I'm hoping that someone in sales or management can answer this question for me.

Can KPAM continue with the numbers it gets ? I know Pamplin has money so that's not an issue. But rich people didn't get rich and they don't stay rich by investing in sub-par products.

I don't listen to the station, and occasionally see the ratings. Seems to me this experiment isn't working.

If I want conservative talk I go to KXL or KEX.

What is KPAM's niche ?

I suggested on another thread that KPAM should go to all local sports. At least if you go to local sports and the numbers are small, you still have that target male demo you can reach.

Sure would get the people at Entercom nervous.

Just an idea.

Future???
Hopefully we will hear Elvis soon.....
Olides can't come fast enough

As far as I know KPAM isn't bankrupt but KPOJ is. What is on KPOJ anyway that people want to hear, Trix? Lets put oldies on 620. I have KD radio on and wonder how a format like that would work in Portland. They have a great variety of songs.

uhh..KPOJ isnt bankrupt, the network providing a large portion of their programming in. Let's get facts correct...as long as Clear Channel isnt bankrupt, KPOJ will not be. Liberal talk, like it or not, is a ratings sucess in Portland, and if Air America sinks, i would expect KPOJ to be repopulated with similar or like programming.

KPAM on the other hand, has far too much invested, especially in a long term contract with Bob Miller. That being said, no reason to think the current format has to stay for a morning show program like Miller's to be compatible still. I expect KPAM to continue as is, for a while yet, but i wouldnt be surprised to see changes by late 2007 if the ratings dont upswing, but i would expect a format that Miller could function in, which could include oldies i suppose, but not sports talk (even though i think KFXX is entirely vulnerable to another station going the next level over them)

I can't see KPAM making many changes. What will KPOJ do now that Airhead America is bankrupt? It would make no sense to me to see 620 keep a sinking ship afloat. I would say there would have to be enough local hosts if they want to keep a liberal format going. Otherwise 620 would be wise to give up that format and let NPR keep going with it.

Liberal talk, like it or not, is a ratings sucess in Portland...Really???...Would someone explain to me how KPOJ is doing really??? Looks like it isn't doing as good as the poster claims!!
Summer 2006 Arbitron Quarterly Report (Updated: 10-23-06)
(12+ Population: 1,963,400) (Surveyed: Continously)

Station Fall 05 Win 06 Spr 06 Sum 06 Format Owner
KPOJ-AM 4.1 4.1 3.5 2.8 Talk Clear Channel Radio

Compared to conservative talk radio:
KEX-AM 5.1 5.0 5.2 4.9 News/Talk Clear Channel Radio
KXL-AM 3.5 3.7 3.9 4.2 News/Talk Rose City Radio Corp.

That's the cume. Look at the demo; that's where the money is. No one cares about the cume.

Clear Channel has already stated that it stands behind the progressive talk format on 24 of its stations regardless of Air America's status. If it goes dark, I'm sure someone will syndicate Randi Rhoades at the least. IOW, nature abhors a vacuum and that programming gap will be filled--however much you might want the conversation out there to stay one-sided.

I have a radical idea for KPAM. Call me crazy, but here's what I think the winning formula should be:

Clark Howard

24 Hours a day, 7 days a week

(and news/traffic/weather)

Be bold, Dr. Pamplin!!!! They said Charlie FM wouldn't work either - it's time to try the Clark format!

Andrew

There has been a lot of discussion of "all-news", but after further review, just doesn't make sense unless you have a strong tv news affiiiate to back you up. Otherwise, the investment would be out of question.

Spanish is an option. So is all-sports,(can be expensive if done right), even though other PDX frequencies have tried and failed.

Out of the box thinking...All-traffic. All-business. Is anyone doing the "money" format right now? Religious? All sorts of options, many less expensive than current thinking. Unfortunately, the current egocentric thinking of ownership will not allow for cost-effective programming.

However, best answer may be to duplicate KIXI-AM in Seattle, a nostalgia station with a super signal that garners decent adult numbers year afte year.

Wayner said>>>
What will KPOJ do now that Airhead America is bankrupt?

CONTINUE to run AAR!

Wayner said>>>
Lets put oldies on 620.

WHY???
KPAM would be a better fit nobody gives two craps about KPAM anyway....

KPAM sucks

Would it be beyond the realm of possibility for KPAM to partner with a TV station to get the resources needed? It seems like a win-win for both stations.

I can hear it now...

Northwest Newschannel 860

By Lynns on Monday, November 06, 2006 - 7:46 pm:
"That's the cume. Look at the demo; that's where the money is. No one cares about the cume."

Before you claim that what I put on this thread is "cume", by the way it came from another thread on this board, you might want to go to the Arbitron website. It will enlighten you in that the numbers are AQH Share for Persons 12+, Mon-Sun 6AM-Mid.

As for you who says that KPAM "sucks", they are staffed with some of the best news people, IMHO in Portland. I like to listen to it because it's staffed with people who I enjoyed when they worked on Macadam Avenue and they continue to put out a quality product.

