BMP blows up Austin this morning

[mmnassour]

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.

No I don't! ;D And thank goodness that's not my job! However I...and everyone else here...know what doesn't work....

1. automated music with no personality

2. voicetracking with mispronounced local names

3. cutting your sales staffs during tough times...when you need them the most

A radio station that demonstrates its love for its community will have billing, will have listeners. Why weren't the BMP stations supporting...and playing cuts from...the local Hispanic music scene? I'm no expert on Hispanic music. But I have Spanish-speaking friends who never listened to one of the BMP stations because (to paraphrase one) "it's nothing but an IPod loaded with Reynosa discoteca rejects!"

Personally, when I'm driving in my car the first AM stations I sample are KLBJ or KVET becuase I'm reasonably sure that, at least at drive time, someone will be talking who knows something about Austin. Now that the ESPN station will (apparently) have something local on FM at least, maybe I'll put them on the list.

Frankly, I don't give a damn about what Dan Patrick, Rush Limbaugh, or any other national talker has to say. These people are not part of our lives. People who live here, who work here, who spend their paychecks here....those are the voices we should be hearing on radio. Those are the people who should be deciding what song is next. In this age of digital music distribution, the local connection is all radio has to sell, no matter whether it's being broadcast, podcast, or streamed.

To the extent that this blow-up brings more localism into Austin radio, I welcome it.

And the owners and/or operators who realize the importance of the local voice...will be successful in the long run. If I'm wrong, you might as well issue each and every American an IPod and turn the airwaves over to the ISPs so they can use them for wireless Internet.

 

[mmnassour]

And since my time for editing the above post has expired...let me pounce on one more thing....

Why is it easier for me to listen to overseas radio on my IPhone than it is KLBJ or KVET? You so-and-so's who make streaming policy at Emmis and Clear Channel need to answer for this. I had to move heaven and earth to get your lousy stations on my bedside internet radio, and Absolute Radio (from London, UK) came pre-loaded! You people need to realize the future is here...and is about to run over local radio, if it hasn't already.

 

[TheBigA]

You people need to realize the future is here...and is about to run over local radio, if it hasn't already.

If that's what the future is, and it's not local, why should radio be restricted to what it did in the past?

 

[davideduardo]

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.

I don't sunderstand why you believe this. KSAH is generally the second or third rated AM in the market now, and ranks third in billing among AMs. With a facility that is close to being a daytimer due to its poor night coverage of the MSA, I can't see any general market format that would prosper there.

 

[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.

I don't sunderstand why you believe this. KSAH is generally the second or third rated AM in the market now, and ranks third in billing among AMs. With a facility that is close to being a daytimer due to its poor night coverage of the MSA, I can't see any general market format that would prosper there.

I'm not contending that it would be a winner, only that the signal is good enough to compete as a general market AM station vs another general market AM station. At least during the day. True, the nightime signal is lacking, but little goes on with most AM stations at night.

When your losing money, prospering is not always a subjective matter. Billing had not much to do with what happened in Austin. Essentially, they threw out 300,000+ monthly in billing to start over. Perhaps for a more properous opportunity. Goldman had to approve the changes. Are the changes logical moves. Goldman thinks so. Apply that logic to SA, what do you get?

 

[saradio1]

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

whats gonna happen with SA?

I'm wondering the samething. What will happen here in SA? My guess is that it won't be the same changes happening in Austin. It's very likely the Spanish formats on 95.7 and 104.1 will be history. 94.1 will hopefully transition itself into a Top 40 format with new leadership. Jack will likely remain untouched unless they move KTFM back to 102.7 where it should have been when BMP first took control of the call letters and the frequency.

 

[mmnassour]

You people need to realize the future is here...and is about to run over local radio, if it hasn't already.

If that's what the future is, and it's not local, why should radio be restricted to what it did in the past?

Apologies...I was not clear.

The future is that new means of audio distribution are already upon us, and that local radio cannot survive if all it does is distribute national audio streams to local audiences, i.e. voicetracking, etc.

