will Cumulus flip their FM to country?

[36james]

i saw this on another thread, it looks like Cumulus is going to invest in Country music,

http://radioinsight.com/blog/headlines/netgnomes/79538/is-cumulus-planning-a-national-country-brand/

so would Cumulus flip KLOS, their format right now is a paltry 2.3 as opposed to KKGO, which is faring somewhat better, what does everyone think?

 

[Thomps2525]

In the Arbitrons for September, the first month after Frank Kramer and Heidi Hamilton replaced Mark and Brian on the KLOS morning show, the station dropped from 11th to 13th, with a 2.8% audience share. A month later KLOS was 19th with a 2.3. KKGO was tied for 13th with a 2.8. On one hand---my right or my left, take your pick---so much of the Los Angeles radio audience now listens to talk or Spanish-language, there probably aren't enough country listeners to make a second country station profitable. On the other hand, how many more years can KLOS keep playing the Doors, Cream, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Led Zeppelin and still be able to attract an audience? Of course if Cumulus launches a satellite-fed national country format, it would be relatively inexpensive to put on KLOS, but the second-biggest radio market in the US deserves all stations to be live and local---remember KLAC in 1993 firing all their DJs and newsmen and switching to Westwood One's adult-standards format? Anyway, if KLOS wants a unique format, how about playing MOR hits from the late 1940s through the 1970s, similar to KMPC's circa-1980 "Unforgettables" format? Not hundreds of album versions of adult standards---just MOR hit singles, which right now are pretty much absent from L.A. radio.

 

[davideduardo]

so would Cumulus flip KLOS, their format right now is a paltry 2.3 as opposed to KKGO, which is faring somewhat better, what does everyone think?

KKGO averages around 21st in 25-54 in LA, 6 positions behind KLOS.

Two country stations in LA would each rank about 30th.

 

[davideduardo]

On one hand---my right or my left, take your pick---so much of the Los Angeles radio audience now listens to talk or Spanish-language, there probably aren't enough country listeners to make a second country station profitable.

In 25-54, about 24% of listening gos to Spanish language stations, and the news and talk stations take less than a 10 share. That leaves 65% of the listening for English language music stations.

There are not enough country listeners for a second station, I agree. But the reason is simply the lack of existence of a country lifestyle... not the Spanish language stations and not the talkers... in 25-54.

 

[TheBigA]

so would Cumulus flip KLOS, their format right now is a paltry 2.3 as opposed to KKGO, which is faring somewhat better, what does everyone think?

Cumulus is not a company with a single format focus. They are interested in about a half dozen formats, and country is one. But in a market where they only own one FM, they'd be absolutely nuts to flip it to country. Especially when KABC is also a basket case. They have many other format options, and many other formats they're investing in. This is a long term project. Country might be about ready to launch, but based on what I'm seeing them do in Atlanta, they could just as easily do some type of rock or pop. I think country on KLOS is about as likely as KABC on KLOS.

if KLOS wants a unique format,

I have no reason to believe that Cumulus wants a unique format. They want one that will make a lot of money. And they'll need it, because KABC is a money pit. They'll need one station to be a cash cow while they take the time to rebuild the AM.

 

[davideduardo]

They'll need one station to be a cash cow while they take the time to rebuild the AM.

There is no way to rebuild an AM that covers less than the whole market. The ideal situation is to put the CBS-Cumulus joint venture sports product on the AM, since talk on 790 has no chance based on the signal issues.

 

[GeorgeJ.]

They'll need one station to be a cash cow while they take the time to rebuild the AM.

There is no way to rebuild an AM that covers less than the whole market. The ideal situation is to put the CBS-Cumulus joint venture sports product on the AM, since talk on 790 has no chance based on the signal issues.

I've never been in any part of LA or Orange County and had a problem getting a decent signal on KABC, day or night....where is it that you're saying they have signal problems, David?

 

[michael hagerty]

how about playing MOR hits from the late 1940s through the 1970s, similar to KMPC's circa-1980 "Unforgettables" format? Not hundreds of album versions of adult standards---just MOR hit singles, which right now are pretty much absent from L.A. radio.

