2 Country FM's Coming to L.A.?

[mostb1]

This comes from the vent board on AllAboutCountry.com but it is something I've been hearing too. Someone else posted on this board that the "rumor" of Clear Channel flipping a station stopped another station from its plans but maybe not.

From AllAboutCountry.com

Two Country for LA?
From: Unknown
Date: 10/05/2006
Time: 4:59:00 PM

Word now has it that there may be as many as two Country Stations serving Los Angeles...soon. Which one will last...? One will matter on the next trend that comes this month and the other will involve a former KZLA personality that is currently doing mornings for many. There should be some word by mid-month...we hope?

 

[la112]

This takes RUMOR to a new level! Which two please?

 

[romer979fm]

Word now has it that there may be as many as two Country Stations serving Los Angeles...soon. Which one will last...? One will matter on the next trend that comes this month and the other will involve a former KZLA personality that is currently doing mornings for many. There should be some word by mid-month...we hope?

while you're at it...why not go for three...or four?
KZLA proved that no matter how well you do country, the format isn't profitable in Los Angeles:
no one else is gonna throw money away bringing back country. nothing personal: it's just math

 

[Nashsound]

if someone does flip, they need to hire Lisa Taylor away from DialGlobal's Hot Country format.

 

[PaulBWalkerJr]

I agree with la112... holy rumor batman... geezus

 

[mostb1]

I agree with la112... holy rumor batman... geezus

You both may have to eat your words. Read the webmaters comments (7th post). This is what I am hearing also. And since AllAccess.com and AllAbout Country.com are sticking with the stories that country is about to return to L.A., I believe it. i also belive Nashville finally gets it and will support an L.A, station to the tune of many millions. And that a new country station run by Clear Channel can easily bill $10 million more than Star is billing and most likely more.
http://www.countryboards.com/boards/viewtopic.php?t=623&start=0

 

[codedude2]

I've noticed that Clear Channel is flipping stations left and right to country recently.

Is there any chance that CC will put country on an AM stick?

Will it be KYSR or KBIG that flips to country? With all the recent Movin' imaging on KBIG, it makes me think that KYSR will be the one to flip. Or is CC trying to throw off the rumors by acting like they'll keep KBIG around?

KYSR has been on life support for a VERY long time now. That would be the dumbest thing in the world to kill KBIG and keep KYSR.

 

[romer979fm]

I agree with la112... holy rumor batman... geezus

You both may have to eat your words.

wouldn't be the first (or last) time for me...I'm still guessing "no"

 

[PaulBWalkerJr]

I could see MAYBE one station going country.. but two? Nope.

 

[john77]

I've noticed that Clear Channel is flipping stations left and right to country recently.

Is there any chance that CC will put country on an AM stick?

Will it be KYSR or KBIG that flips to country? With all the recent Movin' imaging on KBIG, it makes me think that KYSR will be the one to flip. Or is CC trying to throw off the rumors by acting like they'll keep KBIG around?

KYSR has been on life support for a VERY long time now. That would be the dumbest thing in the world to kill KBIG and keep KYSR.

KYSR actually has shown some life of late, thanks to CC deciding maybe people actually would rather hear 35 currents, rather than just 5... Star is now #18 in the market, and an over 40% jump in the past 6 months... KBIG now sits 21st in the market, losing over 1/4 of it's audience in the past year...

So, KBIG would be the station on life support... and the mish-mash that is KBIG seems to be primed and ready for blowing up (as it has been for a good year and a half + now)...

 

[OldGringo]

I've noticed that Clear Channel is flipping stations left and right to country recently.

Is there any chance that CC will put country on an AM stick?

Will it be KYSR or KBIG that flips to country? With all the recent Movin' imaging on KBIG, it makes me think that KYSR will be the one to flip. Or is CC trying to throw off the rumors by acting like they'll keep KBIG around?

KYSR has been on life support for a VERY long time now. That would be the dumbest thing in the world to kill KBIG and keep KYSR.

KYSR actually has shown some life of late, thanks to CC deciding maybe people actually would rather hear 35 currents, rather than just 5... Star is now #18 in the market, and an over 40% jump in the past 6 months... KBIG now sits 21st in the market, losing over 1/4 of it's audience in the past year...

So, KBIG would be the station on life support... and the mish-mash that is KBIG seems to be primed and ready for blowing up (as it has been for a good year and a half + now)...

