Surprised nobody dares try and compete with KXXM yet.
The problem with taking on an established leader is that it takes time and, usually, the station being attacked does not lose even half the audience if it is well executed and well researched.
So you have a new station with a new format that starts with zero billing. Since it is trying to fragment an existing and well known station (by both listeners and clients), there is little incentive to change stations.
A well researched station is playing all the "right songs" already. So a new station can't possibly beat them on music. A new station can promote "less commercials" but that is knife that cuts both ways as the promise is denied as the new format picks up clients: "they lied to me... they have just as many commercials".
And the "old station" has identifiable and "friend on the radio" voices. The new station does not. Unless the new station hits a home run with a fabulous morning show (a very unlikely happening in today's environment) they will loose in mornings badly.
And that format is less prone to being "buyable" with contests and promotions.
So the new challenger has to outspend the established station in promotion, advertising and talent. They have to figure out how to do the music better than a well-researched station already does. They will spend on outside advertising, like billboards, online and TV. They will not have revenue at all for months, and then only a fraction of what KXXM has. Advertisers have no desire to place bets on a new station when they are getting results with the traditional buy. So the new station will lose money for at least a year, and have lots of startup expenses.
It's a lot better to flank the soft spot between two market leaders and not go head-to-head. Flanking is how Hot AC developed, and how "soft AC" is developing in some markets. You are on a 20-lane highway, and you look at how you can flip lanes between two leaders in a way that neither can fully protect without endangering their core. Not as exciting, but can be operated with less money and get revenue a lot faster.
