August 2011 Ratings: The Sound, KLOS, KCBS, AMP

[hotpatrick2004]

I believe all the mgmt not hosts at kabc deserve to be terminated. I am not a fan of classic rock and dont listen to klos but i do scan the dial and it will land on the sound once in a while and they seem to do some interesting things like album sides. But Cumulus really needs to do something about kabc!!!

Dont blow it up but give it a makeover. Puh lease sports does not i repeat does not belong on a talk station in this market. And also gert rid of all that garbage called infomercials on the weekend!!!

I think kabc is the more important station to deal with first then klos.

 

[The Spy]

Looks like radio turd Randy Michaels who destroyed WRXP in NY and WKQX in Chicago is looking put more trash on the radio..this time in LA..as he looks to acquire the Sound from Bonneville..hopefully they don't sell to him.

 

[uncamark]

Looks like radio turd Randy Michaels who destroyed WRXP in NY and WKQX in Chicago is looking put more trash on the radio..this time in LA..as he looks to acquire the Sound from Bonneville..hopefully they don't sell to him.

Define "trash."

 

[davideduardo]

Looks like radio turd Randy Michaels who destroyed WRXP in NY and WKQX in Chicago is looking put more trash on the radio..this time in LA..as he looks to acquire the Sound from Bonneville..hopefully they don't sell to him.

The above is an example of:

1. Ignorance
2. Intolerance
3. "Everything I like is good and everything else is bad"
4. A person who did not get a job or lost one where Randy was doing good radio.

And, the old standby,

5. All of the above.

If Bonneville were to sell 100.3, it would likely be because they got a good price and they were less than happy with the results on the investment in LA.

Emmis sold WRXP and the Chicago stations because, to them, the stations were worth more "dead than alive" and the value of cash in hand was greater than the potential of the formats on the existing stations.

In any of these cases, Randy Michaels is not the reason for the format changes: the format was not working well enough for the existing owner to justify keeping the stations and the format. Like the person who does a short sale on a house they can't pay for, the previous owner was not making a success of the format you want and it had to go. It's not the buyer's fault that a property with issues gets sold.

 

[The Spy]

Call it want you want Gleason..just because you do not agree doesn't make it untrue.. Fact is if Emmis wasn't so cash strapped RXP may well still be there..the ratings were showing steady gains..Michaels could have built on that but chose not to. As for defining trash all one has to do is listen to what has replaced these stations..News?? not really.. think E TV on radio. As for my opinion I've yet to see many to the contrary..

 

[ChannelFlipper]

That is huge and just passing through's point that CHR trounces Classic Rock, even in it's(sic) own demo, is another part of the REAL story.

Classic rock's demo is pretty much defined as 35-64, while CHR is principally 18-34. CHR does NOT trounce classic rock in "its own demo" as the demo targets are different.

Classic Rock, though I love it, is just not as big in the LA market as it was back when KLOS mattered and back in the glory days of KMET.

Of course, then it was called AOR or progressive rock, and the measurement system was totally different.

I would not be surprised at all if Cumulus flips KLOS to something very different than Classic Rock.

If the billings are holding, they will likely be delicate with this... there is no rush, and the station has a considerable cash flow.

I agree that it is unfortunate that they are putting adhesive tape on the mouths of the talent. KLOS has always enjoyed a certain fame (maybe not "World Famous" like another station that isn't world famous) for its overall style. But then again, I liked Jed the Fish, and he is gone too...

This is what Bob Moore sent along to LA Radio.com

KLOS Numbers. Bob Moore, gm at KLOS, sent along week one of the September Arbitron.

12+…2.8-3.2 (JACK/fm ties at 3.2, KROQ 2.8, KSWD 2.6, KYSR 1.9)
· Cume rise, TSL maintain

A25-54…3.0-3.6

· Mornings 4.0-4.6 (#4, #3 non-ethnic)
Middays 3.2-3.6
Afternoons 2.8-3.5 (#1 rock station)
Eves 2.6-2.8
Weekends 2.6-3.3

A35-64 … 3.9-4.2 (#3)
Men 25-54 … 3.6-4.4 (#1 in the market!)
Men 35-64 … 4.1-4.9 (#2)

Of course, these are Bob's cherry picked numbers, but they look pretty good for a station that is rumored* to be changing formats.

