KNX Back to All News Format...

[impala88]

...and not a moment too soon. I was hoping they would come to their senses and revert to the programming that made them the news force that they are.

Read about it here: http://www.ocregister.com/column/news-radio-programming-1804637-knx-aug

 

[John McNary]

Yet another format roullette wheel spin

David G. Hall is an idiot.

 

[John McNary]

... this man did all he could to convert KNX into a talk station, then claims in a memo that "now that he has full programming control of KNX" he can undo all the idiotic changes he and he alone is responsible for.

He even has brought back the "all you need to know" sounders that he made such a big deal about destorying (complete with car crash SFX) when he first took an axe to 1070.

Unbelieveable.

 

[livingfruitvirus]

Re: Yet another format roullette wheel spin

David G. Hall is an idiot.

"I built Rush, I built Dr. Laura, I built Jim Rome, I built you, anything that has to do with radio, I BUILT IT!"

 

[John McNary]

Well, after 2 days listening to the new and improved KNX, I think ... the station hasn't sounded this good in years.

No more long, boring live phone interviews just for the sake of getting someone on the phone live.

Now, these interviews have been largely prerecorded, edited and tightened up.

Much, much less incessant front-selling. If I heard "we're on it ... up next" one more time the gag reflex would kick in.

Still: too many commercials. Hard to take KNX's spot load when the competition is commercial free.

DGH might finally be on the path to make KNX more relevant to the crowd that doesn't slaver to talk radio, that wants to be engaged and informed, and that long ago went over to NPR.

 

[Shoot From Hip]

So would you say the station is now more directly competing with KFWB? Is that a smart corporate strategy (competing with your own station rather than with KFI or KABC)? Wasn't that (greater differentiation from KFWB) the impetus for the programming changes way back when?

 

[John McNary]

KFWB and KNX complement each other.

When they were playing "dumb and dumber" - it seemed that both were in a race to the bottom.

The only way KNX can increase TSL is by providing more-compelling programming to thinking, discerning people.

The only way KFWB casn do better is to increase the cume.

No reason they both can't succeed like they used to.

 

[Shoot From Hip]

Unless the audience for all-news in Southern California is shrinking (which it is). That means the two stations are competing in a limited and ever-declining universe.

 

[davideduardo]

No reason they both can't succeed like they used to.

Not so. When "they" used to, 50% of the under 40 population was not Hispanic. They will never see the kind of cume they had before, even in PPM. And the TSL will decline radically next year.

 

[John McNary]

No reason they both can't succeed like they used to.

Not so. When "they" used to, 50% of the under 40 population was not Hispanic. They will never see the kind of cume they had before, even in PPM. And the TSL will decline radically next year.

True.

But they will succeed as opposed to what they have done since taking stupid pills 3 years ago.

Hey David: http://www.radio-info.com/smf/index.php/topic,78750.0.html ... waiting for your opinion there.

 

[oomboppamaumau]

I visited LA in June for a week, and drove about 5000 mi. around the Southland. KNX was my co-pilot most of the time. Their almost-constant traffic reports saved me some bigtime delays. RIP, Bill Keane.

Having lived in SoCal back in the 80's, I remember the "old" KNX very well (and the Drama Hour was late-night listening fun, to boot!). 1985 Liner: "It takes a small army of reporters to cover news in the Southland - We've got the troops!"

It sounded odd to have Mid-day yakfests interrupting the news flow this trip, to say the least. Yes, I remember Jackie Olden's cooking show, way back when. That seemed to be a long-standing tradition on the station, and fit in. Given the demo of "stay-at-home women" in the 60's to early 80's, the Food News Hour probably delivered the kitchen-decision-makers to Von's, Boys market and Lucky's. I see Melinda Lee is relegated to weekends, now. No one can afford to stay at home anymore, especially in SoCal. Fewer have time to cook!

I've been listening on the web since the Big Change, and I must agree it sounds a lot tighter, concise, less "beep-a-phone" interviews, etc. The old sounders are coming back, as well. Spot load is insane - one more repeat of the old lady flacking copper re-piping and I planned on going on a killing spree.

Get the Drama Hour back on at 9PM, and all is forgiven.

OBMM

 

[LAallnews]

The only way KNX can increase TSL is by providing more-compelling programming to thinking, discerning people.

That's not what they're doing. In fact, I think that's what they were trying to do before the change. The "new" format is almost identical to in form to KFWB -- only the times of the elements have been changed to protect the innocent. And to my ears, KFWB does a much better job of being the quick hit, fast paced, breaking news machine -- and yes, it's all about cume.

 

[ercjncpr]

I visited LA in June for a week, and drove about 5000 mi. around the Southland. KNX was my co-pilot most of the time. Their almost-constant traffic reports saved me some bigtime delays. RIP, Bill Keane.

Having lived in SoCal back in the 80's, I remember the "old" KNX very well (and the Drama Hour was late-night listening fun, to boot!). 1985 Liner: "It takes a small army of reporters to cover news in the Southland - We've got the troops!"

It sounded odd to have Mid-day yakfests interrupting the news flow this trip, to say the least. Yes, I remember Jackie Olden's cooking show, way back when. That seemed to be a long-standing tradition on the station, and fit in. Given the demo of "stay-at-home women" in the 60's to early 80's, the Food News Hour probably delivered the kitchen-decision-makers to Von's, Boys market and Lucky's. I see Melinda Lee is relegated to weekends, now. No one can afford to stay at home anymore, especially in SoCal. Fewer have time to cook!

I've been listening on the web since the Big Change, and I must agree it sounds a lot tighter, concise, less "beep-a-phone" interviews, etc. The old sounders are coming back, as well. Spot load is insane - one more repeat of the old lady flacking copper re-piping and I planned on going on a killing spree.

