98-7 vs. KROQ

[radiojomo]

Thinking about Kevin & Bean right now...the topic of the battle of the LA Alternative Stations popped into my head. It seems like KYSR is really catching up to KROQ with its alternative format. Let's compare what both stations have to offer:
KROQ
"Strong points"
-Kevin & Bean
-LoveLine and Locals Only
-KROQ Concerts
-Decades of experience in the format
-Devoted fans
-Strong revenue
"Weak points"
-Weak music programming due to Weatherly's focus on AMP
-Weak signal compared to KYSR
KYSR
"Strong points"
-More variety than KROQ Playlist (i.e. More Hot AC Style Rock)
-Appeals to a younger audience and more women compared to KROQ
-Music in the Mornings (counter for Kevin and Bean)
-Complete Control Radio Show and the New Music Show
"Weak Points"
-More commercials than KROQ
-Weak On-Air Talent
-No exclusive radio station concerts
-Internet listening not available on iTunes or on Firefox or Opera

Note: I saw a jump for KYSR after KDLD went off the air. It seems like all the Indie listeners went to 98-7.
What do you think?

 

[ajc_trw]

Thinking about Kevin & Bean right now...the topic of the battle of the LA Alternative Stations popped into my head. It seems like KYSR is really catching up to KROQ with its alternative format.

KYSR is simply filling a space as another Alternative station. I remember back in the 80s listening to KROQ as well as 91x and KNAC (Alternative). From 2000-2003 I thought Star 98.7 played good alternative, enough to give them a preset.

Bottom line: KROQ vs 98-7 vs 91X the answer is "All of the above please!"
Commercial free radio thru the pro channel scan. 8)

 

[AM FM listener]

I'm listening more to KYSR now. I like the Modern AC mixed in with the pure Alternative music. KYSR sounds fresher, plays newer music more often. I also like that KYSR does not talk as much.

 

[CHRles]

If KYSR plays more Modern AC titles how can it appeal to a younger audience than 106.7 K-Rock?

 

[robnokshus06]

98-7 just sounds fresher than KROQ. Their imaging makes me smile and often laugh out loud. KROQ has pretty much become the antithesis of what they used to be. They bought into their own "World Famous" hype. They ignore their heritage (except for the hourly overdose of Nivana, for Chrissakes Nevermind is almost 20-years old!) while 98-7 plays a lot of nice alt gold. The jocks don't talk too much which plays well against KROQ's hipper than thou 'tude.

Sad to say, but I think that KROQ's best days are behind it.

 

[Doctah]

98-7 just sounds fresher than KROQ. Their imaging makes me smile and often laugh out loud. KROQ has pretty much become the antithesis of what they used to be. They bought into their own "World Famous" hype. They ignore their heritage (except for the hourly overdose of Nivana, for Chrissakes Nevermind is almost 20-years old!) while 98-7 plays a lot of nice alt gold. The jocks don't talk too much which plays well against KROQ's hipper than thou 'tude.

Sad to say, but I think that KROQ's best days are behind it.

98-7 sounds "fresher," you say, yet it plays a lot of alt gold. So which is it? To me, 98-7 is still a weak cup of KROQ.

 

[ocer]

98-7 just sounds fresher than KROQ. Their imaging makes me smile and often laugh out loud. KROQ has pretty much become the antithesis of what they used to be. They bought into their own "World Famous" hype. They ignore their heritage (except for the hourly overdose of Nivana, for Chrissakes Nevermind is almost 20-years old!) while 98-7 plays a lot of nice alt gold. The jocks don't talk too much which plays well against KROQ's hipper than thou 'tude.

Sad to say, but I think that KROQ's best days are behind it.

98-7 sounds "fresher," you say, yet it plays a lot of alt gold. So which is it? To me, 98-7 is still a weak cup of KROQ.

98-7 is better at playing the new stuff before KROQ and they take it out of heavy rotation at the right time. Sometimes KROQ plays songs in heavy rotation way longer (ex. Linkin Park - Bleed it Out).

There is a pretty big difference in programming between the two stations for being technically the same format. You can see for yourself, go to yes.com and check out the top 100. They only have 3 or 4 songs in common in the top 10.

98-7 does mix in occasionally a good number of 80s and 90s gold that KROQ seems to have forgotten. I've noticed that most of the 80s gold they play is during the daytime and overnight hours...there seems to be quite a bit less in afternoons and evenings, barley any in evenings.

 

[ocer]

-Internet listening not available on iTunes or on Firefox or Opera

You can listen on Firefox if you install the "IE Tab" plug in.

 

[radiojomo]

-Internet listening not available on iTunes or on Firefox or Opera

You can listen on Firefox if you install the "IE Tab" plug in.

Yes you can but the advantage KROQ has with its player is how easy it is to use for the mainstream audience. People that have never listened online or don't frequently can listen with more ease. Not only that but listeners can also use iTunes to listen which ultimately can benefit KROQ.

 

[radioresearcher]

98-7 just sounds fresher than KROQ. Their imaging makes me smile and often laugh out loud. KROQ has pretty much become the antithesis of what they used to be. They bought into their own "World Famous" hype. They ignore their heritage (except for the hourly overdose of Nivana, for Chrissakes Nevermind is almost 20-years old!) while 98-7 plays a lot of nice alt gold. The jocks don't talk too much which plays well against KROQ's hipper than thou 'tude.

Sad to say, but I think that KROQ's best days are behind it.

98-7 sounds "fresher," you say, yet it plays a lot of alt gold. So which is it? To me, 98-7 is still a weak cup of KROQ.

You can call it that but it beats KROQ in quite a few dayparts outside of mornings - and even that lead has shrunk recently.

 

[justpassingthough]

I have also been listening to 98-7 more than KROQ as of late. I think the gold titles are a big reason, but I'm 28 so the "gold" titles are a return to my youth. KROQ seems more focused on new music, and Alternative's heyday has long since passed. When I want to listen to new music, I turn to Power, KIIS or AMP. If I want a little dose of rock or 90s music, I head for the alternative stations.

KYSR has seemed to capitalize on this, but they are a long way from unseating KROQ. The heritage of the station combined with their concerts, events and local presence mean that CC is going to have to invest way more if they plan on ever challenging KROQ for the crown.

As of now, KYSR wins on the music, though.

 

[radiojomo]

It's not that KROQ is focusing more on the new music than KYSR. Its that KROQ has been repeating the same recurrents FOR YEARS unlike KYSR. KYSR plays more variety in its recurrents which makes it seem more fresh. Instead of just playing the hits from past years, they actually play songs you would have heard on the KROQ playlist in the past. Not only that, but it also took some of the popular artists that they would play on when they were Star that had an alternative flair but couldn't quite make it on KROQ (like The Fray, Dave Matthews Band etc.) and added them along with this playlist.

 

[noneofyourbeeswax]

98.7 gets my vote and loyalty. i like change! i'm pretty much over kroq, have been since about 2004. they don't do anything innovative and haven't for quite a while. sounds pretty stale. kysr sounds fresh and is more relatable to the people in general. not everyone in los angeles is "too cool for the room" as kroq seems to think.

 

[BeachBum]

I'm a huge fan of KROQ, but I have to agree they sound stale musically, and have for a while. I'm not sold on KYSR yet, although it's better in the last few weeks. The whole Rockaholic thing is lame, and there are a lot of train wreck segueways and stiffs being played..