Lucy 93.3/Austin Adds Ryan Seacrest and Mario Lopez

[Y2kTheNewOldies]

https://news.****************/articles/c41159/Lucy-933-Austin-Adds-Ryan-Seacrest-and-Mario-Lopez

Waterloo Media Group CHR KGSR-FM (Lucy 93.3)/Austin adds syndicated radio personalities Ryan Seacrest and Mario Lopez to the station's live weekday lineup. Beginning Monday, April 12, "On Air with Ryan Seacrest" will join the station in the 10am-2pm CT timeslot, and "On with Mario Lopez" will broadcast from 7-11pm CT, weekdays.

Waterloo Media will Ryan Seacrest on April 12th.

 

[MRD]

Just my opinion, but I think this is a "hail Mary" for the survival of Lucy. Since the demise of AAA KGSR, nothing on the 93.3 frequency has gained traction. Don't blame the signal, it's a 100,000 watt blowtorch nearly 2,000 feet up in the air. Granted, the transmitter is in Williamson County, but the signal adequately covers the entire Austin Metro area. This is the same signal that B-93 had for the 6 years it was on the air and B-93 was very successful. Again, you can't blame the signal.

I would like to see 93.3 program an 80s-90s-based Classic Country format, as there is no such format in Austin currently. KASE plays modern-day bro country; KVET plays a mix that is heavy on bro country with 2, maybe 3 country gold songs per hour. KOKE FM can't be heard in most parts, but they also play a mix of bro country, with some Texas country, and a few gold country songs.

A station dedicated to 80s-90s-based country would add variety to the Austin dial. Besides, there is much nostalgia for 80s and 90s rock/pop, why not for 80s and 90s country?

 

[b-turner]

I know there is no such thing as a cursed signal but 93.3 has had many more years of revolving door formats than it had years of success. The format wheel on 93.3 has certainly turned many times over the past couple of decades.

 

[Mediafrog+]

Don't blame the signal, it's a 100,000 watt blowtorch nearly 2,000 feet up in the air. Granted, the transmitter is in Williamson County, but the signal adequately covers the entire Austin Metro area. This is the same signal that B-93 had for the 6 years it was on the air and B-93 was very successful.

Although KGSR does have a CP to downgrade to a C2 from a shorter tower in the western hills. Will help reception over the sales relevant core of the market while sacrificing most of the outlying coverage. Pretty much the same philosophy used by sibling KBPA with its recent move/downgrade.

A station dedicated to 80s-90s-based country would add variety to the Austin dial. Besides, there is much nostalgia for 80s and 90s rock/pop, why not for 80s and 90s country?

Worth a try. In Houston Country Legends 97.1 does surprisingly well for a rimshot, as it appears there are a lot of people who absolutely despise the current state of Country Music. Downside is that it probably skews way too old and apparently bills poorly.

For total audience Classic Country would probably work better on the existing KGSR stick as opposed to the new site, but that would likely include a lot of listeners outside advertisers' geographic targets.

 

[dlf1]

They have downgraded; the Bertram signal was 30 miles further from Canyon Lake, but the signal was much better here from Bertram.
As far as the 93.3 signal being cursed, here is the timeline I remember from the 1986 move in; correct me with any errors:
1) KBTS (B93) - CHR
2) KBTS (Power 93 - Churban )
3) KMXX - Hot AC - Mix 93.3 -
4) KMXX -Lone Star 93 - Country
5) KHHT - Hot Country
6) KHHT - Hits 93.3 - 70’s Oldies
7) KAJZ - Smooth Jazz
8) KLNC - Country
9) KXMG -
10) KDHT - Hip Hop
11) KGSR - Alternated between AAA and Modern AC
12) KGSR - Austin City Limits Radio, Hot AC, CHR, AC

 

[davideduardo]

They have downgraded; the Bertram signal was 30 miles further from Canyon Lake, but the signal was much better here from Bertram.

Comal County is not in the Austin MSA, so they don't care

 

[dlf1]

No kidding. Just clarifying the downgrade took place.

 

[Kent]

For total audience Classic Country would probably work better on the existing KGSR stick as opposed to the new site, but that would likely include a lot of listeners outside advertisers' geographic targets.

From a 6+ standpoint, you’re probably right. Of course, KVET shifted away from classic/traditional country once the PPM came out. I seem to remember it skewed a lot older than it did in the diary, though it also seems the talk heavy programming on the station did poorly in PPM. Austin probably doesn’t have enough of a sellable audience for classic country.