Local radio can only survive by providing what national streams cannot...the local connection. And not only must the live stream be distributed by the Internet, but compelling local-oriented content for download should be produced as well. Yes, it's true that the numbers of Internet listeners are small, but at one time, there were only a few listening to wireless broadcasts using cat's whiskers for receivers. Indeed, radio should not be restricted to what it has done in the past. But a local station can only survive by doing what a national audio stream cannot.

 

[Kent]

Why is it easier for me to listen to overseas radio on my IPhone than it is KLBJ or KVET? You so-and-so's who make streaming policy at Emmis and Clear Channel need to answer for this. I had to move heaven and earth to get your lousy stations on my bedside internet radio, and Absolute Radio (from London, UK) came pre-loaded! You people need to realize the future is here...and is about to run over local radio, if it hasn't already.

While I can't speak for KVET 1300, listening to KLBJ 590 and KVET 98.1 is extremely easy on the iPhone. If you need help getting either set up, send me a personal message. Most of the Streamtheworld.com streams are notoriously easy to play on a iPhone and can even play within the QuickTime player. With the latest iHeartRadio player, you can set it up to stream KVET 98.1 at startup.

 

[TheBigA]

Local radio can only survive by providing what national streams cannot...the local connection.

Then local radio, as you knew it, will not survive. Too many stations, not enough audience, and consequently not enough money to fund things under the old model, especially when new media operates under different rules.

By the way, voicetracking is NOT the same thing as a national stream.

 

[davideduardo]

True, the nightime signal is lacking, but little goes on with most AM stations at night.

There is an odd and common belief that AM stations with good day signals but bad ones at night can do just fine because of the lower listening to radio at night or even reasons like "most buys are daytime" and such.

With sunrise and sunset occuring, even in southern latitudes, inside the 6 AM to 7 PM time frame, stations with bad night signals lose out to stations with good night signals over time. And listeners who do use AM at night tend to go back to stations in the daytime that they use at night.

While there is less night listening to AM, much of the reason why there is less night listening is due to the simple lack of signal choices for much of the area of each MSA.

Goldman had to approve the changes. Are the changes logical moves. Goldman thinks so. Apply that logic to SA, what do you get?

I would assume that Goldman's administrator is the person calling the day to day shots, and he has likely presented an overall plan to prepare the company for sale. If changing format makes a station more easily salable, then that would be part of the plan.

Another misconception running rampant in radio is that bankers run stations and determine the format, the need to voice track, etc. Bankers generally, just as in any business, determine the terms of their loans; that usually includes certain operating ratios which must be kept. Keeping the ratios or metrics in a down economy often means cutting costs, just as it does at the widget factory investment.

 

[TheBigA]

If changing format makes a station more easily salable, then that would be part of the plan.

Which, in my view, demonstrates how the FCC's left hand doesn't know what it's right hand is doing.

The FCC gives lip service to the idea of wishing to promote minority ownership of radio. If that was true, then there would be a plan in place that would make it adventageous for a bank sale to an Hispanic owner. But because the FCC is merely giving lip service, the banker is preparing for a sale to Anglos. A terrible missed opportunity for this new FCC to show it means business.

 

[davideduardo]

Which, in my view, demonstrates how the FCC's left hand doesn't know what it's right hand is doing.

The FCC gives lip service to the idea of wishing to promote minority ownership of radio. If that was true, then there would be a plan in place that would make it adventageous for a bank sale to an Hispanic owner. But because the FCC is merely giving lip service, the banker is preparing for a sale to Anglos. A terrible missed opportunity for this new FCC to show it means business.

BMP was not Hispanic owned even before the banks stepped in. The one significant Hispanic "owner" was highly leveraged, and taken out of the picture several years ago.

You make a good point (and one I have not seen mentioned before) that this would be the right time for the FCC and the folks on the Hill to give big incentives to promote troubled assets going to minorities... including women, Hispanics, Blacks, etc.

 

[radioeye]

True, the nightime signal is lacking, but little goes on with most AM stations at night.

