KABC and KLOS and NEWS?

[L Mays]

It appears that KABC may be hiring reporters and possibly anchors. They have been talking to some of the talent floating around since Merlin blew up its FM News experiment in Chicago and New York. A few of them have paid KABC a visit. KABC's TTN contract ends in a couple of months, but it could always be renewed. Funny thing about that, TTN is owned by Clear Channel.

KFI is still the powerhouse to be reckoned with. Best line up and radio news department in the state. No question.

KABC definitely has to do something with its horrific numbers; and KLOS will continue its slide into the abyss when Mark and Bryan hang it up. Maybe they'll put that captivating programming on AM and FM.

I've heard KABC will add a 4th person to its ground breaking morning show and turn it into a Morning Zoo. Not sure I believe that but I wouldn't put it past them.

 

[ccinsider]

Well, you know right before Cumulus' flagship All News 106.7 was launched in May, Lance Venta announced that AllNews955.com and AllNews1057.com had been registered . That seems to point to WLOS. It is currently redirecting to WYAY's site. If Cumulus makes decent profits in Atlanta, they could launch an LA clone with KABC news update personalities and maybe some people from KNX and do a partial simul with KABC.

 

[recto101]

Wouldn't KABC-FM or KLOS-FM if they go all-news on FM have to borrow people from Disney or Fox to contribute some content to the News and Information format like KGO-AM or WYAY-FM in Atlanta. But I do know that they have to separate themselves from KNX-AM and its that they would have to put emphasis on features the same way that KGO-AM would put more features in its news blocks to separate themselves from KCBS-AM/KFRC-FM in San Francisco. I know that KNX-Am is supposed to do more hard news for the LA market than KFWB or this new Cumulus Operation as far as I know.

 

[ercjncpr]

Can we puhleeeese STOP all of this nonsense about another all news station in LA. KNX is it, my friends, no matter how much you hate certain current formats and/or their owners.... the listeners, ratings, advertisers,and any other potential stake holders are NOT (I repeat) NOT going to support another full time news station in this market. No Way, No How, AINT-A GONNA HAPPEN!

Geez from all this continued talk about it, you'd think that KNX was running an extremely bad operation. What the hell is so wrong with 1070 that some on this board appear to almost be demanding that some other outlet try it.

 

[Doctah]

And don't forget, KPCC has a big news operation, and attracts a larger audience than KABC.

 

[LKellerIII]

And don't forget, KPCC has a big news operation, and attracts a larger audience than KABC.

Exactly. The local NPR affiliates have mostly sucked the wind out of any chance for multiple or FM commercial news stations. I live in the Bay Area. All News KCBS is an admirable commercial news station, and they are now simulcasting on FM. But between KQED and KALW, both non-commercial NPR affiliates, I have no reason to tune in KCBS and hear constant commercials.

Now that non-comm stations are tracked on Arbitron, KQED is usually near the top. In the most recent PPMs (12+), KQED is number two, following only first place KMEL (hip-hop). The KCBS simulcast is number 4. Cumulus's 'Kinda All News Except when we run Talk Shows' format on the once superior KGO is rated at about number 15. Why Cumulus would want to repeat a failed experiment in LA on 2 valuable frequencies is beyond me.

 

[recto101]

And don't forget, KPCC has a big news operation, and attracts a larger audience than KABC.

Exactly. The local NPR affiliates have mostly sucked the wind out of any chance for multiple or FM commercial news stations. I live in the Bay Area. All News KCBS is an admirable commercial news station, and they are now simulcasting on FM. But between KQED and KALW, both non-commercial NPR affiliates, I have no reason to tune in KCBS and hear constant commercials.

Now that non-comm stations are tracked on Arbitron, KQED is usually near the top. In the most recent PPMs (12+), KQED is number two, following only first place KMEL (hip-hop). The KCBS simulcast is number 4. Cumulus's 'Kinda All News Except when we run Talk Shows' format on the once superior KGO is rated at about number 15. Why Cumulus would want to repeat a failed experiment in LA on 2 valuable frequencies is beyond me.

http://www.kcrw.com/ Check out the NPR Station KCRW site for LA they also have an all-news feed but its web only. I guess the reason about this KLOS flip had something to do with the fact that LA is used to having 2 all-news stations like NYC has with WINS and WCBS. I don't know what KFWB's objectives were during their all-news days. I do understand that both KNX and KFWB were supposed to replace XTRA News around this time I do understand that KNX aimed for the entire southland with a 1-hour cycle of news but I'm not sure of KFWB's Demographics. But I do know that both WINS and KFWB were failed top 40 stations before they went all-news KFWB was killed off by 93KHJ and WINS-AM in NYC was killed off by WABC 770 AM in NYC. I know in the case of the WCBS Vs. WINS competition for all-news WINS is a 20-minute cycle aiming for the New Jersey and NYC area. and WCBS aimed for Long Island, Northern NYC suburbs and Connecticut with a 30-minute or 1 hour cycle of news.

