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Spokane 95.7 FM Flips from Classic Rock to Spanish programming
- Thread starter Y2kTheNewOldies
- Start date
This doesn't surprise me.
I don't know much about Legend Broadcasting, but Alexandria Communications is in the mix, or has been, with them. Tom Hodgkins of Alexandria, just like many of the Tri-Cities market operators embrace the Hispanic community. I was told by one regional GM some years ago that audience tends to be remarkably reliable. Even saving them while their English format sales withered in sales slumps.
The thing to watch will be how this does in Spokane. The Hispanic population is pretty low in comparison to Tri-Cities and Yakima data.
This may be a buying time arrangement and a big check is already in Tom's hands. I think that's the way he prefers it actually.
Cheers.
I don't know much about Legend Broadcasting, but Alexandria Communications is in the mix, or has been, with them. Tom Hodgkins of Alexandria, just like many of the Tri-Cities market operators embrace the Hispanic community. I was told by one regional GM some years ago that audience tends to be remarkably reliable. Even saving them while their English format sales withered in sales slumps.
The thing to watch will be how this does in Spokane. The Hispanic population is pretty low in comparison to Tri-Cities and Yakima data.
This may be a buying time arrangement and a big check is already in Tom's hands. I think that's the way he prefers it actually.
Cheers.
If I'm not mistaken, I think OZ FM had a local morning crew. I remember hearing them on 1330 some early mornings when the power switched up to day power, and the signal became audible here in the Seattle area, and the morning crew seemed to mention the OZ slogan a lot.
If they were local, now they're out of work. Sad when that happens, but that's radio, innit? Still sad, though...
If they were local, now they're out of work. Sad when that happens, but that's radio, innit? Still sad, though...
Oz's problem were twofold - one, that it's demos were in the upper range of 25-54 and maybe even beyond 54. They kicked out a good chunk of the 90s rock. They reminded me of Eagle 106.5 out of Tri-Cities in the 1990s. That's nice, but those demos become far more attractive (and sellable) if you start including 90s fare and drive them down to 40 somethings.
Secondly, being a small operator compared to IHeart (in terms of sales power and signal), the FM was what, 200 watts? Remember just outside of downtown Spokane the 95.7 from Walla Walla booms in. So the Spokane 95.7 translator didn't have great coverage to start with.
I was still living in Spokane when they premiered. I thought it was a curious playlist position in terms of demos. It wasn't programmed in a manner which was attractive to a large swath of classic rock audiences (40-ish) in Spokane. It was anti-grunge and anti-90s rock with an older style presentation of the format.
Whether a lot of rock fans like the inclusion of Nirvana, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Motley Crue, Stone Temple Pilots and other 80/90s acts. They are classic rock now and to not play them ignores probably the most active and spending part of the classic rock demos today.
Cheers.
Secondly, being a small operator compared to IHeart (in terms of sales power and signal), the FM was what, 200 watts? Remember just outside of downtown Spokane the 95.7 from Walla Walla booms in. So the Spokane 95.7 translator didn't have great coverage to start with.
I was still living in Spokane when they premiered. I thought it was a curious playlist position in terms of demos. It wasn't programmed in a manner which was attractive to a large swath of classic rock audiences (40-ish) in Spokane. It was anti-grunge and anti-90s rock with an older style presentation of the format.
Whether a lot of rock fans like the inclusion of Nirvana, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Motley Crue, Stone Temple Pilots and other 80/90s acts. They are classic rock now and to not play them ignores probably the most active and spending part of the classic rock demos today.
Cheers.
I think a lot of boomers (younger boomers, the Generation Jones people especially) were quite open to grunge and a lot of the 90's stuff, especially the kind that would have been played on Active Rock stations during that decade (and the decade after that). Rock fans -- at least in my experience -- were open to whatever had loud guitars in it, and a singable chorus line.
