Contemporary Christian station coming to St. Louis

Minn-Iowa Christian Broadcasting’s “Joy FM” (KLJY-FM 99.1) plans to launch a new Christian station early next year. Sandi Brown, KJLY GM, tells St. Louis Today that the “station will be geared to teens and young adults, playing hip-hop, rap, pop and rock with a Christian message. The new station should debut in January or February.” [...]

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Mr. Venta has a bit more, at http://radioinsight.com/blog/headlines/86661/kljy-to-launch-st-louis-christian-chr. Basically, the folks at Joy have made a decision on what to do with the suburban/rimshot stations that became somewhat unnecessary when it bought the former KFUO-FM (which is now Joy's primary frequency). Of note is that there's an official drive to raise $400,000 for the new format.

Also, it looks like Mr. Couchman (who apparently will still work in Las Vegas, including for SOS Radio) was officially hired a few weeks ago; see http://www.allaccess.com/net-news/archive/story/123329/kljy-hires-mike-couchman-to-head-new-station.

Minn-Iowa Christian Broadcasting does not own KLJY.

KLJY is owned by Gateway Creative Broadcasting. The 101.9 frequency is a translator that is currently owned by K-Love, and there has been no move to transfer the license. I don't know how they will legally feed the translator without converting KLJY to HD-Radio, as 101.9 falls far out of the 60dBu of either KPVR or KHZR. While both stations have not broadcast commercial programming in over a decade, they both still have commercial licenses, unless they file with the FCC to convert one or both signals to Non-Comm.

Hate to hear that they are letting some out of town consultant take the reigns; they advertised the job on their website, and I personally know some really capable local people who applied and would have done an awesome job.

Basically, this format is appearing because they couldn't sell those signals at any price; I was told by a business aquaintance that he was offered KPVR by a broker for $250,000; a far cry from the $2 Million they were originally trying to squeeze out of the signal shortly after buying 99.1.

Wondering if the $400k they are trying to raise is for the purchase of K270BW, or only for startup costs; and how, if at all does K-Love come into this; knowing what Ive heard of Gateway Creative, Ive always wondered if eventually they would cash out and sell to K-Love and dissolve. If they are gonna hire some out of town dude to program it, personally I'd rather get the Air1 feed back that disappeared when 101.5 moved to 101.9. Unless it is a straight out sale, I gotta wonder if some partnership with K-Love is in the works.

mbatchelor said:

KLJY is owned by Gateway Creative Broadcasting. The 101.9 frequency is a translator that is currently owned by K-Love, and there has been no move to transfer the license. I don't know how they will legally feed the translator without converting KLJY to HD-Radio, as 101.9 falls far out of the 60dBu of either KPVR or KHZR.

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If Gateway doesn't own it and the translator can capture either 94.1 or 97.7 over-the-air, it's perfectly legal for 101.9 to translate those stations.

I have not been to STL since the upgrade to 101.9 to hear it but 101.9 has the good coverage it has because it now has to be a fill-in of one of the 100k stations like 99.1. It would have to downgrade if it does not continue that. So to rebroadcast 97.7 it would have to downgrade its coverage which I am sure they do not want to do. So I imagine some of the money they want to raise is to buy HD equipment for 99.1 so 101.9 can rebroadcast an HD2 of 99.1. That is also one reason they can not come on with the new format until they can raise the money to install the HD equipment. That is my guess.

Of course that also makes 97.7 and 94.1 not necessary as well in STL since 101.9 would not need them to get it's signal and 97.7 and 94.1 have poor reception in STL. As was said they have kept 94.1 and 97.7 because no one wants them I am sure.

I wonder why the 107.3 classical music translator could not also get as good as a signal as 101.9. Maybe it was not technically feasible. I am listening to the online signal of Classical 107.3 as I type from central IL.

Actually... Although Gateway Creative is a Non Profit group, none of the stations they own are Non Commercial/Educational; they are all commercial signals, and they never filed with the FCC to convert them to non comms (which is probably smart); therefore they could not relay any of the stations, since they aren't NCE. The only way they can do it is with a HD-2 on 99.1. 107.3 has been on the old K-Hits/Current 104.1 tower on Manchester from the get go, but it doesn't have the height of the Shrewsbury tower... For whatever reason 96.3's signal used to be noticeably weaker when they broadcast off that tower then any of the other StL C1 FMs, and 104.1 at 50kW has signal problems 25 miles west in St. Charles off that tower. They would probably be better off if they could get the tower away from the noise being put out by the IBOC splatter on 107.7; perhaps on the old Highway Patrol tower at 40 & 270. The 107.3 signal goes a very long way; I heard it darn near to Potosi over the summer, but even a mile or two from the tower it is scratchy from noise.

