Baffling music selections on KOLA

[MarkW]

KOLA is basically a Variety Hits station that avoids music from the past 10 - 15 years. I see nothing wrong with the playlist, and the station generates sensational ratings in its home market. What's not to like?

Those who prefer a smaller dosage of 90's music and prefer a heaping dose of 80's music can always listen to K-Earth instead.

 

[asugeorge1]

George - passionately disagree. Retaining a cool, unique name like KOLA, with its strong local brand equity (as Henry pointed out above is super well-known in the IE) is far better than a flipping to a generic name like MIX; a moniker that is so emblematic of the homogenization of the American radio station artform that has sucked away much of what originally attracted most members of this board.

You are missing my point. My point is the type of music they are playing is emblematic of a MIX type adults hits station. I did not mean that they should literally change their name to MIX 99.9, but the way they sound, they are synonymous with any generic adult hits station across America. So whether you like it or not, KOLA sounds a lot like most other adult hits / AC stations across the country and not like a classic hits stations which it claims to be.

 

[victorres43]

KOLA is basically a Variety Hits station that avoids music from the past 10 - 15 years. I see nothing wrong with the playlist, and the station generates sensational ratings in its home market. What's not to like?

Those who prefer a smaller dosage of 90's music and prefer a heaping dose of 80's music can always listen to K-Earth instead.

Originally, I believed that Riverside listeners will not listen to a signal from more than 35 miles away, not unlike West Palm Beach listeners in relation to Miami stations or Baltimore listeners in relation to Washington DC stations. So I thought KOLA has a monopoly, making them get away with music decisions that are strange to an outsider.

Even though KOLA is playing many late 00s acts more often than usual, KOLA is still focused on the 80s. Neither K-Earth and KOLA have gotten over New Wave. Sometimes, K-Earth 101, from time to time, may play acts like Oingo Boingo or The Smiths despite having 93.1 Jack FM as a sister station. KOLA plays a good amount of New Order and the like despite serving a blue-collar market. (As a matter of fact, The Spot in Houston also has a noticeable amount of New Wave despite serving a blue-collar, somewhat conservative market.) Not even CBS-FM in New York plays that much New Wave, despite WLIR being a prominent modern rock station in the past. Also, CBS-FM would play 90s pop songs that KOLA wouldn't even touch, such as Livin' la Vida Loca. Although, both CBS-FM and KOLA would play Bad Day, a hit song from 2005.

 

[davideduardo]

Originally, I believed that Riverside listeners will not listen to a signal from more than 35 miles away, not unlike West Palm Beach listeners in relation to Miami stations or Baltimore listeners in relation to Washington DC stations. So I thought KOLA has a monopoly, making them get away with music decisions that are strange to an outsider.

The transmitters on Mt Wilson are as close to Riverside and San Bernardino as they are to Santa Ana or Long Beach or Van Nuys. The only distinction is that the Inland Empire is a separate radio market due to history.

When the Arbitron market for that market was established, fifty-some years ago, all significant radio listening was on AM, and the major AMs in LA such as KRLA, KFWB, KHJ, KABC, KMPC and others did not have good day and night signals in Riverside and San Bernardino. They had local stations that served the market, which was so small at the time that The Pulse in 1969 only surveyed it once a year; Bakersfield got two books and Fresno got three!

Not even CBS-FM in New York plays that much New Wave, despite WLIR being a prominent modern rock station in the past. Also, CBS-FM would play 90s pop songs that KOLA wouldn't even touch, such as Livin' la Vida Loca. Although, both CBS-FM and KOLA would play Bad Day, a hit song from 2005.

That is why stations that can do music tests locally. And the proof is that KOLA does better, share wise, than nearly all such stations in PPM markets.

 

[davideduardo]

You are missing my point. My point is the type of music they are playing is emblematic of a MIX type adults hits station. I did not mean that they should literally change their name to MIX 99.9, but the way they sound, they are synonymous with any generic adult hits station across America. So whether you like it or not, KOLA sounds a lot like most other adult hits / AC stations across the country and not like a classic hits stations which it claims to be.

