Is It Time For A New Format on KRNA?

[jrls4444]

KRNA's ratings are low. Is it time for Cumulus to pick up a new format? I personally think a talk format would serve the area well. What about moving i107.1 to 94.1? Or maybe Cumulus will put on their new CBS Sports Radio.

 

[Casey]

KRNA is really suffering for ratings, so it wouldn't be surprising. Cumulus likes CHR, so I would bet they would switch the i107.1 format to KRNA. KRQN will not be successful no matter what format they put on it. It had very limited success as a Classic Hits format. It just doesn't have the signal strength. KKHQ Q92.3 almost has a stronger signal in Cedar Rapids than i107.1. A talk format might work for KRNA, but I don't see Cumulus using a 100 KW station for talk. Same for sports. Just doesn't seem like a likely move for Cumulus. They could use KRQN for sports or talk however.

Something we have to keep in mind is that we don't have a Spanish station serving Cedar Rapids and Iowa City. That is a bit unusual. I don't think Cumulus is big on Spanish, but I think we will see a station in the market switch to Spanish in the next few years.

 

[Kent]

Something we have to keep in mind is that we don't have a Spanish station serving Cedar Rapids and Iowa City. That is a bit unusual. I don't think Cumulus is big on Spanish, but I think we will see a station in the market switch to Spanish in the next few years.

Cumulus runs regional Mexican in Northwest Arkansas on AM 1590. It's a region not unlike southeastern Iowa, though your area seems to be where NWA was 10-20 years ago. Northwest Arkansas saw an influx of Hispanics starting around 1990 because of the boom in the chicken industry. The former KQXK 1590 switched from a simulcast of its sister FM country station to the Z-Spanish network in '94.

The Hispanic population in Ottumwa was definitely noticeable around the Cargill plant when I visited there a couple months ago. However, I saw influence only. I didn't encounter any Hispanics at the Hy-Vee or Fareway. That's the way NWA was when I went to college there (Winter/Spring '94 was my first semester there). Now, when I go back to visit, I see them everywhere I go. They've definitely become much more assimilated, and the community isn't nearly as tightly-knit.

 

[jh]

Cedar Rapids doesn't have enough latinos to support a station. Didn't work in Sioux City with a much larger Spanish-speaking population; the audience was there, but the ad dollars weren't. If anyone would do it, it would be CC on 1360, and that's highly unlikely considering their experience in Sioux City. Best bet for Spanish would be time-brokered, somebody buys the airtime and sells their own spots.

Cumulus must be making money on KRNA despite the low ratings. The numbers are only for Linn County, they don't include Iowa City, so maybe KRNA has a big audience there? Or they have advertisers convinced there's a big audience in IC?

Of course, the big hole in the market is Hot AC, thanks to CC's dumb move to country on 96.5 But Cumulus is unlikely to put Hot AC on anything because it would hurt KDAT. Switching the CHR to 94.1 and putting talk or sports on 107.1 might make some sense. But KRNA has had bad ratings for a long time and they haven't changed it, so the ad dollars must be OK.

 

[ocmccormick]

Talk would be a waste. You have too many options for that in the market (600, 800, 910, 1040, 1540, 1630, 95.7).

A Variety Hits format wouldn't be a bad idea (Jack FM). Maybe syndicate the True Oldies Channel (although you have competition there in way of KMRY).

 

[stereolane]

I hope you are kidding. I would never work for Cumulus, but KRNA has to be one of the best sounding Active Rock stations I've heard in a very long time. ???