K-G-Oh my gawd!

[kirksan]

The only thing, and I mean the ONLY thing terrestrial radio has going for it is "live and local". That's it. Take that away and local radio simply can't compete with the internet.

This is where Cumulus, Clear Channel, etc are failing. As they consolidate stations, play syndicated shows and time shift shows they're losing both the live and the local advantages.

 

[kirksan]

Cell phones. I have a friend who docks his iPhone in his car and the thing plays internet streams through his car radio speakers. This is the bee's knees in audio/radio these days.

This! I can stream via either a cable or bluetooth in my car. In fact, I can be listening to a stream on my headphones, get in my car and the audio automatically (usually) switches to bluetooth as soon as I turn the car on. It's a little glitchy, hence the "usually", but for the most part it works well. If I need to charge my phone I just plug it in, for some reason the audio doesn't switch without me pressing two buttons, but it still works well.

The only problem I have is Internet dropouts. Even if they're brief I've found several streaming apps don't deal with this well and I have to fumble with my phone to restart the stream, not the best situation when driving. Still, Internet dropouts are rare enough in the bay area; rural areas are another matter, as has already been mentioned on this thread.

 

[Bongwater]

There's a LOT of technical bugs to work out yet and I didn't say traditional terrestrial radio is DEAD.....Yet.

But right now, I can't hear very much over the Grim Reaper sharpening his scythe (sounds like I-BUZZ) either.

In a few years, data plan rates will drop significantly and coverage will be vastly improved (although there will always be Twilight Zone pockets where NOTHING comes in) and today's terrestrial radio listeners will begin switching over en masse to their smartphones and other devices. It's inevitable.

Right now, most people in general don't know HOW simple it really is to do it yet. No front USB/AUX inputs? Connectivity is possible in ANYTHING with a standard FM radio - no need for any other upgrade than your data plan and maybe your cell phone or other device. Even a CD/Cassette adapter will work in really old stereos.

That's why terrestrial radio should not DARE to push even the hopelessly washed up niche listeners like Smooth Jazz away.

Because I can't think of better promotion for mobile streaming than wiping an entire genre of loyal and older listeners (the kind that were once fiercely dedicated to traditional radio) off terrestrial radio airwaves and sending them online.

Bad move.

They WILL tell their friends. And show them how to connect. Because they can. And no terrestrial radio conglomerate is going to force feed them something they don't want to hear (It's 2012. Who do the terrestrial radio conglomerates think they are? Relevant?)

And no matter what the latest PPM trend is, it's not even going to matter in a few years.

And once they lost them this way, they're really not going to come back for anything else but a traffic/news report. Or maybe a sports game. And by the way, there is only so much room for all talk programming on FM......

 

[recto101]

We Need AM/FM for now when the next quake like 6.7-7.X hits according to a USGS manual
Preparing for a quake. We need that so emergency information can spread quickly. But look remember in 1989 KCBS was the primary station to get info when Loma Prieta hit. However when the next quake hits San Francisco or San Fernando Valley everybody will turn to the smart phone first even though Verizon and AT&T says the cell towers will be down and will take 72 hours to fix every Cell phone transmitter in the area. I do remember seeing pictures when KGO 810 antenna fell down in the Loma Prieta Quake.

 

[NoMoreLurking]

January 2012: KGO is up ever so slightly by "Oh-my-gawd-point-one" (0.1) to a 2.9. In 6+ share they're 14th; in 6+ cume they rank 22nd.

 

[nitnitr]

January 2012: KGO is up ever so slightly by "Oh-my-gawd-point-one" (0.1) to a 2.9. In 6+ share they're 14th; in 6+ cume they rank 22nd.

Was interested in that. Only saw the top 5 in the market for January. KCBS topped KQED by a half share, followed by KYLD by more than two shares behind, then KMVQ, KMEL and KOIT.

News still dominates the market more often than not, and KGO is missing the boat, in my opinion. With the right amount of local news, weather and traffic, and bringing in some talent that works locally, talking specifically to the SF market, it could make a run at the top.

As I see it now, probably not heading that direction, as the cost cutters in the powers that be, are looking to save a few bucks and just be mediocre in the market. Too bad! We'll see as time moves on, as I said in a recent post though. Let's see where KGO is in 6 months and a year in the market, now that huge changes have been made. If they are still in mediocre land, then they made the wrong decisions with this station. If not, and do pull some better numbers, then my bad, and more power to them.

I still think they made some very bad decisions in the past couple of years.

 

[jussomeguy]

I see Cumuloss hasn't bothered with new mic flags yet.

Image? What image?

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/objec...s/2012/02/24/ba-mirkarimi25_SFC0107063383.jpg

 

[LKellerIII]

I see Cumuloss hasn't bothered with new mic flags yet.

Image? What image?

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/objec...s/2012/02/24/ba-mirkarimi25_SFC0107063383.jpg

Am i missing something? the mic flag says KGO AM 810. That's still what they are, right?

This is nothing new, anyway. When NBC3...I mean NBC11....I mean NBC Bay Area kept re- branding, there was major mic- flag and logo confusion for months.

Pac Bell...SBC...AT&T...same thing...only without the mic flags.

 

[loukip]

I see Cumuloss hasn't bothered with new mic flags yet.

Image? What image?

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/objec...s/2012/02/24/ba-mirkarimi25_SFC0107063383.jpg

Am i missing something? the mic flag says KGO AM 810. That's still what they are, right?

