lack of formats in Houston

[Garrett]

So here I am, visiting one of America's largest radio markets, and one of the biggest cities in the US, and imagine my surprise to find that there is no News Radio format station. How is this possible? With DFW, a smaller market (or so I thought) having KRLD, I would have thought people would have a need for news and traffic out here? LA, NY, Chicago, Dallas... They all have continuous news format stations. Then, here comes Houston, and... ? How come? And don't tell me "its because there are not enough listeners," I know there has to be a better reason than just that.

But at least there's classic hits, right? Not exactly. Arrow is the station that uses "Classic Rock" in the name, yet, the Eagle sounds more like a Classic Rock station than Arrow does. Where are the stations that just play mainstream 60s, 70s, and 80s hits? Even Lubbock has one of those. Eagle sounds like a Rock station, not like "Classic Hits." What's the deal?

One of the biggest markets in the country, and big old format holes!

 

[Ryan Williams]

With DFW, a smaller market (or so I thought) having KRLD, I would have thought people would have a need for news and traffic out here?

I don't disagree with your premise of Houston radio leaving a lot to be desired, but Dallas-Fort Worth is not a smaller market. The Dallas and Fort Worth radio markets were merged in the early 70s and I don't believe Houston has ever been larger since.

 

[jd]

With DFW, a smaller market (or so I thought) having KRLD, I would have thought people would have a need for news and traffic out here? LA, NY, Chicago, Dallas... They all have continuous news format stations. Then, here comes Houston, and... ? How come?

While there's little similarity to KTRH, note that KRLD is not a "continuous news" format. They feature talk in the evening and overnight, and use the slogan "all news...all day."

The Dallas and Fort Worth radio markets were merged in the early 70s and I don't believe Houston has ever been larger since.

That's true; the first combined D/FW book was for April/May 1973.

 

[jasondm4]

There would be alot more formats available here if it wasnt for the oversaturated amount of Spanish stations. And religious stations like KHCB take up frequencies that could be used for a good commercial FM station. :

 

[Ryan Williams]

There would be alot more formats available here if it wasnt for the oversaturated amount of Spanish stations. And religious stations like KHCB take up frequencies that could be used for a good commercial FM station. :

That may or may not be true. This is a variation of the common "I don't like their programming, therefore the station is a waste" comment that appears all too often on these boards. No radio station can please everyone. Just because you don't like spanish-language stations doesn't mean they should not exist in any particular quantity. Just because you don't care for KHCB doesn't mean that they are not serving nearly two-hundred thousand other people in the market.

If there were less spanish and religious stations, there would likely just be more of the same of what Houston already has (and complains about). The lack of choices that interest you has less to do with the number of stations and more to do with the market's demographics.

 

[sdh483]

That may or may not be true. This is a variation of the common "I don't like their programming, therefore the station is a waste" comment that appears all too often on these boards.

That's because it is true.

 

[johndavis]

This is a variation of the common "I don't like their programming, therefore the station is a waste" comment that appears all too often on these boards.

"...nothing but blues and Elvis, and somebody else's favorite song..."

-Steely Dan, "FM"

 

[FilioScotia]

***With DFW, a smaller market (or so I thought) having KRLD, I would have thought people would have a need for news and traffic out here?***

For me, the key words in that sentence are "have a need." You're right in saying people have "a need" for news and traffic, but where did you the idea that radio stations are, or should be, in the business of "serving a need?"

Commercial radio exists to make money, first, last and foremost. Nobody gets into commercial radio to "serve a need". They get into it for the money, and they get out of it if they don't make money.

Station owners spend their money on formats that draw listeners and make money. "Serving a need" is a secondary and expendable consideration. It's nice if they can make money and serve a need at the same time, but making money always trumps serving a need.

News/Talk formats don't draw listeners or make money anymore. If they did, we would have News/Talk stations up and down the dial, but we don't.

