Next format flip

[Cobra14]

What do you think?

96.5 to Country? Maybe they think they can do it better than the Bull or the Wolf. I read that they had country ready to go and launch back when KMPS flipped and then Hubbard did it before so they didn’t do it. Jack seems to be getting decent ratings tho.

What about some of the other stations in the area?

 

[speer360]

KPLZ. Look at the ratings.

 

[The New Chico]

As the pros have mentioned more than once on this board, ratings alone do not really drive format changes. There are a bunch of other questions that need to be asked by management before a format change ensues:
1) What is the margin on the current format? Billing vs. expense.
2) How does that format fit in with selling our other formats? (Is it a good flanker? Can we sell it in combo with our other formats?)
3) Is there a format available in the market that will make us more profit?
4) Do we have the corporate will and resources to program and promote a format flip?

I am not privy to the $$$ numbers, but it seems like Jack is a steady performer and obviously is relatively inexpensive to operate. I don't think it is going anywhere.

Speer may be right- wondering if a 101.5/97.7 news simulcast is in the offing; at that point 1000 or 570 goes into some form of Spanish language format. Suppose 101.5 could be the #2 country station now, but that is a pretty thin pie to split with country in one of their ebb cycles.

If I had to wager I would say the next format flip will be 880 going all sport betting. Hubbard has 98.9 HD2 running this format and the Tulalip Tribe has basically bought the naming rights to the channel- you would already have points 1 and 3 above pretty well covered. I think it would be inexpensive to promote, and there has to be more margin there than KIXI is generating now.

 

[fordranger797]

It I’m Lotus, I absolutely do not touch Star 101.5. This station may not be performing all that impressively in the ratings we are able to see, but their programming fits a key demographic (and it’s likely they do well in that specific demographic). There’s absolutely no reason to move news programming to 101.5 at this precise moment when they already have the best FM translator they could possibly ask for. There are plenty of examples of news/talk stations on the AM dial (usually on a trash frequency) using a flee FM translator to try to keep the station viable. Lotus is fortunate to have a solid AM frequency and a FM that covers 90% of the market with a decent of enough signal.

If I’m iheart, Jack-Fm stays. I think they can maintain a solid grip of the classic hits market by keeping KZOK and KJEB focused on older hits (classic rock and 80’s hits) while Jack dips primarily into the 90’s.

It’s absolutely the wrong move to flip either of these stations to country. I don’t think Hubbard would be making such a serious run at AAA if they felt that country had any future in the Seattle market. They are smart enough to realize that there isn’t room for two country stations, and that listeners in the far north and southern regions of the metropolitan area have other choices. Not saying that country can’t make a comeback, but I think it only makes sense for to flip a station that has literally failed entirely. You could have made an argument on country music on 93.3 before the flip to sports, but as we have seen, Iheart decided to move sports to FM.

Now we sit back and see what happens with KKWF. If we see big improvement, maybe it indicates that there *might* be space for another country station (though it would take a very well thought out launch). However, I predict that they won’t receive much more than a negligible bump. I hope for their sake that it’s at least enough to justify putting some more attention on local programming. I think fans of country music would rather see one station do it well than two stations try to do it, but the end up doing it with limited effort. I hate to always bring up KMPS, but when they were the “go to” source for country, they did it better than anyone else. This is an opportunity for KKWF to do it well and capture the limited country market.

 

[guruofradio]

Can't imagine anyone will flip country in the near future. From a ratings perspective hard to argue there is room for more than one full market country station in Seattle. If there were a revenue opportunity, I would think Hubbard would have stayed the course.

 

[bobdavcav]

It I’m Lotus, I absolutely do not touch Star 101.5. This station may not be performing all that impressively in the ratings we are able to see, but their programming fits a key demographic (and it’s likely they do well in that specific demographic). There’s absolutely no reason to move news programming to 101.5 at this precise moment when they already have the best FM translator they could possibly ask for. There are plenty of examples of news/talk stations on the AM dial (usually on a trash frequency) using a flee FM translator to try to keep the station viable. Lotus is fortunate to have a solid AM frequency and a FM that covers 90% of the market with a decent of enough signal.

If I’m iheart, Jack-Fm stays. I think they can maintain a solid grip of the classic hits market by keeping KZOK and KJEB focused on older hits (classic rock and 80’s hits) while Jack dips primarily into the 90’s.

It’s absolutely the wrong move to flip either of these stations to country. I don’t think Hubbard would be making such a serious run at AAA if they felt that country had any future in the Seattle market. They are smart enough to realize that there isn’t room for two country stations, and that listeners in the far north and southern regions of the metropolitan area have other choices. Not saying that country can’t make a comeback, but I think it only makes sense for to flip a station that has literally failed entirely. You could have made an argument on country music on 93.3 before the flip to sports, but as we have seen, Iheart decided to move sports to FM.

Now we sit back and see what happens with KKWF. If we see big improvement, maybe it indicates that there *might* be space for another country station (though it would take a very well thought out launch). However, I predict that they won’t receive much more than a negligible bump. I hope for their sake that it’s at least enough to justify putting some more attention on local programming. I think fans of country music would rather see one station do it well than two stations try to do it, but the end up doing it with limited effort. I hate to always bring up KMPS, but when they were the “go to” source for country, they did it better than anyone else. This is an opportunity for KKWF to do it well and capture the limited country market.

I'm curious about your thoughts on 106.1? I feel like the only reason to keep that around is Jubel, and even that doesn't seem to be helping them against 92.5. Then again, the only hole would be for a second country station, and unless they go significantly older leaning, I can't see that doing any better than 98.9 did with the format, especially the way iHeart would likely run it. Could they try Classic Country to be sold in combo with 95.7? Maybe.

 

[speer360]

KWRM and KSWD are eating KPLZ

 

[fordranger797]

KWRM and KSWD are eating KPLZ

Not disagreeing that KWRM and KSWD are far better on paper, but I still wouldn’t blow up 101.5 if I were in charge. That station has great appeal to a prime demographic. While their current direction may not be working out the way that should on paper, I think it’s worth making some tweaks.

 

[fordranger797]

I'm curious about your thoughts on 106.1? I feel like the only reason to keep that around is Jubel, and even that doesn't seem to be helping them against 92.5. Then again, the only hole would be for a second country station, and unless they go significantly older leaning, I can't see that doing any better than 98.9 did with the format, especially the way iHeart would likely run it. Could they try Classic Country to be sold in combo with 95.7? Maybe.

I think that Jubal makes 106.1 competitive in the morning daypart, but the station likely struggles to compete outside of the morning drive. With that being said, I don’t think I would make any drastic flips, as one could argue that the market can easily support two CHR stations. Flip 106.1 and they leave that market open to Hubbard (and anyone else who wants to try CHR and potentially do it better). The best thing iheart can do is guard that market, even if 106.1 isn’t really cutting it compared to 92.5.