Changes at KKUS 104.1 The Ranch/Alpha Tyler?

[Holstead]

If my show was dropped nobody told me. Guess we'll wait until Saturday night and see. Trust me I will be able to tell from the phone calls. But honestly, this seems like a solid move programming wise to bring the thing back to a more consentient type of programming. Which MY show would have fit better than any other. (Though I will miss it's "stationarity" for sure when it comes to imaging.)

Big D and Bubba originate their own music (which was different than KKUS) and frankly I do not think the Red Dirt and Classic really blend well together. Most of the time that "Texas Country" element is added to satisfy local advertisers who book those entertainers in their venues. While not local, I think you will actually see positives to these changes pretty quickly.

 

[Jay S]

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.

Didn’t Waller have a good run with Kompa 103.1 after they sold Invasora and the other stations off? I think Kompa beat Invasora in some books even.

Given that Regional Mexican focuses on different genres, I imagine that streaming services such as Spotify, etc. could allow more focus on a specific genre based on listener preferences. Despite that, I’d figure the market could support two Regional Mexican stations. KAPW Mega 99.3 could even differentiate themselves from La Invasora to carve themself a niche.

 

[Deleted member 108832]

Rosecity media. Charlie was let go over a year ago, brought back only doing sales now.

So, he is still employed. I'm sure glad to hear it and know wherever life may guide Charlie, he will blow the doors clean off the barn. He is a great talent, super nice guy, and has the love and passion for our little utopia of pine trees and rose bushes. I'm aghast that I finally hear about this on the Internet. I've never felt so out of touch and only a couple dozen miles away from "the big city".

And Ken Reynolds owns 99.3 and the Blaze not Keith. And 99.3 is back on today at reduced power

Ok. I'd better just keep my fat trap shut then. I'm putting out worse information than a middle-schooler's Tik Tok.

Didn’t Waller have a good run with Kompa 103.1 after they sold Invasora and the other stations off? I think Kompa beat Invasora in some books even.

Yes, but as I mentioned earlier, it is another one that sits in the bin of those who took on Invasora and didn't survive. In Kompa's case, it didn't survive a forced ownership change. @txchipk will likely have comparative numbers on this, but I believe Kompa had already fallen behind Invasora prior to Mr. Waller's passing.

Given that Regional Mexican focuses on different genres, I imagine that streaming services such as Spotify, etc. could allow more focus on a specific genre based on listener preferences. Despite that, I’d figure the market could support two Regional Mexican stations. KAPW Mega 99.3 could even differentiate themselves from La Invasora to carve themself a niche.

Mega was Spanish Adult Contemporary prior to moving into the current Regional Mexican direction.

 

[txchipk]

Yes, but as I mentioned earlier, it is another one that sits in the bin of those who took on Invasora and didn't survive. In Kompa's case, it didn't survive a forced ownership change. @txchipk will likely have comparative numbers on this, but I believe Kompa had already fallen behind Invasora prior to Mr. Waller's passing.

If anyone has the historical ratings data, it would be @Huff!

 

[Huff]

With one exception within the cluster being the sudden silence of one half of La Invasora. Done with no explanation.

Alas, it is the one station that doesn't fit within the ownership caps:

Connoisseur/Alpha Media Acquisition Details

Connoisseur Media has agreed to acquire Alpha Media. Update 5/19: The deal is structured for Connoisseur to acquire Alpha Media

radioinsight.com

 

[Loverofradio]

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.

Hey I know it’s a different market. But, do you know what and when the peak was for KWKH in Shreveport, when they were a classic country format?

 

[Jay S]

Alas, it is the one station that doesn't fit within the ownership caps:

Connoisseur/Alpha Media Acquisition Details

Connoisseur Media has agreed to acquire Alpha Media. Update 5/19: The deal is structured for Connoisseur to acquire Alpha Media

radioinsight.com

I thought Alpha was allowed to have KTLH because it was technically in the Shreveport market, with the city of license (Hallsville) and transmitter both in Harrison County. I recall there were some legal challenges, but I thought that was settled.

Connoisseur doesn’t want to take any chances or maybe they don’t think the 107.9 signal is worth it?

 

[txchipk]

I thought Alpha was allowed to have KTLH because it was technically in the Shreveport market, with the city of license (Hallsville) and transmitter both in Harrison County. I recall there were some legal challenges, but I thought that was settled.

The Shreveport radio market is Caddo, Bossier, and Webster parishes, so it is not in the Shreveport market.

107.9 can't move that way either. KVMA-FM Magnolia AR was originally on 107.9 and upgraded to target Shreveport, but had to sign off because the frequency was interrupting operations at Barksdale AFB. Cumulus moved the adult R&B format and KVMA-FM calls to then-KBED 102.9 and 107.9 was shut down -- eventually re-allocated as 97.3 Waskom (now KQHN). The 107.9 Hallsville allocation was added as a new facility after all that.

 

[Deleted member 108832]

@txchipk From what I've understood since shortly after the facility was first proposed, Alpha was forced to change the COL of 107.9 from Longview to Hallsville on the initial CP in order for it to be granted. The original intent was to license it to Longview itself. If Alpha can own KTLH as they now do, with it counting as part of the Tyler-Longview market, why were they stopped from acquiring KCUL-FM (now KDPM) in Marshall? That was what was originally in the works. Instead, the A1Invesco receivership was dissolved, Access.1 took back KCUL-FM (and KSYR in S'port) briefly, then sold 92.3 to Scottie Rice who then sold it to the Depot group.

It's more of a in-betweener, or stand-alone, if you will. It's hemmed in, that's for sure.

 

[Jay S]

The Shreveport radio market is Caddo, Bossier, and Webster parishes, so it is not in the Shreveport market.

