Is it too late to get in on the "what station will change format" thread?

From today's R&R:

"Continuing to further its strategy to divest mid-size market stations and focus on large markets, CBS Radio on Monday morning (Dec. 15) announced a definitive agreement with Clear Channel Radio to swap five mid-size market stations for two large market stations.


In the trade, Clear Channel will obtain CBS Radio’s CHR/top 40 KBKS/Seattle, adult hits WQSR/Baltimore, rhythmic KXJM and classic hits KLTH/Portland, Ore., and adult hits KQJK/Sacramento, Calif. In return, CBS Radio will acquire two stations in Houston, the country’s sixth-largest radio market, Latin pop KLOL (Mega 101.1) and hot AC KHMX (Mix 96.5)."

Please try to post without using the phrase "if this is true..."

Wow. THIS should prove to be interesting.

Aren't the playlists of Jammin and Z100 pretty similar? Are we finally gonna see the death of the Z?

With CC/Seattle getting a CHR/Mainstream I bet we see some "synergies" between stations here and there (like sharing of on-air talent for example).

Shyguy - why would CC (or any company) kill the brand that is winning (KKRZ)? Z100 will continue, and I'm betting Jammin will too. They'll just move them apart musically like they did in Boston with Kiss and Jamin.

and in SF with KMEL and KYLD...

same in SEA with KUBE & KBKS

It will be nice having a couple more stations in Portland with HD radio!

Will the transmitters for KXJM and KLTH move to the Skyline site ?

What will happen to KQOL and KLTH? Will the two stations gravitate apart formatically, or will one of them get blown up?

My feeling is that Jammin' will have to change....considerably.

Yeah, those two stations sound so similar all ready! One will have to change.
Its too bad cheap channel got their hands on those stations because we know what the end result will be. HEAVY VOICE TRACKING and very few live jocks!
PLUS KOOL and K-hits sound the same, so whats going to happen?
Will they flip one of the stations??

While the stations NEEDED to be sold, its too bad Cheap channel got their grubby little hands on these stations

SAY GOOD-BYE TO LIVE AND LOCAL RADIO ON JAMMIN AND K-HITS! THAT IS IF THOSE STATIONS DON'T CHANGE FORMATS!!!

shyguy said Are we finally gonna see the death of the Z?

Hopefully. Blow up Z100 and Keep jammin 1075 alive.

So, will Clear Channel Relocate Jammin or will CBS sell the building and Relocate KUFO?

From what I hear they are selling/tearing down the KUFO building and moving out of the KOIN tower.

What is the AM or AM's that share the KUFO building? Where will they relocate KUFO and the AM or AM's to?

Lemme throw this bomb: Simulcast of either KEX or KPOJ.

Discuss....

Rich,

Agreed. It's an industry trend. My guess is we will see a number of big AM's move their programming to the FM dial in 2009.

In Seattle, the early trends for KIRO-FM are not great, but after KIRO-AM moves to sports, that may change.

"Simulcast of either KEX or KPOJ"

Add HD, and do both?

I could see a simulcast of one of the AMs happening, even if it is short-lived.

My feeling is that Jammin' will have to change....considerably.

Big understatement there Scott!

If that "trend" is true, how funny is that? AM saves FM.
Haha.
Conservative talk radio IS king of both AM and FM bands within a year.
That is where the advertisers are going because that is where the most active, loyal listeners are.
All of this of course predicated on Sen. Obama's interest or lack of interest in the "fairness doctrine" resurrection.
Ya ya, I know, all of the libs will be calling me names now but just face it and look at the numbers across the country. Talk radio is tops, whether terrestrial or satellite.
Dump the boring hip hop, metal, punk whatever formats, make money, go talk.

I vote for a new FM talker... maybe I could go back to work then! lol... Not sorry to see K-Hits go, but I bet Jeff Thomas is a bit annoyed.

The FM talk would be a good move. If that's an industry trend, can we finally start producing stereo talk broadcasts again?

How about CC bringing "La Preciosa" to Portland? Could this be a possibility?

Will cheap channel keep the "Playhouse" on Jammin??

Looks like I better take my vacation time now.

Thanks Rich Johnson, that was my initial gut-reaction to the news when I read this here earlier today. I didn't have the guts to post it since I'm an outsider.

Do we know for sure that CC gets the entire stations including intellectual property, or just the license/signal? Otherwise, I wonder if it will be deja vu for Rick and crew. I listened briefly today to their deal today where they have 'laid-off newspeople' reading news, wondering if it's foreshadow to what's next.

I had not considered the possibility of the acquisition not including intellectual property. If that is the case, I think simulcasts of the AMs would be very likely. It would be somewhat ironic that "K-Hits" would get blown up and "KOOL 105-9" would live on.

could clear channel turn khits in to a URBAN AC FORMAT. COULD THE PLAYHOUSE AND HOOD RADIO BE DONE?

Considering the age of the audience(s), I think it's likely that a station with the best elements of both, will appear on 105.9 and leave the stronger 106.7 signal for a better money making venture.

Looks like I better take my vacation time now.

I would.

I hope you enjoy being responsible for 2 more stations.

A very humble opinion coming from a guy that doesn't have all the information: If it comes down to Z100 and Jammin'....Z100 will persevere. Agree? Disagree??

If they blow up one, it'll be Jammin'. A similar situation exists in Seattle but in that case, both stations are well established. My spidey sense smells "format change".

Tucson, Boston, and New York both have CHR's and CHR-Rhythmics in the same cluster.

Which has better coverage: the existing Skyline Tower Shively 8-bay panel antenna used by KOPB-FM, KKRZ, KKCW, KRSK, & KQOL, or the new Sylvan Tower 6-bay Dielectric panel antenna?

>>Tucson, Boston, and New York both have CHR's and CHR-Rhythmics in the same cluster,<<

Exactly. Plus as I noted above Seattle and Portland now have two pair of identically-formatted stations - that screams "sharing of air talent".

If anything gets blown up it probably will be Kool - not one of the CBS acquisitions.

change Jammin to smooth jazz.

Z100 to KEX-FM

I'm going to go with tower height on this one. When do you think they will be on the air from Sylvan?

So, 100.3 becomes KEX-FM (Talk), 107.5 becomes the new Top 40... Maybe they should make 106.7 Oldies (real oldies, 40s 50s 60s).

My prognostication:

Z stays the same...I can't see moving the CHR to another spot on the dial when they have a heritage name and freq.

107.5 goes talk of some kind, whether it be "hot talk" or KEX-FM or whatever.

K-Hits goes away in favour of KOOL...maybe a melding of the two formats and personalities airing on 106.7 or 105.9? Theoretically, the audience for the two individual stations could combine.(And maybe we will finally be rid of the nerdy K-Hits image guy)

Which leaves 1 CC FM with a mystery format...stay tuned...

habla es panol???

quite possible...a full power spanish FM might gain good numbers.

Hey Qpatrickedwards, you are WAY too logical for this board! I think both of your postings above are right!

Here's my un-expert thoughts (I actually hope I'm wrong for several reasons, though):

First, regarding one company buying another's product: why would the buying company ditch their product for the formerly competing product? In a non-radio example, the ads that used to say "Washington Mutual is now part of Chase" now say "Washington Mutual is becoming Chase." Some top-of-my-mind radio examples: Entercom bought KISN and Earth 105. KGON isn't gone, but Earth 105 was in a few months and KISN is now (Yes, I realize I'm greatly oversimplifying things here). Cumulus bought 102.3 The Hawk, and KZEL didn't go away, The Hawk eventually did (Heck, anyone else remember the KZEL top-of-hour promos that said "The Rolling Stones on Pigeon 102?"). So, why would CC blow up their own Kool 105.9 in favor of K-Hits? I'm also going to guess that Kool meets CC's guidelines for staffing. Besides, 106.7 as a frequency has probably been the main competitor to K103 for "Holiday 'music'" for most of this decade.

So, my guess is on the CC side of things, KPOJ, KEX, Z100, K103, and Kool don't change.

I will guess that 106.7 becomes a simulcast of KEX, as Portland doesn't have a station that's jumped on the "heritage AM news-talker moves to FM" bandwagon yet. So, IMO, the first one to make the jump will win. If not KEX, then maybe KPOJ, for the same reasons. If not either, then maybe smooth jazz returns to the non-HD dial?

