KROQ, again

[radiojomo]

Here's hoping these moves will affect the station positively. I'm looking forward to them dropping the likes of Billie Eilish from their playlist. She's a billion percent talented, but she's a pop star. Let KYSR have her.

It's a shame nobody gives a damn about HD radio, KROQ's lineup is respectable- Active/Alt on HD1, KROQ of the 80's on HD2, and New Arrivals on HD3. That's quite the spectrum covered!

Formats vary. I don't think KROQ management would say they are an "Active Rock" station. Just an Alternative station that is now light on the alt pop and heavy on the '90s gold. Even then, KROQ is still championing indie pop artists, like Mitski and Cannons, that make the station sound like Radio Disney when you compare it to Octane on SiriusXM.

I think KROQ is trying to emulate KPNT in Kansas City that goes by the moniker "Everything Alternative."

 

[pjc1961]

"KPNT in Kansas City..."

Licensed to Collinsville, Illinois, and broadcasting to Greater St. Louis.
Owned by Hubbard Broadcasting as of 2018. (Previously by Emmis Communications.)

 

[MarkW]

KROQ and KPNT still have major differences musically even though the gap has narrowed.

I'd say KROQ is in or hugging the center lane of the alternative format at the moment. It does not lean active rock, nor does it lean AAA, indie, Modern AC or pop/rhythmic.

That said, spins devoted to songs coming from the rock side of the format have certainly increased in recent weeks, which helps differentiate the station from pop & indie leaning KYSR from a music standpoint. For a while, like many of the other Alternative stations in the Audacy stable, KROQ was seemingly anti-rock.

I also noticed signature punk rock songs that were long associated with KROQ are now part of the regular music rotation again.

(It's nice to finally hear some K-ROQ sounders again, as opposed to K-R-O-Q exclusively. The revamped stationality does indeed remind me of what I consider the best era of the station.)

 

[tall_guy1]

I had occasion to tune in for 20 minutes today. What I will say is this - After two directionless years, it at least sounds like they have chosen a path more inline with their glory years. I found it very listenable even though I am not really the target. Will it work? Only time will tell.

I'm sure someone's mentioned it, but I heard "K-Rock" again instead of K-R-O-Q.

 

[bsr92336]

The changing demographics and the sad state of new music in the Alternative music format leads me to believe that's there's only room for one alternative station in the LA/OC area. I think the big questions is, who is going to make it - KROQ or Alt 98.7? If we didn't have Jack-FM playing so much classic alternative, I would say there would be chance for two stations to make it if one of the two went almost - if not completely - classic alternative similar to what 91X is trying.

 

[kp2780]

The changing demographics and the sad state of new music in the Alternative music format leads me to believe that's there's only room for one alternative station in the LA/OC area. I think the big questions is, who is going to make it - KROQ or Alt 98.7? If we didn't have Jack-FM playing so much classic alternative, I would say there would be chance for two stations to make it if one of the two went almost - if not completely - classic alternative similar to what 91X is trying.

Is the state of music really that sad? When I listen to the top 18 countdown on Sirius ALT Nation, it seems like an eclectic mix of songs, some of which sound like “Indy” rock, some sound like CHR/Hot AC type songs, and some pop punk. I fully realize that in a nation that still buys more Bud Light than any other beer, people are scared to listen to songs that sound even slightly different or music by artists they don’t know, so playing modern Alternative music is difficult for a commercial station trying to attract a mass audience. I just don’t think the music is bad at all.

 

[K.M. Richards]

If we didn't have Jack-FM playing so much classic alternative, I would say there would be chance for two stations to make it if one of the two went almost - if not completely - classic alternative similar to what 91X is trying.

And since KROQ and Jack are both owned by Audacy, there is little chance of the former pulling a 91X move and go up against a cluster partner. Plus, as is discussed in the current KCAL-FM thread, 106.7 has a significant signal disadvantage to 98.7 which would be even worse against 93.1, so Classic Alternative is definitely out.

Unless KROQ finds a way to regain ground against KYSR, Audacy is going to have to try something else. What, I have no insight on.

 

[davideduardo]

The changing demographics and the sad state of new music in the Alternative music format leads me to believe that's there's only room for one alternative station in the LA/OC area. I think the big questions is, who is going to make it - KROQ or Alt 98.7? If we didn't have Jack-FM playing so much classic alternative, I would say there would be chance for two stations to make it if one of the two went almost - if not completely - classic alternative similar to what 91X is trying.

You summed this up nicely. It is really rather simple, as you say.

The fact that LA is now less than 25% non-Hispanic and non-First Generation Immigrant white is the biggest limitation. Then comes the fragmentation of current alternative fans into sub-groups. And then we have the issue of KROQ having a more limited signal while the non-Hispanic white population seems to be transitioning to less well covered lower OC, farther parts of the San Gabriel and San Fernando valley zones and to the Valencia areas.

You nailed it with the need to protect Jack, which is today's manager's dream: less costly to run, stable numbers, and flexible within the confines of what music research shows as playable.

