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R&B Station

TheM1ghtyBear

TheM1ghtyBear

Would an Urban AC work in Seattle? Other than KYIZ-AM, I don’t really see an R&B station in the market.

In my opinion, I think it could work and definitely chip away some of 103.7’s (KHTP) listeners if it’s done right because if you compare it in the Tampa Bay market, ratings started to rise a bit for 101.5 (WTBV) when it flipped from Top 40 to R&B.

I know Tampa has a larger black population than Seattle but could it work is the question?
 
Doesn't KHTP fill some of that role? According to Wikipedia, it started as Rhythmic AC in 2013.

Over time, it has moved to Classic Hip Hop.
 
DMK said:
When it comes to R & B I would love to see more 60s Motown and 70s soul on Seattle radio but I've been told that ship has sailed.
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SXM has a pretty good Motown channel, along with 70's on 7 that features a lot of that sort of music from the era.
 
If KIYZ didn't exist, I could potentially see a hole. As it stands now though, I can't see anyone doing that kind of format in Seattle. Perhaps 104.9 would have been a decent signal for such a format, but I don't think the current owners of that frequency are going to give it up anytime soon.
 
I don’t see a world in which this would ever happen. Once KUBE signed off the air for good, that was the end of mainstream R&B on the air in Seattle. And KUBE flipped formats because it wasn’t working anymore.

103.7 was able to capture some of the former glory of KUBE, playing some of the music that made KUBE a big deal back in it’s heyday as a R&B radio station. All in all, 103.7 seems to fill this format need as well as it could possibly be filled. I’m not a listener (therefore I’m sure there are differing opinions on what music they *should* play), but from where I’m standing it seems to be your best bet. I don’t think anybody is looking at 103.7 and seeing an opportunity to pull listeners away.
 
bobdavcav said:
If KIYZ didn't exist, I could potentially see a hole. As it stands now though, I can't see anyone doing that kind of format in Seattle. Perhaps 104.9 would have been a decent signal for such a format, but I don't think the current owners of that frequency are going to give it up anytime soon.
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Especially true if someone wanted a business that would remain in business. There would be no advertising interest in an oldies Motown format.
 
Phil Harmonic said:
I think the audience would be there, but the sales side would not...
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And Lord knows one shouldn't be permitted to make money, let alone enough to be considered successful. No, stations are supposed to just play everyone's favorite music exactly when they want with few to no commercials while not expecting financial support from the community.
Isn't that the way radio was back in the good ol' days? ;)
 
Most old R&B enthusiasts probably already use Pandora (they've got a 90's R&B channel, an 80's R&B channel, a "classic R&B' channel, a Motown channel, and probably others that didn't come up directly in a search), Spotify, or get their old R&B fix on the 'Tube.

Fans of older music also have phones and computers. They have YT. They know how to use a streaming service. I'm sure the migration started when their formats left the radio and they discovered the streaming services, including whatever streaming services they get on their smart speakers.

They already left Radio behind.
 
The few times I've tuned into them, I do hear some local and national ads on the station, even at night. And I think they're affiliated with KBMS in Portland, which maybe helps, as I've heard some ads on KBMS as well. The same company seems to own KYIZ, KRIZ, and KBMS Portland, the Bennett Media Group.

I just tuned KYIZ in, and they're running a local spot for a popular plumbing company, followed by another local spot. And a wide variety of R&B from what sounds like 1990's to 2010's, including old school rap. Of course, it's Saturday night, so I'm sure it's an expanded playlist from normal.
 
Isn't Seattle DMA black population approx.. 7.5% while Hispanic population is around 10%?

Also, I would think a CHR-Rhythmic format would stand out versus an Urban AC format for the Seattle/Tacoma DMA.
 
KYIZ's chance at a stereo FM translator came and went - and they never applied for one. Their loss. But Seattle doesn't have the demographics needed for a full-fledged Urban AC either. This isn't Dallas or Atlanta.
 
fordranger797 said:
I don’t see a world in which this would ever happen. Once KUBE signed off the air for good, that was the end of mainstream R&B on the air in Seattle. And KUBE flipped formats because it wasn’t working anymore.

103.7 was able to capture some of the former glory of KUBE, playing some of the music that made KUBE a big deal back in it’s heyday as a R&B radio station. All in all, 103.7 seems to fill this format need as well as it could possibly be filled. I’m not a listener (therefore I’m sure there are differing opinions on what music they *should* play), but from where I’m standing it seems to be your best bet. I don’t think anybody is looking at 103.7 and seeing an opportunity to pull listeners away.
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Wasn't KUBE CHR/Rhythmic and not Urban?
 
boombox4 said:
The few times I've tuned into them, I do hear some local and national ads on the station, even at night. And I think they're affiliated with KBMS in Portland, which maybe helps, as I've heard some ads on KBMS as well. The same company seems to own KYIZ, KRIZ, and KBMS Portland, the Bennett Media Group.
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Correct, and Chris Bennett used to own local magazines, but I believe since moved online.
boombox4 said:
I just tuned KYIZ in, and they're running a local spot for a popular plumbing company, followed by another local spot. And a wide variety of R&B from what sounds like 1990's to 2010's, including old school rap. Of course, it's Saturday night, so I'm sure it's an expanded playlist from normal.
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Looks like they have a mix of Premiere syndicated shows like Steve Harvey Mornings along with some locally-hosted shows. If anything, Chris has done a good job of tying up all the syndicated programs in the market which would prevent someone else from coming in.
 
boombox4 said:
The few times I've tuned into them, I do hear some local and national ads on the station, even at night. And I think they're affiliated with KBMS in Portland, which maybe helps, as I've heard some ads on KBMS as well. The same company seems to own KYIZ, KRIZ, and KBMS Portland, the Bennett Media Group.

I just tuned KYIZ in, and they're running a local spot for a popular plumbing company, followed by another local spot. And a wide variety of R&B from what sounds like 1990's to 2010's, including old school rap. Of course, it's Saturday night, so I'm sure it's an expanded playlist from normal.
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It sounds to me like KIYZ and KBMS are in full simulcast, which to me is a bit weird. The one time I listened through a break, it sounded like most of their spots were Seattle centered with a couple Portland spots.
 


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