Thoughts or predictions on Austin radio in 2012

[willdav713]

Did they unplug that God-awful satellite feed from Cumulus/Scott Shannon? Scott's a great broadcaster--but 24/7? Or is it now Scott and Tom Kent sharing the dish?

Nope they are sharing the dish. I tend to like Scott Shannon. He is on Midnight to 6AM and on Sunday nights when he does Cruisin America.

BMP wants a more local feel while trying to keep the station viable to advertisers.

They need to play less 80s pop. I now have to change the station when Cyndi Lauper comes on.

 

[intx]

Scott Shannon is only on midnight to 6 a.m. now.

http://www.austin360.com/blogs/cont...ing_show_debuts_on_austins_greatest_hits.html

 

[JDawg512]

98.9 has gotten rid of scott shannon's satellite program and going local, saying 60's 70's and more,austin's greatest hits (probably going after bob 103). i think fred is correct about 92.5 changing formats probably going mainstream. pop en espanol or top 40.

As far as pop en espanol it has been tried and failed. If they did a top 40 it would be over saturated due to KHFI and KPEZ. A Jack fm makes more since. Bob has staying power and no competitor. KHFI and KPEZ play simular songs and are owned by the same company which would crush KXXS ratings. Of course it could be a Urban Jack to capture KAZI listeners. They could try a run at Urban AC. The adult African American community is underserved in Austin radio. Not everyone wants to listen to rap or hip hop.

KPEZ is not Top 40 it is mostly Hip Hop and R&B with a few top 40 cross overs and hits. I think another Top 40 station could be viable especially one that leans more dance not Hip Hop.

 

[intx]

Look at KISS's numbers. Huge. Even if Border was able to steal a small fraction, they'd make more $$$ than they make now. KISS is ripe for a competitor. Would take some marketing, but it could be done.

 

[MisterRadio]

Look at KISS's numbers. Huge. Even if Border was able to steal a small fraction, they'd make more $$$ than they make now. KISS is ripe for a competitor. Would take some marketing, but it could be done.

You just explained why it won't happen. Nobody will spend the money to market a station. Yes, KHFI could be challenged but nobody is willing to spend the money to do it. It would take good personalities, agressive marketing and promotions and time. All things that nobody will invest in.

 

[willdav713]

98.9 has gotten rid of scott shannon's satellite program and going local, saying 60's 70's and more,austin's greatest hits (probably going after bob 103). i think fred is correct about 92.5 changing formats probably going mainstream. pop en espanol or top 40.

As far as pop en espanol it has been tried and failed. If they did a top 40 it would be over saturated due to KHFI and KPEZ. A Jack fm makes more since. Bob has staying power and no competitor. KHFI and KPEZ play simular songs and are owned by the same company which would crush KXXS ratings. Of course it could be a Urban Jack to capture KAZI listeners. They could try a run at Urban AC. The adult African American community is underserved in Austin radio. Not everyone wants to listen to rap or hip hop.

KPEZ is not Top 40 it is mostly Hip Hop and R&B with a few top 40 cross overs and hits. I think another Top 40 station could be viable especially one that leans more dance not Hip Hop.

KPEZ is Rhythmic Contemporary Hits Radio, KHFI is Contemporary Top 40. As such you can hear hip hop on both stations. Here is something they could try a Urban Adult Hits format but I would place my bet on satellite driven programming since it would be cheaper than local content plus they already have agreements with citadel. Given the fact most of the stuff on 92.5 is driven by satellite.

 

[fredcantu]

I think our own music preferences are showing. Otherwise by now someone would have suggested some form of contemporary country. Austin is a huge country market.

 

[Mediafrog+]

Didn't Houston and Huntsville have Bob 105.3 and Jack 103.7?

Yes, Houston had both Jack and Bob at the same time. However the 105.3 signal only covers the northwest part of the market.

Both Jack and Bob are now gone, replaced by AAA and Texas Country, respectively.

As for Austin predictions...any idea if KTXW 1120 will finally make it on the air? Various groups have been trying to get a station launched on that frequency since the early 80's. I did notice that the CP for the daytime power has been raised to 5.6kw from the original 250 watts. Still 153 watts at night.

 

[willdav713]

I think our own music preferences are showing. Otherwise by now someone would have suggested some form of contemporary country. Austin is a huge country market.

As for Contemporary Country the last station I heard that had that format was the old Amardillo on 106.7 KDIL, in the early 90s. Most Country stations that I have listened to mix the new stuff with the classics rather it be KCYY, KAJA, KASE, KVET-FM, KKBQ, or KILT. If they do however go Contemporary Country, I would expect it to be from a Satellite Network such as Citadel. It would cost a whole lot of money advertising, promoting, and attracting on air talent for such a station despite KVET's numbers and all.

I would still say they would be better off with doing something new in Austin, Urban Adult Hits.

 

[fredcantu]

I think our own music preferences are showing. Otherwise by now someone would have suggested some form of contemporary country. Austin is a huge country market.

As for Contemporary Country the last station I heard that had that format was the old Amardillo on 106.7 KDIL, in the early 90s. Most Country stations that I have listened to mix the new stuff with the classics rather it be KCYY, KAJA, KASE, KVET-FM, KKBQ, or KILT.

You and I have a different definition of Contemporary Country. The stations that you mention-- with the exception of KVET--I would call Contemporary Country, i.e. they play the country hits. Of course they all play country oldies, its part of the heritage of the format. But they get their promotional power from the top acts performing today.

 

[MisterRadio]

I think our own music preferences are showing. Otherwise by now someone would have suggested some form of contemporary country. Austin is a huge country market.

As for Contemporary Country the last station I heard that had that format was the old Amardillo on 106.7 KDIL, in the early 90s. Most Country stations that I have listened to mix the new stuff with the classics rather it be KCYY, KAJA, KASE, KVET-FM, KKBQ, or KILT.

You and I have a different definition of Contemporary Country. The stations that you mention-- with the exception of KVET--I would call Contemporary Country, i.e. they play the country hits. Of course they all play country oldies, its part of the heritage of the format. But they get their promotional power from the top acts performing today.

I would certainly call KASE a contemporary country station. Fred is right, even the most new and contemporary station in any format is going to play some older songs that were hits occasionally. The craft of the format is being able to gauge how you put that mix together. Ron Rogers used to be a master of that with KASE and my understanding is that he spent hours laying out grids and schedules to find the right balance of songs. Their many years of market dominance are an example that few have been able to duplicate.

 

[wild949austin]

KGSR will disappear this year. Nuff said.

 

[MisterRadio]

KGSR will disappear this year. Nuff said.

I would have a hard time disagreeing with that.

 

[stan]

KGSR will disappear this year. Nuff said.

It will sooner go back to 107.1 than disappear.

 

[intx]

107.1 is the No. 1 Spanish station in town and brings in big $$$. They're not going to touch it.

 

[mmnassour]

So will this fall into the category of: "How to screw up a perfectly good radio station?"

 

[stan]

KGSR was screwed when they moved it to a tower way north of Austin where many could no longer listen to it.

 

[mmnassour]

Along the the change in music..............

 

[captex]

maybe a station that resembles the former 1077 the hawk. rock and roll oldies.

 

[mmnassour]

Yea, that could be fun, something that we're sorely lacking right now. Oh, and up above I should have typed "...along with the change in music." Sorry...