Could this format work in Houston?

[stan]

Movin'

http://www.wvrv.com/index.php?nid=115

 

[jayxs]

Possibly... I don't see any long term promise, though. But then again The Point is still on the air.

 

[charles123]

This station is in Illinois, not Houston

 

[jras20]

It would be nice to have a dance station again in Houston, but I dont know, probably would work best under HD-2-3 formats, I remember back in Kiss 98.5 & 103.3, they ddint do very well, but then again they were rimshots, but who knows now. Jammin 105.9 in Austin sounds good, they play from the 90's and today with old school hiphop. They took a hit last time around on the ratings, but they must be doing pretty well overall.

 

[purpledevil]

I always thought that KHYS would've done better had it been on a Houston signal. I think the desire for the format is there, however, I wouldn't figure any broadcaster owning a Senior Road stick would be willing to take the risk.

 

[Mike O]

Movin'

http://www.wvrv.com/index.php?nid=115

If I was running KIOL I would jump on the format today. It will face some stiff competion frojm KMJQ, KODA and KHJZ but I think it is a format that will do well for three years, maybe a little longer. KIOL would probably hit the three's in ratings, which beats the hell out out of 0.8.

mike

 

[purpledevil]

Is it too late to bring the "Power" back to KIOL? No, seriously. Is there any chance in KIOL lasting through the new year? I've tried to stay off of this subject, because I know it is a touchy one, considering the long and storied history that KLOL had in Houston. This has to be the worst execution of a radio station ever in the market. It took Cumulus entirely to long to get a staff on the air, and even today, hasn't gotten a full airstaff for the station. KIOL came on the air in February, of '05! That's enough time to not only fully staff the station, but to have turned it over a couple of times. Are they just sitting back on name recognition? Wendy Miller, Outlaw Dave, and Pat Fant's names can only carry the station so far. The problem that I think we all see with KIOL is that they have brought back the KLOL of 2004 instead of the KLOL of 1970-1999. This is when the station was at it's best. Edgy, entertaining, and out of the box. The only station that I can ever remember playing Pearl Jam's "Jeremy" with the unedited line of "Seemed a harmless little [EDIT]".

Mike O: Do you believe that Cumulus would actually try the "Movin'" format on KIOL? This from the same people that brought us the "FM News Channel", and when they realized they weren't providing "news" reimaged as "Supertalk"? I never, ever believed that there could be a worse broadcaster in Houston than Cox, and it's ho-hum, autopilot cluster. Then Cumulus rides into town and changes everything. I pray that KIOL dies soon and allows the "Legend" to finally rest in peace. God help us if Cumulus gets there hands on anymore of the Houston signals. What they've done to the once proud KD 97, and 104 KRBE is absolutely incredible.


[EDIT=language]

 

[Mike O]

Is it too late to bring the "Power" back to KIOL? No, seriously. Is there any chance in KIOL lasting through the new year? I've tried to stay off of this subject, because I know it is a touchy one, considering the long and storied history that KLOL had in Houston. This has to be the worst execution of a radio station ever in the market. It took Cumulus entirely to long to get a staff on the air, and even today, hasn't gotten a full airstaff for the station. KIOL came on the air in February, of '05! That's enough time to not only fully staff the station, but to have turned it over a couple of times. Are they just sitting back on name recognition? Wendy Miller, Outlaw Dave, and Pat Fant's names can only carry the station so far. The problem that I think we all see with KIOL is that they have brought back the KLOL of 2004 instead of the KLOL of 1970-1999. This is when the station was at it's best. Edgy, entertaining, and out of the box. The only station that I can ever remember playing Pearl Jam's "Jeremy" with the unedited line of "Seemed a harmless little f#ck".

Mike O: Do you believe that Cumulus would actually try the "Movin'" format on KIOL? This from the same people that brought us the "FM News Channel", and when they realized they weren't providing "news" reimaged as "Supertalk"? I never, ever believed that there could be a worse broadcaster in Houston than Cox, and it's ho-hum, autopilot cluster. Then Cumulus rides into town and changes everything. I pray that KIOL dies soon and allows the "Legend" to finally rest in peace. God help us if Cumulus gets there hands on anymore of the Houston signals. What they've done to the once proud KD 97, and 104 KRBE is absolutely incredible.

