I'm hearing there have been some cuts and programming changes at Alpha's 104.1 The Ranch in Tyler? Can anyone confirm? Is the rest of the cluster unchanged?
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Changes at KKUS 104.1 The Ranch/Alpha Tyler?
- Thread starter Ryan Williams
- Start date
No cuts other than dropping Big D & Bubba and switching to Westwood One's 24/7 Classic Country format. No other changes in the cluster yet...
Where is @rosecitymedia when you need him?
D
Deleted member 108832
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With one exception within the cluster being the sudden silence of one half of La Invasora. Done with no explanation. With Keith Reynolds' Mega 99.3 also off, 96.7 is the only full-powered Spanish-language format left on the Tyler-Longview dial. Charlie O and Diane Day are also off of The Ranch. Diane remains in midday at sister Kicks.
Alpha has certainly changed the presentation on The Ranch, from music to imaging. It's very noticeable. Now being billed as "104 1 and 103 7 The Ranch. Playing only classic country for East Texas.", and "East Texas classic country station, 104 1 and 103 7 The Ranch". Currently playing The Statler Brothers' "Elvira", a spin not made on 104.1 in some time. That followed Crystal Gayle "The Sound of Goodbye ". It sounds to have dropped back a full decade or more in its timeline, sounding more like it did when it was run out of the Waller building.
As I write this, it just now started playing Freddy Fender's "Wasted Days and Wasted Nights". That's mid-70's. Been awhile since 104.1 has went this far back. Can't blame Alpha. KKUS has been dropping like a rock in the last several measurements.
D
Deleted member 108832
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Right here sittin' 'neath the 10-gallon Stetson as usual, Ryan. A tip o' the hat towards Waco, partner. 🤠
I forgot to previously mention that the steel guitar's soothin' twang sure sounds purdy in digital on 105.7 HD2.
Edit to add: Has anyone heard if @Holstead 's "Country Gold" show has been retained?
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Wasn't Charlie O let go in last Summer's cuts?
Presumably KTLH 107.9 went off last week (May 8) and will be off for a little while since they filed a STA to take it off the air, but didn't specify the reason why: Draft Copy « Licensing and Management System « FCC
Not counting Fuzion (102.3).
D
Deleted member 108832
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If so, it's news to me. He's been around some 40 years. Lord, at least the last two dozen or so with 104.1. His voice was still regularly heard on the station until this recent programming change. I mean, I'm not, in any way, a part of the Alpha Media collective, nor do I typically listen to The Ranch (given my partiality and bias towards its fellow classic country neighbor up the road) but I'd think news of his departure from the company would travel locally.
Sure right. Should've qualified my statement further. Other than Spanish Christian, which is still available on 102.3/103.1, 92.5 and 93.7 (both low power and limited to Tyler itself).
From Country Aircheck last July: O'Douglas Exits KKUS: Alpha Classic Country KKUS/Tyler-Longv...
It's possible he then came back as a part-timer, but at least as of last July he was out.
D
Deleted member 108832
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Huh. I sure hadn't heard about that. It's very plausible that you are right on him remaining as a part-timer. Charlie also hosts/hosted a Friday night show on KYKX, and was assisting in the overall operations within the local offices, as PD for The Ranch and as Assistant OM for the cluster, in both Tyler and Longview. I'm actually pretty shocked that this news never reached my ears. Charlie has become quite a recognizable name here in ETX, and honed his craft directly under Tom Perryman. He is one hell of a talent, that's for sure.
Is "Cactus Dave" from WVTL in New York doing voiceover work for Westwood One? That is who was working the evening shift tonight. I'm not familiar with his work, but a google of the Internet reveals only him with that name in radio.
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D
Deleted member 108832
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I would hazard a guess at weather related. We had some nasty storms roll through here last week. 99.3, mentioned earlier, took two different lightning strikes from two different storm complexes in the last month. Killed both the main and back up transmitter. They say lightning doesn't strike the same place twice, but Keith Reynolds would certainly argue with that statement. Note to add, KAPW has returned to the air at some point today. My scan just now revealed it back in service, albeit at reduced power. I'm getting a noticeably reduced signal from it at home in Swan.
