KBIG. Is the clock ticking down?

[davideduardo]

I was always under the impression that Star had one of the best signals in the LA market for building penetration. Wrong?

Wrong. It does not even put a 70 dBu in Orange County, and the powerful Wilson signals do just as well except in a small area of Hollywood and along the Boulevard in the Valley where the Mulholland stick is really strong

 

[davideduardo]

98.7's signal can do fine against 106.7....KROQ's tweeky little 5KW may go a bit further, but 98.7's 75KW is still at a respectable height and actually offers a stronger signal in the areas where the majority of Alt/Active Rock P1's are likely to live and listen to an LA based station.

Both do not get a 70 dBu anywhere in Orange County. That is where the biggest opportunity for rock is, anywhere south of Anaheim and Santa Ana. It's about half the non-Hispanic white audience in the market.

Remember, 42% of the market is Hispanic, 12% Asian and 9% Black and there is another 10% in immigrants from Persia, Russia, etc., that would not be natural rock listeners... that leaves only 25% of the market as non-Hispanic white, or about 2.5 million of the 10 million 12+. Take out the Hispanics from the OC, and you see that winning the OC is key for rock to win in the LA book.

 

[thisisatest]

Listen Monday

 

[scooty430]

Wonder what will happen to Disco Saturday Night. I kinda liked that show. Though recently they've got this terrible host, and they don't blend the songs together well anymore. Maybe just marking time until this format change?

 

[calguy]

Wonder what will happen to Disco Saturday Night. I kinda liked that show. Though recently they've got this terrible host, and they don't blend the songs together well anymore. Maybe just marking time until this format change?

Doubt it will still be on, but who really knows? Many stations like to have a specialty show on Saturday nights.

Yes, since they fired Archer the shows gone down hill. Same mixer, but with a wheel of hosts, St. John, Mark Krisky and so on.
No consistency, plus they all sound like they're yelling at you. Not to mention that they're tracked for the second half of the night.

But really, I think the show is a goner. Hot 92 could pick it up, but it really doesn't fit as well there. I'd be more apt to think that it could be resurrected at another station outside of the CC cluster. Maybe Movin might want to try it?

 

[Hunter]

Remember, 42% of the market is Hispanic, 12% Asian and 9% Black and there is another 10% in immigrants from Persia, Russia, etc., that would not be natural rock listeners... that leaves only 25% of the market as non-Hispanic white, or about 2.5 million of the 10 million 12+. Take out the Hispanics from the OC, and you see that winning the OC is key for rock to win in the LA book.

Looks to me like KROQ's very poor OC signal has been doing O.K. for them...not that a better signal there wouldn't help them even more. My point is, an AC station needs a strong signal to reach into offices and workplaces in OC as well as LA to generate ratings...more so than a rock formatted station, especially given KROQ's weak signal. However, I do think 98.7 might be a bit challenged if CC turns it into a rock based AAA, which would also go up against Jack whose signal kicks ass.

I love KROQ and I like Jack, but I've thought for years that we need a great rock based AAA. Jack is not AAA, but their success proves this. Although they had some very loyal fans, KSCA and Channel 103.1 leaned too AC and never had the edge of stations like KFOG or WXRT. And yes, they had some very serious signal limitations too.

 

[Hunter]

By the way, I noticed that CC bought the domain name "Fresh1043.com" on Aug 30th. But then, they have other 104.3's in other markets too.

 

[chacha]

98.7's signal can do fine against 106.7....KROQ's tweeky little 5KW may go a bit further, but 98.7's 75KW is still at a respectable height and actually offers a stronger signal in the areas where the majority of Alt/Active Rock P1's are likely to live and listen to an LA based station.

Both do not get a 70 dBu anywhere in Orange County. That is where the biggest opportunity for rock is, anywhere south of Anaheim and Santa Ana. It's about half the non-Hispanic white audience in the market.