Note that at their site they do not have a format description term or phrase. They are just KOLA.

https://www.kolafm.com/

The industry gives names to formats. Nielsen forces stations to pick the closest of a small assortment of format names. Trade publications arbitrarily give format names.

Based on the fact that the station is mostly late, late 70's and mostly 80's with some newer and has a library size and rotations that match classic hits definitions, that's the name that best fits them. But like many format names, they are not used on the air.

Having co-programmed Adult Hits in 5 top 10 markets, I'm pretty familiar with the rotations and era span and KOLA is not as good a fit in that category as it is in Classic Hits.

But this is like arguing if its' "toe.mah.toe" or "toe.may.toe".

 

[MarkW]

Originally, I believed that Riverside listeners will not listen to a signal from more than 35 miles away, not unlike West Palm Beach listeners in relation to Miami stations or Baltimore listeners in relation to Washington DC stations.

Actually, multiple Miami stations earn decent ratings in West Palm Beach and several D.C. stations often crack a 1.5 share or better in Baltimore.

In fact, 96.3 WHUR in Baltimore earns 6+ share (I know...not useful at all for sales purposes) on par with in-market signals such as Mix 106.5 and Z104.3.

In West Palm, Miami stations WFEZ and WEDR have 6+ numbers in line with local CHR/Pop outlet Wild 95.5. (WLDI).

 

[davideduardo]

Actually, multiple Miami stations earn decent ratings in West Palm Beach and several D.C. stations often crack a 1.5 share or better in Baltimore.

The real issue is that the best signal Miami Class C stations get a 65 dbu just to the southeastern quarter of Palm Beach County, and a 60 dbu to less than half of the populated part of the county. But they do cover part of that market.

On the other hand, the DC full power class B stations don't penetrate central Baltimore, so any listening is more likely to be due to commuters and listening in Anne Arundel and Howard counties, not the core of that market.

In fact, 96.3 WHUR in Baltimore earns 6+ share (I know...not useful at all for sales purposes) on par with in-market signals such as Mix 106.5 and Z104.3.

Again, the WHUR signal skirts the market, but does not penetrate most of it well.

In West Palm, Miami stations WFEZ and WEDR have 6+ numbers in line with local CHR/Pop outlet Wild 95.5. (WLDI).

And yet again, those stations have totally local signals in the lower southeastern section of the market, meaning they fully compete in those areas.

I'm not sure how it's useful comparing Urban WEDR and and AC station with a rimshot from the county above Palm Beach that does not overlap either of the Miami stations (and only covers half of the WPB market population). WPB has no urban local station, so that one is natural. And they only have one AC station, which overwhelms the rest of the market and "always" has.

Getting back to the KOLA vs. KRTH issue, the difference between Baltimore-Washington and Miami-Palm Beaches is that the better powered stations at the Mt Wilson transmitter sites provide equally good signals to the Riverside/San Bernardino market and the LA market.

For several reasons, Riverside/San Berdoo was not combined with the LA market. Yet Miami and Ft. Lauderdale, which were formerly separate markets (until we voted in 1981) as were Dallas and Ft Worth until the 70's. In those cases, the full power FMs covered both "parts" of the new markets. Not so for Miami stations covering all of Palm Beach County or DC stations covering all of the Baltimore market.

 

[victorres43]

When analyzing the signals for both KOLA and KRTH, they both seem to go surprisingly far, especially since both are class B stations. I assumed otherwise, considering that California FM radio stations are licensed as Class B, not unlike FM stations in the Northeastern corridor, where co-channel FM stations are extremely close to each other (not the least of which includes WHTZ/WRNB and WCBS/WBEB).

