I think (IMO not to be political) every county could be in phase 2 figuratively EXCEPT Yakima. Yakima is in a class by itself, even on the whole west coast. I don't think enough was done to protect Ag workers and enough PPE was provided to packing plant workers in Yakima County, thus it's spreading its way through the entire valley. I know that Inslee still let up to 15 farmworkers bunk in a farm dormitory...and there are a lot of farmworker dorms in the lower valley. Only 35% have recovered and there are 4,100+ cases total, nearly 100 deaths. Highest case count per 10,000 in the state by a very, very long shot. And our governor used to live in Selah...
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Washington Latest in Tri/Walla Walla
- Thread starter seatownmedia
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Agree, Yakima Co. needs to stay closed. Benton/Franklin need to open...and soon! To relate this to radio, KONA is actually covering this on their afternoon show quite well. My earlier critique was about them not covering one of the biggest protests in recent history in Richland. No excuse for that, but atleast they get around to it on their opinion-based afternoon talk show, which incidently is a rarity in a market this size. So I won't be too hard on the station. Atleast they are trying to be live and local, that is a good thing.
I have found Van Kamp et al an entertaining alternative to the standard anger, bluster, borderline extremism and seriousness on conservative talk radio. There are times those are the only guys I want to listen to.
Sorry don’t agree. They come off as arrogant conservative white guys. I am fed up with their ilk.
Conservative, yeah, but they don't strike me as arrogant at all. More like an FM afternoon rock-talk / male-talk team that was popular in Seattle for a while.... Except more political.
I know their history. They were a Portland local show (in some form). At that stage they were moderate liberal, so they played to their audience. So, now they are trying to go national and they completely change their political stance to attract better numbers. Sad. It just seems to me to be self-serving and indulgent. Can't stand that hypocrisy.
Further, their constant airing of clips of Biden with his gaffes is not only disrespectful, but unfair. Perhaps they should air Trump's gaffes at the same clip. Not that would ever happen.
Gaffes are gaffes. Biden can handle it. When one becomes a politician of national note, people who support the opposition are going to make hay of whatever you say. It goes with the territory.
Wasn't aware the Van Kamp et. al. guys were moderate and liberal on the radio in Portland when local, though.
Wow.....just returned from a weekend in Tri Cities (my old stompin' grounds). I was very disappointed in radio there. As stated above earlier on this thread, No classic hits, adult hits, Alt rock or AAA. Just a wasteland of Spanish and Religion. I mentioned Death Cab For Cutie in front of my family and got blank stares. And the earlier comparison of Yakima having a successful classic hits and why wouldn't it work in TC.......I would have to conclude that if it CAN work in a market of 40+% Hispanic, it CAN work in TC. Remember when (KIOK) OK95 had a 30 share? Just play all those songs.....Prince, Madness, Madonna, Wham, Men Without Hats, Duran Duran, etc. But the dial is so crowded, outside of the established signals, nobody seems to be allowed more than 250 watts, which in most cases does not translate into ratings.
The only classic hits station is a rimshot in Pilot Rock, KUMA 'Party FM.' Which actually plays some '60s songs, The Beatles and Van Morrison, etc. I will be back in the Tri-Cities later this month doing some shopping, and I wonder how well 100.9 gets out into Pasco and downtown Kennewick. They were strong in south Kennewick, the Reata area, but that's a higher elevation than near the Columbia. 100.9 is one of those anomalies, being on the hill above the Silver Dollar Cafe in Hanford. They get out well to the east and northeast, solid just south of Moses Lake and into Othello, while KFFM and others are very fuzzy or gone.
There used to be Adult Hits on 100.1, Bob FM. Had a good playlist too. And like many other stations, it's now Spanish. KTCV should still be alt-rock if you didn't tune that far down.
At least Hank FM is alive and well, and they are one of the last good things about that Tri radio dial. The Smooth Jazz they used to have at 102.3 was also great, but nothing lasts forever.
There used to be Adult Hits on 100.1, Bob FM. Had a good playlist too. And like many other stations, it's now Spanish. KTCV should still be alt-rock if you didn't tune that far down.
At least Hank FM is alive and well, and they are one of the last good things about that Tri radio dial. The Smooth Jazz they used to have at 102.3 was also great, but nothing lasts forever.
I am aware of Hermiston’s “Party FM” at 92.1. Very safe classic hits playlist. Too safe for me but I understand why they are.
