Sinclair selling KOMO, KVI & KPLZ

[Kelly A]

I find your opinions and attitudes towards myself and others very telling as well. Accusing me of spreading misinformation is extremely insulting, and something tells ms that you would disregard anything I offer as citations because of personal narratives and prejudices. Even if I were to be totally pedantic and cited every word in my posts.

But that's the thing, you've offered no citations involving insider information or facts. All you've done is make accusations toward two companies who did business together, coupling it with your dislike for new changes to the radio programming or call letters with one of the stations involved. Don't like the changes on air? That's cool. But to claim that whatever programming changes you so vehemently disagree with are a harbinger for the business aspects of the sale? Even you would have to admit, is a reach.
Have a bone to pick with Sinclair's politics? You and a lot of other people do. That doesn't mean they're irresponsible or illegitimate business operators. Same goes with Lotus.

I get the emotional aspects of change occurring to a historical station in the market, but this is all still business. A year or less from now, the outrage of a call letter change will be long forgotten, and we'll be on to other outrages.

 

[Rusty Muck]

Wow. You can make better logos than that with Cooltext. Looks painfully rushed. Hopefully it's just a placeholder in the design. The whole WordPress thing isn't giving me good vibes either.

KOMO/KNWN has a freaking spectacular signal. Picked it up nice and clear on the Kiwi SDRs in Norway and Hawaii.

To be fair, I’ve seen much worse designs that aren’t placeholders. It simply looks like it was autogenerated by the WordPress theme.

 

[eastmorenci]

Dear Diary,
Went to the radiodiscussions website to see what it was like.
Decided to participate in one thread.
Commented, giving an opion on this opinion-discussion board.
Was met with vitriol from a bunch of narcissists and trolls.
Don't need that drama in my life. Such pompous attitudes from arm-chair jockeys.
Will never go back. Not worth my time.

 

[bobdavcav]

Or KVI would be on 570/97.7 with continued conservative talk. OR the conservative talk moves to 1000 and all-news to 570 and 97.7. OR they pair up 101.5 with 1000 LOL. Time will tell, lots of ways to re-brand here. At least there is some action in this market for a change!

There's no way 101.5 is going news now. I have a friend who is running a syndicated radio show. She wants this thing to sound commercial even on non-com radio, but can't find imaging at rates an individual on her income can afford. Lotus is likely paying around $400 per month for the voice they just got in. Why would they cancel a contract they just signed?

 

[davideduardo]

But that's the thing, you've offered no citations involving insider information or facts. All you've done is make accusations toward two companies who did business together, coupling it with your dislike for new changes to the radio programming or call letters with one of the stations involved. Don't like the changes on air? That's cool. But to claim that whatever programming changes you so vehemently disagree with are a harbinger for the business aspects of the sale? Even you would have to admit, is a reach.
Have a bone to pick with Sinclair's politics? You and a lot of other people do. That doesn't mean they're irresponsible or illegitimate business operators. Same goes with Lotus.

I get the emotional aspects of change occurring to a historical station in the market, but this is all still business. A year or less from now, the outrage of a call letter change will be long forgotten, and we'll be on to other outrages.

To those who have objected to Kelly's and other "radio pro's" posts:

This site is rather unique in that radio listeners can share with radio professionals. We have everyone from station owners, managers, engineers and programming folks to DXers and listeners of specific music genres. Each will post from their own perspective.

The largest difference in opinions seems to come from the reality-conscious people working in the industry and the listeners who would like their own tastes served by radio. The two don't always meet due to economics.

Those of us in the business can get tired of explaining things such as how long, untested playlists result in low ratings and poor revenue or how songs that appeal to folks in their 70's just don't get played due to advertiser needs. That does not mean we are being mean or dismissive; we are just painting reality.

If you are as a listener don't get the answer you want, it's not dismissive or an attempt to offend. It's just reality.

