BMP blows up Austin this morning

[mmnassour]

Where is KNOW... i mean KFON... in all this? What's going to happen to 1490?

Fred....it's beginning to look like a REAL good thing you're doing Spanish newscasts there at KEYE! It looks like Spanish radio in Austin just got thrown under the bus bigtime.

 

[Kent]

Are we for certain 98.9 is going Oldies and if so, will it be Scott Shannon's "True Oldies Channel"?

The rumors I've heard say 98.9 goes syndicated talk while 92.5 may take on some sort of music format. However, others have apparently heard several different stories. What I do know is that 98.9 is now KXBT, and there has been a website registered for 98.9 The Big Talker (989bigtalker.com). It makes sense to me that the "BT" in KXBT will stand for "Big Talker" once the new format launches. However, said website is registered through a proxy.

 

[radioeye]

Are we for certain 98.9 is going Oldies and if so, will it be Scott Shannon's "True Oldies Channel"?

The rumors I've heard say 98.9 goes syndicated talk while 92.5 may take on some sort of music format. However, others have apparently heard several different stories. What I do know is that 98.9 is now KXBT, and there has been a website registered for 98.9 The Big Talker (989bigtalker.com). It makes sense to me that the "BT" in KXBT will stand for "Big Talker" once the new format launches. However, said website is registered through a proxy.

The dismissed staff members were told about the changes. They needed to reapply if they wanted a job with the new company. As to whether or not they were told the truth....

 

[grantchester]

Somebody was running a blind box ad for news and talk talent for a "top 50" Texas market....

 

[ufrustrated2]

The problem with the stations were many. It started out when Tom Castro over paid for the market then expected to get what would be the equivalent of 100% of the market billing. He was proven to be wrong and a mistake and taken out of the picture. Secondly, the local market manager is a micromanager. He also couldn't make decisions soon enough, he took too long to bring in good sales management. Then when the company is taken over by Larry Patrick he probably helped throw every one under the bus. I think the formats and stations would have been fine and if they change formats as rumored. FM Sports and Oldies, the oldies will do ok not great and the Sports, well you don't have an anchor or home team anchor. You will always be looking up. KVET AM has the Longhorns and the Cowboys and as far as Austin is concerned that is only what matters. Austin is not a big enough market to generate the revs they seek. Likely story is that we will see the company eventually get rid of Jerry and go with another market manager.

From what I understand from people within the building, no one really trusted this GM from the moment he walked through the doors. It seems by all accounts that poor decision making and bad leadership (micro-manager) by this individual from the get go made the current economic situation for the stations and the revenue problems even greater as he panicked and did a Dick Cheney and shot the wrong people. After looking at his (Jerry Del Core) credentials, it seems that this is par for the course with what he has done in other markets such as CC/Atlanta and its looking more and more like he is on the way out of BMP from what I recently heard. I wish the over 20 people that were dismissed from BMP all the luck in the world and hope they land on their feet somewhere in spite of tough economic/employment times.

 

[mmnassour]

Oh GREAT! MORE chaos and confusion about what's going to happen....

.....as in the Austin American Statesman this morning. The paper is quoting Del Core as saying...

1. 104.9 becomes ESPN
2. 92.5 SIMULCASTS 104.9
3. 1490 stays the same

and (play fanfare here) ....

4. Sammy Allred returns to radio on 98.9!

Welcome to the suddenly wild and wacky world of Austin radio!



This was the top article in the Business Digest column on page B5.

 

[intx]

No oldies after all and ESPN on 3 frequencies? Man, this keeps getting stranger by the minute.

 

[radioeye]

It's a fluid stituation.... Even though the paper is saying that Juan 1490 is not going to change, rumor now has it that 1490 will change formats to compete with Spanish language Christian Inspirational 1440. 1490, supposed will be simulcasted on 106.5. Off and on 106.5 has been carrying KXXS Digital and KXXS HD-2. The HD-2 has been Spanish language Inspirational music so far when I can catch it.

If Sammy is comming back to radio, hold on for the ride! I'm sure he's going that have a lot to say. I wish him well.

