Border Media sells San Antonio Cluster for $31000000

[Kent]

Anyone know how well or not so well the revenue is for 95.7 and 104.1? I wouldn't be surprised if we see an Active Rock, Alternative or a Country format come out of this.

I would. Country might be possible, but I doubt it because those sticks can't compete with KJ-97 and Y-100. Neither of those stations has ever received much listening north of downtown. Granted, the current formats on each cater well to the audience on the south side, but 95.7 did nothing as country once before. L&L might be able to get a decent audience targeting the rural audience south of San Antonio with one or both, but past experiences with KBOP show there's more money in being a third-tier San Antonio station than the big dog of the rural areas.

Active rock and alternative seem like a pipe dream at best. Anything on those sticks should target the Hispanic audience on the south side of town. While KISS may overindex in Hispanics, that audience alone can't carry a rock station, and past listening habits indicate those stations have little chance at growing their audience northward.

 

[Kent]

KHHL is off the air again.
Now 95.7 and 104.1 are both Regional Mexican. Why do they have two Regional Mexican stations? I've listened to them both and the music sounds slightly different, but they're both pretty much the same thing and they're competing!

Regional Mexican consists of 5 or 6 formats, and no station blends more than three. So, it's entirely possible to have two regional Mexican stations that are very different. So, when you say the music sounds slightly different, they probably have overlap of one format and not the others. Of course, last time I heard La Ley and Norteño, both sounded like stations targeting a similar audience from rural northern Mexico. Then again, that's a lot of the Spanish-dominant population in the San Antonio market. So, one should expect that.

 

[Anonymouse]

I would. Country might be possible, but I doubt it because those sticks can't compete with KJ-97 and Y-100.

I know Classic Country's also pretty much out of the question, there's already two translators in town and there's KSAQ south of downtown, KSAQ seems to be really live and local according to their Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/ksaqfm?refid=48 So any new station might have a hard time trying to pull listeners from them.

But how about another type of country like modern and all Texas artist country?

 

[Kent]

Plus, isn't K-Buc still on 92.5? 95.7 and 104.1 have very similar contours. Between KSAQ, 92.5, KKYX and its translator and the K-Buc translator for KZEP HD2, I'd have to think classic country is pretty well covered and would be a bad business move. Plus, the audience is fairly old and tough to sell.

When it comes to modern country, I'd have to think KJ-97 and Y-100 cover that pretty effectively. Granted, they have some gold and recurrents in their playlists, but both are contemporary-focused. Going up against them with 95.7 or 104.1 would be suicide. Even going at them with 102.7 would be a huge risk that would be unlikely to pay off for years, if ever. Texas country is a niche format that has done absolutely nothing where tried.

I can't think of a single format that would do better on those sticks than what's there right now. Urban seems somewhat appealing because you can program it heavily toward the Hispanic market, but Univision's already doing that with The Beat. The urban audience seems to be less picky about signal problems than others, but few, if any, urban listeners will put up with those signals when the Beat's already doing that and available on even the crappiest radio in the house.

 

[bturner]

I think to be fair to Texas Country's lackluster ratings, we have to consider those sticks with the format. All that I can think of are rimshots at best. Even in markets where it has been tried on a decent signal it was more as a flavoring of a hot country format than a Texas Country format. What impact might KNBT have will full San Antonio coverage or KOKE with full Austin coverage?

I would say this, Texas Country builds slowly with very dedicated listeners. Success is measured over a few years than a few months which is likely why few will try it unless they're such a rimshot they have few other options. The turnover seems to be minimal with amazing listener loyalty likely because the audience can see the artists play at local venues and the format ends up with an exclusive 'club' feel where the percentage of listeners that have met the radio station staff and some of the recording artists is very high. This might very well be the one single best attribute of the format: inclusion of the audience on a much more personal basis.

The other factor is money. There is a no brainer attitude for venues that feature Texas artists. Such a station is worthy of the whole budget versus it being split several ways among the country stations. Thus, the monetizing of the audience might exceed the average station on a ratio of dollars per listener. Like a Sports Talk station has every sports oriented venue as a prime advertising candidate that allows such stations to flow money off a small audience.

 

[fredcantu]

Keep in mind Texas demographics are moving away from those who have a heritage with Texas and/or Country. Your format needs to reach a diverse audience to reach the top. It can be Texas Country but needs to appeal beyond those there for the Texas Country music.

 

[bturner]

Agreed but I find Texas Country in the mix on Americana stations in many other states. I think the name Texas Country has much more to do with geography that the music itself. And some of the stuff is flat out rock. Some groups like Whiskey Myers sound more like Skynyrd than anybody else.

 

[willdav713]

Re: 95.7, 104.1

It's typical for any new owner not to disclose changes to their new acquired stations until everything is finalize.

Anyone know how well or not so well the revenue is for 95.7 and 104.1? I wouldn't be surprised if we see an Active Rock, Alternative or a Country format come out of this.

Country? Probally not, it would be too saturated unless it just covers Karnes City ie. 103.1.
Classic Rock? Ditto.
L&L owns some Urban Adult Contemporary stations which would do well for 95.7
They also own Top 40, Classic Hits, Adult Standards, Sports, News/Talk, Rock, Hot AC, and Classic Rock.
I don't see them flipping a station to Hot AC as it could take away listeners from KTFM.
Rock 104.1? With new rock.
Classic Hits AM 720 KSAH has a nice ring to it.
English Sports and Talk will do just fine. KTSA, KTFM, KJXK, and KZDC are safe!
KSAH AM/FM, KLEY, KHHL will go.

Country? KHHL Karnes City Country 103.1 Or KTSA could simulcast on 103.1 phone line signal or higher quality, talk will come in either way.

L&L doesn't own any Spanish stations at least according to wikipedia

 

[Anonymouse]

I don't think KHHL will stay at telephone quality when it returns to the air. Probably L&L will engineerically improve it.