Too much tempus has fugited. KMPC bailed on that format 20 years ago because the demos were too hard to sell. If you can't play what KOST was playing 20 years ago because you can't sell it, there's no business case to be made for music a generation or two older than that.

 

[davideduardo]

They'll need one station to be a cash cow while they take the time to rebuild the AM.

There is no way to rebuild an AM that covers less than the whole market. The ideal situation is to put the CBS-Cumulus joint venture sports product on the AM, since talk on 790 has no chance based on the signal issues.

I've never been in any part of LA or Orange County and had a problem getting a decent signal on KABC, day or night....where is it that you're saying they have signal problems, David?

To get ratings-reported listenership you need, in LA, you need between a 10 mV/m and a 15 mV/m signal... that is necessary both to penetrate buildings and homes, as well as to overcome man made interference.

The strength minimum is based on an analysis of millions of diary entries in the 200-2004 time frame; with increasing noise levels it may be even more extreme today.

KABC's 10 mV/m signal covers about 6 million people, less than half the market.

 

[SuperRadioFan]

Re KABC's signal at night, there's several lulls in Orange County (where I live). On the 405 near John Wayne Airport, the KABC signal is buried by several stations all at once. At least two of those signals were Spanish language. For a talk station at night, you must be closer to the towers to have a usable and listenable signal.

 

[michael hagerty]

Re KABC's signal at night, there's several lulls in Orange County (where I live). On the 405 near John Wayne Airport, the KABC signal is buried by several stations all at once. At least two of those signals were Spanish language. For a talk station at night, you must be closer to the towers to have a usable and listenable signal.

And never forget...from now through February, half of your morning drive and half of your afternoon drive is done on your nighttime pattern.

 

[chris319]

in a market where they only own one FM, they'd be absolutely nuts to flip it to country.

They applied their reverse Midas touch to KGO in San Francisco, so there is precedence for them doing nutty things.

 

[AM FM listener]

in a market where they only own one FM, they'd be absolutely nuts to flip it to country.

They applied their reverse Midas touch to KGO in San Francisco, so there is precedence for them doing nutty things.

Yeah, the sacking of KGO was probably one of the most curious sequences of corporate decisions I have seen in a long while. The radio equivalent of "New Coke".

 

[davideduardo]

in a market where they only own one FM, they'd be absolutely nuts to flip it to country.

They applied their reverse Midas touch to KGO in San Francisco, so there is precedence for them doing nutty things.

Before saying that there was a "reverse Midas touch" it has to be realized that KGO was not killed by Cumulus. It was getting older and older before the PPM started, and when the PPM came to SF, KGO was down at 20th in 25-54.

KGO died under the "old guard" who refused to see what the PPM demanded and let the station go under.

The switch to news has not improved anything, but it, at least, kept things from getting worse.

 

[LKellerIII]

in a market where they only own one FM, they'd be absolutely nuts to flip it to country.

They applied their reverse Midas touch to KGO in San Francisco, so there is precedence for them doing nutty things.

Before saying that there was a "reverse Midas touch" it has to be realized that KGO was not killed by Cumulus. It was getting older and older before the PPM started, and when the PPM came to SF, KGO was down at 20th in 25-54.

KGO died under the "old guard" who refused to see what the PPM demanded and let the station go under.

The switch to news has not improved anything, but it, at least, kept things from getting worse.

And Cumulus is probably saving money with the news anchors compared to the higher priced talk hosts. I imagine Ronn Owens won't be around much longer now that his contract is up.

It's worth noting that Cumulus owns 3 FMs in the Bay Area, and has not yet flipped anything or started to simulcast either of their 2 AMS.

 

[justpassingthough]

Cumulus would be foolish to flip KLOS to country. I'm a country fan, but I acknowledge that their simply isn't enough country fans in this market or any kind of country lifestyle to warrant two stations.

By the way, I live in Koreatown, so I definitely don't live a country lifestyle, I just like the music.

I still the biggest hole in this market that Cumulus could flip KLOS to or CBS should transition KTWV towards is Hot AC/Adult CHR- as KBIG probably needs a competitor in this market.

 

[hotpatrick2004]

Bring back "its 3 o clock in the west" and thump radio i would be happy ;D ;D ;D