Thanks for your input. Not being a Spokane person, I wasn't aware of the signal issues. I see the Bear is still going. No idea if they make money. I like their mix when I hear it on the AM and whenever I check out their stream.
Anecdotally, I am 61 and love rock of the 90’s. What some are missing here is people my age grew up with 70’s and 80’s rock but didn’t tune out in the 90’s necessarily. Some of us even enjoy today’s rock. This is due entirely to most in my demo growing up in an era where rock was part of their culture.
I am the program director of Ke Buena 95.7. The station has proven to be a huge success over the past year. The ratings are likely not a true representation of the actual audience, which has rallied around the station. According to our calculations, there are 50,000 Hispanics in the Spokane DMA which includes northern Idaho, covered by the 1330 AM signal.
This story appears in the Northwest Insider .
Two items of interest:
(1) " Broadcasting at FM 95.7 and AM 1330, Ke Buena is the Inland Northwest's first truly local commercial Spanish-language radio station, but not the first such estación de radio in Spokane. From 2014-2016, KMBI broadcast in Spanish – coincidentally on the same frequency as Ke Buena – with content originating from its nonprofit owner, Moody Bible Institute. KMBI eventually became the rock station KYOZ, or OZ 95.7, but when that station folded in June 2020, it opened the door for new ownership and a new format."
(2) "During the day listeners within roughly 60 miles of the Spokane transmitter should be able to hear both the FM and AM broadcast, which is also available online at kebuena957.com. At night, Ke Buena's AM signal and coverage drops to around 10 miles in any direction."
Well, at least KYOZ's management is honest. The owners also launched KYJJ in Boardman (Oregon) and KZJJ in Mesa (Washington), winings from Auction 109.
Two items of interest:
(1) " Broadcasting at FM 95.7 and AM 1330, Ke Buena is the Inland Northwest's first truly local commercial Spanish-language radio station, but not the first such estación de radio in Spokane. From 2014-2016, KMBI broadcast in Spanish – coincidentally on the same frequency as Ke Buena – with content originating from its nonprofit owner, Moody Bible Institute. KMBI eventually became the rock station KYOZ, or OZ 95.7, but when that station folded in June 2020, it opened the door for new ownership and a new format."
(2) "During the day listeners within roughly 60 miles of the Spokane transmitter should be able to hear both the FM and AM broadcast, which is also available online at kebuena957.com. At night, Ke Buena's AM signal and coverage drops to around 10 miles in any direction."
Well, at least KYOZ's management is honest. The owners also launched KYJJ in Boardman (Oregon) and KZJJ in Mesa (Washington), winings from Auction 109.
Someone posted on a Portland Radio Board that KZJJ in Mesa is going to upgrade to being a C3 at 14,000 watts from Jackass Mountain. If you go on Google Maps some fellow named Bryan Hermans posted a photo of the site . Not much of a mountain but there's a tall cell tower there and a smaller "utility" tower. The consultant's study shows the signal will reach all of the Tri-Cities. That looks like a great upgrade for an Auction 109 bargain bin location.
Talk about a packed dial in the 104mhz spectrum in Tri-Cities soon:
104.3 K282AA (KMBI)
104.5 new Spanish CP from Mesa
104.7 KTZB-LP (Spanish Religion)
104.9 K285FN (Fire 104.9, Spanish CHR)
Plus 92.5, 97.9, 106.9, 96.7, 96.3, 99.5, 100.1, 101.7, and one or two more Spanish religious stations, one of which is on AM.
Are there really enough Spanish-speaking listeners for all of these stations? Even with Pasco majority-Hispanic? Go down to Richland and Kennewick and they are far fewer in size. Not even Yakima has this many with even more Hispanics living in the area, especially Lower Valley towns where some are 80%+ Hispanic/Latino.
