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

[Groove1670]

It has been reported that all three stations being divested have applied to convert to non-commercial status and main studio waivers. As such, a question to any legal minds who may be lurking here: Is there an opportunity for an "in the public interest" appeal here to the FCC to try and stop this on the grounds that this status change would not be servicing the local community for which these public airwaves licenses are intended? If yes, it has my support and I'd be happy to help such an effort.

The main studio rule for ALL stations is now on the chopping block, and it looks like it will happen. A moot point. Other than big markets and N/T sports stations, visitors are almost non existent to many stations. Just about all outside correspondence is now done electronically.

 

[ChannelFlipper]

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.

Oh I get it: "Nothing personal, it's just business". My response is the same. You take what I like away, I leave and take my disposable income to where my tastes will be served. And now there are so many other outlets that are willing and able to do the job, but none of them are supported by local advertisers. In the long run, who loses? Not me. Nothing personal, just business.

 

[davideduardo]

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.

Jack bills about twice what The Sound does, and it is around 6th or 7th in the market in 25-49 and 25-54 persons and about 3rd in 25-54 men.

Other than moving the NFL games KSWD was contracted to do, I see no change at all. If there is a leave-it-alone station in the market, this is it.

 

[TheBigA]

I leave and take my disposable income to where my tastes will be served.

I think that's fair, and the companies you're leaving have already budgeted for that. They knew the changes they made would alienate some users, but as you say, that's the cost of doing business.

 

[miketheradioguy]

Where on earth did you read that?

I saw it on RBR.com during Entercom's Q2 earnings conference call that took place at the end of July.

 

[davideduardo]

I saw it on RBR.com during Entercom's Q2 earnings conference call that took place at the end of July.

That was only a mention of where Entercom's sports deals would wind up. This is specifically in regards to the joint deal with ESPN for the Rams broadcasts. There was no mention of the music format.

 

[radiocph]

[...] Christmas music on KKGO

Last year was the first time.

The only country Christmas song I remember KKGO playing was "Hard Candy Christmas" by Dolly Parton. (Whether that song is truly a Christmas song is debatable). Everything else was just regular Christmas music.

 

[TheBigA]

[...] Christmas music on KKGO



The only country Christmas song I remember KKGO playing was "Hard Candy Christmas" by Dolly Parton. (Whether that song is truly a Christmas song is debatable). Everything else was just regular Christmas music.

Yes I know. No one ever said they were playing country Christmas songs.

 

[jasonharper2013]

right now 100.3 playing all tom petty ....RIP

 

[Kent]

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.

Shortly after the CBS/Entercom deal was announced, I had heard rumblings that The Sound could have moved as well, but, with the KSWD staff out, it’s not happening.

Entercom has historically not been willing to pay for Jack, hence the Charlies and Simons it owns. We don’t know if that will continue with it inheriting more Jacks than it has its own brands of the format. At the time CBS was launching Jacks everywhere, I had been told it had a group deal for Jack. If that’s still the case, I wouldn’t look for much to change at the soon-to-be former CBS properties.

 

[TheBigA]

I had been told it had a group deal for Jack. If that’s still the case, I wouldn’t look for much to change at the soon-to-be former CBS properties.

I heard that too. The ones that remain, such as in LA and Dallas, are successful. The cost of the format at these stations is now a budgeted expense, rather than a new expense. That makes it different in terms of accounting, and more likely that they'll stay.

 

[miketheradioguy]

I heard that too. The ones that remain, such as in LA and Dallas, are successful. The cost of the format at these stations is now a budgeted expense, rather than a new expense. That makes it different in terms of accounting, and more likely that they'll stay.

The post-merger changes I'm mainly concerned about are in the overlapping markets, depending on how the divestitures will play out.

 

[miketheradioguy]

Shortly after the CBS/Entercom deal was announced, I had heard rumblings that The Sound could have moved as well, but, with the KSWD staff out, it’s not happening.

