XHPRS (105.7 Max FM)/San Diego Programming Taken Off FM Signal In Lease Dispute

[Y2kTheNewOldies]

https://www.allaccess.com/net-news/...-105-7-max-fm-san-diego-programming-taken-off

However the streamed edition of MaxFM was running when the dispute took place.

What's happening at BROADCAST COMPANY OF THE AMERICAS Classic Hits XHPRS (105.7 MAX FM)/SAN DIEGO? The SAN DIEGO READER's KEN LEIGHTON is reporting that the station was booted from its leased over-the-air Mexican-licensed signal due to a rent dispute, with owner ANDREAS BICHARA complaining of unpaid rent. The station as monitored by ALL ACCESS FRIDAY afternoon is airing Classic Alternative music from the '80s with no jocks or IDs, although the RDS readout from the OTA signal continues to display the MAX slogan; the MAX programming is being streamed online, and the OTA RDS is showing the songs from the stream rather than what is being heard on the air.

 

[Willits]

Is the terrestrial radio biz so bad now that they can't pay their rent? Or is it just them?

 

[davideduardo]

Is the terrestrial radio biz so bad now that they can't pay their rent? Or is it just them?

It's just them. They are a low, low biller in the market and probably facing an increase in the LMA payment with the Mexican licensee.

They are way down around 25th in billing in the San Diego / Tijuana market.

 

[crainbebo]

1700 has flipped to Spanish per DXers up here. Not sure what's going on with 1090 but I'll check before I go to bed. I suspect 105.7 will go Spanish too.

 

[GEDA1990]

The frequencies 105.7 FM and 1700 AM belong to Media Sports de Mexico property of Jaime Bonilla Valdez (senator of Baja California by Morena)

 

[GEDA1990]

More Info:

Broadcast Company of Americas 1980s Hits “105.7 Max-FM” XHPRS-FM Tijuana/San Diego is currently off the air reportedly due to money owed to station licensee Jaime Bonilla Valdez.

The San Diego Reader reports that the station’s programming was pulled on Wednesday evening and replaced with a separate mix of Alternative leaning 1980s music originating from Mexico with no commercials or imaging. BCA’s programming continues to run on co-owned “ESPN 1700” XEPE Cerro Jaramillo. The company also leases 1090 XEPRS Rancho del Mar from Andreas Bichara as Sports “Mighty 1090“.

The Reader states that Bichara is separately seeking a new operator for 1090 at $100,000 per month or to buy outright for $12 million.

XHPRS-FM ranked 21st in the San Diego market with a 2.2 share in the November 2018 Nielsen Audio ratings. Entercom’s competing Classic Hits “Sunny 98.1” KXSN was third with a 5.4 share.

https://radioinsight.com/headlines/...max-fm-san-diego-programming-in-rent-dispute/

 

[crainbebo]

1090 was still sports as of 12:30am this morning.

 

[Kent]

It's just them. They are a low, low biller in the market and probably facing an increase in the LMA payment with the Mexican licensee.

They are way down around 25th in billing in the San Diego / Tijuana market.

From what I understand, what little audience Max had has mostly gone to KXSN since it flipped to classic hits. I haven’t listened to Max since shortly after KXSN flipped, but KXSN sounded a lot better. Granted, these days, I'm just a listener, but, if I can tell it, the other listeners can, too.

I hear the Max website says it hopes to be back soon.

 

[MarkW]

105.7 screwed up when it dumped "The Walrus" branding.

 

[jarr750114]

UPDATE: Since today, the station has an ID: "...XHPRS 105.7 FM, transmitiendo desde Valle de las Palmas en Tecate Baja California México...". For now, they have only the initials, dial number and location. Every half hour they have just a pair of goverment announcements and the playlist is still random 70's/80's...

Maybe they will be more info during the days coming. Regarding 1700 AM, is broadcasting the PSN TV signal alongside 1310 AM, 1420 AM and 1030 AM.

 

[philosofy]

Saw this at the UT's site this morning: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.co...-diego-mighty-1090-sports-20181220-story.html

1090 is hopeful that they won't meet the same fate as 105.7 and 1700

 

[GEDA1990]

Also the 1150 AM in Mexicali broadcast the PSN TV signal, was Radio Formula's affiliate

 

[david]

I'm enjoying this "random" playlist and the hearing of deeper cuts by artists like OMD and Tears For Fears that essentially are never heard on American stations with their all too tight playlists of only the most well tested tracks, no matter how crisp they've been burned by overplaying them. Consider Madness, can't US stations play anything other than "Our House"? So many great tracks from them like Baggy Trousers, Night Boat to Cairo, Cardiac Arrest, etc.

