radioguybroadcasting said:
Doesn't seem like they are as it is!
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Doesn't seem like they are as it is!
R
reverbonthemic
Guest
It seems like an offer would already have come if someone were interested in the station as-is. So the question is: is there any real possibility that KAFE will downgrade, allowing the move to Cougar, and if so, what kind of signal (radius of 60dBu contour) would that give the station, and what would that potentially translate to in market value? Next, let's say First is unable to strike the deal with Saga (I don't know the status of those talks, if they are happening at all). What happens to the station long-term, if it is permanently unable to upgrade? Are there any economics that support a South Sound-focused signal? What would First need to get as a sale price just to break even? We have several other South Sound signals (South Mountain, Capital Peak etc.) and all are focused squarely as Seattle-area rimshots. Is it no longer possible to make it with local direct sales only? I believe the population of the Tacoma-to-Olympia corridor is nearly 1 million, is that correct?
reverbonthemic said:
Contrary to what is being claimed by "experts" on this board, the move by KMCQ to Cougar Mt. isn't out of the question. The 8.1kW application still stands and fits the allocation. One could argue that it isn't a full-market signal with not much in Tacoma or Everett, but the value is certainly much higher from Cougar than Enumclaw, WA. http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/FMTV-service-area?t=FM1233000.html
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BurntOutRadio
Guest
SAGA stock is below two dollars a share after hitting a low of $1.10. The board just approved a not more than 1 for 4 reverse share split. Doesn't sound like they are doing all that well financially. Who knows. Maybe they will make a deal with KMCQ's owners for an infusion of cash.
BurntOutRadio said:
One shouldn't associate current share price with company P&L or value. All broadcasters are seeing their stock price cut by 50% or more as compared to 2007, regardless of their reported, (or in the case of Saga), not yet reported performance for the year.
If one looked at Sagas past performance; Saga did $141 million in revenue in 2005, $142M in 2006, and $144M in 2007. Even if with the economic conditions recently experienced in 2008, if Saga fell somewhere between 2005 and 2007 revenue with little expense increase, they should feel pretty good about life. 2009 is going to be a bitch for media, but it seems like a company such as Saga should be well prepared to weather it.
It doesn't really matter what they are attempting to play right now....because as of 2 hours ago, their transmitter was still off the air!
This station is a disaster on multiple fronts and the timing couldn't have been worse. Clearly KMCQ isn't a serious contender in the Seattle/Tacoma metro.
This station is a disaster on multiple fronts and the timing couldn't have been worse. Clearly KMCQ isn't a serious contender in the Seattle/Tacoma metro.
reverbonthemic said:
Somehow there would seem to be a shortage of available FM frequencies for anything approaching full power. The Seattle metro area lost an oldies station, and the frequency was handed over to a news talk station that already had the biggest AM signal in Seattle. The band is too crowded. If KMCQ broadcasts to the north they interfere with KAFE. They can probably easier go south, but there could be interference or some kind of dispute in certain areas with 104.7 KDUX in Aberdeen. I just checked again earlier today and 104.5 is not on the air.
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BurntOutRadio
Guest
You might remember after KMCQ filed to move to Covington, KDUX filed a counter-proposal to move up to Shoreline, I believe as a C2. They got shot down when they also proposed moving KAFE to 104.1. The only problem with that was that they hadn't approached KAFE about their proposal. The kicker was that KAFE not only had to switch frequencies too but would have to have a directional pattern to make the KDUX proposal work. KMCQ had a signed agreement with SAGA where they agreed to have a directional antenna....for a cash donation no less. The FCC threw out the KDUX petition.
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reverbonthemic
Guest
For those of you who apparently don't understand what KMCQ is, let me clear it up for you:
1) The station is not meant to be a "contender"... it's a PLACE HOLDER
2) First Broadcasting isn't an operator... they are SPECULATORS
3) The station will NEVER "pick a competitive format", "hire sales people," or let you "test out new formats."
