August 2022 PPM 6+ Mon-Sun, 6a-12mid

[boombox4]

I wonder if anyone knew he was there. They replaced him with "All Music" from 2AM straight through to noon.

This is a station that looks great in 6+, but is outside the Top 10 in all important demos. Informercials coming next.

Meanwhile Movin' takes a big hit in 6+ but is still #1 in 18-34. That tells me 50+ is weighing down the numbers.

So, in your estimation, KSWD The Sound is not making enough money? They've been the Sound for several years now. Are they losing money? Would they make more money being the second hip-hop FM in the metro or the 3rd pop or country station?

 

[boombox4]

“You honestly believe you're so much smarter than the folks at iHeart? You don't think they've done research?”

iHeart/CC did research when they flipped the multiple stations in 2016 and then did research when they reverted KBKS back to Top 40 from the Hot AC format.
iHeart did research when they flipped KNBQ from Country to KJR Sports back in 2011, then did research when they flipped that frequency to Hot AC. iheart/CC did research when they dropped the KJR FM format and flipped it to Oldies and brought Rivers over at the same time. They did research when they dropped the Oldies and flipped to KJR FM as Classic Hits. iHeart did research when they flipped Power back to KUBE and did research when they said it was a strategy to give KUBE a break by having Power as the brand for a couple of years. IHeart did research when they acquired KZOK and JACK from CBS and then let the top rated mid day person go while his ratings were the highest in the cluster. They researched it. Clear Channel did research back when they put KJR AM on the air from Tacoma and then did research when they learned the signal in Seattle wouldn’t play, they did research and put the transmitter on the air from Vashon. You’re familiar with that Kelly. They did research when they dropped Rivers and rebranded as an airplane in the city that’s lesser known for planes now and more for tech. They did research when they relocated the studios next to railroad tracks and then did research when they relocated to the current location by the same railroad tracks. They did research when they spent mega bucks remodeling the studios and suite and just finished demolishing the new 2 year old suite to relocate to a smaller area on the same floor closer to the railroad tracks. IHeart continues to do research to improve their brands. IHeart did research when they put the Black Information format on a frequency that mostly covers rural Pierce County but not the Rainier Valley and Seattle and put the conservative format on a frequency which transmitter is co-located with another conservative station. 1090 a signal that covers progressive leaning areas but misses conservative rural areas on the east side. It was all researched.

Very interesting take on the research.

However, concerning BIN 850, most African Americans in the Seattle-Tacoma metro probably live south of the Seattle border, in SKC -- Kent, Federal Way, etc. -- as well as Tacoma. And BIN has decent coverage in most of SKC.

 

[TheBigA]

So, in your estimation, KSWD The Sound is not making enough money?

Did I say that? No. What is "enough money?" All I know is that while the station is #2 in 6+, it's outside the Top 10 in the other demos. Those are the facts.

 

[Kelly A]

“I want my opinion and only my opinion to leave "my" keyboard.

That's why this is called a discussion board.

I don’t want to see any conflicting opinions that may differ from my own.

Only if it's inaccurate.

I have a lot of time invested and don’t to be challenged at any of this stuff because I’m expert”

Go ahead and challenge me. If you don't know what you're talking about, I'll be pleased to correct.

There I translated that for you.

And as usual, you would be wrong.

 

[Kelly A]

I'll answer your last question first, heck no, especially when it comes to sports talk, as I've never been able to get my mind around how the format can do so well despite low ratings, even with everyone's explanations.

Then I don't know how else to explain it. Sports is a lifestyle/demographic buy, not ratings-based like music stations. And I'm not the only saying that. You're treating 6+ ratings like winners and losers on a scoreboard. It doesn't work that way.

With just about every other format, low ratings usually mean a change is coming. I can only guess that I would have come to a similar conclusion if I had all the data about 93.3, but as I've said before, companies have flipped stations to news/talk or sports only to reverse those decisions within a couple of years. Take the last format change at 93.3 in 2016. They did exactly what I had been wanting them to do for several years, only to reverse the changes just over two years later.

Then by your time litmus test, KJR should not have been a sports station for almost thirty years, because their 6+ ratings have never been much, let alone made the commitment to move over to 93.3FM

It was mentioned on this board last month that the Seahawks contract is up at the end of the upcoming season, and speculation was that iHeart would make a play for that. If the Mariners are also on a five year contract, that would put it up for renewal at the end of next season. If they can't get either of those contracts, where are they?

Having been directly involved during team negotiations for broadcast rights, stations take their best financial shot, but nothing is guaranteed. KJR being a full market FM signal, gives them a distinct advantage over AM.

Pretty much where they are now. I would think the likelihood of a flip at 93.3 decreases if they can secure either one of those contracts, and increases if they can't.

They've made the decision. There's no going back now. Even if they get one major local sport, it's all worth it.

 

[boombox4]

Did I say that? No. What is "enough money?" All I know is that while the station is #2 in 6+, it's outside the Top 10 in the other demos. Those are the facts.

You said "informercials coming next", implying that they needed a new or different source of revenue.

