DECEMBER PPMS...TIME TO TALK

[RockTheGlobe]

It's unfair to generalize all four stations as "AC" -- while they are still within the same overall family, there are a number of different flavors of AC, such as Hot AC (KBIG), Urban AC (KHHT) or Spanish AC (KLVE), and one of the reasons to split them out into separate formats is because there are distinct differences in the playlists, imaging, overall presentation and demo targets of each format. While I'm sure KOST does probably share some listeners with all of these stations, the majority of their target demo and hot ZIPs are different than the others', especially since KOST, MyFM and Hot are all in the same building and are being deliberately kept apart in certain respects to make sure they're not stepping all over each others' toes.

You're missing one of the key elements of cluster programming which is to make sure that your stations overlap and plug any holes a competitor could use to move in between two of your stations.

Clear has always managed the cluster based on a loose sense of ethnicity, demographics and lifestyles staying away from the harder rock elements. So there is a continuum from KIIS to KBIG and KHHT and even KYSR on to KOST. Each has a slightly different core age or ethnic appeal, but they fit together quite nicely.

KBIG and KIIS share hugely. KBIG and KOST share hugely. KHHT shares with several, leaning more to the Hispanic side. Even KYSR has a significant amount of sharing. In part, this is because the average person listens to around 7 or 8 stations in any given fortnight.

KLVE shares greatly with KIIS, AMP, KBIG, KHHT and even KRTH and KCBS-FM... a fact that, as a several-time interim PD of KLVE I am most aware of.

And KHHT, KBIG, KOST, KLVE are all variants of AC.... the distinctions are more made by those in the industry. A 38 year old English dominant Hispanic white woman might find KOST a bit conservative, KBIG pretty suitable, KHHT a pick-me-up in certain moments, and KLVE appropriate for moments when heritage strikes a chord. To that listener, other than the language differentiation between KLVE and the others, all the stations are "ones I like" and not "Hot AC or "Alternative AC" or "Rhythmic AC. " Most listeners divide stations into two big groups, ones they like and ones they don't like. Then they have ones they like more or less, and usage often depends on mood.

With the melding of cultures, ethnicities and populations in LA, a single ZIP may be just as valid for KLVE as KOST... and so on.

I learned large-cluster strategy in the early 60's with a group of 5 stations in one building. I applied it a few years later with 9 in the same offices... and the key was in overlapping like bricks in a wall, not in separating the stations too much... and in recognizing which audience groups you could protect and which ones you could not.

I understand the concept and validity of building a wall of women. But that also means that the wall of programming COVERS everyone, not SERVES everyone. For example, a mid-30s Caucasian native-English-speaking woman (which is the primary target of most of the AC variants) is very likely have KIIS, KOST & KBIG on her presets, but she is less likely to have KYSR on her first layer of presets and even less likely to listen to KLVE or KHHT at all. Just because you offer the entire spectrum doesn't mean that the target listener will consume all of it.

 

[davideduardo]

I understand the concept and validity of building a wall of women. But that also means that the wall of programming COVERS everyone, not SERVES everyone. For example, a mid-30s Caucasian native-English-speaking woman (which is the primary target of most of the AC variants) is very likely have KIIS, KOST & KBIG on her presets, but she is less likely to have KYSR on her first layer of presets and even less likely to listen to KLVE or KHHT at all. Just because you offer the entire spectrum doesn't mean that the target listener will consume all of it.

In the cume-sensitive world of the PPM, P2's and P3's are nearly as important as the P1's... ins ome cases, they may actually drive the station whereas in the diary world it was all about the P1. That means many listeners will use two or more of our stations, and we must try to make that happen.

Most people will not use all of our stations, just as in the examples you make. But keeping other companies out of the mix is part of the opportunity that cluster strategy and the PPM afford us.

And in the 18 to 39 field, LA has another interesting peculiarity in that the market is over 50% Hispanic in that population range. Since buys are more and more 18-49 based as opposed to 25-54 based (18-49 was always the Hispanic broad target) this affects the way stations are programmed and who listens to them. The market, in that age range, is less than 30% non-Hispanic white, meaning that the driving force is not the same as in, say, Minneapolis.

 

[RockTheGlobe]

I understand the concept and validity of building a wall of women. But that also means that the wall of programming COVERS everyone, not SERVES everyone. For example, a mid-30s Caucasian native-English-speaking woman (which is the primary target of most of the AC variants) is very likely have KIIS, KOST & KBIG on her presets, but she is less likely to have KYSR on her first layer of presets and even less likely to listen to KLVE or KHHT at all. Just because you offer the entire spectrum doesn't mean that the target listener will consume all of it.

In the cume-sensitive world of the PPM, P2's and P3's are nearly as important as the P1's... ins ome cases, they may actually drive the station whereas in the diary world it was all about the P1. That means many listeners will use two or more of our stations, and we must try to make that happen.

Most people will not use all of our stations, just as in the examples you make. But keeping other companies out of the mix is part of the opportunity that cluster strategy and the PPM afford us.

And in the 18 to 39 field, LA has another interesting peculiarity in that the market is over 50% Hispanic in that population range. Since buys are more and more 18-49 based as opposed to 25-54 based (18-49 was always the Hispanic broad target) this affects the way stations are programmed and who listens to them. The market, in that age range, is less than 30% non-Hispanic white, meaning that the driving force is not the same as in, say, Minneapolis.

I get all that. But we've veered well off-topic from my original point, which was that it's not right to label all of those formats (Hot AC, Urban AC, etc.) as simply "AC" when there are not-so-subtle nuances and differences between all of them that apply in all markets, not just Los Angeles. It'd be like calling all long pasta noodles "spaghetti" even if they're actually considered to be fettuccine or linguini or angel hair or tagliatelle or even chow mein.

 

[davideduardo]

It'd be like calling all long pasta noodles "spaghetti" even if they're actually considered to be fettuccine or linguini or angel hair or tagliatelle or even chow mein.

To a non-chef, they are all noodles or pasta. Sure, we see distinctions, like diameter and whether they are flat or twisted and whatnot... but they are easy to lump together.

To the listener, those stations are not even "AC" but a texture... some more appealing than others. I've heard many Hispanics say that KLVE and KOST had the same format, or that KRCD and KRTH had the same format.

In the industry, we have always assumed that listeners got and identified all these distinctions, but they don't. As I said, there are two kinds of stations... ones a person likes and ones that they don't like.

 

[RockTheGlobe]

It'd be like calling all long pasta noodles "spaghetti" even if they're actually considered to be fettuccine or linguini or angel hair or tagliatelle or even chow mein.

To a non-chef, they are all noodles or pasta. Sure, we see distinctions, like diameter and whether they are flat or twisted and whatnot... but they are easy to lump together.

Yes, but this is a message board for industry personnel and radio enthusiasts -- a good chunk of those who aren't in the industry at least know and understand the terms that those in radio use. I would've figured that someone who'd worked in radio for a long time who was speaking to people who understood radio wouldn't use such broad, simplistic terms, especially since Average Joe Listener doesn't know what "AC" stands for, yet you invoked that abbreviation.

 

[snelson]

How's the KLAC vs KSPN match-up looking these days?