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KBKO's Days are Numbered

A

Alexg1200

KBKO Will Play It’s Last Country Song Monday Night At Midnight
CLEAR CHANNEL Country KBKO/BAKERSFIELD is set to transfer ownership to LOTUS COMMUNICATIONS this week. With the change, it looks like it’s imminent that KBKO will be flipping and it’s been reported that MONDAY (07/28), will be its last day in the format.

On MONDAY the station will feature special ‘farewell’ broadcasts from BIG D and BUBBA, plus former personalities KENN (McCLOUD) and LaRAE, RIK MIKALS, LEE LOGAN and SAMMY CRUISE.

There’s been no word from LOTUS at this time on the new format.

Any thoughts on this topic?
 
Looking back on KBKO, what were the main reasons they had such low ratings throughout their history? Is KUZZ just too much of an institution for anybody to take them on? Or were there things that KBKO specifically did wrong?
 
Jay F said:
Looking back on KBKO, what were the main reasons they had such low ratings throughout their history? Is KUZZ just too much of an institution for anybody to take them on? Or were there things that KBKO specifically did wrong?
Click to expand...
Probably some of both. KUZZ has 40 years of heritage, most of its air staff are Bakersfield natives or been in town so long that they might as well be, and they are hugely active in the community. Plus the station spends gobs of money on promotion and a news department that wins tons of awards. And of course there's the "Buck factor." Mr. Owens was revered in Bakersfield and many people support KUZZ just because of that. KBKO like others before tried to cut away at KUZZ on the cheap. The hope was that they could take enough away from KUZZ that KUZZ would have to start cutting back, but that never happened. KBKO tried to do it with smoke and mirrors, lots of voice-tracking and syndicated shows, while KUZZ is live and local. And bottom line, the Owens family doesn't have to answer to Wall Street or Texas bean-counters and will do whatever it takes to win.
 
The new station will not be Spanish language. Trust me.

I think there was too much staff turnover, and not enough money invested. That's not necessarily a knock on CC, it's just no one in the market can spend like the Owens clan can. They always had TV commercials, billboards, cash giveaways... and I agree, you can't discount the Buck factor... there are artists and label executives who are loyal to that station because of their special heritage.

I think someone can put a decent competitor together. It may not be KUZZ, but be able to pull a consistent 4.0-5.0 share, while also lowering KUZZ to a 6.0-7.0 share.
 
So what then??? Are there any big holes in the market? With the exception of Sports and a few rock stations... Lotus pretty much seems to stick to spanish... they already have a Regional Mexican and a Spanish Pop in the market... what's left? They could really hurt 103.9 and 95.3 with some form of top40... we'll have to see..... ;D
 
Todd said:
So what then??? they already have a Regional Mexican and a Spanish Pop in the market... what's left? They could really hurt 103.9 and 95.3 with some form of top40... we'll have to see..... ;D
Click to expand...

Call me crazy but A Spanish Talk station... Anyone??? Not that Bako needs another Musica En Espanol. The power that 96.5 has could CLEARLY DESTROY KBDS. No CC pun intended. Progammers have a hard piece to chew and swallow, but whatever Lotus does IM sure they will back the station on whatever it goes to. Good luck to the Lotus Bfl crew.
 
Anyone heard what Lotus is doing in Fresno? Ya know KBKO has a sister station KHGE that is just as bad or worse than they were. Rumor has it from the blogs here that Lotus is looking into that station as well. Details??
 
A station similar to KHOP "The Pop Music Channel" could do really well in the market
 
I agree with radiomanners62 - KBKO is not and never came close to being a KMET. Why bother with a farewell?

Lotus does Rock and Spanish (Oh, and an Iranian format in Simi Valley). Go here: http://www.lotuscorp.com/radio-stations.html.

You can't beat KUZZ marketing your station with the world's worst radio station logo design ever, billboards with little kids in cowboy hats and its "20 in a row" positioning statement so small it couldn't be read! You have only one chance to make a first impression and Clear Channel blew it ... ah ... BIG!
 
It's easy to see the fascination with KHGE... what a waste of an ENORMOUS signal... but don't worry, Clear Channel is keeping 102.7. They'll probably spin off the weakest signal in the building... 96.7, and move the ALICE format back to 102.7.
 
Even KBKO's website has "Farewell memories"..what is this? The end of MASH?


Self gratuitous indeed!!

side note to radioconfusion: Don't listen to partyshark they obviously think you are Athena or another person who used to work there and are worried
for their job.Paranoidshark,be nice please.
 
Not bothered at all by "shark's" comments. I think it's funny that it bothers him. No fascination with KHGE either, the point is, it is as bad or worse than KBKO in ratings and could possibly be following in it's footsteps.

The demise of any station is often sad, but always interesting or should I say "fascinating". :)
 
I don't live in the Bakersfield market. What's on KBKO right now? I heard yesterday was their last? If that's true, what's on now? Will someone please check, and reply back?

--The Radio Kid
(AKA Oswego Jeremy, as nicknamed by George of the Radio Racket.)
My email: [email protected]
 
Right now at 2:34 PM the station is playing them thar country hits! An contrary to what has been said about yesterday being the last day, today is the last day. Or? Is it?
 
Just heard a recorded liner saying today is it, and inviting people to tune to the Fox or KRAB. It's running jockless and I haven't heard any spots.
 
10 pm lights out, then the classic you asked and we build it.. Not that I know just common sense from priors. Unless they do what they did to KKXX when I was at 96.5 in 2004. New id at midnight and played some country song. IM glad im not doing radio on the local level anymore. Even though I still live in Bako its always sad to see friends get toasted.. Ken my friend I wish you lots of love and success your way.
Alex G!
 
You have got to be kidding......a farewell for a basement rated station around for a short period of time (but far too long !) A lot of truely great once legendary stations flipped without a mention of a glorious past.
 
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