The Transformation of KFWB to News/Talk

[davideduardo]

Saw the banner too that says "KFWB-AM News/Talk 980". Face it, it's going to end up being another news-talk loser like 640 WGST-AM here in Atlanta. Face it, the All-News genre is dying everywhere! AM, FM, Shortwave, and Satellite!

That statement is so totally untrue in regards to AM and FM in the US (and the world) that I don't know where to start, other than referring you to Arbitron data readily available on the web (and I never knew there was an all-news SW station... ever)

While many traditional news operations are leaving AM for a new home or simulcast on FM, the reasons are demographic, not audience size issues.

KCBS in SF very recently added an FM simulcast, and is now #1 or #2 in San Francisco and also in the top couple of positions in 25-54. WTOP in DC quite recently moved totally to FM, and now leads the market.

All news is hardly dead; it just is unaffordable in smaller markets and will be limited to stations like KYW and WINS/WCBS and KNX and such.

 

[fennessy]

I've only observed LA from afar, and have never worked or lived in the market. But as a fan of the Westinghouse brand and formula my whole life, from WINS to KYW, to what they attempted to do in Chicago, and even KFWB...I'm asking, which of the two "brand names" is stronger. KFWB or KNX. Which of the names has the strongest "brand awareness" in LA? Tell me.

 

[LKellerIII]

I've only observed LA from afar, and have never worked or lived in the market. But as a fan of the Westinghouse brand and formula my whole life, from WINS to KYW, to what they attempted to do in Chicago, and even KFWB...I'm asking, which of the two "brand names" is stronger. KFWB or KNX. Which of the names has the strongest "brand awareness" in LA? Tell me.

If memory serves, KNX started calling itself "News Radio" about the time Westinghouse switched KFWB from Top 40 to All News in 1968. But KNX was not really the go-to place for 24 hour news thenn, since they ran a lot of non-news CBS network and local variety programming up into the 70s - maybe later. But the two were strong competitors for years until CBS bought KFWB.

Somebody will correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe KNX has been the ratings leader recently, so it makes more sense to keep 1070 as the All News outlet.

Question - doesn't one of Clear Channel's subsidiary's (Premiere?) own and syndicate Dr. Laura? I'm asking because I've always thought it curious that both Rush and Dr. Laura run on KSFO in the Bay Area (ABC...uh...Citadel), not on Clear Channel's low rated talk station KNEW. It seems like Rush and Laura would give KNEW a ratings boost, but apparently CC prefers to keep the shows on the more popular KSFO.

 

[K6JHU]

"and I never knew there was an all-news SW station... ever"

AFRTS used to run a service on SW that took all the news casts (ABC, NBC, CBS, Mutual) and stripped the commecials and ran them in a one hour block.

BBC World Service used to run all news (and maybe still does).

And don't forget the locals on 49m (especially the Canadians) that simulcasted their AM programs. I haven't looked lately but I believe there were some all news in there.

 

[oldiesfan6479]

...so it makes more sense to keep 1070 as the All News outlet.

Exactamente! Primarily due to its monster 50-gallon signal (vs. 5 kw on KFWB).

Question - doesn't one of Clear Channel's subsidiary's (Premiere?) own and syndicate Dr. Laura?

I believe she was her own syndication until recently, but is now with Talk Radio
Network aka TRN (home of Ingraham and Savage), which is headed by ex-WABC
PD Phil Boyce.


Now as to KFWB itself...

Based on the program schedule provided in its press release, why doesn't the
KFWB morning news block start at 5, rather than 6? Isn't the 405 (or insert
most any other southland freeway) somewhat of a parking lot before 6am?
That could be answered however by my next question...

Note the program schedule covers only 6am-9pm--what will KFWB be airing
nights and overnights? Either it's not yet firmed up, or will they just repeat
the Ingraham/Dr. Laura/Smerconish programs from that day?

 

[david]

Note the program schedule covers only 6am-9pm--what will KFWB be airing
nights and overnights? Either it's not yet firmed up, or will they just repeat
the Ingraham/Dr. Laura/Smerconish programs from that day?

KFWB is already airing Doug Stephan's Good Day in overnights (1a to nearly 5a). That is actually a very good show, and it would be wise of KFWB to retain it and promote it a tad as fresh, live, newsworthy, and certainly entertaining.

 

[davideduardo]

Based on the program schedule provided in its press release, why doesn't the
KFWB morning news block start at 5, rather than 6? Isn't the 405 (or insert
most any other southland freeway) somewhat of a parking lot before 6am?
That could be answered however by my next question...

The 405 (or the 5 or the 10) is very light till about 6:30. While people get up earlier to be on the road by 6:30 or so, since half of KNX's news listening in that daypart was, (in the diary which showd in-car listening) in the car, starting at 6 AM is not a terrible mistake. Of course, the other half is at home so a case could be made for an earlier start. Still, this seems like a less than critical issue.

 

[DToTheJ]

I understand who TBA is, but who the hell is Michael Smerconish???

Morning talk show host heard in Philadelphia on WPHT 1210AM from 5AM to 9AM. I used to listen to him when I worked and he was a fair host who was quite fair and ballanced taking up the cause of both the Rs and the Ds.

If you stay up till 2AM you can tune him in on WinAmp in the Philadelphia section of AOL/CBS stations. IMHO he's worth a listen.

Smerconish actually does two shows per day - 6-9 AM ET and noon-3 PM ET. I'm guessing KFWB will carry the latter broadcast. And if that's the case, wouldn't it make more sense to carry live Smerconish over tape-delayed Ingraham? Instead, they'll have two pre-recorded daily shows.

