KFNC Changes

[bayou-bob]

From AllAccess:

"A raft of changes at CUMULUS Talk KFNC (FM NEWS CHANNEL 97.5)/HOUSTON sees several newscasters let go and afternoon hosts JIM PRUETT and BRIAN SHANNON moving to mornings. ALL ACCESS hears that among the folks exiting KFNC are afternoon anchor JIM CAROLA, morning anchor/host MIKE SHILOH, and sports anchor CRAIG ROBERTS, and at least three others, as the lineup moves to mostly syndicated fare."

 

[Mediafrog+]

Nothing surprising here. FM NewsChannel was a labor intensive format, way too expensive for the miniscule numbers it was pulling.

The Supertalk revamp will do no better, and probably sink into complete ratings oblivion. There is already a glut of Talk on the air, amongst 700, 740, 950, and 1070, plus the two sports stations, not to mention the biznews on 1320. The format had previously fizzled on FM with 97 Talk (KKTL 97.1) a few years back.

I suspect Supertalk is a stopgap measure until Cumulus can decide on something completely different. And they already have enough headaches with sister KIOL, easlily the most interference-bashed rimshot in the market.

Memo to Cumulus: Study Cox's business model with Country Legends 97.1, a rimshot that is having a reasonable degree of success.

 

[Mike O]

Since KFNC is now officially a suburban Houston station licensed to Mont Belvieu, I guess it is too late to give the frequency back to BMT where it belongs.

Glad that Cumulus had enough sense to keep Jim Pruett and Brian Shannon, but I see the morning slot as very temporary. One of three things will happen, they move to the 7pm to midnight slot on KIOL (doubtful Jim Pruett would like that slot with a successful business to run), they take over the morning slot from Walton & Johnson which is very likely or they are terminated in a short time also (hopefully not).

Unfortunately Craig Roberts is once again looking for a show. His talents never were used very well on KFNC, at least Craig Roberts does have a show on KTBU Channel 55. Maybe Clear Channel will try and turn KTRH around to a News station again and Craig Roberts will find a home there. Another posssiblity is the CC will finally give up on Sports 790 and change KBME to an all News format. KBME has a signal that is adequate day and night to cover metro Houston as a News station. The Sports format has gone no where, except increase KILT 610 ratings.

I have noticed that Jim Pruett has started doing more with KIOL and making appearances on behalf of KIOL at various functions on the weekend. That is one of the reasons that I feel that Pruett and Shannon could very well have a slot on KIOL, be it 7pm to midnight or more likely the 5am to 10am slot.

I don't know when W&J's contract is up with KIOL or if KIOL can drop them from syndication on KIOL at any time and move the show to either New Orleans or Baton Rouge where they are also on the air. Dropping W&J from KIOL maybe the only thing that would keep Pruett and Shannon from having the morning slot on KIOL.

A good music - talk show in the morning on KIOL would beat the endless pontification of W&J. While I admire their telling the story as it is and don't sugar coat the news, their egos and much bigger than the show is good. They take their audience for granted and are less than pleasant to many callers and I don't know where they got the idea that they are the "speech police" in the way people may use the phrase "you know" and asking "how are you today", people are just using common courtesy when asking. W&J just aren't that good and I feel that Jim and Brian would have a better morning show. Yes I do get the show.

I have to admit I have never figured out why Cumulus didn't fill the nighttime slot with either Pam or Lisa, both which are very good air talents and sound excellent in the nighttime slot. If either one is interested in the all night slot, it would be to Cumulus's
benefit to have one of them fill that time period.

It is like Cumulus has set up both KIOL and KFNC to fail from the start. I don't see the all syndicated Talk format on KFNC doing anything in the ratings department either and likely another format flip in six months to a year. I have to admit I have no idea what would work on 97.5. The Classic Country format as suggested by Mediafrog has been picked up by many stations since the success of 97.1 and very little effort or expense on the part Cox. I'm not sure there is room for another Classic Country station, I believe that 101.7 in Beaumont has that format. Possibly a Urban Oldies station as the 97.1 signal does cover the east and north side of Houston and out to the LA state line. It is a format that is missing from FM in Houston and might have a chance at doing well, except we are talking Cumulus and they have not shown anything but being clueless at what they are doing, especially in a major market.

KRBE is likely to drop down into the jumble of stations in the two ratings in a month or two from now.

I would like to see CBS buy three more FM's in Houston as they seem to do radio right and the ratings prove that out. Don't know which company I would rather see them buy out Cox or Cumulus. I guess Cox as they have the better signals. CBS could spin off 97.1 without any problem as it has a good Houston signal. Houston radio is not going to improve until we are rid of lame companies like Cox and Cumulus.

