Reasons Not to Change Calls?

[Deleted member 76036]

Just curious…is there a reason that some stations don’t bother to change their call letters? I understand the calls might be heritage, but when the brand is gone and doesn’t appear to ever be coming back, does it make sense to keep them? I feel like the companies could easily move them to another one of their stations with branding that matches the calls. I guess calls are really an afterthought in this day and age, but while we still have them, I feel like we might as well change them when they no longer match the format.

For example,

97.1 KEGL - Associated with old “Eagle” branding.
102.1 KDGE - Associated with old “Edge” branding.
107.5 KMVK - Associated with old “Movin’” branding.

And I’m sure there are a few others…

 

[Ryan Williams]

Just curious…is there a reason that some stations don’t bother to change their call letters? I understand the calls might be heritage, but when the brand is gone and doesn’t appear to ever be coming back, does it make sense to keep them? I feel like the companies could easily move them to another one of their stations with branding that matches the calls. I guess calls are really an afterthought in this day and age, but while we still have them, I feel like we might as well change them when they no longer match the format.

For example,

97.1 KEGL - Associated with old “Eagle” branding.
102.1 KDGE - Associated with old “Edge” branding.
107.5 KMVK - Associated with old “Movin’” branding.

And I’m sure there are a few others…

I think there is a difference worth noting between stations that have call signs that reference a brand (eg KEGL) and stations whose call sign is the brand (eg WBAP).

The filing fee to change a call sign is insignificant, but it is some level of hassle getting everything updated from an administrative perspective. Also, if a station has longstanding calls there may not be anything better to change to even though the calls don’t necessarily refer to the current brand.

 

[Mikey Radio]

^^^ Building on that, 1) Some of the stations that have changed calls to try and work with their branding are such a stretch that once that branding is dropped or the format changes again, there's really no need to change the call letters, but also 2) Many stations are known by their branding, positioning and frequency rather than their call letters. They'll give them at the TOH as required, but outside of that you never really hear them mentioned. That in mind if they change formats, there's really no need to bother spending the (even if inconsequential) time and $$ on changing the call letters.

 

[R.D.P.]

Well said! I'm keeping mine, till I'm no longer able to run this broadcast.

Dan <><

 

[nd2023]

There are some stations with call letters representing a format from 40 years ago.

 

[101.9 La Kalle]

There are some stations with call letters representing a format from 40 years ago.

Super KQ!!!

wait this is the DFW thread, I'll shut up now

 

[lanceventa]

Call letters still serve on VERY IMPORTANT PURPOSE....

National ad buyers purchase stations based on the call letters they see on their spreadsheets. Usually when a station changes format, they change calls so the buyer sees it as something new. That's really the only reason why a station needs to change calls at this point, but there are plenty of examples as already indicated in this thread as those that haven't.

 

[Deleted member 76036]

I think there is a difference worth noting between stations that have call signs that reference a brand (eg KEGL) and stations whose call sign is the brand (eg WBAP).

Yeah, I totally get that. I just kind of feel that because we’re still using call letters, why not make sure they reflect the brand, even if they’re only used once an hour. WBAP flipped 93.3 on 1/3 and will have the WBAP-FM calls 19 days later.

Although I contribute to sites like TopHour.com, I think I’d actually be in favor of a rule change for Legal IDs. It doesn’t seem like they matter anymore and the rules aren’t enforced at all. WBAP-FM could make the decision to just ID as “WBAP-FM - Dallas”, even when their COL is Haltom City, and I doubt anyone would care.

I guess my attention to detail is just higher than average. Heck, I was probably the only one in the United Stares, shooting out high school football/basketball scores in real time over RDS about 10 years ago, when I worked at a small market station. 😆

 

[Mikey Radio]

Although I contribute to sites like TopHour.com, I think I’d actually be in favor of a rule change for Legal IDs. It doesn’t seem like they matter anymore and the rules aren’t enforced at all.

Am I correct that translators and certain other broadcasters don't need to use a traditional "Legal ID" at all, and that it can be broadcast in either morse code or FSK? If so, is there a reason not to implement the same for full-power broadcasters on the AM/FM bands?

 

[lanceventa]

Am I correct that translators and certain other broadcasters don't need to use a traditional "Legal ID" at all, and that it can be broadcast in either morse code or FSK? If so, is there a reason not to implement the same for full-power broadcasters on the AM/FM bands?

No. That's for translators only.

 

[gr8oldies]

Just curious…is there a reason that some stations don’t bother to change their call letters? I understand the calls might be heritage, but when the brand is gone and doesn’t appear to ever be coming back, does it make sense to keep them? I feel like the companies could easily move them to another one of their stations with branding that matches the calls. I guess calls are really an afterthought in this day and age, but while we still have them, I feel like we might as well change them when they no longer match the format.

For example,

97.1 KEGL - Associated with old “Eagle” branding.
102.1 KDGE - Associated with old “Edge” branding.
107.5 KMVK - Associated with old “Movin’” branding.

And I’m sure there are a few others…

Short answer: Because calls don't matter

 

[davideduardo]

Call letters still serve on VERY IMPORTANT PURPOSE....

National ad buyers purchase stations based on the call letters they see on their spreadsheets. Usually when a station changes format, they change calls so the buyer sees it as something new. That's really the only reason why a station needs to change calls at this point, but there are plenty of examples as already indicated in this thread as those that haven't.

One reason to change calls is so that agencies that buy multiple month averages will see this as "new" and not just a bump in an old format. If the old format did poorly, agency buyers will likely see an increase and say "sample error... still not buying" but with new calls, there is a reset.

 

[Greg Goodfellow]

That must explain why we had an AM station in Wheeling, West Virginia @1600 that went through a plethora of calls. A local unrated FM station also went through more than its fair share.

 

[Mikey Radio]

No. That's for translators only.

Thanks, Lance, and I understand that. My comment was regarding Chris's suggestion of a potential rule change.

 

[TexasTom]

Short answer: Because calls don't matter

That attitude seems to have changed rather substantially over the years. It seems to me that through much of the seventies, eighties, and nineties it was pretty much standard practice that a format change was going to mean a call letter change. Even when a station when by a slogan, they'd try to find calls that reflected the slogan -- ie, KMGX for "Magic" became KDMX for "MIx" when that station went from soft AC to hot AC. Granted, that didn't always happen -- notably, the KZPS call letters go back to when the stations was "Z-92.5, Your Power Station" as Top 40, a format that they abandoned around 1987, but that seems like an exception for that era.

But in recent years that seems to have become much less common. As an example, 103.7 went through a couple of format changes without ever changing the classic KVIL call letters from their AC days.

 

[CentralFL]

Not Dallas, but WPLJ in New York did a strange call letter change. The were branded "WPLJ - Power 95" for about 4 years when they suddenly changed their calls and branding to "WWPR - Power 95". That only lasted a year or so before going back to "WPLJ - Power 95". Supposedly most people were writing WPLJ in the ratings books, despite the change in calls.

When the Jesus people bought WPLJ in 2019, they chose to retain the heritage calls.

 

[nd2023]

Not Dallas, but WPLJ in New York did a strange call letter change. The were branded "WPLJ - Power 95" for about 4 years when they suddenly changed their calls and branding to "WWPR - Power 95". That only lasted a year or so before going back to "WPLJ - Power 95". Supposedly most people were writing WPLJ in the ratings books, despite the change in calls.

When the Jesus people bought WPLJ in 2019, they chose to retain the heritage calls.

WPLJ - We Praise Lord Jesus

 

[CentralFL]

Wine Port Lemon Juice