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KDWN Bloodbath
- Thread starter Jay F
- Start date
Actually, FOUR people were fired, one was put "on call", and a number of others had their hours cut. Charlotte is gone and John Shaffer is assuming her duties as PD as well as his own as ND - at least for the three months. Then, who knows? (Tho the betting odds are that Beasley will dump it or change format).
Considering the huge staff increase under Beasley with no increase in ratings, something had to give sometime.
If they sold it, I'm sure they would get much less than the 17-million they paid for it, even if they threw in 790 for free.
What format change would make any sense? Dump the news, go all talk, run more time-brokered programming?
If they sold it, I'm sure they would get much less than the 17-million they paid for it, even if they threw in 790 for free.
What format change would make any sense? Dump the news, go all talk, run more time-brokered programming?
A
allvetsnv
Guest
I received in the past a lot of criticism on the board by writing that KDAWN should have just kept things the way they were. The old station was very unique and had a local flavor and appeal. Financially the old owners made more money than the present ownership ever has. I am sure Charlotte Burke gave it her 100% but she like most other ghosts of Las Vegas radio PD past never learned that Las Vegas is small market radio trapped in a large market body. It is safe to say that Hart, Ken, Tru, Mark and Pete are thinking- I told you so! What sucks the most out of all this debacle at KDAWN is that there are people who are now unemployed and even though as the saying goes " that is the nature of the business" my heart still goes out to them. To the all the LV radio people who have lost their jobs in the past year Good Luck I wish you well and hope you find employment sooner rather than later.
Allvetsnv, you are right... except the owner of KDWN (who was in his 90s) died which led to the sale. Beasley paid 17 million and there's no way the old format would have given them any return on their investment. Of course the new format hasn't either.
If Beasley hadn't been dumb enough to buy it, I wonder what would have happened. If CC had bought KDWN they would have yanked Rush from KXNT and probably created a successful news-talk on 720, but I think CC had stopped buying by that point. If the price had been a lot lower, maybe Lotus would have bought it for the signal, instead of putting on their new station on 1100. Maybe they would have moved the KDWN format to 1460.
Beasley's options are somewhat limited. Write-off the 17 million and run a talk station on the cheap, which would probably lead to a return to more time-brokered talk since they're never going to make any money selling the ratings. Or sell it for a fraction of what they paid.
If Beasley hadn't been dumb enough to buy it, I wonder what would have happened. If CC had bought KDWN they would have yanked Rush from KXNT and probably created a successful news-talk on 720, but I think CC had stopped buying by that point. If the price had been a lot lower, maybe Lotus would have bought it for the signal, instead of putting on their new station on 1100. Maybe they would have moved the KDWN format to 1460.
Beasley's options are somewhat limited. Write-off the 17 million and run a talk station on the cheap, which would probably lead to a return to more time-brokered talk since they're never going to make any money selling the ratings. Or sell it for a fraction of what they paid.
I remember when Beasley purchased KDWN the rumors were they were going to go all-sports. That rumor even made the Review-Journal. That's about the only format I could imagine them switching to. It would seem like a crazy move considering the AM dial is already oversaturated with sports stations. But if that's something Beasley truly considered doing at one point you never know. Sports does have a high power ratio.
I would agree that Beasley could not sell the station for 17 Million dollars today. No way. To put it in perspective, CBS just sold their Denver cluster of 3 FM stations to Wilks for 19.5 million.
I would agree that Beasley could not sell the station for 17 Million dollars today. No way. To put it in perspective, CBS just sold their Denver cluster of 3 FM stations to Wilks for 19.5 million.
I travel often to Vegas and listen to KDWN and KXNT. There's no reason why KDWN can't double their share with the resurgence of N/T with the depresssion and a new controversial President about to take office.
KDWN missed out on Phase I of the N/T resurgence, they don't have to miss out on Phase II starting January 20. Everthing Obama will be under the microscope. N/T now has it's chance it got after 9/11 and quickly lost in 18 months.
KDWN's need is to be memorable, not just informational. Entertain as well as report. Some of KDWN's news focus isn't on people's radar. Some of the time, they fail to address what the center of the topic is that impacts listeners.
KXNT is vunerable - CBS is in cutting mode. Vegas is ok - for now. But they will eventually drop. No one can keep up the torrid gain pace they made last year.
KDWN missed out on Phase I of the N/T resurgence, they don't have to miss out on Phase II starting January 20. Everthing Obama will be under the microscope. N/T now has it's chance it got after 9/11 and quickly lost in 18 months.
KDWN's need is to be memorable, not just informational. Entertain as well as report. Some of KDWN's news focus isn't on people's radar. Some of the time, they fail to address what the center of the topic is that impacts listeners.
