1230 KQUE

[ChuckTiller]

It's been over 40 years since the Big 1-23 KNUZ duked it out with The Big 610-KILT for the Top 40 wars. (Of course KNUZ with it's power of 1KW Day/250 Watts at night could not beat KILT 5KW/DA-2. The Big 6-10 was truly big....but not for long. But that's another story)

When SFX bought KNUZ and KQUE(102.9) in the mid 1990s, they flipped KQUE to the "Planet" and moved the KQUE call letters and format to 1230. Lieberman bought it eventually and brokered it. I know that this station has been for sale. Either it has been sold or this is another brokered format. I hope it works out for them. However, I once was on those airwaves in the 1970s. It was tough then and it's a whole lot tougher today. It is AM radio. It will need a internet companion station and a lot of promotion to help it.

http://1230kque.com/lovinliferadio/

 

[Mediafrog+]

This new format will be a colossal flop, and will die quickly. The 1kw 1230 signal is woefully inadequate to cover the market, and has deteriorated since the KNUZ days. And like Chuck said, "It is AM radio." Ain't gonna work in 2012 and beyond.

RBR had an interesting article yesterday about Liberman: http://rbr.com/moodys-disappointed-in-lbi-radio-performance/

I would think the "Two non-core assets" being sold in the article are 880 and 96.9, which are awaiting the deals closing with new owners. Liberman has almost certainly decided that 1230 is a dog and will wind up selling it as well, though the Lovin' Life format is probably brokered for the time being.

I doubt the new format would work even on a much more powerful AM signal.

 

[rbrucecarter5]

http://1230kque.com/lovinliferadio/

This must be brand new - the last time I heard 1230 was just a week ago, and it was still Spanish language. I merely use 1230 and 1200 as markers as I search for 1220 from Madisonville, which has a very listenable nostalgia / oldies format. Maybe the Madisonville station could pick up 1230 at a bargain price and bring their signal into Houston. Operating on the margins they probably are, they would probably see a considerable financial gain if they did.

 

[radiobop]

In this day and age, to garner a measurable audience with untested programming on a challenged AM frequency in Houston, this seems like a really tough quest. Just look at what KGOW an KROI have invested in terms of promotion (TV/billboard/newspaper) to build an audience and these are much larger operators. Could they somehow add an FM translator? Can they attract office listeners via internet/smartphone and convince potential advertisers about their effective reach? To me this sounds like the all too common boutique idea overshadowing the likely economc realities...

 

[gabigley1]

This must be brand new - the last time I heard 1230 was just a week ago, and it was still Spanish language.

Are they still in Spanish? They are not streaming at present.

How many format changes has 1230 had over the last few years?

 

[Mediafrog+]

According to the website, the "Lovin' Life" format will debut on May 1.

Very likely that the new owners for 880 and 96.9 will have closed by then and launched new programming.

Probably in the last days of the "Baila" format trimulcast.

 

[willdav713]

According to the website, the "Lovin' Life" format will debut on May 1.

Very likely that the new owners for 880 and 96.9 will have closed by then and launched new programming.

Probably in the last days of the "Baila" format trimulcast.

Interesting.

 

[cd637299]

Question for you long-time Houstonians:

How were the ratings for KQUE 102.9 when it was MOR? I heard them from FL on e-skip (DX) in the mid 1990s and said to myself, "certainly unique music"---I know that a format like that would not work today in a major city, but I liked it.

Also does anybody there have airchecks of this format?

cd

 

[OldChicago]

According to the website, the "Lovin' Life" format will debut on May 1.

Very likely that the new owners for 880 and 96.9 will have closed by then and launched new programming.

Probably in the last days of the "Baila" format trimulcast.

I hope the new format will be in English. It pleases me when someone
drops a foreign-language format and goes back to English.


Old Chicago

 

[willdav713]

After reading their website it seems like they are sort of following the now defunct KKHU You 106.9 as a Talk/Oldies format.