Boost 101.9 http://www.boost1019.com/ I am guessing will be fed via an HD-2 or HD-3 ... I can't find any updates to FCC information on line yet to what it will be translating as the station has not launched and it's currently still translating 99.1 FM.

Regarding the choice of consultant/programmer. I think gateway made a wise decision in their choice. Programming a progressive Christian CHR format (that does not sound like an AC) is no easy challenge in today's world. Just look at Air1 (while it does distant itself from KLove you still hear a lot of overlap)

- Boost is aiming to break that mold and be a Christian CHR format with Positive Hits, Hip-hop and even some rock (such as Skillet). Unless you have programmed such format before you don't have an strong insight in what it takes try and make the station successful (especially in a format that is niche as it is and faces an uphill battle being on weaker signals and the fact target audience also is not the money makers so they must rely on donations and support from the mother ship). If anyone has the experience to pull it off and do it well it will be Mike. Besides just because they are bringing in someone from out of town to assist with programming does not mean there are not going to be anyone local with a hand in it.

I look forward to seeing this launch - At least it's something different.

KLJY turned on HD last week on 99.1, so I am assuming that 101.9 will rebroadcast KLJY HD-2, and it will also be simulcast on the two remote signals to boost coverage. I just don't see how an out of town programmer can have success in this St. Louis. If he was moving to St. Louis to take the reins, I'd say great, but if this station isn't local, local, local its not gonna work. Every station, no matter the format should have a local PD, IMHO; someone 1000+ miles away has no feel for the local market, although they can consult and give good input to a local programmer for sure.

From All Access: Boost 101.9 to launch in St Louis

"BOOST 101.9’s signal covers all of ST. LOUIS proper and the immediately adjacent suburbs. BOOST will also simulcast on 94.1 for the WESTPLEX out past TRUESDALE, 97.7 for those SOUTH and WEST of ARNOLD, past PERRYVILLE and SALEM, and on the HD2 channel of 99.1."

I have to say I really like the station so far. I want to say it's the best attempt I've heard at creating a Christian CHR/Rhythmic - because it truly does shy away from most of the alleged "Pop" music that is really "AC." They claim to have less than a dozen songs - possibly only a handful - that overlap the playlist between Joy and Boost. They are also playing more Dance and Dance Mixes than I have heard on other Christian stations, particularly outside of specific dayparts/shows. (I do like Mixology Live on Air1, for example, or Fusion on RadioU.)
From the sound of it, a few of their Facebook posts imply that the response has been really great so far, and that the Boost staff is having trouble keeping up with the volume of calls & emails. There are a few complainers - saying they don't like "references" to certain topics on a Christian station. But they have been responding in a very humble and prayerful way, and continuing to do what they set out to do.

From what I know 1/3 is Pop 1/3 is Rock and 1/3 is Hip-hop. It does seem to lean heavy on EDM/Pop sounding stuff though .. My understanding is things are still being tweaked and they are using "LDR" (listener driven radio) via the website to gauge peoples likes and dislikes. I have listened a few times since the launch and gotta give kudos to Couchman and crew for launching something 'different' sounding than most Christian formatted stations out there..

KLove/Air1 lean very "Adult" (even Air1 does have considerable overlap with KLove based on being a follower of the Hot AC CCM Chart)

RadioU leans "rock" same with Effect Radio from Calvary Chapel

NGEN I think leans mostly rock too (though I admit to not having listened recently)

Z 88.3 down in Orlando has their Hiphop station (hot 95.9) and rock (The rock 106.3)

This is the first attempt I have seen in quite awhile to attempt a "true" CHR type format (blending Rock, Pop and Hip-Hop) similar to what a Mainstream CHR does.

Its an interesting sounding station. Everything I have heard on their jock wise thus far sounds to be VTed (at least when I've had the chance to tune in). A bit too heavy on the Rap/Hip Hop for my tastes, but I'm well out of their target demo. I like it enough to give it a preset...

Has Radio one Added Christian hip-hop to hot 104.1 because of the new 101.9 ?

mbatchelor said:

I just don't see how an out of town programmer can have success in this St. Louis. If he was moving to St. Louis to take the reins, I'd say great, but if this station isn't local, local, local its not gonna work. Every station, no matter the format should have a local PD, IMHO; someone 1000+ miles away has no feel for the local market, although they can consult and give good input to a local programmer for sure.

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Just so you know -- He is going to be now programming the station from St. Louis as he decided to leave Vegas and focus full time on Boost from St. Louis.

Gotta give him props. He's done a good job with that little station. And I notice they are now getting out on the street; they were doing a live broadcast at my church this morning...