Why did Clear Channel blow up the alternative format

[RadioStarOne]

On KCNL for? The new ratings for the station as spanish contemporary are in the tank! Somebody in the organization should be shown the door! What a drop in the numbers! How do any of these stations with
less than a half point in the ratings make any money at all! These stations should all turn in their license to
broadcast!
And KIFR less than a half point for this signal. Its time to blow up this stupid talk format and give Clear Channel some competition for KYLD and KMEL by doing a hybrid format that targets both stations. Or is it time to do Jack on 106.9? Or maybe Regional Mexican? Anything would be better than whats on the station at this time! Or my favorite idea put KFRC on 106.9 with a "Well Balanced Top-40 Format that takes in all musical styles.

BTW: I expected way better than this from Dougie-Poo....And before you jump the gun Dougie-poo O And A will never be able to pull your .... out of the fire this time! Too little too late.....next idea...how about sports talk on FM 106.9?

 

[content]

Regarding KCNL....the message that management gave at the time of format flip was that the KCNL audience was too young to attract advertising. Interestingly, the Fall Arbitron had KCNL performing very well P18-49. (#3 English behind KUFX and KOIT).

Regarding Free-FM, I believe that question will be answered as the new era of CBS radio unfolds. I can't imagine the station will go another book without a flip or significant shift in presentation/direction.

Question for the Engineers...doe 106.9 broadcast in mono like some other FM talkers. In which case, would they lose horsepower if they put a music format on (and broadcast in stereo)?

 

[MikeAmatori]

Well first...They don't Broadcast in mono. They found out that, even though the format still sucks,the stereo light is kinda nice to look at while your being bored to death by their format.

All mono would do for the signal transmission is to make it less noisy, since stereo tends to multipath in the bay area because of terrain, tall buildings etc.

 

[DyingMedium]

CC pulled the plug on KCNL because they nearly wet themselves after they saw the initial big numbers for 92.3 La Preciosa. So, they thought they could corner the market on spanish music stations. Of course, they were wrong. Because a couple of other stations went spanish, too. Now, they've blown out the staff at La Preciosa. Good times.

What kills me about KCNL is that it hardly had staff to begin with. Very little overhead and decent numbers that were growing with each book.

Here's a story about the final days of KCNL. A promotions guy working in SF wanted to head down to KCNL because he had a real passion for the format. This guy was a hard worker and well liked. "Management" at CC practially made him beg for it than let him do it knowing they were killing the format a week later. Don't know what happened to him after that.

While I don't believe there's much difference between most radio corporations these days, I can say that Clear Channel SF seems to operate in fear. "What's San Antonio going to say?" For example: Right now, without having worked there for quite some time, I can tell you that everyone is freaking out. "How do we make/cut budget?"

Answer? You start firing people in September and you don't stop until December. Then you hire people again in February.

Wash, rinse, repeat. Happens year in and year out.

 

[davideduardo]

CC pulled the plug on KCNL because they nearly wet themselves after they saw the initial big numbers for 92.3 La Preciosa. So, they thought they could corner the market on spanish music stations. Of course, they were wrong. Because a couple of other stations went spanish, too. Now, they've blown out the staff at La Preciosa. Good times.

Huh? There has been no blow out of staff at La Preciosa. In fact, they added an operations guy, former KLAX-LA GM Alfredo Rodriguez, to work with GM Kim Bryan and Alex Lucas, the PD. Only one Preciosa jock has changed in the last 12 months, in fact. The lack of change is the big story here.

KCNL is another thing. It has the area's smallest signal, and could not get traction with AC, which requires a signal that penetrates the East Bay and Peninusla, where most non-Mexicans live. So they went hard core Mexican CHR, which makes no sense at all...

But there is no real cfhange, and no blow outs at Preciosa. None at all.

And... since KSJO went Spanish in 12/04 (nearly simultaneous with KRZZ) the only new Spanish station is KCNL... not "several."

 

[LMFAO]

KCNL is another thing. It has the area's smallest signal, and could not get traction with AC, which requires a signal that penetrates the East Bay and Peninusla, where most non-Mexicans live. So they went hard core Mexican CHR, which makes no sense at all...

Does this mean that KCNL has switched from Mexican AC to Mexican CHR? I'm unclear.

Also, if my information is correct, KCNL-Alternative's humble cash flow from 2005 should exceed KCNL-Spanish's entire gross revenue for 2006.

Has the 104.9 stick ever had strong ratings (before its success as an Alternative format radio station)? They're (cc) working with a very challenged signal. It will be tough for CC to rebuild the audience numbers they had achieved as an Alt station, especially if they want to operate the station on a small budget.

 

[BossRadioDJ]

There was a rumor floated in Another News Group (by a *quite* trustworthy person) that Clear Channel could be making yet another change at 104.9 very soon...

DJ

 

[LMFAO]

Is there any speculation as to what those changes are expected to be?

 

[RadioStarOne]

CC just hired a new PD for the station in the last couple of weeks! It was on todays news at Radio and Records! Manuel Moran I believe is his name!

 

[LMFAO]

From what I can tell, Manuel Moran had been a production person for La Preciosa. So, it sounds as if the station will continue with Spanish language programming.

Is there a Spanish language music position which is not being occupied? (A position which would would work on KCNL?)

 

[davideduardo]

There was a rumor floated in Another News Group (by a *quite* trustworthy person) that Clear Channel could be making yet another change at 104.9 very soon...

