioned from dance to Hip Hop and was doing well.
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I already knew that. When Power flipped to hip hop they were also still playing some house music especially in 1995-96 when they were playing Lina Santiago, Angelina,etc. In 1997, they stopped playing dance and became all hip hop. They were always a rhythmic station on the mediabase listings while on Billboard airplay monitor they were billed as Mainstream R&B/Hip Hop from 1997-2005.
 
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radio128 said:
I think another factor was Emmis' Hot 97 in NY recently transitioned from dance to Hip Hop and was doing well.
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Hot 97 has not been "dance" for decades.

Here is an article about a dispute between rappers outside the station over 20 years ago... Capone-N-Noreaga Deny Any Role In Hot 97 Shooting

And Emmis no longer owns Hot 97, although they have an interest in the new owner.
 
A little overlap is fine, and if executed correctly each station will have it's own lane.
Power needs those top 90s just for flavor, just the best and just once or twice an hour whereas they are the core of KDAY.
I knew what you meant, in 1997 WQHT has 2.5 years of already top ratings as hip hop and the complete transition to the west coast version of that was the obvious move then.
 
DOB said:
A little overlap is fine, and if executed correctly each station will have it's own lane.
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Yes, and I've seen co-owned stations that played as much as half of the same music. It's about what each plays to the "other side" of the sister station.

In the early 60's I was an interned at a group where two of the stations did exactly that: 50% total music overlap. Both were very top ratings performers in a market with over 30 stations back then.
DOB said:
Power needs those top 90s just for flavor, just the best and just once or twice an hour whereas they are the core of KDAY.
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Good point. In one it is core, and in the other it is accent.
 
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