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KSAC may be changing

ContactLenz

ContactLenz

Caught wind that KSAC may be changing formats.

Was reading that Paula Nelson has had offers to do other formats.

#1 problem for 1240 is its inferior stick...you lose it just east of Sac. That has to get fixed first and foremost, if it can.

#2 What format would go there? Hard pressed to think of a hole in the market on the AM band.
 
Interloper said:
#2 What format would go there? Hard pressed to think of a hole in the market on the AM band.
Click to expand...

I can think of one...standards. There's no way that format could do any worse than KSAC, presently. The signal, of course, is the problem with 1240. Until that is improved this station, regardless of format, will continue to struggle.
 
I see 1240's old call letters, KROY, are now on a Spanish FM station in Palacios,
Texas (though supposedly the station is off the air now)...

Too late for a '60s-pop/rock format at 1240 now...FM 92.1's doing it more-or-less.
It makes sense to do an MOR/Standards format in this case...

Agreed - the 1240 signal is ailing and needs help; I used to hear it better 50 miles
west than I do now...
--jay
 
We've hashed out the MOR/Standards format before on this board. Remember when Salem played Frequencies R Us and switched the Fish to 103.9 and got 105.5. Rumors then were Standards on 105.5 or country. But they went cheap and simulcasted as we all know.
Standards is a great format but doesn't have the advertising to back it. It's unfortunate but true.
 
djj said:
I see 1240's old call letters, KROY, are now on a Spanish FM station in Palacios,
Texas (though supposedly the station is off the air now)...

Too late for a '60s-pop/rock format at 1240 now...FM 92.1's doing it more-or-less.
It makes sense to do an MOR/Standards format in this case...

Agreed - the 1240 signal is ailing and needs help; I used to hear it better 50 miles
west than I do now...
--jay
Click to expand...

I was working at KROY when they put up the free standing green tower, I'm wondering if they're still using it? KROY was a 1000 watt day 250 watt night signal with an omnidirectional pattern, so one has to wonder what the problem might be? It's hard to believe that a station with that little tea-pot signal used to own the town, but it did it with superior programming. The station could do better now and I agree that some type of nostalgia format could work, but it has to be done right or it'll die a quick death. I would LOVE to see the old KROY calls come back to where they belong. I know that there are those who still remember the old 1240 KROY and I have to think that they might give it a chance again if there was compelling programming to listen to.
 
Bryan Simmons says:
> I was working at KROY when they put up the free standing green tower, I'm
> wondering if they're still using it?

Not sure - seems when I rode my bike on the American River bike path
in 1990 and saw the tower (if that's the KSAC tower next to the 3-tower
KIID array), it was silver (unpainted, and appeared not to be free-standing).
This is when 1240 was KSAC Classical, if memory serves me correctly...

> It's hard to believe that a station with that little tea-pot signal used to own the > town, but it did it with superior programming. The station could do better now > and I agree that some type of nostalgia format could work, but it has to be
> done right or it'll die a quick death.

That means spending m-o-n-e-y...perhaps they could economize like
630 KIDD, Monterey, which does a fine job of the MOR/standards format,
utilizing at least two jocks "live" in the drive-time slots (ex-KNBR Mike
Cleary doing mornings, last I heard)...
Another tea-pot Class IV AM'er that did extremely well for years that
comes to my mind was 1340 KIST, Santa Barbara, another fairly-populated
area...

> I would LOVE to see the old KROY calls come back to where they belong. I
> know that there are those who still remember the old 1240 KROY and I have to > think that they might give it a chance again if there was compelling
> programming to listen to.

100-percent dead-on, Bryan...I miss KROY, having listened to it while toodling
about the American River during my many trips to Goethe Park as a yoot, er,
youth...
--jay
 
The station is still on the same green tower at the city dump. The ground radials were replaced in 2004 and the transmitter is relatively new. Keep in mind that most AM stations sound "weaker" now do to all of the increased use of electronic devices.

The station is only 1,000 watts, but carries better than most of it's Class C AM peers because of the ground system.

Nothing can be done to improve the signal much. Sacramento simply outgrew the station a long long time ago.