Then, there's 107.5. If Jammin' doesn't go away, then would we see a new Hot AC station to flank Z' and K', playing music a bit older than Z's playlist for a slightly older demo, and more upbeat music than K's playlist for a slightly younger demo, imaginatively named "Mix 107.5?!" (I'm also factoring in what everyone is saying is going on at The Buzz.)

The reason I'm concerned about the swap involving the station intellectual properties or not has to do with, of all things, AM 970. Specifically, if CBS still has K-Hits intellectual property, would it become "K-Hits 970 AM?"

Feel free to debate, prove me wrong, send scathing e-mails that I'm a crackpot and etc. (seems like at least one person does when I make these kind of predictions). And like I said, I hope I'm wrong, particularly because of the amount of job carnage that would result.

"KOOL" is CC's national brand for oldies/classic hits, so I would expect it to stay on 105.9 but with musical updating towards the current K-Hits mix. Then 106.7 becomes KEX-FM.

107.5 will probably continue Jammin' for awhile but if all the trash talk is true it could use some tweaking to make it more viable.

There are now official FCC applications filed for all of these stations. I wonder if Kool and K-Hits will briefly simulcast.

I think I still have a Mix 107.5 poster around here somewhere...

(And maybe we will finally be rid of the nerdy K-Hits image guy)

The "nerdy guy" has been gone from K-Hits for awhile.

His name is/was Poindexter. His female partner was Harriett The Matron.

Harriett made you feel like you were reliving your musical youth with someone's mom!

Here is why no spanish. They will have to hire additional internal personel to make it work, and if the revenues end up being the same why add people when you will be making the same. Its what happened in Tom Owens hometown market. They ended up changing back to English even when the billing was doing pretty good. No idea about the English side.

It's starting. I heard "December 1963" on Kool!

CHR and CHR-Rhythmic can be sucessful for a combo station. Look at Boston, New York, Tucson. Clear Channel owns both CHR and CHR-Rhythmic format. Hey, in Boston both KISS 108 and JAMN' 94.5 tends to be #1 and #2 in the ratings.

I don't doubt that the combo can work IF both stations are established but the new Jammin' is not! They seem to have one calling card right now and that's the Playhouse, which could be moved to Z100. Since no one wants to spend the money to create success, I don't see it happening with what is thought to be a dying format.

Z100 and Jammin' 107-5 will not be changing formats anytime soon. However, 107-5 will be tweaked to sound more like the old (more Urban) 95.5, and less like Z100.

Clear Channel would have to be insane to blow up or significantly change K-Hits 106-7. Kool 105-9 has never been able to match the success of K-Hits. Because of this, the "Kool" identity will likely disappear from Portland. CC would be wise to acquire KINK, while spinning off the weaker 105.9 signal. That way, Dennis Constantine could continue programming K-Hits.

The playhouse is too edgy for Z100! Z100 will probably keep the more Safe "John jay and Rich show.

Clear channel would be foolish to drop jammin. That station was a ratings monster for almost 10 years.

Then why did paul allen flip 95.5 to sports???

No one is easier to sell than a salesman! :-0

That #1 18-34 Jammin' pulled for a long, long time is but a memory at the sports station! But, they got those pesky young adults out of the building...

However in the current radio conditions, I'm guessing it's just solid bunker mentality at this point.

Just my humble opinion of course.

Jammin' pulled big ratings, but its audience, which skews young, is not as coveted by advertisers as that of sports talk. If there were some way that Clear Channel could put together a sports talk station with high-profile shows that haven't been already spoken for by The Fan and The Game, I'm sure that they would!

Not AS coveted but, #1 18-34 is something that is considered sellable radio in many markets around the nation, like Seattle, Tampa, Charlotte, Pittsburgh, Orlando, San Diego, Miami, Las Vegas, Sacramento.

I mean, rhythmic top 40 is hardly a new concept in Portland and the market is noticeably more diverse, especially Hispanic, which does use the format along with anglos and blacks and Asian young adults. It's todays Top 40, teens and young adults.

Can't sell the 12-34 consumers in "Progressive" Portland?

Besides how much of the "more coveted audience" is the Rose City sports station pulling? A 2 doesn't look all that impressive, is it?

Well, we would have to ask Tdanner about the power ratios of these formats for an exact answer to the question about whether a two share on sports talk is better than Jammin's current ratings, from an ad revenue standpoint.

Yeah Tdanner, your opinion please.

Not sure how Jammin's CURRENT ratings play, they've been pretty beat up by the sufferin' corporations lately.

WAS a ratings monster for almost 10 years.

With a pro like Tommy Austin overseeing the programming, both Z100 and Jammin' 107-5 are in good hands. With the two stations under the same ownership, Z100 can focus on the pop hits, while 107.5 can lean urban. CC has successfully programmed both Kiss 108 and Jam'n 94-5 in Boston, and the same concept will work in Portland.

From the 2007 Miller-Kaplin numbers (the gold standard for power ratios). Keep in mind that these are averages. Sales management is usually judged on how well they meet or exceed a given format's power ratio.

Rhythmic CHR has a power radio of 1.0 - which means for every 1.0 share of the audience they have, they get 1.0 share of the market revenue.
Sports has a power ratio of 1.69 - which means that for every 1.0 share of the audience they have, they get 1.7% of the market revenue.

Here are the top and bottom ratios:

Top Power Ratio Formats:

All News - 2.05 (However, this format is so extrodinarily expensive to run that a format like bob/jack with a 1.40 ratio can clean its clock in a "Revenue minus expenses equals pre-tax profit" world.
Hot AC = 1.84
Sports = 1.69
Triple A = 1.61
Rock = 1.6
Classic Rock = 1.57

Take-away from these numbers....advertisers will pay a big premium for formats that deliver big Male numbers. Men are harder to reach through other media.

Bottom power ratios:

Adult Standards = .39
Gospel = .48
Classical = .51
Smooth Jazz = .76
Urban Oldies = .90
Spanish Oldies =.91
Urban =.96
Oldies = .97

Take away from these numbers .... advertisers are much less interested in the old, the ethnic, and Wayne.

Yeah! Tommy Austin is a Pro and understands "GREAT RADIO". The problem is, his hands are tied from these corporate hacks at Cheap channel! So I doubt he will be able to truely oversee the station and help program it the way he believes it should be.

Z100 sounded so good back in the day when he was the P.D. for Z100! The powerhouse of live talent, the great contests. Tommy Knows his shit, and will hopefully fight for what he believes is good radio.

Keep it live and Local Tommy!!!!!

Thanks for the power ratios. According to the ratings posted on this board by Jay_zie on this board on Oct. 20, the ratings for KXTG and KXJM are 2.0 and 2.8, respectively. If we multiply the ratings by the power ratios, we get:

KXJM -> 2.8 (Arb) * 1.0 (Pwr. Ratio) = 2.8
KXTG -> 2.0 (Arb) * 1.69 (Pwr. Ratio) = 3.38

Thus, Rose City had something to gain--at least in theory--by flipping to 95.5 to sports.

That is the correct theoretical interpretation Alfredo.

Keep in mind the power ratios are averages, and do not take into account the skill of any given station's sales staff to achieve such ratios, and / or competitors' sales staffs ability to exceed their ratios.

As hard as any programming works to deliver the share, they are still at the mercy of the sales staff to deliver the ratio or better. And vice-versa.

K-Hits and Kool have been moving closer together. Kool plays 3 60s followed by 1 70s song, far less often than they did. I'd say they're down to about 60% 60s now. K-Hits will alternate decades for a while before catching up the 70s and it looks like they're up to about 2 80s an hour with around 30-40% 60s. I haven't ruled out the possibility that they'll continue with Jingle Hits through Christmas and then simulcast for awhile.

So is Dennis going to be programming K-hits when Clear channel takes them over?? I would think not since Kink is CBS and K-hits is now Clear Channel!

And what about Kufo?? When that station gets bought out, will they keep the current PD Chris Paddick?? I sure hope so because Musically, Kufo is sounding better than ever.

What do you think Terry Danner? Id love to get your opinion.

Beano asks >>>So is Dennis going to be programming K-hits when Clear channel takes them over?? I would think not since Kink is CBS and K-hits is now Clear Channel! <<<

Dennis programming a CC station from his CBS office would seem like a great idea. No conflict of interest there.