 

[ShaneofTexas]

Since KFNC is now officially a suburban Houston station licensed to Mont Belvieu, I guess it is too late to give the frequency back to BMT where it belongs.

93.3 , 97.5 , 98.5 , 107.9 belong back in the Beaumont-Port Arthur area.

During Tropo Conditions, those rim-shots above are unlistenable Rim shots don't work. Nuff said.

 

[DJboutit3]

I would love to 97.5 to bring back to the r&b classic r&b format they were before the one now I loved the station I listed to it all the time.

 

[airwave999]

If I had unlimited streams of cash I would buy any signal I could get hold of and program it exactly like Susquehana programmed and staffed KRBE for the last 20 years. Knowing that Cumulus will run it down and make it unlistenable like all their stations, there's a real opening in this market. As for 790, they should revive the business news format. 1320 is pretty much now just paid programming and the afternoon program with Dan Frishberg is totally unbearable. It's like watching Marvin Zindler f__k up names on Channel 13. It's as if he has no producer. He doesn't know when breaks are coming and cuts off guests constantly. I like biz news and it would be great to have a real biz station in this market.

 

[bhayes1016]

Unfortunately Craig Roberts is once again looking for a show. His talents never were used very well on KFNC, at least Craig Roberts does have a show on KTBU Channel 55. Maybe Clear Channel will try and turn KTRH around to a News station again and Craig Roberts will find a home there. Another posssiblity is the CC will finally give up on Sports 790 and change KBME to an all News format. KBME has a signal that is adequate day and night to cover metro Houston as a News station. The Sports format has gone no where, except increase KILT 610 ratings.

Apparently Roberts has burned quite a few bridges here. I thought I read where he now has a day job in public relations (or a similar field) and is doing quite well.
No way KBME is flipping to news. They risk splitting the audience with KTRH, which still markets itself as a "news" station (though we know better). And is 790's signal still reduced after 10pm?

 

[panic]

Since KFNC is now officially a suburban Houston station licensed to Mont Belvieu, I guess it is too late to give the frequency back to BMT where it belongs.

Glad that Cumulus had enough sense to keep Jim Pruett and Brian Shannon, but I see the morning slot as very temporary. One of three things will happen, they move to the 7pm to midnight slot on KIOL (doubtful Jim Pruett would like that slot with a successful business to run), they take over the morning slot from Walton & Johnson which is very likely or they are terminated in a short time also (hopefully not).

Unfortunately Craig Roberts is once again looking for a show. His talents never were used very well on KFNC, at least Craig Roberts does have a show on KTBU Channel 55. Maybe Clear Channel will try and turn KTRH around to a News station again and Craig Roberts will find a home there. Another posssiblity is the CC will finally give up on Sports 790 and change KBME to an all News format. KBME has a signal that is adequate day and night to cover metro Houston as a News station. The Sports format has gone no where, except increase KILT 610 ratings.

KBME will probably never go to news. How many current formats are switched to news? It's only really successful in the Northeast, Chicago, and San Francisco.

I have noticed that Jim Pruett has started doing more with KIOL and making appearances on behalf of KIOL at various functions on the weekend. That is one of the reasons that I feel that Pruett and Shannon could very well have a slot on KIOL, be it 7pm to midnight or more likely the 5am to 10am slot.

I don't know when W&J's contract is up with KIOL or if KIOL can drop them from syndication on KIOL at any time and move the show to either New Orleans or Baton Rouge where they are also on the air. Dropping W&J from KIOL maybe the only thing that would keep Pruett and Shannon from having the morning slot on KIOL.

A good music - talk show in the morning on KIOL would beat the endless pontification of W&J. While I admire their telling the story as it is and don't sugar coat the news, their egos and much bigger than the show is good. They take their audience for granted and are less than pleasant to many callers and I don't know where they got the idea that they are the "speech police" in the way people may use the phrase "you know" and asking "how are you today", people are just using common courtesy when asking. W&J just aren't that good and I feel that Jim and Brian would have a better morning show. Yes I do get the show.

Well, they are a bit anal but what really gets on my nerves is the fact that they use too many neocon logical fallacies: Military good, Arab bad. Cindy Sheehan bad, Ann Coulter good. Too much politics for a rock station. I share their cynicism on the immigration issue, though.

I have to admit I have never figured out why Cumulus didn't fill the nighttime slot with either Pam or Lisa, both which are very good air talents and sound excellent in the nighttime slot. If either one is interested in the all night slot, it would be to Cumulus's
benefit to have one of them fill that time period.

