It's in the top 80 billers in the whole nation. No chance.
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Any format flips on the horizon for LA?
- Thread starter 30james
- Start date
As a 31 year old, maybe I’m just too optimistic. But, I just don’t see AM dying as a whole. There’s always going to be an audience for it. People age, their tastes change. I used to listen to Amp, now I’ll tune into KNX (AM or FM). Listeners will always be there. I work in local TV, and everyone has pretty much predicted the end of local news for years due to streaming apps, and TV companies shedding excessive salaries. I can guarantee you in 30 years, if there’s something actually compelling (KSPN/KLAC for example) I’ll tune in. Not all 20-30 year olds stare at their phones all day, and/or get their news from Tik Tok. There’s always going to be a market for AM radio, especially in Top 10 markets.
Sorry David, not sure why it quoted your message!
I’m not sure how true this is. But wasn’t Hot 92.3 billing really well when they flipped? And they just simply needed a FM for Big Boy?
AM 1150 to BIN, maybe?
Wow, I wouldn't want to be in the meeting at iHeart if that ever came up. Woke vs. anti-woke right there.
I really don't see it happening. KEIB may not make any money, but they have a lot invested in those syndicated shows. Just like KABC. They could probably make more money with some Asian format (forgive me, I don't know what it would be). But they just have so much invested in Shapiro and Levin that they can't walk away. There's a value to having an LA clear for all of those shows even though it may not appear in conventional ways.
I agree. It just may not be in ways that we expect.
And really to be honest. I can see AM being a huge value, as companies enter podcasting more and more. It‘s only my opinion, but, I think by 2030 AM will become home for more podcast content. When Iheart rolled out their series of podcast formats for their AMs, I felt they were too ahead of its time. Plus, it was never marketed well at all. But, certainly the right idea. If podcasters can get local direct spots on their shows, I don’t see it being an issue sales wise.
I think you're too optimistic.
I'm 66 years old. I first started listening to FM at age 13. If I hadn't started a career in radio and needed to know what some of the biggest stations of the time were doing, I might never have listened to AM again. The audio quality, signal reach and variety of programming on AM has only gotten worse since then.
If there's stuff that 31-year-olds find compelling on AM (David? Any hard numbers on how many under 50 adults use AM in L.A.?) , it'll eventually move to FM.
And some history on the predictions of the end of local TV news: When I started in local TV news in 1981 (I did it for 30 years in Reno, Las Vegas and Phoenix), we were gunning for (and getting) 40 shares. When I left, sales departments were wetting themselves over 5 shares.
Online doesn't mean TikTok (though, in a related development, the Sacramento Bee started reporting stories via TikTok this week).
I don't see much of a future for analog AM with that use case. We're seeing cars phase out AM tuners, and I think a lot of young people (as someone in their twenties) have a stigma against AM radio, and namely why would anyone want the poor sound quality of AM? Maybe all-digital AM/IBOC, if that continues to grow and be viable.
Again---I'm 66. If there's a compelling podcast, I can access it on my iPhone and listen to it literally wherever I am---out for a walk, in the house, in the car via Apple CarPlay.
Why would I tune to AM radio to hear that content---and more to the point---why would anyone younger than me (much less a LOT younger than me) do that?
A quick fact check because this one seems to sprout legs and get repeated everywhere.
Here are the list of cars sold in the United States without AM radio:
Tesla Model S, Tesla Model Y, Tesla Model 3, two Mercedes-Benz EVs, the Porsche Taycan, Audi e-Tron, VW ID.4, and any new Volvo.
That is literally the list. Tesla is the ONLY U.S. manufacturer not to include AM, using the argument of EV interference with the AM band. Yet EVs from Ford, GM and Asian manufacturers include AM and it works fine.
European manufacturers are phasing out AM units because AM itself is nearly extinct over there. At the moment, they're eliminating AM only in lower-production number vehicles where specifying two radios---one with and one without AM--would not be cost-effective.
Interesting, appreciate the fact check Michael. I would still guess it is probable that we will see AM in cars continue in that direction, whether its in EVs or otherwise simply because technology has progressed and analog AM is just not appealing as the demographics change.
Certainly over time, yes. But it won't be for Tesla's reason (because other manufacturers have shown it not to be true) and it won't be for the European reason---at least not anytime soon---the abandonment of the AM band here in the U.S.
I’m 30 and one of the biggest lifelong radio geeks you can find. I can’t tell you the last time I switched my car’s tuner to AM. Unless I’m under at least a 5kW signal, or within 30 miles, the noise and interference is unbearable.
The above aside, there’s another issue of content. Aside from sports, which is increasingly moving to FM (well, not in LA) and news/talk, what is there even on AM? Sure, if you are perhaps looking for a certain ethnic format that caters to a smaller minority, there’s something there. But no one around my age that I know of is dying to turn on the local news/talker (wait, they moved to FM, but that makes it even worse) and hear somebody like Levin scream about the issues of the day. They may share similar beliefs or values, but with all of the different methods of delivery out there today such as streaming/on demand, and different formats of programs such as podcasting, YouTube shows, etc that aren’t full of real estate and 401k ads, they’re not going to figure out where the AM button is and scan around and listen to heavily boomer/older Gen X content.
On the other end of the spectrum, NPR, which is almost always on FM, is faced with aging demographics, showing it’s just as much of a content and content delivery issue for news/talk radio. Of course they can get away with it more, but we also have to acknowledge news/talk is a format that is aging in audience and there are not enough new listeners getting in to the format to replace them.
it could just the fact that i grew up in L.A. and the fact that it (up until last December) aside from having hot talk, I listened switched mainly between 710/570. I never saw a problem with the band. My first on air job was at kwkh in Shreveport and I was on the air there for 5 years.
Levin is on 870 the answer not 790 kabc. Levin was on 790 kabc for a very brief time then next I know it he is on 870 the answer don't know what happened.
Hot 92.3 was billing less than $14 million when they switched to "Real". They had planned the format change for some time, and only when they were able to secure a deal for Big Boy did they finally make it happen. In other words, the format shift was contingent on getting Big Boy away from Emmis.
Billing increased by about 40% within two years of the shift. The format was easier to identify with buyers who saw it as "urban" while Power was seen as CHR / Churban as it had a predominantly Hispanic core.
This is like the creation of KNX's FM. While they were doing moderately well as the second CHR, around 15th in the market, they were down around the billing level of KLYY. On the other hand, KROQ is a 3-way tie for 5th in billing and won't be flipping.
Again, it's important to note that format names are used predominantly for sales so that buyers can look at their buy to make sure important taste groups are not neglected while others are oversaturated. Nielsen has a list of approved format names and those appear in the reports to stations and agencies that subscribe.
Podacasts are something listened to on demand, as opposed to radio's "appointment listening"; other than as a place to sample podcast content, there's no reason for podcasts to have an on-air presence.
I don't know how anyone thinks younger, non-MAGA people are going to listen to Levin's high-pitched screech while he goes on about "Donald Trump is as pure as the driven snow, and had the election stolen from him!"
Levin used to be a lot more moderate and off the radar. Prior to 45 he did not have as many affiliates as he does now. I know Levin was initially a “never Trumper” but apparently he fell in to line and got his own Fox News show and started his own network and got a lot more popular.
Levin likes that long green.
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