Rumor swirling that KABC/Cummulus will blow out KLOS personnel to compete with KFI.
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KABC FM? KLOS staff out the door?
- Thread starter Bug on the rug
- Start date
Bug on the rug said:
Cummulus has made some interesting moves to be sure, but KLOS still bills a nice amount of money.
If anything they may be looking to further cut costs on 95.5 and further reduce the staff.
KLOS may well bill double what KABC billed last year. So a KABC AM-FM would have to bill triple what KABC-AM billed just to break even on the revenue side. Not saying it won't happen...only that it will be tough to make it make financial sense.
I don't generally like to add to the rumor mill absent relevant facts, particularly for one I simply cannot believe to be true, but I'll indulge ngejust this one time.
So I am listening to the Sound at the gym this evening and at about 7:50 or so they play a short liner that says "It's okay to fall in love with the Sound. We won't change." We won't change? Do they know something we don't?
So I am listening to the Sound at the gym this evening and at about 7:50 or so they play a short liner that says "It's okay to fall in love with the Sound. We won't change." We won't change? Do they know something we don't?
If you haven't heard a good radio rumor by noon then you should be worried.
radiojomo said:
And hand the entire active rock format and demo to archrival CBS? Doubtful. If you were CBS, would you rather take a defensive position against KROQ or KSWD?
ChannelFlipper said:
Of course my rhetorical question was meant to say "If you were CC, would you rather take a defensive position against KROQ or KSWD?"
There, that's better.
It seems just about everybody on this board agrees that KABC's signal is a major handicap for 790 to regain the ratings and prestige of its glory days.
So, moving it to 95.5 or boosting the current AM signal could solve that.
However, when you think about the signal it's really an issue of quantity versus quality,
Moving KABC to 95.5 or boosting 790's signal will give it the quantity it needs to cover Southern California, but will the new signal be fill with quality, compelling and "stimulating" talk radio programming, or will KABC's new signal just be more of the same canned talked that has kept listeners away from KABC.
Surely if KABC were to appear on 95.5 (which I highly doubt will happen) there would be a ratings bump, but if it's more of the same who is going to keep listening?
For that matter would Clear Channel even bother flipping one of their FM's to KFI-FM?
So, moving it to 95.5 or boosting the current AM signal could solve that.
However, when you think about the signal it's really an issue of quantity versus quality,
Moving KABC to 95.5 or boosting 790's signal will give it the quantity it needs to cover Southern California, but will the new signal be fill with quality, compelling and "stimulating" talk radio programming, or will KABC's new signal just be more of the same canned talked that has kept listeners away from KABC.
Surely if KABC were to appear on 95.5 (which I highly doubt will happen) there would be a ratings bump, but if it's more of the same who is going to keep listening?
For that matter would Clear Channel even bother flipping one of their FM's to KFI-FM?
Well, I must have been irrational in my comment. I was just listing a possibility. But to be fair, let's do a little math.
If you're basing yourself off December's (non-holiday) numbers, hypothetically, The Sound + KLOS would be bumped up to a 4.4 share overall. If you do the same with KROQ and KYSR, you get a 4.9 share. Obviously, the alternative numbers are higher, but for how long? Alternative seems to be a format that is losing its appeal year after year, while a Classic Rock format can continually reinvent itself by adding a new decade of hits (such as the 90's) to its playlist. Alternative always has a problem in reinventing itself for fear of losing its money demographic.
If you're basing yourself off December's (non-holiday) numbers, hypothetically, The Sound + KLOS would be bumped up to a 4.4 share overall. If you do the same with KROQ and KYSR, you get a 4.9 share. Obviously, the alternative numbers are higher, but for how long? Alternative seems to be a format that is losing its appeal year after year, while a Classic Rock format can continually reinvent itself by adding a new decade of hits (such as the 90's) to its playlist. Alternative always has a problem in reinventing itself for fear of losing its money demographic.
L
lp
Guest
ChannelFlipper said:
There hasn't been an Active Rock station in LA since '97.
B
Big E
Guest
No matter what happens...if the "genius" Jack Silver continues to be in charge, KABC is going nowhere fast.
Anyone who remembers the early days of KROQ knows that it had a terrible signal. However, the programming was compelling enough that you sought it out. In OC back in the day, we would drive up to the top of a nearby hill to hear the latest sounds from Rodney on the Roq.
Doesn't matter if you've got 50,000 watts or 500. If your programming isn't compelling, who cares?
Doesn't matter if you've got 50,000 watts or 500. If your programming isn't compelling, who cares?
robnokshus06 said:
KROQ had about the same facilities and signal from its 1974 sign-on to 1988: 25.5 kw at 1600 feet HAAT. Then they went to 2000 feet and 5.6 kw as they are today. They got into the high 3 share to 4 share category as early as '82, and fell into averages of the low 3's for the 4 years following the change to more height and lower power.
KROQ has always been limited to some extent by its signal... even today it is definitely inferior to the Mt Wilson signals and to all the rest of the non-Wilson B's.
DavidEduardo said:
I checked and the prior site was Flint Peak, a somewhat better site. And they had more power. They had a mediocre installation at Flint, but it met FCC requirements. They moved to Verdugo as it was cheaper to be at the KROQ AM site than to rent at Flint. It was not a move to improve the signal.
I keep thinking KABC will simulcast on 95.5 using a mixture of hosts from KABC and KLOS -- e.g., Mark & Brian in the mornings, Sean Hannity middays, etc. However, letting go of KLOS' current billings might be too risky, especially given KABC-AM's futile content.
Another way to do it would be to gradually add more talk content to KLOS, starting right after Mark & Brian, and let KLOS evolve, rather than flip, to talk. Perhaps that would protect their current billings while they attempt to add to them as they evolve to talk.
Another way to do it would be to gradually add more talk content to KLOS, starting right after Mark & Brian, and let KLOS evolve, rather than flip, to talk. Perhaps that would protect their current billings while they attempt to add to them as they evolve to talk.
AM FM listener said:
It's amazing how many people want to put a station on FM that couldn't draw flies on its own.
People, the concept works like this: Successful AM stations are rewarded for their success and are moved to FM to fully maximize (read:monetize) that success. Unsuccessful AM stations are left to wither and die a slow death, staying on only as long as any positive cash flow can be obtained. Replacing a successful FM station with a dying AM one is not in anybody's playbook because nobody is in the business of throwing millions of dollars of solid revenues away to take a chance on a longshot. Saul himself wouldn't entertain such a crazy idea.
Hey all you KABC-to-FM guys, what do you think Cumulus will do with the AM signal once they move KABC to FM (thereby creating two loser frequencies for themselves)? There is nothing left for 790 unless it is brokered ethnic. I doubt Cumulus bought the station to immediately lease it back out? Can we put an end to this nonsense now?
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