The Sound to be Born Again as a EMF-owned Station

[TheBigA]

And what will KKGO flip to after the holidays?

Back to country. Their owner is very committed to running formats like country, oldies, and standards. He'd rather have 100% of a small audience than a portion of a larger one.

 

[michael hagerty]

Back to country. Their owner is very committed to running formats like country, oldies, and standards. He'd rather have 100% of a small audience than a portion of a larger one.

Admittedly, it's the meaningless overall (6+) numbers, but the latest L.A. ratings came out today. KKGO ties KROQ, and beats KLOS, KYSR, and The Sound. In fact, The Sound is the lowest-rated full-signal English-language FM. The only change I'd predict after the EMF dust settles is that KLOS might adjust its presentation to try to blend its audience and The Sound's.

 

[TheBigA]

The only change I'd predict after the EMF dust settles is that KLOS might adjust its presentation to try to blend its audience and The Sound's.

It'll be interesting to see if any of The Sound's on-air staff goes to KLOS. Not many other options, unless Jack adds local talent.

 

[davideduardo]

Admittedly, it's the meaningless overall (6+) numbers, but the latest L.A. ratings came out today. KKGO ties KROQ, and beats KLOS, KYSR, and The Sound. In fact, The Sound is the lowest-rated full-signal English-language FM.

But in 25-54, KKGO is 22nd while KROQ is #10, KYSR is 12th, and KLOS is 14th. KSWD is 23rd, in a statistical tie with KKGO.

 

[TheBigA]

KLOS is 14th. KSWD is 23rd

That really says everything anyone needs to know.

I understand a lot of people prefer the presentation of The Sound. But unfortunately not enough of them are 25 to 54.

 

[miketheradioguy]

Back to country. Their owner is very committed to running formats like country, oldies, and standards. He'd rather have 100% of a small audience than a portion of a larger one.

I didn't know that KKGO plays Christmas music during the holiday season.

 

[TheBigA]

I didn't know that KKGO plays Christmas music during the holiday season.

Last year was the first time.

 

[miketheradioguy]

Last year was the first time.

I'm surprised to hear that. I was only thinking about the CBS Radio stations that may flip to all-Christmas and then to a new format after the holidays, depending if the Entercom merger closes by November.

 

[34james]

Admittedly, it's the meaningless overall (6+) numbers, but the latest L.A. ratings came out today. KKGO ties KROQ, and beats KLOS, KYSR, and The Sound. In fact, The Sound is the lowest-rated full-signal English-language FM. The only change I'd predict after the EMF dust settles is that KLOS might adjust its presentation to try to blend its audience and The Sound's.

Doubtful. They are not going to go back to adding 60's rock. Their main audience is 1975 to 1995, with the main core being 80's music, similar to K-earths presentation, mainly 80's with 70's and 90's sprinkled in.

 

[SuperRadioFan]

Link to LAIST article posted by The Sound to their own Facebook page: http://laist.com/2017/09/28/1003_the_sound.php

Sound Program Director Dave Beasing says that since they'll have at least 30 days (and up to 45 days maximum) to say goodbye (as David E posted earlier),
special programming could be in the offing, such as A to Z, Roll The Dice, guest DJ appearances (such as Mark Thompson, for example).

Since the transaction's announcement was made on Tue. Sept. 26, that would make for
The Sound's sign-off date being somewhere between Thu. Oct. 26 and Fri. Nov. 10, 2017.

Mark Thompson is a "DJ"?? Hahaha😂😳

 

[michael hagerty]

I'm surprised to hear that. I was only thinking about the CBS Radio stations that may flip to all-Christmas and then to a new format after the holidays, depending if the Entercom merger closes by November.

Apart from AMP, all of CBS' Los Angeles stations are in the top ten (6+). And AMP is probably what keeps KIIS-FM from being number one. What stations are you imagining might change formats?

