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ONLY A MATTER OF TIME, KFI?

The one sure event that would trigger a KFI-FM would be the establishment of a KABC-FM. I just don't think the Cumulus folks are dumb enough to make that move right now, but as always, I could be overestimating.

However...I don't know when Mark and Brian's contract is up, but if Cumulus has that move in mind long-term, then that is the most logical time to make it. They could either get Mark and Brian to alter their show to be more "talk-friendly" (less emphasis on classic rock references, more current eventish) or ditch them altogether at that time. In the meantime, they can build the station into a more FM friendly mode.
 
M&B are pretty much all talk anyway. The one snag would be what to do with The Christmas Show (have Hannity do The Night Before Xmas, maybe?)
 
If you were KFI, would you rather have someone in an office building or highrise that could not get AM 640 listen online or listen on a FM station?
 
This is about the fifth thread speculating that a KFI simulcast is imminent...but why fix what ain't broken? The station is still highly rated ("#1" according to a different thread). Why kill a separate revenue stream (92.3 or whatever), until one of those FM frequencies becomes too low rated or unprofitable on its own...or KFI's ratings start to drop because its AM only?

Eventually, sure - it's probably inevitable, but just because its being done in other markets now doesn't necessarily make it the right move for Clear Channel right now.

And the formerly favorite comparison to the KCBS simulcast in the Bay Area doesn't hold water. CBS had recently purchased 106.9 from Family Radio, and had tried 2 failed formats - "Free-FM" talk and a poorly executed return of KFRC Classic Hits. At that point, the simulcast was a no-brainer.
 
ChannelFlipper said:
The one sure event that would trigger a KFI-FM would be the establishment of a KABC-FM. I just don't think the Cumulus folks are dumb enough to make that move right now, but as always, I could be overestimating.

However...I don't know when Mark and Brian's contract is up, but if Cumulus has that move in mind long-term, then that is the most logical time to make it. They could either get Mark and Brian to alter their show to be more "talk-friendly" (less emphasis on classic rock references, more current eventish) or ditch them altogether at that time. In the meantime, they can build the station into a more FM friendly mode.
Click to expand...

I would be very surprised if Cumulus establishes KABC-FM because, as has been mentioned before, KLOS still brings in quite a bit of money.
 
The bigger question is what would CC do with AM-640? After jumping through legal hoops and nimby protests they finally got a new tower to replace the one felled by a errant private plane pilot. On top of that they have installed a new transmitter and IBOC. So if they were going to abandon the station would not the time have been before all of that investment?

If they had an FM channel that they wanted to blow up and the format were under performing on AM as apparently is happening in the markets where news-talk is going to FM then KFI on FM would make sense but as another the poster above has indicated, why fix what ain't broken. As it is since they have invested considerable $$$ in the 640Am frequency and it is getting rating numbers thus generating revenue so leave well enough alone I'd say.
 
nmoore6676 said:
So if they were going to abandon the station would not the time have been before all of that investment?
Click to expand...

Which implies there is logic behind their decisions. ::)
 
nmoore6676 said:
The bigger question is what would CC do with AM-640? After jumping through legal hoops and nimby protests they finally got a new tower to replace the one felled by a errant private plane pilot. On top of that they have installed a new transmitter and IBOC. So if they were going to abandon the station would not the time have been before all of that investment?
Click to expand...

The transmitter and HD are a couple of hundred thou. The legal issues are, next to the station billing, not that significant.

In any case, one would presume that an FM addition would be done if and when this could be seen as enhancing sales demos, much as another clear channel station, KSL, has done. In that case, the FM simulcast continues after quite a few years, but the 25-54 listening is much improved. I would guess that such a simulcast would go on in LA for quite some time, as the added coverage of the Antilope Valley (in the LA Metro) would be one of the benefits.

If they had an FM channel that they wanted to blow up and the format were under performing on AM as apparently is happening in the markets where news-talk is going to FM then KFI on FM would make sense but as another the poster above has indicated, why fix what ain't broken.
Click to expand...

The issues for stations like WSB, WWL, KSL and many others that have added FM simulcasts generally have to do with demos, despite impressive 12+ numbers. KFI is one of a smaller number of successful AM news / talk stations with really good 25-54 performance, so that part is not yet an issue.

Handel probably makes more a month than a new transmitter cost... (teeny exaggeration if any...). So the investment in the AM transmitter and site is likely not a consideration at all.
 
Handel always claims people at KFI do not get paid much...that is why he has a side business...of course everything is relative when you drive a 8 mpg 6 series BMW, or is it 8
 
I guess I don't understand this concept. Young adults know how to work computers, ipads, smart phones, kindles, etc. But somehow they can't seem to figure out that their radios have a switch called "AM-FM." If you flip that switch, you double your listening choices. Wow, what a concept!

I believe KFI will stay on AM for the near future. As stated above, you can't do better than #1 in the ratings. And as David tells us, KFI is fairly strong in the 25-54 demo. None of Clear Channel's FM stations in LA is underperforming. Same for KNX staying on 1070. None of CBS's FM stations is underperforming. In San Diego, KUSS, the Clear Channel Country station, has never done great. San Diego probably doesn't need two Country stations.

