KSOP To Cease Operations

[KilowattKat]

On June 2, KSOP-AM will end 70 years of Country Music. That is quite a run! Once again it's the usual reason for shutting down an AM ...

KSOP To Cease Operations

After 70 years playing Country music in Salt Lake City, KSOP Inc. will sign-off Classic Country 1370 KSOP South Salt Lake UT on Monday, June 2.

radioinsight.com

 

[CTListener]

The jock on air right now just said the plug will be pulled at midnight "tomorrow." That may mean the minute after 11:59 p.m. today (May 30) or the minute after 11:59 p.m. tomorrow (May 31), but if the DJ wasn't misspeaking, the June 2 signoff date in the article can't be accurate.

 

[txchipk]

Tonight, their website says June 1...

History – Utah's Classic Country

ksopcountry.com

Classic Country 1370AM to Sign Off After 70 Years on the Air
Beloved Format Moves Online to KSOPCountry.com
After 70 years of broadcasting in Utah, Classic Country 1370 (KSOP AM) will go silent on June 1, 2025. This decision, though bittersweet, represents a thoughtful shift toward the future of our company and the evolving ways our audience listens to music.
...

 

[TheBigA]

The thing that makes this notable is this is a locally owned business, owned by the same family for 70 years. We've been talking about Cumulus and Townsquare shutting down AMs around the country. But the family owns a total of two stations, and they're shutting one of them down. They run 5,000 watts daytime, 500 watts at night. Never applied for a translator. To me this would be like Hubbard shutting down KSTP.

 

[inari]

I wonder if they own the land the towers are on. The land seems like it would be worth a lot and someone could easily squeeze dozens of half million dollar houses (west of the parcel) or a few warehouses on it (east of the parcel). Google Maps

I imagine KSOP could colocate with another AM station and drop power at night and operate with just one tower.

 

[KilowattKat]

The thing that makes this notable is this is a locally owned business, owned by the same family for 70 years. We've been talking about Cumulus and Townsquare shutting down AMs around the country. But the family owns a total of two stations, and they're shutting one of them down. They run 5,000 watts daytime, 500 watts at night. Never applied for a translator. To me this would be like Hubbard shutting down KSTP.

I wouldn't compare Hubbard to KSOP, Inc., which only owns 2 signals in one large market. If Hubbard has a station no longer profitable, the rest of the group could absorb the financial loss. KSOP-FM may not be making as much revenue as before to keep the AM going. It has to be tough being a small operator in a large market. Surprising they haven't been sold to a larger group.

 

[TheBigA]

I wouldn't compare Hubbard to KSOP, Inc., which only owns 2 signals in one large market.

I thought about that when I said it. But the fact is there are so few family owners that go back that far in the same city. Hubbard may be the only other one, and KSTP was where it all began for them.

 

[Mark Roberts]

What comes to mind for me are KPRS/KPRT in Kansas City, whose ownership of the AM (originally KPRS) dates to 1952. KPRT has a translator and has found its niche; KPRS(FM) has been a very successful station. They've also managed succession within the family well.

 

[KilowattKat]

What's also interesting is that KSOP maintained a lineup of live, local hosts from 6am to 9pm Monday through Friday, and all day on the weekend. Maybe the cost of doing that was too much. You would think cutting back to just a local morning show might have kept this station going financially. Especially on an AM music station.

 

[TheBigA]

You would think cutting back to just a local morning show might have kept this station going financially. Especially on an AM music station.

However, if their streaming data shows they have more listeners than the AM, that would make the decision pretty simple.

The AM didn't subscribe to Nielsen, so we really don't have any information about audience.

 

[Huff]

The AM didn't subscribe to Nielsen, so we really don't have any information about audience.

The AM was a subscriber, it just hadn't shown up in over four years.

 

[TheBigA]

The AM was a subscriber, it just hadn't shown up in over four years.

Another good reason to shut it down.

I see they're using Live365 as their streaming platform rather than signing a deal with iHeart or someone else. That tells me they're doing it mainly as a low-cost local stream, probably financed by the FM.

 

[KilowattKat]

The AM was a subscriber, it just hadn't shown up in over four years.

YIKES! But they kept it going, for nostalgic reasons I assume.

 

[CTListener]

YIKES! But they kept it going, for nostalgic reasons I assume.

You'd think that classic country would work in a market like SLC, which already supports two contemporary country stations. Without an FM translator KSOP(AM) was never going to be successful with any music format. Would Cumulus, owner of KUBL, consider flipping one of its other FMs, or are its AC and CHR stations, lagging badly in 6+, doing better in the money demos than they'd be doing with classic country? How about one of the market's other ownership groups?

 

[TheBigA]

You'd think that classic country would work in a market like SLC, which already supports two contemporary country stations.

There's a third FM country station that's running the classic country Hank format: KNAH. It's probably eating up the potential audience.

1.8

1.5

2.1

1.7

2.3

2.0

KNAH-FM

101.5 Hank FM

Country

Broadway Media

151,200

It's a rimshot signal. At one time it was known as Eagle Country, KEGA. Then it flipped to classic.

 

[crainbebo]

A common nighttime catch from WA and ID, even on 500 watts. Sad to see this station go after 70 years of serving Utah.

 

[boombox4]

Another AM'er bites the dust. Sad, but that's the reality of radio these days.

It will be interesting to see how long the stream survives intact (i.e., whether the stream retains any of the airstaff and other station staff). It's not like streams are free to run.