Good for you!

Lynn said...That's the cume. Look at the demo; that's where the money is. No one cares about the cume.

tsk tsk Lynn, you know better...that's not the cume, it's 12-plus AQH. Big difference.

Even so...most AM's in this market, particularly KPAM...would be thrilled to be bouncing around between the high 2's and low 4's.

Wayne, Portland AM radio is not so politically simple as you seem to think...KEX and KXL are much more than "conservative talk"...both have a strong sports cume in addition to their tightie-rightie talk shows, plus KEX's programming in both drives is news-and-entertainment driven, rather than playing strictly to the dittoheads, and the nighttime Bell/Noory franchise is an apolitical gold mine. And KXL, without the Ducks and the Blazers, would be hurting in a big way.

NPR is not "liberal talk." If you think they are, then you haven't listened. You should try; they're at 91.5 FM. They're driven by the most in-depth and independent news in the nation. They do ask hard questions and they do speak truth to power, and both science and academia are taken seriously rather than being hooted at, as is the fashion in some quarters. They're a solid #1 in this market for good reason. Which actually speaks well for Portland.

I'll put my 2 cents in since I started the festivities.

Start Bob Miller in the morning and then morph into a local personality/sports talk station.

After that you would segueway into Dwight Jaynes who could go current events and/or sports. Plus he's already on the Pamplin payroll.

Throw Kerry Eggers in there for an hour of NBA talk (once again on the Pamplin payroll).

I would throw Pivo and Canzano into the mix later in the day and there you have it.

If KPAM can move a ratings point and take a point away from The Fan, isn't that worth about 300-400 k in this market.

I'll let you sales wizards figure it out.

Maybe it would be a good move in the evening for KPAM. How many people listen late night to them? I repeat what I said a million times before but it needs to be said. Put the sports there and not on the sister KKAD!

Last I heard, KIXI switched to MOYL which is already on 1550.

KSHO in the valley has MOYL too but no baseball I don't believe.

I heard Stardust is just about completely out of standards. That's 1 down and 2 to go, Miss Francis!

Sounds like they need to give the "Stardust" format a new name, like maybe a song title from the soft rock era. My suggestion is "Silly Love Songs."

........By Marley on Monday, November 06, 2006 - 9:13 pm:
I'll put my 2 cents in since I started the festivities.

After that you would segueway into Dwight Jaynes who could go current events and/or sports. Plus he's already on the Pamplin payroll.

Throw Kerry Eggers in there for an hour of NBA talk (once again on the Pamplin payroll)........


Didn't they try something along those lines when they first went on the air?

business side of the station. They are news/talk station. These usually get a 1.2 to 2.0 power ratio. Based on the average of the last four books before this Summer book. They should be finish the year on the high side $3.4M and on the low side $2.2M. I would peg them as a station that will bill $2.5M due to the fact there are two other stations doing the same political slant. Though the local programming helps.

Marley is EXACTLY right about what KPAM should do. Especially with the Blazers on the rebound, they can definitely cause KXL fits by talking about "their" team, while Lars is yapping about zoning variances. KXL spends half their time chasing away their talk audience with their sports programming, and the rest of their time chasing away their sports audience with their talk shows. It's a disaster.

You can mix local talk with sports on a talk show, IF YOU ARE INTERESTED AND KNOWLEDGEABLE about sports. Lars is neither, and admits it.

Not a big fan of Canzano, but there's plenty of people who would be great on a "NEW" KPAM, like Ron Pivo. I'm not a fan of Emerson either, but he has an audience.

I also agree with the local twist. Lets face it local is why radio has lasted as long as it has. Something we all feel unified in and some in Corp. America don't seem to understand.

If Pamplin can afford to lose money on the Tribune, he can afford to keep KPAM.

Is KPAM going under yet?
BRING BACK ELVIS!

To answer a previous post. Yes. Dwight did have a local radio show. It was back when KPAM first started. It was a sports show, but I really don't think KPAM knew what it wanted to be back then. Dwight has good opinions. Maybe a little jaded, but a sharp guy who should be given an opportunity on the air. If KPAM wanted to go sports/local talk (Bob Miller), I think with Pamplin's advertising dollars and the right people as mentioned above, it could steal a lot of listeners. Right now I'm just not sure it is making much of an impact.

Paulwalker asks,

> Is anyone doing the "money" format right now?
> Religious? All sorts of options, many less
> expensive than current thinking.

Yes, KBNP 1410 is doing business talk. I think that their main handicap is having a nighttime power on the order of 10 Watts. They can be heard in southeast Portland, but they do not make it over the West Hills.

KPAM was doing a Contemporary Christian format before it went talk.

I agree with Marley. I enjoyed Dwight when he was at KPAM. If he returned to the air, I'd tune in. Sharp guy indeed.

When I worked for the leading retail optical chain in the Northwest we always had 50% of the advertising paid by a third party. That 3rd party would then be able to place the ads on stations that supported their views.

