Or KLUV for that matter.
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I know ALT 103.7 (KVIL) hasn't ever had great ratings, but a 1.1?!?!?
- Thread starter victorres43
- Start date
KQRC, KISW, and KRXQ are long-time mainstays in their respective markets. I have yet to see a successful Active Rock or Mainstream Rock debut in a major market over the past few years or so. WCHI-FM in Chicago is barely registering in the ratings, let alone consistently even reaching the ratings WLUP had a decade back.
KLIF FM needs to go
KLIF FM needs to go
AllAccess had an interview with the Program Director of an Alt in Louisville experimenting with Active Rock right now. The answers are pretty interesting. Not to say that what’s being tried in Louisville, Kentucky would work in Dallas but with KEGL increasingly being music-unfriendly (even more after Russ Martin’s death, surprisingly), there could be an opening for Dallas rock music lovers here if KVIL wants to take it. Not go full Active Rock, but mix some of the songs in with Alternative. The ratings are bad already, there’s no harm in trying.
That’s a good idea
For reasons I discuss in an earlier post in this thread, the ratings took a nosedive right *after* KVIL moved in the direction you suggest -- active rock. That is the exact opposite direction they need to move.
They should be adding more AAA, work some acoustic stripped down versions of popular songs for variety, and add back some of the EDM they played the first year or so. In other words, become female friendly again.
Agreed.
Amen
If Audacy wanted to flip to Adult R&B, they would have done it by now. The issue is spending the money to flip it. Will they get the ROI. Is there enough money in the market for flip to make sense. Lets be frank....as signally challenged KRNB and KZMJ are, they have a loyal listener base. Does Audacy want to compete with that to make money work or not. Just having a Cedar Hill stick is part of the equation. Are they going to be personality focused or music focused? Who does mornings? Are they all on the bird or have someone in the studio? All I am saying do they want to spend the money to flip it and let D/FW know the Adult R&B KVIL 103.7 is the best. I would love to see them do it, but does local management want to do it.
I disagree. All one needs to do is look at the major market stations they own elsewhere where a format flip came out of left field after many months of terrible ratings with the prior format.
Now, I will say the recent programming hire is reason to believe the current format will be sticking around for a while, but it still would not surprise me if Alternative were to be abandoned by the second half of 2022.
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The station in question in Louisville has had anemic ratings for many, many months (Alt 105.1).
The station under prior ownership had a history of straddling the fence between Active Rock and Alternative. It earned better ratings back then (albeit still crappy numbers).
Alt 105.1 - as the station has been known under Alpha's ownership - is a cataclysmic ratings failure, frequently earning less than a 1 share in ages 6+. Funny how the All Access interview lacked questions regarding the station's abysmal ratings performance. Alpha steering the station in that feminine direction was absolutely the wrong move. Experimentation with a hybrid approach involving more rock airplay makes sense, especially since the market lacks an Active Rock outlet on analog FM. (93.1 The Fox flipped to hip-hop years ago.)
Frankly, I'm being generous by calling the current sound a "hybrid." There is still plenty of poppy music Rock listeners would find objectionable, and very little material that Alternative partisans would consider too rough & tumble. I think overall the station still sounds too wimpy.
The station under prior ownership had a history of straddling the fence between Active Rock and Alternative. It earned better ratings back then (albeit still crappy numbers).
Alt 105.1 - as the station has been known under Alpha's ownership - is a cataclysmic ratings failure, frequently earning less than a 1 share in ages 6+. Funny how the All Access interview lacked questions regarding the station's abysmal ratings performance. Alpha steering the station in that feminine direction was absolutely the wrong move. Experimentation with a hybrid approach involving more rock airplay makes sense, especially since the market lacks an Active Rock outlet on analog FM. (93.1 The Fox flipped to hip-hop years ago.)
Frankly, I'm being generous by calling the current sound a "hybrid." There is still plenty of poppy music Rock listeners would find objectionable, and very little material that Alternative partisans would consider too rough & tumble. I think overall the station still sounds too wimpy.
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KVIL should try and go active rock that way they can mix alternative rock to the playlist. KEGL needs to go all talk.
I think they're going to give the new music-intensive lineup a try before flipping the station. I think they are bringing Ian Camfield back and dropped the talk shows.And now...it looks like ALT is now back at 1.1! Barely beating KLIF (no, no that one), and lagging behind almost out-of-market signals like KBOC and KNOR.
Amazing work done by Audacy, the undisputed champions of American broadcast radio!
It has decent cume but that's all it has going for it right now.
Ian's been back on the air for the last couple of weeks.
I have read through all the posts. I suggest that if any change is coming to KVIL it must be matched to the assessed value of the signal. Based on that value there is a minimum income requirement. When determining the format, that format must produce a minimum income threshold to work.