Hi Purpledevil, I really don't know what Cumulus could program and make work. They have/had some very talented people at both KIOL and KFNC and have f'd up both stations royally. Having Atlanta HQ calling the shots for Houston stations is never going to work, they are two entirely different cities. What works in ATL isn not going to automatically work in H-town. The decisions have to be made on a local level by competetant PDs, GM's etc. Your first paragraph about staffing is one of KIOL's big problems and there is no excuse for it to be happening. Both Pam & Lisa shaing the 7pm to 11pm slot are good talents that add flavor to the station, but it sems like they show up when they feel like it. Too many evenings are just more music on autopilot. Most small town stations are more professional.

Call it a gut feeling, but I don't think KIOL will last past the 1st of October, same goes for KFNC. The signs are at KIOL already, first changing to "All Classic Rock All the Time" and Outlaw Dave made the comment on his show last week help us save our station. Some big shit from ATL was in Houston last week from progrmming and it wasn't to congratulate them on the great ratings that 97.5 and 103.7 are pulling down. The two stations together aren't making a one 12+ rating. Now that some serious money is at stake HQ is going to expect results. I would look for new formats on both stations next month. I don't have a clue what they will be. 97.5 has serious signal issues that make almost any format doomed. 103.7 has a good signal over Houston and could be a serious contender with the right format done properly, something I don't think Cumulus is capable of doing.

The Movin' format is hot right now and will probably be for three years or so. Trouble is Cox or Cumulus aren't willing to put the effort into any station to make it work. It would take CBS or Clear Channel to make the format a success. Univision could do it also, but I don't believe they program any non Hispanic leaning stations.

Power was a good station on a terible signal, although I listened to them through the static. I just don't think that Power can beat or even come close to Magic 102 in the ratings. Radio One knows how to program a station and make changes as they go along, unfortunately leaving Power a distant runner up. What both 97.5 and 103.7 need are formats not already in the market and follow through on the station and not do a half assed attempt and stop. That is why I suggested the Movin' format for 103.7, but Cumulus would have to have the station entirely staffed and hit the ground running from day one, not add over a period of time or not at all like Rock 1037. 97.5 is a hard call with the signal, although they could do what KQBU 93.3 has applied to the FCC for and that is add a booster station on the east side. KQBU has proposed for KQBU-1 in Clover Leaf with 20kW and that should get rid of the signal getting chopped up during tropo events. KFNC could do the same thing and be more of a player in the market.

I believe that KLOL will finally be laid to rest the end of this month and hopefully we can forget that KIOL existed along with their ad for the adult bookstore where the husband dives for the DVD's and the wife drools over the dildos. I never thought a Houston station would stoop that low. KFNC is already dead, but what do you program on the worst signal in Houston? Maybe All Walton & Johnson, it would be a fitting signal for them. I guess if I had to program 103.7 & 97.5 I would go for the Movin' format on 103.7 and a Soul-Motown-Blues-Urban Gold format on 97.5, actually pretty much rip off what KCOH 1430 is doing all night now, a freeform gutsy R&B format. The other possibility would be Adult Standards. The 16 through 35 age group has "discovered" this format on internet radio and it is one of the fastest growing formats with that age group. Adult Standards for the over the hill nursing home group is bullshit, but can you draw enough of the younger people back to the radio and away from the internet to make it work? The million dollar question, does Cumulus have anyone in the organization or know how to hire people that can actually program these formats and hire a FULL staff 24/7 before going on thr air?

Purpledevil your post hit my sentiments 100%, it's like you read my mind.

Mike

 

[jras20]

I believe that Moving format is much like Jammin 105.9 in Austin.

http://www.jammin1059.com/

 

[Mediafrog+]

For what it's worth, there is a new KFNC billboard up on the inbound 290. ???

Phase 2 trends due out this Thursday. Will the current 97.5 and 103.7 formats still be in place when the full summer book comes out next month? :-\

The best thing to do with both signals is copy a page from the Cox playbook for KTHT 97.1--find a format hole and go with mostly automated programming that keeps overhead to a minimum. And focus on the demographics where the signal is strongest. 8)

 

[Mike O]

For what it's worth, there is a new KFNC billboard up on the inbound 290. ???

Phase 2 trends due out this Thursday. Will the current 97.5 and 103.7 formats still be in place when the full summer book comes out next month? :-\

The best thing to do with both signals is copy a page from the Cox playbook for KTHT 97.1--find a format hole and go with mostly automated programming that keeps overhead to a minimum. And focus on the demographics where the signal is strongest. 8)

Prediction is that 97.5 lilely won't show in the Phase 2 trend and 103.7 will have dropped down to just barely making the book. KIOL is even playing Fleetwood Mac and Phil Collins, songs that are regularly heard on Sunny 99 and The Wave. I would say the end is near for KIOL. I doubt that either station will be around come the Summer book.

