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AlexisB
Guest
Alot of buzz about a new FM news station coming soon to H-town. Word is Radio One is flipping Praise FM to all news format and hiring ex KTRH staffers including JP & Lana. Look out Clear Channel!
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I'll call BS on this. 
All-news formats are very expensive to do correctly.
Radio One has had money problems lately.
The current Praise format works very well, with decent share #'s, loyal cume, and is a good sales fit with KBXX and KMJQ.
JP and Lana are close to standard retirement age. Questionable as to whether they are still in the game for the long term. ???
Just don't see this happening. Radio One's last adventure out of its core demographic in Houston was a disaster (La Mera Mera. : )
All-news formats are very expensive to do correctly.
Radio One has had money problems lately.
The current Praise format works very well, with decent share #'s, loyal cume, and is a good sales fit with KBXX and KMJQ.
JP and Lana are close to standard retirement age. Questionable as to whether they are still in the game for the long term. ???
Just don't see this happening. Radio One's last adventure out of its core demographic in Houston was a disaster (La Mera Mera. :
)
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AlexisB
Guest
Something is happening...little birdie tells me nearly entire KTRH staff has been contacted by someone in market about jumping ship. Also hear former KTRH anchor Bonnie Petrie has just resigned from KRLD in Dallas.
Seems kinda unlikely for Radio One. I would believe CBS flipping Mix to news.
Proof or it's not real.
I have to agree with radiogooroo and mr.ric on this and call BS!
Radio One is having severe financial issues so they would not be able to fund it initially nor allow it to build to work/win. And they would give up the Praise brand and audience which makes profit for them here in Houston. Beside, as a company, and even with a smart guy like Jay, they know this expertise isn't in their wheelhouse.
Same with CBS. While they have the expertise, they don't have the structure in place here to challenge in that field. And if they're not investing in being seriously competitive with Mix nor KILT-FM, they're not going to pony up the resources to do a start up news or news/talk.
Your "birdie" is making it up as they go along.
Radio One is having severe financial issues so they would not be able to fund it initially nor allow it to build to work/win. And they would give up the Praise brand and audience which makes profit for them here in Houston. Beside, as a company, and even with a smart guy like Jay, they know this expertise isn't in their wheelhouse.
Same with CBS. While they have the expertise, they don't have the structure in place here to challenge in that field. And if they're not investing in being seriously competitive with Mix nor KILT-FM, they're not going to pony up the resources to do a start up news or news/talk.
Your "birdie" is making it up as they go along.
sdh483 said:
KTRH-FM, Houston.--Heritage Calls!
AlexisB said:
Maybe CBS radio will buy the KTRH newsradio trademark and associated intellectual property. "KTRH-FM Newsradio 101.1" anybody?
Hopefully it will be a 24/7 ALL News radio station in the tradition of WCBS, KNX, WBBM, and KCBS instead of the half-baked News-Talk format that we've been getting recently.
KTN Corp said:
I'm pretty sure the forecast for Hell calls for more heat.
All these people calling for an all-news station -- AM or FM -- have no idea how much an all news operation costs. Even at stations that are not all news, the news department is frequently the most expensive cost center in the station.
An all news FM station in Houston -- 24/7 news -- would cost millions of dollars a year just to keep it on the air. Then there are the millions of dollars in advertising it would have to bring in to support a 24/7 news staff of at least several dozen experienced anchors, reporters, editors, etc, plus all the news cars, equipment and other bells and whistles a major market news op would need. And let us not forget facilities. We are talking about a physical radio station after all.
Don't forget it would also have to put money in the owner's pocket. Count me as who doesn't think it would fly.
That old joke is true: Know how to make a small fortune in radio? You start with a large fortune.
An all news FM station in Houston -- 24/7 news -- would cost millions of dollars a year just to keep it on the air. Then there are the millions of dollars in advertising it would have to bring in to support a 24/7 news staff of at least several dozen experienced anchors, reporters, editors, etc, plus all the news cars, equipment and other bells and whistles a major market news op would need. And let us not forget facilities. We are talking about a physical radio station after all.
Don't forget it would also have to put money in the owner's pocket. Count me as who doesn't think it would fly.
That old joke is true: Know how to make a small fortune in radio? You start with a large fortune.
FilioScotia said:
Are you saying Houston can't afford to support a 24/7 all News station? There are more people here now compared to 15-20 years ago. We definitely have money for the advertisers to comb through compared to the older, high COL cities that the all News stations have traditionally broadcasted in.
