December numbers are here

[tb_]

I know rimshots are a result of wonky FCC rules,

But I still don't know how KILT AM will benefit from 92.1, considering that Cypress, Kingwood, Klein, Conroe, and The Woodlands are outside the 60 dBu signal (per the FCC). And Inner Loop Houston may not be able to receive the signal without a good radio.

There's a reason why Texans games are aired on 100.3.

92.1 does come in rather well up here in Conroe/Willis area. I can regularly pick it up with HD even, now that they've moved to the new stick.

 

[Mediafrog+]

So, you think I should buy KROI to put either the 610 or 790 Sport-talk format on 92.1. My first question: How does that make me money?
It preserves the audience.
Again, how does that make me money. Not only do I have the note for KROI but how does more money come in because the former AM listener goes to 92.1. How do I pay the debt and operations on both frequencies and increase my profit margin?

Because you can drive a stake through the heart of the sportstalk competition which would now be on greatly inferior signals.

If adding an FM simulcast is such a bad idea, why have so many big market AM stations done that very thing in recent years (WFAN, WINS, WBBM, KNX, KYW, KCBS, KNBR, WSB etc etc.)?

I suppose if you think AM will continue to be viable as its audience ages out and signals disappear into the noise, then so be it.

610 is about to have its power cut in half with the transmitter move. And the 790 signal has all sorts of coverage holes.

Does Mr Alfred visit this site? And maybe he’s happy with what ever is going on 92.1? Why hasn’t he put it in the market yet if not?

If he is happy with a 0.5 after spending money on a new tower, then I just have to scratch my head in disbelief. Note that 92.1, when on the previous tower, sometimes hit the threes in the monthly numbers, which means the (now improved) signal is capable of pulling a respectable audience with the right format.

Radio One has dumped some underperforming stations in the past few years, so KROI should be seen as a possible divestiture.

 

[b-turner]

MediaFrog+, my comments were not an attack. I merely shared what my owner would say and I suspect any potential owner that would consider that. I do not know what a FM simulcast is happening. You need to ask them. You have no clue what I think of AM and I resent you stooping so low. By the way I work for an AM with an FM translator and we're doing very well but it's the FM translator that makes that happen. And we have a bunch of smart phone, device (ie: Alexa) and online listeners.

790 and 610 both need something but people are still listening and dollars are still being spent. Eventually the AM can do something else and move to an FM that needs a format change. Keep in mind lots of Sportstalkers listen on their smart phones and online.

I'm with you on KROI. David's comments about the huge write-off sure wouldn't look good but I can't see KROI getting anything close to what they paid so that hit has to happen at some point. I guess they're hoping values will go up in coming years,

 

[Mediafrog+]

MediaFrog+, my comments were not an attack.

I didn’t see them as one, no problem.🙂

You have no clue what I think of AM and I resent you stooping so low.

My comment on the future viability of AM radio was badly worded; I meant “you” in the general, not specific sense. Sorry you took offense. My main point was that AM is sinking into irrelevance, and programmers need to consider alternate platforms before the audience disappears.

790 and 610 both need something but people are still listening and dollars are still being spent.

For now. But how long will that last? Are they adding younger listeners to replace those that age out?

Eventually the AM can do something else and move to an FM that needs a format change.

Thing is, I don’t see any of the “big signal” Houston FMs flipping to sportstalk, given the current ownership/format combinations. That brings us to KROI, which IMHO would be the best option for sportstalk among the “rest of the FMs“ in the market. I don’t see any of the eastern rimshots doing much good in this situation.

I’ve said this before: If Audacy or iHeart moved their sportstalker to 92.1 they would then have the best signal in the market for the format. The other sportstalker would be stranded on AM, or in the case of Gow Media, stuck on a really bad FM rimshot.

I would leave any AM/92.1 simulcast in place for at least a couple of years in order to determine how much of the audience has gone to FM. If most have made the switch, the AM can be flipped to something else, or sold off…for instance Audacy could move BetQL to 610 and sell 650.

I'm with you on KROI. David's comments about the huge write-off sure wouldn't look good but I can't see KROI getting anything close to what they paid so that hit has to happen at some point.

I think KROI is caught in a culture trap: Ownership does not want to do anything that might take away sales-relevant audience from KMJQ and KBXX. However given Radio One’s African-American focus, the format choices are thus constrained. New owners would have a wider range of options.

I guess they're hoping values will go up in coming years,

Not. Going. To. Happen.

 

[Ryan Williams]

I think KROI is caught in a culture trap: Ownership does not want to do anything that might take away sales-relevant audience from KMJQ and KBXX. However given Radio One’s African-American focus, the format choices are thus constrained. New owners would have a wider range of options.

I am not disagreeing with you, but Radio One has been trying to supposedly expand out of their core formats and build bigger, more diversified clusters. Indianapolis and Charlotte being two recent examples. I wonder if that is part of why nothing has come of Dumpster Fire 92.1. Maybe they don't want to have just a two station cluster.

It seems to me there could also be some swap options if Audacy of iHeart really wanted 92.1, where they could work out something for some stations in NOLA or Memphis or Norfolk or equivalent that would fit nicely in U1's portfolio and footprint and are not core assets for the current licensee.

