I wonder where they would repurpose it? KMAD is co-owned with KLAK and KMKT, so is either of those stations underperforming for them?
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First Dallas buys KMAD-FM
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As Huff mentioned, finding public information on how the stations in the market are doing has been tough as no surveys have been released in several years. Having said that, KMKT just hired back one of the staff members caught in the Alpha purge. One would have to assume Connoisseur is mostly satisfied with its performance and/or potential. K-Lake is getting near 40 years in the market, but it blew out its local talent a long time ago. Almost seems like that happened under NextMedia. It doesn't sound bad musically, but it does sound very generic. Still, I'd rather listen to it at night than anybody airing Delilah or Tesh. Its numbers in Sherman/Denison were pretty mediocre a few years ago. Plus, it tries to be more of a Collin County station, and maybe Connoisseur could be thinking it doesn't really need it with Star 102.1 doing reasonably well. Imagining Connoisseur toasting the only AC in Grayson County is difficult, but, unless it has a deal to buy or operate another area station Mad Rock 97.5 probably makes more sense than putting it at 93.1.
KLAK has an interesting history. It started out on 104.9 in 1983 and carried the Satellite Music Network "Star Station" AC format at the time. After a few years, the owners of the station bought 97.5 up in Durant and moved KLAK to that frequency in 1987. It was a significant upgrade, because 104.9 was a 3 kW class A at the time, and 97.5 was a 50 kW class C2. They were still carrying SMN's "Star Station" anytime I listened to them, but I do remember a fair amount of local promotion.
In 2006 they changed their city of license to Tom Bean and moved their antenna site towards the southern edge of Grayson County in an attempt to target the fast growing Dallas suburbs in Collin County, and I suspect that move probably hurt them in Grayson County. They also subsequently shifting from AC to Hot AC for several years, eventually shifting back to AC -- and I suspect that hurt them, as well.
So, yeah, I can see the possibility that the various shifts the station has made over the years have hurt its success in Grayson County. In contrast, KMKT has stayed in its country format since it signed on in (which I think was in 1996).
Wasn’t 97.5 also originally a Class A at 97.7? I seem to remember that wasn’t always the powerhouse for the area that it became. I do, however, remember 97.5 being satellite AC in 1989. It also played two songs by the same artist back-to-back a full year before Warm 97.9 did it. “Twice as nice, 97.5 K-Lake.”
Ironically, the original KMKT signed on at 104.9 after KLAK moved to 97.5. Can’t remember how long 104.9 was KMKT, but I know it eventually became “Real Country” KTCY. Like most Sherman/Denison area stations, it was struggling by the late 80’s/early 90’s and spent a significant time off the air. I usually found myself listening to DFW stations in the car in that area. I can't imagine I was the only person doing that, and that probably was a major contributor to the financial problems of that area's stations at the time.
Yeah, 97.5 was originally a class A at 97.7 -- you're correct on that. When it got the upgrade to a C2 at 97.5 is when Lake Broadcasting acquired it and moved KLAK from 104.9 to 97.5.
And you're also correct about the KMKT call letters being on 104.9 after the KLAK move. As I recall, it was an oldies format that identified on-air as "Katy Classics". I can't remember how long that lasted before the "Real Country" flip, though.
When it comes to financial problems, there were multiple bankruptcies in the market in the 90s -- KLAK went through a reorg bankruptcy, and KWSM (104.1) and KTCY (104.9) both ended up being sold off in bankruptcy auctions. Those stations, along with KDSX 950/KDSQ 101.7 all ended up in the hands of something called the Davis Family Trust at least briefly during this period -- and operator that was stunningly incompetent.
Don't tell me Mad Rock is about to go.
It looks that way
That's my Lake Texoma radio station.😭
KMAD's playlist was first class classic rock, but their signal just seemed to be a little off over the air. I could blindly turn the dial and tell you instantly when it landed on KMAD.
Based on your screenname, I imagine you’re a big fan of The Ticket. Fake Jerrah rules!
There was/is a low-power station in the McKinney area that was on the same frequency. I also wonder if the signal isn't pushed more towards Oklahoma than Dallas. The two TV stations up here report more Oklahoma news than local Texas stuff.
KMAD-FM broadcasts from the same tower as KMKT. KLAK also used that tower until they moved to Tom Bean and a transmitter site near the southern edge of Grayson County.
The sale of the KMAD-FM license was approved by the FCC today. The KMAD call and format is not part of the sale, keep an ear out for the new KZBH call.
what do you mean current risk? Its been deleted already. they never responded to mail from the FCC about operational status and licensed facilities which they allegedfly hadnt used since Oct 2023
They have a petition for reconsideration. Someone dropped the ball keeping up with their STA and CP.
Can anyone see KLAK flipping??
To me it'd make more sense than what they're doing now; However, if they were going to do that I dont think theyd be moving Mad Rock online like they are now.
Like Liberty mentions, it would be the more logical station to flip between it and KMKT. Hard to imagine the only local AC in the area leaving the air, though.
i have some inside knowledge. they are not flipping KLAK or KMKT to the mad rock format. that is for certain. now this part is my own speculation. im thinking KMAD may go online only to combat Radio K and Bucy Radio the local internet radio stations in town which is causing some fierce competition for the digital/streaming radio market or mad rock will just go away completely on fm and online and only KMKT And KLAK will remain.
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