*I use this term loosely - the only rumors I have seen have been on this board, by some, ahem, less than credible sources.

 

[davideduardo]

Call it want you want Gleason..just because you do not agree doesn't make it untrue.. Fact is if Emmis wasn't so cash strapped RXP may well still be there..the ratings were showing steady gains..Michaels could have built on that but chose not to. As for defining trash all one has to do is listen to what has replaced these stations..News?? not really.. think E TV on radio. As for my opinion I've yet to see many to the contrary..

So, you find the format unappealing. Name me a change-to-talk-format that had major instant impact instantly. How many years did it take for KFI to beat KABC once it committed to talk?

Calling Randy Michaels a "turd" does not heighten your cred as a knowledgable critic or observer. To the contrary, it establishes blind bias.

And the WRXP format had some improvements, going from around a 2.8 average in the last quarter of 2010 to around a 3.5 in the last months prior to the sale, it certainly did not look like there was a lot more upside there. It could certainly be said that Merlin was looking for the opportunities on radio that don't involve music and the many issues that music formats encompass today.

 

[The Spy]

Consider this "programming" in relation to the 9/11 anniversary.. "what chocolate were you eating on 9/11"..as one poster on the NY board stated: "that's disgusting and demeaning to anyone who lost a loved one on 9/11"..

Michaels is what he is..

 

[davideduardo]

Michaels is what he is..

And radio would be better with a few more like him and a few less MBA's (spoken as the father of two MBA's).

 

[ChannelFlipper]

That is huge and just passing through's point that CHR trounces Classic Rock, even in it's(sic) own demo, is another part of the REAL story.

Classic rock's demo is pretty much defined as 35-64, while CHR is principally 18-34. CHR does NOT trounce classic rock in "its own demo" as the demo targets are different.

Classic Rock, though I love it, is just not as big in the LA market as it was back when KLOS mattered and back in the glory days of KMET.

Of course, then it was called AOR or progressive rock, and the measurement system was totally different.

I would not be surprised at all if Cumulus flips KLOS to something very different than Classic Rock.

If the billings are holding, they will likely be delicate with this... there is no rush, and the station has a considerable cash flow.

I agree that it is unfortunate that they are putting adhesive tape on the mouths of the talent. KLOS has always enjoyed a certain fame (maybe not "World Famous" like another station that isn't world famous) for its overall style. But then again, I liked Jed the Fish, and he is gone too...

This is what Bob Moore sent along to LA Radio.com

KLOS Numbers. Bob Moore, gm at KLOS, sent along week one of the September Arbitron.

12+…2.8-3.2 (JACK/fm ties at 3.2, KROQ 2.8, KSWD 2.6, KYSR 1.9)
· Cume rise, TSL maintain

A25-54…3.0-3.6

· Mornings 4.0-4.6 (#4, #3 non-ethnic)
Middays 3.2-3.6
Afternoons 2.8-3.5 (#1 rock station)
Eves 2.6-2.8
Weekends 2.6-3.3

A35-64 … 3.9-4.2 (#3)
Men 25-54 … 3.6-4.4 (#1 in the market!)
Men 35-64 … 4.1-4.9 (#2)

Of course, these are Bob's cherry picked numbers, but they look pretty good for a station that is rumored* to be changing formats.

*I use this term loosely - the only rumors I have seen have been on this board, by some, ahem, less than credible sources.

I was thinking a bit more about these numbers that Bob Moore sent to Don Barrett. They are only one week numbers, not a full book or month even. Who publicizes one week numbers even if they are good? And the timing is quite interesting. Just a few days before the big meeting.

I don't like to start rumors and certainly won't be doing so now, but a plot line could well be going on here.

 

[davideduardo]

I was thinking a bit more about these numbers that Bob Moore sent to Don Barrett. They are only one week numbers, not a full book or month even. Who publicizes one week numbers even if they are good? And the timing is quite interesting. Just a few days before the big meeting.

