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MikeShannon914
Guest
It's all very simple: KKDA-AM's demo has literally died off. I won't go into life expectancy comparisons amongst the races, but suffice to say that KKDA has aged alongside its demo over the years, and it's been zeroed in on the 65+ for a while. But trust me, Hyman is not laughing all the way to the bank. He could have dumped out of K-104, KKDA and KRNB in 2005 for $90 million or more...the radio balloon hadn't burst, K-104 hadn't dropped out of the Top 10, and PPMs didn't exist in DFW. Now he'd be lucky to get $30 mil total, if even that. Call it greed, or dedication to independent ownership, or a commitment to the community he serves--but in 2012, it ain't worth much...and with internet radio for cars looming in the distance, there's little incentive for anyone to buy up stations for any more than fire sale pricing--if even that.
But at one time, 10-20 years back, Hyman had a sales staff that knew how to peddle the station...and they were lining up nice national accounts left and right. After all, who else in the market could deliver that specific demo? Crest toothpaste is one I recall offhand...you don't even hear that on a WBAP unless it's attached to a syndie show.
Personally, I think the downfall had a lot to do with not having polarizing people like John Wiley Price on the air there anymore. I've listened to the station many, many times over the years (all the way back to Tom Joyner doing mornings in the mid-70s on "Soul Sockin' 73") and I hear what issues and problems people call up "Crooner" with (Willis Johnson)...and giving a forum to let the audience VENT on any subject they chose was a great public service to their demo. For me, it got too "militant" most of the time, but I could still see the underlying effort there to unify and pull the community together. KKDA was more like KNON in that respect--jocks having a lot of latitude in tweaking the direction of their shows, and even laying out taboo statements to make a point if needed.
But you can't keep a station going by having only one strong show in the pack (Willis) and piddling away the rest of the broadcast day by playing "Strokin'" 20 times. Losing Millie Jackson and Cuzzin' Linnie was a tough blow, but when your audience erodes naturally, and you're not willing to roll with the times and aim towards younger listeners (ya know, 40-somethings,) you end up with what happened. But it's an AM music station, which is a death wish in and of itself. Me, I'd get JW Price and some others back on payroll and create an 'alternative' black talk station...not centered around religion, but around issues...with an effort to educate and elevate, instead of feeding on stereotypes.
But at one time, 10-20 years back, Hyman had a sales staff that knew how to peddle the station...and they were lining up nice national accounts left and right. After all, who else in the market could deliver that specific demo? Crest toothpaste is one I recall offhand...you don't even hear that on a WBAP unless it's attached to a syndie show.
Personally, I think the downfall had a lot to do with not having polarizing people like John Wiley Price on the air there anymore. I've listened to the station many, many times over the years (all the way back to Tom Joyner doing mornings in the mid-70s on "Soul Sockin' 73") and I hear what issues and problems people call up "Crooner" with (Willis Johnson)...and giving a forum to let the audience VENT on any subject they chose was a great public service to their demo. For me, it got too "militant" most of the time, but I could still see the underlying effort there to unify and pull the community together. KKDA was more like KNON in that respect--jocks having a lot of latitude in tweaking the direction of their shows, and even laying out taboo statements to make a point if needed.
But you can't keep a station going by having only one strong show in the pack (Willis) and piddling away the rest of the broadcast day by playing "Strokin'" 20 times. Losing Millie Jackson and Cuzzin' Linnie was a tough blow, but when your audience erodes naturally, and you're not willing to roll with the times and aim towards younger listeners (ya know, 40-somethings,) you end up with what happened. But it's an AM music station, which is a death wish in and of itself. Me, I'd get JW Price and some others back on payroll and create an 'alternative' black talk station...not centered around religion, but around issues...with an effort to educate and elevate, instead of feeding on stereotypes.