KXNT is vunerable - CBS is in cutting mode. Vegas is ok - for now. But they will eventually drop. No one can keep up the torrid gain pace they made last year.
I was wrong about the 17-million Beasley spent for KDWN... they actually spent 22-million, 17 for the station, 5 for the transmitter site.
I found this in a Beasley press release when they made the purchase:
"Beasley Broadcast Group funded the purchase of KDWN-AM and the land with $16 million of additional borrowings under its existing credit facility with the balance paid in cash."
I wonder if they're having trouble making the payments on the 16 million of additional borrowings...
I found this in a Beasley press release when they made the purchase:
"Beasley Broadcast Group funded the purchase of KDWN-AM and the land with $16 million of additional borrowings under its existing credit facility with the balance paid in cash."
I wonder if they're having trouble making the payments on the 16 million of additional borrowings...
Newsperson responds:
Remember 720 KDWN is 50KW day and night and Beasley has bought it for the long term and thoughts of selling it would be a waste of their resources. What can be done now? A lot of possibilities are out there and in six months the station could turn around. I don't know what their plans are...does anyone here know?
If KDOX beats KDWN is that overall or just certain dayparts?
I will look for your replies.
Newsperson
Remember 720 KDWN is 50KW day and night and Beasley has bought it for the long term and thoughts of selling it would be a waste of their resources. What can be done now? A lot of possibilities are out there and in six months the station could turn around. I don't know what their plans are...does anyone here know?
If KDOX beats KDWN is that overall or just certain dayparts?
I will look for your replies.
Newsperson
That would be overall for KDOX 12+! A reliable source at KDWN who is unhappy with his situation, the performance of the station and management said that KDWN employees were told to "monitor KDOX". Beasley has done a wonderful job of taking all their stations and making them a lovely 2nd or 3rd choice in the market. Hell KFRH is so far in the tubes its ridiculous. Coyote plays second fiddle to KWNR. KDWN is dropping like a rock. Who gives a horse ass hair about the other AM they have. KKLZ is doing alright so it will be just a matter of months before they bring in Joe Blow Consultant to drive that station into the ground because that is what Beasley does best. They take something good and break it. Think of Chris Farley in Tommy Boy.
"I pet. I love it. And THEN I KILL IT!" Beasley Broadcasting the Baby Huey of the broadcast industry.
"I pet. I love it. And THEN I KILL IT!" Beasley Broadcasting the Baby Huey of the broadcast industry.
Compared to where?
Permit a tourist to offer locals a well-traveled perspective.
I visit a LOT of radio stations.
I write this from McCarran (THANK YOU for free, fast WiFi), en route to 3-markets-in-4-days back East.
What you're witnessing is not "a KDWN Bloodbath."
It's not even "a radio bloodbath."
It's not even just "a national bloodbath."
This is a world-wide recession we're talking about here on the World Wide Web.
Being as-over-leveraged-as many other industries, radio sure is downsizing, EVERYWHERE.
Less @ KDWN than lots of other places.
Didn't Clear Channel just fire 1000 people the other day?
Even if that's only 1 or 2 per station, these were already skeleton crews.
I happened to visit KDWN the other night.
'Had some voicework to lay down, and they were nice-enough to do-me-a-solid.
It's tough to name a bunch of stations, in ANY size market, where, at 8PM:
* a live board-op was announcing credible traffic information,
* news shifts were CHANGING (yep, at that hour someone was COMING IN), and
* the newscaster already-on-duty is ex-ABC News.
And I saw KDWN's morning host on MSNBC twice last week.
Meanwhile, at WABC/New York:
* there's no PD,
* there's no local news during Rush Limbaugh, and
* they only carry the-first-half-of ABC News on-hour during Rush. @ 03, they play spot-spot-spot until El Rushbo re-joins.
Sure, times are tough here.
But y'all are better-off than lots of places.
Honest.
HC
www.HollandCooke.com
PS: 'Was here for the massive, mind-boggling, Consumer Electronics Show. I've linked to video of some of the keynotes and SuperSessions @ www.HollandCooke.com
Permit a tourist to offer locals a well-traveled perspective.
I visit a LOT of radio stations.
I write this from McCarran (THANK YOU for free, fast WiFi), en route to 3-markets-in-4-days back East.
What you're witnessing is not "a KDWN Bloodbath."
It's not even "a radio bloodbath."
It's not even just "a national bloodbath."
This is a world-wide recession we're talking about here on the World Wide Web.
Being as-over-leveraged-as many other industries, radio sure is downsizing, EVERYWHERE.
Less @ KDWN than lots of other places.
Didn't Clear Channel just fire 1000 people the other day?
Even if that's only 1 or 2 per station, these were already skeleton crews.