Why not also have KINK's Dave and Sheila simulcasted on K-Hits in the morning drive ? CC wouldnt have to pay for a morning show then. CC would save $$ doing that as well.

And while I think of it CC would save more $$ if they allowed KINK's Steve Pringle to do his midday show at both KINK and K-Hits. Just like the traffic reporters do reports for ten different media outlets.

Take away from these numbers .... advertisers are much less interested in the old, the ethnic, and Wayne.

a lot of young people like the oldies. I am not the only one on here who does. They just need to find a better way to program it than have the 80's. that fits in better with today.

"a lot of young people like the oldies."


Do you know that for a fact Wayne, OR are you just pulling that out of your ass?

When he says "a lot of young people...", he means something more along the lines of "a nonzero number of young people I've encountered in the past several decades".

Speaking of power ratios, where does a male/geek/youth heavy show like Mr. Emerson fall in the power ratio world?

It's been a few years but just before KISN-FM became "the new KISN-FM", dropping pre-Beatles and adding more 70s, they were top 10 in 18-34!

CC could flip 105.9 to an automated Modern AC, and pull a 2 share (12+) without having to pay for air talent. (This stategy has worked in markets such as Spokane.)

With "Kool" out of the way, K-Hits 106-7 should be able to stay in the 3 to 4 share (12+) range.

When KGON still had live overnights. About 1/3 of my callers on the request lines were under 30 ish.

With K-Hits 106.7 out of the way, KOOL could stay as they are and pick up to a 3 or 4 share!

(Not flamin' just sayin')

I don't think CC will flip Jammin 107.5 even though they will still own Z100. Jammin will need to be a little more urban than CHR.

As for CC flipping 105.9 to Modern AC, it will never happen because they have tried the format before in Portland and it didn't work. Spokane is a different market from Portland.

A Star 105.9 revival? Though not very likely, I could see this being tried as a short-term strategy.

Star 105.9 failed for several reasons. The signal was was only a C2, before the upgrade in 2002. The syndicated Jamie & Danny morning show was a joke. The song rotation was very predictable and bland. 105.1 brought Nelson on board, and modified it's format to keep 105.9 from carving a unique niche.

These days, 105.1 has a lot more talk, and focuses less on the the music. 105.9 could put on a music/variety-based Modern AC, with tags at the end of every song. It would be a nice, cheap "place holder" for CC.

It could also be argued that Modern AC died about 10 years ago.

105.9 has failed everytime its tried anything modern so I can't see them doing that at all. maybe an all acoustic format? There is a show called the Acoustic Storm on KLOO on Sunday Mornings and it has the right idea as far as song selection goes. a good mix of the older and newer music. They could have a live segment once in awhile.

Modern AC, as it was in the late 90's, is now pretty much gone. Today's Modern AC would be described as a Hot AC, with more of an "Alternative" edge.

Everyone in who listened to "Alternative" in their teens and 20s "back in the day" is now in their 20s and 30s, and very soon it will be 30s and 40s. IMO, anymore it's more of a "soccer mom" format. (I realize that more than just soccer moms listen to it, however I'm just trying to categorize how things have changed over the years.) Wouldn't surprise me at all if soon some stations start tracing "alternative" roots that are actually AC stations.
As an example, Marilyn Manson was considered "Alternative" back then. Don't hear much of it on those stations anymore.

Looks like CBS is going to do oldies on AM in San Francisco (This actually gives me the creeps that this might result in some sort of nationwide corporate edict that results in 970 here in Portland changing format):

---

quote:

CBS/S.F. To Debut Oldies At 1550 AM
Shannon's True Oldies format to debut on KFRC on Jan. 1
By Julie Gidlow (Radio&Records website)

CBS Radio on Jan. 1, 2009, will begin airing Scott Shannon's syndicated True Oldies Channel on its 1550 AM frequency in San Francisco, currently home to podcast-oriented KYCY (KYou Radio). The station will adopt the KFRC-AM calls; KFRC-FM switched from classic hits to a simulcast of news KCBS-AM in October.

"We are pleased to announce that KFRC and oldies are starting the New Year in the Bay Area," said senior VP and market manager Doug Harvill. "Scott Shannon has done a terrific job helping us put together an entertaining station playing the music that KFRC listeners have enjoyed for years."

---

Edison Research has an interesting analysis of the Modern AC phenomenon:
http://www.edisonresearch.com/home/archives/2006/03/has_modern_acs.php

Although the glory days of the format are gone, primarily because of a lack of new music (compared to the late 1990s) and because pressure from other formats is different today, the writers of the article think that Modern AC could start making a comeback, at least in small and mid-sized markets. According to the article's analysis, Modern Rock's move toward a harder sound in the late 1990s created a formatic hole that allowed Modern AC to thrive. The writers say that in the last year there has been somewhat of a resurgence in new pop/rock material, and some of that has come from bands associated with the late 1990s incarnation of the format. This, they say, is just what it may take to make the format somewhat viable again.

Modern AC has changed with the times, but the basic concept is still the same, and viable. It would be the perfect compliment to the Clear Channel cluster's other formats, which Tommy Austin is well aware of.

I haven't looked well enough at the PDX numbers to know if this even makes sense, but from a personal perspective, I have always enjoyed CC's KCDA in Spokane. It (at least to me) is a Modern/Hpt AC hybrid with no jocks and a song tag on the end of each song.

The problem is the music of today really is bad in my humble opinion. Even the 90's had some good tunes in it as KINK's XL showed.

I think that it's really too bad that CBS is pulling the plug on the podcast radio format that they had on 1550. I really wish that they had tried it in other cities as well. Think about it--a radio format where listeners send in the programs, all pre-produced and ready to air!!

Since we have YouTube, most people aren't going to tune into an AM radio station with a bunch of random programs.

Spokane's 103.1 KCDA is indeed an enjoyable Modern AC/Hot AC format with song tags instead of jocks. My only complaint would be the often horrible-sounding audio files downloaded from Clear Channel's database. If this format were to be tried here in Portland, Matt Jones would have to redub a ton of material.

I should have done my homework on San Francisco's 1550. According to Wikipedia, in 2007, KIFR (FM) discontinued its "Free FM" format to go oldies. A few of the shows moved to 1550 AM, displacing some of the podcasts. This is why people were reporting, on this board, hearing Tom Leykis on 1550. The full-time podcast format still lives on, on the radio station's website.

It's hard to say whether CBS is targetting this oldies format specifically for its AM stations or whether in the San Francisco market it's being used as a convenient placeholder on 1550. Would CBS be sufficiently foolhardy to try going up against Clear Channel's oldies FM station (which ever one they decide to keep) with AM? Or, might CBS blow up one of its remaining FM stations to make way for oldies?

Since CBS is selling off their stations in Portland, I don't see them making any changes.

Assuming that K-Hits 106.7 is here to stay, and 105.9 flips, one of the AM's could eventually pick up the "True Oldies Channel" feed.

and now, some Clear Channel humor...

http://www.lownoiserecords.com/wwv_the_tick.html

Since we have YouTube, most people aren't going to tune into an AM radio station with a bunch of random programs.

Well, I'm not sure YouTube can factor into it that much. Just by bumping into the FAP limiter (Fair Access Policy threshold) a few times, you'll either fork out big bucks for a higher threshold or listen to free radio.

Even if you only watch a few seconds of YouTube video, almost the entire length goes against your FAP threshold.

The internet has replaced most AM stations. You can get any format you want on the internet with RealPlayer or WinAmp. the only bad part is that you are limited to the home computer and can't listen through your car radio. Unless you have Sirus of course.

> the only bad part is that you are limited to the home computer and can't listen
> through your car radio.

That is a pretty serious shortcoming that for the time being is responsible for helping to keep local radio stations alive. Granted, I do agree in spirit with Radioxpert's comment: In the current media climate block formats without much rhyme or reason are certainly out, as is 1970s style "freeform" programming. Checking the San Francisco ratings, I noted that KYCY doesn't even show up. On the other hand, KGO (AM 810), which has a longtime reputation for delivering a specific format with consistency and quality, is #1. The public's expectation today seems to be that they should get what they want without a lot of fuss. The ideal to do that would be to type in a description of what one wants, as in a search engine; an alternative that is acceptable, at least at this time, are media outlets that deliver a sufficiently well defined product on a full-time basis, as cable TV stations and format radio does.