This is nothing new, anyway. When NBC3...I mean NBC11....I mean NBC Bay Area kept re- branding, there was major mic- flag and logo confusion for months.

Pac Bell...SBC...AT&T...same thing...only without the mic flags.

I think what the original poster referred to was the "NEWSTALK" in the bar between "KGO" and "AM 810." If you look really hard, you can see it. Perhaps on the other side of the flag, it reads "* - NOW ONLY ON WEEKENDS."

 

[DavidKaye]

I think what the original poster referred to was the "NEWSTALK" in the bar between "KGO" and "AM 810." If you look really hard, you can see it. Perhaps on the other side of the flag, it reads "* - NOW ONLY ON WEEKENDS."

Notice how quickly Clear Channel jumped on the slogan "News/Talk" for KKSF 910. That's genius.

 

[LKellerIII]

January 2012: KGO is up ever so slightly by "Oh-my-gawd-point-one" (0.1) to a 2.9. In 6+ share they're 14th; in 6+ cume they rank 22nd.

News still dominates the market more often than not, and KGO is missing the boat, in my opinion. With the right amount of local news, weather and traffic, and bringing in some talent that works locally, talking specifically to the SF market, it could make a run at the top.

I still think they made some very bad decisions in the past couple of years.

Agreed that Cumulus (and Citadel before that) made bad decisions, but I disagree that KGO could make a "run for the top" if they tweaked it.

First, KCBS is a 40+ year habit with people in the Bay Area, and I don't know anybody that was dissatisfied with it. And KCBS now has the advantage of an FM simulcast.

Second, KQED has the resources and the long-form presentation of NPR, and no commercials.

I don't see any room for an AM only commercial news station to take a significant portion of the news audience.

Personally, I'm so spoiled by NPR that I can only stand to listen to a commercial news station for more than a few minutes, and only on rare occasions - like when I want breaking news on the weekends, and KQED is running Prairie Home Companion or something similar. The commercial load on KCBS (like KNX, WINS, or whatever) is atrocious. I know that All News is an expensive format so they need to run more commercials to make a profit. But that doesn't mean I have to tolerate it when I have multiple better alternatives (KQED + KALW).

So if I barely even need KCBS, what the hell do I need All News KGO for?

 

[54]

FWIW, I'm probably an anomaly, but I have changed my listening habits from solid 100% KGO to pretty much all KNBR now. While I'm not a huge sports fan, I do follow the local teams a bit, and I missed the entertainment value I got from the comments of the host and callers. In my work, I'm in and out of a truck all day.

What I was really surprised to find, was how hilarious the hosts are! Has the format change with KGO helped KNBR? My only regret is that they are a Cumulus station...

 

[1069_KIFR]

54, Where Are You?!

 

[recto101]

January 2012: KGO is up ever so slightly by "Oh-my-gawd-point-one" (0.1) to a 2.9. In 6+ share they're 14th; in 6+ cume they rank 22nd.

News still dominates the market more often than not, and KGO is missing the boat, in my opinion. With the right amount of local news, weather and traffic, and bringing in some talent that works locally, talking specifically to the SF market, it could make a run at the top.

I still think they made some very bad decisions in the past couple of years.

Agreed that Cumulus (and Citadel before that) made bad decisions, but I disagree that KGO could make a "run for the top" if they tweaked it.

First, KCBS is a 40+ year habit with people in the Bay Area, and I don't know anybody that was dissatisfied with it. And KCBS now has the advantage of an FM simulcast.

Second, KQED has the resources and the long-form presentation of NPR, and no commercials.

I don't see any room for an AM only commercial news station to take a significant portion of the news audience.

Personally, I'm so spoiled by NPR that I can only stand to listen to a commercial news station for more than a few minutes, and only on rare occasions - like when I want breaking news on the weekends, and KQED is running Prairie Home Companion or something similar. The commercial load on KCBS (like KNX, WINS, or whatever) is atrocious. I know that All News is an expensive format so they need to run more commercials to make a profit. But that doesn't mean I have to tolerate it when I have multiple better alternatives (KQED + KALW).

So if I barely even need KCBS, what the hell do I need All News KGO for?

If your in San Jose Why do you need KGO for when you can get all-news on KLIV.

 

[recto101]

FWIW, I'm probably an anomaly, but I have changed my listening habits from solid 100% KGO to pretty much all KNBR now. While I'm not a huge sports fan, I do follow the local teams a bit, and I missed the entertainment value I got from the comments of the host and callers. In my work, I'm in and out of a truck all day.

What I was really surprised to find, was how hilarious the hosts are! Has the format change with KGO helped KNBR? My only regret is that they are a Cumulus station...

Hey look at KGO and KNBR they were once owned by NBC in the 1930's to World War II.

 

[1069_KIFR]

Hey look at KGO and KNBR they were once owned by NBC in the 1930's to World War II.

And there lies the root of the problem!

 

[davideduardo]

Hey look at KGO and KNBR they were once owned by NBC in the 1930's to World War II.

KNBR was not sold by NBC until 1989. KGO had to be sold as part of the separation of the NBC Red and Blue networks by order of the government... guess what network was created by that transaction?

 

[recto101]

Hey look at KGO and KNBR they were once owned by NBC in the 1930's to World War II.

KNBR was not sold by NBC until 1989. KGO had to be sold as part of the separation of the NBC Red and Blue networks by order of the government... guess what network was created by that transaction?

ABC