It is like Cumulus has set up both KIOL and KFNC to fail from the start. I don't see the all syndicated Talk format on KFNC doing anything in the ratings department either and likely another format flip in six months to a year. I have to admit I have no idea what would work on 97.5. The Classic Country format as suggested by Mediafrog has been picked up by many stations since the success of 97.1 and very little effort or expense on the part Cox. I'm not sure there is room for another Classic Country station, I believe that 101.7 in Beaumont has that format. Possibly a Urban Oldies station as the 97.1 signal does cover the east and north side of Houston and out to the LA state line. It is a format that is missing from FM in Houston and might have a chance at doing well, except we are talking Cumulus and they have not shown anything but being clueless at what they are doing, especially in a major market.

KRBE is likely to drop down into the jumble of stations in the two ratings in a month or two from now.

WAIT A MINUTE!! That will never happen as long as they keep the music from this millenium. Their ratings will sink temporarily (because of 2 Spanish stations hogging the top 5) but if KRBE starts pulling music from the past (they used to throw in Bee Gees and Michael Jackson occasionally) then the Titanic will really start to fall!

I would like to see CBS buy three more FM's in Houston as they seem to do radio right and the ratings prove that out. Don't know which company I would rather see them buy out Cox or Cumulus. I guess Cox as they have the better signals. CBS could spin off 97.1 without any problem as it has a good Houston signal. Houston radio is not going to improve until we are rid of lame companies like Cox and Cumulus.

Oh yeah? Look at the CBS ratings in Dallas. 3 of the 6 stations are below a 2 share. KLUV and KVIL are decen, but the rest are a mess.

 

[HD2]

Pruett has been appearing with 103.7 since the beginning. He's always popped in on W&J or Outlaw Dave. It's doubtful that Pruett and Shannon will replace Walton and Johnson. Their show wouldn't work as well on a rock station. They've even stated several times that Back Talk is news oriented. I don't like their move to morning, but I do appreciate that they realize they share much of their audience with 103.7 and Walton and Johnson. The breaks have been tweaked so you can listen to both shows during their commercials.

I'm not a fan of KFNC's new "all syndicated" lineup. They had some good talent and ideas. With some tweaks it could've been improved. The local angle was nice. Outside of Boortz and Hendrie the shows are boring as can be. Back Talk was a great afternoon show and I wish they'd stick them back there. Maybe put High Fidelity on for an hour or two at night.

 

[stan]

I guess that I haven't listened to KIOL at night much lately, having been out of town, but wasn't Fletch doing the evening shift? Did he leave?

 

[danish2012]

Seriously, does anyone ACTUALLY give a damn about this station? With all the talk/news stations in Houston, does KFNC have any significance in this market? I see it changing formats in a year or less.

 

[kendro]

Seriously, does anyone ACTUALLY give a damn about this station? With all the talk/news stations in Houston, does KFNC have any significance in this market? I see it changing formats in a year or less.

Yes, because it is going through changes that could either make it different from or identical to most of the other news/talk stations in Houston. If it ends up being identical, a rimshot signal of duplicated programming is a waste if money. The deck is stacked against them and they know it.
If they do pull a rabbit out of their hats, I (as do many) feel it important to see exactly how it is accomplished.

Yes, KFNC has a lot of significance in this market. Count the threads on this market's forum related to KFNC. Note the advertising aired by KFNC is for Houston businesses.

 

[Mike O]

I guess that I haven't listened to KIOL at night much lately, having been out of town, but wasn't Fletch doing the evening shift? Did he leave?

Fletch was fired a few months ago. He was a little to "progresssive" for Cumulus. Actually Cumulus was lucky that their listenership is near zip and no one complained to the FCC, Fletch was doing too much material that should have aired after 10pm in the "safe hours". He also spent too much time bitching and whining about how the world had wronged him that day and people don't listen to a station to hear that.

Fletch is a good jock, but needs to be on after 10pm when you can use the language he used and the material that he aired. His constant sniping at the brass of Cumulus didn't help him any either. You can't keep biting the hand that feeds you.

If he lands on another station or already has, please post the info, I would like to know where he goes to next. I've heard nothing about his where he is now.

 

[Mike O]

No way KBME is flipping to news. They risk splitting the audience with KTRH, which still markets itself as a "news" station (though we know better). And is 790's signal still reduced after 10pm?

If 790 was to go all News and KTRH dropped the charade of being a news station and went all Talk I don't think KTRH ratings would drop and 790 would have some ratings that were not in the cellar. I would find it hard to believe that many in Houston consider KTRH as a News station any longer. Admittedly 740 is the only place to tune to for news, but if 790 went fulltime News and marketed the fact they could do very well.

