103.7 fm

[mrtexmex2007]

I don't think Houston needs another Spanish station, but I do agree with Mediafrog's statements. I think the problem is more of a format issue than anything. 3 Reg-Mex stations, 3 Spanish CHR/Hot AC stations. If you count 96.9, that's 4 Reg-Mex stations. Sure, they're slightly different in music selection but that's 4 Reg-Mex outlets! Yet, we have no active rock, AAA, oldies or dance.

Just curious MrTexMex, what Spanish formats do you think Houston is lacking?

I didnt say Houston is lacking a format, I said houston is lacking another station in spanish. Anything that is not related to Univision, and with a good signal. A way better Signal than LBIs stations.

 

[mr.ric]

I didnt say Houston is lacking a format, I said houston is lacking another station in spanish. Anything that is not related to Univision, and with a good signal. A way better Signal than LBIs stations.

mr. texmex, its called MEGA 101

 

[MrHoffman85]

Thier is more than enough Spanish speaking radio stations in the Houston area. If you disagree, that's fine with me.

This is what we need in Houston. Rock, hip hop, and news radio station, and that's it!!!!

 

[davideduardo]

English language FM radio stations in Houston?
How many English language radio stations broadcast in Mexico City?

Anyone want to make a guess?

Houston has nearly 30% Hispanics.

Mexico City has nearly 0% gringos.

When there were more non-Hispanic US Citizens in Mexico City, there were two English stations and several English daily newspapers. Most of those Americans were management at US companies. As Mexican management was integrated into those operations, the foreign managers left, and there was no market for an English station... or two or three or more.

Were Mexico City to have more English speaking foreigners, there would be more stations for them... there certainly are enough AMs losing money there now.

As a separate example, San Juan, Puerto Rico, had at one time three or four English language AM and FM stations, in the era of the 60's into the late 70's. There is only one now, an AM, and it seldom makes the book. Before, they got, together, as high as 10 shares. The same thing happened in Puerto Rico... the Continentals there to manage mainland companies left as local management stepped in. And that is in Puerto Rico, USA, which is entirely Spanish speaking.

Oh, Mexico City does have 10 to 12 stations that play only English language music, though.

 

[in3media_be1]

Some posts from this thread have been moved to Take It Outside


http://boards.radio-info.com/smf/index.php?topic=149119.msg1256314#msg1256314

 

[aunti-terrestrial]

Once again, to return this thread to its original topic:

As for 103.7, I'm liking the changes---what I've heard in the evenings, when I'm in the car, headed out. Still catch the occasional Jack sounder and a couple of stinker songs, but for the most part, it sounds terrific. Is Steve still programming it?

As far as I know, there are zero plans to convert its format to Spanish.

 

[ericspin]

Houston does need an Adult Alternative station, but there's two things wrong with 103.7 as it is right now:

1) Broadcast area - A rim shot station that doesn't cover the inner loop of Houston isn't the best for an AAA format, especially when it comes to current music.

2) Music selection - The rock angle on this AAA is probably good for Houston, but you can't play Nickelback and be taken seriously as an Adult Alternative station.

I didn't know about this change until today, when I turned my radio on and heard Wilco (which was nice).

 

[MrHoffman85]

I'm glad to hear Steve roberson's voice again. He did a good job on The Buzz.

 

[kendro]

News station. Don't care about the 30%. They can listen too.

 

[stan]

As I understand math, 30% is a minority; that is, 70% are not interested in the formats of which someone speaks. I still think all news, AAA, or some rock variant would be appropriate.

 

[davideduardo]

As I understand math, 30% is a minority; that is, 70% are not interested in the formats of which someone speaks. I still think all news, AAA, or some rock variant would be appropriate.

On the other hand, "majority" is not a useful word in format evaluation. In a market where a top-5 station is between a 4 and 7 share, 30% is a huge number and would sustain 6 to 8 top tier radio stations. There are about 21 fully viable commercial Houston signals per one of the industry's most respected sources, with that meaning full market signal day and night, so most of the 90 shares that go to commercial radio... so huge success is getting a 5 share!

All a station has to do is look for formats that can get the cume and TsL balance needed to get in that range, and they will be "successful" and able to sustain whatever it is that they do.

News should work in Houston. There is a big enough potential cume to make up for the low, low TSL... even though this is a hugely expensive format, it is usually immune from competion. Whoever does traditional N/T first there will also have the chance to build a franchise.