Here are the Longley-Rice maps I found:

KRTH 101.1: RabbitEars.Info
KOLA 99.9: RabbitEars.Info

I also decided to look at WHUR, WFEZ, and WLDI, which were mentioned in this board:

WHUR 96.3: RabbitEars.Info
WFEZ 93.1: RabbitEars.Info
WLDI 95.5: RabbitEars.Info

WHUR's strength in Baltimore can be indeed attributed to DC commuters in Howard and Anne Arundel. (Same reason why WASH, WBIG, and WIHT show up in the Baltimore ratings, but WHUR listeners are more loyal.)

Down in South Florida, WFEZ's "easy indoor" signal is smaller than I expected, considering that they are a full-powered class C (C0). (And for some reason, many Miami signals are directional to give less coverage to the west and east. Why?) Also, WLDI is kind of spotty in the Palm Beaches themselves (which David kind of mentioned), giving WHYI (Y100) an opening in the ratings for southern Palm Beach County.



And just for kicks, I decided to look up the coverage map of KIIS (which is 8kW):

KIIS 102.7: RabbitEars.Info

Not bad for a station that broadcasts at only 8000 watts!

 

[davideduardo]

Here are the Longley-Rice maps I found:

I have looked at RabitEars before, but I never could find how to access the FM Longley-Rice maps. Can you detail how to find or create them?

 

[victorres43]

I have looked at RabitEars before, but I never could find how to access the FM Longley-Rice maps. Can you detail how to find or create them?

As an example,

• When entering the RabbitEars website, key in a television station's call letters on the "Find: Call Sign" box. For the LA market, key in KTLA, for example.
• Then, click on "Technical Data". On the same line as NAD83, you may see the transmitter location. (You can also get the ASRN next to "AMSL".)
• On a page of a transmitter location (or an ASRN page), some radio stations are listed. In this instance, many LA FM stations are listed.
• Choose one FM station (preferably with an FM-LIC on the same line). Let's say we want KIIS, so we click on the link.
• Under "Map", click on the transmitter icon, and a Longley-Rice map will be generated.

But given that the name of a transmitter location may not be affixed for many FM stations, the best way to do this is to use this link, and then, when placing the link on the address bar, substitute the group of numbers at the end of the link (after "&facid=") with the corresponding FCC ID / Facility ID number of a specific FM station. FCC ID / Facility ID numbers can be found on either the Wikipedia page of a particular station or the FCC public files.

(Note that some stations may not have a Longley-Rice map available, mostly stations that are newly licensed or re-licensed as noncommercial.)

 

[davideduardo]

As an example,

• When entering the RabbitEars website, key in a television station's call letters on the "Find: Call Sign" box. For the LA market, key in KTLA, for example.
• Then, click on "Technical Data". On the same line as NAD83, you may see the transmitter location. (You can also get the ASRN next to "AMSL".)
• On a page of a transmitter location (or an ASRN page), some radio stations are listed. In this instance, many LA FM stations are listed.
• Choose one FM station (preferably with an FM-LIC on the same line). Let's say we want KIIS, so we click on the link.
• Under "Map", click on the transmitter icon, and a Longley-Rice map will be generated.

But given that the name of a transmitter location may not be affixed for many FM stations, the best way to do this is to use this link, and then, when placing the link on the address bar, substitute the group of numbers at the end of the link (after "&facid=") with the corresponding FCC ID / Facility ID number of a specific FM station. FCC ID / Facility ID numbers can be found on either the Wikipedia page of a particular station or the FCC public files.

(Note that some stations may not have a Longley-Rice map available, mostly stations that are newly licensed or re-licensed as noncommercial.)

Thanks. It works! It would be nice if they generated FM maps in a new section.

 

[MarkW]

I'm not sure how it's useful comparing Urban WEDR and and AC station with a rimshot from the county above Palm Beach that does not overlap either of the Miami stations (and only covers half of the WPB market population). WPB has no urban local station, so that one is natural. And they only have one AC station, which overwhelms the rest of the market and "always" has.