The 25-54 in October tells a different story. KBIG's adjustments to counter Movin' worked, driving it up to nearly a 3 share, while KYSR just barely gets over a two... the difference is 6/10ths of a share, with KBIG winning. KBIG is 14th 25-54 in October, while KYSR is 18th.

I do find it really unusual for an adult targedted station to have that many currents, probably the reason why has been dropping for three consectuive months in 25-54 and has lost a third of its audience in 18-34 in from the July actual to the October extrap. 35 currents (if that is the figure... it does not look like that in Mediabase) is not freshening, it is making the staiton unfamiliar.

 

[john77]

I've noticed that Clear Channel is flipping stations left and right to country recently.

Is there any chance that CC will put country on an AM stick?

Will it be KYSR or KBIG that flips to country? With all the recent Movin' imaging on KBIG, it makes me think that KYSR will be the one to flip. Or is CC trying to throw off the rumors by acting like they'll keep KBIG around?

KYSR has been on life support for a VERY long time now. That would be the dumbest thing in the world to kill KBIG and keep KYSR.

KYSR actually has shown some life of late, thanks to CC deciding maybe people actually would rather hear 35 currents, rather than just 5... Star is now #18 in the market, and an over 40% jump in the past 6 months... KBIG now sits 21st in the market, losing over 1/4 of it's audience in the past year...

So, KBIG would be the station on life support... and the mish-mash that is KBIG seems to be primed and ready for blowing up (as it has been for a good year and a half + now)...

The 25-54 in October tells a different story. KBIG's adjustments to counter Movin' worked, driving it up to nearly a 3 share, while KYSR just barely gets over a two... the difference is 6/10ths of a share, with KBIG winning. KBIG is 14th 25-54 in October, while KYSR is 18th.

I do find it really unusual for an adult targedted station to have that many currents, probably the reason why has been dropping for three consectuive months in 25-54 and has lost a third of its audience in 18-34 in from the July actual to the October extrap. 35 currents (if that is the figure... it does not look like that in Mediabase) is not freshening, it is making the staiton unfamiliar.

Looking closer at the spin numbers, it appears 35 was too small as the number of currents for Star... it's closer to 40 now. 43 tracks are getting more than 10 spins there now, and almost every song getting that many spins is a current... they've gone from being one of the least aggressive stations in adding new product to one of the most aggressive... long term, this is the right move to build a loyal fanbase.

The only real question is not if, it's when will KBIG get blown up? Stay tuned!

 

[researcher]

I've noticed that Clear Channel is flipping stations left and right to country recently.

Is there any chance that CC will put country on an AM stick?

Will it be KYSR or KBIG that flips to country? With all the recent Movin' imaging on KBIG, it makes me think that KYSR will be the one to flip. Or is CC trying to throw off the rumors by acting like they'll keep KBIG around?



KYSR has been on life support for a VERY long time now. That would be the dumbest thing in the world to kill KBIG and keep KYSR.

KYSR actually has shown some life of late, thanks to CC deciding maybe people actually would rather hear 35 currents, rather than just 5... Star is now #18 in the market, and an over 40% jump in the past 6 months... KBIG now sits 21st in the market, losing over 1/4 of it's audience in the past year...

So, KBIG would be the station on life support... and the mish-mash that is KBIG seems to be primed and ready for blowing up (as it has been for a good year and a half + now)...

The 25-54 in October tells a different story. KBIG's adjustments to counter Movin' worked, driving it up to nearly a 3 share, while KYSR just barely gets over a two... the difference is 6/10ths of a share, with KBIG winning. KBIG is 14th 25-54 in October, while KYSR is 18th.

I do find it really unusual for an adult targedted station to have that many currents, probably the reason why has been dropping for three consectuive months in 25-54 and has lost a third of its audience in 18-34 in from the July actual to the October extrap. 35 currents (if that is the figure... it does not look like that in Mediabase) is not freshening, it is making the staiton unfamiliar.

Looking closer at the spin numbers, it appears 35 was too small as the number of currents for Star... it's closer to 40 now. 43 tracks are getting more than 10 spins there now, and almost every song getting that many spins is a current... they've gone from being one of the least aggressive stations in adding new product to one of the most aggressive... long term, this is the right move to build a loyal fanbase.

The only real question is not if, it's when will KBIG get blown up? Stay tuned!