 

[LKellerIII]

And don't forget, KPCC has a big news operation, and attracts a larger audience than KABC.

Exactly. The local NPR affiliates have mostly sucked the wind out of any chance for multiple or FM commercial news stations. I live in the Bay Area. All News KCBS is an admirable commercial news station, and they are now simulcasting on FM. But between KQED and KALW, both non-commercial NPR affiliates, I have no reason to tune in KCBS and hear constant commercials.

Now that non-comm stations are tracked on Arbitron, KQED is usually near the top. In the most recent PPMs (12+), KQED is number two, following only first place KMEL (hip-hop). The KCBS simulcast is number 4. Cumulus's 'Kinda All News Except when we run Talk Shows' format on the once superior KGO is rated at about number 15. Why Cumulus would want to repeat a failed experiment in LA on 2 valuable frequencies is beyond me.

http://www.kcrw.com/ Check out the NPR Station KCRW site for LA they also have an all-news feed but its web only. I guess the reason about this KLOS flip had something to do with the fact that LA is used to having 2 all-news stations like NYC has with WINS and WCBS. I don't know what KFWB's objectives were during their all-news days. I do understand that both KNX and KFWB were supposed to replace XTRA News around this time I do understand that KNX aimed for the entire southland with a 1-hour cycle of news but I'm not sure of KFWB's Demographics. But I do know that both WINS and KFWB were failed top 40 stations before they went all-news KFWB was killed off by 93KHJ and WINS-AM in NYC was killed off by WABC 770 AM in NYC. I know in the case of the WCBS Vs. WINS competition for all-news WINS is a 20-minute cycle aiming for the New Jersey and NYC area. and WCBS aimed for Long Island, Northern NYC suburbs and Connecticut with a 30-minute or 1 hour cycle of news.

Your facts are a little off. 93/KHJ put the hurt on both KRLA and KFWB, but the switch to news in 1968 was more about Westinghouse's wants and needs. IIRC, they already ran 2 All News stations (WINS and one in Philly, I think). KFWB was getting decent ratings with a personality based format that was kind of half-way between Top 40 and MOR. Being a teenager at the time, I can tell you that we all had 3 preset buttons - KHJ, KRLA, and KFWB, and they all got a share of our listening time.

But KFWB's glory days (the Chuck Blore days) were way behind it, and Westinghouse saw the potential in news. They were right. KFWB did great with news, often beating KNX, which was news most of the time, but still ran a lot of feature programming (cooking shows, variety shows, etc.). KFWB also used the 22 minute cycle, and the slogan, "Give us 22 minutes, and we'll give you the world."

If memory serves, XTRA News was a low-rent operation...just a rip-and read announcer, with few or no reporters in the field. XETRA changed formats almost immediately when KFWB went all news.

 

[recto101]

I do remember that KNX was more like Today's KGO-AM its that they had large news blocks with certain hours dedicated to something else. and I do know that KNX used to have late night radio from the CBS Archives from 1930's to 1950's even as far as the 1990's right when Infinity Broadcasting and VIacom came into play and took over CBS O&O's. Also I heard of Group W stations having better ratings in areas where they compete with flagship CBS all-news.

 

[ercjncpr]

I do remember that KNX was more like Today's KGO-AM its that they had large news blocks with certain hours dedicated to something else. and I do know that KNX used to have late night radio from the CBS Archives from 1930's to 1950's even as far as the 1990's right when Infinity Broadcasting and VIacom came into play and took over CBS O&O's. Also I heard of Group W stations having better ratings in areas where they compete with flagship CBS all-news.

That CBS archives stuff.....it was the KNX Drama Hour at 9pm every night, which was the replacement for the cancelled CBS Radio Mystery Theater beginning in 1983.

 

[michael hagerty]

KFWB was getting decent ratings with a personality based format that was kind of half-way between Top 40 and MOR.

Llew: Well, not really. By the fall 1967 book, KFWB was tied for 7th with a 5.0. That made them the lowest-rated of the "big" stations and only a point ahead of KFOX, KGFJ, KWIZ and XETRA. The flip to news made a huge difference. Fall 1968, they were #2 with an 11.0.