KMCQ is waiting on FCC approval of an upgrade to Cougar Mountain. Once approved, the license will be SOLD at a PROFIT. First won't even bother to actually make the move to Cougar -- they don't need to. For those of you who are disgusted by the station being off the air: THEY DON'T CARE! They will eventually get it back on, to satisfy their minimum requirements to maintain the license, and that's it. Further, no one is "programming" this station! All of your excitement about the thrilling new format change to "Eighties" is meaningless! The music is coming from a laptop at the transmitter. Very little, if any thought, has gone into what music is selected. It's likely the work of a contract engineer. First told him, "Put something on the air. Whatever you want. We don't care." The station does not need to have "curb appeal" to be sold. It's value is based 100% on stick value, and 0% on how it sounds (or whether it's even on the air) now. It's not a real station, and it never will be while First owns it - get it? All of your wishful thinking won't make this into a viable station until it is sold to an actual broadcaster. I realize this is troubling for all of you who thought we had a brand new shiny radio station in Seattle. We don't ... at least not yet. First Broadcasting does not operate stations and will not operate KMCQ. It may take some time, but they will eventually sell it to someone who will add it to their cluster and only then give it viable programming. May take some time, but it WILL happen.
1) The station is not meant to be a "contender"... it's a PLACE HOLDER
2) First Broadcasting isn't an operator... they are SPECULATORS
3) The station will NEVER "pick a competitive format", "hire sales people," or let you "test out new formats."
KMCQ is waiting on FCC approval of an upgrade to Cougar Mountain. Once approved, the license will be SOLD at a PROFIT. First won't even bother to actually make the move to Cougar -- they don't need to. For those of you who are disgusted by the station being off the air: THEY DON'T CARE! They will eventually get it back on, to satisfy their minimum requirements to maintain the license, and that's it. Further, no one is "programming" this station! All of your excitement about the thrilling new format change to "Eighties" is meaningless! The music is coming from a laptop at the transmitter. Very little, if any thought, has gone into what music is selected. It's likely the work of a contract engineer. First told him, "Put something on the air. Whatever you want. We don't care." The station does not need to have "curb appeal" to be sold. It's value is based 100% on stick value, and 0% on how it sounds (or whether it's even on the air) now. It's not a real station, and it never will be while First owns it - get it? All of your wishful thinking won't make this into a viable station until it is sold to an actual broadcaster. I realize this is troubling for all of you who thought we had a brand new shiny radio station in Seattle. We don't ... at least not yet. First Broadcasting does not operate stations and will not operate KMCQ. It may take some time, but they will eventually sell it to someone who will add it to their cluster and only then give it viable programming. May take some time, but it WILL happen.
Not that those who hold out hope for a new 80's format station will pay any attention to your very clear message anyway, I for one appreciate you posting the moment of sanity. I've tried to make similar points, but being not what they want to hear, (or read as the case may be), the "format" speculation and complaints about the laptop station being off the air continues...
I still like my idea of just throwing up a tone, with a legal ID TOH.
I still like my idea of just throwing up a tone, with a legal ID TOH.
I
IndigoCoyote
Guest
Hey Reverb-
Well put. Thanks.
Well put. Thanks.
reverbonthemic said:
You don't have to talk down to people. Try showing some respect! You must be one of those corporatists.
They don't have a license. They have a Construction Permit. They went on air with "equipment tests" then filed for the license.
They have the option of asking for "program test authority" upon filing for the license, but it is optional. There is no requirement to start programming until the license is granted. Most stations use PTA to get on the air while the license is grinding through the FCC.
It's all standard procedure. Once the license is granted they'll have to begin programming for real. Even then, as other posters have indicated, they're not likely to put a staff in place. Staffs cost money; startups are costly. Their hope is that they'll make money on the sale.
Unfortunately, the Canadian issue lowered the upside potential, and the economy further diminished it as well.
It is interesting that in August 07, they asked for Special Temporary Authority to Remain Silent at the The Dalles site, and last week the FCC dismissed that request. Maybe someone knows why that would be dismissed, unless there is a license being granted for the Covington site, making the Remain Silent request moot.
They have the option of asking for "program test authority" upon filing for the license, but it is optional. There is no requirement to start programming until the license is granted. Most stations use PTA to get on the air while the license is grinding through the FCC.
It's all standard procedure. Once the license is granted they'll have to begin programming for real. Even then, as other posters have indicated, they're not likely to put a staff in place. Staffs cost money; startups are costly. Their hope is that they'll make money on the sale.
Unfortunately, the Canadian issue lowered the upside potential, and the economy further diminished it as well.
It is interesting that in August 07, they asked for Special Temporary Authority to Remain Silent at the The Dalles site, and last week the FCC dismissed that request. Maybe someone knows why that would be dismissed, unless there is a license being granted for the Covington site, making the Remain Silent request moot.
