XETRA

[davideduardo]

Re: AM 690

> > Since there are not too many FMs in Mexico with XE calls,
> > and all are pre-70's heritage stations, I have no point of
>
> > reference. The SCT seems fairly flexible on calls other
> than
> > the prefix, so I would bet that the current licencee (not
> > the LMA holder) could buy an AM and put XETRA back on it.
> > But I doubt a separate licensee could.
> >
> And 91.1 and 690 are both owned by the same Mexican
> licnesee, right?

I believe 690 is being moved to the Televisa Radio licensing entity, as they can legally own it and PRISA is 50% owner of that group.

 

[mj]

Re: AM 690

> > > Since there are not too many FMs in Mexico with XE
> calls,
> > > and all are pre-70's heritage stations, I have no point
> of
> >
> > > reference. The SCT seems fairly flexible on calls other
> > than
> > > the prefix, so I would bet that the current licencee
> (not
> > > the LMA holder) could buy an AM and put XETRA back on
> it.
> > > But I doubt a separate licensee could.
> > >
> > And 91.1 and 690 are both owned by the same Mexican
> > licnesee, right?

Even before Prisa thay are not with the same concession holder.
>
> I believe 690 is being moved to the Televisa Radio licensing
> entity, as they can legally own it and PRISA is 50% owner of
> that group.
>

 

[mj]

Re: AM 690

> > > Since there are not too many FMs in Mexico with XE
> calls,
> > > and all are pre-70's heritage stations, I have no point
> of
> >
> > > reference. The SCT seems fairly flexible on calls other
> > than
> > > the prefix, so I would bet that the current licencee
> (not
> > > the LMA holder) could buy an AM and put XETRA back on
> it.
> > > But I doubt a separate licensee could.
> > >
> > And 91.1 and 690 are both owned by the same Mexican
> > licnesee, right?
>
> Yes, according to the SCT website: XETRA Comunicaciones S.A.
> de C.V. (in English: XETRA Communications, Inc.) AM city of
> license is Rosarito, BN; FM city of license is Tijuana, BN.

91x is owned by Comunicacion Xersa. It used to be owned by Xetra Comunicaciones but with the Finest City move there is a new Mexican concession holding company.
>

 

[KMRichards]

Re: AM 690

> > Yes, according to the SCT website: XETRA Comunicaciones
> S.A.
> > de C.V. (in English: XETRA Communications, Inc.) AM city
> of
> > license is Rosarito, BN; FM city of license is Tijuana,
> BN.
>
> 91x is owned by Comunicacion Xersa. It used to be owned by
> Xetra Comunicaciones but with the Finest City move there is
> a new Mexican concession holding company.

I boldfaced the reference in my post so you can see it more clearly. I was referencing the site of the Secretaria de Comunicaciones y Transportes, the licensing authority for Mexico. If the ownership changed, someone forgot to tell the SCT.<P ID="signature">______________


</P>

 

[mj]

Re: AM 690

> > > Yes, according to the SCT website: XETRA Comunicaciones
> > S.A.
> > > de C.V. (in English: XETRA Communications, Inc.) AM
> city
> > of
> > > license is Rosarito, BN; FM city of license is Tijuana,
> > BN.
> >
> > 91x is owned by Comunicacion Xersa. It used to be owned
> by
> > Xetra Comunicaciones but with the Finest City move there
> is
> > a new Mexican concession holding company.
>
> I boldfaced the reference in my post so you can see it more
> clearly. I was referencing the site of the Secretaria de
> Comunicaciones y Transportes, the licensing authority for
> Mexico. If the ownership changed, someone forgot to tell
> the SCT.

Nobody forgot to tell the SCT as they approved the transfer of ownership in November. It probably has not made the database yet.
>

 

[mj]

Re: AM 690

> > > Yes, according to the SCT website: XETRA Comunicaciones
> > S.A.
> > > de C.V. (in English: XETRA Communications, Inc.) AM
> city
> > of
> > > license is Rosarito, BN; FM city of license is Tijuana,
> > BN.
> >
> > 91x is owned by Comunicacion Xersa. It used to be owned
> by
> > Xetra Comunicaciones but with the Finest City move there
> is
> > a new Mexican concession holding company.
>
> I boldfaced the reference in my post so you can see it more
> clearly. I was referencing the site of the Secretaria de
> Comunicaciones y Transportes, the licensing authority for
> Mexico. If the ownership changed, someone forgot to tell
> the SCT.
>
and by the way I saw your reference the first time and since it was WRONG I thought I should give you the facts. If that was your attempt at sarcasm you are still wrong.