In related news, it sounds as if K-Hits is going to stick around. Why else would I hear Hall & Oates' "Kiss on My List" and John Cougar Mellencamp's "Small Town?" For some strange reason, I keep thinking a "Mix 107-5" imager will follow!

(Or, at the very least, this 100+ post thread is probably entertaining someone at CC.)

K-Hits is still owned by CBS. My guess is that until the transfer is complete, it'll be business as usual and they've been adding some 80s for awhile now. It seems like there are only a couple of ways this can go: Either K-Hits or Kool will change format completely and the one remaining will be what Clear Channel would have wanted the station to sound like in the first place, if they hadn't had to compete OR both stations will keep their identities but move musically, farther apart. Kool could be completely mid-60s through early 70s and K-Hits would run 70s and compatible 80s. I don't think that will happen. I think the one station remaining(probably Kool)will drop mid-60s and play late 60s through early 80s. Then, they'll flip the better signal, 106.7 to something more saleable and long term.

On Friday evening, I was eating at a Subway, and 106.7 was playing in the restaurant. A very long announcement came on regarding the transfer of the license to Citicasters. Unfortunately, the radio wasn't loud enough for me to be able to make out all of the announcement. Does anybody know if this announcement plays on some regular schedule, or if I can find the text of the announcement online?

Last week, I heard the same announcement (for KXJM) playing on 107.5, during the Playhouse.

I think a station is still required to carry an announcement of its transfer. I don't remember if there's a specific schedule but believe it's a certain amount of spots during various time periods.

I heard "Start Me Up" from 1981 on Kool. I thought the title was appropriate. It looks like they're going for my first option from the above post.

Whatever Clear Channel winds up doing to K-Hits, one thing's for sure: if they run it the same way they run their other Portland stations there will be far less local air talents.

Much rumoring on twitter.com that Jan 5 will be another head chopping day at Clear Channel, of course, what else is new? It's kind of like predicting more rain in Portland!

http://twitter.com/themediaisdying/status/1081446832

The CBS/Clear Channel station trade has now cleared the FCC. This affects K-Hits and Jammin'. Let the games begin!

Khits just started their crusin' weekend! it should be fun. I hope they have it in the evening too.

LET THE VOICE TRACKING BEGIN!!

> LET THE VOICE TRACKING BEGIN!!

I suspect that the changes will be coming really soon! Kool 106.7? Or a new format for 106.7? We'll see.

T-mius 2 months and counting......

I expect changes no later than the first week of April to coincide with the Spring Ratings. They knew this was coming and had time to prepare. The only uncertainty was when the trade would be approved.

All I can say is Jammin' better flip its format to something else by this May. I don't want to end up paying for crab cakes and razor clams at Mc Cormick & Shmick's for two co-workers because I lost our bet............

Jammin' will become more "Urban" sounding, while Z100 will play more rock hits.

Interesting my post disappeared. I said...perhaps KQOL will become 105.9 KEX-FM.

I think that if KEX is going to simulcast, it will be on the strongest signal they can muster. That's the reason behind my original idea of keeping Kool with some adjustments and simulcasting KEX on K-Hits.

It would make better sense to have KEX on Kool. Maybe a version of KEX when they had music in the 70's. that was fun to listen to and it had great deejays. they mixed in the older music with the newer hits and had comedy at 11pm.

I know it is a little off subject but, It's too bad 95.5 KXTG isn't broadcasting in HD. They could put KXL on HD2.

I think I've mentioned this before but if KEX is simulcast, I would say there's a good chance that KXL and The Game will swap programming. It could happen anyway but a genuine improvement in younger demos has been demonstrated when moving a strong News/Talk to FM whereas only so many people will listen to Sports Talk, no matter what band it's on.

Some time ago, I read a story in the Oregonian where one of the managers at Rose City Radio said that they follow a fairly conservative policy with regards to jumping onto new technological trends. That person said that he was with the company in the mid 1990s, when KXL launched its website. He said that in retrospect, he believed that for the first few years of its existence, the additional revenue brought in by the website was less than its cost of operation. I think that they will likely hold off on broadcasting in HD until they have some proof that HD will bring them enough revenue to offset its cost.

If that is their philosophy then they will be the last people on earth to embrace any new technology. Investment in new technology is risky in that the public may not adopt it. Although I have heard that the definition of a "Pioneer" is a man face down in the mud with an arrow in his back, there would be no technical advancement in any endeavor without a certain amount of investment risk. The trick is to spread the risk so there are others working on behalf of the public adoption of the technology. That offers more chance of success.

Look at HDTV. Does anyone think that the local TV stations are making more money by transmitting in HD? You gotta be kidding. Yet, they made the investment because they were forced, and fortunately for them and the public, there has been an improvement in television technology.

If we all thought like Rose City we'd still be playing 33s on turntables.

...or cylinders.

"Z stays the same...I can't see moving the CHR to another spot on the dial when they have a heritage name and freq."

But KKRZ has been riding that heritage for about as long as they were producing it. I mean from about 1984 to maybe 1998, Z100 was a powerhouse. For the last 11 years, they've been riding the "heritage" of their branding. Big deal. The Jammin' demo doesn't remember the glory days of Z100 anyway, so there's not much branding power.

I think that they (Rose City) are waiting to see how Clear Channel and some of the other large conglomerates fare with their efforts at HD before jumping in. I think that this approach makes sense for a smaller operator like Rose City, who doesn't have as large a company over which to "spread the risk" of an HD conversion project.

I won't condem anyone from going HD on FM...but I've said it before and I'll say it again...I don't blame anyone from waiting on HD on the AM band. It sucks! Unless I'm forced by the feds KBPS-AM will never be HD.

Sound is obviously relative and based on tastes. I am not going to listen to religion in HD on AM (1330) but Disney on 1640, Spanish on 1040, and KEX sound good in HD on my HD receiver. No noise, sounds like most of the basic FM non HD stations. Some complain of artifacts. Either I don't know what you are referring to or it doesn't bother me or, I don't hear it. However, there is no noise, interference and it appears to be full fidelity. Whether or not you choose to put HD on AM doesn't matter to me. However, from what I hear, it doesn't suck as much as some of the crap I hear on FM stations whether HD or not. Crap in = crap out. Remember, we all have our definitions of crap. It seems, from what I read on different posts, that we all agree on what crap is.....basically, anything I (insert your own I there) don't like or agree with.

Anything I like sounds better in HD, AM or FM. Anything I don't like sounds like crap whether or not it is in HD, AM or FM.

Now back to regular bashing.

Why does 1330 keep going with its current format? who listens to that when we have KPDQ?

I think Bill meant that the coverage of AM HD sucks, rather than the sound.

Sure doesn't look like many are using HD, it is about as popular as Quad.

Not flamin' you that's just how it seems to me.

> Why does 1330 keep going with its current format?

The revenue of 1330 comes from selling blocks of airtime to the various churches, ministries, and organizations whose programs are heard there. As long as there are enough airtime buyers, the format is a success. The signoff of sister station KKSL may have proven beneficial because some of the programming from KKSL moved to 1330, replacing unsold blocks of airtime on that station. On both stations, unsold blocks were filled with reruns of shows or in some cases with music. You would have to look at the 1330 broadcast schedule to determine which blocks of time haven't sold (these were traditionally labeled "encore broadcast").

--From another post---
> Sure doesn't look like many are using HD, it is about as popular as Quad.

Are you talking about how many radio listeners are using HD or about how many stations are broadcasting it? If it is the latter, I would beg to differ with you, at least as far as the FM band version of HD is concerned. The major broadcast chains have thrown a lot of money into getting at least several HD signals on the FM dial in mid-size and large markets. Stations in smaller cities and rural areas generally haven't jumped on the bandwagon, though.

The other thing I object to is the monopoly that is HD radio. I want to know who got paid off to give one company the monopoly on the technology. I think its crap that the HD exciter for a new AM transmitter costs almost twice as much as the transmitter itself! The game is rigged and I'm not playing. And I don't know about anyone else, but except for a couple of people who have HD radios in new cars I don't know anyone who has got out an purchased a new HD radio.