Is something going on with the Hispanic market? Not enough population to sustain 2 or 3 Spanish stations? It's been a market I have recently considered getting into.
D
Deleted member 108832
Guest
Best of luck to you. Several have tried toppling the mighty Invasora. None have survived. Mega has soldiered on for around a decade now, but never pulling much from Invasora, in terms of ratings. The spotload is decent, so something is going right for Reynolds. Maybe a run from The Blaze. Several spots are in English.
Nothing is really going on with ETX Hispanics. They've just upgraded along with everyone else in how they get their music delivered. Lots of Spotify, YouTube music and such.
If Spanish Christian is your focus, you've got the ERFET to contend with, as @Ryan Williams correctly pointed out, in "Fuzion", and a couple of LPFMs in town. KZYY-LP, for what it is, is a pretty ship-shape little operation. Someone taught them well. Not as much knowledge with KJID-LP, on my part, but not near as "polished" of an on-air presentation as the Esperanza group.
Has 104.1 ever gotten solid ratings? I seem to remember it being AC, possibly "Love 104," for a year or two when I was in high school. It was apparently never much competition for KTYL. KOOI was still elevator music at the time.
I remember being surprised to hear "US 104 is KKUS Tyler" one morning. It ran that contemporary country format for at least five years and never made a dent in KNUE.
I understand the Ranch got slightly better numbers, but hasn't that stick always been pretty much a loser?
D
Deleted member 108832
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Define solid. 😂 Yes, it has had a decent run in it's life. Top of the mountain type of solid, no. But a decent run. It's pinnacle was during the Tom Perryman years, of course.
That was at sign-on, owned by Rick Reynolds, and lasted about 6 months. It then tweaked the AC format, under new KTMJ calls, as "Magic 104". That's the one likely in your recollection of the station. K Double O I was Beautiful at this stage, having been so since I was a wee little redneck. It was Momma Rose's station of choice.
This happened in October 1992, still under the watchful eyes of Rick Reynolds. Good idea, as KNUE was really smoking with the near demise of Top 40 around the country in the early 90's, and the loss of two stations in that format (Y-99 and K-DOK) locally, just a year or two prior. Country was hot then, and Reynolds wanted a piece. Too bad that 104.1's signal couldn't deliver the goods. As it is even now, a blowtorch in Tyler, but not so hot in Longview. KYKX and KNUE covered both, and even Marshall. 104 became a "punch" station. If KYKX and KNUE were in commercial, you might punch up KKUS to see what they were doing.
Well, it was Dudley Waller, after buying the thing from Sunburst at the turn of the century, who brought Tom Perryman back home and launched what the station has been doing, for the most part, this last quarter century. It's never been the top dog in Tyler-Longview, due to its previously mentioned signal limitations, @Kent, but there were some pretty good years for it both under the Waller regime in Jacksonville, and after he sold it to Access1/East Texas Radio Group. It was well received with the older listeners, and certainly made a few dollars for those involved with it.
Hey, and it has lasted far longer than country K-Rose. You remember that one? 92.1 has been just about every format we've ever known in the industry. Heck, even under Paul Gleiser, it's gone from oldies to N/T to sports.
It peaked with a 7.3 (3rd) in Spring 2008. As recently as 2021, it had a 5.9, but over the last three years it's only averaged a 2.8.
104.1 signed on in May 1990 as soft AC KTMJ "Magic 104 KTMJ." The Tyler Courier-Times archive has an article from 5/6/1990 saying it would sign on that week. A follow article on 5/11/1990 reported it was testing on air.
KTMJ's flip to country "US104" came in early September 1992, with the call sign change to KKUS lagging a month behind (on 10/1/1992). I believe it was early 1997 when KKUS rebranded from "US104" to "New Country Kickin' 104.1." The shift to classic country "104-1 the Ranch" came in September 2000.
Rosecity media. Charlie was let go over a year ago, brought back only doing sales now. And Ken Reynolds owns 99.3 and the Blaze not Keith. And 99.3 is back on today at reduced power