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Lafayette Planet Radio 106.7 changing call letters?

lanceventa said:
You cannot compare a translator in the mountains of New Mexico to something in the swamps of Louisiana for coverage.
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I didn't. Re-read what I wrote. I said that taking a power cut to move from a ground level transmitter site can still result in better coverage. I cited two full-power low-wattage FMs as examples, and then cited the ABQ translators as a further example.
 
K.M. Richards said:
That's what I meant to say and why I posted the correction.

A Class A rimshot at or near maximum ERP for their height is never going to be a real factor in the market because of an inability to cover the metro from their rimshot COL.

Going higher and taking the accompanying reduction in ERP is almost always better, if you can still put a city-grade signal over the COL. The first station I worked for was so high in the mountains that it was a 130-watt Class A ... but the mountain overlooked the COL and also had a straight shot through gaps in the mountains to the south to be able to cover about 90% of the rated market. The programming wasn't mainstream enough to gather enough of an audience to be a contender ratings-wise (so they instead centered around a few niche programs which they then sold to sponsors -- at a premium -- who wanted to reach those listeners; I spent much of my four years there as the producer and backup host for a nightly four-hour Classical music program which was completely sold out the entire time).

A second station was at even higher elevation with 87 watts but was to the east of the primary communities in the market and put it a decent enough signal that a mass appeal AC format (which I programmed) was good enough to be #5 in 12+.

A 250-watt translator on Sandia Peak covers Albuquerque proper as well as the full-power FMs in the market.

So KPCZ is cutting off their nose to spite their face, so to speak. I don't know if there's anywhere feasible to locate their facilities closer to Lafayette at a higher elevation and still cover Rayne with a city-grade signal, but if they haven't at least explored that possibility they are essentially fools.
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Height can do some amazing things. I was able to experience WPKQ (Portland ME area) 22kw @ 3802 feet and it was listenable all the way into Bangor >120 miles. Amazing.

I asked Gemini about a potential upgrade to KPCZ just for giggles and it told me they are a prime candidate for a class C4 if they ever approve it and that it would have a city grade signal over all of Lafayette from the current site at 12kW, which should work as long as there is enough separation with KKND. Not sure how accurate this is, but it sounds about right given my experience with their existing signal.
 
K.M. Richards said:
Maybe I am more of a realist, but I do not remember ever seeing unrelated stations pick up an old call sign and then duplicate the previous station's format and name, in a completely different market.
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I never mentioned format...I only mentioned branding and that the KWLL calls when last used by another operator used them to support "the Well" brand.

I am no expert in these things, but it seems to me stations picking up old call signs and recycling the same brand is not that uncommon.

A few off the top of my head of calls recycled in completely different markets and paired with the same brand...

WMXZ was “Mix” on 95.7 New Orleans, 103.1 Fort Walton Beach, 95.9 Charleston

KHHT was “Hot” on 93.3 Austin and 92.3 Los Angeles. It was also “Hits” on 93.3 Austin and “K-Hits” 107.5 Denver.

KHTC was “K-Hits” on 96.9 Phoenix and 107.5 Houston

KBBT was “the Beat” on 970 and 107.5 Portland and 98.5 San Antonio

KOAI was “the Oasis” on 106.1 and 107.5 DFW and 94.9 Phoenix

KDHT was “Hot” on 93.3 Austin and 107.1 Denver

KMXX was “Mix” on 101.5 Phoenix and 93.3 Austin

KJMZ was “Jamz” on 100.3 Dallas and 98.1/97.9 Lawton OK

WZNS was “Z” on 92.9 Florence SC and 96.5 Fort Walton Beach FL

WEGX was “Eagle” on 106.1 Philadelphia and 92.9 Florence SC

WWJK was "Jack" on 94.7 Jackson MS and 107.3 Jacksonville

WXST was "Star" on 107.9 Columbus OH and 99.7 Charleston SC

WAKS has been “Kiss” on 100.7 Tampa Bay, 105.7 Columbus OH, 104.9 and 96.5 Cleveland

KTKS was "Kiss" on 106.1 DFW and 99.9 Waco TX

...
 
I didn’t even realize KWLL in Longview even changed their calls so I was confused
 
txchipk said:
I never mentioned format...I only mentioned branding and that the KWLL calls when last used by another operator used them to support "the Well" brand.

I am no expert in these things, but it seems to me stations picking up old call signs and recycling the same brand is not that uncommon.

A few off the top of my head of calls recycled in completely different markets and paired with the same brand...
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I thank you for that list and stand corrected (multiple times, it appears).

But my recollection is that the KHHT calls were purchased by (then) Clear Channel in August 2001 and had actually launched the "Hot" format a few days earlier under the old calls of KCMG, having flipped calls and format with 100.3 in 2000. I suppose that counts anyway ...
 
HTX said:
I didn’t even realize KWLL in Longview even changed their calls so I was confused
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Yessir. Changed to KELW in correspondence with "Lift Worship" replacing "The Well" on 95.3.

I would be absolutely astonished if Encouragement's "The Well" preaching format is headed to Lafayette.

Maybe classic country for Lafayette as "Willie"?
 
rosecitymedia said:
Yessir. Changed to KELW in correspondence with "Lift Worship" replacing "The Well" on 95.3.

I would be absolutely astonished if Encouragement's "The Well" preaching format is headed to Lafayette.