 

[davideduardo]

I'm surprised to hear that. I was only thinking about the CBS Radio stations that may flip to all-Christmas and then to a new format after the holidays, depending if the Entercom merger closes by November.

The CBS cluster is very profitable. Changing format would kill the existing revenue stream on any of the stations that they might change.

KAMP, the lowest rated station in the cluster, is 11th in billings with a 2016 revenue total of around $25,000,000. That puts it in the top 30 billers among the USA's more than ten thousand commercial radio stations.

Changing format on Amp would likely take a significant chunk of cash flow out of the Entercom bottom line, and would increase expenses due to the need to market and promote a new format. At the moment, KAMP has top-10 numbers in 18-34 and 18-49 women and offers a nice complement to the rest of the cluster (which leans older). As mentioned, Amp is an effective and profitable barrier to KIIS becoming even more dominant and puts more money on the table for the rest of the market's stations.

 

[TheBigA]

Amp is an effective and profitable barrier to KIIS becoming even more dominant and puts more money on the table for the rest of the market's stations.

Plus without Carson's salary, their costs are lower than they had been.

 

[jasonharper2013]

they giving stickers an free drinks during rams preshow and giving away stickers annoced those stickers will be collectors items

 

[SuperRadioFan]

they giving stickers an free drinks during rams preshow and giving away stickers annoced those stickers will be collectors items

. You're joking, right?

 

[miketheradioguy]

Apart from AMP, all of CBS' Los Angeles stations are in the top ten (6+). And AMP is probably what keeps KIIS-FM from being number one. What stations are you imagining might change formats?

I did read that The Sound's programming would've either merged or replaced the programming on 93.1 Jack FM. As far as the other CBS Radio stations in Los Angeles are concerned, I don't think there will be other major post-merger changes.

 

[TheBigA]

I did read that The Sound's programming would've either merged or replaced the programming on 93.1 Jack FM.

Jack has much better ratings than The Sound. No real upside to this.

 

[michael hagerty]

I did read that The Sound's programming would've either merged or replaced the programming on 93.1 Jack FM. As far as the other CBS Radio stations in Los Angeles are concerned, I don't think there will be other major post-merger changes.

Where on earth did you read that?

 

[Groove1670]

Mike Novak, the CEO of EMF, is a pro (one of the best jocks at KFRC in the 70s and 80s). He's been planning the introduction of the K-Love brand in Los Angeles for some time. You can bet there's been conversations between EMF and Univision and that there will be some announcement fairly soon.

And he left the world of the lonely jock and moved into a different direction in broadcast. Kudos. He has built a very successful operation. One of the survivors and not one of the whiners.

 

[Groove1670]

I am just disappointed that again, it is my favorite station playing my favorite music (classic rock, AAA, or a mix of the two) that is the one on the chopping block, no matter how predictable the outcome (I and many others predicted this outcome once the merger was announced - it wasn't the hardest scenario to figure out).

But how many times has this happened? KNX-FM, KMET, KMPC-FM/KEDG, KLSX, KSCA, KQLZ ("Pirate Radio"), KACD/KBCD ("World Class Rock") and now KSWD. I could also count Arrow 93, but due to high repetition Arrow 93 was never my favorite, and as I've mentioned before, I always thought "Jack" was the logical successor to Arrow. The list would be double if I included the soft rock/light hits, pop, and oldies formats that, although are not my favorites, I also enjoyed extensively, and rock/pop stations that passed away before my time, such as KFWB and KRLA (although I do remember "Hit Radio 11, K-R-L-A" very well from my childhood).

Sirius/XM is definitely not as good as it was during the Lee Abrams era (please, for the love of God, bring him and his programming back!) but they do have over a dozen rock channels and I never have to worry about whether any of them (at least the ones I listen to) will be there when I tune them in again tomorrow. And of course I understand it isn't always just me, almost everyone losses their favorite station eventually, it just seems to happen to us rock and AAA fans way more often.

Another under performing rock station gone. It is just business.