Does promo wording indicate an upcoming KFI-FM simulcast?

[henry]

Having written a few promos in my day, I can't help but notice ...

Since the dawn of time, KFI has always tagged every promo with "KFI AM 640 - More Stimulating Talk Radio." Recently, I have been hearing several promos, typically those with a more evergreen shelf life, are now tagging "KFI ... More Stimulating Talk Radio."

Where's the "AM 640" part?

It makes me wonder: KFBK used to tag "Newstalk 1530 KFBK." But to add the FM to the wording, they've inverted the phasing to say "KFBK Newstalk 92.5 FM and and AM 1530," which I imagine will conclude with a simple "KFBK Newstalk" branding.

Is Burbank heading the same direction?

I could be WAY off track here. I personally struggle to see how blowing up an FM benefits Clear Channel when 640 already makes oodles of money, and there isn't any specific "under-performing" station to flip. But I can't help but notice the promos ...

Thoughts?

 

[ercjncpr]

Having written a few promos in my day, I can't help but notice ...

Since the dawn of time, KFI has always tagged every promo with "KFI AM 640 - More Stimulating Talk Radio." Recently, I have been hearing several promos, typically those with a more evergreen shelf life, are now tagging "KFI ... More Stimulating Talk Radio."

Where's the "AM 640" part?

It makes me wonder: KFBK used to tag "Newstalk 1530 KFBK." But to add the FM to the wording, they've inverted the phasing to say "KFBK Newstalk 92.5 FM and and AM 1530," which I imagine will conclude with a simple "KFBK Newstalk" branding.

Is Burbank heading the same direction?

I could be WAY off track here. I personally struggle to see how blowing up an FM benefits Clear Channel when 640 already makes oodles of money, and there isn't any specific "under-performing" station to flip. But I can't help but notice the promos ...

Thoughts?

Not enough evidence to support going to trial on this one, counselor

 

[ChannelFlipper]

The prediction will come true. Eventually. But I bet the strength of KHHT has even surprised the CC brass, and unlike other markets, there is no "underperformer" on their FM Band here in LA in spite of having five full-strength stations. It's good to be king and CC knows it.

Maybe as an interim step, they can put KTLK out of its misery and simulcast there. Couldn't hurt.

 

[henry]

Too bad K-Talk isn't an FM stick. CC would flip it tonight!

About four or five years ago, I could've seen CC throwing away KBIG and putting KFI on 104.3. But MyFM is doing quite well. So is 98-7. And, as you mention, even lil' Hot 92.3 is making good money. What else is there left to flip? It'd be financially suicidal to touch KOST or KIIS, naturally.

Still ... something seems wonky with the promos.

 

[Bongwater]

Having written a few promos in my day, I can't help but notice ...

Since the dawn of time, KFI has always tagged every promo with "KFI AM 640 - More Stimulating Talk Radio." Recently, I have been hearing several promos, typically those with a more evergreen shelf life, are now tagging "KFI ... More Stimulating Talk Radio."

Where's the "AM 640" part?

It's likely in these days of trendy FM simulcasting of news/talk radio that maybe it's not cool to even mention you're just an AM anymore (unless somebody directly asks.) Even if you're one of the most successful AM outlets remaining.

I think it's because a lot of people now EXPECT their news/talk stations to be on FM and if there is no FM frequency to be had anywhere locally, the next best thing is to toss all mention of AM overboard.

Right or wrong, that's just my hunch......

 

[wdb2003]

Too bad K-Talk isn't an FM stick. CC would flip it tonight!

About four or five years ago, I could've seen CC throwing away KBIG and putting KFI on 104.3. But MyFM is doing quite well. So is 98-7. And, as you mention, even lil' Hot 92.3 is making good money. What else is there left to flip? It'd be financially suicidal to touch KOST or KIIS, naturally.

Still ... something seems wonky with the promos.