 

[Kent]

As far as the 93.3 signal being cursed, here is the timeline I remember from the 1986 move in; correct me with any errors:
1) KBTS (B93) - CHR
2) KBTS (Power 93 - Churban )
3) KMXX - Hot AC - Mix 93.3 -
4) KMXX -Lone Star 93 - Country
5) KHHT - Hot Country
6) KHHT - Hits 93.3 - 70’s Oldies
7) KAJZ - Smooth Jazz
8) KLNC - Country
9) KXMG -
10) KDHT - Hip Hop
11) KGSR - Alternated between AAA and Modern AC
12) KGSR - Austin City Limits Radio, Hot AC, CHR, AC

I don’t remember KBTS using the “Power 93” moniker, though the last time I listened to 93.3 in that era was the summer of 1990. Mix 93.3 seems to have started sometime in early 1992. At the time, KBTS was co-owned with KONO/KITY, and KITY was Power 93 until about September or October ‘90, when it became KSRR-FM “Star 93.” KITY was teasing that change in August 1990, though it was still Power 93 near the end of the month. Moving that moniker to Austin would’ve been pretty easy for them. It certainly could have had another format between the B and Mix.

As some of the others mentioned, signal didn’t seem to be the problem at B93.3. It routinely mopped the floor with KHFI, though KHFI was still at 98.3 until, I believe, early 1990, when it upgraded to 100,000 watts and became K98.1. That, of course, didn’t last long, and KVET/KASE took it over by the end of the year and flipped it to country, with the KHFI format and calls moving to oldies KQFX 96.7. I seem to remember K98.1’s last book finished ahead of B93, and it rarely looked back after it moved to 96.7. It did, however, see KBTS as enough of a threat to LMA it and flip it after the predecessor to Secret Communications started giving thought to exiting Texas.

I also agree that the latest changes at Lucy were probably done for cost savings, and I can’t imagine them helping.

 

[jras20]

Maybe they would have KOKE be on 93.3? Then KOKE would have a great signal.

 

[Mediafrog+]

KHFI was still at 98.3 until, I believe, early 1990, when it upgraded to 100,000 watts and became K98.1. That, of course, didn’t last long, and KVET/KASE took it over by the end of the year and flipped it to country

KHFI at 98.3 was a Class A equivalent running a meager 1,320 watts for most of its existence. I was absolutely shocked when it was flipped so soon after what was a huge signal upgrade.

with the KHFI format and calls moving to oldies KQFX 96.7.

Should be pointed out that the calls and format were actually appropriated by KQFX after being abandoned by 98.1. There is no license or business relationship between the "old" and "present" KHFI incarnations on Austin FM.

I do recall that the then KBTS ownership tried to move the KHFI call out of the Austin market by applying for it on one of their other stations (in California, IIRC) but KQFX appealed to the FCC to allow them to keep the calls in Austin, and won.

I seem to remember K98.1’s last book finished ahead of B93

That would have been with the new 100kw signal. Too bad it didn't last on 98.1, but the format was successfully revived on 96.7, and continues 30 years later.

 

[Ryan Williams]

Although KGSR does have a CP to downgrade to a C2 from a shorter tower in the western hills. Will help reception over the sales relevant core of the market while sacrificing most of the outlying coverage. Pretty much the same philosophy used by sibling KBPA with its recent move/downgrade.

Worth a try. In Houston Country Legends 97.1 does surprisingly well for a rimshot, as it appears there are a lot of people who absolutely despise the current state of Country Music. Downside is that it probably skews way too old and apparently bills poorly.

For total audience Classic Country would probably work better on the existing KGSR stick as opposed to the new site, but that would likely include a lot of listeners outside advertisers' geographic targets.

My understanding is that KGSR hasn't been operating from the Bertram site for some time. Whether they are running from the C2 CP facility or their licensed AUX site (which is on the same tower as the CP but at 25 kW instead of 50), I am unsure. In my own experience, I do know the 93.3 signal over the last year or so has been greatly reduced in Williamson, Bell, Burnet, Llano, and Lampasas counties from what it has been over the last couple of decades. Only Williamson is actually in the Austin market though, so the others don't really matter.

The CP expires in August of this year.

I'm not sure Austin would be a good classic country market, but I really doubt Waterloo would try that format on 93.3 considering they are not already in the country business. Maybe KOKE would be a better candidate.

