KFAQ CAVES ON DELGIORNO'S REMARKS

[Radio55]

You may have heard about KFAQ (Journal) settling the lawsuit filed against Michael Delgiorno... see tulsaworld.com, or radioandrecords.com.

 

[Radio55]

I find it interesting that no one has anything to say about DelGiorno. No responses, no one cares, no surprise.

 

[Da Judge]

That's because what can you say about someone and a company who successfully destroyed one of America's heritage radio stations; call letters. One of the biggest radio faux pas ever.

 

[Radio55]

At first it really bugged me that the KVOO calls were dropped for KFAQ. KVOO--Voice Of Oklahoma, what great branding/imaging opportunities. But now I'm glad they use KFAQ instead... I wouldn't want the great KVOO call letters anywhere near what the station is now. The fact that it's a talk station is ok, but the We Hate Tulsa morning show is really too much and it continued during the ice storm--the mayor wasn't doing enough, etc., etc. They should have hired John Walls (formerly of Channel 2). The week he auditioned, the station never sounded better and they really could have given KRMG a headache, but Walls probably wanted too much money, so DelGiorno it is, who also wanted too much money, DelGiorno is now gone, and the stations reputation is zero. KRMG re-established itself as the station Tulsa can rely on because of the storm while KFAQ flops around in radio never-neverland. And by the way, did you notice that Journal stock is under 10 bucks now? It really is too bad.

 

[Da Judge]

Tulsa had a trend this week and supposedly KFAQ is still fighting to maintain a competitive advantage. Couldn't be a News/Talk format issue, KRMG's doing fine. Wonder what it would be?

 

[Radio55]

Is there a website with the trends? I looked on radioandrecords.com but they won't post some until mid-January. Are the trends posted on radio-info the current ones?

KFAQ's biggest problem is reputation and credibility. It's gone. DelGiorno buried that station and adding Chris Medlock, who is really only a professional stuff-stirrer, has done nothing to improve things. I think people are simply tiring of the constant Tulsa-bashing that the station built itself upon. When they went on the air they could have been a huge news and information station and an absolute challenger to KRMG. They have the talent in Brian Gann, their operations director who has to be one of the best news directors in the country. When he was allowed to cover news prior to Journal taking over, no one could touch AM 1170 (KVOO) for excellent reporting. When there was breaking news, it was all hands on deck and when a storm hit, he would have wall-to-wall coverage and constant updates of information. The product was first class. When you heard the bumper "KVOO Breaking News!" you knew something major had happened and KVOO (AM) was on it. KVOO was in front of KRMG many, many times, but now, as KFAQ, the station is trailing and falling behind. What Journal/DelGiorno prescribed for the station in KFAQ got a lot of attention for a while, but as it often happens with the public, they tire of the same old thing. What people want in a radio station is a product they can rely on. KFAQ had its chance and blew it. KRMG rediscovered its position as the station people come to for news and information and while KFAQ was running their talk shows during the worst ice storm in our state's history, KRMG was getting information and serving the public ... things a radio station is supposed to do.

 

[Da Judge]

Journal in Tulsa has missed several opportunities to flanker KRMG, even after the Delgiorno fiasco; i.e. what happened durning the ice storm, plus you never see them out in the community like KRMG. They've dropped the ball on many different fronts. Simple things.

 

[kxojdj]

I don't know one person that tuned in to KFAQ during the ice storm. Most people went to KRMG for news. They stayed local and live.