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New 104.1 KVDU Application

Ryan Williams said:
You are saying they run the downgraded KVDU and the moved-in WFFX as a simulcast? I suppose it is possible. I think analog, or rather "dial" radio frequency brands are unfashionable and not a good idea. Also, those are separate markets with different dynamics at play.
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Yes, that is correct. On paper, the current 104.1 signal covers both markets. If iHeart were to see an advantage of retaining the current format in both BR & NO, to me, it seems at least plausible that a simulcast of the downgraded KVDU with the moved in WFFX, allows them to keep a majority of the listeners covered that KVDU currently does all on its own. This may be my own unfamiliarity with the different makeups of BR & NO, but The Spot on just 103.7 or 104.1 without the other signal in tandem, will lose a ton of coverage and doom the format.
Ryan Williams said:
I'm not super familiar with the Baton Rouge market, but I bet iHeart does some market analysis to see what could make the biggest impact, and I kind of doubt The Spot is the answer, but who knows.

Just spitballing, I would probably guess they would try some kind of Urban/CHR Rhythmic riff to better match Cumulus' offerings.
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My familiarity with coastal Louisiana is pretty minimal itself, Ryan. I'm just thowing it out there, coming from a market that already has several of these subpar signals in simulcast, just to cover the two largest cities in the market (i.e. Tyler and Longview). The Spot is going to have a tough time surviving as a format after the significant downgrade to KVDU, and will need more than what is proposed from either of the two downgraded signals trying to run it on their own. Like you, I don't see it surviving only in service to either Baton Rouge or New Orleans alone. A simulcast seems to be working well for KNXX and WNXX, albeit with sports and a smaller coverage area, so the precedent is certainly there. Maybe a combined effort of 103.7 & 104.1 with an Urban or Rhythmic format as you suggested?
 
You could move Throwbacks (96.3) to either 103.7 or 104.1. I do not see why iHeart would put another Urban station when they have Q93 & 98.5 which are highly performed stations. I think they should put a Soft or AC station on the new frequency.
 
radiorock89xfm said:
So what’s going to happen with WFFX 103.7 the Fox format??? Are they going to move the format on another frequency in the Hattiesburg area?
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We won't know that for a while. But iHeart will probably be okay with having one less station in Hattiesburg if that means they can maintain in NOLA and add one in BR. It's not even a close call.

If this all gets approved, and I suspect it will eventually, they might be able to pick up a translator to backfill the format.
 
Ryan Williams said:
You are saying they run the downgraded KVDU and the moved-in WFFX as a simulcast? I suppose it is possible. I think analog, or rather "dial" radio frequency brands are unfashionable and not a good idea. Also, those are separate markets with different dynamics at play.

I'm not super familiar with the Baton Rouge market, but I bet iHeart does some market analysis to see what could make the biggest impact, and I kind of doubt The Spot is the answer, but who knows.

Just spitballing, I would probably guess they would try some kind of Urban/CHR Rhythmic riff to better match Cumulus' offerings.
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I'm shocked they haven't tried CHR Pop in Nola.
 
rosecitymedia said:
Yes, that is correct. On paper, the current 104.1 signal covers both markets. If iHeart were to see an advantage of retaining the current format in both BR & NO, to me, it seems at least plausible that a simulcast of the downgraded KVDU with the moved in WFFX, allows them to keep a majority of the listeners covered that KVDU currently does all on its own.
Click to expand...

The problem is radio is not bought regionally. Few, if any, Baton Rouge businesses advertise on New Orleans stations. The same can be said for the reverse.

rosecitymedia said:
This may be my own unfamiliarity with the different makeups of BR & NO, but The Spot on just 103.7 or 104.1 without the other signal in tandem, will lose a ton of coverage and doom the format.
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On paper, the new signal at 103.7 will cover New Orleans better than 104.1. Also, on paper, 103.7 and 104.1 will not overlap. I qualify those statements with "on paper" because I am aware that the terrain there is flat, and, from my own experiences, signals tend to do better, at least on a good radio, than their parameters would indicate, at least around New Orleans. If the programming on either of those stations is doomed, it won't be because of the signals.

rosecitymedia said:
My familiarity with coastal Louisiana is pretty minimal itself, Ryan. I'm just thowing it out there, coming from a market that already has several of these subpar signals in simulcast, just to cover the two largest cities in the market (i.e. Tyler and Longview). The Spot is going to have a tough time surviving as a format after the significant downgrade to KVDU, and will need more than what is proposed from either of the two downgraded signals trying to run it on their own. Like you, I don't see it surviving only in service to either Baton Rouge or New Orleans alone.
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I thought Tyler and Longview were separate markets. Am I wrong about that? Whatever the case, one of the big differences between New Orleans and Baton Rouge has been that very few signals cover both markets. Neither really has a KNUE or a KOOI that provides local coverage to 100% of each market. They're also generally far enough apart that people don't go between them to patronize specific businesses. If you want to serve both New Orleans and Baton Rouge, you open locations in each. Tyler and Longview are both smaller and closer together. Going to Tyler from Longview to shop is about half as far as the the hike between New Orleans and Baton Rouge. Baton Rouge to New Orleans is very much doable as a day trip, but you're probably going to want to stay all day.

rosecitymedia said:
A simulcast seems to be working well for KNXX and WNXX, albeit with sports and a smaller coverage area, so the precedent is certainly there. Maybe a combined effort of 103.7 & 104.1 with an Urban or Rhythmic format as you suggested?
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KNXX and WNXX are two rimshots that try to cover one market.
 
Kent said:
I thought Tyler and Longview were separate markets. Am I wrong about that?
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Tyler-Longview has been a single market as long as I can remember, going back until at least the middle-late 90s.

There are a lot of signals there though that only cover half or part of the market.

Tyler to Longview is about 34 miles apart (downtown to downtown).

Baton Rouge to New Orleans is around 75 miles apart.

Even if you plop a 100,000 watt FM directly halfway, it will still be almost 40 miles away from the center of town and be a rimshot.
 
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They could have the same music on 103.7 & 104.1 but just have local ads on each station.
 
I think it’s doubtful they’ll try to simulcast The Spot in two markets. For one, the format would create a close in format in-house competitor to the AC station KRVE in Baton Rouge.

And as mentioned, the two markets are far away enough that there’s no regional marketing dollars. When 104.1 and 92.3 had that big coverage over both markets, attempts to target both usually didn’t work out well.

Folks from BR can make it a day trip to NOLA, but it’s rare to have the other way around outside of say, LSU football season.

My guess is there will be different formats on both stations once they move.
 
ContinuousWave said:
Houston has The Eagle on 106.9 and 107.5 simulcast...pulls good numbers..the spots are the same on both..
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The difference is that 106.9 and 107.5 are the same market. 103.7 and 104.1 won’t be. No reason to air the same spots on your Baton Rouge station that you’re airing on your New Orleans station, especially when you have your own sales team in Baton Rouge already in place.

HTX said:
They could have the same music on 103.7 & 104.1 but just have local ads on each station.
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iHeart is already doing this in stations in the same format across the country and has been for over a decade. I want to say that started around 2006. If it decides the same format will work in both markets, we could see something like that. That's not really a simulcast, though.
 
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