On the rock side, AAA is difficult. Few startups have made it, with LA and NYc as glaring examples of how badly they have not succeeded. The biggies in this format for the most part have decades-deep roots and have created familiarity and attachment to their unique blends of music. This is likely to be a low cume proposition in Houston, and with TSL compression in PPM, not a winner.

What else is there that could be explored? Many on the West Coast have raved about KDLD, Indie 103.1, a more eclectic alternative rock format than most "corporate" stations would present. It went away, mostly due to a bad signal, but the concept was widely hailed in music and on-line circles. Is that a possibility? Or is it "too cool for the room?"

 

[Mediafrog+]

All a station has to do is look for formats that can get the cume and TsL balance needed to get in that range, and they will be "successful" and able to sustain whatever it is that they do.

Cumulus is in a thankless position, having one good full market signal, and two rimshots. They do very well with KRBE, but KFNC and KHJK are turkeys. Not sure how you sell that in combo.

News should work in Houston. There is a big enough potential cume to make up for the low, low TSL... even though this is a hugely expensive format, it is usually immune from competion. Whoever does traditional N/T first there will also have the chance to build a franchise.

Which would be Clear Channel simulcasting KTRH on one of their FM's...and increasing the news content. Perhaps not a straight simulcast--one side could be heavier on news, the other on talk.

On the rock side, AAA is difficult. Few startups have made it, with LA and NYc as glaring examples of how badly they have not succeeded. The biggies in this format for the most part have decades-deep roots and have created familiarity and attachment to their unique blends of music. This is likely to be a low cume proposition in Houston, and with TSL compression in PPM, not a winner.

I still don't see AAA working here. Just not the right demographics/psychographics/mindset. Houston is not Austin (KGSR), San Fransicso (KFOG) or Denver (KBCO.)

My wild fantasy: Cumulus offers up 103.7 for an LMA. I would be fascinated to see who would go after it--perhaps something really different and out of the box, not to mention workable on the FM band.

 

[smartestguyintheroom]

In reply to Mediafrog's assertion: Cumulus position isn't totally thankless long term. But it is thankless in the short term operational phase. Getting those rimshots dual city licensing including Houston raised their asset value. They are reported above the line in ratings and revenue reports so, theoretically, are worth more than being Beaumont licenses. Even the bottom feeder rates charged on both are greater or equal to blockbuster rates in Beaumont. So increased (theoretically) asset value doesn't pay off during operational phase. It matters on loan value and selling price.

Their strategy on KFNC was much more sensible than on KHJK. Unfortunately, the over saturation of having 3 other sports stations in the same market, each with something marque, disembowels KFNC as a contender. Even given their limited signal. They hang their hat on the ESPN brand which carries cache, but it's virtually out of their control while the others have local badging (John & Lance, Astros, Texans, Rockets, Charlie Palillo), KFNC really doesn't. Since they don't market, driving home theuniqueness of being the only sports station on FM isn't sufficiently communicated.

KHJK on the other hand has been through the Jack phase. Currently, it's somewhere between Jack and "Houston's Adult Alternative" (whatever that is). Both were searching for an audience. Jack has in the 600,000+ cume range at it's peak. Whatever they are doing now has cut the cume to about 300,000. Perhaps they should consider a high cume format with some TSL built in.

Both signals are really eastern market strength. There may be something they can do to be more successful. Meanwhile, KRBE continues to pay the bills.

 

[davideduardo]

Getting those rimshots dual city licensing including Houston raised their asset value. They are reported above the line in ratings and revenue reports so, theoretically, are worth more than being Beaumont licenses.

Those two continue licensed only to Beaumont and La Porte. The FCC does not care if you add "Mexico City" after you indentify the city of license first.

And Arbitron allows stations, under some specific conditions, to decide which book they wish to be listed as home to... an example would be KLYY Riverside, CA, which has chosen to be home to Los Angeles instead of Riverside San Bernardino. The point is of no significance, though, since the computer software that has replace the books of old does not distinguish in the various tables the origin of stations.

Even the bottom feeder rates charged on both are greater or equal to blockbuster rates in Beaumont. So increased (theoretically) asset value doesn't pay off during operational phase. It matters on loan value and selling price.

But those stations, like all stations, have had their value reset and are worth less than paid for them. KHJK's $32 million purchase price looks absurd next to the $45 million sale price of WQXR, a maximum signal FM in New York City. So any rationalization based on asset value fails.