I saw it as just laundrying money to keep those stations on the air. The funds for Air America seemed to dry up as it began to look like the Democrats were going to take over the House and the Senate. The hope was to take out AAR.

Well it didn't work, not the money laundry will begin to dry up for conservative talk radio and or they will begin to funnel the money back to Air America to say we are letting both sides be heard.

This next year is going to be real fun to see what finally happens. If you don't believe it look at the radio stations in Ohio, massive lay offs began in October when it was seen that the state was going to go blue. Radio Station owners got proactive and laid off people left and right to meet the future decline in third party money back filling advertising air time.

The best part of it all is that the 3rd party paying for any of the advertising on an FCC frequency is illegal, but when you pay more than 40 times what a station is worth who cares what is legal or illegal when you have to make those loan payments.

So if the Democrats force the FCC to inforce the rules how many stations will go under?

Saveitnow....

I saw some black helicopters flying over the West Hills this afternoon. What do you think it means? I figure Bush is secretly putting specially trained troops of CIA operatives into Portland prior to a complete military takeouver. They're going to takeover Portland because Ron Saxton only got 25 percent of the vote, so they know Portland is un-American. By the way, I know this is true because I read all about it on secret Media Matters and Move On websites.

Really you saw Black Helicopter? What make? Or are you just full of crap.

I saw a black helicopter at pearson airpark last summer. no joke. I had to drive up closer just to make sure. It was parked by the fuel pump on the north side of the strip. It was unattended and nary a soldier or sharpshooter in sight. I wanted to sneak up on it but somehow spending a few weeks detained with pro-Bush numbskulls didn't appeal to me.

(I think somebody around here owns a private helicopter that is painted black. Looks militaryish too.)

What make?

Saveitnow>> the 3rd party paying for any of the advertising on an FCC frequency is illegal

Can you say "Co-op advertising," boys and girls? What blogger gave you that bit of misinformation?

When KPAM first went to a talk format, they called themselves "Live and Local." All their talk segments were local (Pete Schulberg, Bill Gallagher, etc). Now, the only "local" is their morning guy (and, of course, their news segments). Everything else is syndicated (that I know of anyway). I live outside PDX and can only hear the station during the day so I don't know what their night or overnight programming consists of (other than Tom Parker, who is also local). Hey, I've got an idea... Why not move Tom back to days where he was before?

The Laundrying of money from an unrelated party for Co-op advertising is what is illegal.

If you are a lumber dealer and you Co-op with home builder, I am well aware that this is legal.

However if you are a lobbyist and you pay an advertising agency a "fee" to offer even further discounted rates to Co-Ops provided they advertise on certain stations, that is illegal. It's being going on since the 80's and it's now time to prosecute this activity.

But then it would be bye bye to many radio stations.

"what make"

Chrysler, of course.

I don't know the make, but the reason it looked militaryish was because of the huge turbine exhaust cowling . . . never noticed them on commercial helicopters around here. Also, it was substancially newer than those vietnam issue copters. But not as big as the Coast Guard ones or the ones from Columbia Helicopters that fly around here a lot.

When is KPAM switching to Progressive talk?? I heard December 11th??? Anyone???

This is the first I've heard of it! Keep us posted.

Victora Taft is also local on KPAM, Oregonradioguy. That gives them three local shows, none of which I listen to. (I did listen to Taft briefly after election day, to sample what right-wing media was saying. But I digress.) But they have made some headway, haven't they? I assume Miller's show is considered successful, Clark Howard has a loyal following, and Hannity is presumably successful. Are they still losing money? Would it just be a matter of finding a good afternoon show?

I do like KPAM news; I usually listen to KPOJ most of the time, but Air America news is awful (except for Bill Crowley), and I often switch briefly to KPAM at the top of the hour. I used to listen to KPAM all the time when it was new (and all local), but none of the current shows has much appeal for me.

Andrew

Andrew said>>>
Are they still losing money? Would it just be a matter of finding a good afternoon show?

No doubt they are losing money. They're bleeding profusely and there is no way to stop it. Maybe if they were to have a local show like you said and get rid of Insannity they could pull themselves out of the rut??? Who knows... ULTRA-Right wing talk is dead anyway....

I wonder if a general entertainment talk & song show could make it these days on radio. (Did Mike Douglas ever have anything on that required a picture?) Oh, there's PHC, for the patient and very attentive. Something Gene-Shepherdish?

I used to sneak a pocket TV (RS's first, tiny B/W one) into my cubicle-job to listen to David Letterman on the earphone. (We were allowed Walkmans at night; with the lid closed, who could tell?) Despite the show's heavy reliance on visual effects and sight gags (back in the show's pioneering NBC days), it was still sufficiently diverting.

I had a chance to catch Lionel on KPAM Saturday and Sunday evening. That guy seems to be doing a pretty good show. Both of the segments that I tuned into were criticisms of the neo-conservative philosophy, and he managed to make his presentation in a way that was entertaining but without resorting to name-calling. I was surprised that he would put so much passion into this topic.

KPAM is still on the air???