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KRXY done?

27 years is nothing to sneeze at. Their so-called eclectic playlist seemed to work pretty well for them...they made it as an 840 watt short spaced stand alone class A for over a quarter century.

Keep in mind what they were up against, and that may give you an idea of why they decided to use the format they used. They came into a market where there was a big-sgnaled AC and a legacy full service/oldies format already in place. AND all of the Class Cs from Seattle come into the market just fine. So you have to offer something a little different, and you have to be locally focused. And you have to keep your costs minimal.

I don't know all of the details of their demise, but we can certainly figure the usual ones- shrinking ad dollars in the market, ownership looking to retire, increased costs.

They had a great run and they did it their way.
 
A number of Seattle FM's fall below the 60 dbu signal range in Olympia.. Particularly 106.9 and 105.3. And 103.7 even has a translator to accommodate for it's shortfall. Maybe the best use would be to relay and extend the signal for one of the Seattle FM's. Maybe KEXP might be interested, and there is always an opportunity for K-Love.
 
You are correct. 105.3 is a C1, 106.9 is a C3, and both would be good candidates for the 94.5 signal as a booster- if anybody in corporate radio was speding any kind of money for marginal signal extension. As would 93.3 and 95.7. For that matter, it would be an ideal replacement for KUOW-AM Tumwater, the extension of C1 KUOW's main signal. When I was helping the family of Dr. Sandi Woodruff, who passed away this winter while still owning the 100.3 and 101.9 Oly translators, I reached out to KUOW- and (eventually) got a very short note indicating a lack of interest. (Side note- you could fire one of their 700 podcast producers on staff and pay for that additonal coverage, but I am just being snarky now.) KUOW-AM does have a very sad little translator on top of their AM antenna in Tumwater that doesn't cover the market.

Not sure of the "why" behind the 104.1 Oly translator for 103.7, or whether it even still remains on the air. It may be a relic of when the main station had a weaker signal but it doesn't look that way from what I can gather.

KEXP has their sights set further south it seems. WAY further south.

K-Love and Air1 both have solid signals already in the market.
 
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The New Chico said:
(Side note- you could fire one of their 700 podcast producers on staff and pay for that additonal coverage, but I am just being snarky now.) KUOW-AM does have a very sad little translator on top of their AM antenna in Tumwater that doesn't cover the market.
Click to expand...

KUOW has 3 people listed on their staff page that work with podcasts.

Meet listeners where they are.. if podcasts is where its at, monetize it and they clearly can.
 
The New Chico said:
You are correct. 105.3 is a C1, 106.9 is a C3, and both would be good candidates for the 94.5 signal as a booster- if anybody in corporate radio was speding any kind of money for marginal signal extension. As would 93.3 and 95.7. For that matter, it would be an ideal replacement for KUOW-AM Tumwater, the extension of C1 KUOW's main signal. When I was helping the family of Dr. Sandi Woodruff, who passed away this winter while still owning the 100.3 and 101.9 Oly translators, I reached out to KUOW- and (eventually) got a very short note indicating a lack of interest. (Side note- you could fire one of their 700 podcast producers on staff and pay for that additonal coverage, but I am just being snarky now.) KUOW-AM does have a very sad little translator on top of their AM antenna in Tumwater that doesn't cover the market.

Not sure of the "why" behind the 104.1 Oly translator for 103.7, or whether it even still remains on the air. It may be a relic of when the main station had a weaker signal but it doesn't look that way from what I can gather.

KEXP has their sights set further south it seems. WAY further south.

K-Love and Air1 both have solid signals already in the market.
Click to expand...
This really would be a great opportunity for KUOW to dump that graveyard AM and cover Thurston County with an FM to relay instead. Also, KNKX just received a $1 million donation. They can certainly afford to purchase 94.5.
 
KilowattKat said:
This really would be a great opportunity for KUOW to dump that graveyard AM and cover Thurston County with an FM to relay instead. Also, KNKX just received a $1 million donation. They can certainly afford to purchase 94.5.
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KNKX already has a "full powered" station in Olympia. Class A KPLI. It's only 100 watts but strategically located right in downtown to cover the lower areas by sea level where the Tiger/Cougar signals tend to suffer. So my guess is they wouldn't be in the market, even though 94.5 is a better signal.
 
Here's a crazy thought...how about Northwest Rock N Roll Preservation Society. They could do away with the LPFM and translators, and have a real signal. I doubt they would keep it legal, and not have the FCC after them! Lol.
 
SomeRadioGuy said:
KUOW has 3 people listed on their staff page that work with podcasts.

