KLAT losing current night site

[Deleted member 108832]

What matters most is the location of the HDHAs in the market, which is where most of the Spanish dominant metered households are. It the signal reaches the HDHAs then the impact is much less than it appears.

Houston, itself, is on the doorstep of 50% of the entire city's population being Hispanic, in the latest numbers I've seen, David. The impact, or lack thereof, is that KLAT is offering programming that very few want to hear. LMN could have silenced it entirely for 6 months and I doubt a handful of regular listeners would even know it. LMN needs, desperately, to pick up one of those (in)famous translators to pair with 1010, find a niche that's not currently being served, drop TUDN like a hot potato, or it's dead in the water. The day site couldn't provide reliable service to Houston 40 years ago. Now, Houston has spread out in several directions, making it nearly double the size it was in 1984.

The money to turn KLAT around is there, as we all are aware, but no movement, whatsoever, on anything acquired by LMN since they bought the package, doesn't instill much confidence in me that they are looking to put any real effort into KLAT, or anything else in their portfolio, for that matter.

 

[radioislife2020]

They wheels are starting to turn I can say it's not going to happen before Aug But I would expect a big change in September. The guy in charge is based out of McAllen and has no idea what they really have in Houston.

 

[davideduardo]

Houston, itself, is on the doorstep of 50% of the entire city's population being Hispanic, in the latest numbers I've seen, David.

But ratings are not done for single cities. They are done for markets. And the 11 county Houston Metro Survey Area is just a tad under 40% Hispanic, and of that group, less than 48% are Spanish dominant.

The impact, or lack thereof, is that KLAT is offering programming that very few want to hear. LMN could have silenced it entirely for 6 months and I doubt a handful of regular listeners would even know it. LMN needs, desperately, to pick up one of those (in)famous translators to pair with 1010, find a niche that's not currently being served, drop TUDN like a hot potato, or it's dead in the water.

The issue here is that the people at LMN don't have a clue at what they are doing.

Example: I filled in an employment application when they first posted one online. I'm one of the most successful Spanish language broadcasters alive and have plenty of documentation of that.

I never even heard back from them. On the other hand, they have hired a number of people I would never consider for their positions.

The money to turn KLAT around is there, as we all are aware, but no movement, whatsoever, on anything acquired by LMN since they bought the package, doesn't instill much confidence in me that they are looking to put any real effort into KLAT, or anything else in their portfolio, for that matter.

Totally in agreement.

I think we should discount the idea that the group was bought to influence the 2024 elections, as it is way to late to do any programming that could be used as a vehicle to carry a political message.

The purchase seems to be intended to give Hispanic management and ownership a voice in American media. But they bought a bunch of mostly dog stations and they can't even teach them to bark on command.

 

[davideduardo]

They wheels are starting to turn I can say it's not going to happen before Aug But I would expect a big change in September. The guy in charge is based out of McAllen and has no idea what they really have in Houston.

If you are referring to the upcoming elections, it is way too late for that. And building the new night site is not a 60-day proposition!

 

[Mediafrog+]

Houston, itself, is on the doorstep of 50% of the entire city's population being Hispanic, in the latest numbers I've seen, David.

The impact of the Spanish speaking population has greatly increased, even more so in the past few years. I can go to any shopping mall in Harris County, and two-thirds of the conversations I overhear are in Spanish. Perhaps 25% are in English, with about 10% in various other languages. You have to head out to the suburbs in Montgomery and Fort Bend counties for English to predominate.

The impact, or lack thereof, is that KLAT is offering programming that very few want to hear. LMN could have silenced it entirely for 6 months and I doubt a handful of regular listeners would even know it.

Agreed, the TUDN programming has been a complete dog. Not doing anything for 93.3 either. Total waste of two signals. Amazing nothing has changed on KLAT almost a year and a half after the sale closure.

The day site couldn't provide reliable service to Houston 40 years ago. Now, Houston has spread out in several directions, making it nearly double the size it was in 1984.