 

[willdav713]

This new format will be a colossal flop, and will die quickly. The 1kw 1230 signal is woefully inadequate to cover the market, and has deteriorated since the KNUZ days. And like Chuck said, "It is AM radio." Ain't gonna work in 2012 and beyond.

RBR had an interesting article yesterday about Liberman: http://rbr.com/moodys-disappointed-in-lbi-radio-performance/

I would think the "Two non-core assets" being sold in the article are 880 and 96.9, which are awaiting the deals closing with new owners. Liberman has almost certainly decided that 1230 is a dog and will wind up selling it as well, though the Lovin' Life format is probably brokered for the time being.

I doubt the new format would work even on a much more powerful AM signal.

I wouldn't say that, since KQUE was KNUZ which had News/Opinion and were Oldies then Standards for a handful of years.

 

[Mediafrog+]

This new format will be a colossal flop, and will die quickly.

I wouldn't say that, since KQUE was KNUZ which had News/Opinion and were Oldies then Standards for a handful of years.

All three formats wound up failing on 1230. AM station with a horrible signal. It's not the 1960's, which was half a century ago.

After reading their website it seems like they are sort of following the now defunct KKHU You 106.9 as a Talk/Oldies format.

That is like using the 2011 Astros as a model for a successful baseball team.

KKHU was one of the biggest flops ever tried on Houston FM. I recall an article in the Chronicle stating that it pulled a 0.0. The format lasted only six months...and that was on FM.

 

[ChuckTiller]

The AM radio noise problem is as old as radio itself. Unfortunately it is getting worse as technology steadily progresses and more man-made electronic products are available. This is a direct result of mainly consumer products that generate an increasingly higher noise level.

The technology behind the AM broadcast signal is very out-dated as far as current technology is concerned, not to mention that the AM broadcast band is located in the very vulnerable medium wave frequency band which is subject to interference.

Here are just a few of the things that cause AM interference: dimmer switches and dimming lamps, overhead power lines, fluorescent lights, motors, and televisions (some of those remain).

Now add to the list: LCD monitors, low power fluorescent lightbulbs, and our new favorite: Computers! This is not just limited to the thing in front of you with the keyboard, many things have computers inside of them. For example a clock, sprinkler timer, microwave oven (yes, most of them have computers and do generate noise), cordless phones, especially the 900 MHz Spread Spectrum digital phone a lot of you have. I can't possibly name all of the things which contain computers.

All of these things pose havoc for AM radio. All AM radio station suffer from this problem, especially those with power less than 2500 watts or so. Not to mention to directional antenna stations, regardless of power.

Its a huge uphill battle for KQUE. They would have to spend a LOT of money to promote it and advertize it with billboards and television. Plus they would need to stream audio from the website and offer downloads for the phone apps. On the air, they would need to continue pushing the website and the phone applications. Links to other sites will help as well. Deep pockets will help, but those pockets have limits.

The schedule shows that the station signs off at 6PM and signs on at 7AM. This tells me that this deal is brokered. Something else, most likely international language will be on during that 6PM-7AM time period. Starting a morning show at 7AM is NOT a good idea either. Morning drive starts early in Houston. I look at the SW Fwy at Hillcroft from my controlroom every morning at 5AM and see a multitude of cars.

Now I want to comment on this:

Quote from: willdav713 on Yesterday at 10:54:47 PM
Quote from: Mediafrog+ on April 05, 2012, 07:50:30 AM
This new format will be a colossal flop, and will die quickly.

willdav713-I wouldn't say that, since KQUE was KNUZ which had News/Opinion and were Oldies then Standards for a handful of years.

Mediafrog-All three formats wound up failing on 1230. AM station with a horrible signal. It's not the 1960's, which was half a century ago.

Mediafrog is right. But it goes much further back than that. When KNUZ went country in 1973, it's best ARB Country book didn't even beat it's worst Top-40 book. KNUZ began suffering in 1972 and NEVER recovered.

