It seems like Audacy has pulled the plug on almost all the hd2 and hd3 stations from the air. The only two that are left is ChannelQ on 97.1 hd2 and 106.7 hd2 the roq of 80s.
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Audacy HD2 stations
- Thread starter encinotarzana
- Start date
And Channel Q is probably for good PR.
Depends on which state you're in.
It's mainly something they do for the Audacy app, and then use as HD in 30 or so markets.Quite glad that KROQ HD2 wasn't scrubbed.
I have always wondered why KTWV never followed suit by programming an HD2 recreation of its first decade. The new age-heavy leading years would have been perfect for its overnight hours, with the successive smooth jazz years filling out the rest of each day.
Remember, Nielsen gives an "honorary" 0.1 to those channels that make any showing at all... even in just one instance from one panelist.
One?! Meaning HD channels that don't even appear had absolutely zero people being surveyed listening?
K.M. Richards
Program Director, The Eighties Channel™
One?! Meaning HD channels that don't even appear had absolutely zero people being surveyed listening?
Yes. That is exactly what it means.
Genuinely had no idea. This is stunning to me. I would have never considered that services habitually receiving zero measurable audience members would have continued for any stretch of time whatsoever. Perhaps during the very leading starting-up phase of HD radio, but certainly not this late in the game.
The prior KROQ HD lineup was pretty perfect- KROQ on 1, new alternative on 2, and ROQ of the 80's on 3. As a radio fan it's almost painful that the format is even still used- it should have died a permanent death years ago as the major owners gave up on it. I cannot imagine it's that intensive or costly to run for an Audacy or iHeart, and many new model vehicles are built with HD tuners. Why not offer the options or variety? Different eras of Alternative, or Rock, or Hip Hop. across 1, 2, and 3. A Classic Hits station with an AC 2 and Hot AC 3. No, their efforts are focused on having the government bailout AM radio under the guise of critical importance, when it's clear they want to ensure they've thoroughly milked conservative talk listeners of all they're worth before they hit the big sleep, as the vast majority of those listeners under ~50 are listening via podcast/digital means. That's also where a great deal of other listeners are going as well- digital. So many times, I've jumped around the dial in frustration before I switch to my phone's apps. I just loaded all my music onto a USB stick that I can plug into our car and play music from- effectively my own station on a thumb drive. It'd be great to have other options on the actual dial, but station owners apparently aren't interested in offering that.
Audacy and I heart have been scrubbing quite a few of their standalone HD2 feeds (not tied to translators or AM sister stations) in the past few years. They seemed to have gotten rid of the excellent "Chicago Blues and Soul" on WXRT HD2. Not familiar with what's on their other stations there, as WXRT is usually all I listen to when I'm in the area. Chicago Blues and Soul is still, however, on the Audacy app.
Up the road in Milwaukee, where they have two FM stations, both have two HD subchannels. WMYX has a direct feed of WRME Chicago (MeTV Music) on HD2 (carried as some sort of deal with Weigel to air it on the Audacy app, I'm guessing), and leases out their HD3 to another company (soon to be Bustos) to feed a Spanish-language format to a translator. WXSS simulcasts a sister AM station's sports format (also on a translator), as well as Channel Q, with perhaps the worst sound quality of any HD station I've ever heard.
Up the road in Milwaukee, where they have two FM stations, both have two HD subchannels. WMYX has a direct feed of WRME Chicago (MeTV Music) on HD2 (carried as some sort of deal with Weigel to air it on the Audacy app, I'm guessing), and leases out their HD3 to another company (soon to be Bustos) to feed a Spanish-language format to a translator. WXSS simulcasts a sister AM station's sports format (also on a translator), as well as Channel Q, with perhaps the worst sound quality of any HD station I've ever heard.
"Can't make enough money doing that to make it worthwhile"
Maybe the real problem is nobody was listening. That's what the ratings show.
If the programming is there, and people stop listening, who's fault is that?
My old boss used to say, “You get an 0.1 just for turning the lights on”
I’ve said this before. But it isn’t weird to anyone that Channel Q is paired with KNX on 97.1’s HD2? I know it’s HD. But, wouldn’t it serve a purpose to air programming consistent with news, and not if we’re partying on sunset strip?
Keep in mind that 97.1 was previously a CHR station. It aired Q then.
In fact I believe Q began as an HD on KAMP, and expanded to a national channel from there.
Been that way since at least February 2023. Audacy began sunsetting certain HD sub-channels due to cost cutting (royalties and the like).
I feel like they’re using Channel Q as a test to see if it could replace one of their existing FMs in the future. If you can remember, that’s how AMP radio came to be. It was an HD2 for 93.1 for awhile.