On the other hand, no one wants to launch a classic hits station targeting the Tri-Cities. I guess The Eagle is as close as it gets unless someone wants to listen to a noisy 92.1 Pendleton. Two Classic Hits stations in 50%+ Hispanic-majority Yakima County but none in Benton/Franklin which is growing at a larger rate? And no soft rock (unless 105.3 counts, which compared to KISS 98.1 in Spokane and KQFM in Hermiston, is the lite version of The Key or Power 99.1.)
95.7 Spokane was a needed addition to the dial, with a growing population of Hispanics there.
104.3 K282AA (KMBI)
104.5 new Spanish CP from Mesa
104.7 KTZB-LP (Spanish Religion)
104.9 K285FN (Fire 104.9, Spanish CHR)
Plus 92.5, 97.9, 106.9, 96.7, 96.3, 99.5, 100.1, 101.7, and one or two more Spanish religious stations, one of which is on AM.
Are there really enough Spanish-speaking listeners for all of these stations? Even with Pasco majority-Hispanic? Go down to Richland and Kennewick and they are far fewer in size. Not even Yakima has this many with even more Hispanics living in the area, especially Lower Valley towns where some are 80%+ Hispanic/Latino.
On the other hand, no one wants to launch a classic hits station targeting the Tri-Cities. I guess The Eagle is as close as it gets unless someone wants to listen to a noisy 92.1 Pendleton. Two Classic Hits stations in 50%+ Hispanic-majority Yakima County but none in Benton/Franklin which is growing at a larger rate? And no soft rock (unless 105.3 counts, which compared to KISS 98.1 in Spokane and KQFM in Hermiston, is the lite version of The Key or Power 99.1.)
95.7 Spokane was a needed addition to the dial, with a growing population of Hispanics there.
Plot twist: 95.7 gets sold to Worship 24/7. Once the flip takes place, it will join an already packed religious market as station #11 - and the fourth Contemporary Christian station.
Now that is a big loss. Ke Buena was gaining traction in Spokane with a small yet loyal Hispanic population. Gone for more Worship music. Spokane already has 104.9 AND Air 1 AND 104.5...unless somebody is trying to listen to a Phil Wickham or Newsboys song on four channels all in a row, shouldn't there be more variety in Spokane?
Thank goodness for KPND and KEWU on my trip this week. KEWU was spinning classic R&B on Friday afternoon, and it was great to hear. The jazz is also nice. Too bad 106.7 flipped to 'Max FM' classic hits in Sandpoint and Rock 103 (HD2 106.7) is duplicated on two translators right next to each other. KPND is multipathed like crazy in Sandpoint from the transmitter on the mountain SE of Newport. In a ski town, an AAA is a must. The Bonners Ferry translator is no longer available on 107.1 (it is // KDRK).
Thank goodness for KPND and KEWU on my trip this week. KEWU was spinning classic R&B on Friday afternoon, and it was great to hear. The jazz is also nice. Too bad 106.7 flipped to 'Max FM' classic hits in Sandpoint and Rock 103 (HD2 106.7) is duplicated on two translators right next to each other. KPND is multipathed like crazy in Sandpoint from the transmitter on the mountain SE of Newport. In a ski town, an AAA is a must. The Bonners Ferry translator is no longer available on 107.1 (it is // KDRK).
The problem is that, at under 5% Hispanic, the Spokane Latino market is not big enough to really support a station well.
While 95.7 is a really decent translator given its height, they were estimated to be billing well under $10 thousand a month which would not even pay the salaries of the few people needed to run the station, sell, do traffic and such.
I don't think they began to falter.. Xana's game plan is to buy inexpensive under performing properties, improve them in one fashion or another and sell them.. I think except for KUJ AM, they havent owned much long term.
That makes sense, though KUJ-AM is owned by Alexandra Communications, along with KNHK-FM.
I don't think they began to falter.. Xana's game plan is to buy inexpensive under performing properties, improve thewm in one fashion or another and sell them.. I think except for KUJ AM, they havent owned much long term.
Same people.. KUJ/.Alexandra is Tom Hodgins.... Tom Hodgins is Xana
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