 

[seatownmedia]

Yes, radio changes as listeners grow older. Though some of us are caught up in nostalgia, others are looking to the future. This is just common sense. How is radio different from the 20’s to the 40’s to the 60’s to the 80’s to today? Well the question is not meant to be answered. Those who can recognize these changes will succeed in the 2020’s.

 

[seatownmedia]

I am guilty of looking at nostalgia but realize it matters zero today.

 

[boombox4]

Radio aficionados are going to have opinions on radio. It's just the way it is.

 

[seatownmedia]

Yeah but we all believe it was much better in top 40 years ago, by far. The 70’s was the best decade for top 40 bar none. The stations of that era were high energy and exciting to listen to. Probably never to be heard again.

 

[fordranger797]

Yeah but we all believe it was much better in top 40 years ago, by far. The 70’s was the best decade for top 40 bar none. The stations of that era were high energy and exciting to listen to. Probably never to be heard again.

Wasn’t alive in the 70’s, so I cannot comment on the delivery at that time, but I do find it sad when modern radio stations (that try to be unique) can’t survive.

 

[Roxanne]

Dear Diary,
Went to the radiodiscussions website to see what it was like.
Decided to participate in one thread.
Commented, giving an opion on this opinion-discussion board.
Was met with vitriol from a bunch of narcissists and trolls.
Don't need that drama in my life. Such pompous attitudes from arm-chair jockeys.
Will never go back. Not worth my time.

Welcome to radiodiscussions.com. From personal experience, being on this board is a lot like working in small market radio. So for a little versimilitude, hang around. It feels like the real thing and the pay is about the same too.

 

[boombox4]

Yeah but we all believe it was much better in top 40 years ago, by far. The 70’s was the best decade for top 40 bar none. The stations of that era were high energy and exciting to listen to. Probably never to be heard again.

I remember the 'glory years' of the late 70's and 80's and 90's when radio was still hot. But I don't really pine away for those days, although sometimes I miss the fun. The past is a different country.

And either way, no amount of hyper or "live and local" DJ patter is going to make up for mediocre music if a format is taking a serious creativity dive. So, in a sense, the idea of programming your own playlist on whatever streaming service probably factors in to the picture, like BigA and KellyA have referred to. But if your favorite flavor of music is hot this year, with exciting new songs and exciting, creative artists, you'll tune into the radio. Because it's free.

 

[Kelly A]

And either way, no amount of hyper or "live and local" DJ patter is going to make up for mediocre music if a format is taking a serious creativity dive.

And what most listener's or fans of the station's don't realize, is there may be factors completely out of control of the programmers or station management. Recently there's been several threads about Alternative formats losing their edge. Same goes with Pop/CHR. But what's generally been the assumed culprit, is the local program director or corporate 'suits' ruining radio who somehow don't know what they're doing.
In the many years professionally in this business, I've never seen anyone that was working on changes to a radio station or group just because they're own personal tastes would prefer to try something different. Consumer habits and patterns have changed significantly since we all grew up listening to radio as our primary form of aural information and entertainment. Now radio competes for ears with smartphones and their apps, smartspeakers, and in-vehicle streaming. Combine that with new music artists moving away from the traditional record label model to forms of social media and touring. Some of that same music using language that would create a serious legal problem with the Commission if played on the radio. Radio has had serious unique challenges.
As mentioned, in order to survive like any business or organization, radio has been required to evolve from the days when it was the only game in town. Some of that requires adjustments behind the scenes, where others are done out in the open. Just like life, you either adjust to circumstances, or you won't be around very long. It's okay to reminisce about the days when we heard radio stations being played out car stereo's, boomboxes, or we went to sleep at night listening to our favorite stations or DJ's. Yes, it all happened, but new generations have so many more choices now. We can't freeze the past and make it the present.

So, in a sense, the idea of programming your own playlist on whatever streaming service probably factors in to the picture, like BigA and KellyA have referred to. But if your favorite flavor of music is hot this year, with exciting new songs and exciting, creative artists, you'll tune into the radio. Because it's free.

