You're right. I thought the FM had different letters. They changed them. Thanks!
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Richard Wagoner latest take on KABC AM
- Thread starter 34james
- Start date
You're right. I thought the FM had different letters. They changed them. Thanks!
And a terrible one at that. In their infinitely unfathomable wisdom, Cume-u-less turned off the analog transmitter in favor of going 24x7 AM-HD. So basically the only people who even hear them, beyond the hash, (a) have an HD-compatible AM radio, and (b) the patience to wait in silence while their radio locks onto the signal and buffers, and then (c) can deal with all the dropouts if they're not right down the street with the wind blowing in the right direction. I doubt their night signal makes it over to the Hudson River, much less the Sound.
790's signal is actually a little bit better than you might think. Indeed for a short while when KABC first moved away from the original Culver City area site to diplex with 1330 KWKW which is a couple of miles to the east their signal in my area was pathetic. They were however granted modest day and night power increases from their original 5 kW non=directional day to 7 kw D and 8 kW DA-N. Their signal here in the west SFV where I am is measurably better than it was from their original site. I was very surprised.
I guess my point was given the choice between 1580 and 790, with 1580's near non existent signal in much of the SFV, SGV, and quite a bit of the OC, I would have to go with 790. Sure 1580's signal in the core of LA and along the south coast is terrific, but their desired audience is now all over the greater LA area, and 790's coverage of the areas I mentioned is much, much better.
Unfortunately, the deal is already done. Tavis Smiley is on the hook for $7 million for 1580, and AFAIK hasn't fully paid for it yet.
I suspect the time for buyer's remorse is passed.
I've always heard nothing but issues with KABC's signal. Last time I was in LA, I got KABC everywhere I drove without much of an issue.
Has anyone listened to their local midday show? The production is fantastic and intensely local. I've always thought it was proof that talk radio can be alive and well beyond 2023.
Has anyone listened to their local midday show? The production is fantastic and intensely local. I've always thought it was proof that talk radio can be alive and well beyond 2023.
Remember, LA is Lancaster to San Clemente. KABC does not even cover 1/3 of that with a usable signal.
Again, the issue is that the signal mostly covers well areas not populated by older non-Hispanic white males.
KABC, BTW has never put a good signal in the Antelope Valley. A private research firm was employed by a couple of the stations in "Antelope Valley area" to get an idea of what folks were listening to and Ken and Bob didn't even show up. For talk radio people were listening to KFI, and interestingly for nighttime talk KGO was in the top ten.
To even consider going "all local talk" you'd have to innovate and create unique talk radio with non-traditional hosts. There's no one at KABC, or for that matter Cumulus, with the creative chops and vision to re-engineer the genre and build the new station. And then, it is no small matter targeting the radio station to a significant, reachable audience with the existing signal and AM limitations. And it is "dream-world thinking" to expect an oldies format would be the answer. There's a good reason KRTH doesn't play 50s, 60s, 70s music. These bankrupt owners have killed stations with their syndicated drivel and infomercials. As a KABC alum, its been sad for me to watch it be killed over the years.
Actually that's not true and you can hear what I mean by listening to most of the successful talk stations in the country, including KFI.
Tavis Smiley is trying to some innovative and creative things with KBLA and nobody listens.
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I agree with Andy. KFI managed to beat KABC in the 90's and it was not just the signal difference. KFI took a position that had drive time shows that were local but not conservative yet not particularly liberal, either. They talked a lot about local things and did not totally focus on politics at the national level.
Yes, they had Rush and Dr Laura in middays and the nightly visit to Area 51, but the rest was very much tailored to LA.
KABC, in that era tried to be different, even bringing in Ronn Owens from Kay-G-O and trying to be very California. But they were not as El Lay as much as KFI.
I listened to KFI a lot in the later 80's and even more to KGO (How many times was the max number of "KGO"s in an hour? I once counted 81!) while I was programming KTNQ and they were inspiring... but at the time, I found KGO even better as it oozed bay area juices all over the place.
KABC was the victim of changing political and social attitudes and lack of ownership support.
I'd welcome Andy's perspective, as I was an outsider, new to the market and had a different perspective at the time.
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But I don't find that innovative or unique.
The imaging, the news style, and general production values were pretty fresh. But the biggest innovation was using a lot less phone call-ins and a lot more in-studio action but not in the old "panel" style.
Same for KGO
Andy didn't say that was the key to success, he said (in his first three words, which you quoted) to even consider going all local talk, you'd have to have that. And he's right.
Given that Andy has programmed KNX, KFWB and KABC, I think he knows whereof he speaks.
He also said this, which I think we all agree with:
Any proposals for KABC need to keep that that in mind, and Wagoner's doesn't. He's just telling us what he'd like to hear.
I expect so much more from the flagship of the USC Trojans. Kabc literally has one of the most iconic brands in college athletics, but kabc doesn’t use that to their advantage
Remember, 80% of LA's population is Black, Hispanic, Asian and first generation immigrants from places like Iran and Lebanon and Egypt. Those are not, as groups, people interested in college sports. In particular, they come from place where American football is not an attraction.
Robert Douglas
Banned
If KABC were to sell for $3.5M with at least 12 million people in their primary coverage area, that is only 30 cents per person! Who could possibly lose money on that deal? One could just run automated nostalgia, oldies, or classic country and sell to doctors, dentists, and kitchen remodelers! Lots of local sports opportunities also. Electricity costs could be mostly solar.
That 12 million is roughly the 5 MV/m coverage area. That is just not realistic.
There are about 6 million in the 10 MV/m coverage area, and that is below the ITU's criteria of 15 MV/m for adequate AM coverage. there are about 3.5 million in the 15 MV/m area, and the huge majority are Blacks, Hispanics, Asians and first generation immigrants... none of whom index even minimally well against an old non-Hispanic white guy's talk station.
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