A Few Houston Radio Notes

[Ryan Williams]

I was in Houston for most of the day and made a few notes:

- Praise 92.1 is running informercials. Featured a health product informercial from 9:00 - 9:30 AM. I know it is Saturday morning, but come on! I think it is more excusable for KPRC or the like, but this is such a total break in the format.

- Heard ESPN Houston's 92.5 translator up in Tomball loud and clear. Those have to be the most powerful 28 watts in all of broadcasting! And amazingly they can't be contained by a directional antenna! See the map below.

- Why are 93.3 and 100.7 (I think 97.5 was maybe also) running in stereo? I was using a very decent Honda radio and the pilots were definitely increasing more reception noise in the areas of Harris County where I was listening from and for what?

- The Spot still sounds great!

- "Strong" AMs like 610 are struggling in-market more and more with electrical noise. Not Houston specific, but I was reminded of it today and that is before the downgrade to the new site.

 

[jt99]

- The Spot still sounds great!

They seemed to do a rebalancing of the playlist very late in 2021 and are now playing more 1990s music (4-5 an hour comapred to 2-3 an hour before). This change seems to have helped them in 18-34 (even though they're probably looking for a more 30-49 or 35-54 core) and culminated with the station finishing #1 18-34 in the March book. Though I don't really take it too seriously due to the sample and panel issues mentioned in other threads, I still found it interesting since the 26 year olds who would make up the median age of 18-34 were only 3 years old when the decade ended and probably don't have much memory of actually hearing music from that decade when it was new. So even with all the 1990s nostalgia going around, I wouldn't have thought that the increased focus on the 1990s would have this type of effect on the station's 18-34 numbers. What made this even more interesting is that it only finished 3rd 25-54 and 18-49, so it's actually doing the best with the younger demo!

Since it has been mentioned before that Houston was having sample size issues even before the pandemic, I wonder if that's causing Houston to be affected even more than other markets by the pandemic/meter shortage related sample issues, causing for wacky results like this?

 

[Mediafrog+]

I was in Houston for most of the day and made a few notes:

- Praise 92.1 is running informercials. Featured a health product informercial from 9:00 - 9:30 AM. I know it is Saturday morning, but come on! I think it is more excusable for KPRC or the like, but this is such a total break in the format.

This has been going on for a while, as I’ve previously come across infomercials on 92.1. Adds to all the “placeholder” speculation, but the infomercials are pretty limited.

- Heard ESPN Houston's 92.5 translator up in Tomball loud and clear. Those have to be the most powerful 28 watts in all of broadcasting! And amazingly they can't be contained by a directional antenna!

And the 92.5 translator comes booming in around Baybrook mall, 22 miles to the southeast of the transmitter. Obliterates KJJG-LP, which is in that area.

- Why are 93.3 and 100.7 (I think 97.5 was maybe also) running in stereo? I was using a very decent Honda radio and the pilots were definitely increasing more reception noise in the areas of Harris County where I was listening from and for what?

I haven’t heard 97.5 running stereo since the KIOL days.

I recall Chuck Tiller posting that 100.7, which usually broadcast in mono, was in stereo due to operating from its auxiliary site due to problems with the main transmitter. Perhaps that is still the case?

Agreed that 93.3 should kill the stereo for the sports format.

"Strong" AMs like 610 are struggling in-market more and more with electrical noise. Not Houston specific, but I was reminded of it today and that is before the downgrade to the new site.

Not only will 610 reduce power, but they are moving six miles to the north. Will have a negative impact in the southern parts of the market.

 

[HTX]

I just wanna say 92.5 can be heard to the north in Willis and Cleveland

 

[HTX]

Also I heard the 104.5 translator mention KBXX HD2 in their TOH which doesn’t exist. And I believe Radio Dabang 99.5 is broadcasting in The Heights.

 

[stan]

Was in Houston last week at the medical center. I concur with some of the comments regarding 92.5 and its apparent signal strength.

As for 97.5, it has not been in stereo for some time and hasn’t shown up that way on my radio. I’ll have to check this morning.

AM noise floor is continuing to make many stations unlistenable. I’m curious if the College Station AM station has gone to MA3 broadcasting as discussed previously. That should address the analog noise floor problem, but the reception is limited primarily to those of us with HD radio in our cars.

 

[Ryan Williams]

As for 97.5, it has not been in stereo for some time and hasn’t shown up that way on my radio. I’ll have to check this morning.

It's possible my radio showed stereo on scan from the last station or that I am misremembering. I put 97.5 in parentheses because I was not certain. I did see and hear the pilot on 100.7 and 93.3 and it was not good.

AM noise floor is continuing to make many stations unlistenable. I’m curious if the College Station AM station has gone to MA3 broadcasting as discussed previously. That should address the analog noise floor problem, but the reception is limited primarily to those of us with HD radio in our cars.

1620 is the only HD AM in CS that I am aware of and they do very well. I do not see them going all-digital anytime soon. Co-owned 1150, 1510, and 1550 might be a better candidate but as far as I know they are still analog only (1150 is probably not going all-digital either anytime soon) I heard them all somewhat recently.

 

[AnyHuman]

I expect Chuck can get an engineer to switch 100.7's backup to mono if he so desires. LOL maybe David can with 93.3, but not sure if he is too involved.

 

[BamaTX]

And I believe Radio Dabang 99.5 is broadcasting in The Heights.

Wasn't it verified a while back that they were broadcasting from downtown?

