CapRadio and Stockton/Modesto

[Michael Rivers Kramer]

This question is for Mike Haggarty-

I've noticed in my travels up north, that CapRadio seems to favor the Tahoe/Reno station over the Stockton/Modesto. I'm talking about the non-legal ID breaks. In fact, I heard the morning host repeatedly announce, you're listening to CapRadio-News, 90.9 in Sacramento and 90.5 in Tahoe/Reno, your NPR station.

Stockton/Modesto is far bigger than Reno and Reno has it's own NPR station. Are the memberships in the San Joaquin Valley that bad? Sadly, Stockton doesn't get very much media coverage, although I do know you have Rich Ibarra there.

 

[seattlesarchiebunker]

I do believe CapRadio has had the Tahoe/Reno station since the early 90’s, and translators in the Tahoe basin before that! They’ve been up there for quite awhile.

I’d argue this: Look at the housing prices/average salaries in Truckee, S. Lake Tahoe, etc. Then look at housing prices/salaries in Modesto or Stockton. My guess is people up there have far more disposable income to buy season lift passes, new Subarus every couple of years, and NPR memberships over Modesto or even Stockton (though Stockton and points west are turning into a Bay Area exurb)

 

[Michael Rivers Kramer]

I do believe CapRadio has had the Tahoe/Reno station since the early 90’s, and translators in the Tahoe basin before that! They’ve been up there for quite awhile.

I’d argue this: Look at the housing prices/average salaries in Truckee, S. Lake Tahoe, etc. Then look at housing prices/salaries in Modesto or Stockton. My guess is people up there have far more disposable income to buy season lift passes, new Subarus every couple of years, and NPR memberships over Modesto or even Stockton (though Stockton and points west are turning into a Bay Area exurb)

You’re talking a small number of people in the Tahoe basin.

 

[seattlesarchiebunker]

You’re talking a small number of people in the Tahoe basin.

True. Certainly less than Modesto and Stockton combined, but arguably more affluent. And growing. You could argue Reno was less affluent than Stockton/Modesto until about 10 years ago. It was on its last legs for awhile in the 2000’s.

Also, don’t forget that they were the first NPR talk station up there in Reno…well before NVPR relayed their station from Vegas and well before KUNR started increasing talk programming. My guess is that longevity helps to keep them well-listened to up there. People are less interested in listening to a fringe signal broadcasting similar programming from 300 miles away…

 

[Y2kTheNewOldies]

This question is for Mike Haggarty-

I've noticed in my travels up north, that CapRadio seems to favor the Tahoe/Reno station over the Stockton/Modesto. I'm talking about the non-legal ID breaks. In fact, I heard the morning host repeatedly announce, you're listening to CapRadio-News, 90.9 in Sacramento and 90.5 in Tahoe/Reno, your NPR station.

Stockton/Modesto is far bigger than Reno and Reno has it's own NPR station. Are the memberships in the San Joaquin Valley that bad? Sadly, Stockton doesn't get very much media coverage, although I do know you have Rich Ibarra there.

But wait Stockton and Modesto are technically different radio markets from Sacramento. Yes on the TV side the North end of the San Joaquin Valley is covered by Sacramento but on the radio side they are counted as different areas. This could be a clue why Cap Radio may not emphasize Stockton and Modesto. If they are including Stockton and Modesto its from KUOP-FM feed.

https://ratings.****************/content/arb343

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https://ratings.****************/content/arb065

KUOP - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Michael Rivers Kramer]

Nope it’s a straight simulcast except for the legal ids in drive time.

 

[seattlesarchiebunker]

I’m not sure about KUOP itself, but KXSR takes the KXPR signal (directly from a FM tuner setup) and rebroadcasts it on 91.7.

I’d assume something similar is at play on 91.3.

 

[michael hagerty]

This question is for Mike Haggarty-

I've noticed in my travels up north, that CapRadio seems to favor the Tahoe/Reno station over the Stockton/Modesto. I'm talking about the non-legal ID breaks. In fact, I heard the morning host repeatedly announce, you're listening to CapRadio-News, 90.9 in Sacramento and 90.5 in Tahoe/Reno, your NPR station.

