Here's a prediction: If there is no NFL lockout and the season resumes, I predict the following:
- Clear Channel will move the programming of KLSD over to 95.7. And 1360 will be used for either brokered programming a la AM 1000 or AM 1700, or it will be licensed to a foreign language operator.
Here are the reasons why...
Clear Channel has the rights to the Chargers. If there are 2 sports stations in town it is much better to have football than baseball. The Padres are a huge money loser for 1090 because of a horrible contract that John Lynch signed, but even more to the point, baseball moves too slow and it is basically your grandfather's past time. You could win the sports talk battle in town by having talk shows talk about the Chargers throughout the week. Surely Clear Channel would need to bring on some better hosts, but that could easily happen. Besides Rock 105 could still interface with the Chargers with morning show interviews with the players throughout the week just as they have done for years, they just wouldn't carry the live game. The Chargers wouldn't mind because they would have 2 FMs pumping them. Meanwhile the hardcore Chargers fans would tune into 95.7 all week long throughout the day. Maybe some of the top hosts from 1090 would cross the street and work for this new FM sports powerhouse, and let 1090 stagnate in its boring Padres juice. Scott and BR and Hacksaw are the best, and I'll bet they would make the jump to the new FM sports powerhouse as soon as they could.
This move would not cost Clear Channel anything since the sports station is already up and running. I am sure Jim Rome is not happy that his show is getting stinker ratings because its on a station with a horrible signal and he is followed by mediocre talent. Plus Clear Channel could actually make money by brokering out shows for $200 or $300/hour. They could just steal everyone on AM 1000. Or they could just collect a fee from a religious or foreign language broadcaster. That station is worthless as it is.
You could argue that Clear Channel will keep 95.7 because they are relying on voice-tracked shows from out of town talent and it doesn't cost them much at all. That is true, but this is an FM signal and they are wasting it by using it as a spoiler, throwing in spots on 95.7 to advertisers if they buy on other Clear Channel stations. But they spent too much on 95.7 to just use it as a spoiler. 1090 is doing well with exclusive advertisers who buy just 1090. These people could be wooed over to 95.7.
I maintain you could knock 1090 over with a feather and take most of the business if you offered them the Chargers on FM AND some of the 1090 talent.
If there is no NFL in 2011, then it would seem much more sense to keep 95.7 in country. The downside of all this for Clear Channel is that this would allow KSON to become a consistent Top 3 or 4 25-54, and CC clearly would not want that.
Of course the other variable is that the Chargers may be leaving SD after this year. That, of course would change everything.
- Clear Channel will move the programming of KLSD over to 95.7. And 1360 will be used for either brokered programming a la AM 1000 or AM 1700, or it will be licensed to a foreign language operator.
Here are the reasons why...
Clear Channel has the rights to the Chargers. If there are 2 sports stations in town it is much better to have football than baseball. The Padres are a huge money loser for 1090 because of a horrible contract that John Lynch signed, but even more to the point, baseball moves too slow and it is basically your grandfather's past time. You could win the sports talk battle in town by having talk shows talk about the Chargers throughout the week. Surely Clear Channel would need to bring on some better hosts, but that could easily happen. Besides Rock 105 could still interface with the Chargers with morning show interviews with the players throughout the week just as they have done for years, they just wouldn't carry the live game. The Chargers wouldn't mind because they would have 2 FMs pumping them. Meanwhile the hardcore Chargers fans would tune into 95.7 all week long throughout the day. Maybe some of the top hosts from 1090 would cross the street and work for this new FM sports powerhouse, and let 1090 stagnate in its boring Padres juice. Scott and BR and Hacksaw are the best, and I'll bet they would make the jump to the new FM sports powerhouse as soon as they could.
This move would not cost Clear Channel anything since the sports station is already up and running. I am sure Jim Rome is not happy that his show is getting stinker ratings because its on a station with a horrible signal and he is followed by mediocre talent. Plus Clear Channel could actually make money by brokering out shows for $200 or $300/hour. They could just steal everyone on AM 1000. Or they could just collect a fee from a religious or foreign language broadcaster. That station is worthless as it is.
You could argue that Clear Channel will keep 95.7 because they are relying on voice-tracked shows from out of town talent and it doesn't cost them much at all. That is true, but this is an FM signal and they are wasting it by using it as a spoiler, throwing in spots on 95.7 to advertisers if they buy on other Clear Channel stations. But they spent too much on 95.7 to just use it as a spoiler. 1090 is doing well with exclusive advertisers who buy just 1090. These people could be wooed over to 95.7.
I maintain you could knock 1090 over with a feather and take most of the business if you offered them the Chargers on FM AND some of the 1090 talent.
If there is no NFL in 2011, then it would seem much more sense to keep 95.7 in country. The downside of all this for Clear Channel is that this would allow KSON to become a consistent Top 3 or 4 25-54, and CC clearly would not want that.
Of course the other variable is that the Chargers may be leaving SD after this year. That, of course would change everything.