The 1010 day pattern was developed in the early 1960s when the expected growth pattern of Houston metro was perceived differently. It was thought the major growth would be towards the east and south, past Baytown as well as stretching to Lake Jackson. The reality is that most of the growth has been to the west and north. I suspect greater awareness of tropical storms and hurricanes has resulted in many residents choosing to back as far away from the coast as possible.

The money to turn KLAT around is there, as we all are aware, but no movement, whatsoever, on anything acquired by LMN since they bought the package, doesn't instill much confidence in me that they are looking to put any real effort into KLAT, or anything else in their portfolio, for that matter.

There has been speculation that at least some of the LMN properties will be rolled together with the restructured Audacy. The 1010 signal could be a future home for BetQL if sports gambling is legalized in Texas. The 650 daytimer could be sold off, or the license surrendered.

I’m keeping an eye on KFLC and KFZO in DFW, which seem to be completely adrift under LMN control.

 

[bturner1]

Sports Gambling does not need to be legal for BetQL to have an affiliate in Houston. Since the programming needs clearance in markets, I expect it to happen sooner than later.

 

[Mediafrog+]

Sports Gambling does not need to be legal for BetQL to have an affiliate in Houston. Since the programming needs clearance in markets, I expect it to happen sooner than later.

BetQL is already on KIKK 650, a true daytimer. My point was that it could move to 1010 for fulltime programming.

 

[BamaTX]

But ratings are not done for single cities. They are done for markets. And the 11 county Houston Metro Survey Area is just a tad under 40% Hispanic, and of that group, less than 48% are Spanish dominant.

Bingo.

Hispanics that are second generation (and beyond) are no longer Spanish dominant. This means that the children of immigrants are assimilating.

 

[Mark Roberts]

The issue here is that the people at LMN don't have a clue at what they are doing.

Example: I filled in an employment application when they first posted one online. I'm one of the most successful Spanish language broadcasters alive and have plenty of documentation of that.

Someone there probably saw that and said, "overqualified", which really means "too old and too expensive"! (This kind of thing happens all the time in technology and other fields, too. They want young and cheap.)

The purchase seems to be intended to give Hispanic management and ownership a voice in American media. But they bought a bunch of mostly dog stations and they can't even teach them to bark on command.

One wonders how they define success.

 

[BamaTX]

Someone there probably saw that and said, "overqualified", which really means "too old and too expensive"! (This kind of thing happens all the time in technology and other fields, too. They want young and cheap.)

With the way they've operated thus far, I think you're giving the company leadership way too much credit. My guess is they didn't even see David's resume. They probably just posted the job as a formality and already had a politically like-minded candidate lined up.

Weren't they supposed to use their AM facilities to fight "disinformation" in the "LatinX" community? Excuse my ignorance, but how does Tejano music and soccer talk achieve this? I think the two founders are way in over their head. They got investors because of their political connections. But I think this is as far as they go. Best case scenario, they create a national news/talk network in which they can sell "social equity" to companies (kind of like how iHeart sells BIN). Worst case scenario, they lose their investors' money and make institutions think twice about investing in radio.

 

[davideduardo]

Someone there probably saw that and said, "overqualified", which really means "too old and too expensive"! (This kind of thing happens all the time in technology and other fields, too. They want young and cheap.)

I would have been glad to get them moving for, lets say, three years @ 600k a year plus achievement bonuses. They will lose a lot more than that by not having someone who knows radio, knows where OTA radio has to build its future and understands the programming that first generation immigrants enjoy.

One wonders how they define success.

I can't even start to answer that question. "It's a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma." (Thanks, Winston).

 

[davideduardo]

With the way they've operated thus far, I think you're giving the company leadership way too much credit. My guess is they didn't even see David's resume. They probably just posted the job as a formality and already had a politically like-minded candidate lined up.

We will never know, but that sounds feasible.

Weren't they supposed to use their AM facilities to fight "disinformation" in the "LatinX" community? Excuse my ignorance, but how does Tejano music and soccer talk achieve this? I think the two founders are way in over their head.

They are political operatives, with no radio experience at all and no deep knowledge of the Spanish speaking communities in the US. I wonder if either even speaks good Spanish.

They got investors because of their political connections.

