Given the latest ratings does KOMO have a chance to survive as a news (I guess news talk now) station? The year(s) after losing a pro sports franchise is always tough for a radio station's cash flow and now the ad market sucks. I'm sure KIRO can't count on a complete audience transfer when the 710 goes all sports, but it strikes me KOMO has done a pretty poor job of trying to take the news image away from KIRO, especially during the transition. Is it too late? How do you think either station will fare with PPM?
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Is KOMO Dead?
- Thread starter Fornax
- Start date
Fornax said:
If the results in other markets are any indication, all AM stations will take a beating with PPM measurement. The days of selling based on ratings for AM is over, unless of course its the only place one can find the two largest sports teams in a market.
KOMO can try and hang on to their aging audience on AM for the short run, or they can make the smart future-thinking move and take KOMO's news product to 101.5FM, then swap call letters and programming between KVI and KOMO-AM. The final results being: KOMO-FM News 101.5, KOMO-AM 570 (simulcast with KOMO-FM and KOMO-TV), and KVI 1000 right-wing and syndicated talk.
Interesting strategy for KOMO to simulcast on 101.5 FM. KIRO-FM would be outplayed up against an AM/FM combo. The one hitch in all of this is money. Bonneville seems committed to the news on FM concept and was willing to take the millions of dollars in revenue losses from blowing up KBSG because KBSG had been declining in ratings and revenue. Blowing up KPLZ is a different matter. KPLZ is a cash cow and ratings leader of the Fisher group. (KIRO was the ratings leader of the Bonneville group) KPLZ's 25-54 numbers, particularly female are very strong and will most likely grow in the PPM. It may be hard to blow it up in this economic environment though I never thought Bonneville would give up the millions in profit generated by KBSG either.
One other note. In December, post election, KOMO-AM beat the KIRO AM/FM combo for the month 25-54. KIRO FM news-talk did well during the election, but did not fare well against KOMO post election. Too few trends to tell whether this battle is really over, especially when it is just KIRO-FM against KOMO-AM.
Again, my persective is strictly radio sales and TVradioguru may have an inside track on programming and community benefits that Fisher might get from flipping KPLZ and having an AM/FM/TV news combo. Just seems unlikely in this economy.
One other note. In December, post election, KOMO-AM beat the KIRO AM/FM combo for the month 25-54. KIRO FM news-talk did well during the election, but did not fare well against KOMO post election. Too few trends to tell whether this battle is really over, especially when it is just KIRO-FM against KOMO-AM.
Again, my persective is strictly radio sales and TVradioguru may have an inside track on programming and community benefits that Fisher might get from flipping KPLZ and having an AM/FM/TV news combo. Just seems unlikely in this economy.
Any thoughts on what the KIRO-FM (only) share will be? And how do you see audience perception of KIRO -- as a news station likely to benefit from the shorter duration actual listening recorded by PPM -- or as a talk station that might be getting an exaggerated share of "votes" with the diary methodology?
A guess only, based on 14 other PPM Markets:
KIRO-AM sports will be the winner. Local morning sports, ESPN and Mariner numbers would have been big in the diary. In the PPM the sports numbers are even stronger. This will hurt KIRO-FM in afternoons and nights and also hurt KOMO-AM in afternoons and nights.
Morning drive will go to KOMO-AM. AM All news stations tend to do well in the PPM and KOMO mornings currently beats KIRO mornings on a four book and single book 25-54. KIRO-AM could be your morning winner if the Mariners or Seahawks do well.
9-3 will probably go to KIRO-FM. All news does not perform well in most markets in mid-day, nor does sports. Talk does not benefit from the PPM so non-music stations will be challenged mid-day. The heritage talk talent on KIRO will probably prevail mid-day especially in the upper demographics. KTTH and KVI will have serious challenges in the PPM.
So in the end the surprise winner may just be KIRO-AM. This is pure guesswork but an interesting challenge. Others?
KIRO-AM sports will be the winner. Local morning sports, ESPN and Mariner numbers would have been big in the diary. In the PPM the sports numbers are even stronger. This will hurt KIRO-FM in afternoons and nights and also hurt KOMO-AM in afternoons and nights.