In all respect, the last thing Houston radio needs is two more stations running automated formats. This city needs some stations with more personality than a slice of white bread. All these stations running on autopilot are one of the reasons that people are tuning out of radio and going to CD's, IPOD's and Internet Radio where there are thousands of formats to chose from and you will find a station that you really like. If the stations are going to just play music and have zero personality, you might as well listen to the music you like and not hope that every so often a song you really like is played on the radio. The stations that have have people there should let the air talents do more than stick to maybe ten set phrases. People like Chuck Tiller have the ability to have a great personality show that people will tune to for more than just the music. People will put on his show to hear him as much as the music, maybe more to hear Chuck Tiller.

The number of people that are abandonding radio is alarming. I don't think you are going to see anymore stations in Houston sell for mega bucks. The value of stations are dropping all across the country.

This is from www.infinitedial.com and the number of listeners that are spending less time listening to radio.

Today they profiled the 12 through 24 year age bracket. They will be covering different age groups through the week.

Just an exerp from the article:
12 through 17 year olds TSL down 22% since 1993 and a bigger drop from 2000 to 2006.
1993 TSL 65
2000 TSL 60
2006 TSL 51

11% of the boys age 12 to 17 don't even listen to the radio at all!

18 through 24 year olds TSL down 24% since 1993
1993 TSL 95
2000 TSL 82
2006 TSL 72

Go to the website and read the article and other figures they have. Any company owning stations should be concerned.

This does not bode well for radio. But bland formats with little or no personality don't give a person a reason to listen.

Companies like Cox and stations like KTHT and KHPT are one of the reasons people are not listening to radio as much any longer.

So far the impact of HD Radio is about the same as AM Stereo in the 80's. HD Radio is not going to save radio, crap is crap analog or digital. The auto manufacturers are offering Satellite Radio as the standard on radios in new vehicles and they will skip right over HD to Internet Radio in a few years. IBOC was the wrong system to choose for Digital Radio. AM can only be used during the day and has more problems than Ibiquity has answers. FM has some serious issues with coverage. If a station is in a dial position that is wide open the digital signal can go a long ways, but if you have a 1st adjacent nearby or even a second adjacent the signal is lucky to make it to the 70 dbu or City Grade siganl before it is lost. The magazine Radio World has numerous articles about the problems with IBOC HD Radio. www.radioworld.com

Radio needs to make some big changes like being live and local 24/7 with Air Talent that can be entertaining. The more radio goes to automated formats the more people they are going to lose.

At the rate radio is going it will be on life support in a few years, if that long.

Mike

 

[Mediafrog+]

My argument for automation has to do with station profitability. Even with a great format and best case scenario, the eastern rimshots are probably not going to pull over a 2.5, perhaps 3.0 if they're lucky. That won't support an expensive airstaff.

I understand the arguments against automation. But the glut of signals pretty much forces some harsh economic decisions.

 

[Mike O]

My argument for automation has to do with station profitability. Even with a great format and best case scenario, the eastern rimshots are probably not going to pull over a 2.5, perhaps 3.0 if they're lucky. That won't support an expensive airstaff.

I understand the arguments against automation. But the glut of signals pretty much forces some harsh economic decisions.

Mediafrog, hopefully no offense from my reply. I understand where you are coming from and agree with you on the econonomic reasons for running automated formats on rimshot stations. The companies are understandably looking to make the most money with the least expense and Cox has done remarkably well with KTHT and "Country Legends" and only having a morning show. Although I believe that KTHT would have been a much higher rated station if they had staffed the station with air personalities, especially at what on air staff is paid today.

The automation of so many stations has made the Houston dial one of the most bland in the nation. Many smaller markets have their stations staffed 24/7 and sound so much better. You would not expect Market 7 to have so many stations that are run on autopilot. Then again the [pick your name] stations are completely automated and have done fairly well.

Guess I'm just getting old and would like a return to time when even the small stations in a medium sized city were live all night.

Mike

 

[radiodj22]

There is definately a format void that any company can fill if they would only do a little research. 80's and 90's old school hip hop & R&b is a format that could definately make noise. Think about it. HipHop was born in 1979, therefore most of the kids who grew up with it are now in their late 30's and early 40's, a prime demo for advertisers. Also, many young adults who are turned off by the violence, vulgarity and degradence to women; would welcome clean rap music back on the radio that they have not heard since high school or early college. Rap in the 80's and early 90's was about partying and having fun with a little politics thrown in for spice.

If Cummulus was smart, they would jump on this format. Nothing else they have tried has worked, so why not try something that hasn't been done.

I would be the first to put in an application for an on-air spot..