So which will go...KTBZ or KHMX?

[fredthehead]

it is very good quality audio Shane, come round 2pm and I have heard finger 11 for the 11th time it sounds wonderful!

 

[stan]

KHMX doesn't fit with the nearly all-male demographic that CC is apparently seeking in Houston. My prediction is they keep the Buzzard.

 

[aunti-terrestrial]

Yeah, I'm guessing they'll keep the Buzz.

I'm also guessing Easy Money either doesn't know, or is afraid to stay on topic and answer the question directly.

Come on, Easy, can't venture a little speculation from inside the hallowed halls? Which will it be, Buzz or Mix?

 

[easy money]

I would guess that Mix will be sold, but hell what do I know?

 

[snoman]

Sorry, I have been out of the loop lately and haven't read much on this, but is KKRW not being considered along with KTBZ, KLOL, and KHMX for being sold? I was just curious. I know in Cincinnati, CC has said none of their stations are safe, they are even thinking about selling legendary News/Talker WLW, for the right price. I know CC here probably would not even consider both KODA or KTRH, but I was just wondering why KKRW hasn't been brought up in any of the sales possibilities. ???

 

[CW]

Sorry, I have been out of the loop lately and haven't read much on this, but is KKRW not being considered along with KTBZ, KLOL, and KHMX for being sold? I was just curious. I know in Cincinnati, CC has said none of their stations are safe, they are even thinking about selling legendary News/Talker WLW, for the right price. I know CC here probably would not even consider both KODA or KTRH, but I was just wondering why KKRW hasn't been brought up in any of the sales possibilities. ???

To sell WLW (which is a good biller and a top station) would seem totally dellusional....of course, what else is new for CC????? I too question why they would keep KKRW, a directional and lesser signal that the other FMs (and surely cannot be that high in billing compared to others...) Formats can be moved around...they could sell the signal but keep the format (swap to MIX..just like they did with 94.5 and 107.5 when the AMFM/CC merger happened and 107.5 went to Cox)...

 

[bobbybooey]

For the umpteenth time... CC HAS NO SAY IN WHICH STATIONS ARE SOLD!!!!!!!! It's about competitive balance in the eyes of the DOJ. It's gonna be Mix because they're the closest competitor to KRBE, which Bain already has an interest in via Cumulus.

 

[Kent]

To sell WLW (which is a good biller and a top station) would seem totally dellusional....of course, what else is new for CC????? I too question why they would keep KKRW, a directional and lesser signal that the other FMs (and surely cannot be that high in billing compared to others...) Formats can be moved around...they could sell the signal but keep the format (swap to MIX..just like they did with 94.5 and 107.5 when the AMFM/CC merger happened and 107.5 went to Cox)...

No, they can't, at least not in this situation. A DOJ mandate includes everything; an FCC mandate only includes the license. The signal swaps of KLDE and KTBZ were an FCC mandate. Clear Channel was over the limit of FM's they could own in Houston, and the DOJ did not require any additional divestitures. So, they kept the best signals. The DOJ requires divestitures based on market revenue concerns, and that includes licenses, signals and intellectual property. When the DOJ says you have to divest KLOL and either KHMX or KTBZ, you must divest KLOL and one of the two other stations. Substituting KKRW or swapping signals is not an option without going back to the DOJ and getting approval. They might be able to get away with swapping the signals of KHMX and KTBZ, but that wouldn't really benefit anyone. Otherwise, they're not likely to get approval if they go back to the DOJ, and they've indicated they just want to get this deal done and don't intend to rock the boat.

In Cincinnati, by the way, Clear Channel must either divest WLW and WKFS as a package or WOFX and WNNF as a package. The only choice they get is which package.

 

[Twilight Lounge]

Thanks for the insight. Why did the Buzz and Oldies switch dials years back? Was that a part of the AM/FM divestiture mandate? So in this case, can formats be retained on their other stations?

Whoever gets divested at Clear Channel gets my sympathy. Easy Money, you see....we're not really that mean or jaded but those 20 people or so who work at either of those stations are now pretty much fired. The station will be sold to another company (with new benefits and retirement plan that now has to be started all over), new bosses who will hate you because you're a part of the "old station", income plans will be re-visited and changed, the revenue will go down (who can work in this kind of environment?) so everyone's heads are on the block and then within no time... someone who has worked at either KHMX or KTBZ is jobless. See.... everyone loses and now I think it's time for you to re-think your handle. There really is no such thing as Easy Money. You are going to watch this happen to someone you care about who just had a child or thought they were two years away from retiremtent. You will be effected in some way. Then, you'll see why we're a little like how we are.

 

[Mediafrog+]

Thanks for the insight. Why did the Buzz and Oldies switch dials years back?

Clear Channel kept the best signals during the spinoff process, but also wanted to keep The Buzz's format, then on 107.5 So they sold the license/stick for 107.5 but kept the intellectual property. Just the opposite with (then) KLDE...the intellectual property was sold, but the license/stick was kept. End result: a frequency swap for both formats.

 

[easy money]

Twilight, you should be a motivational speaker. People would line up for this type of motivation. Your screen name should be Chicken Little

 

[Kent]

Thanks for the insight. Why did the Buzz and Oldies switch dials years back? Was that a part of the AM/FM divestiture mandate? So in this case, can formats be retained on their other stations?

Mediafrog pretty well explained the Buzz and Oldies switch of 2000. Basically, Clear Channel had more than 5 FM's in Houston after acquiring AMFM. So, they had to divest some stations per FCC rules. As for your question about whether formats can be retained on their other stations, I'm not quite sure what you mean. If you mean can Clear Channel divest the licenses only for 101.1 and either 96.5 or 94.5 while moving the formats to another station, the answer is not unless the DOJ approves it, which doesn't seem likely. However, it may be possible for them to launch similar formats on existing stations in the future.