There is an odd and common belief that AM stations with good day signals but bad ones at night can do just fine because of the lower listening to radio at night or even reasons like "most buys are daytime" and such.

With sunrise and sunset occuring, even in southern latitudes, inside the 6 AM to 7 PM time frame, stations with bad night signals lose out to stations with good night signals over time. And listeners who do use AM at night tend to go back to stations in the daytime that they use at night.

While there is less night listening to AM, much of the reason why there is less night listening is due to the simple lack of signal choices for much of the area of each MSA.

Goldman had to approve the changes. Are the changes logical moves. Goldman thinks so. Apply that logic to SA, what do you get?

I would assume that Goldman's administrator is the person calling the day to day shots, and he has likely presented an overall plan to prepare the company for sale. If changing format makes a station more easily salable, then that would be part of the plan.

Another misconception running rampant in radio is that bankers run stations and determine the format, the need to voice track, etc. Bankers generally, just as in any business, determine the terms of their loans; that usually includes certain operating ratios which must be kept. Keeping the ratios or metrics in a down economy often means cutting costs, just as it does at the widget factory investment.

I simply don't agree with you. Your opinion is different than mine. It doesn't make your right or mine wrong. I accept your view point as being your view point, nothing more.

 

[grantchester]

Bankers generally, just as in any business, determine the terms of their loans; that usually includes certain operating ratios which must be kept.

And as we have seen, the bankers will approve even the most un-sound financial plans for financing, if they get their up-front fees.

 

[davideduardo]

I simply don't agree with you. Your opinion is different than mine. It doesn't make your right or mine wrong. I accept your view point as being your view point, nothing more.

That's interesting... I've never seen disagreement about when the sun rises and when it sets before. ;D

 

[mmnassour]

Then local radio, as you knew it, will not survive. Too many stations, not enough audience, and consequently not enough money to fund things under the old model, especially when new media operates under different rules.

By the way, voicetracking is NOT the same thing as a national stream.

Oh, I know that ;D! And there may indeed be too many stations as one might argue is being demonstrated in Austin this very weekend, as we watch AM talkers replacing FM formats. The models are going to change, perhaps in an even more dramatic way than when the Clear Channel-type companies appeared. It's just going to take a major economic recovery to keep the business viable so that there will be jobs for at least those who are in it now....and hopefully others in the future.

 

[mmnassour]

Then local radio, as you knew it, will not survive. Too many stations, not enough audience, and consequently not enough money to fund things under the old model, especially when new media operates under different rules.

By the way, voicetracking is NOT the same thing as a national stream.

Oh, I know that ;D! And there may indeed be too many stations as one might argue is being demonstrated in Austin this very weekend, as we watch AM talkers replacing FM formats. The models are going to change, perhaps in an even more dramatic way than when the Clear Channel-type companies appeared. It's just going to take a major economic recovery to keep the business viable so that there will be jobs for at least those who are in it now....and hopefully others in the future.

And that future in Austin begins in 12 hours and 13 minutes.

 

[fredcantu]

>By the way, voicetracking is NOT the same thing as a national stream.

Actually it depends on how its applied. One way to voice track is to custom record a track for an individual station. But back in the days of old school mechanical automation, at least one service syndicated big market jocks to small stations with a nationwide voice track which was localized with separate drop-ins and liners that the local station insterted. Ryan Seacrest's nationwide show may actually be done in this way since different stations are inserting different music and other elements.

 

[TheBigA]

Ryan Seacrest's nationwide show may actually be done in this way since different stations are inserting different music and other elements.

Which is to say they are LOCALIZING it...making it unique to their market. Which is not the same as a national stream.

But it's possible for a local host in Austin voicetrack his show in advance for his local station. It's a way that some work 6 day airshifts.

 

[radioeye]

I simply don't agree with you. Your opinion is different than mine. It doesn't make your right or mine wrong. I accept your view point as being your view point, nothing more.

That's interesting... I've never seen disagreement about when the sun rises and when it sets before. ;D

Talk to an engineer, he'll explain it to you. I don't care to take the time to explain to you what everybody else knows. ;D