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KPEL-FM to swap frequencies with KFTE-FM

S

soundwavez

Town Square Media (formerally Regent Broadcasting) have decided to swap frequencies with KPEL-FM and KFTE-FM. The News Talk format will move to 96.5 and Rock format will get the 105.1 format (at least until it is sold).
 
Call me silly but I don't think they are done playing musical chairs. The Planet Radio format is burned into he brain of everyone under the age of 40 in the Acadiana area. They have been associated with a huge concert that takes place in August. Why blow up the Planet? I still say Hot 107.9 has some crosshairs on it. Ain't nothing like some white boys playing hip hop. That station so reminds me of Malibu's Most Wanted. Except they can't afford the bling cuz their station doesn't bill squat.
 
I don't think Planet bills much either.

A News/Talk format assists the other stations in the cluster with added value opportunities a music station can't. Interviews, features, "expert" opinions.

For the record though, I thought they would throw Hot into the Trust as well. I don't think they were allowed to move Rush and Hannity to a 100kw stick that reaches into Baton Rouge. That would compete with CCs WJBO. The 96.5 stick is more than ample for Acadiana though. North of Opelousas, it will interfere with KZMZ, but that's not their market anyway. While Hot is licensed to Erath, it's tower is in St. Martin near Parks. 100kw easily reaches Baton Rouge.
 
My $.02:

The Dawg to 107.9 to be on an even coverage level with KXKC; Upgrade to HD and put True Oldies KROF on HD-2
Move KPEL to 97.3 with KPEL-AM on HD-2 (solves the BR coverage issue)
Hot to 105.1

Leave Planet & KTDY as-is.
 
What this swap also means is that whoever buys the 105.1 may or may not keep the alt/active rock format. Ive not been a fan of planet radio in recent years but it has pretty much become a heritage station in Lafayette since signing on in very early 2007 and it will sad to see it become a cast off.

As for KMDL to the Parks stick, since Citadel is half owner of that tower, I dont think they would want a direct competitor pumping off the same structure as KXKC.
 
My question is why didn't they do a 3 way moving Hot 107.9 over to KPELs 105.1 as before it became hiphop, it was rock on the 107.9 stick that could be heard pretty well down in Morgan City and even toward Houma on many days but that's my opinion (Ok I need someone playing new rock that isn't worn and tattered LOL)

But anyhow, 96.5 will actually get competition in New Iberia as until Sunburst media moves (or even if it will move 96.7 from Gibson to Houma, as one of the CP convents was to move KCIL which they didn't) It will tear up radio in that area, which on the 105.1 stick wasn't bad south of town but would start having issues above Opelousas (with KXKW 105.3 Simmesport).
 
RFLA said:
My question is why didn't they do a 3 way moving Hot 107.9 over to KPELs 105.1 as before it became hiphop, it was rock on the 107.9 stick that could be heard pretty well down in Morgan City and even toward Houma on many days but that's my opinion (Ok I need someone playing new rock that isn't worn and tattered LOL)

But anyhow, 96.5 will actually get competition in New Iberia as until Sunburst media moves (or even if it will move 96.7 from Gibson to Houma, as one of the CP convents was to move KCIL which they didn't) It will tear up radio in that area, which on the 105.1 stick wasn't bad south of town but would start having issues above Opelousas (with KXKW 105.3 Simmesport).
Click to expand...

KFTE is good all the way down to Charenton. It's a bit iffy from Franklin southward.

KPEL doesn't seem to be affected much by the 105.3 in Simmesport. KPEL's signal has always been VERY WEAK north of Opelousas, to the point where I would not want to listen to it anyway. KEUN 105.5 Eunice is a bigger mess with the 105.3 in Simmesport.
 
This is obviously a signal upgrade for the news/talk format(higher ERP and stick). The news/talk genre has certainly come a looong way in the Lafayette market since the lean and mean days back in 1985 when KPEL AM flipped from full service MOR to news/talk. Not only was the signal not the best, but the choices of good syndicated shows were meager and the following year the price of oil crashed sending the local economy into a tailspin.
 
Now I have to go to 105.1 to hear the Red Hot Chili Peppers twice an hour....
 
I think this is a smart move. They're going to keep both the stronger signal and the more lucrative format of the future. The only personal comment I'd make is for KPEL to get rid of that 1 hour locally produced PM drive news hour and carry Mark Levin 5-8PM.
What would make things a lot more interesting to me, though, is for Pitman to put their newstalk format on FM to give KPEL direct head to head FM competition.
 
I heard the first liners announcing the frequency change on Planet Radio today. Something to the effect Planet Radio is 'growing up' to 105.1fm.
 
Just do the damn thing already and get it over with for crying out loud. Rip it off like a band-aid then rub some dirt on it and walk it off. My uneducated guess for the flip will be after this weekend. KFTE has pumping up their night at the state fair and they will go out with a blaze of glory.
 
I wonder if KROF will be affected by this? The 960 AM and 105.1 FM transmitter site is co-located on a 300' tower on US 167 north of Abbeville. Will KROF be let go or will it continue to operate through a lease or transmitter site ownership? I honestly don't see how it would be worth to keep it going except for sentimental reasons.
 
93-3TheSurge said:
musicfan101 said:
I think 104.9 in Baton Rouge plays Loveline.
Click to expand...

Really? That's good to hear. I remember when 107.3 The Tiger aired Loveline, but that was back in 1997 when Adam was still with the show. I assumed that Planet Radio 96-5 was the only station in Louisiana that aired Loveline.
Click to expand...
Yeah, it's pretty cool. I've been campaigning this station I work for in Northeast Louisiana to carry the show, but people around here don't care for anything that's actually funny over the radio.
 
Planet has been "growing up to [half the tower height with half as much power at] 105.1" for like three years now. I'm convinced that this is all a less-than-clever ruse and that nothing is going to happen.
 
It must be happening eventually, because TownSquare has a billboard on University at General Mouton (just past the railroad tracks as you're coming from the Thruway) saying that "96.5 is now KPEL." Meanwhile, turn on your radio and it's still Planet.
 
KPEL 105.1 is now peppering in liners that say, "The big move we have been talking about happens this Friday. KPEL will now be on 96.5". I hope they fix all the dead air and double layer audio feeds. There is nothing like the good old sound of Sean Hannity with an ad for a roofing company plays at the same time. KPEL is the only game in town for news. It doesn't mean they are the best at what they do. Competition is what makes someone better. They have no drive or desire to be better, they are content to rest on their laurels.
 
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