My wife and I both have after market HD Radios in our cars. I bought mine because I needed a new radio and HD added little or nothing to the purchase price. My wife, who is hardly ever influenced by me, didn't need a new radio but wanted an HD Radio because she'd heard mine! My take is that HD Radio on FM sounds spectacular, with lots of tight bass and realistic highs! It's also dead quiet. Reception is rock solid anywhere in my commute on any station. By the way, I was able to listen to KBPS-FM all the way to Salem! I couldn't be happier and a power increase will only improve things. By contrast, I'm not particularly sold on AM. The poor quality programming on 1330 leaps out at you in HD so this obviously shows the importance of starting out with good sound. The rest of the stations sound much better and KEX just misses the mark. I noticed their Christmas music sounded pretty good if it was old enough, say before the mid-70s. My main problem though is dropping out, even on KEX. It just doesn't seem to take a weakening of the signal like driving under an overpass. It could be an antenna problem I'm having because I hear some electrical noise in analog but of course, it has no effect on FM. I keep meaning to check that out in my wife's car. I'll have to do that.

Bill,
I'll agree with you 100% on the monopoly aspect of HD radio. Yes, it is rigged. Having said that, I still prefer the sound of it over regular reception.

Semoochie,
I believe I have the same JVC model you have and I have no problems with KEX going under overpasses or any other thing, except maybe the Vista Ridge tunnel and I don't go through it very much. It also cuts out in the null areas of Gresham around the 1230 tower but KEX goes away around there anyway.

"HD Radio Reaches Major Milestones: 1,000 Multicast Stations Now On-Air & 100 Unique Receivers to Choose From"

http://www.ibiquity.com/press_room/news_releases/2009/1314

100 Unique Receivers to Choose From and 100 Unique listeners who use them (rounding up).

WSHE QUAD 103 ! For about a minute!

Jimbo, FM reception of HD between the 2 cars seems to be about the same. Apparently, AM must be different. I'll still have to check on that. Thanks! By the way, my wife tells me that everyday at 9:15, she hears "Legs" by ZZ Top on Rock On. I wonder what's causing this.

AM HD reception in cars is more dependent on the integrity of the ground connection of the tuner to the car chassis. A well grounded tuner case will give optimum AM HD reception.

Often car stereo installation shops do not realize this about AM antennae...

If you do not have a ground strap on your HD tuner you should try installing one yourself... It should make a difference.

When I first installed the JVC HD radio in my car, the AM reception was terrible. I did have an extra ground wire on the thing. The FM wasn't that great either. I thought the AM should at least pick up a station when 1/4 mile from the tower. I called the place I got the radio from and complained. He asked if I connected the wire to the antenna. I told him that my antenna was mounted in the window and I did not have a separate antenna. I thought that wire was to push an antenna up or down as my last car did. He said no, it was also to power the antenna amplifier. I did not know I had one. I hooked up the antenna wire and boom.....everything came in great. AM requires a good antenna. FM can use a smaller antenna.

This is getting more interesting all the time! Since I don't want to tear open my dashboard, I may just pay a visit to the installer, armed with this new information. Thanks!

I also noticed that until I had a good external ground wire to the radio, the radio would randomly reboot sometimes. No rhyme or reason. It would just stop and reboot. Take about 10 seconds.

The wiring harness that came with the installation kit also missed a wire. Partly because my radio had 3 connectors and the harness had but two. My on-steering-wheel computer and radio controls did not work. The radio controls I could do without. The button that cycles the readout I needed. It was stuck on one display. Eventually, after talking on the phone with the supplier, they looked at the wiring schematics of my car and saw that the computer switch on my steering wheel needed a ground to work. They told me what pin it was on the "dangling" connector from the steering wheel and I put a jumper from it to ground and it started working. It normally got the ground through the connector in the factory radio.

".... my wife tells me that everyday at 9:15, she hears "Legs" by ZZ Top on Rock On. I wonder what's causing this."

Semoochie, are you certain you're referring to Rock On? I just checked the past several days music logs, and ZZ Top, "Legs" hasn't played in the 9am hour at all on any of the days I checked.

Just curious.

I'm sorry, that would be 9:15PM.

How much are HD radios?

About a million dollars...

HD Radio receivers can be had for well under $100! If you buy a new car radio, the cost is already covered by other features such as the CD player, equalizer, access to satellite radio, controls for an I-Pod, etc. Jump in; the water's fine!

Here is a "Buyer's Guide" of car and home units:
http://www.hdradio.com/buyers_guide.php

Trixter>>About a million dollars...

Hey, Trix, you should have waited for the second generation to come out. I got mine for $50.

I notice on mine I can't pick very much on AM at all. I could on my old radio but I couldn't play my CD,s But I can now providing the CD's are the right kind, that is MPEG. Someday maybe we will find a way to hear live365 in our car radios. That way we can listen to anything we want.

Hey, Trix, you should have waited for the second generation to come out. I got mine for $50.

LOL!
The HD radio in my Durango I purchased for $125 at Car Toys in Beaverton last year.

You should be able to play standard pre-recorded CDs. If you can't there's something wrong!

I do that all the time. but my car radio will only work with MPEG CD's. there is a download you can get that will transfer other formats to MPEG.

Stand By Boys & Girls!!!

just saw this on Inside Music Media,

The real Siberia for terrestrial radio, is dumping failed formats onto HD Radio side-channels - right?

Wayne, if you have a CD player, it SHOULD play ANY pre-recorded CD. If you have a DVD player, it SHOULD play ANY pre-recorded CD. You may have problems with a CD-ROM, CD-R or CD+R because some of them aren't compatible with all machines BUT if a standard pre-recorded CD doesn't play, there is something wrong, either technically or something about the setup! Jimbmiller, is something afoot at midnight?

So when does the move to the different studios officially happen?

Cough, CRAIG ADAMS spill the beans please!

12:01am is when the switch will take place.

Just For Starters Now Think Mid-Day

Will 105.9 finally have a good format?

Yup, I was listening to jammin at 12:00am today and the station went to dead air and then the song came back, Everything sounds about the same except the liners now say Jammin 1075 "your home for Hip Hop." It used to say "Hits and Hip Hop" and now its just "hip hop.".

So are the jocks staying, and what about the Playhouse?? Is cheap channel going to keep them?

I loved PK tearing the PD for KUFO apart yesterday. I guess back when PK was on vacation, the PD for KUFO went on The Emerson show and was quoted as saying that there just is nothing good om the radio in the morning.

He tried to talk his way out of it but they pretty much nailed him down for bashing the show.

KUFO's PD was also programming KXJM, until the Clear Channel takeover.

Matt Jones is sounding great on K-Hits 106-7 mid-days! Brad Dolbeer must not have made the move over to Clear Channel.

Bet Dolbeer becomes a KINK voice

I Thought Brad Was A Much Better Fit On KINK

Clear Channel and CBS close their swap of seven stations in five markets
Clear Channel had a Department of Justice mandate to spin two FMs in Houston (Spanish hits “Mega” KLOL and “Mix 96.5” KHMX), and it reached a deal last year to swap those to CBS Radio in exchange for stations in four markets. Those are – CHR “Kiss 106.1” KBKS, Seattle, classic hits “Jack 102.7” WQSR in Baltimore, “Jack 93.7” KQJK in Sacramento, and two FMs in Portland, Oregon – rhythmic “Jammin' 107.5” KXJM and classic hits “K-Hits 106.7” KLTH.

Is Tommy Austin going to bring Ck live to Jammin 1075??? Afterall, his show still sounds voice tracked! If Z100 has a live talent on in the afternoon jammin should also!

I heard Matt Jones and an unfamiliar name. I'm guessing the latter was voicetracked. What I didn't hear was "The Fab 4 @ 4" or "The 60s @ 6" but Tom Kent is still on. It seems like I only hear Matt Jones when a format is about to be changed so that must be an omen. Across the hall, Scott Tom is still in marathon mode.

This evening the automation at Clear Channel's K-Hits 106-7 sounds like crap. It just doesn't sound right to hear the Doobie Brothers with a Penguin Windows ad (simultaneously.) I also noticed some problems with the canned Tom Kent liners.

Brad Dolbeer is a much better fit for KINK, but is there an opening for him there?

