> > > Can Phoenix really support 9 religious broadcasters? Unless
> > > you count Salem's KKNT-AM among them, none of the existing
> > > Christian radio stations seem to show up in the 12+ ratings.
9 stations? I count 7 1/2, 8 1/2 if you include KXXT next month. Four of those should count as 2 since they are simulcasters. One of those simulcasters is a Spanish-language station (KCKY 1150/KASA 1540). The half-station is KPHF 88.3 which shares time with Spanish-language KNAI.
KKNT is not a religious station. It is a secular conservative talk station that doesn't rule out religious themes. But it is a for-profit station that doesn't run preachers, unlike its sister station KPXQ.
> > The new Christian owners would be wise to keep AAR on the
> > air and give the income from that to charity. Afterall,
> > isn't that what Christian organizations do. Number 1
> > charity could be Plan Parenthood.
The chances of Communicom airing AAR are less than zero. From what I understand, they are a part of the Pat Robertson-nutjob wing of conserviative christian broadcasting.
> As for where AAR may end up, there are a few potential
> choices in Phoenix:
>
> KPHX 1480 is running All Comedy Radio, which has no numbers.
> ACR leases the time from a separate owner who used to
> program Spanish-language music. If ACR goes away, AAR could
> land here. OK daytime signal, peanut-whistle at night.
This one may still return to Spanish-language. Its nighttime signal is all but unlistenable at night in Tempe and Scottsdale (where the liberal money is).
> KMIK 1580 is owned by Disney, but we know they're getting
> out of the radio biz. This station currently runs Radio
> Disney, which also has no numbers. 50kw signal, but highly
> directional at night.
Is KMIK part of the proposed Cumulus deal? Radio Disney on 1580 is a complete waste of 50,000 watts, but don't bet on AAR ending up here.
> KRDS 1190 actually has a new set of calls that I can't
> remember and, I think, a new owner. They're runing Spanish
> talk of some sort. This station has been a joke for years
> and could use an identity. OK daytime signal, but weak at
> night in many areas.
KNUV (its current calls) only covers the west side at night. Given the station's location in Tolleson (a heavily Mexican-immigrant & Mexican-American area, as are adjacent west-side Phoenix neighborhoods), Spanish talk is probably its last hope for survival. This station has been a non-entity for years. It was dark for several weeks last year and will probably be the first AM in metro Phoenix to die in almost 60 years if Spanish talk doesn't work.
> KDUS 1060 is running sports now, but never shows up in the
> ratings. The only thing they have going for them is the
> rights to the NHL Coyotes games, which are simulcast on a
> sister FM. Good signal day and night, though it has
> directional problems in parts of town.
It's only highly directional directly south of the transmitter. This station transmits from south Tempe with good coverage into Scottsdale even with 500 watts, and would be a good bet for AAR if Sandusky wanted to dump sports or move it to sister-station KDKB 93.3, the station that also carries the Coyotes (not a bad idea).
> There are more AMers that do nothing in Phoenix. There's a
> talker at 1310, but their owner is unlikely to program
> libtalk. The station is a toy for his son, anyway. Clear
> Channel has a standards format station at 1230. That
> audience is literally dying off, so if CC wanted libtalk,
> that's where they'd put it. 710 and 740 are Spanish -
> langauge but are not ratings factors, and 1510 is financial
> talk, but appears to have a solid niche as it's been around
> for years now.
KXAM would also be a good bet if the owner wasn't such a dolt. They're a long-time laughingstock here.
Clear Channel knows better than to mess with the old folks again. They screamed loud and long when KOY moved from 550 to 1230. CC won't try anything with that station again, at least not in the next 5-10 years. Its audience isn't dead yet and its almost totally on the bird, except for AM drive (which doesn't matter much to retired people anyway. :-D ). This station still makes money from what I understand since their expenses are low.
KMIA 710 is owned by Entravision. They won't be programming in any English-language format. They also put a poor signal into the east valley.
KIDR 740 is owned by Multicultural. Given the problems AAR had with them in Chicago and LA, the chances of them ending up there is zero.
KFNN 1510 makes money. It won't be changing anytime soon.