They made the change 10 days ago. From Spanish language AC to a very Mexican CHR (pop/rock by mostly Mexican artists with no reggaetón) and named a "new" PD today for this format. The PD is a former production / imaging guy from KVVF in its Viva days.

The change is done.

 

[DyingMedium]

Trust me...they blew out some people at La Preciosa....Just because they weren't all on air doesn't mean they weren't important.

I may have mixed it up on the spanish stations shifting or whatever. But there is still a large spanish glut in the Bay Area Market...Plus, KCNL isn't even rated. Or am I missing someting?

CC pulled the plug on KCNL because they nearly wet themselves after they saw the initial big numbers for 92.3 La Preciosa. So, they thought they could corner the market on spanish music stations. Of course, they were wrong. Because a couple of other stations went spanish, too. Now, they've blown out the staff at La Preciosa. Good times.

Huh? There has been no blow out of staff at La Preciosa. In fact, they added an operations guy, former KLAX-LA GM Alfredo Rodriguez, to work with GM Kim Bryan and Alex Lucas, the PD. Only one Preciosa jock has changed in the last 12 months, in fact. The lack of change is the big story here.

KCNL is another thing. It has the area's smallest signal, and could not get traction with AC, which requires a signal that penetrates the East Bay and Peninusla, where most non-Mexicans live. So they went hard core Mexican CHR, which makes no sense at all...

But there is no real cfhange, and no blow outs at Preciosa. None at all.

And... since KSJO went Spanish in 12/04 (nearly simultaneous with KRZZ) the only new Spanish station is KCNL... not "several."

 

[davideduardo]

From what I can tell, Manuel Moran had been a production person for La Preciosa. So, it sounds as if the station will continue with Spanish language programming.

Is there a Spanish language music position which is not being occupied? (A position which would would work on KCNL?)

KCNL has a much smaller signal than any other South Bay Class A, and may not be viable in Spanish. There are no other mainstream formats left... they tried AC (and did it horribly) and are now doing a format that definitely will not work. They are going from bad to worse.

 

[davideduardo]

Trust me...they blew out some people at La Preciosa....Just because they weren't all on air doesn't mean they weren't important.

I may have mixed it up on the spanish stations shifting or whatever. But there is still a large spanish glut in the Bay Area Market...Plus, KCNL isn't even rated. Or am I missing someting?

The only Preciosa departure was the PM drive talent (?) other than the normal come and go of radio staff. The PM guy did not like the pay, and returned to Mexico. The on-air lineup is the same with that one change, and the PD is the same. They added a new ops manager, as the format is now approaching 20 stations that carry it.

The market is 20% Hispanic, and has Estéreo Sol, La Raza, Recuerdo, Kalle, Preciosa, KLOK and Enamorada (104.9) That is about right for a market this size. KCNL got ratings, but not great ones. Its problem is the signal makes it a San Jose only signal, and Spanish media is bought by the SF book. KCNL got approximately a one share in Winter and Spring... about what one would expect for a bad AC.

 

[RadioStarOne]

"Manuel has years of experience and has been instrumental in developing the new sound of the
Bay Area Spanish language "pop/rock station." His passion
and great knowledge of this genre of music is
unmatched.
Sounds like more of the same!

 

[content]

Which leads us back to the original post.

Even with the modest returns that the Alternative format yielded for CC, especially with low overhead, that they would have been better off returning to that type of programming.

Why are they so hung up on keeping Spanish language programming on KCNL? As I understand it, the Spanish language formats index lower than formats such as Alternative. So, even if they were able to crack a 2 share, would they be better off financially? (yes, I know that stations don't sell using their 12+ numbers. The reference is made as a general barometer of a level of success, as it relates to this discussion)

 

[sfradio]

I noticed they now have a mixshow like the one viva used to play

 

[DyingMedium]

Can't say for sure why they're so hung up on spanish radio. However, that is the only area CCSF GM Kim Bryant has any real experience in.
Coincidence? I think not.

Which leads us back to the original post.

Even with the modest returns that the Alternative format yielded for CC, especially with low overhead, that they would have been better off returning to that type of programming.

Why are they so hung up on keeping Spanish language programming on KCNL? As I understand it, the Spanish language formats index lower than formats such as Alternative. So, even if they were able to crack a 2 share, would they be better off financially? (yes, I know that stations don't sell using their 12+ numbers. The reference is made as a general barometer of a level of success, as it relates to this discussion)

 

[LMFAO]

Regarding KCNL,
"They made the change 10 days ago. From Spanish language AC to a very Mexican CHR (pop/rock by mostly Mexican artists with no reggaetón) and named a "new" PD today for this format. The PD is a former production / imaging guy from KVVF in its Viva days. "

This comment was too far back to quote directly, so: Just curious, the programming you describe "Mexican CHR", will that hurt KYLD? I always thought that they catered to the hispanic CHR audience.

Is anyone in the market able to listen to the programming to see if their audience gain would be at the expense of kyld?

 

[davideduardo]

Regarding KCNL,
"They made the change 10 days ago. From Spanish language AC to a very Mexican CHR (pop/rock by mostly Mexican artists with no reggaetón) and named a "new" PD today for this format. The PD is a former production / imaging guy from KVVF in its Viva days. "

This comment was too far back to quote directly, so: Just curious, the programming you describe "Mexican CHR", will that hurt KYLD? I always thought that they catered to the hispanic CHR audience.

Is anyone in the market able to listen to the programming to see if their audience gain would be at the expense of kyld?

This Kind of CHR is very POP... not rhythmic. It will not hurt KYLD the way KVVF does.