It is a costly operation, but the return can be very good. KTRH did very well in the ratings when they where a fulltime News station, often pulling the number one slot in the ratings.

If I had the cash and could buy a station with good day and night coverage of metro Houston I would go with an all News format and believe that it would be a good profit center, even with the high operating costs. It just has to be done properly. KFNC was a sad joke as a News station at their best. KFNC had some good people, but their formatting sucked.

790 does pull their pattern in fairly tight over the city of Houston after sunset. I have no idea the last time the patterns for day and night have been changed, if they ever have since they signed on back in 1944. The nighttime pattern would have to be enhanced and the power increased to cover more of Houston at night than 790 currently does to be a really viable station fulltime. It wouldn't hurt to increase the daytime coverage of 790, although they do fairly well daytime with the pattern they have. I haven't really checked out how much more territory 790 can cover day and night. Will check it out and see how much better the coverage can be for 790 over metro Houston.

 

[Mike O]

KBME will probably never go to news. How many current formats are switched to news? It's only really successful in the Northeast, Chicago, and San Francisco.

I don't have the numbers handy, but I would say that there have been a few more all News stations added. Even Buffalo (Market 54) and Rochester (Market 55) have all News stations that are successful. Done properly all News would do well in Houston.

A good music - talk show in the morning on KIOL would beat the endless pontification of W&J. While I admire their telling the story as it is and don't sugar coat the news, their egos and much bigger than the show is good. They take their audience for granted and are less than pleasant to many callers and I don't know where they got the idea that they are the "speech police" in the way people may use the phrase "you know" and asking "how are you today", people are just using common courtesy when asking. W&J just aren't that good and I feel that Jim and Brian would have a better morning show. Yes I do get the show.

Well, they are a bit anal but what really gets on my nerves is the fact that they use too many neocon logical fallacies: Military good, Arab bad. Cindy Sheehan bad, Ann Coulter good. Too much politics for a rock station. I share their cynicism on the immigration issue, though.

KRBE is likely to drop down into the jumble of stations in the two ratings in a month or two from now.

WAIT A MINUTE!! That will never happen as long as they keep the music from this millenium. Their ratings will sink temporarily (because of 2 Spanish stations hogging the top 5) but if KRBE starts pulling music from the past (they used to throw in Bee Gees and Michael Jackson occasionally) then the Titanic will really start to fall!

We are talking Cumulus that is running KRBE now, need I say more? The iceberg has already been hit hard.

I would like to see CBS buy three more FM's in Houston as they seem to do radio right and the ratings prove that out. Don't know which company I would rather see them buy out Cox or Cumulus. I guess Cox as they have the better signals. CBS could spin off 97.1 without any problem as it has a good Houston signal. Houston radio is not going to improve until we are rid of lame companies like Cox and Cumulus.

Oh yeah? Look at the CBS ratings in Dallas. 3 of the 6 stations are below a 2 share. KLUV and KVIL are decen, but the rest are a mess.
[/quote]

I didn't look at any other CBS markets, but CBS is doing a good job with KILT FM 100 and KHJZ The Wave and have excellent ratings. CBS is doing a very good job in Houston. If they put as much effort into any other stations they might own in Houston as KILT and KHJZ I think you would be looking at a good station. KILT-A has mediocre ratings but CBS is putting some work and effort into the station and is beating the crap out of 790. KIKK 650 is a disappointment with just CNN Headline News being run during the week. TV news does not translate well over radio. I guess a 250 watt daytimer just isn't worth the time, expense and effort to worry about. CBS should either move KIKK to 670kHz and go fulltime or sell the station and be done with KIKK. Cox just doesn't give a rats ass about their stations and Cumulus has proved that they are in over their head in Houston. Personally I like most of the music on KIOL, but the station still sounds like it signed on with-in the last month with only being half staffed. The station still needs a lot of work done and it has been on the air over a year now. There is no excuse to run a station that way.

 

[HD2]

They take their audience for granted and are less than pleasant to many callers and I don't know where they got the idea that they are the "speech police" in the way people may use the phrase "you know" and asking "how are you today", people are just using common courtesy when asking.

The "you know" rule is a fantastic idea. If you listen to any other show, Back Talk included, the "you know"s can really get on your nerves. Recently I had the misfortune of hearing the Atom Smasher Kevin Federline interview. It was nearly straight "you know" from both sides.

The reasoning behind the rule is there are other people on hold and they want the caller to make their point so they can respond and move on. Same goes with the "I'd like to make a comment" and "how are you" people. It's not needed and wastes time. They want to try and get to everyone before they move on to the next bit.