 

[nmoore6676]

This if done right could be a good move. But they need to get better shows. Ingraham is the strongest they have but if they surround good shows with strong news with the help of building mate, KNX, and the channel two/nine operations they could knock KFI down a notch or two. KFI has strong programming and a good local news coverage which is the main reason I listen. But KFWB needs some good shows to compete with 640 and that they don't have, yet. Also though KFWB is not a signal challenged as KGIL there are a lot of areas where they don't come in good for me so that is a problem going against the powerful KFI.

 

[hillbillyRockstar]

You left out Adam Carolla and Teresa; and Frosty, Heidi, and Frank as being available.

Wish it would work out for them.

 

[AM FM listener]

Well, if you're going to toss your hat into the crowded Talk Radio arena, you need some marquee hosts. I think getting the two Laura's to do 9:00 to 3:00 is a good start. I would like to see Larry Elder 3:00 - 6:00 pm, Mark Germaine ("Mr. KFWB"?) 9:00 - Midnight, and Don Imus 3:00 - 6:00 am. Not sure about Midnight to 3:00 am yet.

 

[BC_714]

The only person that should be considered for the drive-time slot is Tom Leykis. The guy is sitting on his 20 acre ranch in Los Olivos sipping wine and collecting paychecks from CBS. He would bring some balance to the line-up. We don't need another right-wing gab fest at KFWB. I really enjoyed how Leykis handled the election coverage. It reminded me of his KFI days. I hope CBS puts him back to work and starts earning his paycheck again.

 

[nmoore6676]

The only person that should be considered for the drive-time slot is Tom Leykis. The guy is sitting on his 20 acre ranch in Los Olivos sipping wine and collecting paychecks from CBS. He would bring some balance to the line-up. We don't need another right-wing gab fest at KFWB. I really enjoyed how Leykis handled the election coverage. It reminded me of his KFI days. I hope CBS puts him back to work and starts earning his paycheck again.

Leykis is an unhappy miserable old misogynist fat pervert, Imus is more interesting even when you can't tell if he is actually breathing. Leykis rode to prominence on KLSX as the afternoon Howard Stern clone and once Stern jumped onto the bird his relevance faded. I like biting edgy programming and thus was a Stern fan, I also enjoyed Bill Handel more in the days before his show was sanitized after "NippleGate" and the Stern and Bubba The Love Sponge fines. Thanks to producer Michelle for posting some of the old Dick Cabeza songs, by the way.

 

[michael hagerty]

The press release quote I would have loved to read:

“I’m unbelievably thrilled to join KFWB,” Dr. Laura said. "What a magnificent history....41 years of news radio, and before that, Color Radio with Bill Ballance.....er....um......"

---Michael Hagerty

 

[calguy]

The press release quote I would have loved to read:

“I’m unbelievably thrilled to join KFWB,” Dr. Laura said. "What a magnificent history....41 years of news radio, and before that, Color Radio with Bill Ballance.....er....um......"

---Michael Hagerty

Now that's funny. Wasn't Bill Ballance her personal photographer?...

 

[michael hagerty]

The press release quote I would have loved to read:

“I’m unbelievably thrilled to join KFWB,” Dr. Laura said. "What a magnificent history....41 years of news radio, and before that, Color Radio with Bill Ballance.....er....um......"

---Michael Hagerty

Now that's funny. Wasn't Bill Ballance her personal photographer?...

Yep.

 

[BC_714]

The only person that should be considered for the drive-time slot is Tom Leykis. The guy is sitting on his 20 acre ranch in Los Olivos sipping wine and collecting paychecks from CBS. He would bring some balance to the line-up. We don't need another right-wing gab fest at KFWB. I really enjoyed how Leykis handled the election coverage. It reminded me of his KFI days. I hope CBS puts him back to work and starts earning his paycheck again.

Leykis is an unhappy miserable old misogynist fat pervert, Imus is more interesting even when you can't tell if he is actually breathing. Leykis rode to prominence on KLSX as the afternoon Howard Stern clone and once Stern jumped onto the bird his relevance faded. I like biting edgy programming and thus was a Stern fan, I also enjoyed Bill Handel more in the days before his show was sanitized after "NippleGate" and the Stern and Bubba The Love Sponge fines. Thanks to producer Michelle for posting some of the old Dick Cabeza songs, by the way.

I agree with a lot of what you said, but he is getting paid a huge amount of money for doing nothing. It only makes sense that CBS would put him back on the air somewhere. The guy can't continue to collect a paycheck for doing nothing through 2012. He would not be the Howard Stern clone he was at KLSX. He would be like the old KFI Leykis.

 

[ronkaram]

There are only 4 conservative talk stations in LA, so why not add a 5th one?

 

[SandyG]

I think Leykis would be GREAT for the station and would make it not a total "right wing wacko" station. Anyone who thinks Leykis had no relevance after Stern left should look at the numbers....HE was the only thing keeping KLSX afloat for all of the post Stern years...you think it was the triplets? Bonadoocebag or Carolla? Leykis would KILL on KFWB, BUT maybe he doesn't want to go back to AM.

 

[jonbruce]

I can't see Laura Ingraham as a cornerstone of this "new" KFWB. I think she has been on 3 other L.A. talkers with no ratings impact. In most other markets she is on marginal bottom feeder stations that over all generate only a 0.5 to a 1.0 and in other markets run delayed overnight. And this will be followed by Dr. Laura who comes in at #20 in adults 25-54.