107.9 Sacramento

[Michael Rivers Kramer]

I see the callsign listed as "KSTE-FM" granted 5 April. Case closed for now. Will the format be the same as the AM?

Nothing surprises me anymore with that cluster, but I highly doubt it since KSTE is a second tier talk station.

KSTE-FM was something they didn't have to think about, but they needed call letters to get on the air.
They can't use KFBK-FM yet since it's on 93.1 and it would call attention to a KFBK move if they were to go that route. Call letters can be changed at the drop of a hat.

I see it going about 4 ways:


1. 107.9 Classic Hits
2. 107.9 CHR or Hot AC - not a good time for contemporary music
3. 107.9 goes Country - possible if a 3rd Country has legs in this market.
4. KFBK moves to 107.9 and 93.1 becomes a music format, outlined above

If 1 or 2 happen, the Bull with stay on the 107.1 North Highlands translator on Quail Lane. If 3 or 4 happen, I see 107.1 broadcasting something else or becoming a KSTE simulcast.

 

[Michael Rivers Kramer]

Nothing surprises me anymore with that cluster, but I highly doubt it since KSTE is a second tier talk station.

KSTE-FM was something they didn't have to think about, but they needed call letters to get on the air.
They can't use KFBK-FM yet since it's on 93.1 and it would call attention to a KFBK move if they were to go that route. Call letters can be changed at the drop of a hat.

I see it going about 4 ways:


1. 107.9 Classic Hits
2. 107.9 CHR or Hot AC - not a good time for contemporary music
3. 107.9 goes Country - possible if a 3rd Country has legs in this market.
4. KFBK moves to 107.9 and 93.1 becomes a music format, outlined above

If 1 or 2 happen, the Bull with stay on the 107.1 North Highlands translator on Quail Lane. If 3 or 4 happen, I see 107.1 broadcasting something else or becoming a KSTE simulcast.

Which brings me back to the Country format. I know I questioned Entravision giving up on the Wolf in 2019, only 7 months after iHeart's Bull downgrade in 2018. But, I'm really wondering why Entravision would try to sell Classic Country (35-64) along with their three Latino targeted properties? Wouldn't "Old School" make more sense for 103.5? I think that format would be more Latino friendly than Classic Country or any Country for that matter. Look at XHRM in Tijuana/San Diego.

Entravision's Sacramento cluster has baffled me the past few years.

 

[Big D]

What is more profitable, a 3rd Country station or a 2nd tier talk FM simulcast?

 

[Michael Rivers Kramer]

What is more profitable, a 3rd Country station or a 2nd tier talk FM simulcast

Classic Hits.

Name a top 30 market where a second tier talk station is moved to a full market signal.

Charlotte is a market with a larger Country share than Sacramento and only has two in the format.

Kansas City has three in the format, but the Country share is much larger in that market than in Sacramento. 13 vs 7 share.

 

[KilowattKat]

Nothing surprises me anymore with that cluster, but I highly doubt it since KSTE is a second tier talk station.

KSTE-FM was something they didn't have to think about, but they needed call letters to get on the air.
They can't use KFBK-FM yet since it's on 93.1 and it would call attention to a KFBK move if they were to go that route. Call letters can be changed at the drop of a hat.

I see it going about 4 ways:


1. 107.9 Classic Hits
2. 107.9 CHR or Hot AC - not a good time for contemporary music
3. 107.9 goes Country - possible if a 3rd Country has legs in this market.
4. KFBK moves to 107.9 and 93.1 becomes a music format, outlined above

If 1 or 2 happen, the Bull with stay on the 107.1 North Highlands translator on Quail Lane. If 3 or 4 happen, I see 107.1 broadcasting something else or becoming a KSTE simulcast.

I pick number 1, Classic Hits would flank nicely with V101. The growing appeal of 80's music especially with 18-34 year olds is showing no sign of slowing down. I'm thinking a Sacramento version of the popular 103.7 in the Bay Area.

 

[K108 Sacramento]

I pick number 1, Classic Hits would flank nicely with V101. The growing appeal of 80's music especially with 18-34 year olds is showing no sign of slowing down. I'm thinking a Sacramento version of the popular 103.7 in the Bay Area.

Great idea, do you know how the construction is progressing?

 

[SomeRadioGuy]

Theres more money to be made from a 3rd country station, especially if you have a nice big signal compared to your competitors or flankers..... than there is to be made as the 2nd classic hits station

Country is the biggest format in the country by far

 

[Michael Rivers Kramer]

Theres more money to be made from a 2rd country station, especially if you have a nice big signal compared to your competitors or flankers..... than there is to be made as the 2nd classic hits station

Country is the biggest format in the country by far

Are you sure about that? There are 7 percentage points split between the two current stations (KNCI and KNTY) and from what I understand, KNCI is only billing about 4 million. Charlotte has only 2 stations, but has a bigger piece the of the pie. Kansas City has three, but their country share is much larger and they are in the South and Midwest respectively.