Jammin' 107-5 sounds basically unchanged after it's move to Clear Channel. However, K-Hits 106-7 has lost it's heart and soul. Mike Turner, Brad, and Archer are all gone. It's now nothing more than an automated-sounding jukebox. Now, I have to agree with Semoochie, K-Hits could be going bye-bye.

106.7 is having lots of dead air tonight!

As of this writing--DEAD AIR!!

They are still throwing a dead carrier. How long has it been?

According to Yes.com, K-Hits ran a handful of songs in the 11 and 12:00 hours that looked contemporary to this observer. It looked like some kind of testing. It's 3AM and still a dead carrier. We'll see what the morrow brings.

My understanding is that Archer is Prod Dir for KINK...and was hired more to do that than be on air....

I left a radio tuned to 106.7 when I went to sleep. Sometime, after 3 but before 6, the programming resumed with oldies. Such a prolonged stretch of dead air means that either nobody was monitoring the station and/or that the transmitter remote control wasn't working. As the dead air was being broadcast, I wondered, if there is somebody in the Clear Channel building who is aware that the automation has stopped working, and that person is unable to restart it, why hasn't the transmitter been turned off?

Actually it means that engineers were probably really busy making things work correctly at the transmitter site.

The KHITS and Jammin websites have changed since earlier this AM

So can't someone on this board tell us what's about to happen?

But, isn't it an FCC rules violation to transmit hours of dead carrier, since no legal IDs were aired? Sure, this is minor compared to daytime-only AMs forgetting to shut off their transmitters at sign-off (which I have heard, though seldom).

The K-Hits page looks the same. In fact, it says that Brad Dolbeer is on now. By and large the station's imaging is still the same too. So, does that mean that certain things have been overlooked? Or does it mean that something big is about to happen and they figure there's no sense making significant changes until then? Hmmm...

Alfredo_t, I remember my cousin telling me about the time they forgot to shut down KACI-AM at sundown. The on air person got a vulgar phone call from a station in northern California telling them to "shut down their f@#&ing transmitter right now!" So yes, it does happen.

It is not an FCC violation to work on transmitters after midnight with no modulation.

But is it OK not to ID at the top of the hour?

You have to ID when programming returns.

Is Archer out at Khits? where are the Beatles at 4? I sure hope they don't switch to modern junk.
That hasn't worked yet.

My guess as to the whereabouts of "Fab 4 @ 4" and "60s @ 6" is that the guy on the air at those hours is voicetracked from elsewhere or CBS owns the names. My guess as to a format change is tomorrow at 3PM. Now that I've said it, it probably won't happen THEN.

The KHits website finally changed. Jeff Thomas is the only real, live person shown.

Maybe CC will evolve 106.7 into an adult rocker, to compete with KGON. Tom Kent could easily move to 105.9, if CC decides to keep it's "Kool."

That evolution could happen, but they would have to change the branding. "K-Hits" has the connotation of music that was Top-40 back in the day (i.e. more mainstream), whereas classic rock has more of a connotation of being music that one had to go to record albums or "progressive" or college radio stations to find because it was not played on Top-40 radio. Of course, classic rock station playlists have been so extensively researched and honed over the years that today, they seem just as predictable as pop oldies playlists.

Adult rocker? we already have KINK doing that.We need something more mellow on FM. there is way too much rock on FM.

How about some smooth jazz Wayner?? I mean the last 3 times it didn't work so maybe the 3rd times the charm???

You mean the 4th time, Trixter?

It looks like another would make #5. We've had The City on 101.1, The Breeze on 1230, and Smooth Jazz @ 106.7 and 105.9, not to mention HD2 on 103.3!

Smooth Jazz is here to stay; it will never die.
It was meant to be that way, though I don't know why.
I don't care what the people say; Smooth Jazz is here to stay!

I forgot about 101 and 1230....

When was SJ on 1230?

Kmuz.around 1993ish.

Nobody cares about jazz on am. It works better on FM. Why not have a translator for that? we have a lot of those around here.

Nobody cares about jazz PERIOD WAYNE!

Actually, the format name has been changed to "Smooth AC".

I was surprised to hear "Beatles Basement" on K-Hits today! I don't know if they ran "American Top 40: The 70s" or not. Yes.com would probably give me a clue.

Yeah, with Archer staying at CBS I was quite surprised to hear Beatles Basement too.

As far as jazz goes, I can remember reading in 1988 where jazz ranked below MOR as a format nationally. Is it possible that jazz as a format would be a little more popular today or would it still flop commercially? The recent past attempts in this market haven't amounted to much.

Jammin has had 3 owners over the past year. Technology wise who has done better with it(in terms of web presence, podcasting, website structure, and music)?

Is it just my ears going buggy, or has the processing been drastically altered since KHits was swallowed by CC? It seems that there is a lot of hiss now. I've listened on three different radios and there is a definite hiss that either wasn't there before or just wasn't as noticeable.

I haven't yet noticed the hiss, but it is definitely possible that things would sound different, with a different studio and studio-to-transmitter link. Now, I'm listening to the Tom Kent show, and I hear a lot of pumping in the music. Of course, it may be that the songs were produced to sound that way. It may also be possible that some processing is being applied to the feed of the Tom Kent show before it goes out over the satellite, so the heavily processed sound I am hearing is the result of the audio passing through two processing chains.

smooth AC or smooth jazz is a dying format nationwide. Look what happend to SJ/NAC in New York, Atlanta, Miami, Washington DC, Milwaukee, Dallas, Houston, etc...

Its doing well in Seattle and LA. Like I said we can have one of those non commercial translators.

The demographics for Smooth Jazz/AC are getting too old. If you have a lot of people listening, there is more of a chance that enough younger people are listening that you can sell it. The situation won't get any better with time. Russ, when they mentioned Jazz in 1988, they were talking about traditional Jazz like KMHD plays. I don't think NAC had evolved to what we call "Smooth Jazz" yet. Wayne, the last I heard, Easy Listening was still pulling in great 12+ ratings in West Palm Beach(I think that's the place.), but there are a ton of retirees living there! Even so, their #1 rating was only good for about #15 in sales. I'm quoting this from memory so bear with me. I checked Yes.com for an indication that "American Top 40: The 70s" was still airing on K-Hits and based on the songs that were played, it would appear it is.

AT40 was on yesterday morning in the 8AM hour. I heard Casey Kasem doing his thing. I only listened for about 5 minutes so I don't know the year but he played ELO so I assume it was 70's. He was around #20 at the time. I don't remember the song. I turned to 1040AM-HD and listened to Mexican music in HD. Sounded better than KHITS.

For those who aren't up north, did some folks get laid off in the KHITS move to CC?

Like I said Moochie why not put smooth jazz on a non commercial station? some cities are already doing that. That way we won't have to worry about commercials much less who their target is. We need something besides rock or ac on FM.

KMHD could evolve to that.

"Like I said Moochie why not put smooth jazz on a non commercial station?"

Why not an HD-2? KWJJ HD-2 has some strange stuff like bluegrass or something like that, why not some station putting your SJ on their HD-2. 105.9 has a something similar to their main program on their HD-2. I know some will tell me it is different, but to a casual listener, it sounds the same. Heck, put SJ on Jammin's HD-2 when it comes online. Now that would be an equalizer.

I heard the K-Hits hiss earlier today, on a Carole King song that had soft passages and, generally, not much high frequency content. The hiss pumped with the music, and distinct attack and release times could be heard. The hiss was not audible under the DJ, the commercials, or the songs that played afterward. The songs that played after the Carole King song had cymbals and hi-hats. These treble instruments had a very uniform level, almost giving the a "synthetic" sound, like that of a drum machine.

I think that what is likely happening is that one or more of the higher frequency bands in the audio processing are being run at a very high compression ratio. The overall sound is fairly bright. This is very different than the processing settings when 106.7 was under CBS ownership. Back then, the station sounded lightly processed and somewhat dull. Down the dial, I am noticing that 105.9 now sounds as if it might be running lighter processing than it did in the early days of the KOOL format.

> Why not [broadcast Smooth Jazz on] an HD-2?

I thought that KKCW is doing that right now. I don't have a radio that is capable of receiving the HD-2 and HD-3 programs, so I can't verify that myself.