I don't think that the owner can make much money on it unless she can keep a sales staff and get advertisers. A stand alone Adult Standards station would be a hard sell. However, since she has basically nobody working for her outside of her immediate family, her overhead is low. She would still need to maintain a sales staff.

Another way for KSAC to make money is by brokering the station out to religious and ethnic broadcasters.
 
You know djj I don't seem to be able to recall a fourth antenna near the KXOA, oops--the KIID towers, but I was only out at that transmitter sight once or twice when I worked at KXOA and it was many years ago. The KROY tower as Michael Rivers Kramer stated is south of that site in the dump. As I recall it was a real pain to re-do the ground system due to pockets of methane gas. We were on a dipole antenna while construction took place and while the KROY signal was weaker we still beat KNDE in the ARB.

It's really hard for AM stations to compete now days with anything less than 10 KW's and a talk format of some type, but if the owner has low enough overhead one would think that with the right format, promoted correctly one could make a profit. Not a large profit mind you, but enough to stay in the black. Guess it's just wishful thinking on my part as I grew up with KROY and worked there for 2 & a half years starting in my senior year in high school. Like KFRC in SF, KROY had that certain something, a quality that transcended the ordinary. As I said in an earlier post I would really like to see the KROY calls come back, even on an FM signal. I always thought that Y92 would've been a good place for those calls, but their parent company, I think Westinghouse at the time had other less inspired ideas. But hey, Y92, it was a no brainer to me.

By the way, ever wonder why the KROY tower is green? The city said that because it was located in the American River Parkway it had to be painted that color. They wanted an environmentally correct looking tower. We had to petition the FCC and get permission. It was weird, but did make for a unique transmitter site.
 
KSAC may be changing to Religious Or Ethnic?

Michael Rivers Kramer said:
The station is still on the same green tower at the city dump. The ground radials were replaced in 2004 and the transmitter is relatively new. Keep in mind that most AM stations sound "weaker" now do to all of the increased use of electronic devices.

The station is only 1,000 watts, but carries better than most of it's Class C AM peers because of the ground system.

Nothing can be done to improve the signal much. Sacramento simply outgrew the station a long long time ago.

I don't think that the owner can make much money on it unless she can keep a sales staff and get advertisers. A stand alone Adult Standards station would be a hard sell. However, since she has basically nobody working for her outside of her immediate family, her overhead is low. She would still need to maintain a sales staff.

Another way for KSAC to make money is by brokering the station out to religious and ethnic broadcasters.
Click to expand...
I hate to admit it, but I have to agree with Michael Rivers Kramer. If KSAC were to change formats, it would be either Religious or some sort of Ethnic Format (Other Than Spanish). They could also switch to "24 HOUR INFOMERCIALS". Formats to rule out for 1240 include ADULT STANDARDS, 50's/60's ROCK AND ROLL OLDIES, 24 HOUR ALL COMEDY, or any other niche formats. It will be either Religious, Ethnic, or Infomercials, or maybe a combination of all of them?
 
I have heard that most radio stations make more money as a Brokered Station being #23 in the Arbitron ratings compared to being a Adult Standards Station being #5 or higher in the Arbitron ratings. Don't know if that's true or not?
 
djj said:
Bryan Simmons says:
> I was working at KROY when they put up the free standing green tower, I'm
> wondering if they're still using it?

Not sure - seems when I rode my bike on the American River bike path
in 1990 and saw the tower (if that's the KSAC tower next to the 3-tower
KIID array), it was silver (unpainted, and appeared not to be free-standing).
This is when 1240 was KSAC Classical, if memory serves me correctly...

> It's hard to believe that a station with that little tea-pot signal used to own the > town, but it did it with superior programming. The station could do better now > and I agree that some type of nostalgia format could work, but it has to be
> done right or it'll die a quick death.

That means spending m-o-n-e-y...perhaps they could economize like
630 KIDD, Monterey, which does a fine job of the MOR/standards format,
utilizing at least two jocks "live" in the drive-time slots (ex-KNBR Mike
Cleary doing mornings, last I heard)...
Another tea-pot Class IV AM'er that did extremely well for years that
comes to my mind was 1340 KIST, Santa Barbara, another fairly-populated
area...

