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KDKA makes move (and I suggest more to come...)

J

JohnnyMorganWXJX

Guest
Jim Cramer's Real Money has been picked up by KDKA from 1pm-2pm...leaving O'Reilly with 12p-1p (hardly worth the effort).

Unless Gateway Center has already thought of this, I suggest that KD scrap that lonely hour, and make it a News Block at noon. Go head to head with KQV as Pittsburgh's news source. Don't just simulcast the TV news...make it a special radio news block--news, local and live, some national, sports, weather, long-form reports, etc.

In return, kill the :30 updates throughout Griffin's show (or whoever winds up in 9a-noon, because Griffin is horrible, but I digress). Lead it all towards the big news block.

And, finally, my bit of controversy: bring back "90 to 6". Fred's got the extra hour to do talk, etc. Let's bring back KDKA's news focus to actual news and service elements (traffic, weather, business, etc.)

This will require a dedicated news staff, and now that they have a capable ND, let's see the money flow to the radio news op.

Come on--make KD superserve the news niche. Thie have sister stations who have been doing this for 40+ years!
 
Overall, you suggest an excellent idea. It would require a long term commitment, and a major investment of resources that would, in the long run, pay off for KDKA. But, in the short term, it would make things a little worse before eventually becoming things a lot better. They might not get huge raw numbers, but they'd get the kind of quality audience that certain niche advertisers would throw very large sums of money at.

It's areal shame that such an idea will never, ever be implemented.

> Jim Cramer's Real Money has been picked up by KDKA from
> 1pm-2pm...leaving O'Reilly with 12p-1p (hardly worth the
> effort).
>
> Unless Gateway Center has already thought of this, I suggest
> that KD scrap that lonely hour, and make it a News Block at
> noon. Go head to head with KQV as Pittsburgh's news source.
> Don't just simulcast the TV news...make it a special radio
> news block--news, local and live, some national, sports,
> weather, long-form reports, etc.
>
> In return, kill the :30 updates throughout Griffin's show
> (or whoever winds up in 9a-noon, because Griffin is
> horrible, but I digress). Lead it all towards the big news
> block.
>
> And, finally, my bit of controversy: bring back "90 to 6".
> Fred's got the extra hour to do talk, etc. Let's bring back
> KDKA's news focus to actual news and service elements
> (traffic, weather, business, etc.)
>
> This will require a dedicated news staff, and now that they
> have a capable ND, let's see the money flow to the radio
> news op.
>
> Come on--make KD superserve the news niche. Thie have
> sister stations who have been doing this for 40+ years!
>
 
> Jim Cramer's Real Money has been picked up by KDKA from
> 1pm-2pm...leaving O'Reilly with 12p-1p (hardly worth the
> effort).
>
> Unless Gateway Center has already thought of this, I suggest
> that KD scrap that lonely hour, and make it a News Block at
> noon. Go head to head with KQV as Pittsburgh's news source.
> Don't just simulcast the TV news...make it a special radio
> news block--news, local and live, some national, sports,
> weather, long-form reports, etc.
>
> In return, kill the :30 updates throughout Griffin's show
> (or whoever winds up in 9a-noon, because Griffin is
> horrible, but I digress). Lead it all towards the big news
> block.
>
> And, finally, my bit of controversy: bring back "90 to 6".
> Fred's got the extra hour to do talk, etc. Let's bring back
> KDKA's news focus to actual news and service elements
> (traffic, weather, business, etc.)
>
> This will require a dedicated news staff, and now that they
> have a capable ND, let's see the money flow to the radio
> news op.
>
> Come on--make KD superserve the news niche. Thie have
> sister stations who have been doing this for 40+ years!
>


Jim Cramer's Real Money? On KDKA? You're kidding, right? I mean, that would be a nice pickup for WPTT maybe, but KDKA?

Here's some perspective.... WHNZ/Tampa, which is a brokered format, runs the show from the day before at 5AM.

Have they just given up?

<P ID="signature">______________
"With God as my witness, I could have sworn turkeys could fly."</P>
 
> Jim Cramer's Real Money? On KDKA? You're kidding, right? I
> mean, that would be a nice pickup for WPTT maybe, but KDKA?
>
>
> Here's some perspective.... WHNZ/Tampa, which is a brokered
> format, runs the show from the day before at 5AM.
>
> Have they just given up?

Westwood One is syndicating it. 'Nuff said.
 
"90 to 6, the news in depth on KDKA" a signature show that made KD a bunch of money when bill steinbach did it.........

GREAT IDEA.......

