more on KMJY....and new AM stuff in Spokane
An interesting prospect. But the newport signal doesn't
> cover Spokane as well as the coverage maps say it does.
> They have a 4kw booster in Spokane that covers the city
> pretty well, but nothing else. So C'dA would be out of the
> running. I think it would take a bite out of ZZU but not a
> big bite.
Agreed.....KMJY is licensed to Newport and with the hills in between Spokane & Newport the signal is marginal. They do have a booster, but it's NOT in stereo. So their current format---although very listenable----similar to the old KJR-FM 'Super Hits Of The 60's & 70's'---my radio won't even stop when I hit the scan button---scoots right by 104.5 and hits 104.9. It's nice to hear what they play. But unless they can move the tower closer to Spokane to get better coverage and change the booster to Stereo---it'll pretty much be like KAZZ 107.1 licensed to Deer Park. They're doing a very listenable smooth jazz format---but even with their coverage upgraded a few months ago---their signal still doesn't come in very well in most of Spokane----does good on the South Hill, but inbetween not very good--it skips right over Spokane downtown and that means no chance of any in-office listening---which is what a smooth jazz format thrives on.
Interesting to see what they do with KMJY once the sale goes through. Currently they still do run a live "Swap Shop" for apparently Newport listeners at 11am---the local host currently is a no-talent local----YIKES---she sounds awful. And some of their commercials produced locally really SUCK. Other than that bit of local stuff, it's just music with a drop or jingle between each and every song. And for some reason they run alot of spots for a Dodge dealer out of Walla Walla--weird or what? Or perhaps a big trade out? But a Walla Walla dealership?????
There was a time when the station served their audience in Newport/Old Town and Sandpoint Idaho, and like many small town stations---find they can upgrade and possibly be that new Spokane station that everybody can't wait to tune into.....it will indeed be interesting to see what transpires!!
The people that used to own the station in Newport had both an AM/FM and simulcasted a country format, a few months ago they sold their AM--which was a daytimer to the KXLY group in Spokane, they got the city of license changed to Airway Heights (a suburb right by the airport) and boosted up the power to 10KW day and 1KW night---nice at 700 on the AM dial, guess that'll screw us from listening at all to KIRO-710.
They do have a nice signal and as of this week 700 is now on the air billing itself as "The Ticket" and doing sports---what was previously on 630am, which is going to be a Tom Read station, and will pick up the programming Tom runs on 970am, which he sold to the same Catholic Network broadcasters that own KBLE in Seattle....so if you want to hear the Rosary and the like---you'll have it soon on 970 in Spokane---day and night!
Currently 630am is broadcasting light classics and showtunes with recorded announcements reminding people that ESPN radio is now at 700 on their dial. Not sure when Tom Read takes over 630, but he's been running some promo announcements about how people on average move every 5 years and how radio stations move too. And the fact that on the AM band the lower the dial position the better the coverage and that KTRW(970)is soon moving down the dial. Interesting way to promote it.
I'll keep you all updated as to when the "Big Change" happens!!!
<P ID="signature">______________
Your Spokane & Seattle Radio Pal..and Seattle Moderator...
J.J. Hemingway</P>
