980 The Beast

[frankberry]

Dave Eduardo: Is it true that now LPFM stations can request and get 'real call letters' without using the -LP suffix if they're not used elsewhere, or if the owner of the other non-radio service gives them written permission to use it?

I think I can answer your question. The -LP suffix is required for all LPFM stations. There are no exceptions.
If I'm wrong, David is welcome to correct me.

 

[michael hagerty]

Nobody cares about signs anymore, except for well. . . geeks like us. Let the old flag fly, like KHJ, or give it back to CBS Radio and let them apply it to some other station in the market.

You were right with the first part of that sentence. There's roughly zero equity in the KFWB calls. If the new owners were to dump them for something new (and there's little to no upside to that), what would CBS do with them? With KFWB (finally) sold, KNX is the only AM they own in L.A. and they're not going to re-brand that. FM, what?---Jack, The Wave, Amp, K-Earth, KROQ? Not a chance.

My bet is, as with Immaculate Heart Radio and KHJ, 980's new owners will save the filing fee and leave the calls alone.

 

[3Cat]

If the KFWB calls don't stay on 980, I'd love to see Jack or KRTH adopt them and tailor the idea of Color Radio for the 21st century.

 

[K.M. Richards]

If the KFWB calls don't stay on 980, I'd love to see Jack or KRTH adopt them and tailor the idea of Color Radio for the 21st century.

Another dreamer heard from.

 

[davideduardo]

If the KFWB calls don't stay on 980, I'd love to see Jack or KRTH adopt them and tailor the idea of Color Radio for the 21st century.

Why would either station... or any station targeting some portion of 25-54... want call letters and a name that associate with a late 50's and early 60's concept whose youngest listeners are over 60 today?

 

[sdwulfdawg]

"Really?"

I think I can answer your question. The -LP suffix is required for all LPFM stations. There are no exceptions.
If I'm wrong, David is welcome to correct me.

The most prominent unprominent low-powered FM here in San Diego, KNSJ, NEVER uses the -LP when identifying themselves....

 

[davideduardo]

The most prominent unprominent low-powered FM here in San Diego, KNSJ, NEVER uses the -LP when identifying themselves....

... but that station is not an LPFM. It is a true class B1. It has low power because of its considerable height.

 

[3Cat]

Another dreamer heard from.

Good to know I'm not the only one.

 

[LibertyNT]

I'd venture to say at this point the KRTH calls are more recognizable than the KFWB. Though it DOES match the Jack attitude, call it Jack-FM Friends With Benefits, KFWB.

 

[gr8oldies]

One I never understood was bringing back WTAM for 1100 in Cleveland, which had last been used sometime in the 50s if I recall correctly. Absolutely no one would have remembered those calls.

 

[davideduardo]

One I never understood was bringing back WTAM for 1100 in Cleveland, which had last been used sometime in the 50s if I recall correctly. Absolutely no one would have remembered those calls.

In this case, my guess is that the new owner hated WWWE, and Randy felt a bit of nostalgia for the old calls and said, "they are a lot better than what we have".

 

[deepstblu]

One I never understood was bringing back WTAM for 1100 in Cleveland, which had last been used sometime in the 50s if I recall correctly. Absolutely no one would have remembered those calls.

The story is that ownership wanted a new call that contained "AM," and WTAM just happened to be an available combination that didn't sound like any other stations in the market. The previous use didn't figure into it too much. Story at this insanely long url:

http://infoweb.newsbank.com/iw-sear...NzU1ODk2NS40MTYxOTY6MTo0OjcwNDQ&&p_multi=CPDB

 

[DrAkbar]

One I never understood was bringing back WTAM for 1100 in Cleveland, which had last been used sometime in the 50s if I recall correctly. Absolutely no one would have remembered those calls.

Actually some upper demo listeners probably remembered the original calls. When NBC & Westinghouse swapped stations in Cleveland and Philadelphia in the mid 50's, 11~Hundred became KYW. The FCC ordered the swap reversed and NBC came back to Cleveland in the mid 60's with the call letters of WKYC. Then with new ownership, the calls were changed to WWWE, or 3WE. Another ownership change and the original calls of WTAM returned after 40 years. So if you were listening to WTAM in your 20s, then chances are you remembered the call letters when they came back in your 60s.

No need to change the KFWB call letters as anyone who listened to them as an all news station probably left for KNX years ago and wouldn't stick around for what's on 9~Eighty today.

 

[Neel]

In checking out the new 980, here's what I noticed (My heritage is Asian Indian, so I can understand some of the music, though it's not something I would normally listen to and not sure of their target group either: they play music in different Indian languages, so while I can understand Hindi, I can not understand Punjabi, and they play both. But I'm probably just too Americanized for their demo).

They identify themselves as "Desi 980 Los Angeles and San Diego." which I think is odd. I wouldn't expect 980 to have much of a listenable signal down there. It's not even that great in the Inland Empire. Haven't been to San Diego lately but wonder if you can listen over there.

Clippers game was still broadcast on there tonight.

 

[michael hagerty]

In checking out the new 980, here's what I noticed (My heritage is Asian Indian, so I can understand some of the music, though it's not something I would normally listen to and not sure of their target group either: they play music in different Indian languages, so while I can understand Hindi, I can not understand Punjabi, and they play both. But I'm probably just too Americanized for their demo).

They identify themselves as "Desi 980 Los Angeles and San Diego." which I think is odd. I wouldn't expect 980 to have much of a listenable signal down there. It's not even that great in the Inland Empire. Haven't been to San Diego lately but wonder if you can listen over there.

Probably depends on where in San Diego. If you're no more than 5 or 10 miles inland, most of the signal's going to travel over water.