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KABG, KOBQ ratings slide

W

wastedtalent23

It's the worst of times for these two once-solid stations. For Big 98.5, after a 5.0 in October, they have fallen to a 4.6, 4.0, 3.1, and now a 2.9. What is behind this terrible skid? A 5 share is usually good for top-5 in the market and now they are sitting at #12. KDRF and KOLZ would be their closest competitors and they are not exactly knocking it out of the park. It's the lowest that I remember seeing them in years.

As for The Q, the re-branding is what I think has killed them. Losing legendary call letters can make a big difference. They used to pull a solid 4 share consistently as KKOB, 93.3 KOB-FM. Now they have a weak, dated moniker and no real identity. The staff has remained the same but since the re-branding, they are getting their butts kicked by KPEK and KKSS, the latter is enjoying their best ratings in a few years.

Any comments?
 
It does look pretty bad for both of them. As I haven’t listened in awhile, I couldn’t tell you if either has experienced a significant change in sound or on-air product.

While I don't generally subscribe to “rebranding kills stations,” I do wonder if it didn’t cause some confusion for 93.3’s audience. After all, Albuquerque is still a diary market, and I wonder how many of its listeners are still writing down KKOB-FM or KOB-FM. Replacing a heritage brand always takes time, and that may well have been complicated by KKOB-FM going to 96.3.

Something else to keep in mind is that Albuquerque has been a wobbly market for a long time. Buys are rarely made on a single survey period. I've also heard Albuquerque tends to have a lot more local direct buys than most markets its size. Those buyers are less likely to care about numbers when they buy, though the big players in the market still sell them. Albuquerque also has the most stations per capita, or at least did in the 90’s. So, the top rated stations aren’t going to rate as highly as one might expect, and a normal variation in survey composition can affect the numbers from one survey period to the next more than one might expect.
 
Kent said:
While I don't generally subscribe to “rebranding kills stations,” I do wonder if it didn’t cause some confusion for 93.3’s audience. After all, Albuquerque is still a diary market, and I wonder how many of its listeners are still writing down KKOB-FM or KOB-FM. Replacing a heritage brand always takes time, and that may well have been complicated by KKOB-FM going to 96.3.
Click to expand...
If it would have been my decision, I would have simulcasted the CHR format on 93.3 and 96.3 for at least a couple of weeks, keep the call letters KKOB-FM on 93.3, then simulcast news/talk on 770 and 93.3, and launch a new CHR on 96.3. It would be fresh, new and exciting(if they did it right), and much less confusing. The signals 93.3 and 96.3 are basically the same.
 
KDRF jumped back into the top 10, but that doesn't quite explain why KABG has been dropping the last few months. KMGA also switched to a more gold-based AC which could a factor but their numbers are dropping too. Maybe there is just fatigue right now with all the 80s songs played on several stations. But their numbers will likely go back up eventually.

Aside from renaming, 93.3 is still basically the same station it was in recent years. There does not appear to be any CHR decline in other diary markets so this may be a local issue. They have always been behind KKSS but right now they are waaayy behind. But I wonder if shifting 93.3 to rhythmic and going head-on with KKSS would be a good idea or not? It seems very hard to take on KKSS since it is very established. But at least for now mainstream CHR is not doing that great locally, but maybe that could change over time.

It's funny to think if 96.3 is getting much younger than usual numbers if listeners still write "KOB-FM" in the diaries! However KKOB has done slightly better with the 96.3 simulcast, but now they have to deal with the loss of Rush Limbaugh which had been their longest running program. I think Cumulus has a new host lined up for their stations next month. I don't know if they will be required to carry that show or if they could maybe go local in that time slot. I guess we'll have to see what happens and if they can hang on to their numbers post-Rush.

The most impressive would be KHFM. It was not that long ago that they were at nearly a 1.0 and now they are in the top 10 with mid-3s which is very good for that signal.

La Zeta is slowly moving up but still behind KRZY and KLVO and what happened to Fuego 102.9? They are not listed anymore while the other AGM stations are. The Vanguard stations are all out of the top 20 with the Oasis falling to a 1.6. 101.3 might prove that the 90s could be a problem for the classic hits format. It's a bold move but doesn't appear to be going anywhere right now.
 
I went and looked at the ratings after reading this thread. KHFM seems to point to an answer to the question as to whether it is better to have 10% of 90% of the market or whether it is better to have 100% of 10% of the market. I was also surprised, or maybe not considering the rest of the country, at how well KANW, and KUNM are doing.
 
I've always found the numbers for KUNM to be a bit surprising. Aside from a couple of NPR shows (morning edition airs on both KANW and KUNM) they mostly play music going from one genre to something totally different the next hour which I'd think would not work in today's media environment but apparently it still does! KANW of course has it's own musical niche. Most public stations elsewhere appear to be either mostly news and talk or a more specified music format. I suppose there are still some variety formats around. But KUNM is number one on my presets and I came to appreciate them more over the years since I find a lot of commercial radio boring. Fortunately much of the community appears to support them too. They really stand out from all the corporate and religious programming on the many signals out here and maybe that's why they do well with so many different niches.

KANW is part NPR in the mornings and New Mexico Music in the PM hours. NPR does pretty well everywhere and consequently nearly all commercial "news" stations everywhere are right-wing propaganda so it makes sense. NM music is also big with much of the Hispanic community. KANW-2 either does not show up or has about a 0.4. I don't know if it is possible to raise the power on the 107.5 translator to overcome interference from KBQI. KQBA in Santa Fe may be a factor preventing that. Or could it be possible to cover Albuquerque from Mount Taylor at 90.3 if the power could be raised? I was a little surprised how well 90.3 came in coming into the city past Tijeras canyon but the signal fades out in the valley and westside. However KNIZ out of Gallup might be a problem for any possible upgrade.
 
Well now the March numbers are in and KABG and KOBQ moved up only a couple points but now it's KMGA that is sinking fast! They went from a 3.8 in December (with Christmas music) to a 2.2 after they tweaked their format earlier this year.

100.9 has fallen down to a 0.1 from a 0.7 with The Breeze, and if that looks bad their Facebook page has only 14 "likes" and nothing they post gets any reactions at all! Their Twitter feed has only 3 followers. That can not be a good sign for any younger targeted format and has to be a big embarrassment for iHeart. Since 100.9 dropped hip-hop in 2018 and they are now recycling the "power" branding that AGM abandoned a few years back maybe people think this is some kind of a joke. If they really believe that KKSS can be challenged effectively then it might make sense to move The Edge to 100.9 and flip 104.1 (an equal signal to 97.3) to rhythmic with a fresh new name and stop reusing "Power" and "Wild" all the time. They would probably also need some local talent as well. But of course KKSS is very hard to take on. They're still going strong at number 2 while 94 Rock has reclaimed the top spot!
 
KABG is leveling off at about a 3 share and getting beat by jukebox KDRF. They're still under-performing. What I find interesting is 98.1 Classic Country is now at a 3 share and ahead of both KOBQ and KMGA(two blowtorch signals off the crest). Not bad for a 165-watt translator in an over-saturated market.

I don't know what iHeart should do with 100.9, but I believe alternative is easier to sell on 104.1, especially as a combo with 94 Rock. The Edge has a solid following, and a great signal north of ABQ, where they need it, and the brand has been in the market for over 25 years.
 
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