 

[pjc1961]

Covering the survey period from Thu. 11/10/2022 thru Wed. 12/7/2022,
Top 5+ demo rankings for ages 25-54, 18-34 + 18-49:
PPM ratings Analysis - December 2022 - scroll down to see Houston market

Age 25-54:
1. KODA 2. KTBZ 3. KKHH 4. KGLK 5. KRBE 6T. KKBQ 6T. KOVE (up from #9) 8. KBXX (down from #4) 9. KSBJ (down from #5T)

Age 18-34: 1. KODA 2. KBXX 3. KGLK 4. KILT-FM 5. KTBZ (up from #8) 6. KQBT

Age 18-49: 1. KODA 2. KTBZ 3. KKHH 4. KOVE 5T. KRBE 5T. KGLK (up from #8) 7. KBXX (down from #3T)

 

[jt99]

I guess the post above answers my question from the 1st page. Not much of a Country listener these days, so I wouldn't be able to tell the differences between the two, but it's interesting to see KILT-FM beating KKBQ in 18-34, with the opposite happening in 25-54.

 

[tb_]

I guess the post above answers my question from the 1st page. Not much of a Country listener these days, so I wouldn't be able to tell the differences between the two, but it's interesting to see KILT-FM beating KKBQ in 18-34, with the opposite happening in 25-54.

KILT’s presentation is more CHR in style, and they have been adding more local Texas music to the playlist, which is becoming increasingly popular with the younger crowd. KKBQ sounds more like an AC and seems to be less willing to try new music that doesn’t get spoon fed from the labels in Nashville.

 

[jt99]

As part of that younger crowd (I'm 23), that's definitely something I've noticed of late on social media. If KILT-FM is adding some of the music to their playlist, it makes sense they're seeing success with a younger crowd. Thanks for the insight.

 

[JustinT]

Does Mr Alfred visit this site? And maybe he’s happy with what ever is going on 92.1? Why hasn’t he put it in the market yet if not?

“I’m so proud to run an infomercials and gospel format FM in Market #6. I love promoting the HD2 signal just as much as its perfectly fine FM signal. The ratings are surely not lower than other formats we ran on a worse incarnation of the 92.1 signal. We even beat the stream of an automated adult hits station!”

- probably not Mr. Alfred

 

[Mediafrog+]

“I’m so proud to run an infomercials and gospel format FM in Market #6.

Running infomercials on a music FM is NEVER a good idea and just screams that the station is a marketing failure.

I love promoting the HD2 signal just as much as its perfectly fine FM signal.

I suspect they keep and promote the 102.1 HD2 so Praise listeners would know where to go when they finally flip or sell 92.1…but we are still waiting……………

The ratings are surely not lower than other formats we ran on a worse incarnation of the 92.1 signal. We even beat the stream of an automated adult hits station!”

- probably not Mr. Alfred

The previous 92.1 signal occasionally got shares in the low threes (most recently in the early days of the “Boom” incarnation) so it does have the capability of drawing a respectable audience with the right format and demographics.

 

[2Speakers]

The sports talk on 92.1 theme comes up frequently here.

From moves ESPN has made in the past, I have to wonder if Radio One approached them, if they would consider moving their Houston affiliation to KROI?

 

[Mediafrog+]

From moves ESPN has made in the past, I have to wonder if Radio One approached them, if they would consider moving their Houston affiliation to KROI?

Sportstalk has to be local to draw any significant numbers. Houston already has three local sportstalkers, which is perhaps one too many...and all three could use a better signal, which FM would provide. Thus all the talk about 92.1.

Fulltime carriage of a national sports network is best suited for mid and small market stations that need turnkey program content, or for basket case large market AM signals, such as 650 here in Houston (BetQL.)

 

[Ryan Williams]

Sportstalk has to be local to draw any significant numbers. Houston already has three local sportstalkers, which is perhaps one too many...and all three could use a better signal, which FM would provide. Thus all the talk about 92.1.

And... neither iHeart or Audacy are going to bail on sports radio in Houston. Both are very committed to it.

I would not be surprised if Urban/Radio One gave it a go though. It's hard to imagine a sports station with a tiny amount of effort not outperforming Praise and sports is not going to affect Magic or The Box in any way.

 

[Palpatine]

97.5 would be the best fit to be paired up with 92.1, if Gow had the money to buy it. 610 and 790 are already on FM (HD2 channels).

 

[Ryan Williams]

97.5 would be the best fit to be paired up with 92.1, if Gow had the money to buy it. 610 and 790 are already on FM (HD2 channels).

HD channels are not good enough on their own in my opinion to be competitive.

 

[Mrtejano]

HD channels are not good enough on their own in my opinion to be competitive.

Not many people have HD radios. I had a hard time finding a decent one separate from the one on my car.

 

[stan]

Perhaps the owners of 610 and 790 don’t see the benefit of changing what their presence is currently on FM HD channels.

 

[davideduardo]

Not many people have HD radios. I had a hard time finding a decent one separate from the one on my car.

One of the problems with HD is that the DAC chips needed for portable radios is too power consuming to be practical.

When Bob Struble of ibiquity presented the new technology to a managers' meeting of Hispanic Broadcasting Corporation about 20 years ago, I asked about the possibility of portable units given the nature of DACs and was given an evasive answer. There is no better answer today, and that is one of the reasons HD never moved away from being almost entirely a vehicle-based option.

 

[JustinT]

One of the problems with HD is that the DAC chips needed for portable radios is too power consuming to be practical.

When Bob Struble of ibiquity presented the new technology to a managers' meeting of Hispanic Broadcasting Corporation about 20 years ago, I asked about the possibility of portable units given the nature of DACs and was given an evasive answer. There is no better answer today, and that is one of the reasons HD never moved away from being almost entirely a vehicle-based option.

Serious question: In 2022, where is anyone listening to FM radio broadcasting outside of their cars?