Meet listeners where they are.. if podcasts is where its at, monetize it and they clearly can.
Click to expand...
I DID say I was being snarky, Paul. Of course it isn't 700 peopIe involved with podcasts. I am told by someone in the org that roughly 15 people are involved with podcasts at KUOW, and that's fine. That's their business. Olympia is the state capital and as such is a "company town" for state government employees. It is a rapidly growing part of the state, and is poorly served (on radio at least) by the supposedly leading NPR affiliate in the PNW. I would sggest that they would be well served to meet people where they are by actually getting a decent signal into the market. Then they can advertise their podcasts to a huge market that otherwise doesn't listen to them.
 
KUOW has probably the biggest need to clean up their South Sound signal footprint. No one listens to AM and their 13-watt Olympia FM translator does not cover anything. Still , I bet a religious group will pick up KRXY on the cheap.

It won't be NWR&RPS unless KRXY is donated to them . The group pleaded poverty the last time they were hit with a fine.
 
Another possibility is NWPB putting their Jazz / KJEM on 94.5 (resulting in KVTI going HD). They just expanded to Tri-Cities via KFAE-HD2, and Goldendale and The Dalles on 88.5 (translator).
 
RF101 said:
KUOW has probably the biggest need to clean up their South Sound signal footprint. No one listens to AM and their 13-watt Olympia FM translator does not cover anything. Still , I bet a religious group will pick up KRXY on the cheap.
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Why do I hate to think this will be the most likely answer?

I mean, if someone wants a lease to buy situation, I (and others) might be interested…but that adds risk that may (or may not) be acceptable.

Fact is, very few people operating in a for-profit environment who have cash in hand wish to spend it on a radio station. Unless it’s a labor of love (as it is in mine and many other cases) the amount of time doesn’t equate to the amount of income you’ll bring in initially (which should be as close to zero as possible until finances are stable).

The only people with cash in hand to buy the whole thing lock, stock, and barrel seem to be religious organizations. It’s to the point where if you don’t want your stations to be satellite run religious outfits, you’ll likely be taking a sale price penalty in many small markets.

The town I just moved to a couple years ago had an NPR station on a translator get bumped by a religious station next town over bumping up in power. Still no way to listen to public radio in an area of 100k+ and more in the winter! Yet two new radio stations have signed on in this time frame…both religious!

So it can always be worse than this.

My guess (no real reason): Worship 24/7 picks it up. Perfect for their network.
 
seattlesarchiebunker said:
Why do I hate to think this will be the most likely answer?

I mean, if someone wants a lease to buy situation, I (and others) might be interested…but that adds risk that may (or may not) be acceptable.

Fact is, very few people operating in a for-profit environment who have cash in hand wish to spend it on a radio station. Unless it’s a labor of love (as it is in mine and many other cases) the amount of time doesn’t equate to the amount of income you’ll bring in initially (which should be as close to zero as possible until finances are stable).

The only people with cash in hand to buy the whole thing lock, stock, and barrel seem to be religious organizations. It’s to the point where if you don’t want your stations to be satellite run religious outfits, you’ll likely be taking a sale price penalty in many small markets.

The town I just moved to a couple years ago had an NPR station on a translator get bumped by a religious station next town over bumping up in power. Still no way to listen to public radio in an area of 100k+ and more in the winter! Yet two new radio stations have signed on in this time frame…both religious!

So it can always be worse than this.

My guess (no real reason): Worship 24/7 picks it up. Perfect for their network.
Click to expand...

We're a rare case where we made it work to buy 3 more stations, so we had multiple demographics to offer instead of one and also see to it that we dont face a competitor who takes their operation more seriously with more investment than the last owner.
 
Sorry for the lack of empathy .... but I feel like dropping a turd in the pool:
If the religious organizations have enough cash to buy every station that becomes available in all the desired markets, isn't that a sign that they are very likely grifting their "followers" a little too much?

Not exactly a new issue with the broadcast evangelism crowd (e.g. Joel Osteen, Jerry Falwell, etc. etc. etc.)
 
NWPB has been struggling of late so I doubt they'll grab KRXY. NWPB did not buy EWU's NCE FM station when offered (a logical buy) and they just pulled the plug on KWSU-TV.
 
Not Worship 24/7. I'm leaning towards Positive Life Radio (Growing Christian Foundation) as I mentioned earlier. Their presence in Portland has grown big-time, plus they have a Seaside station, and the next place to spread God's love is the South Sound. PLR is a Seventh-Day Adventist station that has always been based at Walla Walla, and there is still a presence there at the university. They are much like Spirit 105.3 - very feel-good, many ID sweepers touting safe music for the family, no bad influences or lyrics, "The Family Station", etc. They only break music a handful of times a week - Focus on the Family and Family Life Today weeknights from 8-9, and Saturday SDA church services from Walla Walla University at 11AM.

They are not even close to the VCYs, AFRs, and BBNs. The morning show with Chris & Liesl often has segments about animals, people making a difference (they mentioned a school janitor retiring after 50+ years not too long ago, and he is 90 years old), general seasonal topics like how to prepare for a barbecue, etc. plus a positive thought, usually a Bible verse.
 


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