As for what is "enough money", that depends on the company, doesn't it. Why do radio station owners flip formats on a station? It isn't generally because they changed their taste in music being played, or the other programming involved. They're not usually trying to play disc jockey and play their favorite records, they're trying to make money, maximize revenues.

Generally, it comes down to money.

 

[TheBigA]

You said "informercials coming next", implying that they needed a new or different source of revenue.

Only because targeting over 55s is not typically good for traditional radio advertising.

But they haven't gone that way, so perhaps they're making "enough money."

 

[boombox4]

Only because targeting over 55s is not typically good for traditional radio advertising.

But they haven't gone that way, so perhaps they're making "enough money."

Fair enough.

I guess they must see some value in leaving it as is. I was surprised they flipped KMPS to the Sound. But they've stuck with it.

 

[Kelly A]

But they haven't gone that way, so perhaps they're making "enough money."

Which is a good point of clarity. A company that owns/operate 150 stations nationwide rely on a cash flow total of the group, not individual stations. If someone owns two stations, their expenses are much lower, especially if they don't have the kind of employee costs and debt service of a larger group.

 

[TheBigA]

I guess they must see some value in leaving it as is.

My comments weren't about the possibility of changing formats. Just that a #2 station in 6+ can be deceiving.

There's a similar situation in Phoenix with KOAI. They're operating with no hosts.

Which is a good point of clarity. A company that owns/operate 150 stations nationwide rely on a cash flow total of the group, not individual stations.

The other side of the "enough money" discussion is the expenses. They're running it pretty cheaply. Dropping the local morning host made it even cheaper.

 

[bobdavcav]

Then I don't know how else to explain it. Sports is a lifestyle/demographic buy, not ratings-based like music stations. And I'm not the only saying that. You're treating 6+ ratings like winners and losers on a scoreboard. It doesn't work that way.

Then by your time litmus test, KJR should not have been a sports station for almost thirty years, because their 6+ ratings have never been much, let alone made the commitment to move over to 93.3FM

Having been directly involved during team negotiations for broadcast rights, stations take their best financial shot, but nothing is guaranteed. KJR being a full market FM signal, gives them a distinct advantage over AM.

They've made the decision. There's no going back now. Even if they get one major local sport, it's all worth it.

I think Ford's explanation is about the best that can be done until or unless I actually get a job at a station where I'm having to make those decisions.
Given that I wasn't even born yet when KJR went sports originally, I can't comment on whether or not I would have counted them out a couple years after they made that change. I can't think of any other format they could do on 950 now though. My predictions are just that though, and I'll wait till the appropriate time to admit I was wrong, which will likely be either the Holiday 2023 or March 2024 book.

 

[Cobra14]

Then I don't know how else to explain it. Sports is a lifestyle/demographic buy, not ratings-based like music stations. And I'm not the only saying that. You're treating 6+ ratings like winners and losers on a scoreboard. It doesn't work that way.

Then by your time litmus test, KJR should not have been a sports station for almost thirty years, because their 6+ ratings have never been much, let alone made the commitment to move over to 93.3FM

Having been directly involved during team negotiations for broadcast rights, stations take their best financial shot, but nothing is guaranteed. KJR being a full market FM signal, gives them a distinct advantage over AM.

They've made the decision. There's no going back now. Even if they get one major local sport, it's all worth it.

“Full market FM signal”
With the exception of Everett, Downtown Seattle, Alki, Olympia and the other areas where 950 was better. Go to those locations and listen to 950 and 93.3 as you drive and tell us all which one sounds better.

oOoOoOoOoOh! What about the HD signal??? They already had it on 95.7 HD - 2 before.

 

[Bob Malakas]

Very interesting take on the research.

However, concerning BIN 850, most African Americans in the Seattle-Tacoma metro probably live south of the Seattle border, in SKC -- Kent, Federal Way, etc. -- as well as Tacoma. And BIN has decent coverage in m

Mark and Rich's Clown World. Failing miserably since 2020.

 

[Cobra14]

That's why this is called a discussion board.

Only if it's inaccurate.

Go ahead and challenge me. If you don't know what you're talking about, I'll be pleased to correct.

And as usual, you would be wrong.

As usual. Haha haha! Wrong like when you put KJR on from Tacoma??? Woosh woosh woosh. At least I haven’t spent millions being wrong like you did.

 

[Cobra14]

Mark and Rich's Clown World. Failing miserably since 2020.

Ya because there’s no black population that’s being missed by the KHHO signal out of Tacoma. Go to Rainier Valley and listen the 850. Then switch to 1090. Let us all know which one sounds better there. Research.

 

[Cobra14]

I think Ford's explanation is about the best that can be done until or unless I actually get a job at a station where I'm having to make those decisions.
Given that I wasn't even born yet when KJR went sports originally, I can't comment on whether or not I would have counted them out a couple years after they made that change. I can't think of any other format they could do on 950 now though. My predictions are just that though, and I'll wait till the appropriate time to admit I was wrong, which will likely be either the Holiday 2023 or March 2024 book.

“Then I don’t know how else to explain it”. He admits he doesn’t know how NOT to come across like he does.

 

[frankberry]

Time to close this thread.