 

[BamaTX]

It's possible my radio showed stereo on scan from the last station or that I am misremembering. I put 97.5 in parentheses because I was not certain. I did see and hear the pilot on 100.7 and 93.3 and it was not good.

97.5 isn't in stereo.

1620 is the only HD AM in CS that I am aware of and they do very well. I do not see them going all-digital anytime soon. Co-owned 1150, 1510, and 1550 might be a better candidate but as far as I know they are still analog only (1150 is probably not going all-digital either anytime soon) I heard them all somewhat recently.

Bryan Broadcasting was one of the proponents of allowing AM stations to go all-digital. I always thought that they would simulcast WTAW on 107.7 and try all-digital on 1620 since they already have all the equipment at the site ready to go.

I was surprised to hear that KORA-FM is broadcasting HD, so maybe they plan on upgrading more stations soon.

 

[HTX]

Wasn't it verified a while back that they were broadcasting from downtown?

I must have missed that. The signal was incredibly strong just south of the north part of 610 and west of 45.

 

[BamaTX]

I must have missed that. The signal was incredibly strong just south of the north part of 610 and west of 45.

+713 practically confirmed it IIRC.

Which brings the question, why was he banned? Some of his last threads were about XXX's leased AM license. I assume he was warned not to post about the matter and did so anyway? He practically gave away his identity on this board a few months before being sent to the RadioDiscussions gulag. If anyone can verify where DaBang is broadcasting from, it's him.

 

[Ryan Williams]

Bryan Broadcasting was one of the proponents of allowing AM stations to go all-digital. I always thought that they would simulcast WTAW on 107.7 and try all-digital on 1620 since they already have all the equipment at the site ready to go.

I remember that, but WTAW make too much money to go all analog and while they do have an FM translator, unlike many AMs today the translator is not front and center and 1620 is still the primary signal. Same with KZNE.

1510 is southern gospel music (along with an FM translator) and 1550 is the move in from Navasota running country, so maybe one of those is a better candidate to go all-digital.

I think 107.7 is doing pretty well, so I would not look for WTAW to go there.

I was surprised to hear that KORA-FM is broadcasting HD, so maybe they plan on upgrading more stations soon.

Yes, I heard this recently. KORA-HD-2 is KORA Classic Country and HD-3 is a simulcast of KAPN Classic Hits 107.3. The HD-3 is also simulcast on the 102.3 translator. 107.3 and 102.3 have never been very closely synced in all of my listening. Probably a minute or more off.

 

[ChuckTiller]

The KKHT transmitter is on it's last leg. A new one has been ordered and on the way. There will be quite a few changes when that happens after installation.

 

[Mediafrog+]

The KKHT transmitter is on it's last leg. A new one has been ordered and on the way.

Would the existing transmitter be the same one from the 1996 signal upgrade for 100.7?

There will be quite a few changes when that happens after installation.

Hmmm, that sounds interesting…🤔

 

[stan]

Would the existing transmitter be the same one from the 1996 signal upgrade for 100.7?

Hmmm, that sounds interesting…🤔

Maybe they’re adding HD to it and creating some additional content.

 

[Ryan Williams]

Maybe they’re adding HD to it and creating some additional content.

That is a very reasonable guess. However, Salem is not a heavy user of HD.

For Salem's large(r) market FMs:

LA: KKLA, no HD; KFSH, no HD
DFW: KLTY, yes HD; KWRD, no HD
HOU: KKHT, no HD
WAS: WAVA, yes HD
ATL: WFSH, yes HD
DEN: KRKS, no HD
POR: KPDQ; no HD; KFIS no HD; KRYP, no HD
SAC: KKFS no HD; KSAC no HD
PIT: WORD no HD

I won't go through the whole portfolio but those are their FMs in the top 30 markets.

 

[Mediafrog+]

Maybe they’re adding HD to it and creating some additional content.

I was thinking more of the possibility of a new format, but unlikely, as I assume the essentially fully brokered model currently on 100.7 is making money.

Using HD on the Devers sticks might be a hit or miss proposition given signal distances to the west side of the market, but I do receive a solid lock at my Cy-Fair location on 107.9, which was still in HD last I checked.

Random thought: Wonder if Salem would have any interest in buying KROI? They could launch their “Fish” format on 92.1 and beat EMF to the punch as well.

 

[Ryan Williams]

Random thought: Wonder if Salem would have any interest in buying KROI? They could launch their “Fish” format on 92.1 and beat EMF to the punch as well.

Salem hasn't bought anything significant in a long time and has been a net seller the last few years. They are working at retiring more debt. Sure they re-bought that AM in Tampa and those two AMs in the Bay Area in the last year or so, but those were very small "tuck-in" purchases, that probably had a positive cash flow on day one.

I don't know what it would take to buy KROI, probably at least 8 figures, whatever that number, it's more than I can see Salem willing to spend in 2022.

Also, KSBJ is such a powerful and established force plus Air 1 is on KHJK, it seems like the ship for commercial ccm stations sailed a long time ago (and not just in Houston).

 

[jt99]

Extreme wild card that's unlikely to happen but is still theoretically possible: iHeartMedia acquires both KROI and KTHT for a trimulcast with KBME, giving the Sports format full market FM coverage. While I'm unsure how much money it would take for that to happen or if iHeartMedia would be willing to spend that kind of cash, it is something that is technically on the table with them only owning 3 FMs in Houston (as opposed to Audacy owning 4).