RE: Religious stations.
You're right - there is ALOT here! Spokane is home to religious broadcaster Tom Reed our local "small town radio guy." He owns a couple signals. Moody Bible Institute is here with two signals. A Catholic Church spin off has one.These are full power stations. Then factor in the smattering of translators and boosters. From what I saw recently on the FCC's site more of the peewee religious translators are banging down the door to get in here.
RE: Mid size market, too many signals, too little revenue.
Yes, thats a good assessment. Don't forget Blue Sky Broadcasting's anticipated move in of KPND 95.3. I hope KPND keeps their format, they are distinctive. The thing to watch is how well their 56KW CP does in the city with its new more southerly stick since it'll be approx. 50 miles outside the city.
Let me add one more though to this. Spokane is also a market which likes its safe radio, no fault being to programmers. Wild 103.9, it did decently in the books could never translate that to revenue. KAEP 105.7 was a adult rock hybrid. Lasted 7 years or so. Now the station has reverted to close to what it before when it was Rock 106.
These days its tough finding a niche with the lower earning properties. Clear Channel put Air America on the old nostaliga driven and lackluster KAQQ (5kw day/33w night). From accounts, its done a little better no where near sister KQNT though. Trick with KPTQ (KAQQ) is demos and opening up a new audience. 103.9 which has been a plethora of formats over the years. BOB landed a year or so ago on it. Seems to be doing alright. Gotta love BOB (and 103.1 KCDA) - minimal staff, lots of music = money maker even if ratings aren't top tier.
RE: Jerry Clifton (KAZZ/KQQB)
This one is interestsing. At best rimshot signals. There is no way they can compete with Citadel, CC or even Morgan Murphy. I'd love to see thier business model.
Saddest thing is when 104.5 flipped to KQQB's new rhythmic. Newport and points north lost a local station. So now KQQB's bread and butter is its booster in Spokane proper. Its primary signal - just a means to get to the booster. 87kw primary signal I'd hasten to say that most living outside of Spokane wouldn't be caught dead listening to it. Almost a waste of a signal now, sure doesn't serve its community anymore and it'll never compete with the big boys.
LITTLEBOYBLUE said:
Went though Spokane this week ... put tuner on SCAN during morning drive. Felt like a good 1/3 of the spectrum over there is religious. Have never seen that kind of penetration on FM for non-music programming. Their KLASSY (which I think is KXLY) had a positioning liner that went damn near an entire minute telling you what their station is and is not ... and the rest of the morning teams (maybe some are syndicated from bird or whatever) have everyone yakking and stepping all over each other.
My question: When did that market deteriorate so much? Used to be some good stations in town but nothing that I heard on this pass. Two more were overmodulated to point of distortion on their automated liners.
Is EVERYONE gone for the summer over there???!
