ANOTHER PD HITS THE BEACH

[Mr_Place]

After less than two years on the job.

http://www.allaccess.com/net-news/archive/story/79775/phil-manning-leaves-pd-post-at-kpkx

 

[DrAkbar]

...the heck with finding another PD. Do the obvious: KT'R Sports Parkinglot 98~Seven!

 

[mic1]

Unfortunate - Lately, Phx has seen its share of PD's,air talent and other staff shown the door ,or moving onto other challenges . Phx has also seen the arrival of some very exp PD's and talent in recent years . I've not worked in the Phx mkt for 10 years. I miss the area . I still have contacts in the area and try to stay informed thru this site . Its sad to see anyone get let go in this biz . You arrive with all the best intentions , only to get blown out a few years later. Nature of the beast I suppose .

 

[azenergyfan]

I seriously thought with his background the station would evolve into a more modern ac direction. Maybe there was alot of corporoate head butting going on and they decided to part ways. Well whatever the case,,, good luck to Phil. I did like your addition of organic tracks to the station ;-)

 

[radioguy39nj]

...the heck with finding another PD. Do the obvious: KT'R Sports Parkinglot 98~Seven!

I don't think The Peak is going to get blown up. It's performing decently. I'm sure B'ville would love an FM sports station in Phoenix, but I doubt they'll give up on The Peak just yet. Just MHO.

 

[KOHS]

I agree. Bonneville just added Chris Parker to try and improve the ratings. If Parker doesn't help improve the ratings--and so far he doesn't seem to have done much for The Peak--they'll pave the Peak and put up a sports parking lot!

 

[KeithE4]

...the heck with finding another PD. Do the obvious: KT'R Sports Parkinglot 98~Seven!

It would probably be KMVP Sports Parkinglot 98.7 (Two KTARs on FM would be confusing, and I doubt that they'll change 92.3), and that would be a good idea.

 

[JustPat]

Regardless of whoever is "on the air" at the Peak, the peak is a music station and if they don't get the music right they're dead in the water. If they can get the music formula down though, they may have a fighting chance.

 

[radioguy39nj]

...the heck with finding another PD. Do the obvious: KT'R Sports Parkinglot 98~Seven!

It would probably be KMVP Sports Parkinglot 98.7 (Two KTARs on FM would be confusing, and I doubt that they'll change 92.3), and that would be a good idea.

Sports Parkinglot 98.7? Awful handle! Maybe 98.7 The Ticket, 98.7 The Team, 98.7 The Score. 98.7 The Sports Zone is a good handle, but it's too close to the KZON calls. All are used in other markets. If 98.7 flips to sports, I think it would simulcast on 620, which would come in handy for conflict games. The KMVP calls fit just fine. There won't be two KTAR's on FM.

 

[KeithE4]

...the heck with finding another PD. Do the obvious: KT'R Sports Parkinglot 98~Seven!

It would probably be KMVP Sports Parkinglot 98.7 (Two KTARs on FM would be confusing, and I doubt that they'll change 92.3), and that would be a good idea.

Sports Parkinglot 98.7? Awful handle! Maybe 98.7 The Ticket, 98.7 The Team, 98.7 The Score. 98.7 The Sports Zone is a good handle, but it's too close to the KZON calls. All are used in other markets. If 98.7 flips to sports, I think it would simulcast on 620, which would come in handy for conflict games. The KMVP calls fit just fine. There won't be two KTAR's on FM.

I could see a 620/98.7 sports-talk simulcast, using the KMVP/KMVP-FM callsigns, with the D'backs/Suns/ASU football/men's hoops moving from 620 to 98.7 and ASU women's hoops going from 860 to 620. TMISU should have changed the 620 call letters to KMVP as soon as they moved the KTAR news/talk programming to FM.

BTW, did they ever unload that white elephant on 860 or is the gospel music still LMA'ed, with TMISU commandeering it for sports overflow & ASU women's basketball as necessary?

