KGSR is Now Lucy 93.3

[MRD]

Fourth re-branding or format change in 11 months. Maybe the fourth time is the charm.

Lucy Arrives On 93.3 Austin - RadioInsight

For the fourth time in eleven months, Waterloo Media has either changed formats or rebranded 93.3 KGSR Cedar Park/Austin TX. After beginning 2020 as Soft AC “Star 93.3“, the station shifted to Hot AC under the “Star” branding in February 2020, flipped to CHR as “93.3 Austin” in September, and...

radioinsight.com

 

[AnyHuman]

I still liked it best when it was Hot 93.3/Hip-Hop. KPEZ isn't real hip-hop, played too much top 40 and sped up the music when I listened last.

 

[The Rimshot]

I liked it best when it was Mega 93-3 and featured Miss Kitty in the mornings.

 

[Delete My Account]

I liked it best as KGSR when it had a heritage, acceptable ratings, and wasn't changing direction every six months.

 

[Gregg.]

I thought the Soft AC format made sense. In a lot of markets, Soft AC has made inroads against the established AC station. But even when KGSR was running Adult Alternative or Hot AC, it could not seem to make a dent in the ratings.

It's got killer power, 100,000 watts at 1,926 feet. That's about 1 1/4 the height of the Empire State Building with the maximum power permitted. But the tower is about 35 miles north of Austin in Bertam. So it's moving to a 500 foot tower at 50,000 watts, but that will be within the City of Austin.

Is that Bertram tower the reason KGSR can't gain any traction no matter what it tries?

 

[dlf1]

I thought the Soft AC format made sense. In a lot of markets, Soft AC has made inroads against the established AC station. But even when KGSR was running Adult Alternative or Hot AC, it could not seem to make a dent in the ratings.

It's got killer power, 100,000 watts at 1,926 feet. That's about 1 1/4 the height of the Empire State Building with the maximum power permitted. But the tower is about 35 miles north of Austin in Bertam. So it's moving to a 500 foot tower at 50,000 watts, but that will be within the City of Austin.

Is that Bertram tower the reason KGSR can't gain any traction no matter what it tries?

When they first signed on from the Bertram Tower in 1986 as B93 (KBTS) they made a significant dent in the ratings. They tried a lot of formats post KBTS, but the only one that gained any traction was when they were Hot93 a Hip Hop station. They were helped when the original KQBT flipped to a talk format; I think there was one book where they were #1.

Eventually the ratings dropped and in 2009/2010 the KGSR format was moved from 107.1 to 93.3. KGSR alternated between AAA and Modern AC, at least to my ears.

The 93.3 signal from Bertram was a monster; it started coming in just north of Hillsboro and made it to San Antonio (pre 93.3 translator). It came in well here in Canyon Lake from Bertram, but now is not particularly strong from the new location.

 

[Mediafrog+]

The 93.3 signal from Bertram was a monster

No kidding. I remember being really impressed when I first heard it driving around Central Texas circa 1987. Probably had one of the most awesome coverage areas of any FM I have ever come across. But being 35 miles from downtown Austin put it at a disadvantage to the Western Hills tower farm, which has excellent line-of-sight coverage of the market core.

Just like the recent downgrade of KBPA the new KGSR facility is a good idea for reaching the relevant sales demos.