I remember being on the air that Saturday night when KILT-FM went country earlier that day. The phones died! KNUZ now had to contend with two 100KW FMs and one 10KW AM (1070 KENR which would suffer a similar fate.) "Country Fresh" Kay-News was doomed. In a matter of months, the format changes began and continue.

I have a lot of great memories from my time at KNUZ and met a lot great radio people. However, the reality is obvious and I wish I could be optimistic.

 

[davideduardo]

I hope the new format will be in English. It pleases me when someone
drops a foreign-language format and goes back to English.

More to the point, this is a Hispanic, Liberman, determining that there is money to be made from people who don't know that a "graveyard" AM won't work.

 

[Mediafrog+]

At several checks late Easter afternoon KQUE 1230 is off the air. Faintly hearing a couple of other stations on the frequency, probably either KSIX Corpus Christi or KWTX in Waco. Has anyone heard KQUE on the air in the past few days?

The "Baila" format is still going on 96.9. Same on 880, though the audio is extremely low. Both stations will probably flip in the next few weeks when each of the sales closes.

More to the point, this is a Hispanic, Liberman, determining that there is money to be made from people who don't know that a "graveyard" AM won't work.

Which is pretty much the standard operating procedure for basket-case brokered time AM's. Find the greater fool with the next "can't miss" idea.

The KQUE signal is solid in Houston's heavily Hispanic east end, but those demographics are already served by plenty of FM formats. Probably the only thing that might actually work on 1230 is Spanish language religion, as religious broadcasters don't seem to care if audiences are miniscule. However that genre is already available on 88.1, 980, 1380, and 1400.

The stark truth is probably that the 1230 signal is simply no longer viable in the current and future Houston market. Time to pull the plug?

 

[OldChicago]

I know it is along shot, but have they ever tried to ask the FCC to operate 1KW 24/7 ??


Old Chicago

 

[ChuckTiller]

I know it is along shot, but have they ever tried to ask the FCC to operate 1KW 24/7 ??


Old Chicago

It has; since the early 1980s when the FCC relaxed the rules for what was known as 'local' frequencies to operate at 1 KW full-time. Unfortunately, it really doesn't matter because the end result is the same.

 

[willdav713]

This new format will be a colossal flop, and will die quickly.

I wouldn't say that, since KQUE was KNUZ which had News/Opinion and were Oldies then Standards for a handful of years.

All three formats wound up failing on 1230. AM station with a horrible signal. It's not the 1960's, which was half a century ago.

After reading their website it seems like they are sort of following the now defunct KKHU You 106.9 as a Talk/Oldies format.

That is like using the 2011 Astros as a model for a successful baseball team.

KKHU was one of the biggest flops ever tried on Houston FM. I recall an article in the Chronicle stating that it pulled a 0.0. The format lasted only six months...and that was on FM.

I was comparing this, back then KNUZ was news/opinon http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=1992_1069638 July 1992

KRTS (92.1 FM)...............................7.

KILT (610 AM)................................5.

KYOK (1590 AM)...............................5.

KIKK (650 AM)................................4.

KKHU (106.9 FM)..............................4.

KNUZ (1230 AM)...............................3.

 

[johndavis]

According to the website, the "Lovin' Life" format will debut on May 1.

Very likely that the new owners for 880 and 96.9 will have closed by then and launched new programming.

Probably in the last days of the "Baila" format trimulcast.

For what it's worth, KSBJ has begun teasing a "major announcement" on May 4th.

 

[rbrucecarter5]

For what it's worth, KSBJ has begun teasing a "major announcement" on May 4th.

NGEN replacing praise and worship on 89.3? PLEASE????!!!! Well dream on - soccer moms keep driving up the praise and worship ratings. But - maybe - it will be an over the air outlet for NGEN on a different frequency in Houston. I know WPOZ Orlanod has been doing this with their HD-2 and HD-3 channels and getting a lot of thanks from the Christian audience that was previously unserved!