That's how the radio marketplace works. And the marketplace is the ultimate arbiter of what we hear, and don't hear, on our radios. Same goes for TV. If it makes money it survives and thrives. If it doesn't make money, it dies and goes away. It's economic Darwinism at its best and I don't want it any other way.

 

[Garrett]

With DFW, a smaller market (or so I thought) having KRLD, I would have thought people would have a need for news and traffic out here? LA, NY, Chicago, Dallas... They all have continuous news format stations. Then, here comes Houston, and... ? How come?

While there's little similarity to KTRH, note that KRLD is not a "continuous news" format. They feature talk in the evening and overnight, and use the slogan "all news...all day."

The Dallas and Fort Worth radio markets were merged in the early 70s and I don't believe Houston has ever been larger since.

That's true; the first combined D/FW book was for April/May 1973.

KTRH is not an all news station like KRLD. I should have specified that I wasn't counting the evening hours.

 

[Garrett]

***With DFW, a smaller market (or so I thought) having KRLD, I would have thought people would have a need for news and traffic out here?***

For me, the key words in that sentence are "have a need." You're right in saying people have "a need" for news and traffic, but where did you the idea that radio stations are, or should be, in the business of "serving a need?"

Commercial radio exists to make money, first, last and foremost. Nobody gets into commercial radio to "serve a need". They get into it for the money, and they get out of it if they don't make money.

Station owners spend their money on formats that draw listeners and make money. "Serving a need" is a secondary and expendable consideration. It's nice if they can make money and serve a need at the same time, but making money always trumps serving a need.

News/Talk formats don't draw listeners or make money anymore. If they did, we would have News/Talk stations up and down the dial, but we don't.

That's how the radio marketplace works. And the marketplace is the ultimate arbiter of what we hear, and don't hear, on our radios. Same goes for TV. If it makes money it survives and thrives. If it doesn't make money, it dies and goes away. It's economic Darwinism at its best and I don't want it any other way.

Not what I meant. I meant that as in "a demand for." As in "a need in the marketplace. I was not suggesting that there be some sort of public service for news. That's what NPR is for.

 

[jasondm4]

There would be alot more formats available here if it wasnt for the oversaturated amount of Spanish stations. And religious stations like KHCB take up frequencies that could be used for a good commercial FM station. :

That may or may not be true. This is a variation of the common "I don't like their programming, therefore the station is a waste" comment that appears all too often on these boards. No radio station can please everyone. Just because you don't like spanish-language stations doesn't mean they should not exist in any particular quantity. Just because you don't care for KHCB doesn't mean that they are not serving nearly two-hundred thousand other people in the market.

If there were less spanish and religious stations, there would likely just be more of the same of what Houston already has (and complains about). The lack of choices that interest you has less to do with the number of stations and more to do with the market's demographics.

I have no problem with spanish stations. And their programming is not a waste but the numbers don't lie my friend most of the spanish stations in Houston arent making a whole lot of money if you exclude KLTN and KLOL.

But i do have a problem with there being way to many of them. Im all about choices and i what im getting at is there is way too much of the same thing. Is it really necessary to have so many Regional Mexican stations? Absolutely not.

 

[willdav713]

There would be alot more formats available here if it wasnt for the oversaturated amount of Spanish stations. And religious stations like KHCB take up frequencies that could be used for a good commercial FM station. :

That may or may not be true. This is a variation of the common "I don't like their programming, therefore the station is a waste" comment that appears all too often on these boards. No radio station can please everyone. Just because you don't like spanish-language stations doesn't mean they should not exist in any particular quantity. Just because you don't care for KHCB doesn't mean that they are not serving nearly two-hundred thousand other people in the market.

If there were less spanish and religious stations, there would likely just be more of the same of what Houston already has (and complains about). The lack of choices that interest you has less to do with the number of stations and more to do with the market's demographics.

I have no problem with spanish stations. And their programming is not a waste but the numbers don't lie my friend most of the spanish stations in Houston arent making a whole lot of money if you exclude KLTN and KLOL.