There are about 30-33 songs that are current - believe it or not. They are even starting to pull from the AAA chart. The last time KYSR went more current, the numbers went down.

Traditionally, adult stations do NOT do well when they are current intensive as most of the music is unfamiliar - and people tune out what they don't like.

I was told KYSR's TSL was in the 4:00 range (David, can you confirm) but the cume was decent (doing lots of outdoor).

4:00 would not be good for an adult station.

I'm not saying it won't work - just saying, that they will eventually need TSL to get it into the top 10 25-54 where it needs to be.

As for KBIG, I don't see a chance that thing goes as long as it stays where it is now. If they go away, they give KMVN a quick boost. CC is too smart to do that.

 

[OldGringo]

Looking closer at the spin numbers, it appears 35 was too small as the number of currents for Star... it's closer to 40 now. 43 tracks are getting more than 10 spins there now, and almost every song getting that many spins is a current... they've gone from being one of the least aggressive stations in adding new product to one of the most aggressive... long term, this is the right move to build a loyal fanbase.

The only real question is not if, it's when will KBIG get blown up? Stay tuned!

KBIG is almost a three share 25-54 in October. It benefited from the readjustments made to combat Movin', and looks really, really good. Star does not, with a three-month stairstep decline in 18-34 and 25-54. That is not a wobble, that is looking a lot like a real tanking.

Star has way too much unfamiliar music for a 25+ target, music that essentially has little other exposure in LA. Of course, 10 spins is not a sign of a current... 30+ spins is a current in an adult format, with 40 to 45 being the sign of a hotter current in those demos. 10 is more like a power gold on a 17 to 20 hour cycle, or a secondary recurrent on a similar pattern.

 

[OldGringo]

I was told KYSR's TSL was in the 4:00 range (David, can you confirm) but the cume was decent (doing lots of outdoor).

4:00 would not be good for an adult station.

I'm not saying it won't work - just saying, that they will eventually need TSL to get it into the top 10 25-54 where it needs to be.

As for KBIG, I don't see a chance that thing goes as long as it stays where it is now. If they go away, they give KMVN a quick boost. CC is too smart to do that.

25-54 cume fell under 4 hours in October, a sure sign of an unfamiliar, current-excessive playlist. This is supposed to be an edgy female AC, not an alternative rocker. Maybe that musch newer stuff works in Denver, but this is LA and the music is just not exposed enough for a fringy station to build cume with so much unfamiliarity. They shoulad have eliminated currents for a while, not the opposite. That said, they did increase cume about 50 thousand in October, so the advertising may have brought in some new cumers but they did not listen much, and brought the TSL down.

Star typically outcumes KBIG in 25-54 by about 30% or so... but KBIG always has the larger TSL, it seems. This time, they were pretty much in a normal range on cume in the target, but they got a nice TSL boost.

In 25-54, KBIG increased to an amazing 6 1/2 hours in the October extraps, indicating they are doing something right... or that there were a bunch of ultra P1 diaries... something I have never seen for that station, but I don't track it too carefully although it does have the biggest Hispanic share of its cume of any of the English ACs.

 

[david]

25-54 cume fell under 4 hours in October, a sure sign of an unfamiliar, current-excessive playlist. This is supposed to be an edgy female AC, not an alternative rocker. Maybe that musch newer stuff works in Denver, but this is LA and the music is just not exposed enough for a fringy station to build cume with so much unfamiliarity. They shoulad have eliminated currents for a while, not the opposite. That said, they did increase cume about 50 thousand in October, so the advertising may have brought in some new cumers but they did not listen much, and brought the TSL down.

David...This position represents much of what is wrong with radio today. Disrespecting the demographic. The 25+ demographic is not serviced with currents, so they default to classics. Then a station like KYSR makes the wise choice to emphasize currents, sees its 12+ rise, and then veteran radio programmers, like yourself, look for any metric they can find to "kill off" the fresh thinking. Finally, KYSR has become a listenable station, after years of tired old retreads. Want to know what is holding KYSR back? It's Jamie. She's lovely to have around the halls of the station, but torrid on the air. Replace the morning show and watch the station take off.

KMVN built its approach around the morning show, but forgot to think through how repetitive and boring the rest of the day sounds. KBIG is much more "interesting" than KMVN outside of morning drive. Just like how KYSR is becoming a very listenable station, EXCEPT during morning drive.