Yep. And because they were connected to several investment firms that are interested in media.

But I think this is as far as they go. Best case scenario, they create a national news/talk network in which they can sell "social equity" to companies (kind of like how iHeart sells BIN).

The problem with talk is that there are several very distinct versions of Spanish used in the U.S. Television, with coaching and careful scripting, uses neutral Spanish. But radio is ad lib, emotional and very personal and the way a Cuban in Miami speaks is not the same as the way a Mexican in LA does... and that was the failure of Joaquín Blaya's "Radio Única" two decades ago.

Worst case scenario, they lose their investors' money and make institutions think twice about investing in radio.

Another "Yep" from me.

 

[Mark Roberts]

I would have been glad to get them moving for, lets say, three years @ 600k a year plus achievement bonuses. They will lose a lot more than that by not having someone who knows radio, knows where OTA radio has to build its future and understands the programming that first generation immigrants enjoy.

You probably frightened them!

 

[IngenieroPerron]

KLAT programming went downhill when Univision decided to remove local shows which i felt had a good following from Houston’s listeners. Unv network started the takeover with the East Coast Network Shows and to Amor Celestial. Never seen a station wipeout as bad as this. TUDN is better but not on KQBU.
The West Little York Night Site as we called it is in better shape than the Herman Road Day site. Better area too. The Herman Road site is absolute trash, a favorite dump site for illegal trash dumping. A marsh mud pit. And the building, an old home coverted to a transmitter building is falling apart. Im almost glad its gone and no longer our problem. August cant come soon enough.

 

[davideduardo]

KLAT programming went downhill when Univision decided to remove local shows which i felt had a good following from Houston’s listeners.

But the cost was much greater than the revenue. Of course, sellers were unlikely to push a station with very low 0.1 and 0.2 shares instead of the bigger 3 FMs which were an easy sell.

The problem with TUDN is that different areas have different sports preferences. In most of the east, Soccer is not the favorite sport. And in the soccer areas, most Spanish dominants follow their home team... home meaning Mexico or El Salvador or wherever.

Heck, over 50 years later, I still follow Deportivo Quito, my favorite team and that of all my friends back in the day.

And even among Mexicans, they follow the teams from their home town area and not the American soccer teams. Even with Messi playing in Miami, it's hard to get a following for American soccer. And that all means that listening to TUDN is going to be limited and not at all passionate.

 

[101.9 La Kalle]

KLAT programming went downhill when Univision decided to remove local shows which i felt had a good following from Houston’s listeners. Unv network started the takeover with the East Coast Network Shows and to Amor Celestial. Never seen a station wipeout as bad as this. TUDN is better but not on KQBU.
The West Little York Night Site as we called it is in better shape than the Herman Road Day site. Better area too. The Herman Road site is absolute trash, a favorite dump site for illegal trash dumping. A marsh mud pit. And the building, an old home coverted to a transmitter building is falling apart. Im almost glad its gone and no longer our problem. August cant come soon enough.

LMN should try purchase a translator and try a mix of non-political talk and Regional Mexican Oldies.

 

[Mediafrog+]

Update: The KLAT night array has been taken down. Haven’t gotten close enough to see what is happening with the dirt that was underneath.

 

[davideduardo]

LMN should try purchase a translator and try a mix of non-political talk and Regional Mexican Oldies.

The problem is that there is no successful Hispanic market programmer on their staff. They would not know a viable format if it came for free in a UPS package ready to load on the automation!

 

[Mediafrog+]

Thread bump: I see Latino Media Network is relaunching WQBA in Miami with new talk programming on Monday, August 12. The station had been running TUDN Deportes. Might a similar switch happen soon with KLAT?

WQBA To Debut New Spanish News/Talk Lineup

Latino Media Network will relaunch 1140 WQBA Miami with a new News/Talk lineup on Monday, August 12. Currently running TelevisaUnivision's

radioinsight.com

 

[101.9 La Kalle]

Thread bump: I see Latino Media Network is relaunching WQBA in Miami with new talk programming on Monday, August 12. The station had been running TUDN Deportes. Might a similar switch happen soon with KLAT?

Most likely.