I wouldnt miss MYFM at all if KFI moved to 104.3FM. KBIG is long dead and the signal is perfect for News. CBS can fill the void with Hot/AC if they wanted.

 

[LKellerIII]

This was a quarter century ago in the Bay Area, but I recall that in the last few years of rock music on KFRC (610 AM) in 1985-86 - the frequency was never EVER mentioned - on air, or in advertising. It was just "KFRC," period.

AM was uncool with their target audience, and I guess they figured people would find the station.

 

[henry]

But in a PPM world, aren't most stations going the other direction?

My local Clear Channel CHR often drops the "ZHT" off it's traditional 97.1 ZHT name, leaving the jocks to just say "97.1." The name seems less important than ever now that diaries are gone.

Maybe you're onto something ... the term "AM" scares off younger demos? Doesn't make a lot of sense, considering my car radio display clearly reads "AM 640" --- quite a stark reminder. ???

 

[davideduardo]

I wouldnt miss MYFM at all if KFI moved to 104.3FM. KBIG is long dead and the signal is perfect for News. CBS can fill the void with Hot/AC if they wanted.

My may not by your choice, but it's the 6th highest biller in the market and the 12th highest biller in the US. I doubt they would flip it, considering that both KYSR and KHHT bill considerably less.

 

[DJBigOne]

It makes me wonder: KFBK used to tag "Newstalk 1530 KFBK." But to add the FM to the wording, they've inverted the phasing to say "KFBK Newstalk 92.5 FM and and AM 1530," which I imagine will conclude with a simple "KFBK Newstalk" branding.

Is Burbank heading the same direction?

Considering CC tends to make moves in more than one market, it could happen in L.A.

Out of curiousity, I looked at the "MY" website in Sacramento (my925radio.com). It redirects to the kfbk.com website. A google search for KFBK-FM:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KFBK-FM

The result? Probably an FCC request for call sign change form KGBY to KFBK-FM...if it hasn't already been filed. 8)

 

[calguy]

It's inevitable. A memo went out months ago to AM staff to start watching their levels in prep for an FM simulcast that could happen at any time. That was months ago, so no decision to add an FM just yet, but you know it will happen...

 

[ChannelFlipper]

It's inevitable. A memo went out months ago to AM staff to start watching their levels in prep for an FM simulcast that could happen at any time. That was months ago, so no decision to add an FM just yet, but you know it will happen...

Calguy,

I'm not sure I understand what you mean by "watch their levels"?

 

[henry]

Since AM is a "narrower" band than FM, most radio stations hammer the signal to death with audio compression. It doesn't matter if the mic is potted up to the board at -15dB or +10dB. It doesn't matter if the talk host is whispering or shouting into the mic --- the compression squishes it to death and everything sounds about the same.

FM is a "wider" band, and since most FM stations play music you really don't want to squish the audio as much. So FM stations have softer, more natural compression. I once worked for an FM classical music station that had nearly NO compression, and we'd have to be very careful for our mic levels.

Board op on FM: Watch your audio levels very carefully and keep adjusting levels obsessively.
Board op on AM: Flip on the mics and walk out into the lobby for a snack.

 

[semoochie]

This is Radio 101. The idea has just gotten lost in the shuffle.

 

[radiojomo]

It's inevitable.  A memo went out months ago to AM staff to start watching their levels in prep for an FM simulcast that could happen at any time.  That was months ago, so no decision to add an FM just yet, but you know it will happen...

If KFI is going to simulcast, they must do it VERY VERY SOON. It's getting to election season, which equals BIG POLITICAL ADVERTISING BUCKS and a wider audience listening to KFI.

I'm sure CC is starting to do research on if KFI on FM would be effective and the blow up of which FM station would cause the least damage. My vote is for 98-7 because Hot seems like a valuable asset, being the only Rhythmic AC in a fairly Urban town. The target coverage area for Hot fits perfectly with KYSR, so Hot can easily move to 98.7 and KFI can launch on 92.3.