 

[OldGringo]

David...This position represents much of what is wrong with radio today. Disrespecting the demographic. The 25+ demographic is not serviced with currents, so they default to classics.

"They" don't default to anything. Any time a station aiming at 25+ in any format overdoes the amount of currents beyond the ability to assimilate and the desire to hear recognizable favorites within a specific format, the station fails.

Then a station like KYSR makes the wise choice to emphasize currents, sees its 12+ rise, and then veteran radio programmers, like yourself, look for any metric they can find to "kill off" the fresh thinking.

Actually, the listeners kill such absurd concepts by not listening in droves.

Finally, KYSR has become a listenable station, after years of tired old retreads.

Unfortunately, you are not the target. The target is pretty much 25-39 females, and "David" is not a girls name.

Want to know what is holding KYSR back? It's Jamie. She's lovely to have around the halls of the station, but torrid on the air.

"Torrid" means "hot" or "full of intensive emotions arrising from sexual love" per the Oxford American Dictionary. Is that what you meant to say? It makes no sense.

Replace the morning show and watch the station take off.

The morning show outperforms both mid-days and afternoons in the target 25-54 demo. You are wrong. The music bites big time.

KMVN built its approach around the morning show, but forgot to think through how repetitive and boring the rest of the day sounds. KBIG is much more "interesting" than KMVN outside of morning drive. Just like how KYSR is becoming a very listenable station, EXCEPT during morning drive.

You are seeing KYSR exactly opposite of how the listeners are reporting to Arbitron. Perhaps you might rethink your postion, as you are outnumbered.

 

[SuperRadioFan]

You are seeing KYSR exactly opposite of how the listeners are reporting to Arbitron. Perhaps you might rethink your postion, as you are outnumbered.

OF COURSE he's outnumbered!! You know statistics like the back of your hand, OldGringo.... So you THEN know that HE is in a tiny minority of people in the World who actually have more than an average intelligence and IQ. Most people (listeners) in this country I would think are not the sharpest knife in the kitchen. And THAT is why we get in any language homogenized radio with overly repetitious formats ... YES that makes a lot of money for the broadcast management teams and owners.

And THAT is why we have the wonderful choices in the political arena (W does not = JFK) and THAT is why we get claptrap junk on television and THAT is why reality TV shows do well....because the idiots on those shows (for the most part) can be related to by their audience.
I don't want to sound like an elitest, but shooot...

Serious question for you, David G..... If people who felt as you do were around radio broadcasting companies in the 1950's, 1960's, and 1970's how might that have changed the pop music icons we are all familiar with and the sound of pop music history? Would any of us ever have been exposed to Elvis Presley, Elvis Costello, Fats Domino, Little Richard, Chuck Berry, The Righteous Brothers, Motown, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Who, Jimi Hendrix, The Doors, The Sex Pistols, The Police, Billy Idol, Iggy Pop, The Ramones, Donna Summer, Johnny Cash, and you know I could go on a long time.... But you get the point. I feel sorry for kids of today.. they are missing some good music old and new... They're loading 10,000 tunes on their I-pods and don't even know what many of these songs are. They are too busy now with their PlayStations to pay attention.

 

[OldGringo]

You are seeing KYSR exactly opposite of how the listeners are reporting to Arbitron. Perhaps you might rethink your postion, as you are outnumbered.

OF COURSE he's outnumbered!! You know statistics like the back of your hand, OldGringo....

He is outnumbered by the listeners who have already begun to express thier dislike for the changes in Star.

So you THEN know that HE is in a tiny minority of people in the World who actually have more than an average intelligence and IQ.

I have a more-than-average intelligence and IQ. I like to hear songs that I know and that have memories and feelings attached to them. I have spoken with adult listeners from the brightest to the dumbest, and I have never heard anyone compalin that radio did not play enough songs they had never heard of and never heard before.

Most people (listeners) in this country I would think are not the sharpest knife in the kitchen. And THAT is why we get in any language homogenized radio with overly repetitious formats ... YES that makes a lot of money for the broadcast management teams and owners.

I do not have such an elitist, demeaning and negative view of listeners. Some are brighter, some are not, some have more money, some do not. They are just Americans, and most adult Americans like familiar songs, not one unknown song after another.

I don't want to sound like an elitest, but shooot...

You are worse than an elitist. An elitist leaves each person to their own thing, and just thinks their thing is superior. You want to put down the rest of the folks, the ones that don't agree with you.