Stockton/Modesto is far bigger than Reno and Reno has it's own NPR station. Are the memberships in the San Joaquin Valley that bad? Sadly, Stockton doesn't get very much media coverage, although I do know you have Rich Ibarra there.

Michael, I'll ask. I know that we ID them all at certain (likely required) points in the day.

I will say that I've been surprised at the Tahoe/Reno listenership. In my three years at the station, I've had several comments from people who were listening on that signal---including one who recognized my voice and name from KOLO-AM (1977-81) and Channel 2 (1981-84) and asked if I was "Mike Hagerty's son".

 

[michael hagerty]

True. Certainly less than Modesto and Stockton combined, but arguably more affluent. And growing. You could argue Reno was less affluent than Stockton/Modesto until about 10 years ago. It was on its last legs for awhile in the 2000’s.

Also, don’t forget that they were the first NPR talk station up there in Reno…well before NVPR relayed their station from Vegas and well before KUNR started increasing talk programming. My guess is that longevity helps to keep them well-listened to up there. People are less interested in listening to a fringe signal broadcasting similar programming from 300 miles away…

All of the above, plus the fact that most of Tahoe's population is in California, so we cover El Dorado County, Nevada County and Placer County and state news while KUNR may focus more on Washoe County and Nevada news---especially as it concerns government.

South Lake Tahoe is the most populous city in El Dorado County.

 

[michael hagerty]

This question is for Mike Haggarty-

I've noticed in my travels up north, that CapRadio seems to favor the Tahoe/Reno station over the Stockton/Modesto. I'm talking about the non-legal ID breaks. In fact, I heard the morning host repeatedly announce, you're listening to CapRadio-News, 90.9 in Sacramento and 90.5 in Tahoe/Reno, your NPR station.

Stockton/Modesto is far bigger than Reno and Reno has it's own NPR station. Are the memberships in the San Joaquin Valley that bad? Sadly, Stockton doesn't get very much media coverage, although I do know you have Rich Ibarra there.

Michael, I'm told that the liners for the hosts evenly rotate frequencies. They all have 90.9 Sacramento as the lead, and then the secondary mention should be either 90.5 FM Tahoe/Reno, 91.3 FM Stockton/Modesto or 88.1 FM Quincy.

That said, the hosts can and do ad-lib but there is no intention on the part of the station to play up Tahoe/Reno over Stockton/Modesto, or for that matter, Quincy.

 

[Weiserguy]

Just came across this thread. I suspect the answer to Michael Kramer's question is simpler than what's been speculated on so far. (Mike Hagerty, correct me if I'm wrong.) You're asking about AM drive, and I suspect that 91.3 breaks away from the Sacramento simulcast for a couple/few hours (6-9? 7-9?) to have its own local host with local Stockton/Merced news inserts, traffic, weather and community announcements, while still carrying most of the national feed of Morning Edition.

I don't listen very often in the afternoon due to reception issues where I live, so I can't say whether they do the same thing in PM drive, but it wouldn't surprise me. It would be an inexpensive way to add some localization in key demand hours to a higher population part of CapRadio's footprint, something that would have less value in the more rural Tahoe or Quincy areas.

 

[Y2kTheNewOldies]

KUOP is a simulcast of KXJZ Sacramento except for station IDs part. KXJZ is a 50kw signal that covers Sacramento, Yolo, Placer, Solano, Yuba, El Dorado and Sutter Counties. KUOP covers San Joaquin and Stanislaus counties at 7kw.

KXPR 88.9 is the lead for music in Sacramento and covers the same areas as KXJZ do at 50kw.

 

[michael hagerty]

Just came across this thread. I suspect the answer to Michael Kramer's question is simpler than what's been speculated on so far. (Mike Hagerty, correct me if I'm wrong.) You're asking about AM drive, and I suspect that 91.3 breaks away from the Sacramento simulcast for a couple/few hours (6-9? 7-9?) to have its own local host with local Stockton/Merced news inserts, traffic, weather and community announcements, while still carrying most of the national feed of Morning Edition.

