New Tucson Station Targets 40-64 Demo

[kwthom]

"A year in, independent Tucson radio station lands in Nielsen's top 10"

https://tucson.com/business/a-year-...le_f41c622f-4c87-5ef1-9551-4209afa4949e.html#

"Tucson’s independent radio station KDRI, which marked its first anniversary on the air last month, ranked in the top eight among local commercial radio stations.

The station’s most recent Nielsen ratings, which gauge market listenership, places KDRI The Drive 101.7 FM and 830-AM tied for fourth place in the 45-and-older category for English-language music stations during the competitive morning drive slot. It holds steady at No. 6 for the afternoon drive and ping-pongs between fourth and eighth place among the 45-and-older audience throughout the day, General Manager Jim Arnold said."

Home-grown radio (nearly...) beating big-guys, but for how long?

 

[kwthom]

Tucson's The Drive giving away '65 Karmann Ghia to one lucky listener

Tucson's The Drive giving away '65 Karmann Ghia to one lucky listener

"Some radio station contests offer concert tickets, a couple hundred dollars or restaurant gift cards to listeners.

But when your station is nicknamed “The Drive” ... you see where this is going.

Tucson’s newest radio station, 101.7 FM/AM830 KDRI The Drive, is giving away a car to one lucky listener.

And not just any car: a fully restored, 1965 Karmann Ghia convertible that has spent the years since it was restored in 2013 in a garage with the exception of a monthly cruise around the neighborhood."

Apparently, the restoration was done by one of the station owners.

 

[landtuna]

And not just any car: a fully restored, 1965 Karmann Ghia convertible that has spent the years since it was restored in 2013 in a garage with the exception of a monthly cruise around the neighborhood."

Apparently, the restoration was done by one of the station owners.

Hey, Maxwell Smart would love it. Good way for the owner to get rid of a not-too-popular classic car and a nice tax write off.

 

[99KTKT]

Hey, Maxwell Smart would love it. Good way for the owner to get rid of a not-too-popular classic car and a nice tax write off.

"Sophia, the Karmann Ghia". Her 'official' name, after an on-air poll.

 

[DavidEduardo]

Hey, Maxwell Smart would love it. Good way for the owner to get rid of a not-too-popular classic car and a nice tax write off.

Or a way for one of the partners to make back some of the cost. He sells it to the station, the station pays him.

The car-owner gets some cash from the company. The business likely gets it at a low cost for a very fun sounding prize. And once the business buys it, it's no different than the electric bill or a salary... just another expense. The owner of the car can't "write it off" as he is only a shareholder in the company.

 

[kwthom]

Or a way for one of the partners to make back some of the cost. He sells it to the station, the station pays him.

The car-owner gets some cash from the company. The business likely gets it at a low cost for a very fun sounding prize. And once the business buys it, it's no different than the electric bill or a salary... just another expense. The owner of the car can't "write it off" as he is only a shareholder in the company.

[Fletcher] McCusker, who restores classic vehicles as a hobby, said he bought the car in 2013 and set about restoring it from top to bottom with stock parts. It was the third Karmann Ghia he restored.

Marketing 101 for one of the owners of the station (McCusker), it would seem. He can do whatever tax law allows him to do - both personally, and as a part of the business. I'm not a lawyer or an accountant, and certainly wouldn't provide anyone with an overview of how that would work...

I don't recall anyone - in this market - giving away a car as part of a radio promotion.

It would certainly seem that the station has taken some of the wind out the sails of where 'ol Bobby used to work these days. Glad to see it's working out for them.

 

[RadioBill]

While listening to the Drive this afternoon, I noticed that the audio on 830 is about 30 seconds behind 101.7. Why would that be?

 

[SomeRadioGuy]

While listening to the Drive this afternoon, I noticed that the audio on 830 is about 30 seconds behind 101.7. Why would that be?

both transmitters at different locations are fed over the internet.. delays like that can be anywhere between 30 to 60 seconds

 

[CAVEMANager]

Much more likely is that the FM translator is fed with an STL link and the AM is fed with the internet.

 

[kwthom]

Much more likely is that the FM translator is fed with an STL link and the AM is fed with the internet.

In the bowels of downtown Tucson (Scott & Broadway), I'm thinking @SomeRadioGuy has probably surmised accurately.

Now, looking at Google Street View of that intersection, you have to get quite a tower on that roof to get a good signal over two+ blocks of buildings to the immediate west of that location to get to the top of the hill.

 

[roadwonk]

I discovered "The Drive" by accident a couple of months ago. I had just delivered legal documents to city hall in Buckeye, and for the first time in I don't know how long, decided to scan the AM dial (factory receiver in my 2015 Toyota Yaris). 830 popped up...and it was playing music!

I have been listening ever since - streaming at home, and on AM in the car. Comes in quite well in Phoenix, except for the obvious spots - underpasses on the freeway, in the heart of downtown, next to high-voltage power lines, etc

IMO, "The Drive" has made radio fun again!

 

[roadwonk]

That reminds me of the last attempt of MOR radio in Arizona, KCCF in Phoenix. Full-service AM radio in 1997? It didn't work, but those were the days long before FM translators were allowed for AM stations.

I remember KCCF! Bill Heywood (longtime Phoenix radio personality) and Danny Davis (who I remember on KHOW and KIMN in Denver) were two of the DJs. Too bad KCCF didn't last...

 

[roadwonk]

And their supposed 50 kW comes in very poorly in Mesa, and always has. On 830, 50 kW should be noise-free or close to it at 110 miles, even with our lousy desert terrain.

Just curious - what kind of receiver do you have? I drive all over the Valley for work and KDRI comes in great pretty much anywhere for me, with one exception - for some reason, when on I-10 roughly between 43rd Ave and AZ 101, it fades out and it sounds as if another 830 kHz station is muscling in

 

[KeithE4]

radiowizard101 said:
The signal in Mesa is excellent. No dropouts on my nissan AM radio. Soooo Keith... maybe you need a new radio. LOL.

Actually, I need a new car -- one with a semi-functioning Ancient Modulation radio as well as HD. The radio in my current car isn't removable, and yes it stinks. I lose KTAR just north of Wickenburg, while it was good to I-40 in my previous cars.

And at long last, I finally dumped the Nissan in favor of a 2017 Dodge Grand Caravan last week. The radio in this one is the best I've had in the last 40 years. Not only is 830 absolutely clear during the day, but I can hear 92.7 as well. No HD, though.

 

[roadwonk]

radiowizard101 said:
The signal in Mesa is excellent. No dropouts on my nissan AM radio. Soooo Keith... maybe you need a new radio. LOL.

And at long last, I finally dumped the Nissan in favor of a 2017 Dodge Grand Caravan last week. The radio in this one is the best I've had in the last 40 years. Not only is 830 absolutely clear during the day, but I can hear 92.7 as well. No HD, though.

Are the factory systems in Dodge products still made by Infinity?

 

[CAVEMANager]

See what happens to 830 after the sun sets. Unless you are in the Tucson area you won't hear much. I used to enjoy 107.5 in Tucson but they have made big changes in their music so if you like the stuff from the 1960s and even 1970s 830 or 101.7 are pretty much your only choices.