 

[radioresearcher]

It's inevitable. A memo went out months ago to AM staff to start watching their levels in prep for an FM simulcast that could happen at any time. That was months ago, so no decision to add an FM just yet, but you know it will happen...

If KFI is going to simulcast, they must do it VERY VERY SOON. It's getting to election season, which equals BIG POLITICAL ADVERTISING BUCKS and a wider audience listening to KFI.

I'm sure CC is starting to do research on if KFI on FM would be effective and the blow up of which FM station would cause the least damage. My vote is for 98-7 because Hot seems like a valuable asset, being the only Rhythmic AC in a fairly Urban town. The target coverage area for Hot fits perfectly with KYSR, so Hot can easily move to 98.7 and KFI can launch on 92.3.

Figuring KYSR does $25 million in revenue (and say $10 million) in cash flow, does anyone think KFI-FM can go to $65 mil to draw another $10 min BCF. I don't buy it and blowing up 98-7 moves KROQ up the rankers and KOST and KBIG likely down. KFI doesn't need to move to FM.

 

[SimiRadioListener26]

Since AM is a "narrower" band than FM, most radio stations hammer the signal to death with audio compression. It doesn't matter if the mic is potted up to the board at -15dB or +10dB. It doesn't matter if the talk host is whispering or shouting into the mic --- the compression squishes it to death and everything sounds about the same.

FM is a "wider" band, and since most FM stations play music you really don't want to squish the audio as much. So FM stations have softer, more natural compression. I once worked for an FM classical music station that had nearly NO compression, and we'd have to be very careful for our mic levels.

Board op on FM: Watch your audio levels very carefully and keep adjusting levels obsessively.
Board op on AM: Flip on the mics and walk out into the lobby for a snack.

The KFI podcasts leave in the station promos, which are always way louder than the rest of the audio so that I have to keep adjusting my volume. So I'm guessing there's no compression there, yet you say it's heavily compressed when it comes out my AM speaker and I believe you. Is there like a separate filter that it goes through before it goes out over the air? (I have very little knowledge of audio and broadcasting.)

 

[michael hagerty]

Since AM is a "narrower" band than FM, most radio stations hammer the signal to death with audio compression. It doesn't matter if the mic is potted up to the board at -15dB or +10dB. It doesn't matter if the talk host is whispering or shouting into the mic --- the compression squishes it to death and everything sounds about the same.

FM is a "wider" band, and since most FM stations play music you really don't want to squish the audio as much. So FM stations have softer, more natural compression. I once worked for an FM classical music station that had nearly NO compression, and we'd have to be very careful for our mic levels.

Board op on FM: Watch your audio levels very carefully and keep adjusting levels obsessively.
Board op on AM: Flip on the mics and walk out into the lobby for a snack.

The KFI podcasts leave in the station promos, which are always way louder than the rest of the audio so that I have to keep adjusting my volume. So I'm guessing there's no compression there, yet you say it's heavily compressed when it comes out my AM speaker and I believe you. Is there like a separate filter that it goes through before it goes out over the air? (I have very little knowledge of audio and broadcasting.)

Audio processing (which breaks the sound up into multiple bands, like a graphic equalizer, then applies compression and peak limiting...making all sounds roughly the same volume), is usually done at the transmitter or just before the STL (studio-transmitter link, which sends the audio from the studio to the transmitter). Any use of the signal other than over the air (online, telephone hold), gets an unprocessed signal, with no compensation for fluctuations in audio levels (volume).

 

[calguy]

At most stations you have a separate mic chain that is processed (compressed & eq'd) that is fed into the main audio chain. It's usually processed again at the transmitter. As for streaming, most stations separate the spots from the on-air audio to appease the union. For some it's a lot like your cable company substituting their local spots and they're usually at the wrong levels and can appear even louder than the regular commercials.