I will start listening to commercial radio again for news instead of KUHF once there is an all-news station since I prefer that format over long form news-talk. I've been out of the advertiser's reach for a few years now since non-comm radio is the only game in town for comprehensive coverage. Welcome me back!!!
No I'm not saying Houston can't afford to support a 24/7 all news station. I'm saying I don't think Houston WOULD support such a station.
I'm also saying this proposed new station would need some of the best time sales people in the country to sell the millions of dollars worth of advertising it would take to make a 24/7 all news station profitable and worth listening to.
Yes the money is out there, but I just don't think that's going to happen in Houston.
I'm also saying this proposed new station would need some of the best time sales people in the country to sell the millions of dollars worth of advertising it would take to make a 24/7 all news station profitable and worth listening to.
Yes the money is out there, but I just don't think that's going to happen in Houston.
You could be right in saying a 24/7 all news FM is coming to Houston, but I don't think it will last very long. If Houston radio listeners really wanted an all news station, we would already have at least one.
Personally, I believe the only people in Houston who want one are those who're calling for it here on Radio Info.
Personally, I believe the only people in Houston who want one are those who're calling for it here on Radio Info.
jwmarsh said:
Aside from "urban talk," has Radio One EVER done a news/talk format? Besides, I don't see that it's changing formats all over the place. It swapped formats and changed the name on one station in Philly and dropped the currents on 94.5 in Dallas while reimaging the station, but those are about the closest to format changes I can think of. I guess it also allowed the format to be changed on an AM in Boston it's been trying to sell for years, but that hardly seems like Radio One making a change.
What makes me think you won't see a news/talk format is that Radio One doesn't seem to do that format. Now, I've always learned never to say never, but I'll believe it when I see it.
****I've always learned never to say never, but I'll believe it when I see it.****
What he said. If 24/7 All News was a marketable and profitable format, we would have them all over the dial. The fact that we don't have them says all that needs to be said about it.
What he said. If 24/7 All News was a marketable and profitable format, we would have them all over the dial. The fact that we don't have them says all that needs to be said about it.
Would the listeners support it? If done correctly, Yes!
Would the advertisers support it? same answer!
Will anyone do it? Highly unlikely because of the start up costs! Only CC with KTRH has a reasonably close assemblege of bodies/talent in place because of KTRH, but they have no FM to put it on. KODA, KTBZ and KKRW are all profitable (KODA and KTBZ ooze cash flow). Yes, the debate on KKRW versus Eagle could come into play here, but they won't sacrifice the profitability of KKRW for a shot at news. Beside, except at WLW, that company doesn't have any expertise in the format.
CBS does have the expertise, and the money to do it (plus that would put Mix out of it's misery) but won't, again because of the start up.
Bonneville (now Hubbard) launched their news station in DC with plenty of funding for everything, people, gear, vehicles, marketing, etc. And they waited for a few years to reap the profits. They could because they were a private company not subject to the scrutiny of CBS shareholders, nor the scrutiny and impatience of the flash drive mentality of the Thomas Bain MBAs. Hubbards success in DC has made all these also rans THINK they can do it, but they never reviewed the costs, the waiting period and the amount of red ink bleeding until it takes hold.
Dream on, but it will probably not happen here.
Would the advertisers support it? same answer!
Will anyone do it? Highly unlikely because of the start up costs! Only CC with KTRH has a reasonably close assemblege of bodies/talent in place because of KTRH, but they have no FM to put it on. KODA, KTBZ and KKRW are all profitable (KODA and KTBZ ooze cash flow). Yes, the debate on KKRW versus Eagle could come into play here, but they won't sacrifice the profitability of KKRW for a shot at news. Beside, except at WLW, that company doesn't have any expertise in the format.
CBS does have the expertise, and the money to do it (plus that would put Mix out of it's misery) but won't, again because of the start up.
Bonneville (now Hubbard) launched their news station in DC with plenty of funding for everything, people, gear, vehicles, marketing, etc. And they waited for a few years to reap the profits. They could because they were a private company not subject to the scrutiny of CBS shareholders, nor the scrutiny and impatience of the flash drive mentality of the Thomas Bain MBAs. Hubbards success in DC has made all these also rans THINK they can do it, but they never reviewed the costs, the waiting period and the amount of red ink bleeding until it takes hold.
Dream on, but it will probably not happen here.
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