I was simply refuting an earlier suggestion that hardly anyone in Baltimore listens to D.C. radio or that hardly anyone in WPB listens to Miami radio.

The ratings data does not support that remark.

 

[seatownmedia]

Perhaps KOLA is misrepresenting itself with their imaging. But guess what, it doesn’t really matter. This inside radio stuff makes not one iota to most listeners.

 

[Michael Rivers Kramer]

Thanks. It works! It would be nice if they generated FM maps in a new section.

Here's an easier way to get the Longley-Rice Maps

I just changed the url to fmq from tvq

RabbitEars.Info

RabbitEars, where you can learn all about local, over-the-air TV channels.

www.rabbitears.info

The display will sill say TV, but you can pull up FMs via call sign or COL. About 90 percent are in there with L-R maps avail.

 

[victorres43]

If playing songs from Lady Gaga and Katy Perry turns off over-40 listeners (the typical classic hits demo) the way others and myself speculated, it doesn't seem to show in the ratings. KOLA is, in fact, #1 with a 8.5 share. That is down from a 9.5 the previous month, which is probably a rating share record for the station in a little while.

Yes, KOLA is not a programmer's darling like CBS-FM, Q105, or WLS. Yes, they do play a lot of odd songs that aren't necessarily big hits. Yes, KOLA is allergic to boy bands, the way other classic hits stations aren't. Yes, KOLA has some manic obsession with Gwen Stefani and her band No Doubt. But I have to give credit to KOLA for being a very strong performer in the Inland Empire, even with a stronger showing of K-Earth in the latest book.

 

[30james]

Kola plays a wide variety of music. From mc hammer to knickleback to Cyndi Lauper to shania twain. While still being classic hits they lean more pop oriented than say kearth which has a heavy amount of classic rock in the playlist.

 

[davideduardo]

Kola plays a wide variety of music. From mc hammer to knickleback to Cyndi Lauper to shania twain. While still being classic hits they lean more pop oriented than say kearth which has a heavy amount of classic rock in the playlist.

And in a market predominantly driven by Hispanics, this is obviously a good and successful move.

 

[TomásEstefan]

Note that at their site they do not have a format description term or phrase. They are just KOLA.

https://www.kolafm.com/

The industry gives names to formats. Nielsen forces stations to pick the closest of a small assortment of format names. Trade publications arbitrarily give format names.

Based on the fact that the station is mostly late, late 70's and mostly 80's with some newer and has a library size and rotations that match classic hits definitions, that's the name that best fits them. But like many format names, they are not used on the air.

Having co-programmed Adult Hits in 5 top 10 markets, I'm pretty familiar with the rotations and era span and KOLA is not as good a fit in that category as it is in Classic Hits.

But this is like arguing if its' "toe.mah.toe" or "toe.may.toe".

As cool as "KOLA" is, I think the original meaning was "Over-Los-Angeles", and BTW back in the 80's they had the crazy idea to move their xmitter from Box Spring Mtn where it is today (around 30kw at about 1800 ft HAAT) to Santiago Peak, the highest point in the Santa Ana Mts shared by Orange and Riverside Counties. Higher than Mt Wilson at about 5700 ft, they proposed 75 kw! The FCC returned their app and told them that Class "C" apps haven't been available for over 20 years.

 

[vw86]

I love that radio people love to complain about cookie cutter formats and starion identities, likening it to the death of the medium. But then when a station does it a bit differently it's just as much of a problem because "that's not how it's done"

 

[davideduardo]

I love that radio people love to complain about cookie cutter formats and starion identities, likening it to the death of the medium. But then when a station does it a bit differently it's just as much of a problem because "that's not how it's done"

Nobody is complaining about the different mix of gold between KRTH and KOLA. Most of the comments here have been about the reasons for the differences, which seem to be due to the different composition and even lifestyle of the IE vs. LA.

Obviously, "how it is done" in the two markets is different. Oh, and the kRTH playlist is about half the size of that of KOLA.