I wasn't sleeping too well around 3 AM the night before last as I was going in for day surgery the next day, so I flipped on 1050 KTBL. They were testing a new rock format for 94.5, "The Pit" which was also on and off air on that FM frequency. I checked a couple times today, and KTBL was back to its "KKOB Talk Partner" format and 94.5 was dead air. So, it appears 94.5 will have a new format, and the moniker, "The Pit" could refer to the open mine term (think drilling rock) vs a switch of KNML to that frequency and the UNM Pit reference. Meanwhile, KTBL will be stuck on its AM 1050 spot with its 1000 watts and the night signal often drowned out here on the ABQ westside and into Rio Rancho by powerhouse XEG, Monterrey, MX with its 100,000 watts blasting away.
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Testing "The Pit"
- Thread starter uncle don
- Start date
Moshing
Perhaps "The Pit" moniker for Cumulus 94.5 translator refers to a mosh pit at a rock concert. That would place the station next door to iHeart's KZRR 94 Rock. Still dead air on 94.5 while KTBL 1050 has Handle On The Law talking away. And, fccdata.org now lists KTBL as the primary station for 94.5. Kinda curious that Spokane has Rock 94 1/2, "Home of the Most Pit All Stars" on that frequency.
Perhaps "The Pit" moniker for Cumulus 94.5 translator refers to a mosh pit at a rock concert. That would place the station next door to iHeart's KZRR 94 Rock. Still dead air on 94.5 while KTBL 1050 has Handle On The Law talking away. And, fccdata.org now lists KTBL as the primary station for 94.5. Kinda curious that Spokane has Rock 94 1/2, "Home of the Most Pit All Stars" on that frequency.
Well KTBL is now on the 94.5 translator but it is still the talk format. "The Pit" does kind of sound like the name of an active rock format. If that is what they choose to do it will depend on what kind of mix they play and how much it differs from KZRR and KIOT. They may hope to knock just enough numbers from KZRR to put KKOB on top although KKSS is another station that vies for the top spot as well. We should see whatever this is soon maybe tomorrow (Monday) I assume at 9:45! 
OK 94.5 was dead air at lunch time while 1050 was still talk but driving home this afternoon I heard "The Pit" 94 point FIVE (really emphasizing the five there!) "Albuquerque's new choice for rock"
The songs played were:
Foo Fighters - My Hero
Pantera - Walk
Ozzy Osbourne - Under The Graveyard
Then a DJ talking about the new album and commercials that seem aimed at the former audience
Then a period of dead air
Stone Temple Pilots - Plush
The Hu ft. Ashes to New - Yuve Yuve u
The DJ again
But after 4PM it was back to the old format!?? So I don't know what is going on here! But based on what was heard it does look like the format will be active rock whenever they get it together. They also need to get the stereo signal up on 94.5 as well.
The songs played were:
Foo Fighters - My Hero
Pantera - Walk
Ozzy Osbourne - Under The Graveyard
Then a DJ talking about the new album and commercials that seem aimed at the former audience
Then a period of dead air
Stone Temple Pilots - Plush
The Hu ft. Ashes to New - Yuve Yuve u
The DJ again
But after 4PM it was back to the old format!?? So I don't know what is going on here! But based on what was heard it does look like the format will be active rock whenever they get it together. They also need to get the stereo signal up on 94.5 as well.
With the 7 AM hour both 94.5 and 1050 are rockin' away. The www.1050talk.com link now auto-forwards to 945thepit.com, but except for an icon in the upper left corner for "Abq's New Choice for Rock" the rest of the page looks like the old KTBL page. Is 1050 headed down the same road as 840, 1510 and in a way 770? That heritage frequency doesn't even get an honorable mention on the KKOB page.
This station does differ quite a bit from KZRR. It is mostly rock and metal from the last 30 years while 94.1 and 102.5 are mostly 70s and 80s with 90s grunge and post-grunge crossing all these stations. The last station to do this format was Area 102.9 and I believe they had ratings in the low 1s. Comparatively The Pit has a somewhat better signal as well as personalities who might be voice tracked from elsewhere. But this is still a niche format while the stations playing the classic bands often do better just about everywhere. I don't see much impact on KZRR but maybe some listeners might want more newer rock. KTEG could also be hit by this new station from those that tune in to hear 90s and 2000s hard rock but not care so much for indie pop. It may get about a 1.5 maybe a 2.0 if they market it well enough. Anyhow it will most likely do better than the talk format and might make more money.
AM radio in this town may be about as good as dead with the last relevant station now on a full powered FM signal. Now only 1000 & 1190 (both airing the same religious programming), 1350 (a full time commercial for the iHeart podcast app) and 1450 (regional Mexican music) have no FM presence. 920 has a translator out in Los Lunas at 104.3 while 1150 has one at 102.1 that only covers the northwest. 1310 may still be licensed but when was the last time it was on the air? I wonder why the 1050talk page did not redirect to the KKOB website? That is likely where they would want listeners to go.
AM radio in this town may be about as good as dead with the last relevant station now on a full powered FM signal. Now only 1000 & 1190 (both airing the same religious programming), 1350 (a full time commercial for the iHeart podcast app) and 1450 (regional Mexican music) have no FM presence. 920 has a translator out in Los Lunas at 104.3 while 1150 has one at 102.1 that only covers the northwest. 1310 may still be licensed but when was the last time it was on the air? I wonder why the 1050talk page did not redirect to the KKOB website? That is likely where they would want listeners to go.
Well KTBL is now on the 94.5 translator but it is still the talk format. "The Pit" does kind of sound like the name of an active rock format. If that is what they choose to do it will depend on what kind of mix they play and how much it differs from KZRR and KIOT. They may hope to knock just enough numbers from KZRR to put KKOB on top although KKSS is another station that vies for the top spot as well. We should see whatever this is soon maybe tomorrow (Monday) I assume at 9:45!
I think that's exactly what this is. They want to take a fraction(although perhaps a small one) of KZRR's audience, which can help pave the way for KKOB to return to the top. I don't see them selling much advertising on this station alone, most of their others target females.
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