The suggestion of Sports Talk and simulcasting all news or an untried format, one has to question the amount of additional income that can be produced by making such a change. The reality is news in southern cities as well as sports talk have little chance of generating the needed income to match the assessed value of KVIL's signal. Certainly an unproven format is very unlikely.
A form of Urban programming is possible but questionable because of the solid base of existing stations. The thinking is, if such a move is made how much of an investment is required to challenge these stations and reach a point where that investment pays off. For certain it would be a tough fight, persuading loyal listeners to a new station. Certainly it is an option but still a bit scary when it comes to 'explaining' to the money behind the company.
I am not saying there is an easy solution to a tough situation but what I am saying is any change had better have a proven path to the dollars needed to match the value of the frequency. If KRLD AM went to 103.7 how much more money would come in that is current lost from it only being on an AM signal? The same question must be asked for Sports Talk. I don't believe a simulcast is going to create that much income...would it maybe double or triple the current income from just being on AM. Taking on a new format or untried format could easily double or triple that income need because you must promote and change listening habits and that can take a good length of time losing money.
The suggestion of Sports Talk and simulcasting all news or an untried format, one has to question the amount of additional income that can be produced by making such a change. The reality is news in southern cities as well as sports talk have little chance of generating the needed income to match the assessed value of KVIL's signal. Certainly an unproven format is very unlikely.
A form of Urban programming is possible but questionable because of the solid base of existing stations. The thinking is, if such a move is made how much of an investment is required to challenge these stations and reach a point where that investment pays off. For certain it would be a tough fight, persuading loyal listeners to a new station. Certainly it is an option but still a bit scary when it comes to 'explaining' to the money behind the company.
I am not saying there is an easy solution to a tough situation but what I am saying is any change had better have a proven path to the dollars needed to match the value of the frequency. If KRLD AM went to 103.7 how much more money would come in that is current lost from it only being on an AM signal? The same question must be asked for Sports Talk. I don't believe a simulcast is going to create that much income...would it maybe double or triple the current income from just being on AM. Taking on a new format or untried format could easily double or triple that income need because you must promote and change listening habits and that can take a good length of time losing money.
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You make some good points, but it must be noted that KVIL only has one personality that is local to the market. Audacy probably won't lose as much money if it switched to a more popular music format.
Urban listeners may be more loyal, but that doesn't mean it's immune to drastic changes in ratings. V103 has been the #1 station in Atlanta, but even Majic 107.5/97.5, which isn't known to be "heritage", has overtaken them in market share. Majic 102.1 in Houston has slipped out of the Top 5 for a while now despite not facing a competitor. The Beat (92.3 and eventually 100.3) is no more in LA. The WGPR of old in Detroit has been long gone.
And if not an Urban AC on the frequency, why not Rhythmic Hot AC (if not Classic Hip-Hop)? It worked for Boston, a much whiter market than DFW. And Hot 96.9 has even beaten Jamn 94.5 in multiple books. Also check out Q100.5 in Las Vegas.
It's not so much about if the format will work but rather how much money you have to throw at it to make it work. I would think that amount would be quite substantial. I suspect if any change happens it will be the least costly option that has many proven track records. That is not to say KVIL's current format had many successful track records to show it would work in Dallas.
It could well be the lower cost of operation and non-traditional revenue makes the format the best option at this point. I have no inside info but I do know the first question asked is how does that make me money. And when you talk spending more money, that brick wall sure is hard to tear down. For example, let's take out of the air numbers: if a station is losing $25,000 a month and you want to change the format, it could take a few million dollars to get the station to the point of making enough to cover the debt. Investors tend to see their wallet as it is now versus what a promise says it could be even when proof is show by the success in other markets. That's just where radio is and has been for many years, Sadly there are many promises not kept for each one kept. Sure, spending a few million might pay off with many more million in coming years but that is speculation and many investors would bow out on that idea. They'd rather be a part of that station making millions already.
It could well be the lower cost of operation and non-traditional revenue makes the format the best option at this point. I have no inside info but I do know the first question asked is how does that make me money. And when you talk spending more money, that brick wall sure is hard to tear down. For example, let's take out of the air numbers: if a station is losing $25,000 a month and you want to change the format, it could take a few million dollars to get the station to the point of making enough to cover the debt. Investors tend to see their wallet as it is now versus what a promise says it could be even when proof is show by the success in other markets. That's just where radio is and has been for many years, Sadly there are many promises not kept for each one kept. Sure, spending a few million might pay off with many more million in coming years but that is speculation and many investors would bow out on that idea. They'd rather be a part of that station making millions already.
However, this combination did not work out for Audacy in San Francisco or Buffalo.
It's not very likely that ALT is making substantial revenue with low ratings and low cume. Dallas hasn't been an Alternative-loving market since The Edge moved out of 94.5, and The Eagle has been sagging in ratings as of late.
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