 

[zumahans1]

The laugh may be on someone else

> An "LA signal"
> They are delusionial. XTRA 690 squirts up well into
> coastal OC and LA, but not into the interiors well.
> While it is a great stick, It's not an LA stick,
> never was, never will be. You would think someone
> would learn by history.

Is this a joke?

The history of this station is that it was an LA station, back to when it changed its format to "Extra News Over Los Angeles" back in 1961.

Back then the AM band worked better - less interference and better radios, and XTRA was an LA station. LA ads, LA traffic, LA news.<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by zumahans1 on 02/09/06 03:08 AM.</FONT></P>

 

[Magic91derful]

Re: The laugh may be on someone else

40 years ago my friend. Yet it couldn't compete
once KFWB and later KNX flipped to All News.
They then went to XTRA music, which was always
a bigger factor in San Diego than LA, as was
their Top 40/CHR era as the Mighty 690.

Most recently XTRA-AM was a very successful SD
based sports station, with a regional following.
The billing was among the highest in the market.
They moved the station to LA in terms of content
and it floundered. It has been proven time in and
again that this is a Baja California/SD station.
Orange County is workable, anything else is fringe.


> > An "LA signal"
> > They are delusionial. XTRA 690 squirts up well into
> > coastal OC and LA, but not into the interiors well.
> > While it is a great stick, It's not an LA stick,
> > never was, never will be. You would think someone
> > would learn by history.
>
> Is this a joke?
>
> The history of this station is that it was an LA station,
> back to when it changed its format to "Extra News Over Los
> Angeles" back in 1961.
>
> Back then the AM band worked better - less interference and
> better radios, and XTRA was an LA station. LA ads, LA
> traffic, LA news.
>

 

[KMRichards]

Re: AM 690

> Nobody forgot to tell the SCT as they approved the transfer
> of ownership in November. It probably has not made the
> database yet.

If you don't mind, I'll wait until I see it in the database.
<P ID="signature">______________


</P>

 

[KMRichards]

Re: AM 690

> and by the way I saw your reference the first time and since
> it was WRONG I thought I should give you the facts. If that
> was your attempt at sarcasm you are still wrong.

"Wrong" is defined by your point of view. As I know nothing of the ownership change you cite, I consider the SCT records to be correct until <u>they</u> amend them.

As for the accusation of sarcasm, I simply thought you didn't know what "SCT" was and was therefore clarifying. Not everyone is familiar with that acronym.<P ID="signature">______________


</P>

 

[zumahans1]

Re: The laugh may be on someone else

> 40 years ago my friend.

40 years ago may be distant, but it is history.

 

[Magic91derful]

Re: The laugh may be on someone else

I agree. The sad fact is So California lost
a major AM station to another Hispanic format.
XTRA is a legendary station. First as XEAK
The Mighty 690, (with studios in the Mission
Valley Inn) and an early Top 40 format (late
fifties to early 60's) with such talent as
Ernie Myers and Noel Confer. Later under
McLendon they invented the world'f first
all news station XTRA News. They revived
the Mighty 690 brand in the early 80's
with a return to Top 40, and finally
created the first big time All Sports
station on the west coast in 1990.


> > 40 years ago my friend.
>
> 40 years ago may be distant, but it is history.
>

 

[RadioEngineer]

Re: The laugh may be on someone else

> I agree. The sad fact is So California lost
> a major AM station to another Hispanic format.
> XTRA is a legendary station. First as XEAK
> The Mighty 690, (with studios in the Mission
> Valley Inn) and an early Top 40 format (late
> fifties to early 60's) with such talent as
> Ernie Myers and Noel Confer. Later under
> McLendon they invented the world'f first
> all news station XTRA News. They revived
> the Mighty 690 brand in the early 80's
> with a return to Top 40, and finally
> created the first big time All Sports
> station on the west coast in 1990.
Just to note that there was very very successful period for XETRA-AM as "The Beautiful 690" from the early 70's to the change back to the Mighty 690 in the early 80's. After that fizzled, it became "XTRA Gold" with some success until the change to sports. It was also the first AM Stereo station on the air in the world utilizing the Kahn system.