Yep, free and convenience is still a major factor of why 90% of consumers still find themselves listening to radio at least daily.

 

[Rusty Muck]

Wasn’t alive in the 70’s, so I cannot comment on the delivery at that time, but I do find it sad when modern radio stations (that try to be unique) can’t survive.

The realization three decades after the fact that many of the Docket 80–90 stations simply couldn’t make money and had no choice but to be sold to larger groups is incredibly sobering. In retrospect Docket 80–90 was much, much more damaging than the TCom 1996 Act ever could have been.

The name of the game is always to make money.

 

[Kelly A]

The realization three decades after the fact that many of the Docket 80–90 stations simply couldn’t make money and had no choice but to be sold to larger groups is incredibly sobering. In retrospect Docket 80–90 was much, much more damaging than the TCom 1996 Act ever could have been.

The name of the game is always to make money.

I agree that both changes and relaxation of rules would be a factor. What changing rules can't be accounted for, are changes in the way consumers-consume, and the technologies supporting/providing that consumption.

 

[bobdavcav]

What I don't understand is why radio companies don't try to find more unique names for their stations in this age of online radio. Just looking at Seattle and Portland for instance, there are two stations called 99.5 The Wolf, one in Portland and one in Dallas. There are also two Z100s, Portland and New York. This was prior to smart speakers so it may not be relevant, but there were 3 K103FMs at one point. These were Portland, Centralia/Chehalis, and Spokane. Looking at Seattle, there was another station with a Classic Hits format in Arkansas that until recently was using the name Star 101.5. When 106.1 in Seattle was still known as Kiss, it shared a branding with two other stations, one in Dallas and one in Evansville. I almost forgot about 102.9 Now, which was patterned and imaged after Dallas. And that's just the Seattle and Portland markets. Zoom out to the entire country and there are many more.

 

[bigmouth]

Look, east is not the only ononehaving a problem listening to 1015. Friend of mine said song inventory has gone from 200 to almost 500. Have any of spent any time listening? From grinding Rock songs, soft rock, hip hop, to what I'll call classic rock. Morning show talks every song, afternoon's Julian is a great night chr or rhythmic jock. Huge Huge drop off from Kent Phillips. I deal with it, and so will the meter.

 

[bigmouth]

check out Comment at Star 1015facebook

 

[KilowattKat]

Look, east is not the only ononehaving a problem listening to 1015. Friend of mine said song inventory has gone from 200 to almost 500. Have any of spent any time listening? From grinding Rock songs, soft rock, hip hop, to what I'll call classic rock. Morning show talks every song, afternoon's Julian is a great night chr or rhythmic jock. Huge Huge drop off from Kent Phillips. I deal with it, and so will the meter.

Sounds like Lotus is changing Star 101.5 to a new format they started in Reno NV. KWEE We 100.1 FM. It's a new variation of Variety Hits. I took a listen today, and I like it. The Reno book only comes out twice a year, so it will be awhile to see how it does

 

[Kelly A]

What I don't understand is why radio companies don't try to find more unique names for their stations in this age of online radio. Just looking at Seattle and Portland for instance, there are two stations called 99.5 The Wolf, one in Portland and one in Dallas. There are also two Z100s, Portland and New York. This was prior to smart speakers so it may not be relevant, but there were 3 K103FMs at one point. These were Portland, Centralia/Chehalis, and Spokane. Looking at Seattle, there was another station with a Classic Hits format in Arkansas that until recently was using the name Star 101.5. When 106.1 in Seattle was still known as Kiss, it shared a branding with two other stations, one in Dallas and one in Evansville. I almost forgot about 102.9 Now, which was patterned and imaged after Dallas. And that's just the Seattle and Portland markets. Zoom out to the entire country and there are many more.

Seriously? Coming up with new branding names will help bolster radio's battle against competition?