Maybe classic country for Lafayette as "Willie"?
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Thats what I was thinking either name it the Well (oil rig ) or willy and run more centric to Acadia parish material.

The format if done on a closer to Lafayette station i think would have worked, but rimshotting , won't allow say guys in the oil field shop in Broussard to jam out with a radio unless it was Bluetooth as people were saying
 
rosecitymedia said:
Yessir. Changed to KELW in correspondence with "Lift Worship" replacing "The Well" on 95.3.

I would be absolutely astonished if Encouragement's "The Well" preaching format is headed to Lafayette.

Maybe classic country for Lafayette as "Willie"?
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I doubt they would put another classic country format on 106.7 considering there are already 2 classic country stations that make way more money than 95.1 (translator for KSIG, co-owned with 106.7, previous classic country). I don’t know what type of format would even be put on 106.7 if they were to change because there’s atleast 2 or more of almost every popular radio format in Lafayette, including rimshots and fringe signals from BR/Alexandria/etc. Maybe a Spanish format or Urban Gospel could work but again, i don’t know what they are planning.
 
Planet Radio's last full song on 106.7 was Staind – So Far Away and the cold cut was during Everclear’s Everything to Everyone exactly at midnight.

it appears the lifecycle of the 106.7 frequency comes full circle with the original Planet Radio 96.5's predecessor, "Cool" resurfacing...

"Cool 106.7" opened up with Ventura Highway followed by Key Largo by Bertie Higgins. 🤢🤮 it seems like most of the songs are sleepy 70s and early 80s songs.

Their website is Cool 106.7 complete with the original Cool 96 logo, but definitely not the variety of music that Cool 96 used to play. I guess we will have to see how they tweak the music over the next few days...
 
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stevenNOLA said:
Planet Radio's last full song on 106.7 was Staind – So Far Away and the cold cut was during Everclear’s Everything to Everyone exactly at midnight.

it appears the lifecycle of the 106.7 frequency comes full circle with the original Planet Radio 96.5's predecessor, "Cool" resurfacing...

"Cool 106.7" opened up with Ventura Highway followed by Key Largo by Bertie Higgins. 🤢🤮 it seems like most of the songs are sleepy 70s and early 80s songs.

Their website is Cool 106.7 complete with the original Cool 96 logo, but definitely not the variety of music that Cool 96 used to play. I guess we will have to see how they tweak the music over the next few days...
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Sounds like Yacht Rock to me ... ⛵
 
stevenNOLA said:
Planet Radio's last full song on 106.7 was Staind – So Far Away and the cold cut was during Everclear’s Everything to Everyone exactly at midnight.

it appears the lifecycle of the 106.7 frequency comes full circle with the original Planet Radio 96.5's predecessor, "Cool" resurfacing...

"Cool 106.7" opened up with Ventura Highway followed by Key Largo by Bertie Higgins. 🤢🤮 it seems like most of the songs are sleepy 70s and early 80s songs.

Their website is Cool 106.7 complete with the original Cool 96 logo, but definitely not the variety of music that Cool 96 used to play. I guess we will have to see how they tweak the music over the next few days...
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Sunny 95.1 and Cool 106.7 are severely overlapping musically.
I have a recording of Cool 96.5 from November 1996. They were more like a classic hits/jack style format, with even few currents at that time. In the 90 minutes recording they played.
J Geils - Freeze Frame
Melissa Etheridge - Come to my Window
Eagles - Take it to the Limit
Stone Temple Pilotes - Interstate Love Song
Daz Band - Let it Whip
Tom Petty - Free Fallin
Crowded House - Don't Dream it's Over
Steely Dan - Reeling in the Years
Cindy Lauper - Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

This new iteration of Cool is yawn.........
 
Im thinking planet's best thing would to be to find a AM FM translator combo in Lafayette and go there. Maybe add some more newer rock .. kind of like Sirius XM turbo with some newer stuff till say 2016.

So 106.7 will be nothing more than a noise station at the local office .. gotcha (you know the radio station playing in background at your doctor/insurance agent).
 
RFLA said:
Im thinking planet's best thing would to be to find a AM FM translator combo in Lafayette and go there. Maybe add some more newer rock .. kind of like Sirius XM turbo with some newer stuff till say 2016.

So 106.7 will be nothing more than a noise station at the local office .. gotcha (you know the radio station playing in background at your doctor/insurance agent).
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Planet plays 2 currents an hour currently
 
Fieldtech1 said:
Sunny 95.1 and Cool 106.7 are severely overlapping musically.
I have a recording of Cool 96.5 from November 1996. They were more like a classic hits/jack style format, with even few currents at that time. In the 90 minutes recording they played.
J Geils - Freeze Frame
Melissa Etheridge - Come to my Window
Eagles - Take it to the Limit
Stone Temple Pilotes - Interstate Love Song
Daz Band - Let it Whip
Tom Petty - Free Fallin
Crowded House - Don't Dream it's Over
Steely Dan - Reeling in the Years
Cindy Lauper - Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

This new iteration of Cool is yawn.........
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Yeah this sounds nothing like the original Cool 96. It had just launched when I moved to Lafayette for college and it played at my work. It was nowhere as sleepy as this crap they're playing now. TBH even my 73 year old mom said it was too sleepy 🤷🏻‍♂️
 


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