103.3 HD-2 sounds like smooth jazz to me, but I am no expert on this type of music.

103.3 HD2 IS Smooth Jazz, using some of the same voicetracked personalities who were on 105.9. It's been on that format since right after Kool debuted.

106.7 has a very noticable hiss, which is pumped up, during any low audio passage in a song.

http://www.sky.fm/

I have this on Itunes and listen to that when I want to hear smooth jazz. its based in England.

sky fm is so so. http://181.fm jazz station is much better and quality is better too.

So you are admitting that you can get your Smooth Jazz fix on the Internet, and if you wanted to, you could buy a HD Radio to hear the KKCW Smooth Jazz multicast stream. Why, then, is there a need for any FM station to flip to Smooth Jazz, other than to validate your own preferences?

I can't do that when I am driving. if we could have internet stations on the car radio that would solve a lot of problems. any format people want is probably also on Live365.

"For those who aren't up north, did some folks get laid off in the KHITS move to CC?"

I'm certain that there were. But judging from Craig's silence in this thread it looks as though he is still employed. Hopefully CC will utilize his vast knowledge.

Has anyone heard Craig on the air, since the move to CC? Hopefully, he is still employed.

How did K-Hits 106-7 become K-Hiss 106-7? Could it be an STL problem?

From the way the station has been sounding recently, I think that the audio processing settings were changed.

Craig did not make it as of now. we hope he will after all he is Mr. Radio!!!!

Well, damn.

And just when you thought he had gone away for good, there's been a djfrrrrrrrrreshhhh sighting:

http://boards.radio-info.com/smf/index.php/topic,119892.0.html

Yeah, Fresh has been inhabiting around those bagbiting RI forums for about a couple years now. Probably the one and only thing I actually do miss about Radio-Info is the opportunity to harass that big lug.

You know, he don't come around here no more. Whatever he's lookin' for, he don't come 'round here no more.

He's given up...............

(Hopefully they've found a new Frreshish-English/English-Frreshish interpreter by now. Who knows? Maybe "MotoMuzak" might have a change of heart one of these days? Stay tuned...)

This past Sunday I heard no life on KHits between Beatles Basement and Tom Kent.

repeat, repeat!!!

Crackpipe, Crackpipe!!!! Time to put it down 62kgw.

It's time once again to guess when either K-Hits or Kool will change format. This time, I'll say May 1st. It's a Friday and seems somewhat reasonable.

to what?

There are several possibilities, already mentioned. Among them: simulcast KEX, Traditional Classic Hits and just about anything else. I can't see them continuing this way much longer. The formats are too similar for the stations to be commonly owned.

Curses, foiled again!

I'm going to take a wild guess that they're following this thread, and when/if any changes happen it will be on some day/time nobody suspects.

Then again, it's still possible that CC will keep "Kool" at 105.9...and flip 106.7 to a Classic Rock format which plays more recent material, compared to KGON.

What better time to make a change? Each station is down to ONE announcer! Kool is still too 60s intensive to be the only station on the format. K-Hits is better positioned in that regard. That's not to say that they couldn't move Kool closer to the mainstream but so far, they haven't done that. I'd go the other way with the classics. There's still a lot of life left in the late 60s-70s and with KGON, you have to wade through the 80s to get to it.

I'd seriously doubt that CC management is using this message board as a parameter on which to base format decisions. Sorry Newflyer.

Don't be surprised if CC changes 105.9 to 80's Classic Rock. 105.9 The Brew might be a good name to use.

"KOOL" is the Clear Channel brand. Wouldn't it seem more likely that the format would flip on 106.7?

In Phoenix, CBS owns the actual KOOL call letters for their oldies station. I think you'll find lots of "Kool" stations through-out the country, owned by varioous companies. Not a CC exclusive.

Countrybob: Be surprised.

Here is one thing we know, CC did register the domain 1059TheBrew.com on 4/28/09.
http://whois.domaintools.com/1059thebrew.com

In case you need more evidence... Check this out:

http://1059thebrew.com/main.html

That's pretty good evidence! I suppose they could just be messing with us but what's the point?

So Now that we know that 1059 is flipping formats to "The Brew", when do we think this flip will happen.

Plus, how will this effect KUFO and KGON??? Trying to go up against a heritage station like KGON is a very stupid move! remember 1075 Rock Hits tried that and failed!!!

Plus KGON has live dj's during the week, those cheap bastards at Cheap Channel will voice track the "Brew" 24/7.

I have no connections, so this is just a guess on my part. With the 4/28/09 domain activation I think the change might happen at the earliest, Midnight tonight. I agree with Beano, with a name like "The Brew" it sounds to me like they will go after KGON. Good Sleuthing Darkstar!

Matt basically said that wouldn't be the format. I noticed on my way home on Friday that Kool's HD was off and just now, I discovered it was still off. I didn't think that much about it at the time, but the situation could be related. No other stations were affected so it isn't work on the tower. Didn't we have a situation where you typed in something for 105.1 and got the Z100 website? This could be more of the same.

No grand conspiracy there. More like, "if a tree falls in the forest..." Thanks for the heads-up. Looks like I need to go to Skyline.

Also noticed, since the HD is off, the RBDS PI code on my Sangean HDT-1 tuner comes up as "KENJ". I thought oh-oh, new call letters for a new format, but I seem to recall the code showing "KENJ" once before.

Just double checked with an Audemat Navigator and it indeed sez PI="1BEB" which does translate to "KENJ".

KQOL should be "3BB7" ?

The link now redirects to Google.

Could the return of Bob & Tom to 105.9 be far off?

Within the half hour or so, I've heard quite a few good "end" songs:
David Bowie - "Changes"
Aretha Franklin - "Respect"
The Foundations - "Baby, Now That I've Found You" (I can let you go)
The Righteous Brothers - "Rock and Roll Heaven"
The Vogues - "You're the One"
And right after the top-of-hour ID: Grand Funk Railroad - "We're An American Band" (we come into your town, we'll help you party down)

DEAD RINGER - I tried to go to the Kool 105.9 website for the last songs played... kool1059.com also redirects to Google! (Fortunately, there's also yes.com.)
Also... the header of each page only says ".::. 105.9 .::." before redirecting to Google.

I'm going to baselessly guess either 10:59 PM or midnight tonight!

My original feeling was that 105.9 would be the one flipping, and it looks like this will indeed be the case.

Kgon is proably laughing their a$$es off at Cheap Channels attempt to bring "the brew" to 1059.
Rock hits tried this, Earth 105 tried this and they both failed!
Tommy Austin is a smart guy but bringing in an 80's rock station with very little budget(and we know that cheap channel won't invest any money on talent for the station) Plus the fact that they are going against a herritage station like KGON is beyond absurd!

So If it's 80's rock and it's called "The Brew" m guess is the station will play the best rock from the 80's (and this is just a guess- ACDC, Guns N Roses. Well, for starters Kgon and Kufo play a TON of ACDC and Guns n roses, Infact Kufo has been playing a lot of deeper tracks from GNR, not just the big hits. So between KGON and KUFO, those stations have those two artists covered! What else??? Poison? Def Leppard? Bon Jovi? Probably Def Leppard and Bon Jovi Lepprard but I highly doubt Poison. But then again most of the 80's rock was the hair bands.
Infact know that I think about it. we don't have a station that plays Brittny Fox, Enuff Z nuff, and Trixter.

Hey Trixter, your "wet dreams" might actually come true! You might be able to hear Brittny Fox on 105.9~!!!

@ CC web staff!

Current header before kool1059.com redirects to Google:
".::. Everything Country .::."

Thanks for keeping all of us guessing.

ey Trixter, your "wet dreams" might actually come true! You might be able to hear Brittny Fox on 105.9~!!!

Ummm Yeah! At least it won't be your lover Michael Bolton... Your mullet warrior... You've still got your mullet right???

6:59am

Will it be K-ROCK??

Are you saying that it won't be "The Brew?"

Knowing how much CC likes syndication, Bob & Tom could be returning. "The Brew" would be a better format for the show, compared to what "The River" (KRVO) was playing.

You've still got your mullet right???

Sorry Trix, I cut mine back in 1989. I see that you still have yours. It might be time to cut it Trix!

And Xpert, YES 1059 will become "the Brew" VERY SOON! Get ready for it because it is coming~! With Cheap Channel running the station it will most likely be a Pabst Blue Ribbon!