 

[mj]

Re: The laugh may be on someone else

> > I agree. The sad fact is So California lost
> > a major AM station to another Hispanic format.
> > XTRA is a legendary station. First as XEAK
> > The Mighty 690, (with studios in the Mission
> > Valley Inn) and an early Top 40 format (late
> > fifties to early 60's) with such talent as
> > Ernie Myers and Noel Confer. Later under
> > McLendon they invented the world'f first
> > all news station XTRA News. They revived
> > the Mighty 690 brand in the early 80's
> > with a return to Top 40, and finally
> > created the first big time All Sports
> > station on the west coast in 1990.
> Just to note that there was very very successful period for
> XETRA-AM as "The Beautiful 690" from the early 70's to the
> change back to the Mighty 690 in the early 80's. After that
> fizzled, it became "XTRA Gold" with some success until the
> change to sports. It was also the first AM Stereo station on
> the air in the world utilizing the Kahn system.

John --as I recall it was called XTRA Music when it was beautiful music from the 70's until '81 when the Mighty 690 was launched as a top 40 with Whip It by Devo as the first song.
>

 

[RadioEngineer]

Re: The laugh may be on someone else

.
> > Just to note that there was very very successful period
> for
> > XETRA-AM as "The Beautiful 690" from the early 70's to the
>
> > change back to the Mighty 690 in the early 80's. After
> that
> > fizzled, it became "XTRA Gold" with some success until the
>
> > change to sports. It was also the first AM Stereo station
> on
> > the air in the world utilizing the Kahn system.
>
> John --as I recall it was called XTRA Music when it was
> beautiful music from the 70's until '81 when the Mighty 690
> was launched as a top 40 with Whip It by Devo as the first
> song.
> >
>
It had a couple of identifiers, and you're right, one was XTRA music. The jingles were done by Bo Donovan as I barely recall, and the singing was "690 Xtra Music", but it was also known as the Beautiful 690, because the format was "Beautiful Music." The billboard campaign was indeed "XTRA Music" at some point during that time. I produced the format and assisted with the engineering in Mexico. I could tell stories. It was to me, the end of the glory days of the station. I can't remember the names of the "consultants" that came in and changed it because a 5 share 12+ wasn't enough, but I guarantee Rich Wood, the program director at the time, would. The station never again approached the lofty "5". It was a great station in that format, but nobody knew how to sell it. Sound familiar?

JB

 

[KMRichards]

Re: The laugh may be on someone else

> I agree. The sad fact is So California lost
> a major AM station to another Hispanic format.

Let me see if I follow your logic.

It is "sad" that a station licensed in Mexico, where the dominant language is Spanish, is going to be broadcasting in Spanish?

Question is rhetorical, no replies will be needed or tolerated.<P ID="signature">______________


</P>

 

[RichWood]

Re: The laugh may be on someone else

> It had a couple of identifiers, and you're right, one was
> XTRA music. The jingles were done by Bo Donovan as I barely
> recall, and the singing was "690 Xtra Music", but it was
> also known as the Beautiful 690, because the format was
> "Beautiful Music." The billboard campaign was indeed "XTRA
> Music" at some point during that time. I produced the
> format and assisted with the engineering in Mexico. I could
> tell stories. It was to me, the end of the glory days of
> the station. I can't remember the names of the
> "consultants" that came in and changed it because a 5 share
> 12+ wasn't enough, but I guarantee Rich Wood, the program
> director at the time, would. The station never again
> approached the lofty "5". It was a great station in that
> format, but nobody knew how to sell it. Sound familiar?

The jingles were done by a company called "Network." The creative mind behind it was Bo Donovan. It was the company that sued AFTRA (and won) over its non-union status. You might also remember that we sued a group of San Diego stations headed by Dan McKinnon of your former station when they went to ad agencies and tried to get them to boycott XTRA. The figure was $39 million. $13 million per station. They settled.