I was in the Tri-Cities earlier today doing some thrifting/antiquing/etc. Sampled the dial + reception report. Of course, not really a lot of variety unless you're into Spanish, country, or pop formats.
More FM sounds more like a traditional soft rock station nowadays while 105.3 still sounds like a lite version of Power 99.1.
102.1 KPQ rocked into all three cities with a strong signal. In fact, even stronger than 92.1 or 93.7 in nearby Oregon.
Meanwhile, Jump Off Joe does some blockage on aforementioned KQFM 93.7. Low-ish tower in low elevation Hermiston, doesn't get out strong to the north and defeat Jump Off Joe.
92.1 is spotty in parts of the area. Some areas I only had one bar and multiple short dropouts. Yet none of the translators are even classic hits/oldies at this time.
101.9 doesn't drop out anywhere in the area and has a great mix of classic country.
Cherry FM is very weak to barely audible around Pasco and other areas, which surprised me as they usually get out well to the east. Signal was probably blocked by Rattlesnake Mtn, or the signal strength atteunated due to the nearby presence of Jump Off Joe. KXDD has a better 'distant' signal and even cued RDS in some places.
The strange classical translator on 94.1 in Walla Walla got out pretty well on 182 and 240. K231CT is operated by KHSS and runs a simulcast of their HD2, which is a non-commercial classical format and news on the hour from Townhall. Strange format since it's operated by a Catholic religious station.
Noted the Spanish religious LPFM, KTZB-LP, moved from 104.5 to 104.7 last month. Very weak signal of K283BU, 104.5 Bob FM Walla Walla, on 182 going into Pasco. This one has its translator right in the heart of Walla Walla, so no wonder it's weak.
More FM sounds more like a traditional soft rock station nowadays while 105.3 still sounds like a lite version of Power 99.1.
102.1 KPQ rocked into all three cities with a strong signal. In fact, even stronger than 92.1 or 93.7 in nearby Oregon.
Meanwhile, Jump Off Joe does some blockage on aforementioned KQFM 93.7. Low-ish tower in low elevation Hermiston, doesn't get out strong to the north and defeat Jump Off Joe.
92.1 is spotty in parts of the area. Some areas I only had one bar and multiple short dropouts. Yet none of the translators are even classic hits/oldies at this time.
101.9 doesn't drop out anywhere in the area and has a great mix of classic country.
Cherry FM is very weak to barely audible around Pasco and other areas, which surprised me as they usually get out well to the east. Signal was probably blocked by Rattlesnake Mtn, or the signal strength atteunated due to the nearby presence of Jump Off Joe. KXDD has a better 'distant' signal and even cued RDS in some places.
The strange classical translator on 94.1 in Walla Walla got out pretty well on 182 and 240. K231CT is operated by KHSS and runs a simulcast of their HD2, which is a non-commercial classical format and news on the hour from Townhall. Strange format since it's operated by a Catholic religious station.
Noted the Spanish religious LPFM, KTZB-LP, moved from 104.5 to 104.7 last month. Very weak signal of K283BU, 104.5 Bob FM Walla Walla, on 182 going into Pasco. This one has its translator right in the heart of Walla Walla, so no wonder it's weak.
More FM soft rock? No. Just this morning “Hit Me With Your Best Shot” (Pat Benatar) followed by Dua Lipa “Levitating” followed by OMD “if you Leave” followed by Harry Styles “Adore You”.
I address this in my radio broadcasting courses I teach. If there's no profit in those formats + the audiences have migrated to other platforms, you are left with 3 or 4 formats that everyone is vying for the revenue that's out there. Podcasting and digital based content present formidable challenges to our industry in terms of pulling away ears.
My answer as a college station (88.1, WDSW The Trail) was to go interesting, yet accessible, and keep one foot in things that test well in my market. Programming and a presentation that wouldn't be easy to find in the streaming world, but also connect with the community tastes and localize as best as I can. As we build the facility and staff, it'll just get better.
And, we play Death Cab for Cutie. In the middle of the Mississippi Delta. It's quite interesting, Operating at roots leaning AAA that balances in select southern classic rock. It's completely out there for my market. It's developed a significant listenership and our underwriting revenue continues to grow.
It's fun to walk into businesses throughout the city and hear WDSW.
Being in a college town that has diverse music tastes, gives me enough room to be quirky but also build a funding model in the non-com world.