Get the Drama Hour back on at 9PM, and all is forgiven.

OBMM

Get Imagination Theater on there (www.http://jimfrenchproductions.com/zc137m/)

 

[rwagoner]

No reason they both can't succeed like they used to.

Not so. When "they" used to, 50% of the under 40 population was not Hispanic. They will never see the kind of cume they had before, even in PPM. And the TSL will decline radically next year.

Hispanic people don't like news? Don't speak English? I've never bought the "can't be ... because the population has changed" line. Maybe I just don't look at people as groups enough.

 

[nvrbbh]

The only way KNX can increase TSL is by providing more-compelling programming to thinking, discerning people.

That's not what they're doing. In fact, I think that's what they were trying to do before the change. The "new" format is almost identical to in form to KFWB -- only the times of the elements have been changed to protect the innocent. And to my ears, KFWB does a much better job of being the quick hit, fast paced, breaking news machine -- and yes, it's all about cume.

On August 9th at 12:59 AM when we had the 4.6 Chatsworth earthquake, KNX was first to report on it. KNX even dumped out of CBS News at the top of the hour. KFWB was still in regular programming and traffic report. KNX did a MUCH better job of taking calls from reporters and listeners and was the "station of record" for this earthquake, including being the first to report the epicenter and magnitude, once again. IMHO, it's KFWB that needs help in returning to reporting the news, not KNX.

 

[davideduardo]

don't like news? Don't speak English? I've never bought the "can't be ... because the population has changed" line. Maybe I just don't look at people as groups enough.

KNX severely underindexes in Hispanics. Does not even index well against English Dominant Hispanics. Spanish dominants are not going to use an English spoken word station, and over 60% of LA Hispanics are Spanish dominant. The English dominants are made up of later generation as well as bilinguals; the bilinguals are more interested in news that has to do with Latin America and will get it from Spanish TV as well as the Spanish radio stations. All news is not a successful format in Mexico, so there is no tradition... and all news leans severely 45+, which is where there are very few Hispanics in LA... the Hispanic community has a meadian age of over 10 years less than the non-Hispanic white community.

 

[ercjncpr]

don't like news? Don't speak English? I've never bought the "can't be ... because the population has changed" line. Maybe I just don't look at people as groups enough.

KNX severely underindexes in Hispanics. Does not even index well against English Dominant Hispanics. Spanish dominants are not going to use an English spoken word station, and over 60% of LA Hispanics are Spanish dominant. The English dominants are made up of later generation as well as bilinguals; the bilinguals are more interested in news that has to do with Latin America and will get it from Spanish TV as well as the Spanish radio stations. All news is not a successful format in Mexico, so there is no tradition... and all news leans severely 45+, which is where there are very few Hispanics in LA... the Hispanic community has a meadian age of over 10 years less than the non-Hispanic white community.

David only looks at people "as groups" that is his problem

 

[davideduardo]

KNX severely underindexes in Hispanics. Does not even index well against English Dominant Hispanics. Spanish dominants are not going to use an English spoken word station, and over 60% of LA Hispanics are Spanish dominant. The English dominants are made up of later generation as well as bilinguals; the bilinguals are more interested in news that has to do with Latin America and will get it from Spanish TV as well as the Spanish radio stations. All news is not a successful format in Mexico, so there is no tradition... and all news leans severely 45+, which is where there are very few Hispanics in LA... the Hispanic community has a meadian age of over 10 years less than the non-Hispanic white community.

David only looks at people "as groups" that is his problem

The fact is that advertisers look at people as groups... demographics that are picked that match the potential consumers of a product or service. So, it makes sense to program to groups that are desirable by advertisers.

And the fact is... still... that 42% of the LA population, Hispanics, are going to use English news radio to a much lesser extent than other more interested segments. If a news station can get enough cume and listenership from the remaining portion of the audince, then the format makes sense. But you have to look at the fact that there are about 6 or 7 news shares in New York, and barely 3 in LA... unless you look at wo a format appeals to and who it does not attract, you are going to underperform.

 

[Shoot From Hip]

Even more interesting is the promo now running on KFWB, blasting KNX for going back to all-news because now they sound just like KFWB. The two stations, under the same GM, attacking one another while competing for a declining share of audience...each now a 1.5 share with P12+. In the meantime, KABC jumps to a 2.5 share in the same demo.

 

[ercjncpr]

KNX severely underindexes in Hispanics. Does not even index well against English Dominant Hispanics. Spanish dominants are not going to use an English spoken word station, and over 60% of LA Hispanics are Spanish dominant. The English dominants are made up of later generation as well as bilinguals; the bilinguals are more interested in news that has to do with Latin America and will get it from Spanish TV as well as the Spanish radio stations. All news is not a successful format in Mexico, so there is no tradition... and all news leans severely 45+, which is where there are very few Hispanics in LA... the Hispanic community has a meadian age of over 10 years less than the non-Hispanic white community.

David only looks at people "as groups" that is his problem

So here is my dilemma (and this is a sincere question): I am 51 white male English speaking non-hispanic politically independent (registered as decline to state) living in south Orange County. Which radio sation in the LA/OC market programs to me?

The fact is that advertisers look at people as groups... demographics that are picked that match the potential consumers of a product or service. So, it makes sense to program to groups that are desirable by advertisers.

And the fact is... still... that 42% of the LA population, Hispanics, are going to use English news radio to a much lesser extent than other more interested segments. If a news station can get enough cume and listenership from the remaining portion of the audince, then the format makes sense. But you have to look at the fact that there are about 6 or 7 news shares in New York, and barely 3 in LA... unless you look at wo a format appeals to and who it does not attract, you are going to underperform.