 

[davideduardo]

... that essentially are never heard on American stations with their all too tight playlists of only the most well tested tracks, no matter how crisp they've been burned by overplaying them.

That statement is a contradiction.

If a song is "burnt to a crisp" it will not score as playable in a music test.

Generally, if you do not hear a song that is of the same genre as a particular station, it is because the song tests negatively and many listeners would fall in the "I don't like it" to "I hate it" range.

If you do hear a song, it tested well in the last test the station did... and stations don't just test once. They test over and over. I have been with one station that tested 6 times a year at a cost of nearly $200,000!

 

[GEDA1990]

The station was off air for a few seconds, but they returned and was during "Addicted to Love" of Robert Palmer at 11:44 pm

 

[david]

That statement is a contradiction.
If a song is "burnt to a crisp" it will not score as playable in a music test.
Generally, if you do not hear a song that is of the same genre as a particular station, it is because the song tests negatively and many listeners would fall in the "I don't like it" to "I hate it" range.
If you do hear a song, it tested well in the last test the station did... and stations don't just test once. They test over and over. I have been with one station that tested 6 times a year at a cost of nearly $200,000!

David, factoring in how posters here are typically P1 listeners, the concept of a particular station's music mix being burnt to a crisp is very pertinent as it pertains to our ears. The "I don't like it" & "I hate it" music tests responses you cite are common general audience risk averse reactions, as familiarity breeds comfort. That empowers the commercial driven decisions regarding tight playlists but does not breed radio artistic excellence.

As such, 105.7's current approach, which is a release from the normally tight formatics that prevail, is a rare opportunity on American (adjacent) commercial radio to hear some relative adverturousness, and that is a pleasure for this P1 listener, who also recognizes that this musical oasis is probably a brief occurence and will soon be shunted aside by something less bold.

 

[davideduardo]

. That empowers the commercial driven decisions regarding tight playlists but does not breed radio artistic excellence.

Nobody does a music test or sets out to do a station with the specific idea of having a "tight" playlist. We set out to not play songs that are significantly negative. If a large group of songs is tested and a very large bunch of them pass whatever minimum score the station sets, most of us would play every one of them.

I've done adult hits tests where over 1,000 songs passed, and CHR tests where under 100 songs got over the minimum score. In each case, the station played the full list of the songs that passed.

As such, 105.7's current approach, which is a release from the normally tight formatics that prevail, is a rare opportunity on American (adjacent) commercial radio to hear some relative adverturousness, and that is a pleasure for this P1 listener, who also recognizes that this musical oasis is probably a brief occurence and will soon be shunted aside by something less bold.

I don't expect this music blend will continue as it appears to be a playlist assembled simply to fill in the empty hours following the LMA breakup. The list sounds very much like what a Mexican station in that format might play for a Mexican audience, where often totally different songs and artists become the big hits... the area of the world where Credence Clearwater Revival sold much much better than the Beatles.

 

[Gregg.]

Before KXSN became San Diego's top Classic Hits station, it had been Soft AC for several years, often hitting #1.

I always wondered, if KXSN takes the format 105.7 had been running, why didn't 105.7 take the Soft AC format that had been so successful for KXSN? Why would a Mexican radio station compete with a U.S. station in an English Classic Hits format? Yes, Max does have a great signal. I'm sure most people don't realize Max is in Mexico. I thought Max and KXSN's playlists were quite similar. But why didn't XHPRS go Soft AC, especially with the current trend of Soft ACs popping up in San Francisco, Seattle, Miami, Jacksonville. After all, it wasn't unexplored territory. KXSN had often been #1 as a Soft AC.

I'd think it would be a no-brainer, especially when Classic Hits KXSN often had triple the listeners as Max.

 

[Dr. Sound]

A Mexican owner holding hostage an American broadcaster? Forget that! Just move Max-FM to the more powerful KWFN 97.3 and turn it into a "real" old school station or a "K-earth" type format and cut into Sunny 98.1's revenue stream, once and for all!

 

[davideduardo]

A Mexican owner holding hostage an American broadcaster? Forget that! Just move Max-FM to the more powerful KWFN 97.3 and turn it into a "real" old school station or a "K-earth" type format and cut into Sunny 98.1's revenue stream, once and for all!

The reason the Mexican owner cut off BCA who was a renter is that, well, BCA did not pay the rent.

No hostage situation. The station was not making enough money to cover costs and it was in default on its lease.

Sunny is gold based AC and is not going to be affected much by an old school or classic hits station.

In fact, Max was unprofitable because a better competitor came along.

And KWFN is owned by the same folks as Sunny. They are not going to compete with themselves. Nor are they going to kill what promises to be a very profitable all sports station.