103.5 FM Spokane to become an affiliate of Fox Sports Radio

[Y2kTheNewOldies]

Spokane's Game To Drop Hip Hop For Fox Sports - RadioInsight

radioinsight.com

Stephens Media Group will flip “103.5 The Game” 1510 KGA/103.5 K278CY Spokane WA from a mix of Sports and Hip Hop to all Sports talk on Friday, March 19.

Timed with the start of Gonzaga University’s NCAA tournament run, the station will carry all of Fox Sports Radio’s programming along with continuing to carry Gonzaga University basketball play-by-play. The move reverts KGA to what it was airing prior to dropping the Fox Sports Radio talk shows for Hip Hop in January 2019.

 

[crainbebo]

I knew Hip Hop wouldn't last. It was doomed from the start. May have had some listeners at the HS and college/Gonzaga level, but far below their expectations (at least compared to 105.7 or 92.9).
Of course KGA puts out a flamethrowing 540 watts at night, on what was a clear-channel station.

 

[seatownmedia]

I miss those old flamethrowers. But then I miss the ‘65 Ford Mustang and cassette tapes too.

 

[boombox4]

Too bad it didn't last (I remember when they flipped to hip-hop/sports, it was lauded as visionary, an AM station trying something new), but at least they experimented with it for just over a year.

 

[seatownmedia]

The bigger question is what to do with these 50k am stations, though as I understand it KGA has reduced their power. So the big wattage AM stations are becoming fewer. They do still exist but generally depend on their Fm signal for reach. End of an era?

 

[Kent]

The bigger question is what to do with these 50k am stations, though as I understand it KGA has reduced their power. So the big wattage AM stations are becoming fewer. They do still exist but generally depend on their Fm signal for reach. End of an era?

That era has been over for a long time. People quit listening to KGA a long time ago, which is why Mapleton neutered it. Even in 1990, KGA's 50 kw unlimited signal didn’t do much to separate it from KTRW 970. The two were in a dogfight for several years, and KDRK pulled away roughly 30 years ago. I don’t remember it ever putting up very good numbers with talk and sports, though you can generally sell sports without numbers.

 

[seatownmedia]

It isn’t completely over. There are still major am flamethrowers that garner ratings. WLS and WBBM in Chicago, WABC in NYC, and even KOMO in Seattle.

 

[davideduardo]

It isn’t completely over. There are still major am flamethrowers that garner ratings. WLS and WBBM in Chicago, WABC in NYC, and even KOMO in Seattle.

There are just under 4600 AM stations. I'd bet that there are perhaps 150 to 200 that are significant on their own. Another roughly 2000 are sustained by the LPFM that they simulcast on, and they would gladly sign the AM off if they could.

The rest are struggling or are religious.

2603 of those AMs are daytimers or have less than 250 watts at night. Those that do not have a translator are useless.