Cheers,
My answer as a college station (88.1, WDSW The Trail) was to go interesting, yet accessible, and keep one foot in things that test well in my market. Programming and a presentation that wouldn't be easy to find in the streaming world, but also connect with the community tastes and localize as best as I can. As we build the facility and staff, it'll just get better.
And, we play Death Cab for Cutie. In the middle of the Mississippi Delta. It's quite interesting, Operating at roots leaning AAA that balances in select southern classic rock. It's completely out there for my market. It's developed a significant listenership and our underwriting revenue continues to grow.
It's fun to walk into businesses throughout the city and hear WDSW.
Being in a college town that has diverse music tastes, gives me enough room to be quirky but also build a funding model in the non-com world.
Cheers,
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I remember the old days when there was always a classic rocker trying to compete against Eagle in the Tri-Cities. Hawk 97.9 tried to give it a go for several years if I recall. Jeff Jacobs is still in the game with U Rock.
Bonus points if you remember when KHSS from Walla Walla, then at 100.9mhz, was one the earliest commercial stations to put a classic rock format into The Tri-Cities, albeit a partial rimshot. KWVN 107.7/Pendleton also gave it a shot as "X107" and the calls KSXM. This must've been 1990-1991. I remember KSXM's audio processing sounding very mid-range, no real high frequencies. Almost sounded like an AM.
Meadow Springs west of Columbia Center was about the point where KHSS and KARY 100.9/Prosser swapped for good when they shared the frequency. KSXM to this day in Kennewick doesn't do well due to the Horse Heaven Hills. It does far better in Richland as you get away from the terrain shielding.
Just a bit of market history.
Bonus points if you remember when KHSS from Walla Walla, then at 100.9mhz, was one the earliest commercial stations to put a classic rock format into The Tri-Cities, albeit a partial rimshot. KWVN 107.7/Pendleton also gave it a shot as "X107" and the calls KSXM. This must've been 1990-1991. I remember KSXM's audio processing sounding very mid-range, no real high frequencies. Almost sounded like an AM.
Meadow Springs west of Columbia Center was about the point where KHSS and KARY 100.9/Prosser swapped for good when they shared the frequency. KSXM to this day in Kennewick doesn't do well due to the Horse Heaven Hills. It does far better in Richland as you get away from the terrain shielding.
Just a bit of market history.
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KARY's transmitter used to be in Prosser at valley floor level, I believe. Then they moved to the hill above Sunnyside, which makes them get out way farther than I ever thought. They are solid just south of Moses Lake on Hwy 17 while KXDD is full of noise.
The earliest thing I remember on 107.7 was Adult Contemporary, KUMA-FM. Then it became The Vine, on the old SAM network, before it flipped to yet another pop station. The old SaM format was pretty wide for a satellite network, they played stuff that JACK wouldn't touch.
The earliest thing I remember on 107.7 was Adult Contemporary, KUMA-FM. Then it became The Vine, on the old SAM network, before it flipped to yet another pop station. The old SaM format was pretty wide for a satellite network, they played stuff that JACK wouldn't touch.
I was part of the original airstaff on Eagle 106.5. It took them nearly 20 years, but they finally got the music spot on and have a really good morning show now. It sounds good, and yeah......I think they are doing quite well even if they don't subscribe to the Nielsen Book, which has now dumped Bend and Tri Cities due to lack of subscribers (I'm assuming) other than Townsquare. I remember 107.7 having classic rock on until shortly after the Eagle signed on. Yeah, the audio was pretty flat, it sounded like they were running reel-to-reel tapes that had been left out in the hot sun. The music wasn't very good, but it was the only place to hear some classic rock pre-1993.
"Noted the Spanish religious LPFM, KTZB-LP, moved from 104.5 to 104.7 last month." Thanks for the insight on this... K283BU is now possible from here if I can get up early enough. I do have to fight off KKRV's hash, which isn't much of a chore in the morning.
I'm someone who does extended listening of 107.7, whenever it comes in of course, and I can say it's not quite pop, at least not compared to 97.5 & 99.1. It's kind of an alternative-leaning pop station, with hits mixed in. Like a mash between KOLW/KUJ-FM, KDRM and KNDD Seattle (or KFOO Spokane).
KTCV 88.1 out of Tri-Tech, was the first physically in the Tri-Cities market do to classic rock in early '91. It wasn't pretty and it wasn't well done, but it was the first.