 

[oldiesfan6479]

Sports Parkinglot 98.7? Awful handle!

Nah, it's just one of several running gags here on the Tanim Board.
Sports Parking Lot 620, Sports Siberia 860, Lumberyard 1440...

There won't be two KTAR's on FM.

Not to worry--there can't be two KT'Rs on FM (or AM or TV for that matter).

 

[ykw]

I agree. Bonneville just added Chris Parker to try and improve the ratings. If Parker doesn't help improve the ratings--and so far he doesn't seem to have done much for The Peak--they'll pave the Peak and put up a sports parking lot!

Parker actually seems to be doing real damage to the station since his arrival (while the numbers at Mix have improved since his departure) eight months ago. Maybe Chuck Powell didn't move the needle during his long nine months doing mornings at The Peak(ed), but he never seemed to be doing harm there, either.

Then again, it could just be the bizarre playlist. A station that follows The Clash's "Rock the Casbah" with Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance", as it did today, may very well be as the song that followed those two suggests, it's own worst enemy.

 

[crguy]

The Peak is a great brand with listeners getting what they expect, so no sports will be heard at 98.7.

Bonneville is going to be picking up the CBS stations when the price is agreeable and will move sports to 102.5 to capitalize on the ZONE name. Even though the word ZONE has meant about 3 totally different formats, it's a very entrenched radio name in town.

Bonneville will of course keep the oldies and country stations after a purchase, but will probably do some "upgrading."

 

[oldiesfan6479]

Bonneville is going to be picking up the CBS stations when the price is agreeable and will move sports to 102.5 to capitalize on the ZONE name.

I think your speculation should refer to 101.5, since 102.5 is owned by Cheap Channel.

 

[crguy]

I stand corrected, I could see 101.5 THE ZONE programming sports and being huge.

But then what to do with 620? Maybe a more national sports talk line-up or...?

 

[KOHS]

I stand corrected, I could see 101.5 THE ZONE programming sports and being huge.

But then what to do with 620? Maybe a more national sports talk line-up or...?

24/7 Elvis format? ;D

 

[Sammi Brie]

Sports Parkinglot 98.7? Awful handle!

Nah, it's just one of several running gags here on the Tanim Board.
Sports Parking Lot 620, Sports Siberia 860, Lumberyard 1440...

There won't be two KTAR's on FM.

Not to worry--there can't be two KT'Rs on FM (or AM or TV for that matter).

Not that there's been ONE KT'R on TV since, oh, 1979?

 

[oldiesfan6479]

Not that there's been ONE KT'R on TV since, oh, 1979?

Correctamundo. Actually it was 04/14/80 (FCC TV Query).

But you could have a KT'R-TV somewhere, assuming Bonneville would allow
the calls to be shared with a TV service and an agreed upon "rental fee" paid. ;D

Doubtful Gannett would want to change the KPNX Mesa calls back at this juncture.

 

[radioguy39nj]

I stand corrected, I could see 101.5 THE ZONE programming sports and being huge.

But then what to do with 620? Maybe a more national sports talk line-up or...?

620 could pick up more of ESPN Radio's national lineup, while 101.5 The Zone (or whatever) goes all-local or majority local. Or it could be an AM-FM simulcast, with 620 picking up conflict games. IMHO, if B'ville is able to flilp an FM station to sports, 620 will be part of the equation and not be brokered out. A 620/101.5 sports duo or simulcast will negatively impact KDUS and KGME.

We can speculate all we want, but for now, it is what is. Sports 620 KTAR.

 

[DrAkbar]

Sports Parkinglot 98.7? Awful handle!

Nah, it's just one of several running gags here on the Tanim Board.
Sports Parking Lot 620, Sports Siberia 860, Lumberyard 1440...

There won't be two KTAR's on FM.

Not to worry--there can't be two KT'Rs on FM (or AM or TV for that matter).

...but they could use KTRR or KTTR to get the beloved KT'R calls on a second FM