So my guess is that the road up to Radio Hill got washed out in the snow, ice and rain and that it's all muddy and dangerous to get up there, preventing anyone from operating the station. The photos that I have seen show no STL link, and no phone lines, so remote control would seemingly be out of the question.
As I mentioned in a prior post, the studio has to be in the shack at the base of the antenna, and with no reasonable access to the site, it stays off the air.
As I mentioned in a prior post, the studio has to be in the shack at the base of the antenna, and with no reasonable access to the site, it stays off the air.
reverbonthemic said:
OK....BUT:
- If I were in charge of this and it was to be sold totally on "stick" value and nothing else, I probably would have been nice enough to continue simulcasting KMIH after they got their frequency change. A 25,000 watt 104.5 ain't much coming off a crappy hill (and even worse off a laptop), but at least it got into Seattle and probably would have made it look like something of value to someone. Plus it would have helped some upstart broadcasters in the meantime.
We never thought we had some "brand new shiny radio station", it was just a curiosity on the dial. We knew damn well NO commercially licensed station exists on PSAs and tired oldies alone. We just hypothesized on what COULD be. What's wrong with that? OK, the FCC gave it's approval and it's on the air. What else could we do? Just ignore it and talk about something more "interesting", like who the new PD of KKWF is?
(Hint: It's going to be Country)
You just be damn glad that SOME folks were nice enough to see what was on that new 104.5 channel. That's not easy. You see, in a world with a ZILLION exciting damn new choices for audio delivery, some folks were just nice enough to check out that ancient old, almost insignificant FM band. And these aren't people in cars - they have options there too - MP3 playable car stereos, plus improved signals from Vancouver. And while every radio station has it's critics, the very LEAST First could have done was at least ATTEMPT to sound like a regular radio station. If EVEN the KMIH simulcast. At least they were doing something that resembled a radio station.
I mean, as a buyer, I'd probably look at this stick and everything on paper and ask "OK, this thing gets into Seattle and not much elsewhere, fine, what else has it got?" If it's off the air, it's a pretty lousy demonstration. If it was on the air with even KMIH students, even in this economy, I'd at least see HOPE.
The "placeholder" idea is more stupid speculation, which is WORTHLESS the way things are today. I can say that nothing positive visible (or in this case, aural) is going to matter a LOT.
So get SOMETHING on 104.5 NOW.
Period.
Bongwater said:
Clearly Sir Bongalongadingdong, you are not very familiar with the business of radio. As mentioned earlier, the owners of 104.5, are not operators. They see opportunities for market move-in's, then sell the CP's at a profit. Don't believe me? Look at the other First Media move-in's around the country that are in progress in the FCC database.
The only reason there is a tower and transmitter site in Enumclaw, is because the value is higher when at least some tangible assets are transferred at the sale. The FCC typically looks down at the sale of a government issued permit, and one risks transfer problems if nothing physical exists. And no Bong, formats are not assets but merely content.
From a valuation standpoint, it would be an expensive mistake to put any real programming on 104.5 in advance of a sale. Not only do expenses go though the roof with all the logistics, as a potential buyer I for one would be more interested in putting the studios and offices where I'd like them and program the station within my business comfort-zone.
First will get the Cougar Mt. permit. Expect that soon. With all at stake, First's FCC lawyers are camped out at 445 12th Street, Washington, D.C., to "be of any assistance" during the processing of the CP modification. Reverb is right on when they claim that First will not be building out Cougar. That will be left up to whomever will be the new owner.
Mack Daddy said:
Respect is earned. Try being less ignorant.
S
SeattleRadioPro
Guest
TVradioguru said:
+1
TVradioguru said:
You haven't earned my respect. I mistakenly thought this was a forum for people to discuss radio, but clearly you aren't able to do that. I feel sorry for you!
Mack Daddy said:
Nor was I seeking your respect nor sympathies Mack. I can't believe that I even need to explain this to you, but here goes..
The whole point being that someone in the industry who actually knows something about radio move-in's posts a clear and concise message in a effort to stem the continuing uneducated speculation. Clearly having no idea of what they're talking about, you feel that you're "being talked down" to.
It seems to me Mack that someone as yourself, who appears to know very little about the industry, can either read the posts and gather knowledge where applicable, or have knee jerk reactions by replying to just about every post on this board with non-contributory statements.
You see Mack, people who know something about the topic, (in this case the business side of the radio industry),garner respect for their knowledge; but those who reply with ignorant comments, just look....ignorant.
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