> Jim Cramer's Real Money has been picked up by KDKA from
> 1pm-2pm...leaving O'Reilly with 12p-1p (hardly worth the
> effort).
>
> Unless Gateway Center has already thought of this, I suggest
> that KD scrap that lonely hour, and make it a News Block at
> noon. Go head to head with KQV as Pittsburgh's news source.
> Don't just simulcast the TV news...make it a special radio
> news block--news, local and live, some national, sports,
> weather, long-form reports, etc.
>
> In return, kill the :30 updates throughout Griffin's show
> (or whoever winds up in 9a-noon, because Griffin is
> horrible, but I digress). Lead it all towards the big news
> block.
>
> And, finally, my bit of controversy: bring back "90 to 6".
> Fred's got the extra hour to do talk, etc. Let's bring back
> KDKA's news focus to actual news and service elements
> (traffic, weather, business, etc.)
>
> This will require a dedicated news staff, and now that they
> have a capable ND, let's see the money flow to the radio
> news op.
>
> Come on--make KD superserve the news niche. Thie have
> sister stations who have been doing this for 40+ years!
>
 
> > Jim Cramer's Real Money? On KDKA? You're kidding, right? I
>
> > mean, that would be a nice pickup for WPTT maybe, but
> KDKA?
> >
> >
> > Here's some perspective.... WHNZ/Tampa, which is a
> brokered
> > format, runs the show from the day before at 5AM.
> >
> > Have they just given up?
>
> Westwood One is syndicating it. 'Nuff said.
>

Am I the only person who thinks this is a monumentally stupid decision?

This show would be appropriate for KQV, WPTT, or WKHB, but not for 1-2PM on the #2 station in the market 12+. It's a niche program with extremely limited appeal.

And are you sure about the syndication? The only reason I know that it runs at 5A in Tampa is that I had to leave on a trip early Friday morning and caught the last few minutes waiting for Imus to come on.. the show was from the WOR Radio network.

This is my first indication that they've decided to kill KDKA.<P ID="signature">______________
"With God as my witness, I could have sworn turkeys could fly."</P>
 
> This show would be appropriate for KQV, WPTT, or WKHB, but
> not for 1-2PM on the #2 station in the market 12+. It's a
> niche program with extremely limited appeal.
>
> And are you sure about the syndication? The only reason I
> know that it runs at 5A in Tampa is that I had to leave on a
> trip early Friday morning and caught the last few minutes
> waiting for Imus to come on.. the show was from the WOR
> Radio network.

WOR is dropping the show. Unlike the first network cancellation, he's moving up in the world this time. The WW1 argument is understandable, but O'Reilly is a Westwood product (albeit a bad one, and being shuffled off) as are a lot of other shows. Why not save money and bring Lars Larson in?

That was a sarcastic comment...
 
> Unless Gateway Center has already thought of this, I suggest
> that KD scrap that lonely hour, and make it a News Block at
> noon. Go head to head with KQV as Pittsburgh's news source.
> Don't just simulcast the TV news...make it a special radio
> news block--news, local and live, some national, sports,
> weather, long-form reports, etc.

Stations in the region and nationwide are dumping the news block. I for one like the news block concept, but it doesn't make sense anymore. Top-rated WTVN/Columbus has dumped their news hour from noon-1 and replaced it with a paltry 18 minutes taken from Glenn Beck from 11:42-noon, which, once you play the network spot until :43, leaves only enough room for Paul Harvey. Surely CC's big Ohio stations WTAM, WTVN, et al will forget the whole Midday Report idea when Mr. Harvey passes. With the internet and so many other sources for news, it seems that the closest thing we'll have to any long-form news on the radio will be CBS FM stations nationwide simulcasting WINS or KNX on an -HD3 channel.

BTW, our local heritage station with the "Noon News" hour, KTAR/Phoenix, appeals to the 82+ crowd, much like KDKA. No advertiser interest.
 
Good guess (you're right re: noon)...

P-G and T-R today report the noon news block will appear. However, they also report:

-- O'Reilly will move to 10 p.m. to midnight (what are they THINKING?).
-- 6 to 10 p.m. will be a sports show and a general talk show
-- The sports show will be co-branded with Pgh. Brewing (as now), but will be less of a generalized "diatribe" of opinions

I suspect a 1-hour "sports-news block of record" with detailed (often pre-recorded) reports and no phone calls.

As for 7 to 9, perhaps a local newsmaker type show with Mcintyre and/or Chris Moore. But given the placement of O'Reilly, maybe we're thinking Lionel, Hendrix, etc.

McIntyre's been alot of fun from 9 to midnight lately...he's livened up the station alot. Maybe that's working against him ;).
 
Re: Good guess (you're right re: noon)...

> P-G and T-R today report the noon news block will appear.
> However, they also report:
>
> -- O'Reilly will move to 10 p.m. to midnight (what are they
> THINKING?).

That's a Westwood One corporate cram-down to at least keep O-Reilly on in the market.


> -- 6 to 10 p.m. will be a sports show and a general talk
> show
> -- The sports show will be co-branded with Pgh. Brewing (as
> now), but will be less of a generalized "diatribe" of
> opinions

>
> I suspect a 1-hour "sports-news block of record" with
> detailed (often pre-recorded) reports and no phone calls.
>
> As for 7 to 9, perhaps a local newsmaker type show with
> Mcintyre and/or Chris Moore. But given the placement of
> O'Reilly, maybe we're thinking Lionel, Hendrix, etc.