As for Lucy, I really don't understand the strategy at all. They created a unique brand to fit into a particular slot in the cluster and they are now adding in super-generic, syndicated programming. I'm sure this was an informed and calculated decision, but the recent track record of changes on 93.3 aren't great.

I've said this before here, but I would love for Waterloo to invest more into 590 with more local programming and the ability to really soar with a full power FM signal. 99.7 is decent, but it's still only 250 watts in a five county market.

 

[Kent]

KHFI at 98.3 was a Class A equivalent running a meager 1,320 watts for most of its existence. I was absolutely shocked when it was flipped so soon after what was a huge signal upgrade.

So was I. Encore, which owned stations in Albuquerque, Austin, and Little Rock, wanted out of the business. It sold all of its stations, all CHR's, around that time, and none of them kept their formats. Albuquerque and Austin went country while Little Rock went Hot AC. All were rather shocking format changes as all were reasonably successful and well-programmed CHR's. The company that executed the nation's first LMA in Jackson, MS bought KHFI from Encore and promptly decided it was going to do the exact same thing in Austin. It never intended to program it, at least not for long. If I'd owned KVET/KASE, I would've kept the CHR format on 98.1 for a one-two punch, but arguing it made the wrong move when it put KVET on 98.1 is a tough sell. It obviously worked for them. When Encore sold its stations, they were caught being CHR's when nobody wanted to be a CHR. Luckily for KHFI, KQFX found itself getting squeezed in the oldies format with KLTD having recently launched and realized there wasn't enough room for two oldies stations.

Should be pointed out that the calls and format were actually appropriated by KQFX after being abandoned by 98.1. There is no license or business relationship between the "old" and "present" KHFI incarnations on Austin FM.

Makes sense. From what I understand, the entire programming team from KHFI went to 96.7, but intellectual property deals weren't common in 1990. Getting a suddenly and shockingly displaced staff from across the street has never been all that difficult, though.

 

[Krash Kelly]

IIRC - the company who owned KQFX was in a pickle and ratings were sub-par with Oldies. Flipping to CHR and acquiring the majority of the KHFI staff immediately gave that frequency equity. My original PD, Roger Allen at 'the new' KHFI had programmed KQFX as Oldies but had an ear for the new format and was able to make the transition from 98.1 to 96.7 sound as if it had been a carefully orchestrated move. Working at KHFI thru the majority of the 90's will likely remain one of the best and most rewarding times of my career... and all of us hoped that fun and passion came thru in the on-air product.

Wow - and that was all totally off topic from the OP. Apologies moderators!

 

[Ryan Williams]

Working at KHFI thru the majority of the 90's will likely remain one of the best and most rewarding times of my career... and all of us hoped that fun and passion came thru in the on-air product.

Hey, I remember listening to you back then. There was a lot of energy on-air! I'm trying to remember who the other on-air staff were and all that is coming to mind is "Buck Naked" doing traffic reports.

 

[stan]

The failure was removing AAA from KGSR in the first place.

 

[davideduardo]

The failure was removing AAA from KGSR in the first place.

The demos were getting too old to sell. AAA tends to have way too many 55 and over listeners.

 

[Delete My Account]

The music on the later versions of KGSR wasn't targeted at 55+. They raised quite a fuss about it when they moved to 93.3 to begin with and the music was revamped to target younger demos. Subsequent PDs didn't age it back.

Broadcast History

web.archive.org

 

[BRH]

The 93.3 signal was definitely downgraded as planned about a year ago. I have relatives in Belton (Bell Co.), and used to listen to the AAA format and later the HD2 signal of the AAA format which was clear as a bell. That’s no longer the case though. The main 93.3 signal is somewhat listenable with static, but nowhere near as strong & no HD reception for sure I hated that, but understand the move from a financial standpoint. Although, with Austin’s population exploding & expanding, maybe areas like Belton could be considered exurbs now. I know we drive down to Austin almost everyday I’m there.

 

[Ryan Williams]

Although, with Austin’s population exploding & expanding, maybe areas like Belton could be considered exurbs now. I know we drive down to Austin almost everyday I’m there.

Austin is definitely growing in all directions. The empty land between Belton and Georgetown is quickly getting built up.

The problem though is that Belton is in Bell County which is not part of the Nielsen-defined Austin market, so any listening there doesn't really help an Austin station. Bell County is in the Killeen-Temple market which also includes Coryell County (Copperas Cove), so it will not be added to the Austin market in the future either.

Geographically, the only counties that would make any sense to add to the Austin market are Burnet and Blanco to the west, but truthfully, I don't think that will happen either.