 

[CW]

Since KFNC is now officially a suburban Houston station licensed to Mont Belvieu, I guess it is too late to give the frequency back to BMT where it belongs.

Mike, where did you see/ hear this?? Funny, the last Top of the Hour ID I heard this weekend was "Beaumont Houston"...Look like a was CP issued but nothing to officially delete Beaumont as of yet (thus the ID must say Beaumont).

 

[Mike O]

Since KFNC is now officially a suburban Houston station licensed to Mont Belvieu, I guess it is too late to give the frequency back to BMT where it belongs.

Mike, where did you see/ hear this?? Funny, the last Top of the Hour ID I heard this weekend was "Beaumont Houston"...Look like a was CP issued but nothing to officially delete Beaumont as of yet (thus the ID must say Beaumont).

CW, I got this info from the CDBS Application Data. BPH 20060419ABC was GRANTED on 06/20/2006, I would assume that it would become effective immeadiately. The FCC Database still shows this as a CP (not too surprising) and KFNC not using the new COL is not surprising either.

BPH 20060419ABC

MINOR CHANGE APPLICATION​

CUMULUS LICENSING LLC​

KFNC RADIO STATION​

CH 245C - 97.5MHZ - 100KW​

MONT BELVIEU, TEXAS​

March 2006​

TECHNICAL STATEMENT​

This Technical Statement and attached exhibits were prepared on behalf of Cumulus
Licensing LLC ("Cumulus"), licensee of KFNC, Channel 248C, Beaumont, Texas. In MB
Docket #04-426, KFNC's community of license was changed from Beaumont, Texas to Mont
Belview, Texas. This instant application seek to implement the change in community. Cumulus
proposes to make this change at the existing KFNC site, thus no actual construction is proposed
or required.1

As noted above, Cumulus proposes to remain at the licensed KFNC site. As such, the
Federal Aviation Administration ("FAA") was not notified of this proposal. The tower has
been registered with the FCC, and assigned Antenna Structure Registration #1213478. All
other necessary documentation used to certify the technical portion of FCC Form 301 has been
forwarded to Cumulus and is available to the Commission upon request.2


_________________________
1) While there is a slight increase in height above average terrain, this is based on the use of the
30 second terrain database, instead of the 3 second database.

2) Only the radio frequency radiation limits were evaluated within the technical portion of this
application. Any other environmental issues have been or will be addressed by the applicant.

 

[Emarti]

A good music - talk show in the morning on KIOL would beat the endless pontification of W&J. While I admire their telling the story as it is and don't sugar coat the news, their egos and much bigger than the show is good. They take their audience for granted and are less than pleasant to many callers and I don't know where they got the idea that they are the "speech police" in the way people may use the phrase "you know" and asking "how are you today", people are just using common courtesy when asking. W&J just aren't that good and I feel that Jim and Brian would have a better morning show. Yes I do get the show.

Well, they are a bit anal but what really gets on my nerves is the fact that they use too many neocon logical fallacies: Military good, Arab bad. Cindy Sheehan bad, Ann Coulter good. Too much politics for a rock station.

[/quote]

Too much politics for a rock station is the problem with the w&j show. Those guys don't have the ability to correct the grammar of a head start dropout, let alone anyone with an education, considering how often they mispronounce elementary school words.
Their egos are way too big for the miniscule ratings they've produced in Texas. I don't find the character voices done by steve johnson to be entertaining, and yes, he's the one who juggles the 3 voices of the stereotypical black, gay, and redneck characters.

For those of you who care...W&J from day one have been the parrots of the G.O.P., repeating the words of Rumsfeld,
Rice and Bush as gospel. They endorsed the war with Iraq, called anyone who disagreed with them unpatriotic traitors. Funny that neither one of them nor their adult children have ever served in the military. Walton often said over the years that he got lucky during the Vietnam war that he wasn't drafted--walton and johnson NEVER served in the military, despite the way that johnson's Billy Ed character likes to insinuate he was in the army.

KIOL would be a much better station without that partisan morning show that likes to inflict their far right opinions. I think the W&J show is the worst on the air in Houston, and that's up against some stiff competition.

 

[HD2]

For those of you who care...W&J from day one have been the parrots of the G.O.P., repeating the words of Rumsfeld, Rice and Bush as gospel.

Ok, you obviously don't listen to the show, or haven't listened in the past couple years. W&J are a far cry from the far right. They criticize Rumsfeld, Rice, and Bush but feel it's silly and pointless to have the blind hate the far left does. They'll say something against the war in Iraq but they also respect and appreciate the service the soldiers are giving for that cause.