Entercom has historically not been willing to pay for Jack, hence the Charlies and Simons it owns. We don’t know if that will continue with it inheriting more Jacks than it has its own brands of the format. At the time CBS was launching Jacks everywhere, I had been told it had a group deal for Jack. If that’s still the case, I wouldn’t look for much to change at the soon-to-be former CBS properties.

CBS launched an Adult hits station in Houston branded as The Spot a month before their merger with Entercom was announced. It would be interesting if Entercom decides to do away with the Jack branding.

 

[davideduardo]

CBS launched an Adult hits station in Houston branded as The Spot a month before their merger with Entercom was announced. It would be interesting if Entercom decides to do away with the Jack branding.

It's important to note that The Spot is a pure Houston creation, designed to fit a lifestyle and programming niche in that market based on the cluster's other parts as well as the competitive array. Thinking that this, or any other CBS or Infinity station is a pure format clone is not terribly appropriate.

If the "Jack" licensed stations are making a bunch of money, as apparently they are, Entercom is not going to blow it up just to put their mark on it.

A friend once told me that only about half the PDs he hired worked out. Of the half that didn't, half of those failed because they were afraid to take a successful station and do the necessary changes to keep it current. The other half failed because they changed everything just to put their mark on it.

In the case of Jack in LA, making changes is the equivalent of "changing everything... to put their mark on it". That always costs money, loses revenue and is a no-win game.

 

[Neel]

I wish in the case of 100.3, Entercom could have kept the station and put KNX Newsradio on it. Especially on days like today, when I want to hear the news, I much rather prefer FM over AM. Tired listening to KNX on the HD2 signal and it just cuts out too much to even make it worth listening.

 

[miketheradioguy]

I wish in the case of 100.3, Entercom could have kept the station and put KNX Newsradio on it. Especially on days like today, when I want to hear the news, I much rather prefer FM over AM. Tired listening to KNX on the HD2 signal and it just cuts out too much to even make it worth listening.

I would’ve expected Entercom to sell KSWD to the Muerlo group, the company who recently acquired KPWR from Emmis. I could see The Muerlo group possibly acquire Entercom’s other spinoffs in San Francisco and/or Sacramento.

 

[johndavis]

I would’ve expected Entercom to sell KSWD to the Muerlo group, the company who recently acquired KPWR from Emmis. I could see The Muerlo group possibly acquire Entercom’s other spinoffs in San Francisco and/or Sacramento.

These are businesses. Not fantasy football.

 

[miketheradioguy]

These are businesses. Not fantasy football.

I understand. I was told about The Meruelo Group planning to expand in radio, and I thought that they could be a suitor for Entercom's spinoffs.

 

[michael hagerty]

I would’ve expected Entercom to sell KSWD to the Muerlo group, the company who recently acquired KPWR from Emmis. I could see The Muerlo group possibly acquire Entercom’s other spinoffs in San Francisco and/or Sacramento.

I'm sorry...from months of your posts, I could have sworn you expected Entercom to swap KSWD with Cumulus for some out-of-market stations.

Mike, seriously and with all due respect, John Davis (who I've known, liked and respected for....God, John, what?---20 years?) is right. You're playing fantasy football in a room filled with actual NFL owners, coaches and players. Virtually every one of your posts is a "what if" that exposes a key lack of understanding of the business itself. This is a great place to listen, ask questions and learn. You should take advantage of that.

 

[WorldFamous]

Mr. Hagerty, - I can tell you from personal experience that "Miketheradioguy" is a young person (at least younger than you and I) who has zero experience in the industry. He's an enthusiast at best. Prior to my working in radio, I was and assume that you also were a person who loved to talk radio back in a time when there was nothing like this website. Not unlike "Mike" today. Had there been a site like this in the 1970s, I'd have been doing what "Mike" does here. And while we all can appreciate and want to encourage an enthusiasm that is sadly all too rare these days (unlike his being banned at another site), you are correct and not the first to suggest that "Mike" might want to cut out his "fantasy football" approach and instead simply listen and learn for a time. Thanks for again raising that point.