Connoiseur Media has launched Hits 105.9 KZWF. The signal is a new move in that had been playing an automated Country format. They recently upgraded the signal to cover the Des Moines metro area. It will be interesting to see if Clear Channel will make any tweaks musically to Mainstream CHR KKDM Kiss 107.5. If Connoiseur is smart they will take advantage of the biggest achilles heel of Kiss. their reliance on voice tracking.
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Rhythmic CHR Returns to Des Moines
- Thread starter The Outsider
- Start date
This move doesn't surprise me, but chances are that KKDM will respond ASAP since most their sister outlets have begun to lean Rhythmic or as in the case of WKGS, go full-blown Rhythmic. Lets not forget that there is also non-comm Urban KJMC and that could factor in as well.
only1moore said:This move doesn't surprise me, but chances are that KKDM will respond ASAP since most their sister outlets have begun to lean Rhythmic or as in the case of WKGS, go full-blown Rhythmic. Lets not forget that there is also non-comm Urban KJMC and that could factor in as well.
KJMC will never go anywhere near mainstream. They have their own corner of: Urban A/C and Gospel, so don't expect them to move. They had the opportunity to go rhythmic once "The Beat" died when that whole audience was left standing alone and in the dark.
KKDM has got their hands full...period. Not only do they have worry about Hits 105.9, but now Cumulus is coming to town. The days of being the playground bully are pretty much over!
Well, either way, one can expect KZWF to make a impact in the Des Moines Arbitrons. Plus its nice to see them go for a broader Rhythmic approach rather than just the "Where Hip-Hop Lives" mantle and seems to be playing it safe for now.
only1moore said:Well, either way, one can expect KZWF to make a impact in the Des Moines Arbitrons. Plus its nice to see them go for a broader Rhythmic approach rather than just the "Where Hip-Hop Lives" mantle and seems to be playing it safe for now.
106.3 The Beat was a serious player in the market whule it was around. Clear Channel had to kill it because it was hurting sister station Kiss 107.5 too much. With that history, I predict that Hits 105.9 will be a thorn in Clear Channel's side. It looks like they are going to take their time and build it the right way. I will probably be in the Des Moines area this weekend so I will be able to check it out since the website is currently under construction, not streaming yet.
Speedyb said:KKDM has got their hands full...period. Not only do they have worry about Hits 105.9, but now Cumulus is coming to town. The days of being the playground bully are pretty much over!
Funny you should mention Cumulus. If anything, one suspect that they might flip one of the Des Moines Citadel Country outlets to yet another Jan Jeffries-branded Top 40 or a variant of it. i92.5 or i97.3 anyone?
The Outsider said:106.3 The Beat was a serious player in the market whule it was around. Clear Channel had to kill it because it was hurting sister station Kiss 107.5 too much.
Actually, the problem was The Beat wasn't billing well. Not much impact on Kiss.
Actually, the issue with the BEAT was that it was created for a narrow purpose. To flank against Citadel launching a Rhythmic CHR. Thus, CC launched the BEAT. A full-blown Hip-Hop format that sounded as if it came right out of the ghetto. Once KISS was safe from any competition, it was dumped. CC never cared if it billed all that well or not. Honestly, they really never assumed it would to begin with. (I worked for CC in the market at the time 2001-2006)
Hits 105.9 is NOT the BEAT. It's just an edgier CHR with still a very white/vanilla feel. This is more of a head on CHR war than a CHR against a Hip-Hop format.
In fact, the BEAT was a good testing ground to see how the core demo would react. It reacted in favor of the BEAT. Now with that info and Des Moines being 6 years further along and a larger metro than it was even then, this new company see's an opportunity to become the new defacto KISS, should they succeed.
The market has already proven it can handle a Mainstream CHR with an ocassional Rhythmic lean (weekends), so this variation won't be much different. Just no Hinder, Train, Green Day or alternative pop type stuff.
Hits 105-9 could actually run for quite some time given it sounds very internet, high-tech, 18-34 based in it's networking. The liners reflect that already. Des Moines is seeing an influx of young, hipish types flocking to take jobs downtown and on the west side. It's a little more diverse now too. (Just talking demographic science)
Businesses that make up the bulk of advertising on these types of stations are National Agencies that will target young demo's automatically anyway. All they have to do is bill it as CHR, target the same business as KISS and with most likely higher core demo ratings, voilla!!! What I'm saying is it's not unreasonable to think this station could make a decent go of it. Noone is going to sit and analyze the playlist song-by-song. Hip-Hop was an entirely different story as the BEAT reported as a Hip-Hop thus hardly anyone outside of a handful of local clubs would touch it.
Just to give everyone here an idea of the demo's in Des Moines now, nearly 50% of the population falls into the 18-34 demographic (2007 number). 2010 Census is indicating roughly the same when you add the numbers up. There's really no Brain Drain problem in and around Des Moines. Yet, for the bulk of the last decade, we've had 1 CHR that garners big numbers. The others have been largely targeted at the 25-54 audience outside of a rimshot alternative. (Again demo science...nerdiness)
I welcome this. It'll be fun to watch what happens, at least.
Hits 105.9 is NOT the BEAT. It's just an edgier CHR with still a very white/vanilla feel. This is more of a head on CHR war than a CHR against a Hip-Hop format.
In fact, the BEAT was a good testing ground to see how the core demo would react. It reacted in favor of the BEAT. Now with that info and Des Moines being 6 years further along and a larger metro than it was even then, this new company see's an opportunity to become the new defacto KISS, should they succeed.
