Slambang said:
As id like to see a different format on KLLI(music perhaps?), I have a feeling that it prolly will be switched to an FM Sports Talker, as its usually cheaper to program and coordinate. The big question would be however, can Dallas handle three sports talkers?
With the change, Baltimore just went to four...WJZ 1300 (now all ESPN feed, formally WJFK), WVIE 1370 (the Fox Sports Radio affiliate), WNST 1570, and now WJZ-FM 105.7 "the Fan" (formally WHFS). Houston has 4 as well...KILT 610, KBME 790, KGOW 1560, and KFNC 97.5.
Both the CBS Free FM-to-sports converts (97.1 Detroit to WXYT-FM "97.1 the Ticket" and WJZ-FM) look to be like KTCK in that the shifts are all local morning through night. Detroit's move was to make a simulcast out of WXYT 1270 on FM. WXYT-AM/FM is the flagship for the Red Wings, Tigers, and Lions. In Baltimore, the new WJZ-FM has the rights to the O's. Most of the CBS-owned sports outlets in large markets seem to rely on local programming rather than network programming (WFAN, WIP, KILT, the two FM sports outlets, etc.).
As I posted a while back, I still think they could flip 105.3 to sports. It already has the NASCAR rights; the sports on KRLD (evening sports talk and Rangers flagship status) could be moved over to 105.3. You could leave Ben and Skin middays. So, morning and afternoon drive is all that would need to be filled.
Other than Michael Irvin's show, KTCK is whipping KESN by 2:1 and 3:1 margins in the men 25-54 demo...
http://sportsmediablog.dallasnews.com/archives/2008/10/radio-ratings-mano-e-mano-no-s.html (I'm sure that last KESN one is a misprint...I would guess "0.3" rather than "3.0" for the 11-Midnight hour).
Since KESN will always be forced to clear some ESPN network programming, it will always be a secondary choice since people here want to talk about "our teams in our town" and not listen to a national feed talking about other teams in other towns or the endless hyping of what's coming on the ESPN corporate family of networks. A station all-local on a strong signal probably could immediately replace KESN as #2 in those ESPN hours right out the box. I suspect KESN also has some listeners because there is no alternative ... i.e. listeners can't pick up KTCK on its diminished signal in their office and can only get KESN. The 1310 signal is too weak now to pick up in the building I work in on the Dallas/Collin County line; 1700 doesn't work either; 104.1 is to weak as well; I don't have a HD radio for KPLX 99.5HD2's simulcast. I can get KESN on my office radio though...