Remember, 42% of the market is Hispanic, 12% Asian and 9% Black and there is another 10% in immigrants from Persia, Russia, etc., that would not be natural rock listeners... that leaves only 25% of the market as non-Hispanic white, or about 2.5 million of the 10 million 12+. Take out the Hispanics from the OC, and you see that winning the OC is key for rock to win in the LA book.

So are you seriously suggesting that KROQ's signal (like KYSR's) is not strong enough to make a very strong impact in Orange County?

 

[davideduardo]

Looks to me like KROQ's very poor OC signal has been doing O.K. for them...not that a better signal there wouldn't help them even more.

Exactly. Any station with a bigger signal will kill them, as the signal is marginal. It's a stong endorsement of the format that they get listening at a signal level that generates little listening for most stations.

My point is, an AC station needs a strong signal to reach into offices and workplaces in OC as well as LA to generate ratings...

In Houston, KODA had a 5.7 12+ in the Diary, and currently has a 5.5 in the PPM. There was no share growth, and a 35% decrease in AQH persons. KTBZ had a 4.0 in the diary and has a 5.0 in the PPM, and similary percent differneces apply to KKRW.

The biggest issue with PPM is that non-Hispanic white women listen about 25% less than men, in total weekly quarter hours. This means having the "wall of women" is likely to be less advantageous in the PPM world than before.

more so than a rock formatted station, especially given KROQ's weak signal. However, I do think 98.7 might be a bit challenged if CC turns it into a rock based AAA, which would also go up against Jack whose signal kicks ass.

98.7 would make a great Spanish pop signal, covers all the HDHAs well, and the CCU pop station in Houston is doing very well.

I love KROQ and I like Jack, but I've thought for years that we need a great rock based AAA. Jack is not AAA, but their success proves this. Although they had some very loyal fans, KSCA and Channel 103.1 leaned too AC and never had the edge of stations like KFOG or WXRT. And yes, they had some very serious signal limitations too.

The GWB folks blamed the failure of several formats on signal. Of course, 101.9 has been #1 or #2 for the last year, and in the top couple of stations most of the time for the last decade. It was the programming. There is just no AAA base in LA. While alternative and modern, CHR, even AOR have significant Hispanic appeal, AAA is just about totally devoid of Hispanic listeners everywhere.

 

[davideduardo]

So are you seriously suggesting that KROQ's signal (like KYSR's) is not strong enough to make a very strong impact in Orange County?

Since usually about 80% or more of a stations AQH listening in home or at work takes place in the 70 dBu contour, listening beyond that contour ususally takes place where the format is good and not closely duplicated. If a better signal does the same format better, it will win.

Nither station has a full OC signal; both are vulnerable.

 

[chacha]

So are you seriously suggesting that KROQ's signal (like KYSR's) is not strong enough to make a very strong impact in Orange County?

Since usually about 80% or more of a stations AQH listening in home or at work takes place in the 70 dBu contour, listening beyond that contour ususally takes place where the format is good and not closely duplicated. If a better signal does the same format better, it will win.

Nither station has a full OC signal; both are vulnerable.

Well, the grain of truth is "doing the format better". And if Star were to become the only active rock station in the LA metro.....it should succeed with that target (whether it was the strongest signal or not). These are not out of market signals hoping to compete. By the way, KROQ dominates 18-34 white males in OC and has done so over the years despite attempts by many signals over the years (including KLOS, KQLZ, and KDLE).

And actually the KYSR signal pattern in much of Orange County is STRONGER than most LA metro stations with the exception of KLYY and KCBS-F.

 

[davideduardo]

And actually the KYSR signal pattern in much of Orange County is STRONGER than most LA metro stations with the exception of KLYY and KCBS-F.

The Star 70 dbu barely nicks the OC, in areas that are predominantly Hispanic or Vietnamese. Even the lowest powered Mt Wilson station, KSCA, has a 70 that extends south of Santa Ana; KCBS has a 70 that gets to nearly Laguna Beach... KLOS's 70 extends beyond Laguna Beach. Directional KLSX has a 70 behond Santa Ana, as does KIIS. The only one worse is KLAX, off of Flint, which does not 70 beyond Anaheim and Garden Grove.

