KXNO Programming Expands To Cedar Rapids With Hot Flip – RadioInsight
iHeartMedia has flipped CHR "Hot 95.7" KOSY-FM Anamosa/Cedar Rapids IA to "Sports Radio 95.7".
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Iowa Cedar Rapids No Longer Hot; KXNO Programming Expands With KOSY-FM Flip
- Thread starter Mykel the Radio Fan
- Start date
radioinsight.com
Way overdue on the CHR flip. This market has been ruined with an over abundance of CHR Main over the last decade.
Z102 has been unbeatable for a long time.
Next thing is Cumulus needs to flip the Vibe in Des Moines. Over 3 years on a 50k stick and there’s nothing on it. 1 share in the books every time. Even lower a few times.
I am surprised it took so long for iHeart to add the KXNO local programs to their other sports stations in Iowa as none of them had any local talk shows, just ran the Fox Sports Radio feed other than breaking away for play by play. The Iowa Sports Radio Netowk is something they could have done years ago. They pretty much gave up on Hot 95.7 when they laid off the PD who was the only local voice on that station in the 2020 iHeart purge.
True, but what would they flip it to that will attract and audience and be cost effective?
Personally, I'd like to see a Rhythmic CHR or Hip-Hop & R&B (Current Mainstream, not Classic like it was). But for some reason Des Moines is one of the rare cities its size that has different advertising rules. So apparently that otherwise wildly popular genre is strangely not cost effective. Unfortunately, the corporations that own the properties here pretty much operate targeting only two demographic groups.
Otherwise....I don't know.
When Des Moines is looked at from a streaming standpoint the top 5 formats are:
Pop
Hip-Hop
Rap
Rock
Country
Odd how the 2nd from the top genre is ignored. Maybe try it?
And as I've heard the Vibe itself isn't even making any money right now as it is.
Otherwise....I don't know.
When Des Moines is looked at from a streaming standpoint the top 5 formats are:
Pop
Hip-Hop
Rap
Rock
Country
Odd how the 2nd from the top genre is ignored. Maybe try it?
And as I've heard the Vibe itself isn't even making any money right now as it is.
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Tried. Deemed a failure.
Yep, I know.
I guess sell it then? Don't know.
But kudos to iHeart here figuring out how to take content and make it more profitable.
Agreed. But I don't see this being much more successful.
On that note, it doesn't make much sense to keep 800 KXIC as the same format. The station hasn't had any ratings worth mentioning for years. Now that KOSY has the same format, it probably won't have any listeners at all.
The KXIC building has been lifeless for years, other than when someone from the Cedar Rapids station(s) would have to go down there to check on it once a week (though that may not be happening any more). I don’t know why Iheart doesn’t sell the building and just run KXIC from Cedar Rapids.
That's strange. I guess they like to waste money. Kind of like how they went through the effort acquiring a construction permit for a translator for KXIC but then failed to get it built by the deadline.
They probably decided it was easier & cheaper to flip KOSY
Until the companies that are here start making an effort to target new audiences in Iowa in places like Cedar Rapids and Des Moines, etc. -beyond what the old guys running them are used to-, these ventures will continue to suffer. By the time they realize other formats could have worked, they will have to play catchup badly. It's part of the larger symptom in the industry of these companies wanting the cheapest option possible and easy fake solutions.
Most of these outlets serve either 1.) The 55 plus Male/Female crowd or 2.) a certain select group of women. Thats it.
Most of these outlets serve either 1.) The 55 plus Male/Female crowd or 2.) a certain select group of women. Thats it.
All stations worldwide target subsets of listeners.
I know. But usually the homogenous nature of those targets is less prevalent in other comparable markets.
Iowa is pretty homogenous though and has a lot of older people, especially in Johnson County (where Iowa City is):
Growing Iowa senior population places weight on younger generations
As Iowa’s older person population increases, experts say the state will face new political, social, and economic consequences. University of Iowa researchers found that Iowa currently has the largest percentage of adults over the age of 80 nationwide. By 2030, more Iowans will be 65 years old or...
dailyiowan.com
@radiofan2023 
With all due respect, I know this and this is a reality everywhere to a greater or lesser extent. That doesn't mean there isn't more that can be served demographically here. I speak broadly of course. There are certainly places where the dial matches exactly what the tastes are. And that's just fine.
With all due respect, I know this and this is a reality everywhere to a greater or lesser extent. That doesn't mean there isn't more that can be served demographically here. I speak broadly of course. There are certainly places where the dial matches exactly what the tastes are. And that's just fine.Rob Norton dying was the worst thing to happen in Cedar Rapids radio, he was an innovator.
Agreed.
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