But i do have a problem with there being way to many of them. Im all about choices and i what im getting at is there is way too much of the same thing. Is it really necessary to have so many Regional Mexican stations? Absolutely not.

93.3, 98.5, 96.9, 103.3, 107.9 are rimshots the previous formats weren't making any money. Granted, I miss 98.5 The Jam but if it were on a stronger signal chances are it might have hung around for a couple of more years. It has been La Raza since 2001. Plus thank the Fed (Clinton and the Republican House) for allowing giants like Clear Channel buying all the mom and pop stations i.e. 102.9, and 101.1. Take 98.5 for instance they had 8 different formats from 1980-2001 also 93.3 who had about 5 or 6 from the early 80s to today versus say 93.7 which had 4 different formats during that same time span.

 

[Drucifer]

DFW is ARB 5, HOUSTON is ARB 6. Not to split hairs here but Houston is the nation's 4th largest city, metro pop nearly 5 million. Largest city in Texas.

 

[Ryan Williams]

DFW is ARB 5, HOUSTON is ARB 6. Not to split hairs here but Houston is the nation's 4th largest city, metro pop nearly 5 million. Largest city in Texas.

The population of Houston proper is totally meaningless for radio. What matters is market size and the Houston-Galveston radio market is made up of Harris, Galveston, Brazoria, Fort Bend, Austin, Waller, Montgomery, San Jacinto, Polk, Liberty and Chambers counties.

 

[Drucifer]

DFW is ARB 5, HOUSTON is ARB 6. Not to split hairs here but Houston is the nation's 4th largest city, metro pop nearly 5 million. Largest city in Texas.

The population of Houston proper is totally meaningless for radio. What matters is market size and the Houston-Galveston radio market is made up of Harris, Galveston, Brazoria, Fort Bend, Austin, Waller, Montgomery, San Jacinto, Polk, Liberty and Chambers counties.

That's my point. Thanks!

 

[LibertyNT]

News/Talk formats don't draw listeners or make money anymore. If they did, we would have News/Talk stations up and down the dial, but we don't.

Thats actually not true,

WBAP is fairly highly rated, and makes a TON of Money for Citadel.

And there are News/Talk stations up and down the dial.
Hell Houston has 560, 650, 700, 740, 950, and 1070 doing talk.
Dallas Has 570, 660, 820, and 1160. All News/talk.


In fact there are a TON of Talk Stations just about anywhere you go.

 

[Jay F]

***With DFW, a smaller market (or so I thought) having KRLD, I would have thought people would have a need for news and traffic out here?***

For me, the key words in that sentence are "have a need." You're right in saying people have "a need" for news and traffic, but where did you the idea that radio stations are, or should be, in the business of "serving a need?"

Commercial radio exists to make money, first, last and foremost. Nobody gets into commercial radio to "serve a need". They get into it for the money, and they get out of it if they don't make money.

Station owners spend their money on formats that draw listeners and make money. "Serving a need" is a secondary and expendable consideration. It's nice if they can make money and serve a need at the same time, but making money always trumps serving a need.

News/Talk formats don't draw listeners or make money anymore. If they did, we would have News/Talk stations up and down the dial, but we don't.

That's how the radio marketplace works. And the marketplace is the ultimate arbiter of what we hear, and don't hear, on our radios. Same goes for TV. If it makes money it survives and thrives. If it doesn't make money, it dies and goes away. It's economic Darwinism at its best and I don't want it any other way.

All news WTOP/Washington DC is the highest billing radio station in the U.S

 

[DToTheJ]

Houston, TX: No all-news stations, but four sports radio stations to choose from. Thanks for listening!

 

[briancraig]

In the latest ratings, not one of those 4 sports stations can even get a 1 share.

 

[TroyG]

It would be so great to see Christian Radio Stations KHCB & KSBJ swap frequencies, with Humble-based KSBJ getting the strong, powerful 105.7 & KHCB would go to 89.3, because CCM works better at 105.7.