> I would LOVE to see the old KROY calls come back to where they belong. I
> know that there are those who still remember the old 1240 KROY and I have to > think that they might give it a chance again if there was compelling
> programming to listen to.

100-percent dead-on, Bryan...I miss KROY, having listened to it while toodling
about the American River during my many trips to Goethe Park as a yoot, er,
youth...
--jay
Click to expand...

How old are you guys? is this the 65+ group??
 
Rivers is funny...All these wonderful Christian types who deride anyone over a certain age. Wait until a few of their birthdays roll by and they have to deal with the animosity and hostility of youthful brains. I'm not over 65....but there are many people over 65 who were raging hippies in the '60's when the best kick ass music in a hundred years was created.
 
MOR Standards is a tough brand to sell, very time intensive. You don't get national or regional buys, even local agency buys have to be hard fought and constantly serviced. Listeners are very loyal, but that doesn't cover overhead. Don't know the ownership situation of KSAC, but the format is quite listenable, there are a couple of good services that can cover a station outside of drive time and are actually live 24/7. Jones used to have a "music of your life" format that was well done with personalities like Gary Owens and even Pat Boone on weekends. It is a changing format too, much less swing and big band era emphasis, as that audience is passing on. Early 50's light R&R, Shoo Wop, 60's non rock pop and even into 70's and some current movies tunes. Can be a very interesting format if given the opportunity. Wouldn't be the worst thing on the dial by any stretch.
 
bradrollinon etc asks of djj:
> How old are you guys? is this the 65+ group??

46 here, but my folks tell me I was born 30 years too late...
--jay
 
Not that anyone would ask me...

But if I were to give unsolicted advice to KSAC's owners:

1. Fix your stick...format is immaterial if no one outside of downtown Sac can here the signal.

2. Keep at least one local show. Regardless of what format, keep a local show in AM or PM Drive.

3. If you do do a "block format" where folk pay for time, fine. But have pro co-host to make it sound professional, and refer to #2.

4. Standards is great, but hard to sell as someone mentioned prior. Jones Radio offers a Standards format (changed from "Music Of Your Life"). The programming would be top notch and easy to utilize/maintain.

6. Let real radio pros run things...they may have to answer to Paula Nelson, but she is not a professional broadcaster. Get your legal advice from a lawyer, get your radio advice from radio broadcaster.

At the very least with the "pay for the block" format, the station can make money. And that is the bottom line...the bottom line is the bottom line. Ratings don't mean squat if you cannot sell. And KSAC has a hard time selling, this way you eliminate the need for most (if not all) sales people. So let businesses or "wannabe" radio people who want to hawk products, services , and wears, pay the freight. Just make sure someone is there making it sound listenable and professional.

Using those tools, I think KSAC could at least make a modest profit.
 
Interloper said:
Not that anyone would ask me...

But if I were to give unsolicted advice to KSAC's owners:

1. Fix your stick...format is immaterial if no one outside of downtown Sac can here the signal.
Click to expand...

1240 is a graveyard channel. The signal will always be limited. Either find a new frequency or buy a new station. The station is only 1,000watts. The night-time signal will always be limited due to co-channel interference from 250 stations.

"fix your stick" is not the answer. I'm sure it is close to its full potential, unless the ground system has been damaged or as in the past, stolen by copper thieves.

If you know Paula Nelson, you would understand that "letting the pros run the station" would be easier said than done. I'm not knocking Paula, she just takes pride in overseeing most aspects of her own station. It is her right after all.

Another question to ask is....How many successful 1,000 watt graveyard channel (1230,1240,1340, 1400, 1450 and 1490) stations in top 30 markets are profitable in this day and age. My guess is few to none unless they are brokered or running satellite sports out of a closet as part of an 8 station cluster.


On another note....considering the station's inferior signal and limited resources, the stations ratings were quite high at times particularly in afternoon drive. It speaks to the hunger for progressive talk in Sacramento and caliber of talent on the station (in the past)...namely Christine Craft.
 
one thing i've always liked about ksac is that their metro traffic's fixed wing is dubbed "the left wing". kinda cute and original.

i'd hate to see ksac go.
 
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