Kabc-am

I know that I'm crazy saying this, but I think its time for KABC to think about changing their format. they had a great run as a talk station, but they have been trounced by KFI and the owners needs to make a decision soon about KABC 790 AM. 36th in 12+ 37th in cume. Something needs to be done here.

Gee, what you're saying sounds no different than Philly. Please don't encourage him to keep ranting about Philly.

Speaking of Philadelphia, how many DJs at "Famous 56" WFIL also worked in Los Angeles? I can think of four: Ron O'Brien worked at KFI, KIIS and KKBT and Tom Dooley, Banana Joe Montione and Frank Kingston Smith (who became "Bobby Mitchell") all worked at KHJ.

KABC recently signed a five-year deal to carry Kings hockey, which was previously heard on KEIB. The Dodgers are heard on KLAC but were heard on KABC from 1974 through 1997 and from 2008 through 2011. A few weeks ago there was a rumor---and no, I'm not the one who started it!---that KABC would try to regain Dodgers broadcast rights and build a sports format around the team. Then a second rumor arose that KLAC might retain the Dodgers by giving the team a share of the station. With KFWB joining the CBS Sports Network next month, a sports format on KABC would be competing with KLAC, KSPN, KFWB, KLAA, XEPRS and Spanish-language KWKW.

By the way, Jul, as far as KABC being "trounced by KFI," KFI hasn't been doing so well in the past several months either!

DavidEduardo said:

1210 is a 50 kW clear channel facility, while Kabc is a5 kW local cannel directional station that does not cover half the market. No comparison at all

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I know you meant to say that KABC is a regional channel. I had no idea that they have to move. That's interesting and the results can't be good for 790!

LARadioRewind said:

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By the way, Jul, as far as KABC being "trounced by KFI," KFI hasn't been doing so well in the past several months either!

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KFI (CC management, that is) has itself to blame for the downfall. What exactly did they think was going to happen when they created a competing talk station and ostracized all of the Rush listeners to the lesser station at the other end of the dial? It is true, in LA Rush isn't the ratings behemoth he once was, but he had a lot of loyal listeners that tuned in the morning (including Handel's show)and stuck around for the rest of the day. Combine that move with the tight reins put in by the thought police (oops, I am referring to CC management again) as of a few years ago and what we have here is a case of a station cutting off its nose to spite its face.

KFI was even just a few years ago such a juggernaut that moving it to FM to grow the brand seemed like a very real possibility. Now they have tarnished their own brand and are looking for answers for these self inflicted wounds. I would expect this type of management from the clods at Cumulus, but to see what CC has done to kill a golden goose is really amazing.

DavidEduardo said:

1210 is a 50 kW clear channel facility, while Kabc is a5 kW local cannel directional station that does not cover half the market. No comparison at all

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Maybe you don't know as much about 1210's coverage as you think.

The Dodgers have a three year contract with KLAC which KABC with it's newly weakened signal would be hard-pressed to displace. KLAC also has the Bruins, Chargers and Fox Sports.

Despite the call letters KABC has no link to ABC/Disney’s ESPN, which already has two southland affiliates – who would an all sports KABC use for a network tie in? NBC Sports – presently divided between KEIB and KFWB (although the latter will shortly terminate)?

I see no incentive for the Dodgers to move to KABC and don't see all-sports as a viable option for KABC, especially with a weakened transmitter location. KLAA with the Angels, Ducks and ESPN (including the Trojans) is strong and Disney-owned KSPN with the Lakers and ESPN (Trojans) as well is also strong. Both have stronger signals than KABC or KFWB.

As for KFI, its well positioned transmitter and 50,000 watts on a prime frequency with a “live and local” format make it the natural kingpin of the AM dial – only KNX can come close. The problem for both stations is that 80% of the listeners today are on FM; the younger generation barely knows AM exists, as has been pointed out by others.

KFI is fighting back with multi-media efforts and an aggressive news department. Its ratings haven’t been by the KEIB split off – in fact. It seems to have been helped while KEIB has increased. I agree it would be interesting to see how KFI’s modified “live and local” format would fare on FM, but given CC’s dominance on FM already (KISS/KOST/KBIG) its not likely to be an experiment we’ll see. Why should they?

"More sports!" Yeah, what a fine idea. In the most recent Nielsen Audio ratings for Los Angeles, KSPN ranked 28th, KLAC was 34th and KLAA, despite the success of the Angels this season, ranked 40th with a 0.3 audience share. KWKW and XEPRS didn't even garner as much as a 0.1. KABC is at #36 with a 0.7 share. KFWB is at #42 with a 0.2 share, the lowest rating in the station's 89-year history. As a CBS Sports Radio affiliate, KFWB should see a moderate gain in listeners. KABC might fare better with a 1950s-60s-70s MOR oldies format similar to the "Unforgettables" format that aired on KMPC in the early 1980s. It wasn't adult standards---it was MOR songs that were big pop hits. If KABC adopted such a format today, they'd have no competition. Larry Elder could become a DJ and continue to play his "gavel" sound effect.

Quit the Persons 6+ and 12+ ratings lists.

It's not 1975. No station sells 12+ or 6+. Sports is 98% male. What are the male numbers? 25-54? Crazy! You think KIIS sells Persons 6+, 12+. REMEMBER PLUS means on the edge of the grave.

See? There is the big difference between radio listeners and radio professionals. We look at on-air content and the number of listeners and you guys look at advertising revenue. That's just an observation, not an opening salvo in a debate. David, you have access to all the ratings breakdowns. What percentage of KSPN's listeners are female? Has there ever been a station with a sports format targeted toward women? Perhaps have an all-female airstaff and carry WNBA games and LPGA events? Or do most women not really care about sports radio?

LARadioRewind said:

See? There is the big difference between radio listeners and radio professionals. We look at on-air content and the number of listeners and you guys look at advertising revenue. That's just an observation, not an opening salvo in a debate. David, you have access to all the ratings breakdowns. What percentage of KSPN's listeners are female? Has there ever been a station with a sports format targeted toward women? Perhaps have an all-female airstaff and carry WNBA games and LPGA events? Or do most women not really care about sports radio?

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Women are less likely than men to be interested in spectator sports, male or female.

I trust your judgment. After all, you've been to several of the Mud Wrestling and Jell-O Wrestling events in Hartford.

Here is an article from AllBusiness.com that discusses how to choose the right format for the target audience:

http://www.allbusiness.com/marketing-advertising/marketing-advertising-channels/14896329-1.html

Getting back to the original topic of the thread (sort of) I got to give it up to Larry Elder for doing what needs to be done to drive ratings, for at least one day (today) anyways. Larry went on CNN before his shift, got into a shouting match with a college prof whose name I won't be publicizing here and throws a bomb on the current national debate by saying that racism is not a major issue in America today. What drives talk radio? CONTROVERSY! And that is what he delivered. Agree with him or not, saying that on national TV in our current Ferguson environment is going to generate lots of it. I listened for over an hour this afternoon, which is more than I have listened to him in total for over a year. If John and Ken had said the same thing, they would be suspended for a week while they attend a re-education camp.