The market has already proven it can handle a Mainstream CHR with an ocassional Rhythmic lean (weekends), so this variation won't be much different. Just no Hinder, Train, Green Day or alternative pop type stuff.
Hits 105-9 could actually run for quite some time given it sounds very internet, high-tech, 18-34 based in it's networking. The liners reflect that already. Des Moines is seeing an influx of young, hipish types flocking to take jobs downtown and on the west side. It's a little more diverse now too. (Just talking demographic science)
Businesses that make up the bulk of advertising on these types of stations are National Agencies that will target young demo's automatically anyway. All they have to do is bill it as CHR, target the same business as KISS and with most likely higher core demo ratings, voilla!!! What I'm saying is it's not unreasonable to think this station could make a decent go of it. Noone is going to sit and analyze the playlist song-by-song. Hip-Hop was an entirely different story as the BEAT reported as a Hip-Hop thus hardly anyone outside of a handful of local clubs would touch it.
Just to give everyone here an idea of the demo's in Des Moines now, nearly 50% of the population falls into the 18-34 demographic (2007 number). 2010 Census is indicating roughly the same when you add the numbers up. There's really no Brain Drain problem in and around Des Moines. Yet, for the bulk of the last decade, we've had 1 CHR that garners big numbers. The others have been largely targeted at the 25-54 audience outside of a rimshot alternative. (Again demo science...nerdiness)
I welcome this. It'll be fun to watch what happens, at least.
And just as a further aside, Rhythmic CHR has returned.......for the first time since the 80's (Magic 93). The BEAT was not Rhythmic CHR it was full blown Hip-Hop.
radiorobert said:And just as a further aside, Rhythmic CHR has returned.......for the first time since the 80's (Magic 93). The BEAT was not Rhythmic CHR it was full blown Hip-Hop.
You're right. KDRB, when it was 106.3 The Beat, was a BDS R&B/Hip-Hop reporter.
Radiorobert is spot on. I got to check it out today, and the signal is adequate. It gets as far east as somewhere between Newton adn Grinnell. Hits reminds me a lot of what Channel 94.1 in Omaha sounded like before they ran Sweet 98 out of the Mainstream CHR format. They are not using any imaging or positioning that says they are a Hip Hop station, the Home for Hop Hop and R & B, none of that. That one difference may be what may allow them to have a higher billing than The Beat did. They are already taking shots at Kiss on the air. From what I understand, it may not come in that well in Ames due to interference from a religiuos translator. With a bunch of college kids there, there is a huge potential audience of Iowa State and DMACC students in Story County.
I remember The Beat sounded just like a large market Urban. This little battle sould be interesting as Kiss sonds pretty good themselves. I just hope HITS 105.9 will have a live, local airstaff that will get out in the streets, the clubs and anywhere else to promote the station. Utilizing social media in the meantime is a no brainer as they are promoting their Facebook page on the air. I am listening right now through a Facebook app.
I remember The Beat sounded just like a large market Urban. This little battle sould be interesting as Kiss sonds pretty good themselves. I just hope HITS 105.9 will have a live, local airstaff that will get out in the streets, the clubs and anywhere else to promote the station. Utilizing social media in the meantime is a no brainer as they are promoting their Facebook page on the air. I am listening right now through a Facebook app.
BTW here's their playlist...
http://www.facebook.com/Hits1059?sk=app_144171858981308
PS: Let's hope they DON'T become a candidate for the CHR/Pop panel.
http://www.facebook.com/Hits1059?sk=app_144171858981308
PS: Let's hope they DON'T become a candidate for the CHR/Pop panel.
It looks like Hits 105.9 will be going away in a few months. Connoisseur is selling it to Iowa Public Radio, who will put a full time Classical format there. The Des Moines area already has WOI-FM playing classical music, but this might lead IPR to have that station simulcast it's AM sister WOI-AM and air news/information programming. Right now WOI-FM carries some of the news shows, and Classical the rest of the time.
Looking back, it shouldn't be a surprise that Connoisseur would do this for the following reasons:
1. The station has been commercail free since it launched in March. They initally promoted 105.9 commercial free days, now say commercial free all summer.
2. The program director that launched it, left after a little more than 3 months on the job, to become a glorified board op. Actually, he is now the local producer for Kidd Kraddick on KHMX, Houston. Thus jockless automation since day one. I wonder who is programming the station now, because it still sounds good. And who is updating the Facebook page?
Hits 105.9 has already built a strong following and there are rumors that someone else may be looking to pick up the Rhythmic format.
Looking back, it shouldn't be a surprise that Connoisseur would do this for the following reasons:
1. The station has been commercail free since it launched in March. They initally promoted 105.9 commercial free days, now say commercial free all summer.
2. The program director that launched it, left after a little more than 3 months on the job, to become a glorified board op. Actually, he is now the local producer for Kidd Kraddick on KHMX, Houston. Thus jockless automation since day one. I wonder who is programming the station now, because it still sounds good. And who is updating the Facebook page?
Hits 105.9 has already built a strong following and there are rumors that someone else may be looking to pick up the Rhythmic format.
At 9AM, Saga Communications launched Hits 99.9 on a translator. It will be heard outside of the Des Moines Metro area on the HD-2 channel for KOIA 93.3. Streaming is expected soon and it looks like Saga and Connoisseur are working together to educate the listeners about the move of the "Hits" branded format.
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