Fact or Fiction

[TakeItFromMe]

This cowboy has noticed that threads seem more hostile than usual missing da FUN
So after sittin down with a cup o coffee and readin this week I did some chekcin and here a little ole game I call Fact or Fiction:

* KMCQ is on the air: FACT KMCQ will be a full market signal: FICTION KMCQ is sold: FICTION
Checked with our engineering staff and heres the 411. KMCQ is granted a license at 25K watts on a little ole hill near Covington. Bout the same signal pattern as the Funky Monkey. Station would like to move to Cougar but it ain't likely in the next few years cause of Canadian interference blocking a move from a Bellingham station YEEHAWWWW! South end signal.
Group of move in folks own it and gotta sell it. Bustos had an option but it expired so ya got a big ole pile of south end signal running on generator on a hill outside of Covington. Lump it with Funky Munkey, MIXX 96, KNBQ and the rest of the South End dead end FM's

* Sandusky to change Smooth Jazz to Oldies: FICTION
That was my idea. Smooth Jazz is shuttin down all over the country thanks to crappy PPM ratings. Even the pre-currency in West Coast markets ain't pretty. Smooth Jazz will probably blow up after the ole PPM arrives :-\

* More strife at the WOLF: FACT
More management changes and declining sales. WAITTTTT. That describes every station in Seattle these days. :'(

*KJR-FM on the move: FICTION
Clear Channel budgets are frozen. No hires, no research, no promotion outside of billboard trade. Wall street bettin the company is to be sold in pieces for more
than they paid for it Here's hopin the new operators spend some cash ;D

*KIRO to go all Sports: FACT
My buddy in Everett says KIRO stole their ESPN contract. Only question is whether they stay a simulcast and then split during games and at night. THE FM stays news/Talk during games and at night. The AM goes sports during Mariner, Seahawk and Sounder Games and at night with sports. Smart money says simulcast part of the time to save $$$$ 8)

*AC wins the PPM: FICTION
AC did not win in LA and is losin in pre-currency in Boston and other markets. AC, CHR, HOT-AC, ROCK appear to be doin better overall but it ain't aslam dunk. The big winner could still be COUNTRY since none of the big COuntry markets has the ole PPM we just don't know ???

Radio-info gettin Nasty: FaCT
This cowboy thinks that cuttin down radio brethern, and I done my share, ain't the way to go in 2009. We all gotta pull together cowboys or it could mean more layoffs. Look how many simulcasts or virtually autoMATED stations we have seen in the last couple o years. Remember when 96.5 had a full staff? 92.5 had a full staff? 95.7 had a full staff, 97.3 lost 19 bodies. Maybe more posts that are funny or at least look to the future. how bout it? :-[

 

[AQH]

*AC wins the PPM: FICTION
AC did not win in LA and is losin in pre-currency in Boston and other markets.

Then explain B-101 in Philadelphia and KODA in Houston, please.

AC, CHR, HOT-AC, ROCK appear to be doin better overall but it ain't aslam dunk. The big winner could still be COUNTRY since none of the big COuntry markets has the ole PPM we just don't know ???

Yeah, I guess Houston, market number six, and its three country stations isn't a good enough representation. :

 

[djdan]

Country did not do well in Houston but had been declining in the diary as well. Seattle is one of the strongest markets for country among the Top-20. It will be the biggest test for the format in the PPM. AC was not strong in LA and it is not doing well in Boston but those are the exceptions, not the rule. Still too few markets in to know for sure.

I believe KIRO is going all-sports after the first of the year with ESPN. KIRO FM will remain News/Talk. That is the word on the sales side.

KCMQ is a middling south end station at best right now.

Radio-info threads have been much nastier. Many of the more "out there" posters have moved on to other markets or other boards.

 

[Stephen_TheMCO]

* KMCQ is on the air:  FACT  KMCQ will be a full market signal:  FICTION  KMCQ is sold: FICTION
Checked with our engineering staff and heres the 411.  KMCQ is granted a license at 25K watts on a little ole hill near Covington.  Bout the same signal pattern as the Funky Monkey.  Station would like to move to Cougar but it ain't likely in the next few years cause of Canadian interference blocking a move from a Bellingham station  YEEHAWWWW!  South end signal.
Group of move in folks own it and gotta sell it.  Bustos had an option but it expired so ya got a big ole pile of south end signal running on generator on a hill outside of Covington.  Lump it with Funky Munkey, MIXX 96, KNBQ and the rest of the South End dead end FM's

Just as I said... KMCQ is stuck where it's at, for the forseeable future.  Nobody buying right now.  Might as well make do with what they have, and make as much money as they can with their current situation.  Their signal into Seattle is alot better than KFNK's, but just because it's further north.  If it was broadcasting from the same stick as KFNK, it would be the same signal.  It doesn't sound like the owners of KMCQ have any intention of turning off their transmitter until getting up to Cougar.  As for the commercial-free music going on at the station right now, they'll find advertisers eventually.   As for on-air staff, if they don't hire on any big-time people, probably a good time for those fresh out of college wanting a radio career, to watch the station for any job openings.  You'd be suprised just how many younger people like me enjoy older music that was around way before they were born, which is also why I think all these things about advertisers vs. oldies/classic hits formats are complete crap.  PPM could help that situation.  I've always hated "labels", and "demographics".  I've had many friends who had 97.3 secretly programmed into their radios (before they ditched oldies), among 93.3, 106.1, 107.7, and 101.5.   I think oldies is still a viable and fun format along with the right air staff, if it was given the chance.

And as i've said, getting a more-stable source of electricity up to Radio Hill would cost alot less money in the long run for KMCQ, than driving/flying up gasoline to the site for the generators, especially with the current cost of gas.

 

[Bongwater]

It always made me wonder if this was even worth dragging KMCQ out of The Dalles in the first place. If it had stayed there, KMCQ would still be making money, though not a massive profit by any means, it's still a hell of a lot more than what they're making now I'd guess.

I mean like, how many millions did it cost? And for every day of silence and red tape, how much was the daily projected loss? And now it's on the air with a 25,000 watt generator gas bill, how long can it wait for advertisers? What will be the cost to them? And what of the future? Radio is the great unknown, it may be a huge smash, it may be the biggest Spinal Tap of radio since KHIT. I mean, you'd think most investors would want something better (or at least slightly more tangible) than red balance sheets and spin after a while. Something's gotta give.....

Is it all written off as one huge tax break? I just don't understand how this has survived this long because any other business would either sink or bail out faster than a viper on speed. First Broadcasting either must have billions to burn or some damn patient investors - to say the least, I don't know WHAT'S kept this going for this long.....

 

[LITTLEBOYBLUE]

It always made me wonder if this was even worth dragging KMCQ out of The Dalles in the first place....

I think First just watches a lot of cable shows like "flip that house". The stations aren't about their value to the community as they are an asset that you can relocate, reface the counters, and flip for an X% profit. The fact that calls start with "K" or "W" doesn't even ENTER the equation as much as "flip price" - ("purchase price" + "investment cost") = "New Mercedes"