The only place KLYY has a 70 in the OC is in the Cleveland Forest and the mountains to the East side of the county; the low-lying areas West of the mountains are almost all shadowed, per a Langley Rice.

 

[sfradio]

if they go fresh i don't see why not they would not keep disco Saturday night

 

[radioresearcher]

So are you seriously suggesting that KROQ's signal (like KYSR's) is not strong enough to make a very strong impact in Orange County?

Since usually about 80% or more of a stations AQH listening in home or at work takes place in the 70 dBu contour, listening beyond that contour ususally takes place where the format is good and not closely duplicated. If a better signal does the same format better, it will win.

Nither station has a full OC signal; both are vulnerable.

David:

KCXX was over 50% Hispanic this book (generally in the 40-50% range) and KCAL runs about the same in the I.E. There's a misconception that Rock is a white only format which is a silly theory.

KDLD is targeted more at upscale White - but as you know - KROQ draws a good number of Hispanics.

98.7 does do a much better job in some rock zips than KROQ does.

 

[davideduardo]

KCXX was over 50% Hispanic this book (generally in the 40-50% range) and KCAL runs about the same in the I.E. There's a misconception that Rock is a white only format which is a silly theory.

Remember, the IE was where LA second generation Hispanics went, due to lower housing costs and to get away from the old East LA image.

KDLD is targeted more at upscale White - but as you know - KROQ draws a good number of Hispanics. And the Hispanic population in the IE is significantly more English dominant than LA is.

But KROQ significantly underindexes against Hispanics... 18-34 is over 50% Hispanic and KROQ's cume is about a third Hispanic in that demo.

 

[Hunter]

The biggest issue with PPM is that non-Hispanic white women listen about 25% less than men, in total weekly quarter hours. This means having the "wall of women" is likely to be less advantageous in the PPM world than before.

Let's remember, agencies don't buy listeners by the lb. They buy demos, and more advertising dollars are spent attempting to reach adult women than any other demo. This is why there are too many AC stations on the air. You seem to be ignoring the value of KOST. CC should take advantage of the opportunity that the PPM's create in regards to room for another rock station, but CC needs to be sure they don't leave soft AC KOST vulnurable to attack by a competing monster signal coming on with a mainstream AC. If CC doesn't flank KOST with an AC that has a strong signal in OC, they are leaving themselves vulnerable.

98.7 would make a great Spanish pop signal, covers all the HDHAs well, and the CCU pop station in Houston is doing very well.

Perhaps, but CC would be insane to flip 104.3 rock, 98.7 Spanish and leave KOST unprotected.

It was the programming.

Agreed. Not that AAA is a bad format. They were poor attempts at AAA. I'm sure Nicole did her best with both stations, but with all the AC's in the market, both attempts were too soft.

There is just no AAA base in LA.

Many would have said the same about Jack, which in many ways, is a similar format. At one time, not all that long ago, there were many respected naysayers about the viability of Spanish on FM being a major format in LA and boy were they surprised. The AAA format needs to be tailored to the market which has never been done well.

 

[calguy]

Just checked Charlie Tuna's website and he's announced that his last show on KBIG is today, Monday September 17th.
He further states that Clear Channel is going in a different direction with KBIG, but is talking about retaining his services, so he's still got his parking space, key card and office at the Pinnacle building in Burbank. Here's the address: http://charlietuna.com/news/index.php

From this I can only guess that the format change will happen at 10am, but we'll see...

 

[codedude2]

It's funny to listen this morning. Irma I think, mentioned today is the day listeners wanna sign up for the KBIG 104 club. After that, they both laughed a lot. Charlie Tuna mentioned something about KROQ too - didn't quite catch it.

 

[romer979fm]

Charlie Tuna mentioned something about KROQ too - didn't quite catch it.

Charlie was just quickly mentioning how he was involved in the start-up of KROQ-AM

 

[halloaaryn]

If Irma is staying, then I doubt country or rock will prevail.