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92.1 and 102.1 trade places

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An ad in the star seems to imply that Lotus plans to switch their Spanish programming to 92.1 and the Alternative Rock to 102.1. It's hard to imagine why they would want to do this after all these years.
 
Why Change????

My understanding is that KAHM, FM 102.1 Prescott, AZ has filed with
the F.C.C. to move its transmitter some 20+ miles closer to Phoenix.
KCMT, Tucson, also at 102.1 would have their coverage area reduced
when/if that should happen. That certainly could be a factor in changing
the two formats.
 
Geography. 92.1 has a strong signal in the south where most Spanish language listening is reported. KFMA's biggest diary zips are foothills and Oro Valley. Basically they're swapping to give each station better coverage in it's biggest zips. They'll look brilliant if it works.
 
When KAHM moves its transmitter closer to Phoenix, KCMT will not be downgraded or reduced in any way. In fact, KAHM had to prove its move would NOT impact protected areas of KCMT's signal, and it will have to afford "contour protection" to KCMT. The protected contours of the pending move of KAHM and KCMT will be roughly 100 km apart. While I suppose KCMT could have a listener or two in some fringe areas near Phoenix, Lotus can't sell them to advertisers and doesn't really care. Plus, the FCC has already concluded they're not entitled to hear the station anyway.
 
92.1 and 102.1 trade placew

So what is the reason for the switch? Normally you don't take a station that has thousands of pushbuttons set to it and move it elsewhere without some compelling reason.
 
The story I heard was that swapping frequencies gave the two stations better signals for their target audiences. I haven't lived in Tucson since 1977 and have little memory of it. So, I'm not familiar enough with the city as it is today to know the demographics. However, if Hispanics live on the south and/or east side of the city, 92.1 will cover them just fine. 102.1's tower is on the northwest side of the city, and it covers a broader area, though it's directional and doesn't cover much south or east of Tucson. It doesn't even go very far to the west. It's pretty much an oval that goes northwest of the tower and southwest and stops just outside of Tucson.
 
People of Mexican heritage are scattered throughout the Tucson metro area. They are found in largest concentrations in neighborhoods near South Sixth Avenue on the South side. From where I live on the far east side, 92.1 and 102,1 have almost equal signal strengths. Both stations have had the same formats for years and are well established. Moreover the two types of music are worlds apart. It doesn't seem to make much sense for each station to toss out its listenership even temporarily.
 
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