P
Phantom
Guest
Robert Philpot column on the recent on-air turnover at 95.9 The Ranch:
Do you get the feeling the GM doesn't like to talk to a reporter?
Posted on Mon, Jul. 11, 2005
'Ranch' hands keep riding off into the sunset
By ROBERT PHILPOT
STAR-TELEGRAM STAFF WRITER
When KFWR/95.9 "The Ranch" moved into its downtown Fort Worth digs in 2003 and amped up its Texas-country format, it was a breath of fresh air in the oft-stale atmosphere of Fort Worth-Dallas radio. "You might ask why we need another country station," I wrote at the end of that year. "The answer: Because this one does things the big ones don't do: namely, put inventive and eclectic musical selections ahead of ratings and following the crowd."
But it appears that all is not well at the Ranch. Within the past 12 months, the station has shown the gate to the classy Linda O'Brian, the unique Nadine Bodett and, most recently, the popular Jim "Catfish" Prewitt, who got the boot a couple of weeks back. Fort Worth-Dallas radio vets all, these people are not just air personalities but Texas country music aficionados -- the kind of crew you want when you're trying to build a reputation as a station that goes beyond generic country.
The station still has a deep-rooted North Texas radio vet in hard-working morning-show host Steve Harmon (who was rumored to be in the running to replace Ron Chapman before Jody Dean got the gig). But when three prominent personalities leave in a time period that has also seen the departure of four program directors, it looks like there could trouble at the Ranch.
Prewitt was reluctant to talk, saying that he's looking for work elsewhere in the area. General manager Gerry Schlegel and program director Rick Lovett, in separate e-mails, simply said that the station and Lovett had "parted ways." "The three personalities in the last year were terminated for just cause," Schlegel said in an e-mail. "While the personnel changes might indicate a degree of instability to you, the changes have established a greater degree of stability within our organization. We currently have a team of passionate, dedicated and enthusiastic people working very hard to build a unique, involved, great radio station and radio group."
As for Bodett, when she left in April (she now does a Sunday afternoon shift at rival KTFW/92.1 FM), she told me, "I guess you either like my brassy personality or you don't." O'Brian is now doing weekend shifts at soft-rocker KVIL/103.7 FM. "Although country music will always hold a place in my heart," she says, "[I'm] very happy to be at KVIL right now."
With a transmitter west of Fort Worth and a signal that barely reaches the eastern parts of Tarrant County, the Ranch was never going to be a strong player in the Fort Worth-Dallas Arbitron ratings. A station needs to cover Tarrant, Dallas and surrounding counties well to make an impact. The Ranch's owners have tried to rectify that by simulcasting on KRVA/106.9 FM and KRVA/107.1 FM, two stations that reach into Dallas County. But in the winter 2005 Arbitrons, the station still hadn't mustered a 1 share among overall listeners.
The Ranch is still doing some things right, most notably its Summer Concert Series on Wednesdays at the 8.0, which will feature such Texas acts as the Ray Benson Band Trio and Ray Wylie Hubbard in coming weeks. And the idea of a Texas-centric station with offices in downtown Fort Worth is a good one. But listeners like a sense of stability, especially in these parts, and as much as I'm rooting for the Ranch, I'm worried about where it'll go in the future.
Hurban cowboys: "Hurban" or "reggaeton" is one of the buzz formats, a mixture of Spanish-language music and hip-hop aimed at English-speaking Latinos -- and now Fort Worth-Dallas has its second reggaeton station, KFZO/99.1 FM, which changed to the format in June. Spanish-language continues to be hot here -- it's entirely likely that a Spanish-language station will be No. 1 in the spring Arbitrons (those numbers are due July 26). Rumors persist that Clear Channel will change one of its Fort Worth-Dallas stations to a "hurban" format, but local Clear Channel folks still say that won't happen.
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Robert Philpot, (817) 390-7872 [email protected]
Do you get the feeling the GM doesn't like to talk to a reporter?
Posted on Mon, Jul. 11, 2005
'Ranch' hands keep riding off into the sunset
By ROBERT PHILPOT
STAR-TELEGRAM STAFF WRITER
When KFWR/95.9 "The Ranch" moved into its downtown Fort Worth digs in 2003 and amped up its Texas-country format, it was a breath of fresh air in the oft-stale atmosphere of Fort Worth-Dallas radio. "You might ask why we need another country station," I wrote at the end of that year. "The answer: Because this one does things the big ones don't do: namely, put inventive and eclectic musical selections ahead of ratings and following the crowd."
But it appears that all is not well at the Ranch. Within the past 12 months, the station has shown the gate to the classy Linda O'Brian, the unique Nadine Bodett and, most recently, the popular Jim "Catfish" Prewitt, who got the boot a couple of weeks back. Fort Worth-Dallas radio vets all, these people are not just air personalities but Texas country music aficionados -- the kind of crew you want when you're trying to build a reputation as a station that goes beyond generic country.
The station still has a deep-rooted North Texas radio vet in hard-working morning-show host Steve Harmon (who was rumored to be in the running to replace Ron Chapman before Jody Dean got the gig). But when three prominent personalities leave in a time period that has also seen the departure of four program directors, it looks like there could trouble at the Ranch.
Prewitt was reluctant to talk, saying that he's looking for work elsewhere in the area. General manager Gerry Schlegel and program director Rick Lovett, in separate e-mails, simply said that the station and Lovett had "parted ways." "The three personalities in the last year were terminated for just cause," Schlegel said in an e-mail. "While the personnel changes might indicate a degree of instability to you, the changes have established a greater degree of stability within our organization. We currently have a team of passionate, dedicated and enthusiastic people working very hard to build a unique, involved, great radio station and radio group."
As for Bodett, when she left in April (she now does a Sunday afternoon shift at rival KTFW/92.1 FM), she told me, "I guess you either like my brassy personality or you don't." O'Brian is now doing weekend shifts at soft-rocker KVIL/103.7 FM. "Although country music will always hold a place in my heart," she says, "[I'm] very happy to be at KVIL right now."
With a transmitter west of Fort Worth and a signal that barely reaches the eastern parts of Tarrant County, the Ranch was never going to be a strong player in the Fort Worth-Dallas Arbitron ratings. A station needs to cover Tarrant, Dallas and surrounding counties well to make an impact. The Ranch's owners have tried to rectify that by simulcasting on KRVA/106.9 FM and KRVA/107.1 FM, two stations that reach into Dallas County. But in the winter 2005 Arbitrons, the station still hadn't mustered a 1 share among overall listeners.
The Ranch is still doing some things right, most notably its Summer Concert Series on Wednesdays at the 8.0, which will feature such Texas acts as the Ray Benson Band Trio and Ray Wylie Hubbard in coming weeks. And the idea of a Texas-centric station with offices in downtown Fort Worth is a good one. But listeners like a sense of stability, especially in these parts, and as much as I'm rooting for the Ranch, I'm worried about where it'll go in the future.
Hurban cowboys: "Hurban" or "reggaeton" is one of the buzz formats, a mixture of Spanish-language music and hip-hop aimed at English-speaking Latinos -- and now Fort Worth-Dallas has its second reggaeton station, KFZO/99.1 FM, which changed to the format in June. Spanish-language continues to be hot here -- it's entirely likely that a Spanish-language station will be No. 1 in the spring Arbitrons (those numbers are due July 26). Rumors persist that Clear Channel will change one of its Fort Worth-Dallas stations to a "hurban" format, but local Clear Channel folks still say that won't happen.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Robert Philpot, (817) 390-7872 [email protected]
It would be great if they could get a repeater/translator for Dallas.