Why has it been so long since we've had a real Top 40 station in this market?

[JdizzyKDVL1]

I am very curious to know why there hasnt been a real top 40 station here since kiss fm went away in early 2003. Most markets have this, and I believe it is a very successful format. Take a look at LA's kiis-fm, or fresno's Y101, or portlands Z100. these are all very successful, and I wonder, why in such a diverse market, we have no such thing?

 

[CHRles]

> I am very curious to know why there hasnt been a real top 40
> station here since kiss fm went away in early 2003. Most
> markets have this, and I believe it is a very successful
> format. Take a look at LA's kiis-fm, or fresno's Y101, or
> portlands Z100. these are all very successful, and I
> wonder, why in such a diverse market, we have no such thing?
>

I Too would like to see CHR return to Vegas, but Z-100 Portland is not really that good of an example. Their ratings used to be almost triple what they are now. 102.7 KIIS-FM L.A. is now pretty much a (very successful) Rhythmic CHR.
You should have mentioned stations like Z-100 New York, Channel 933 San Diego, 93.3 FLZ Tampa, as well as Y-101 Fresno <P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by CHRles on 07/12/05 01:00 PM.</FONT></P>

 

[dabuzz]

The reason you haven't seen a mainstream Top 40 is because the last one got killed. Kiss was crushed between Mix and KLUC. They couldn't get numbers or sales revenue. With Mix's continued success and the rhythmic end covered by LUC and VEG. A new mainstream Top 40 would face a huge, exensive battle for what some would say, are undesirable demos.

In addition, hip hop and r&b is the music that is making the money and getting the ratings. (There are nearly 10 shares of rhythm in the market right now.) KIIS is only succeeding now after it FINALLY embraced hip hop and r&b.

If someone did take the chance it could be interesting however. Infinity could try and position its stations in crush mode like they did in destroying KISS and previously when they used KXTE and Mix to crush The Edge.

A mainstream would certainly force either LUC or VEG's hand...VEG would have a better chance of sliding full Urban and protecting their shares. It could make things very difficult for LUC and knock Mix down a peg or two...Basically, it would split 16 or so shares (if you include Mix's numbers) of Top 40 between four, rather than three stations.

No one has the balls in this market for what it would take to launch and succeed with a mainstream Top 40.

 

[BeachBum]

> 102.7
> KIIS-FM L.A. is now pretty much a (very successful) Rhythmic
> CHR.
> You should have mentioned stations like Z-100 New York,
> Channel 933 San Diego, 93.3 FLZ Tampa, as well as Y-101
> Fresno
>

KIIS-FM is not a rhythmic CHR. They are rhythmic leaning, in the old-fashioned sense. A rhythmic leaning mainstream CHR.

Looking at their playlist, Kelly Clarkson is number 3 this week with a whopping 94 spins. Gwen Stefani's got two songs (yes, she's on urban stations, too, but she's the rare CHR-Pop crossover). Backstreet Boys are in the rotation, and a lot of the rhythm is crossover-type, too, like Mariah Carey, Black Eyed Peas (what's up with "Don't Mess with My Heart?"), Will Smith and Usher.

 

[CHRles]

> Looking at their playlist, Kelly Clarkson is number 3 this
> week with a whopping 94 spins. Gwen Stefani's got two songs
> (yes, she's on urban stations, too, but she's the rare
> CHR-Pop crossover). Backstreet Boys are in the rotation,
> and a lot of the rhythm is crossover-type, too, like Mariah
> Carey, Black Eyed Peas (what's up with "Don't Mess with My
> Heart?"), Will Smith and Usher.
>
95.5 The Beat Atlanta plays those songs too, and it's a Rhythmic CHR:
http://www.mmr247.com/mmrweb/AllAccess/Stations.asp?c_let=WBTS-FM

99.1 KGGI Riverside is another Rhythmic CHR example, and they're located close to KIIS-FM:
http://www.mmr247.com/mmrweb/AllAccess/Stations.asp?c_let=KGGI-FM

 

[BeachBum]

> > Looking at their playlist, Kelly Clarkson is number 3 this
>
> > week with a whopping 94 spins. Gwen Stefani's got two
> songs
> > (yes, she's on urban stations, too, but she's the rare
> > CHR-Pop crossover). Backstreet Boys are in the rotation,
> > and a lot of the rhythm is crossover-type, too, like
> Mariah
> > Carey, Black Eyed Peas (what's up with "Don't Mess with My
>
> > Heart?"), Will Smith and Usher.
> >
> 95.5 The Beat Atlanta plays those songs too, and it's a
> Rhythmic CHR:
http:> //www.mmr247.com/mmrweb/AllAccess/Stations.asp?c_let=WBTS-FM
>
>
> 99.1 KGGI Riverside is another Rhythmic CHR example, and
> they're located close to KIIS-FM:
http:> //www.mmr247.com/mmrweb/AllAccess/Stations.asp?c_let=KGGI-FM

KGGI has moved a bit more mainstream than they were; haven't heard The Beat/Atl. If you look at the playlist from R&R, which has a bit more info, you'll see a lot more spinis for Kelly Clarkson than the other stations you mention, and if you listen to KIIS for 20 minutes, at least during the day, you'll hear a "pop" record (aka white. They're all pop). It's definitely more pop than KGGI.

 

[CHRles]

>
> KGGI has moved a bit more mainstream than they were; haven't
> heard The Beat/Atl. If you look at the playlist from R&R,
> which has a bit more info, you'll see a lot more spinis for
> Kelly Clarkson than the other stations you mention, and if
> you listen to KIIS for 20 minutes, at least during the day,
> you'll hear a "pop" record (aka white. They're all pop).
> It's definitely more pop than KGGI.
>
You are definitely right in what you've written here.
I think though that KIIS-FM these days pretty much sounds like KLUC 98.5 a couple of years back. KLUC was a more broad-based heritage Rhythmic CHR back then (just like KGGI is), while nowadays it's a typical Hip Hop leaning Rhythmic.

It would be nice if Vegas were to get something a bit more balanced sounding then KIIS-FM. There are successful Rhythmic leaning CHRs, like Kiss in Milwaukke or Dallas, that still manage to play a fair dose of Pop and Rock hits in regular rotation.

 

[clubfm]

> I am very curious to know why there hasnt been a real top 40
> station here since kiss fm went away in early 2003. Most
> markets have this, and I believe it is a very successful
> format. Take a look at LA's kiis-fm, or fresno's Y101, or
> portlands Z100. these are all very successful, and I
> wonder, why in such a diverse market, we have no such thing?
>

I lived in Vegas for 2 years and wondered the same thing... but after living there... I really didnt see a huge audience for it (as compared to rap)... However, I did find myself listening to Mix (which I thought was a great station) and if I remember correctly.. they were kicking butt when I left... so maybe there is room for it. Hasnt this format been tried a few times in Vegas in the past.. and it failed miserably?

Vegas is the strangest market I have ever lived in. The place is growing way too fast.. and the media outlets (TV, Paper, & Radio) have not adapted to the growth... and everyone that lives there is either brand new to the area or has lived there their entire life... theres not many in-between type people.

I hope I dont upset anyone with this comment... but it seemed to me that all that lives there are old people, hispanics, or trucker type people. I think KVEG and KLUC (and at the time Wild) had more than enough Rhythmic for air (and I think there were 2 more stations playing rb/urban)... which would mean that if a Top 40 came into play.. it would have to play the pop stuff.. and I just dont see a large audience for the pop format in Vegas.<P ID="signature">______________
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