I thought Harrison County was in the Shreveport radio market and that was the whole reason for changing the COL to Hallsville. Isn’t it in the Shreveport TV market?

I guess they could LMA it and keep the simulcast . Not really anything you could do with it as a standalone if you want to cover Tyler. If somebody just wanted to serve Longview, it would be fantastic.

 

[txchipk]

I thought Harrison County was in the Shreveport radio market and that was the whole reason for changing the COL to Hallsville. Isn’t it in the Shreveport TV market?

TV and radio markets are separately defined markets. Harrison County is in the Shreveport TV market, which comprise a lot of counties in NW Louisiana, east and northeast TX, McCurtain County in SE OK, and counties in SW AR. Harrison County, technically is not included in either the Shreveport or Tyler/Longview radio markets.

TV market often are geographically larger. Waco-Temple-Bryan TV market covers 3 radio markets (Waco, Killeen/Temple, Bryan/College Station), for example.

Historically, radio markets were more defined by the reach of most of the stations. Dallas and Fort Worth were at one time separate radio markets -- merged into one in the 1970s as the Census Bureau consolidated them into one urbanize market, the FMs boosting to coverage to both cities, etc.

Tyler was originally its own market as outside KTYL, KNUE, KOOI, the rest of the stations were limited class As. With the introduction of C2 and C3 FM classes, Tyler and surrounding class As upgraded (92.1A Tyler->C3, 99.3A Whitehouse->107.3C2, 102.3A Jacksonville->C2) and stations around Longview did the same (95.3 Gilmer A->C3, 95.9 Kilgore A->96.1C2, etc.) plus move-ins (100.7 Mount Pleasant->Overton) and other sign-ons, there was enough critical mass to enable Tyler and Longview into one radio market (Smith, Gregg, Cherokee counties).

 

[Huff]

TV and radio markets are separately defined markets. Harrison County is in the Shreveport TV market, which comprise a lot of counties in NW Louisiana, east and northeast TX, McCurtain County in SE OK, and counties in SW AR. Harrison County, technically is not included in either the Shreveport or Tyler/Longview radio markets.

TV market often are geographically larger. Waco-Temple-Bryan TV market covers 3 radio markets (Waco, Killeen/Temple, Bryan/College Station), for example.

Historically, radio markets were more defined by the reach of most of the stations. Dallas and Fort Worth were at one time separate radio markets -- merged into one in the 1970s as the Census Bureau consolidated them into one urbanize market, the FMs boosting to coverage to both cities, etc.

Tyler was originally its own market as outside KTYL, KNUE, KOOI, the rest of the stations were limited class As. With the introduction of C2 and C3 FM classes, Tyler and surrounding class As upgraded (92.1A Tyler->C3, 99.3A Whitehouse->107.3C2, 102.3A Jacksonville->C2) and stations around Longview did the same (95.3 Gilmer A->C3, 95.9 Kilgore A->96.1C2, etc.) plus move-ins (100.7 Mount Pleasant->Overton) and other sign-ons, there was enough critical mass to enable Tyler and Longview into one radio market (Smith, Gregg, Cherokee counties).

^ all correct. To further Chip's points, the radio owners in the respective markets were motivated to combine markets into a larger one where possible to attract more ad spending. Tyler and Longview were merged effective with the Spring 1992 survey.

Here are a couple of old Arbitron maps. The one on the left is from 2013, the radio markets were colored in, the TV market boundaries were in red. (Lufkin and Texarkana are no longer rated radio markets.) Tyler and Lufkin were separate radio markets, but both in the Tyler TV DMA (even though geography necessitated Lufkin have its own full-power satellite stations.)
The map on the right is from before the Tyler-Longview merger in 1990. The Longview market consisted of Gregg and Harrison. When the merger happened, Gregg was added to Tyler (along with Cherokee), and Harrison lost its status as a metro county. Longview was one of the very rare radio markets split in two by DMA boundaries, with Gregg in Tyler and Harrison in Shreveport.

 

[Jay S]

Historically, radio markets were more defined by the reach of most of the stations. Dallas and Fort Worth were at one time separate radio markets -- merged into one in the 1970s as the Census Bureau consolidated them into one urbanize market, the FMs boosting to coverage to both cities, etc.

Thank you for the explanation, Chip. It makes sense that Connoisseur shut KTLH down. KTLH covers Longview well. Tyler might get fringe coverage. But KTLH could be considered a Tyler-Longview market station.

Here are a couple of old Arbitron maps. The one on the left is from 2013, the radio markets were colored in, the TV market boundaries were in red. (Lufkin and Texarkana are no longer rated radio markets.) Tyler and Lufkin were separate radio markets, but both in the Tyler TV DMA (even though geography necessitated Lufkin have its own full-power satellite stations.)
The map on the right is from before the Tyler-Longview merger in 1990. The Longview market consisted of Gregg and Harrison. When the merger happened, Gregg was added to Tyler (along with Cherokee), and Harrison lost its status as a metro county. Longview was one of the very rare radio markets split in two by DMA boundaries, with Gregg in Tyler and Harrison in Shreveport.

Thank you for the maps, Huff. Those are very interesting. I think it kind of strange that Cherokee is considered a metro county and Rusk isn’t (that is what blue means, right?). I guess having Henderson and a part of Kilgore isn’t enough. I didn’t think San Augustine would had been a metro county.

 

[TheBigA]

FCC has granted a waiver for ownership limits. No divestiture required.

FCC Okays Market Cap Waiver Amid Connoisseur-Alpha Merger - Radio Ink

As part of the Connoisseur-Alpha merger, the FCC approved a waiver allowing transfer of five FM stations in Texas without divestiture.

radioink.com