What's wrong with KGOW's formerly big-time signal?

What would you do with 1560?

ThatVoice22 said:

If memory serves me, the flood-related Special Temporary Authority for the daytime operation of the KGOW nighttime antenna array expired in mid-December. There's been no improvement in the daytime signal here in Spring, so maybe the Gow Media folks got an extension. I'm wondering why it's taking so long to return the 46KW daytime transmitter to operating status. It seems like their only prayer of going from 10 listeners to maybe 20 or 30 with the new format via "SB Nation."

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You make a good point. What would you do to generate some ratings? I don't understand why it has no listeners. The programming is pretty good for sports talk.

When KGOW returns to full daytime power, the station needs to launch a total ad-blitz on billboards, internet, paying people to write brag-blogs, and cross-branding on the co-owned ESPN FM 97.5 at the risk of cutting into its audience. I wonder if simulcasting the ESPN Sports format could do any worse, although that might increase expenses to ESPN. What's the alternative = spanish language religious programming - we don't have nearly enough of that here - yeh, that's the ticket.

Sad to bring up this subject again, but I think it's been a full year of KGOW operating the night-time transmitter during the day, due to the spring 2016 floods at the day-time transmitter and slow insurance payments. Isn't a year long enough to force the insurance company to pay and then fix the transmitter? Not sure whether to feel sorry for the Gow Media folks or wonder if they care. Also, sad that KGOW is not even listed on the latest ratings ( https://www.allaccess.com/nielsen/q/market/46/houston-galveston-tx )where Gow does participate, as KFNC-ESPN-97.5 is listed. The re-branding to SB Nation hasn't gotten anyone's attention, maybe due to the lack of any northern signal penetration from the night-time tower array being directed toward the Gulf. A 46 KW boomer is a "terrible thing to waste."

Those insurance companies are not easy to deal with. I worked a station that went about 8 months before replacing our insured equipment. We accepted about half of what it should have been because we were at a point we could not lose any more money. Your engineer says you need this or that, then they get somebody to say it is not warranted. I suspect after the flooding it is not just the transmitter that needs replacement. And if the insurance company will only cover half, it might be a case of not wanting to invest the cash.

Even if KGOW doesn't show in the 6+ 6am to Midnight ratings does not mean they don't show in the demographic breakdowns. Anyway, the real question is if they're making money. It's not always about coverage and ratings.

DavidEduardo said:

Aside from that, calling 50 kw at 1560 a "big timer signal" is certainly a liberal use of hyperbole.

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Although the 46kw KGOW daytime site would boom into the Great Lakes region during critical hours, as reported by many AMDXers. The sharply directional NNE array threw a lot of RF that way, but also impeded reception in the western areas of the Houston market as it steered clear of KWBC in Bryan-College Station on 1550.

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ThatVoice22 said:

From the STA: "(3) STA facilities must maintain, as closely as practicable, the licensed service area without extending it;" Since the day pattern is directed to the northeast and the night pattern is sharply directed to the south, I wonder why KGOW can't now exceed 15KW, perhaps up to the day limit of 46KW, as doing so would not appear to over-extend the existing day pattern allowance, except into the Gulf of Mexico. It doesn't make sense to deny Conroe and Huntsville the ability to receive the day signal with the night pattern in place, unless there's a separate night transmitter that's unable to produce above 15KW.

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While Conroe coverage would be nice, Huntsville is not part of the Houston DMA IIRC....so its really not worth trying to add a small percentage of listeners for the effort...Conroe on the other hand may be but that will be a tough one from the night site. I DOUBT they will do anything with the day site...they have pumped MILLIONS into it and its no way near ready to return to the air...its a lost cause....

DavidEduardo said:

This sort of station is not about ratings.

Aside from that, calling 50 kw at 1560 a "big timer signal" is certainly a liberal use of hyperbole.

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Granted, an AM signal at 1560 has much less propagation compared to the lower end of the dial. Even so, the KGOW directional daytime signal had superior penetration into the Houston market compared to its nighttime signal operating during the day. If "this sort of station is not about ratings" how does it survive at the bottom of the barrel? Assuming the nighttime signal is here to stay during the daytime, what options does Gow Media have from here, if any?