KFWB up for sale

[davideduardo]

The LA Business Journal reports that will be sold.

"CBS Radio is preparing to put local talker KFWB-AM (980) on the sales block under orders by the Federal Communications Commission.

The move comes eight years after the FCC first told the network to get rid of one of its L.A. properties to comply with limits on the number of stations one owner can hold in each market."

The full story is at http://www.labusinessjournal.com/article.asp?aID=145962

 

[musicman3355]

So out of all the CBS stations, they're giving up KFWB? I think CBS knew that 980 was becoming an embrassment! The news/talk format they have is terrible.
Who will buy them?

 

[davideduardo]

So out of all the CBS stations, they're giving up KFWB? I think CBS knew that 980 was becoming an embrassment! The news/talk format they have is terrible.
Who will buy them?

They have known for 6 years that, unless FCC rules changed, they would have to sell it. Nothing new except that they are being required to move on this.

As to potential buyers, my guess, like the article also says, is for a buyer who will do Korean or another Asian language programming of some kind.

 

[easybutton]

Well Saul was the one bitching the whole time about it. He reignited the fire that lead to this... I'd make him buy it AND reinstate the old news-wheel.

 

[nmoore6676]

So out of all the CBS stations, they're giving up KFWB? I think CBS knew that 980 was becoming an embrassment! The news/talk format they have is terrible.
Who will buy them?

They have known for 6 years that, unless FCC rules changed, they would have to sell it. Nothing new except that they are being required to move on this.

As to potential buyers, my guess, like the article also says, is for a buyer who will do Korean or another Asian language programming of some kind.

Does this mean that Dr. Laura has to beg Robin to get back on KFI? Though I suppose they could place her on KTLK. Also not good for Laura Ingraham because she jumped off KGIL to KFWB when the chance arose. It is possible though that Saul was already itching to flip KGIL, it had been News/Talk for just about two years so that move may have been the wisest at the time.

 

[Lopaka]

What about a 24 hr/ day home for KBRT?

 

[musicfan101]

I would think maybe Cumulus, Greater Media, or some other company would be interested in purchasing KFWB so they could capitalize off of Dr. Laura's PPM success.

 

[michael hagerty]

So out of all the CBS stations, they're giving up KFWB? I think CBS knew that 980 was becoming an embrassment!

No...KFWB just has the lowest prospects for success, regardless of format, because of its signal. It would be foolish to keep it and divest KNX, Jack, KTWV, AMP, K-Earth or KROQ.

 

[radioresearcher]

I would think maybe Cumulus, Greater Media, or some other company would be interested in purchasing KFWB so they could capitalize off of Dr. Laura's PPM success.

What success? The station has barely a 1 share in key demos.

 

[musicfan101]

I would think maybe Cumulus, Greater Media, or some other company would be interested in purchasing KFWB so they could capitalize off of Dr. Laura's PPM success.

What success? The station has barely a 1 share in key demos.

Supposedly, Dr. Laura FOR HER TIMESLOT, has been doing okay....

 

[davideduardo]

I would think maybe Cumulus, Greater Media, or some other company would be interested in purchasing KFWB so they could capitalize off of Dr. Laura's PPM success.

In an era when most companies are looking at how to move ageing AM talkers to FM, nobody would buy a standalone AM with a mediocre signal in LA... one that likely has no cash flow and no future prospects.

 

[davideduardo]

What about a 24 hr/ day home for KBRT?

Night audience for AM radio is so small that it makes no sense to trade the big 740 signal for the much poorer 980 one just to be on at night...

 

[musicfan101]

I would think maybe Cumulus, Greater Media, or some other company would be interested in purchasing KFWB so they could capitalize off of Dr. Laura's PPM success.

In an era when most companies are looking at how to move ageing AM talkers to FM, nobody would buy a standalone AM with a mediocre signal in LA... one that likely has no cash flow and no future prospects.

I guess you're right. What would be ideal is a community college or a university purchasing that signal, and making it a college alternative station. Regardless, it's sad to witness the downfall of what was once a great news station. I am 19 years old, and listened as a kid, and even preferred KFWB over KNX! I could hear the "K-F-W-B, NEWS 98!" jingle in the back of my head...

 

[amisdead]

What if Salem picked up 980 and moved over the KKLA block-program business to AM, freeing up 99.5 for The Fish?

 

[musicman3355]

The KFWB signal isn't as weak actually. I remember when I went to Las Vegas last year I got KFWB from my hotel room, even in Barstow. It wasn't a weak signal either, surprisingly.

 

[TheBigA]

What would be ideal is a community college or a university purchasing that signal, and making it a college alternative station.

Any college that has that kind of money isn't going to turn it over to alternative music. They will carry a lot of the NPR and other public radio news and talk shows that currently don't get heard in LA (except maybe on an HD station). But the real story here is that area colleges and universities don't have money to spend on radio stations. The groups that have money are the ones mentioned in the article: Ethnic and religious organizations.

 

[musicfan101]

What would be ideal is a community college or a university purchasing that signal, and making it a college alternative station.

Any college that has that kind of money isn't going to turn it over to alternative music. They will carry a lot of the NPR and other public radio news and talk shows that currently don't get heard in LA (except maybe on an HD station). But the real story here is that area colleges and universities don't have money to spend on radio stations. The groups that have money are the ones mentioned in the article: Ethnic and religious organizations.

Huh? Maybe I should have been specific, student-run radio through a university of junior college. You know, where student fees and tuition pays for it? Colorado University has been operating an alternative station on the AM dial for years (KVCU). Same goes for USC (KSCR 1560).

 

[TheBigA]

You know, where student fees and tuition pays for it? Colorado University has been operating an alternative station on the AM dial for years (KVCU). Same goes for USC (KSCR 1560).

I know what you mean. It's a big issue at those colleges, where students are fighting rising fees, and complain that the entire student body is paying for something that only a handful use. Several of those stations have been sold for that reason. Unless CBS donates the station to a college (and such things have happened), they will get more money from an ethnic religious organization.

 

[davideduardo]

The KFWB signal isn't as weak actually. I remember when I went to Las Vegas last year I got KFWB from my hotel room, even in Barstow. It wasn't a weak signal either, surprisingly.

It's been pretty well proven that in LA, with the high noise level and relatively poor conductivity as you go inland, that there is little listening outside the 10 mVm contour of AMs... most accuring in the 15 mV/m areas. This has been seen in tracking ratings listening locations for in home and at work listening using over a quarter of a million diaries from the late 90's on.

The KFWB 10 mV/m signal covers just under 7 million of the 13 million persons in the LA radio market... that is just not good enough for a very competitive market.

Hearing a station on DX skip is very different from being listenable in the home market... I heard KFWB many times in Ohio 50 years ago, but they never got ratings in Cleveland, either.

 

[davideduardo]

What if Salem picked up 980 and moved over the KKLA block-program business to AM, freeing up 99.5 for The Fish?

Now that makes sense!