Chris, the only reason I tied in the HD thing was that I thought any format change might affect the HD2's programming and it was down until the change on the main channel was completed. Normally, I wouldn't think anything of it but with the timing of dismissing the morning show and everything else, it just seemed like a reasonable deduction. I certainly wasn't thinking in terms of a conspiracy!

Sorry Trix, I cut mine back in 1989.

Doubt that...

Are you saying that it won't be "The Brew?"


Nope

Maybe 105.9 HD2 will flip to Hard Rock. Anything would be better than "Rock On" which is very bland, and not the least bit unique.

Actually, it's going to be an all jewish station. The "T" was a typo. It should read "105.9 Hebrew."

The above link is back to redirecting to the Kool website.

Odd, The PI code was correct last night after the HD was fixed, but seems to have reverted back "KENJ" again... perhaps a grand RBDS generator conspiracy?

Trix, of course 1059 will become THE "brew" why wouldn't it???

Cheap Channel wants a piece of Kgon's Pie!

Sheesh Trix, the bangs on your mullet is starting to cloud your thinking!!

I no longer see the reference about Earth 105 failing. I was going to say that they didn't fail. The ratings were decent but they ended up with the same ownership as KGON and the format was eventually changed to avoid competing against themselves.

Sheesh Trix, the bangs on your mullet is starting to cloud your thinking!!

Hey! Your not suppose to wear sideburns with your mullet Beans... But hey! Your not suppose to have your mullet anymore period.... It's NOT 1986 anymore!

Another baseless speculation as well is The Brew domain name could be part of the gag. For all we know, tomorrow morning we could wake up to Spanish 105.9 Caesar Chavez FM!

And/or "The Brew" could be some cheap, generic, Costco coffee.

(If nobody knows, none of my baseless speculations regarding possible 105.9 format changes have come true so far, are not meant to be derogatory to anyone, and are posted for entertainment purposes only!)

I'm betting MY LIFE SAVINGS that 105.9 becomes "The Brew"- *0's rock.

Thats right, Im betting my LIFE SAVINGS!

Will you get rid of your mullet?
I don't need $80 Beans you can keep your life savings...

Trix your fascination with mullets and Michael Bolton is really starting to scare me. Im starting to think your Gay for Bolton.

80 dollars Trix, Really? Thats how much you paid for the Michael Bolton Fan club membership?

Now Trix, answer me this one question I have for you.

What was the last cd that you purchased? (don't lie Trix!)

Could 105.9 begin "Brewing" today?

Maybe the reason Kool hasn't changed yet is that they're waiting for their new jingle package to arrive. The nearest I can figure, they no longer have a morning show but Scott Tom is still on from noon - 7, just like nothing is unusual.

Jingles on a Rock station? Maybe they're waiting for the imaging package.

Won't be long now....I smell "Hops" in the air.

No one has established that it's going to be a Rock station yet. It sounded like Matt Jones denied it although he may have been more specific about the denial.

"The Brew" is an '80s-based Classic Rock format:

97.3 WQBW (Milwaukee) www.973thebrew.com
105.7 WBWR (Columbus) www.1057thebrew.com
96.1 KQBW (Omaha) www.961thebrew.com

No one has established it's real! This wouldn't be the first time Clear Channel threw us a curveball and you don't even have to leave 105.9!

CC could surprise us, by flipping 106.7 to "The Brew" instead. 106.7's full class C signal would be ideal to compete with KGON, while 105.9's signal doesn't compare.

Plus, 105.9's KQOL calls, and "Kool" identity is more memorable than KLTH. KQOL also came out slightly ahead of KLTH in the Spring book.

...probably not in 25-54.

Yes, Kool 105.9 sounds more like an "Oldies" station, compared to K-Hits.

"thebrew1059.com" also works but neither of them does without "/main.html" attached to the end. OK, I just clicked on the links and this isn't an 80s station! I think there are more 80s than KGON but not many. If this is to be the real format, it will be perceived as a direct attack on KGON.

I find it interesting that you all are so focussed on what may be happening to Kool, that you've missed what is happening on K-Hits. At least, no one has commented yet on the new positioner. "Super Hits Of the 60's & 70's" is no more.

Trix your fascination with mullets and Michael Bolton is really starting to scare me. Im starting to think your Gay for Bolton.

Ummm you fascination with him is borderline psycotic.... You only dated his drummer in the early 90's to get close to.... Admit it!!!!

Thank you Matt, I've been waiting all day to mention that! It's now "Portland's Greatest Hits". This put's them in a position to evolve away from the 60s at some point. I'm surprised they're doing it now. If I didn't know better, I'd say they plan on focusing Kool on the 60s to take up the slack. I don't know if this means anything or not but last night on his signoff, Scott Tom indicated he'd be back today. On today's signoff, there was no such mention. He said something like "Thank you for listening and enjoy this 40 minutes of continuous music.". I don't know if that's unusual or not but the way I interpreted the delivery seemed strange to me.

Heh, would have thought by now everyone knows format change always happens on THURSDAY.

Will that change with PPM?

K-Hits 106.7 is now using jingles!

It would be foolish to flip 105.9 to "The Brew" since it would still share too many songs/artists with 106.7.

Here's something: I just came from Yes.com. where they now list K-Hits as "Portland's Greatest Hits". What's interesting is that up until now, Kool has been listed as "Greatest Hits of All Time", which was never changed from the original Kool format. Now, it says "Kool 105.9! It seems really odd that they would change it at this time. What's next, Kool Oldies?

Very perceptive, Semoochie...Scott Tom just did the 10 AM TOH on K-Hits.

Not crazy about the jingle package, too lite AC for my taste...but starting to like the music mix.

After reading this, I turned on my radio and as I clicked it, I heard the words, "Scott Tom on K-Hits"! Did he do the morning show or just start at 10AM?

I heard what sounded like what might have been a syndicated feed like Dial Global, for instance. The guy said something about being new but didn't mention the station by name. This is actually a step forward for Clear Channel in that Kool just ran automation on the weekends with no personality at all.

K-Hits would appear to be having an identity crisis. The old canned liners still say, "Super hits of the 60's and 70's." Some new canned liners have emerged that say, "Portland's Greatest Hits." Over the weekend they were running a syndicated feed that Semoochie mentioned where the generic slogan is, "Your classic hits station."

It may be a step forward for CC to run a syndication service instead of automation (a la Kool) but it's still a shame that the only local talent is now weekdays 6am-7pm. The jingles do add a nice touch, though.

So you're saying they have a FULL live air staff during the week RSB? I highly doubt that!

He said "local"...not "live"...although I highly doubt that Skip Kelly is local or live!

You're probably right. Skip Kelly was walking all over the weather jingle each time it came on today. Either his hearing is shot, or he is canned.

Was surprised, not really, this morning when the KHITS morning drive talent told me about a story he was reading in the... LA Times!

Hmmm, even if I was a Portland air talent, I would not be quoting the LA Times to the poor ole' Portlanders.

Isn't there more ex-patriot Californians in Oreeegon than Oreeegonians now?

On the note of the KXJM. Does the Play House morning show broadcast from the studios of 4949 SW Macadam or at the KXL building?

It's my understanding that KXJM studio is now at 4949 S.W. Macadam and KUPL moved into KXJM's old studio at 2040 S.W. 1st Ave. as of May 1st.

The playhouse took over Z100's studio!! LOL!!!

Now z100 has this crappy studio they are now in.

It makes sense, the better station in the better studio!

Between the drastic increase in edited songs and the more generic sound of the air talents, I don't give K-Hits (as we know it) more than a year. I'm surprised that CC hasn't flushed the format yet since they seem to have a strong record of flipping oldies, 70's, etc. stations. IMO, Scott Tom is the only one holding that place together now. He's a genuine radio man.

No, being the only one left in the game, they'll probably get a 4 to 5 share and just keep going. There's something else: AC just isn't as compatible to other upper demo formats as it used to be. I think we'll see less sharing and more TSL for K-Hits.

I dom't think K-hits will dump their format anytime soon. we already have enough of the newer junk. the 90s had a few good tunes but the trend I never cared for at least.

what were the "few" good songs you liked from the 90's wayne??

Title and artist please!