You can't beat KFI with infomercials and useless newscasts

[david]

KABC is the one station in this town that has aspirations of competing with KFI, yet unlike KFI, they shoot themselves in the foot by airing infomercials during the weekend overnight hours (Sunday and Monday early AM). This is such a repulsive programming step that its stench sticks to the station throughout the rest of the broadcast week. Sister stations KGO and WABC would never dream of inserting infomercials into their schedule, and look how well they are faring in comparison. George Green's KABC of yesteryear also never aired infomercials and KABC dominated this market during that era. KABC claims "you will hear about it, and we will talk about it before anyone else". Really? While KABC is wasting 4 hour blocks of time on infomercials, KFI is airing actual content.

KABC also launched an amateuristic jingle and music bed package a few months back. The music bed underneath the newscasts is simply irritating. Furthermore, during fringe hours, and often on the half hour, KABC's "newscasts" consist of just one story, that often times ran in the prior day's LA Times. Conversely, KFI and KGO air full fledged, comprehensive newscasts on the hour and on the half.

And don't get me started on the ridiculous Talkradio with Passion tagline...

I look forward to reading comments on KABC's ability to become a strong competitor to KFI.<P ID="signature">______________
Peace is the word, and the Voice of the Peace is THE station, 24 hours a day. (Tribute to the VOP 1540 which broadcast for 20 years in the Eastern Mediterranean)</P>

 

[ChannelFlipper]

Don't look forward to too many comments for something that is not going to happen.

>
> I look forward to reading comments on KABC's ability to
> become a strong competitor to KFI.
>

 

[Magic91derful]

With Citadel's purchase expect some wholesale changes
at KABC. Mornings-are they even in the top 20?
The new owners will take chances to become more
competitive. KFI gets away with murder, since they
have the format all locked up right now. Regarding
infommercials, hey if you aren't making budget believe
me it's easy money.



> Don't look forward to too many comments for something that
> is not going to happen.
>
> >
> > I look forward to reading comments on KABC's ability to
> > become a strong competitor to KFI.
> >
>

 

[RatchetUp]

> KGO and WABC would never dream of inserting infomercials
> into their schedule, and look how well they are faring in
> comparison.

Don't know about KGO but one easy check of WABC's program schedule shows they run a bunch of paid programming. I'm not defending the practice but it kind of shoots down your theory, huh?

Here's a way to look at it - Companies are paying a ton of money to shill their shlock and potions on big sticks like KABC and WABC. They wouldn't keep doing it if they didn't like the return on their investment. The only way that happens if plenty of people are listening and buying.

 

[impala88]

Wow, times have changed. I remember the early '70s, when KABC was THE talk station in LA. I don't recall any other station that had "talk" as a format back then. Anyone else?

> With Citadel's purchase expect some wholesale changes
> at KABC. Mornings-are they even in the top 20?
> The new owners will take chances to become more
> competitive. KFI gets away with murder, since they
> have the format all locked up right now. Regarding
> infommercials, hey if you aren't making budget believe
> me it's easy money.
>
>
>
> > Don't look forward to too many comments for something that
>
> > is not going to happen.
> >
> > >
> > > I look forward to reading comments on KABC's ability to
> > > become a strong competitor to KFI.
> > >
> >
>

 

[ajhenderson]

> KABC is the one station in this town that has aspirations of
> competing with KFI, yet unlike KFI, they shoot themselves in
> the foot by airing infomercials during the weekend overnight
> hours (Sunday and Monday early AM). This is such a repulsive
> programming step that its stench sticks to the station
> throughout the rest of the broadcast week. Sister stations
> KGO and WABC would never dream of inserting infomercials
> into their schedule, and look how well they are faring in
> comparison. George Green's KABC of yesteryear also never
> aired infomercials and KABC dominated this market during
> that era. KABC claims "you will hear about it, and we will
> talk about it before anyone else". Really? While KABC is
> wasting 4 hour blocks of time on infomercials, KFI is airing
> actual content.

WABC is an even worse operation. Tons of paid crapola, fourth-tier syndie shows on weekends, and no local talk after 11:45am during the week. The only thing THEY have going for them is the same thing KFI has going for it - their talk competitor WOR makes KABC look like a shrine to all that is right with broadcasting.

 

[davideduardo]

Re: It does not matter.

> KABC is the one station in this town that has aspirations of
> competing with KFI, yet unlike KFI, they shoot themselves in
> the foot by airing infomercials during the weekend overnight
> hours (Sunday and Monday early AM). This is such a repulsive
> programming step that its stench sticks to the station
> throughout the rest of the broadcast week.

First, midnight to 6 are not in the ratings tabulations that are usually looked at. All are for 6 AM to 12 Midnight. You have to do extra steps to even see overnights, and advertisers pay no attention to the listening at those hours.

In fact, even the final hours of evenings have such low radio usage as to be throw away hours... as is 7 Mid on Saturday and Sunday... nearly nobody listens.

Second, so few people ever listen after midnight thta 99% of listeners probably have no idea what is on on Saturday and Sunday overnights.

In other words this few hours on saturday and Sunday have no impact on KABC or any other station.


> Sister stations
> KGO and WABC would never dream of inserting infomercials
> into their schedule, and look how well they are faring in
> comparison. George Green's KABC of yesteryear also never
> aired infomercials and KABC dominated this market during
> that era.

The market was much smaller 20 years ago, and KABC's 5 kw signal covered it well in an era of lower interference and les sprawl. Today, KFI's signal overwhelms that of KABC, and is one of the main reasons KFI eventually beat KABC after a long duel.

> KABC claims "you will hear about it, and we will
> talk about it before anyone else". Really? While KABC is
> wasting 4 hour blocks of time on infomercials, KFI is airing
> actual content.

And nobody is listening. In its highest AQH person daypart, KFI has nearly 150,000 listeners. In one hour in Sunday AMs, they have less than 20 thousand listeners on what is the #1 AM in the market and which outcovers KABC by about 4 to 1.
>
> KABC also launched an amateuristic jingle and music bed
> package a few months back. The music bed underneath the
> newscasts is simply irritating. Furthermore, during fringe
> hours, and often on the half hour, KABC's "newscasts"
> consist of just one story, that often times ran in the prior
> day's LA Times. Conversely, KFI and KGO air full fledged,
> comprehensive newscasts on the hour and on the half.

KFI and KGO have signals. KABC does not.

> I look forward to reading comments on KABC's ability to
> become a strong competitor to KFI.

It can never be more than an also-ran today. The signal is atrocious compared to KFI, and they will have to look for alternate ways of making money.
>

 

[davideduardo]

> Wow, times have changed. I remember the early '70s, when
> KABC was THE talk station in LA. I don't recall any other
> station that had "talk" as a format back then. Anyone else?

KGBS had Bill Ballance around that time, a full fledged lifewstyle talk show.