I never would have guessed that Spanish language programming, or future lack thereof, would ever have this kind of impact on Austin. You still have KLQB-104.3, KHZS-107.7, KELG-1440, KFON-1490/106.5, KTXZ-1560/95.1 and KOKE-1600/102.7 as well as part time programming from KOOP-91.7 and KNLE-88.1 and KFIT 1060 on the air. So the loss of KHHL-98.9 and KXXS-92.5 and KXBT 104.9 (Previous Calls) along with KFON - 1490 does not create a void that cannot be filled, nevertheless the loss of those INDEPENDENT voices will be missed.

Hopefully, Simmons and BMP will do a better job together and create a financially viable format that listeners like.

 

[mmnassour]

Folks, look....if the situation is still "fluid" on a Saturday before a Monday 6:00 A.M. signon for up to four stations, then someone's spreading crap (and I don't mean anyone on this board). No offense at anyone, please. But I'd be stunned if someone was sitting around a conference table today trying to decide what they were going to program on Monday morning.



Those calls have been made by now.....if not, then these people who run these stations are bigger fools than anyone can imagine.

 

[radioman921]

ufrustrated2 has it right on the money that is why Jerry should and will be next to get the boot. His track record continues and another market is left 'burning' like Atlanta during the Civil War. Sad just real sad.....He could have actually been a winner if he had allowed his people to do their job and not be so paranoid. Once paranoid always paranoid.

 

[intx]

The new and improved espnaustin.com site is up earlier than promised, shedding some light on what to expect. 1530 stays branded as ESPN Austin. 104.9 is branded as The Horn. No mention of either frequency airing on 92.5, as someone above indicated. All the local shows move to the FM signal, with a couple national shows filling gaps at midday and overnight. The AM signal is all national, starting with Mike & Mike in the morning.

 

[mmnassour]

Hmmm....interesting. So we've got ESPN1 and ESPN2 for Austin, eh? ;D

Anyway, at 7:33 P.M. I was only getting the old website with the same "coming Monday" note, no mention of "the Horn" or anything. Not to contradict you, I guess they just had it up for a moment.

 

[radioeye]

So, at least 1260, 1300, 1530, 104.9 and a part time 590 will be fighting for the sports market. There is no doubt that UT Football is bigger than big, back in 2000 UT Sports Radio Broadcast Rights was running about 500,000 a year. Then you have production cost and talent fees. Anyway, it's big business.

There's a whole lot more than UT Football involved here, but is there enough overall business to go around to support all of these facilities?

 

[mmnassour]

Oh, certainly not. This just seems to be the latest example of the lemming mentality that has consumed commercial radio.

Once upon a time, there was nothing but AOR. Then, too much pop. Then too much country. Then too much Spanish. Now, we'll have too much sports.

Isn't there a single new idea in all of radio?

This is what happens when bankers take over radio, after the consolidators fail.

 

[TheBigA]

Isn't there a single new idea in all of radio?

Hey...if you've got one (that works), we're all listening. Unless you're a banker.

 

[BossJock1947]

If 98.9 goes oldies, it will bring them full circle as they entered the Austin market in 1989 as oldies "Kool 99" at 99.1. The next few days should be interesting on the radio dial.

Why on earth would bmp go oldies in austin? They can't do it right in SA :'(

 

[saradio1]

If 98.9 goes oldies, it will bring them full circle as they entered the Austin market in 1989 as oldies "Kool 99" at 99.1. The next few days should be interesting on the radio dial.

Why on earth would bmp go oldies in austin? They can't do it right in SA :'(

BMP currently has no Oldies format in SA.

 

[Kent]

BMP currently has no Oldies format in SA.

Not quite. They do have an oldies format in San Antonio; it's just not an English-language oldies format, and it's on a rimshot stick. That, of course, would be 103.1 La Lupe, which uses the positioner "Viejitas Favoritas," meaning "Your Favorite Oldies."

 

[MINDonDAradio247]

This situation all just seems like a huge cluster F@%K. (pun intended ;D)

whats gonna happen with SA?

 

[radioeye]

Assuming that the idea is to drop Spanish language programming, my best guess is that not much will change. They can't really compete in the general market with the signals that have Spanish language programming. KSAH is the sole exception, I think that an English language station would probably outperform what they've got on the air on KSAH right now.