I happened to visit KDWN the other night.
'Had some voicework to lay down, and they were nice-enough to do-me-a-solid.
It's tough to name a bunch of stations, in ANY size market, where, at 8PM:
* a live board-op was announcing credible traffic information,
* news shifts were CHANGING (yep, at that hour someone was COMING IN), and
* the newscaster already-on-duty is ex-ABC News.
And I saw KDWN's morning host on MSNBC twice last week.
Meanwhile, at WABC/New York:
* there's no PD,
* there's no local news during Rush Limbaugh, and
* they only carry the-first-half-of ABC News on-hour during Rush. @ 03, they play spot-spot-spot until El Rushbo re-joins.
Sure, times are tough here.
But y'all are better-off than lots of places.
Honest.
HC
www.HollandCooke.com
PS: 'Was here for the massive, mind-boggling, Consumer Electronics Show. I've linked to video of some of the keynotes and SuperSessions @ www.HollandCooke.com
jh said:
Now, that's "fresh" thinking. News/Talk on 102.7, move the Country Legends to 720 sell paid programming on KBET. Not a bad "bet."
M
MusicMaestro
Guest
Jay F said:
Right On, Jay! The once great KDWN has sunk to a very low level that only a microscope can find! The smartest thing that I believe they could do IS to switch to an all-sports format, garner some rights to USC or UCLA football, since the signal carries to other western states at night, & make it west-coast oriented! Combine it with morning drive News/Info/Traffic with LIVE hosts, & maybe bring back some Las Vegas/Southern California/Reno/Northwest radio personalities who need the work, & are AM Radio veterans--I know that I would listen to that, rather than the crapola(except from 3-7pm M-F) that currently airs on that station!
I'm glad you liked my comment MusicMaestro. I didn't mean it as a cheap shot either, I'm sincere when I say there is nothing worth listening to on KDWN on weekends. It's non-stop infomercials and re-runs of syndicated shows from earlier in the week, total garbage IMO. Some might argue that they need to make some revenue. OK fine, but it shouldn't come all at the expense of entertainment value. How about some balance.
Let's go back to 1982, that's what I consider the golden age of K-DAWN, before it started falling apart under the old ownership. They had a 6.4 share back then (although there were a lot less signals). They had good local talk shows 24/7, always interesting, thought provoking, topical discussion. No call screening, which made it fun yet the callers were good,unlike the end of the Williams era when most callers were
senile and downtrodden sounding and obsessed with illegal immigration (although I still would rather listen to Jim Dallas's old show than much of what's on the station today). Weekends featured a whole set of excellent parttime hosts as well as Lee Pete's sports show. There was never a dull moment. That's the way it should be.
I like jh's idea of moving KDWN to 102.7. Without Rush, KDWN will never beat KXNT or get out of their ratings rut, but if they were on FM, wow that would give them a huge advantage and open up a whole new world of opportunity to get 25-54 cume. However Beasley has a not so great history with FM talk. They bought legendary FM talker WWDB/Philadelphia, ruined it with tons of infomercials, the ratings tanked and even if they were on FM their demos rapidly aged. They eventually flipped formats and today are a rhythmic CHR.
Let's go back to 1982, that's what I consider the golden age of K-DAWN, before it started falling apart under the old ownership. They had a 6.4 share back then (although there were a lot less signals). They had good local talk shows 24/7, always interesting, thought provoking, topical discussion. No call screening, which made it fun yet the callers were good,unlike the end of the Williams era when most callers were
senile and downtrodden sounding and obsessed with illegal immigration (although I still would rather listen to Jim Dallas's old show than much of what's on the station today). Weekends featured a whole set of excellent parttime hosts as well as Lee Pete's sports show. There was never a dull moment. That's the way it should be.
I like jh's idea of moving KDWN to 102.7. Without Rush, KDWN will never beat KXNT or get out of their ratings rut, but if they were on FM, wow that would give them a huge advantage and open up a whole new world of opportunity to get 25-54 cume. However Beasley has a not so great history with FM talk. They bought legendary FM talker WWDB/Philadelphia, ruined it with tons of infomercials, the ratings tanked and even if they were on FM their demos rapidly aged. They eventually flipped formats and today are a rhythmic CHR.
I count at last 4 deleted people... you'd think they would realign the page?
http://kdwn.com/index.php?page=31&sid=uo2mufot7c27d8n66g3737i4dtbg0laj
What happened to the attractive brunette who was getting so much national TV exposure? "Sabrina??? something?"
http://kdwn.com/index.php?page=31&sid=uo2mufot7c27d8n66g3737i4dtbg0laj
What happened to the attractive brunette who was getting so much national TV exposure? "Sabrina??? something?"
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