KHJK on the other hand has been through the Jack phase. Currently, it's somewhere between Jack and "Houston's Adult Alternative" (whatever that is). Both were searching for an audience. Jack has in the 600,000+ cume range at it's peak. Whatever they are doing now has cut the cume to about 300,000. Perhaps they should consider a high cume format with some TSL built in.

It's tough to get cume when the signal does not cover much of the market usefully. The 64 dbu barely touches the SE corner of Harris County. So the cume potential is very limited...

 

[michaelshiloh]

SmartestGuy: I just want to point out how Byzantine broadcasting has become. KRBE can't really pay the bills for the two Cumulus rimshots here. They're owned by two different companies. ESPN/Jack are owned by Cumulus Broadcasting LLC. KRBE is owned by Cumulus Media Partners. Cumulus Media Partners is only managed by Cumulus Broadcasting. Cumulus Broadcasting don't own KRBE. Investors own it through Cumulus Media Partners. Yeah, I know -- when I was the morning guy at KFNC I had to get that straight. Whew. Now let't talk about how CBS managed but never actually owned Metro Traffic. On second thought, forget it.

 

[radiogooroo]

SmartestGuy: I just want to point out how Byzantine broadcasting has become. KRBE can't really pay the bills for the two Cumulus rimshots here. They're owned by two different companies. ESPN/Jack are owned by Cumulus Broadcasting LLC. KRBE is owned by Cumulus Media Partners. Cumulus Media Partners is only managed by Cumulus Broadcasting. Cumulus Broadcasting don't own KRBE. Investors own it through Cumulus Media Partners. Yeah, I know -- when I was the morning guy at KFNC I had to get that straight. Whew. Now let't talk about how CBS managed but never actually owned Metro Traffic. On second thought, forget it.

KRBE, KHJK and KFNC are all owned by Cumulus Media Partners. The 103.7 and 97.5 signals were transferred from Cumulus to CMP when the deal to buy Susquehanna was finalized. Kicking in those signals is part of what helped them get the deal done.

 

[michaelshiloh]

Sorry GooRoo, I worked there. You're wrong. And you missed my point. I was just trying to point out how complicated broadcasting has become.So:

From Wiki:

"In 2006, Cumulus acquired control of Susquehanna Radio, with the backing of 3 venture capital firms (Bain Capital Partners LLC, The Blackstone Group and Thomas H. Lee Partners, L.P.) for a price of $1.2 Billion. The 33 Susquehanna stations are privately held in a separate partnership called CMP (Cumulus Media Partners), that is the subject of an equity for debt swap as of May 2009 in an attempt to avoid defaulting on the terms of the CMP lending agreement. While Cumulus operates the CMP stations, they hold only a minor ownership interest in them.[2]."

When Cumulus Broadcasting took control (but only a minority ownership) of Susquehanna (my old alma mater, KRBE included), Cumulus Broadcasting took on such a debt load that it started culling money from Cumulus Broadcasting stations such as the two Houston rimshots. That was the end of the old FM NewsChannel 97.5 and Rock 103.7 KIOL. It was a money decision.

If you don't understand this stuff, that's fine. Don't, however, pretend that you do. Google is your friend.

Now: Riddle -- Which company has a major financial interest in both Cumulus and Clear Channel? Heh heh. And if one company has a major financial interest in both, wouldn't that be something like antitrust?

Oh no, now I'm starting to sound like David Eduardo.

 

[davideduardo]

Sorry GooRoo, I worked there. You're wrong. And you missed my point. I was just trying to point out how complicated broadcasting has become.

In November of 2005 Cumulus Broadcasting transferred KFNC an KHJK to Cumulus Media Partners LLC as two of four stations Cumulus Broacasting contributed to CMP in exchange for membership in the partnership.

So the two rimshots are part of Cumulus Media Partners, given up by Cumulus Broacasting in late 2005 to secure its share in the Susuehanna deal with no cash.

Gooroo is right.

 

[michaelshiloh]

Well, if you say so, then I apologize. Again, my point is it's hard to keep track. As late as 2006, my paychecks were from Cumulus Broadcasting, not Cumulus Media Partners. My friends at KRBE were switched to Media Partners earlier in that year. Then they laid off most of us at KFNCmid-year. If I don't understand this, that's fine. Then I'll stop pretending that I do. I Googled and I still got it wrong.

I still say I was starting to sound like you, David. Heh heh.

 

[kendro]

Only Cumulus Media Inc. filed a 10K this year.