I recall Tim Moore from Michigan (we worked together at TM Programming in Dallas) was involved in some way with the company. Bob Harper was also involved and programmed our Top 40/Oldies formats for the syndication company.

That was lifetimes ago. As I recall, the Beautiful Music format went to XHERS. I left the company to start my own, then moved to New York to program WPIX-FM. I think we can all be proud of how good XTRA sounded and how well it competed with KJQY, even with their massive promotion.

Rich

 

[RichWood]

Re: The laugh may be on someone else

> Just to note that there was very very successful period for
> XETRA-AM as "The Beautiful 690" from the early 70's to the
> change back to the Mighty 690 in the early 80's. After that
> fizzled, it became "XTRA Gold" with some success until the
> change to sports. It was also the first AM Stereo station on
> the air in the world utilizing the Kahn system.

As XTRA Music the station was very successful. I realize comments on it going Spanish won't be toerated, so I'll risk banishment. When Jose Lopez-Portillo was President he liked the idea of English language "Border Blasters." We made an agreement with him to replace the Spanish "Mexican Hour" with an English version. Ed Noble and his family (XTRA's owner at the time) were close friends with him. The President believed that English language border stations brought prestige to Mexico and, in some way, brought a better understanding between the countries.

Stations in Baja had much more freedom than others in the rest of the country. Through XTRA's syndication company I programmerd XEVIP, Mexico City. The rules were almost completely different.

Rich
Former PD XTRA

 

[RadioEngineer]

Re: The laugh may be on someone else

> > It had a couple of identifiers, and you're right, one was
> > XTRA music. The jingles were done by Bo Donovan as I
> barely
> > recall, and the singing was "690 Xtra Music", but it was
> > also known as the Beautiful 690, because the format was
> > "Beautiful Music." The billboard campaign was indeed
> "XTRA
> > Music" at some point during that time. I produced the
> > format and assisted with the engineering in Mexico. I
> could
> > tell stories. It was to me, the end of the glory days of
> > the station. I can't remember the names of the
> > "consultants" that came in and changed it because a 5
> share
> > 12+ wasn't enough, but I guarantee Rich Wood, the program
> > director at the time, would. The station never again
> > approached the lofty "5". It was a great station in that
> > format, but nobody knew how to sell it. Sound familiar?
>
> The jingles were done by a company called "Network." The
> creative mind behind it was Bo Donovan. It was the company
> that sued AFTRA (and won) over its non-union status. You
> might also remember that we sued a group of San Diego
> stations headed by Dan McKinnon of your former station when
> they went to ad agencies and tried to get them to boycott
> XTRA. The figure was $39 million. $13 million per station.
> They settled.
>
> I recall Tim Moore from Michigan (we worked together at TM
> Programming in Dallas) was involved in some way with the
> company. Bob Harper was also involved and programmed our Top
> 40/Oldies formats for the syndication company.
>
> That was lifetimes ago. As I recall, the Beautiful Music
> format went to XHERS. I left the company to start my own,
> then moved to New York to program WPIX-FM. I think we can
> all be proud of how good XTRA sounded and how well it
> competed with KJQY, even with their massive promotion.
>
> Rich
>
The group that McKinnon formed was "CERF." Citizens for Equality in Radio Frequencies. All of the American radio and TV licensees in San Diego were part of it, and the purpose was to prevent XETRA-FM (91X) from going on the air at full power 100 kW. But let's clarify that I never had any association with McKinnon. When I went to KSON it was Jefferson Pilot and Clarke Brown.

JB

 

[RichWood]

Re: The laugh may be on someone else

> The group that McKinnon formed was "CERF." Citizens for
> Equality in Radio Frequencies. All of the American radio
> and TV licensees in San Diego were part of it, and the
> purpose was to prevent XETRA-FM (91X) from going on the air
> at full power 100 kW. But let's clarify that I never had
> any association with McKinnon. When I went to KSON it was
> Jefferson Pilot and Clarke Brown.

I know you were at KSON well after the CERF incident. Gannett didn't participate (KSDO) because they had something pending with the FCC and didn't want to be involved in anything that might screw it up. Those were the days when the FCC actually did things beyond levying fines. The actual lawsuit was prompted by the stations badmouthing us at the agencies.

Rich