Country is the biggest format? 92-93 percent of the Sacramento listeners listen to something else.

 

[KilowattKat]

Great idea, do you know how the construction is progressing?

Absolutely no idea, the latest info is the assignment of the KSTE-FM calls. But I wouldn't read anything into that, as call letters are mostly meaningless now.

 

[davideduardo]

What is more profitable, a 3rd Country station or a 2nd tier talk FM simulcast?

Country. Talk, particularly if it is virulent conservative talk, is avoided by many if not most significant advertisers. On the other hand, a country station... perhaps doing 90's and '00's gold... has appeal to advertisers as it is not controversial.

 

[SomeRadioGuy]

Are you sure about that? There are 7 percentage points split between the two current stations (KNCI and KNTY) and from what I understand, KNCI is only billing about 4 million. Charlotte has only 2 stations, but has a bigger piece the of the pie. Kansas City has three, but their country share is much larger and they are in the South and Midwest respectively.

Country is the biggest format? 92-93 percent of the Sacramento listeners listen to something else.

I've seen 3 country stations in places smaller then Sacramento.. in a city like sacramento, theres 3 or 4 different ways you could program country

 

[Michael Rivers Kramer]

I've seen 3 country stations in places smaller then Sacramento.. in a city like sacramento, theres 3 or 4 different ways you could program country

Sure in smaller markets were Country is king. Kansas City is smaller than Sacramento, but a larger percentage of their radio listening is to Country stations.

 

[SomeRadioGuy]

Sure in smaller markets were Country is king. Kansas City is smaller than Sacramento, but a larger percentage of their radio listening is to Country stations.

There's also been a resurgence of desire for gold/classic country.. and everybodys definition of that is different... but lets face it. .103.5 is nothing but a satellite feed.

it could chip away some listeners from the other country stations

BUT

the easiest cheapest thing to do is simulcast one of their news/talk stations.

i doubt classic hits is the answer

 

[finallyescaped]

Armstrong and Getty are semi-regular top performers with adults 25-54. Being on FM could give KSTE a much stronger position in the market so it's less of a flanker the rest of the day. There is a lot more money in talk than in classic hits or country, and to package it with KFBK could be the 1-2 (billing) punch they need to get more 100% share buys.

Now that I've typed all that, I probably just jinxed it from happening. Sorry. 😀

 

[Michael Rivers Kramer]

Interesting speculations. I guess we’ll see. I think talk radio jinxed themselves as per David, many major advertisers steer away for conservative talk. Look at KSTEs lineup, Hannity, Beck and a couple of lesser knowns aside from A&G.

Well know soon. Too bad it’s illegal to start a format pool. Lol

 

[Ryan Williams]

Interesting speculations. I guess we’ll see. I think talk radio jinxed themselves as per David, many major advertisers steer away for conservative talk. Look at KSTEs lineup, Hannity, Beck and a couple of lesser knowns aside from A&G.

Well know soon. Too bad it’s illegal to start a format pool. Lol

Seriously, there is a zero percent chance iHeart went through the auction and spent more than $6,000,000 to give 650 an FM home. It’s not happening.

The only hedge I’ll make is if 107.9 is actually for KFBK and KSTE is eventually going to 93.1 after a swap, but I think that too is way less likely than Country or Classic Hits.

 

[CTListener]

Country. Talk, particularly if it is virulent conservative talk, is avoided by many if not most significant advertisers. On the other hand, a country station... perhaps doing 90's and '00's gold... has appeal to advertisers as it is not controversial.

I'm particularly enjoying KPLX Dallas since its format tweak. There seem to be plenty of consensus country hits in those two decades, unlike what we're seeing in classic hits formats looking to expand beyond the '80s.

 

[DaveBayArea]

Could they try a sports station? Nobody in Sac does Giants PBP. Yes, 680 comes in well for the most part. But it's still an out-of-market AM.

Dave B.

 

[Big D]

Could they try a sports station? Nobody in Sac does Giants PBP. Yes, 680 comes in well for the most part. But it's still an out-of-market AM.

Dave B.

That’s an option I’ve wondered about…iHeart has a number of stations running Fox Sports Radio, they could add Giants baseball on FM as an alternative to a scratchy 680 signal. Seems better than a KSTE simulcast.

 

[KilowattKat]

Another reason for 107.9 to go with Classic Hits despite the competition with KCCL, would be signal superiority. From looking at two different coverage maps, KCCL doesn't cover the growing eastern suburban area very well. Outside of their 65 dbu is Citrus Heights, Carmichael, Roseville and beyond on the I-80, as well as Rancho Cordova, and Folsom. Correct me if I'm wrong, but iHeart will be restoring 107.9 to it's original 50 kw. If your an FM Classic Hits listener in one of those very populated areas, which one of the two stations do you think they will be listening to?