Morning drive will go to KOMO-AM. AM All news stations tend to do well in the PPM and KOMO mornings currently beats KIRO mornings on a four book and single book 25-54. KIRO-AM could be your morning winner if the Mariners or Seahawks do well.
9-3 will probably go to KIRO-FM. All news does not perform well in most markets in mid-day, nor does sports. Talk does not benefit from the PPM so non-music stations will be challenged mid-day. The heritage talk talent on KIRO will probably prevail mid-day especially in the upper demographics. KTTH and KVI will have serious challenges in the PPM.
So in the end the surprise winner may just be KIRO-AM. This is pure guesswork but an interesting challenge. Others?
Interesting, what do you see in the PPM markets that suggests that local morning sportstalk or ESPN talk would be that strong? I see PXP hours doing much better in PPM than the diaries reflect, but I'm not sure I see the morning following, unless we were in the playoffs, which is not too likely with the M's and Seahawks.
Why do you think KOMO is not as successful against KIRO in PMD? PPM is showing in most markets that there is more listening Midday and PMD than we ever considered before. Or hasn't KOMO had enough time yet to reestablish PMD after the Mariners?
Why do you think KOMO is not as successful against KIRO in PMD? PPM is showing in most markets that there is more listening Midday and PMD than we ever considered before. Or hasn't KOMO had enough time yet to reestablish PMD after the Mariners?
What the PPM says is AM is dead 
Name me one AM station that went up 25-54 in any PPM market to date. Name me one news or Talk station on AM or FM that went up in the PPM to date :-X Play by play does go up but the sports stations that are going up are on FM :-\ Is KIRO had been smart they would have put sports on the FM like most markets are doing. Even in PDX sports was put on the FM :-\ The fact is PPM is much kinder to FM music stations so the ole topic about who will win KIRO-FM or KOMO-AM or KTTH or whatever is pointless. They are will be battling for tinee tiny piece of a sliver of silver haired folk that still listen to news or talk whatever the band or frequency. Cept for maybe Washington DC, nobody cares :-\ Even the legendary west coast newstalker KGO is sittin at around 15th 25-54. The FM talkers is a ton of markets are dyin
Is KOMO dead? No, but in the PPM news-talk outside of morning drive is :-\ Sad but true.
Name me one AM station that went up 25-54 in any PPM market to date. Name me one news or Talk station on AM or FM that went up in the PPM to date :-X Play by play does go up but the sports stations that are going up are on FM :-\ Is KIRO had been smart they would have put sports on the FM like most markets are doing. Even in PDX sports was put on the FM :-\ The fact is PPM is much kinder to FM music stations so the ole topic about who will win KIRO-FM or KOMO-AM or KTTH or whatever is pointless. They are will be battling for tinee tiny piece of a sliver of silver haired folk that still listen to news or talk whatever the band or frequency. Cept for maybe Washington DC, nobody cares :-\ Even the legendary west coast newstalker KGO is sittin at around 15th 25-54. The FM talkers is a ton of markets are dyin Is KOMO dead? No, but in the PPM news-talk outside of morning drive is :-\ Sad but true.
TakeItFromMe said:
Pointless? I don't think anybody is bringing about world peace on this board. I think Dan's point about the sports on 710 AM is interesting. The old "KIRO" always had sports at it's foundation. PxP sports gave the station a foundation when news was less than compelling. People will come to AM for PxP, at least in Seattle.
Now the FM is interesting. Yes, some FM talk stations are failing with PPM. Some of the stations I consider more news focused than talk have succeeded on FM. And I think WA DC is very important to study. For years that was the city to go to for a guaranteed "fail" in news or talk.
So, will KIRO FM alone respond more as an FM talker or a news station? And presuming Fisher doesn't want to blow up the cash cow FM what can they do strategically with the AM(s)?
And I have to add one note about KGO. Traditional powerhouse yes, but if you listen critically I think you'll agree they are programmed in a very old fashioned manner. In the past, they've responded to threats well, but now, owned by a penny-stock company, they might not have the resources to respond aggressively and avoid being picked apart by 1000 cuts.
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