KROQ can fuss around with the music, but the market demographics and the lesser signal are real impediments today.

 

[KilowattKat]

What's happening with KROQ reminds of KFOG when it was near the end. All the tinkering around with the music to find that magic formula. It was fruitless with 104.5 becoming KNBR-FM.

As much as I would hate to see a legendary, heritage (not so much now) station like KROQ go away, I feel like it's only a matter of time before it happens.

 

[SwapMeetLouie]

Cool; thanks for the reply.

I do like this gentleman's work on rock formatted stations. Although two of the stations where his work was previously featured (Rock 94.7 in Wausau, WI and CHKS in Sarnia, Ontario) recently flipped formats. Both of those stations flipped to Adult Hits months apart from each other, oddly enough.

Could KROQ possibly be headed for an Adult Hits format? This seems highly unlikely, considering Jack FM, but remember that "Killer" Kaplan pulled the plug on Live 105 KITS San Francisco last year, after nearly 35 years as an Alt station, and replaced it with "Dave FM." If he's willing to dismantle that kind of history, I can imagine he could be the one to pull the plug on KROQ as well.

 

[TheBigA]

Could KROQ possibly be headed for an Adult Hits format? This seems highly unlikely, considering Jack FM,

You answered your own question. Why would they compete with themselves?

If there's a format change, it won't be Kaplan's decision. He wasn't involved in the San Francisco change either.

Every time an alternative station goes away, he loses territory and influence.

 

[SwapMeetLouie]

KROQ could start with a new logo. I don’t know what they’re trying to evoke with it, but it looks awful. They should go back to the old one and omit “World Famous”

How does KROQ seriously consider themselves world famous? Maybe 15 years ago, but if it’s so world famous hopefully no one outside of the US is hearing what it’s become.

The "world famous" branding actually goes back to the late 80's, and can be attributed to something that Michael Hutchence, the lead singer of INXS, said during an interview on KROQ. According to Richard Blade in his book "World In My Eyes," (an excellent read, BTW), Hutchence mentioned how happy he was that KROQ was playing INXS's new music, and how impressed folks back home in Australia would be. The interviewer (can't remember who it was), asked Hutchence why, and he replied that KROQ is world famous, and everyone back in Australia likes KROQ and knows how important they are. Soon after that interview, KROQ jocks soon began adding "world famous" to their branding. It might have started as a joke, but it became part of KROQ's official branding soon afterward.

 

[Doctah]

If they get rid of KROQ, they're gonna want to park those call letters somewhere right? It's still a valuable brand. Like I've mused before, maybe they'd stick them on Jack? That way you migrate some of listeners orphaned by the end of KROQ, you keep that brand, which you own, alive, and I doubt you'd lose any Jack listeners over a call letter change, if the Jack format stays the same.

 

[ragazzo-pazzo]

Breaking news - Mike Kaplan OUT at KROQ

 

[TheBigA]

Breaking news - Mike Kaplan OUT at KROQ

No surprise...announced here:

KAPLAN EXITING AS KROQ PD

Audacy SVP of Programming Mike Kaplan is ankling his KROQ PD gig. He will retain his PD post at WNYLNYC and remain Alternative Brand Manager for Audacy. This means the job every talented programmer dreams about is now...

hitsdailydouble.com

I'm a bit surprised they didn't just add it to Chris Ebbott's portfolio. But perhaps that's next.

 

[TheBigA]

Here's a bit more detail on today's news from Variety:

https://variety.com/2022/music/news/mike-kaplan-out-kroq-los-angeles-radio-1235206028/

 

[pjc1961]

Job posting for VP Programming L.A. - KROQ:

Who is Audacy - AudacyInc

careers-audacy.icims.com

Excerpt:

Overview​

Audacy Los Angeles has a once in a lifetime opening for a creative genius to lead the World Famous KROQ. This person has a passion for music, entertainment and culture. They are immersed in the latest social media trends and marketing shifts. Most importantly, this person is a big thinker, highly detail oriented and a dynamic leader.

 

[TheBigA]

Job posting for VP Programming L.A. - KROQ:

The job is to basically rebuild this station from scratch. The main challenge, in my view, is to give people a reason to listen, and it needs to be about more than just music, more than just the radio station, but to once again build a lifestyle. That's what this station once signified.

 

[ChannelFlipper]

The job is to basically rebuild this station from scratch. The main challenge, in my view, is to give people a reason to listen, and it needs to be about more than just music, more than just the radio station, but to once again build a lifestyle. That's what this station once signified.

It is a music station. The music is the problem, fixing it will be the solution. Nobody tunes in for a "lifesyle" (well maybe, they do at NPR, but that is different). Everything else is a case study in kidding yourself. That is how they got into this mess in the first place.

 

[TheBigA]

It is a music station. The music is the problem, fixing it will be the solution. Nobody tunes in for a "lifesyle"

Lifestyle is what made this station world famous. People can get the music anywhere. They don't need radio for music.

What got them into this mess was the aging and ultimate end of Kevin & Bean. They need to find the next K&B.