We don't talk about the weekly numbers because we are not supposed to sell with them nor "divulge" them. But the fact is that the sample is the same for a weekly as for a monthly... it's for all practical purposes (save for the maybe 2% weekly turnover) the same panel. Obviously, things like one-time news events, games, etc., will be more impactful when looked at over 7 days than when averaged in 28 days.

The data from KLOS seems to be an internal memo released by an insider... we all do internal memos about weeklies, but most are bright enough not to send them outside our "electronic" building.

 

[flyonthewall]

I was shocked to see that Bob Moore would post those one week numbers. Can anyone say desperate! He did the same thing with LA Radio.com back in the Spring when KLOS beat Jack for one or two books, by a hair, and he bragged that KLOS was the number one rock station in LA. Guess he had to eat a lot of crow when KLOS was hammered in the ratings from then on--until now by JACK. It appears even a legend like Bob Moore is in fear of the Cumulus merger. One week numbers, what a joke!

 

[flyonthewall]

A plot line is going on here.. KLOS not doing great for the past three years. KABC in the toilet. Bob Moore at the helm, for all of it along with, the PD of KLOS and his hand- picked PD at KABC. Someone is trying to make KLOS look like it is a station that still matters in LA in advance of Cumulus meeting. There are apparently not even one week's worth of numbers that could make it look like KABC had any reason not to turn out the lights. Sad!

 

[davideduardo]

A plot line is going on here.. KLOS not doing great for the past three years. KABC in the toilet. Bob Moore at the helm, for all of it along with, the PD of KLOS and his hand- picked PD at KABC. Someone is trying to make KLOS look like it is a station that still matters in LA in advance of Cumulus meeting. There are apparently not even one week's worth of numbers that could make it look like KABC had any reason not to turn out the lights. Sad!

KLOS was tied for 6th (give or take a couple of hundred k in revenue) in billings in 2010, and KLOS had 2010 revenues at the same level as 2004, even though market billings are off by about 35% since that time.

A station that has held the revenue from declining in 2008, 2009 and 2010 is a very unusual station indeed.

And, just to stress the point, a weekly is statistically of similar reliability to a full book, since the PPM is panel based and the same panel is in place in the same numbers.

 

[flyonthewall]

Perhaps you are right. I guess we will see if KLOS ties with JACK when the Sepember PPM's are out, which is what BMoore numbers suggest to LA Radio.com. However, if you are Cumulus, you do not keep the people who failed to make KLOS the number one Rock station in all this time, do you and keep paying them big ticket salaries. Just a thought?

 

[flyonthewall]

Well one more thought. If KLOS' billing is doing as well as 2004 and I am running Cumulus, I would bring back the management team from 2004. That GM was not Bob Moore and the PD was not Bob Buchmann but Rita Wilde. But Cumulus will no doubt bring in their own dirt cheap version of "talent" and top management.

 

[ChannelFlipper]

Well one more thought. If KLOS' billing is doing as well as 2004 and I am running Cumulus, I would bring back the management team from 2004. That GM was not Bob Moore and the PD was not Bob Buchmann but Rita Wilde. But Cumulus will no doubt bring in their own dirt cheap version of "talent" and top management.

Fly, I am confused. Is KSWD your client or just Rita herself? And how is it that you didn't know the current KLOS PD's name a few weeks ago but now you correctly identify him today as Bob Buchmann and correctly note his starting date?

Remember when you post that people are reading and it is critical that you stick to the script. Just trying to give some friendly advice is all.

 

[davideduardo]

Well one more thought. If KLOS' billing is doing as well as 2004 and I am running Cumulus, I would bring back the management team from 2004. That GM was not Bob Moore and the PD was not Bob Buchmann but Rita Wilde. But Cumulus will no doubt bring in their own dirt cheap version of "talent" and top management.

Essentially every station in LA that can be compared (same format, etc.) is billing much less than it did in 2004. Credit goes to any manager and sales team that have kept billing flat over 2008-2010, as everyone else is off about a third or more.