Whoever gets divested at Clear Channel gets my sympathy. Easy Money, you see....we're not really that mean or jaded but those 20 people or so who work at either of those stations are now pretty much fired. The station will be sold to another company (with new benefits and retirement plan that now has to be started all over), new bosses who will hate you because you're a part of the "old station", income plans will be re-visited and changed, the revenue will go down (who can work in this kind of environment?) so everyone's heads are on the block and then within no time... someone who has worked at either KHMX or KTBZ is jobless. See.... everyone loses and now I think it's time for you to re-think your handle. There really is no such thing as Easy Money. You are going to watch this happen to someone you care about who just had a child or thought they were two years away from retiremtent. You will be effected in some way. Then, you'll see why we're a little like how we are.

Some companies are fair after they acquire new properties. Although there are some companies worse than Clear Channel (even if it surprises many on these boards, it's true), there are also some that are better. So, I'm not sure I'd say the people at the stations up for sale are as good as gone. However, I don't think anyone in radio should ever quit airchecking or updating their resumes, and that definitely includes the people at the stations about to go on the block.

 

[InTIMadate]

What would make the most sense? It depends. Keeping Mix would give CCR the dominate 35 + female station (KODA) and the potential to dominate females 18+. Contrary to the rockers on this board, women still control 80% of all consumer purchases. It's true that PPM appears to favor rock formats, but that doesn't help much if you hope to sell more than strip bars, tattos, beers and pickup trucks.

It would be quite ironic if Boneville was able to pick up 94.5 FM considering that it was the same signal that they sold to AMFM as KLDE before the formats were switched, leaving Cox with Oldies on 107.5 FM.

I'm guessing that they keep the best signal (94.5) and switch it to hispanic once the deal is done.

 

[easy money]

I have a big picture of Buzz changing to Spanish. The station has been in the top 3 in every PPM report and continues to be a top 5 biller in Houston
What on earth are you thinking?

 

[Fo-Fo-Fo-Hye]

Intimidate... have you ever seen a Budweiser annual contract? Big bucks. It's a little outdated to think that rock stations can only sell the things you listed.

 

[kendro]

What folks are missing here is the Bain assumption was based upon a specific set of properties. A substantial value portion of those properties have now become unavailable due to a ruling of law.
Does anyone know if that offer has been recended based on the new terms available?

 

[whatever39]

Ok, hold on tight biddies. How about this scenerio...Cumulus is supposed to be acquisitional so: they buy KLOL and reinstate the old regime like they tried to do with a rimshot on 95.7/103.7 and bring back the real rock station, then they buy KHMX and take it out (KRBE competition), and move the Jack format to that stick (two birds, one stone) ESPN FM gets moved to the stronger 103.7 signal and that leaves KFNC to be an experimental venue for what Houston wants next but can't always hear clearly. This is the way I would do it if I were invited to these meetings, which I am not

 

[Fo-Fo-Fo-Hye]

Whatever... I think I need a flow chart to figure out what you said... hahahahah. But, in this business, anything is possible. As for Bain buying a certain set of properties, they (I am sure) assumed or at least were aware of markets where this would happen, or the fact that it could happen. I wouldn't think you'd have that kind of $$ backing and not have someone point it out... but, like I said in the first line... anything is possible in this business.

 

[Kent]

Ok, hold on tight biddies. How about this scenerio...Cumulus is supposed to be acquisitional so: they buy KLOL and reinstate the old regime like they tried to do with a rimshot on 95.7/103.7 and bring back the real rock station, then they buy KHMX and take it out (KRBE competition), and move the Jack format to that stick (two birds, one stone) ESPN FM gets moved to the stronger 103.7 signal and that leaves KFNC to be an experimental venue for what Houston wants next but can't always hear clearly. This is the way I would do it if I were invited to these meetings, which I am not

Not likely. The DOJ is requiring these spinoffs because of Bain and THLP being involved in both Univision and Cumulus. I can't imagine the DOJ allowing a spinoff to go from what is essentially the right pocket to the left. They clearly didn't allow it when Clear Channel tried to divest some of the spinoffs in Austin and Denver from the AMFM merger to HBC in 2000, and I doubt they'll allow something similar this time.

 

[adguy]

What would make the most sense? It depends. Keeping Mix would give CCR the dominate 35 + female station (KODA) and the potential to dominate females 18+. Contrary to the rockers on this board, women still control 80% of all consumer purchases. It's true that PPM appears to favor rock formats, but that doesn't help much if you hope to sell more than strip bars, tattos, beers and pickup trucks.

It would be quite ironic if Boneville was able to pick up 94.5 FM considering that it was the same signal that they sold to AMFM as KLDE before the formats were switched, leaving Cox with Oldies on 107.5 FM.

I'm guessing that they keep the best signal (94.5) and switch it to hispanic once the deal is done.

Where have you been since the PPMs came out? PPMs favor any male oriented format. As I stated on a thread weeks ago, men are wearing the PPMs and participating unlike they did with the diaries and women are shying away from wearing the PPMs and being undersampled. It's a complete reversal from the diaries. As for male demo advertisers INTIMIDATE, you mention the old standards, but you forgot about the hottest ad categories out there today. We're talking erectile dysfuntion (insert your own thoughts), other male oriented medical, sports franchises, consumer electronics, more automotive (think even more trucks), Red Bull (and similar products), mortgage, business banking, etc.... That's why CC will be hanging on to the Buzz and not messing with the format.