Bonneville might divest 98.7 to someone else as a possibly for a POWER format

[Radioguy2006]

Bonneville might divest 98.7 The Peak to someone else and flip the format to "POWER" the hip-hop format as the possibly if doesn't find a buyer for the name.Like they did in San Francisco with Family Stations KEAR-FM 106.9 FM is already sold to CBS Radio last year and flip it to KIFR Free FM.

 

[azenergyfan]

Why would they do that??? The Peak is doing very well for them, one of the most successfull variety formats in the country. I don't think that will happen.

 

[AZJoe]

Bonneville might divest 98.7 The Peak to someone else and flip the format to "POWER" the hip-hop format as the possibly if doesn't find a buyer for the name.Like they did in San Francisco with Family Stations KEAR-FM 106.9 FM is already sold to CBS Radio last year and flip it to KIFR Free FM.

I doubt hip hop is included in the plans of Bonneville, not exactly the direction they like to go in.

 

[David B]

That doesn't seem to make sense. I think that Bonneville is committed to that format. After all, they flipped two other stations to the same format: The Arch (St. Louis) and Max FM (San Fran). Besdes, KPKX is a top rated station, but then again, so was Power.

 

[zumabeachhans]

And pigs might fly ...

And pigs might fly. Bonneville will not sell 98.7 just after buying 92.3, that's just stupid.Speaking of which, it may have been the format switchover, but this board sure has been quiet about KTAR-FM.Where oh where are all the experts who said this would never happen?I think it is brilliant. It will extend KTAR's reach much further ... into office buildings and houses where AM is hash, and much further out than their AM stick.For most young people, AM is dead. (And for them, FM is dying, but that's a different thread).I remember airchecking 92.5 KXTC (remember them?) in Wickenburg in the '70s. KTAR-AM is hash there at night.

 

[airchic]

Re: New Times commentary about Bonneville's purchase of 92

Check out New Times writer Brendan Joel Kelley's commentary in current issue..."Power Failure" :http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/Issues/2006-05-18/music/revolver.html

 

[zumabeachhans]

That's a commentary? I've read better high school toilet walls

Oh, he makes a compelling argument. Not.I remember back when NT Weekly was well-written and relevant. Now, it's more conservative than the Republic. And as for the writing capabilities of the staff, well, the Power article just about sums that up.

 

[multiplex]

I'll actually be quite surprised if no one picks up Power 92's name and possibly most of the staff. But even if that doesn't happen, someone will fill that format hole with similar music and positioning. There still may be a lot about Bonneville's plans that we don't know, In Washington, DC, for example, they've moved the all-news to FM and the former WTOP-1500 is run jointly with the Washington Post.It could be in their plans to do more news-oriented programming on FM and leave KTAR pretty much intact. A Republic sports writer (sorry, don't remember who, or I'd give credit) speculates that if 92.3 becomes KTAR, 620 could become a sports station with a big stick. If that happened, it would make sense to dump 860, which has poor signal coverage. Regardless, this is a good move. While particular shows may not survive, ultimately Power 92 listeners likely won't lose their favorite music, Phoenix will be better served with a higher-profile talk or news FM, and possibly different emphasis on 620 or even a different 860.Seems like a win-win for the Phoenix radio audience.Granted, I'm not a big Power 92 fan, but that format brings in dollars, and someone will want them.So I can't see anything to dislike about these changes, except, of course, for personnel affected.

 

[gyrony]

Re: Bonneville might divest 98.7 to someone else as a possibly for a POWER forma

A Republic sports writer (sorry, don't remember who, or I'd give credit) speculates that if 92.3 becomes KTAR, 620 could become a sports station with a big stick. If that happened, it would make sense to dump 860, which has poor signal coverage. Regardless, this is a good move. While particular shows may not survive, ultimately Power 92 listeners likely won't lose their favorite music, Phoenix will be better served with a higher-profile talk or news FM, and possibly different emphasis on 620 or even a different 860.Seems like a win-win for the Phoenix radio audience.Granted, I'm not a big Power 92 fan, but that format brings in dollars, and someone will want them.So I can't see anything to dislike about these changes, except, of course, for personnel affected.

The one entity that "commentary" forgot to blame was Emmis....they took a calculated risk when they spun three stations to Bonneville and left 92.3 to swing in the wind on their own. They were prolly counting on throwing enough $$$ at Sandusky to get their group....but given the miscalculations they made in other areas (like trying to buy the Washington Nationals baseball team, and now trying to take the company private) I am not suprised to see them cut and run in PHX.AS I have said before, the decline of KTAR began with the introduction of the D-Backs broadcasts goring big hunks out of the N/T program schedule. What makes sense is to have the News programming be uninterrupted on the FM while the AM dips in and out for PBP. The 860 signal still has some function as the overflow for PBP conflicts and its own PBP (ASU , Rattlers, Cardinals, Mercury) From what I hear the 860 transmiter site has to move soon , so a power upgrade and coverage pattern improvement might be in the works.OR (insert conspiracy theory here)Bonneville next acquires 103.9FM , moves the xmitter from a field in Queen Creek to their transmitter shack on South Mountain and pairs that 99,590 watts with 860's ESPN programming and PBP. Can you say "Hasta , XTRA Sports"?-30-

 

[EricStein]

Re: Bonneville might divest 98.7 to someone else as a possibly for a POWER forma

OR (insert conspiracy theory here)Bonneville next acquires 103.9FM , moves the xmitter from a field in Queen Creek to their transmitter shack on South Mountain and pairs that 99,590 watts with 860's ESPN programming and PBP. Can you say "Hasta , XTRA Sports"?-30-

How about this "conspiracy theory":1. Bonneville buys both 103.5 and 103.92. Turns those two stations in to a "simulcast" even though both signals overlap in many areas3. A major engineering amendment would be made to "return" 103.5 to the FCC and move 103.9 to South Mountain (103.9 is chosen because it's the only broadcast station licensed to Gilbert; Glendale would still be left with 2), but move one frequency down to 103.7 as a full C.It will NEVER happen.

 

[dr.akbar]

Re: Bonneville might divest 98.7 to someone else as a possibly for a POWER forma

AS I have said before, the decline of KTAR began with the introduction of the D-Backs broadcasts goring big hunks out of the N/T program schedule. [/quote]No..NO..ABSOLUTELY NOT! KT'R's decline began with KFYI moving to 5-Fifty and deep sixing the lame programming ideas of AM/FM's GM