Radio programming is about finding common threads... and that is all a "format" is: a common thread that ties a group of people together. You are about taking down to people.

Serious question for you, David G..... If people who felt as you do were around radio broadcasting companies in the 1950's, 1960's, and 1970's how might that have changed the pop music icons we are all familiar with and the sound of pop music history?

I was around the industry in the 60's and 70's. I helped to make many of the artists you mention stars in Latin America. I also helped to find mass appeal salsa, cumbia, Spanish pop and ballad stars, ranging from Ruben Blades to Maria Conchita to Menudo to Juan Luis Guerra. I just did not try to sell through 10 new songs a week.

The average iPod has around 300 songs on it.

 

[john77]

I've noticed that Clear Channel is flipping stations left and right to country recently.

Is there any chance that CC will put country on an AM stick?

Will it be KYSR or KBIG that flips to country? With all the recent Movin' imaging on KBIG, it makes me think that KYSR will be the one to flip. Or is CC trying to throw off the rumors by acting like they'll keep KBIG around?



KYSR has been on life support for a VERY long time now. That would be the dumbest thing in the world to kill KBIG and keep KYSR.

KYSR actually has shown some life of late, thanks to CC deciding maybe people actually would rather hear 35 currents, rather than just 5... Star is now #18 in the market, and an over 40% jump in the past 6 months... KBIG now sits 21st in the market, losing over 1/4 of it's audience in the past year...

So, KBIG would be the station on life support... and the mish-mash that is KBIG seems to be primed and ready for blowing up (as it has been for a good year and a half + now)...

The 25-54 in October tells a different story. KBIG's adjustments to counter Movin' worked, driving it up to nearly a 3 share, while KYSR just barely gets over a two... the difference is 6/10ths of a share, with KBIG winning. KBIG is 14th 25-54 in October, while KYSR is 18th.

I do find it really unusual for an adult targedted station to have that many currents, probably the reason why has been dropping for three consectuive months in 25-54 and has lost a third of its audience in 18-34 in from the July actual to the October extrap. 35 currents (if that is the figure... it does not look like that in Mediabase) is not freshening, it is making the staiton unfamiliar.

Looking closer at the spin numbers, it appears 35 was too small as the number of currents for Star... it's closer to 40 now. 43 tracks are getting more than 10 spins there now, and almost every song getting that many spins is a current... they've gone from being one of the least aggressive stations in adding new product to one of the most aggressive... long term, this is the right move to build a loyal fanbase.

The only real question is not if, it's when will KBIG get blown up? Stay tuned!

There are about 30-33 songs that are current - believe it or not. They are even starting to pull from the AAA chart. The last time KYSR went more current, the numbers went down.

Traditionally, adult stations do NOT do well when they are current intensive as most of the music is unfamiliar - and people tune out what they don't like.

I was told KYSR's TSL was in the 4:00 range (David, can you confirm) but the cume was decent (doing lots of outdoor).

4:00 would not be good for an adult station.

I'm not saying it won't work - just saying, that they will eventually need TSL to get it into the top 10 25-54 where it needs to be.

As for KBIG, I don't see a chance that thing goes as long as it stays where it is now. If they go away, they give KMVN a quick boost. CC is too smart to do that.

KYSR effectively began to "blow up" their station in late February and early March of this year. They were playing only 5-6 currents at that time and then the week of March 4th, they added new tracks from Fall Out Boy, The Fray, Bon Jovi, Daniel Powter, Train and Natasha Bedingfield... they twittled their thumbs for a few weeks before adding some more new songs on March 22nd...K.T. Tunstall's "Black Horse And The Cherry Tree" along with Nickelback's "Savin' Me" and Anna Nalick's "Breathe" were brought into the fray...

On April 9th, they began a more "listener intensive" approach, asking listeners to rate 100's of songs... and then deciding which ones to play more or drop based on those results... a lot of the 80's gold vanished and then they continued their evolution back to what they once were: an Alternative leaning, currents based Hot AC station...

Soon after that, their transition was complete... they have maintained their current format since mid-April of this year, with the current-heavy mix of songs ranging between 30 and 40 currents at any given time...

They are reaping the benefits now as the trends show... the station sounds fresh and lively and even the DJ's sound a lot happier on the air... it's a win-win situation all the way around... if they continue along this trek, there is no doubt they can get to the top 15 in the Arbitrons and maybe even higher.