From April-September that will mostly be the baseball pregame, then O'Reilly joined in progress afterwards...



>
> McIntyre's been alot of fun from 9 to midnight lately...he's
> livened up the station alot. Maybe that's working against
> him ;).
>

I think at this point the only thing working against him is that he'd be more expensive than syndicated fare, plus why bother during baseball season?
<P ID="signature">______________
"With God as my witness, I could have sworn turkeys could fly."</P>
 
> > Unless Gateway Center has already thought of this, I
> suggest
> > that KD scrap that lonely hour, and make it a News Block
> at
> > noon. Go head to head with KQV as Pittsburgh's news
> source.
> > Don't just simulcast the TV news...make it a special
> radio
> > news block--news, local and live, some national, sports,
> > weather, long-form reports, etc.
>
> Stations in the region and nationwide are dumping the news
> block. I for one like the news block concept, but it doesn't
> make sense anymore. Top-rated WTVN/Columbus has dumped their
> news hour from noon-1 and replaced it with a paltry 18
> minutes taken from Glenn Beck from 11:42-noon, which, once
> you play the network spot until :43, leaves only enough room
> for Paul Harvey. Surely CC's big Ohio stations WTAM, WTVN,
> et al will forget the whole Midday Report idea when Mr.
> Harvey passes. With the internet and so many other sources
> for news, it seems that the closest thing we'll have to any
> long-form news on the radio will be CBS FM stations
> nationwide simulcasting WINS or KNX on an -HD3 channel.
>
> BTW, our local heritage station with the "Noon News" hour,
> KTAR/Phoenix, appeals to the 82+ crowd, much like KDKA. No
> advertiser interest.
>

I guess they are not filling the midday block with Hog and Crop futures reports in Ohio any longer??
 
> > > Jim Cramer's Real Money? On KDKA? You're kidding, right?
> I
> >
> > > mean, that would be a nice pickup for WPTT maybe, but
> > KDKA?
> > >
> > >
> > > Here's some perspective.... WHNZ/Tampa, which is a
> > brokered
> > > format, runs the show from the day before at 5AM.
> > >
> > > Have they just given up?
> >
> > Westwood One is syndicating it. 'Nuff said.
> >
>
> Am I the only person who thinks this is a monumentally
> stupid decision?
>
> This show would be appropriate for KQV, WPTT, or WKHB, but
> not for 1-2PM on the #2 station in the market 12+. It's a
> niche program with extremely limited appeal.
>
> And are you sure about the syndication? The only reason I
> know that it runs at 5A in Tampa is that I had to leave on a
> trip early Friday morning and caught the last few minutes
> waiting for Imus to come on.. the show was from the WOR
> Radio network.
>
> This is my first indication that they've decided to kill
> KDKA.
>

Kill it towards what end....to move it? Since they have apparently given up on moving WWVA?
 
.
> >
> > This is my first indication that they've decided to kill
> > KDKA.
> >
>
> Kill it towards what end....to move it? Since they have
> apparently given up on moving WWVA?
>

Uhhh..... first off, CBS owns KDKA, Clear Channel owns WWVA. But despite the fact that yours was a rather uninformed question (to put it very politely), I'll answer it.

Corporate radio these days is far less about gross billing in some cases than it is about profit, particularly on a percentage basis.

So, speaking in totally hypothetical numbers now, if KD bills $10 million but it costs $9 million (about 10% profit margin), there are some corporations that would be happier spending $3 million to bill $5 mil (40% margin). Not saying that's necessarily the case here, but it's one way modern corporations think.



<P ID="signature">______________
"With God as my witness, I could have sworn turkeys could fly."</P>
 
> So, speaking in totally hypothetical numbers now, if KD
> bills $10 million but it costs $9 million (about 10% profit
> margin), there are some corporations that would be happier
> spending $3 million to bill $5 mil (40% margin). Not saying
> that's necessarily the case here, but it's one way modern
> corporations think.

In your example, the latter not only provides better margin, it also provides $2,000,000 profit instead of only $1,000,000 profit. Even in the olden days, making $2,000,000 was usually considered better than making $1,000,000.

I'm old enough to remember when $1,000,000 was actually considered a lot of money!
 
You nailed it. Infinity managers are given a number to meet, and it's up to them to figure out how to meet it. If you can't bill more, you'd better cut costs so you keep the margin.




> Corporate radio these days is far less about gross billing
> in some cases than it is about profit, particularly on a
> percentage basis.
>
> So, speaking in totally hypothetical numbers now, if KD
> bills $10 million but it costs $9 million (about 10% profit
> margin), there are some corporations that would be happier
> spending $3 million to bill $5 mil (40% margin). Not saying
> that's necessarily the case here, but it's one way modern
> corporations think.
>
 
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