why did 97.1 fail? Why didn’t audacy filp 106.7 instead? Then after the filp, why wouldnt Audacy move kroq’s format to the stronger 97.1 signal? Would that have improved ratings? I know so many questions. I’ve been looking at the board for years. Never had the courage to create an account and post lol
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Why did Amp/Now Fail?
- Thread starter Loverofradio
- Start date
I don't work in broadcasting or anything, so this is just a guess.
Having another top 40 station in the LA can't compete with KIIS. There have been many top 40 stations that came before it that failed. That station had a lot of different format flips over the years. These are just the ones I remember off the top of my head.; classic rock, talk radio, top 40 and now news. When I heard they changed to 97.1 Now I figured they were in trouble.
Having another top 40 station in the LA can't compete with KIIS. There have been many top 40 stations that came before it that failed. That station had a lot of different format flips over the years. These are just the ones I remember off the top of my head.; classic rock, talk radio, top 40 and now news. When I heard they changed to 97.1 Now I figured they were in trouble.
The station was started by CBS Radio, and at the time had a name brand morning show with Carson Daily. But then Carson left, and CBS Radio was sold to Audacy, and they simply never got the format. They never really replaced Carson. So just doing an FM simulcast with KNX seems to fit better for Audacy.
I don't think they're 100% sold on KROQ either. But they seem to be giving it one last chance.
I don't think they're 100% sold on KROQ either. But they seem to be giving it one last chance.
The current KROQ signal does fine in the LA metro survey area. The only benefit of changing frequency would be adding coverage outside the radio market.
K.M. Richards
Program Director, The Eighties Channel™
You remembered very well, actually.
Prior to 1979, it was KGBS-FM and the last format it had under those call letters and ownership was Country. It then took over the top-40 format of Ten-Q (KTNQ/1020) as KHTZ ("K-Hits 97"). It evolved to Adult Contemporary as KBZT ("K-Best") and then went Classic Rock from 1986 to 1995 under the call letters KLSX, kept the calls when it went Talk in 1995, then was Top-40/CHR from 2009 (first as "97.1 Amp Radio" then "97.1 Now" for most of 2021) until last December when the simulcast with KNX/1070 began.
Good memory!
Amp/Now just sounded so stale, especially after Carson Daly left. I know the reasons why it was not done, but I wish they would have taken some "risks" musically. Add more variety. Stray a tiny bit from the rhythmic songs and add some pop or alt-leaning pop. Spice up the boring liner-reading breaks. Add more gold from 5-10 years earlier.
That would be a different format. More gold with currents is Hot AC.
I don’t mean as much Gold as Hot AC’s play. I mean once an hour or so.
I may be in the minority, but I've always favored 97.1 amp radio over 102.7 kiis fm due to their distinctive rhythmic/dance lean. When Power 106 dropped Rhythmic Pop/EDM titles from their playlist in favor of an Urban-lean following major competition from Real 92.3 back in 2015, I'd hoped that Amp radio would pick up the slack, add more Hip-Hop to their playlist, and become the "mass appeal" Rhythmic station of L.A. since we already have a Mainstream station with KIIS. Sadly, that never happened.
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K.M. Richards
Program Director, The Eighties Channel™
Given the market demographics, that probably would have worked if anyone at CBS/Entercom/Audacy had looked at it more carefully. But CBS was targeting KIIS directly (ignoring the history of when they tried that back in the early 80s with KKHR) and that didn't change under Entercom/Audacy, which missteps so often I have trouble keeping track of their mistakes.
And thats why I was curious. I love KROQ. But I always here the demographics in L.A. don’t support alternative. I was surprised that Audacy changed a format in which the demographics in the city could actually support
But also in a weird way, i feel like Audacy only wanted to flip 97.1 so it wouldn’t cannibalize KROQ
I know it is a different era, but some of us radio aficionados still love personality-driven radio. Amp/Now had none once Carson Daly was gone. Can anyone name a single jock on that station other than Daly? I can't remember one.
Neither station was doing well, but at times it appeared that KROQ was cannibalizing KNOU. Rather than the other way around.
I heard that 97.1 outbilled KROQ and 94.7 and other stations in the market. is that true?
It's safe to say if that were the case, there never would have been a flip. I don't have access to the MK's so can't say of a certainty.
There's a post about that in the KNOU thread, and I don't believe that's correct.
I thought I read that KTWV bills very well.
97.1 tied The Wave but KROQ was still #5 in FM billing last year.
Booker whom use to be on air talent at Amp 97.1 is now paired with Stryker at ALT 98.7 and I remember some person named Bru.
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