Let's remember that regional advertisers can take advantage of KFI and KNX's big signals. KFI is often the only LA station that makes the top 10 ratings in the Riverside book. KFI beats KFMB as the #2 Talk station in San Diego. It also does well in Ventura and Santa Barbara. KNX doesn't do as well as KFI but it still shows in nearby markets. If you're a retailer with stores around Southern California, you cover all those bases as well as L.A.

So even though every week or two brings the story of another big AM station adding an FM simulcast, it probably won't happen in LA for a few more years. Someday Clear Channel and CBS will face the hard question of which FM stations to destroy for KFI and KNX. Same in NYC where CBS's three best earning stations, WCBS, WINS and WFAN, are all on AM. But those questions can be avoided for a few more years.


Gregg
[email protected]
 
MC said:
Handel always claims people at KFI do not get paid much...that is why he has a side business...of course everything is relative when you drive a 8 mpg 6 series BMW, or is it 8
Click to expand...

When Paul T. Wall was still Handel's board op, he mentioned that he was not sure why his social security taxes dropped during the year. That told me that he was making more than $102,000 at that time.

I am not an insider, but I'm assuming that Handel's crew is making 6 figures.

JMHO
 
Gregg said:
I guess I don't understand this concept. Young adults know how to work computers, ipads, smart phones, kindles, etc. But somehow they can't seem to figure out that their radios have a switch called "AM-FM." If you flip that switch, you double your listening choices.
Click to expand...

Those people under 55 or 60 did not grow up on AM. They may be familiar with AM as the only way to get some sporting events and such, but since the noise levels in and around LA are so high, they associate AM with static, bad quality and their parents or grandparents. It's the Oldsmobile of radio.

Let's remember that regional advertisers can take advantage of KFI and KNX's big signals. KFI is often the only LA station that makes the top 10 ratings in the Riverside book.
Click to expand...

KLOS, KBIG, KIIS, KLVE and KCBS are also visitors to the top 10 in the IE when we look at 25-54... which is about all that matters (unless you look at 18-49, where the FMs tend to do even better). In any case, the coverage outside the LA metro is a nice little bonus stations can give to advertisers, but as a general rule you won't get a dollar extra per spot when selling the LA market as LA is bought based on LA cost per point. And IE sales are at rates an LA station would just never give...

In SD, neither KNX nor KFI rank high enough to be considered for buys, and if they were, it would be at the rates of the #17 radio market, not the #1 radio sales market.
 
MC said:
Handel always claims people at KFI do not get paid much...that is why he has a side business...of course everything is relative when you drive a 8 mpg 6 series BMW, or is it 8
Click to expand...

Yeah, I doubt Handel, with the #1 show on LA morning radio, is making any more than a million and a half or so...

The 6 series BMW averages about 18 mpg city and highway. Still in the less efficient range, but then again he could have bought a Land Rover Sport...
 
Why, oh why, does this topic keep coming up?

Even if KFI simulcasts on FM, and Clear Channel blows up their poorest performing FM station, the FM KFI simulcast would still have to bill millions more than what KFI already bills- which is obviously substantial. However, the amount of ad dollars in this market is a limited good- and its split even further amongst demos. So any money sacrificed on giving up a station like KHHT, KBIG or KYSR, that share little to no overlap in demos with KFI, would have to be made up by ad dollars that simply aren't there.

As things stand today, Clear Channel would have to be legally insane to move KFI to FM. It makes zero business sense. There is nothing to gain- they lose their wall of women (and potentially tens of millions in ad revenue) to extend the reach and ratings of a station that already performs lights out on AM. What is so difficult to grasp about this?
 
In Washington DC, All News WTOP AM was #1. When they went to FM, not only were they still #1, but now by a 2-to-1 ratio over the #2 station. They killed a popular Classical Music station to do it and are now billing $51 million a year.
 
stevewillett said:
In Washington DC, All News WTOP AM was #1. When they went to FM, not only were they still #1, but now by a 2-to-1 ratio over the #2 station. They killed a popular Classical Music station to do it and are now billing $51 million a year.
Click to expand...

Yeah, but you just answered the question there. A Classical station (even a popular one) isn't going to be a billing monster. Clear Channel's L.A. FMs are doing way better. And Bonneville (which owned WTOP at the time) is privately held...so they're not sweating impact on stock price because of a possible short-term wobble in billing.
 
MC said:
Handel always claims people at KFI do not get paid much...that is why he has a side business...of course everything is relative when you drive a 8 mpg 6 series BMW, or is it 8
Click to expand...

8mpg? I get 32mpg in my 330ci, and even 21mpg in my X3. :-*
 
To: David Eduardo

A while back on this thread you metioned KSL going to simulcast mode. In that it looks like you referred to KSL
as a Clear Channel station. Wasn't KSL a Bonneville station at the time of the added FM?? Isn't KSL now
a Deseret Media owned :-\station??
 
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