I don't listen very often in the afternoon due to reception issues where I live, so I can't say whether they do the same thing in PM drive, but it wouldn't surprise me. It would be an inexpensive way to add some localization in key demand hours to a higher population part of CapRadio's footprint, something that would have less value in the more rural Tahoe or Quincy areas.

Nope. KUOP is a straight simulcast of KXJZ 24/7 as are the Tahoe/Reno and Quincy frequencies.

Y2K, the IDs are all given together as legally required. There are no separate legal IDs.

 

[Weiserguy]

Nope. KUOP is a straight simulcast of KXJZ 24/7 as are the Tahoe/Reno and Quincy frequencies.

Y2K, the IDs are all given together as legally required. There are no separate legal IDs.

Thank you, Mike, but I recall hearing the legal ID on 90.9 being different at 7:59am and 8:59am than the other times of day, not including KUOP's calls, COL and frequence. Maybe one of the others is also missing then. But it's possible I'm hallucinating, so I'll check again this week. (Unlike the 50 Kw KXJZ, KUOP's signal doesn't make it to the peninsula, and 91.3 in general is clobbered by 91.1/KCSM's HD sideband and 91.5/KKUP up here.)

 

[michael hagerty]

Thank you, Mike, but I recall hearing the legal ID on 90.9 being different at 7:59am and 8:59am than the other times of day, not including KUOP's calls, COL and frequence. Maybe one of the others is also missing then. But it's possible I'm hallucinating, so I'll check again this week. (Unlike the 50 Kw KXJZ, KUOP's signal doesn't make it to the peninsula, and 91.3 in general is clobbered by 91.1/KCSM's HD sideband and 91.5/KKUP up here.)

Hosts generally do the hourly IDs live. It’s possible someone goofed. We have no studios other than Sacramento. Couldn’t do separate programming for Stockton.

 

[Y2kTheNewOldies]

Nope. KUOP is a straight simulcast of KXJZ 24/7 as are the Tahoe/Reno and Quincy frequencies.

Y2K, the IDs are all given together as legally required. There are no separate legal IDs.

Thanks I knew of the 90.9 FM and 88.9 part given that they are the main frequencies for CapRadio but does not pay attention to the others like Stockton, Tahoe and Quincy frequencies given that I get the main frequencies for Sacramento at my location.

But then again KUOP Stockton's Capradio frequency is similar to KQEI 89.3 FM North Highlands where it is a straight simulcast of KQED-FM San Francisco.

 

[Michael Rivers Kramer]

Mike - I’ve heard hours where they only announce the Sacramento legal ID. Do you think there’s an automation version for the others? In fact I only hear the four stations ID together in the of hours and on the weekend.

On the other hand, the music station always announces all three of the station legal IDs together.

 

[michael hagerty]

Mike - I’ve heard hours where they only announce the Sacramento legal ID. Do you think there’s an automation version for the others? In fact I only hear the four stations ID together in the of hours and on the weekend.

On the other hand, the music station always announces all three of the station legal IDs together.

Listening to the 6:00 a.m. legal on CapRadio News now:

"From Sacramento State University, this is CapRadio, your NPR station. 90.9 KXJZ, Sacramento, 90.5 KKTO, Tahoe-Reno, 91.3 KUOP Stockton, 88.1 KQNC, on your smart speaker and the Cap Radio app."

Apart from rotating what comes up in the second position (which is how we started this thread), this is the ID I hear at the top of every hour.

Let me know if you hear differently, what and when and I'll try to get answers.

 

[beej65]

Just for comparison - the 6:59am legal ID on KUOP: "From Sacramento State, this is listener-supported CapRadio... 91.3 KUOP Stockton-Modesto, on your smart speaker and the Cap Radio app." May not be verbatim... but does not mention sister stations.

 

[michael hagerty]

Just for comparison - the 6:59am legal ID on KUOP: "From Sacramento State, this is listener-supported CapRadio... 91.3 KUOP Stockton-Modesto, on your smart speaker and the Cap Radio app." May not be verbatim... but does not mention sister stations.

Okay. That's interesting. I'll ask. I'm off today, but I'll get an answer by the end of the week.

Were you listening over the air or on a smart speaker or app?