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Demise of KBSG

R

radiobootie

I've got it from a reliable source at Eastlake that Fastlane is out in the mornings and the entire airstaff will soon be on the beach. Make way for KIRO FM. I'm hearing that Coffey's days are numbered. He's got as many days as the station is ranked. Should be around two weeks. tick tick tick tick tick...
 
That's sad...not that the station hasn't had a great run, but I suspect the whole team was "comfortable" (Lunker, F-Lane, Mark, and even JayC)....and I hope they have a decent shot at finding the next step; but these days that's ANYTHING but a sure deal. Any idea on whether those people have contracts that might be honored for awhile?

Even more significant ... do you know what KIRO-FM might be? Would be awesome if they do a hybrid ... music + news and make it like the old "Full Service" stations [have thought for a long time PLZ should become "KOMO-FM" but I don't see it in the cards]. Bonneville would be very smart to make a run at that first....

Of course no reason why all-talk KIRO-FM wouldn't succeed ... but throw a few tunes on there that other station's don't play that much (Corrine Bailey Rae, etc.) and I'd think they could OWN 25-54 in the drive times, at least. I'd even simulcast Ross in midday .... Dori, not so much!!!!
 
From what I've heard, KIRO-FM will be a simulcast of KIRO-AM. That's what Bonneville has done in other markets, most notably D.C., with success. I'm sure other changes will follow. They can't be happy with the numbers outside the morning news and Ross, and even those numbers aren't what they used to be.
 
Re: Demise of KBSG/KIRO-FM on it's way

Well, I have been a proponent for this scheme (KIRO AM/FM) for quite some time, thank you very much, and feel pretty vindicated. Not that we should feel good about what happened here with KBSG and some rolling heads. But we all must admit that the station has been sounding stale these past few years. However, there were and are larger strategic issues involved here. KIRO AM/FM will dominate the market for news now, as Bonneville is a super first-class operation, and very familiar with this market. I think you will find that KIRO AM/FM will be big promoters of news on HD radio, and along with KUOW-FM, revolutionize how information is obtained on HD Ibiquity Radio.
 
WTOP here in DC simulcasted for about 3 months until 'Washington Post Radio' took over 1500am (and a small Virginia FM). WTOP runs on 103.5 fm and 820am (Frederick, MD - about 40 miles from DC over what passes for hills here).

KTAR migrated to FM, leaving behind its copious play-by-play committment to the AM and a new sports/talk format.

IMHO, Moving KIRO lock, stock and Dori to FM as a straight simulcast is a good play. You lose the expenses of KBSG and gain a point or two in combined ratings. And in the long run, you pick up a new generation of listeners that has no idea what AM is, much less how to get there.
Maybe someday 710 morphs into something else. But I bet we'll see a simulcast for at least a couple of years.

RJ
 
It's clear that the "inside source" that started this discussion was not in the all-staff meeting recently where the Bonneville CEO Reese proclaimed emphatically that KBSG would not be switching to am FM simulcast of KIRO, and he said they were actively looking for another FM frequency to buy for that purpose.
 
Now if Bonneville could just strike some sort of deal with Fisher, they could put together a nice cluster in SEA (though they'd have to get rid of one of the AMs).

Where is 1st Broadcasting with the 104.5 build, anyway? No one has mentioned that in some time.
 
345palm said:
It's clear that the "inside source" that started this discussion was not in the all-staff meeting recently where the Bonneville CEO Reese proclaimed emphatically ... they were actively looking for another FM frequency to buy for that purpose.
Click to expand...

Why oh WHY didn't they buy 92.5 before those guys .... well, you know .....

Kind of surprised they didn't offer a wad of extra cash and pick up another FM from Entercom (esp. 107.7??)

I was listening to KBSG the last couple days and really like the up-tempo push they have given the station (in jock pacing, imaging, etc.). Still have same complaint (and it was ESPECIALLY true at KRTH where JayC came from) that with over 50 years of music we really DON'T HAVE TO REPEAT "The Letter", "Proud Mary", "Louie**2", etc. every 20-hours!!! So I wouldn't be the saddest camper if KBSG stays on air for awhile!!! In fact, if I were able to whisper anything around Eastlake, I'd suggest a phase of getting KIRO-AM solidly on its feet BEFORE initiating a simulcast. GOOD radio x2 would be highly preferable to AILING radio x2.
 
KBSG is an intersting case-study of oldies radio. IMHO, they never really had any compelling non-music elements, in fact, the music is what kept them alive. But, yes, after years and years of the same 300-350 songs, it was becoming a bit predictable and boring. It is a good example of "safe" programming, and for years they managed to hit their target demos just fine. But the 2007 reality is this format is dying.
Simple demographic shifts explain it. I used to believe the 35-64 demo was important due to their buying power. But ad buyers simply will not buy that premise and you can't fight that. So, good-bye KBSG. A good run while it lasted.
 
345palm said:
It's clear that the "inside source" that started this discussion was not in the all-staff meeting recently where the Bonneville CEO Reese proclaimed emphatically that KBSG would not be switching to am FM simulcast of KIRO, and he said they were actively looking for another FM frequency to buy for that purpose.
Click to expand...

I suppose this is a good opportunity to trot out that old joke about "The Three Great Lies in Radio":

1. We're not changing format.

2. We're not being sold.

3. Your job is safe.
 
Re: "It's clear that the "inside source" that started this discussion was not in the all-staff meeting recently where the Bonneville CEO Reese proclaimed emphatically that KBSG would not be switching to am FM simulcast of KIRO, and he said they were actively looking for another FM frequency to buy for that purpose"

Who needs to be in the meeting? Shark is right. I can see it now...

"Well we LOOKED for another frequency to buy...woops, couldn't find one. Hmmm, looks like we have 97.3...how convenient!"

Hate it when that happens.
 
Brother Love said:
Re: "It's clear that the "inside source" that started this discussion was not in the all-staff meeting recently where the Bonneville CEO Reese proclaimed emphatically that KBSG would not be switching to am FM simulcast of KIRO, and he said they were actively looking for another FM frequency to buy for that purpose"
Click to expand...

Now that's the most interesting peice of this whole puzzle. Now I wonder if Bonneville is buying First Broadcasting's new 104.5........if they can get to Cougar Mtn. Hmmm. 8)
 
I find it interesting (but that is all) that Talmage Ball (not sure I've got the first name spelled right), the corporate director of Engineering for Bonneville, picked up and moved to the Seattle area last year.
 
Does Coffey overplay My Guy ("four times a day...every day!")
like he did at KRTH, or was that an El Lay thing? From what I've read
in this thread, KBSG has a few of its own power rotation burnouts.

Also noticed he's on the program schedule doing evenings. Voicetracked,
I'm sure. How long since KBSG has had a live 7-12 jock?
 
Interesting that claims are being made about Bonneville, as far as saying they are not changing KBSG but then flipping it anyway. I suggest you speak to all the other stations in their chain. They will tell you that Bonneville does not do business that way. They establish a long term plan and then stick to that, giving the plan a chance to develop. Unlike most companies that want immediate results. They realize that it takes time to see if something works or not. They also shoot straight from the hip and don't feed you a line of BS. It is why many say they are the last great company in radio.
 
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