Oldies FM Translator Station in Boise Shoots to #4

[Gregg.]

According to the Nielsen ratings, KKOO has risen to #4 in Boise, with a 1960s/1970s oldies format. It is heard on an FM translator in Boise, 101.5, as well as an FM translator in Weiser, Idaho, at 99.9, plus its originating AM signal, 1260 KKOO Weiser. The AM is powered at 8,400 watts by day. But it drops to only 36 watts at night. Even the daytime power really doesn't hit part of the Boise metropolitan area because the transmitter is about 50 miles to the northwest.

But thanks to that FM translator at 101.5, powered at 250 watts and fed by co-owned 96.1 KSRV-FM-HD2, it has overtaken all but three stations in this competitive market. Boise is like many markets in the Mountain West. It has a ton of signals, since it is so far from other metropolitan areas. And most stations run a lot of power from a mountain high above average terrain. So it's like Denver, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, Albuquerque, Tuscon, etc. They're all markets that have many more stations than if they were locked in a crowded area of the East or West Coast.

I would guess that playing The Beatles, The Supremes, The Stones and Stevie Wonder doesn't give Oldies 101.5 decent demographics. But it is probably just selling to mom and pop retail outlets in Boise. If these oldies songs can generate foot traffic into the stores, KKOO can be a success.

 

[RF101]

Well, KKOO is down to a 1.6 share... .. So much for the station programmer's brief glory... (Of course, the several Spanish-language stations don't sppear as that audience is not measured properly.)
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Words & Deeds" column

https://www.idahostatesman.com/entertainment/ent-columns-blogs/words-deeds/article248609970.html

HEADLINE "Welcome to modern Boise, where an AM radio station is No. 1 in the market"

By Michael Deeds JANUARY 19, 2021 02:28 PM (MST)AGO

"When local radio host Nate Shelman celebrated 10 years of being on-air as a conservative voice for the Treasure Valley, we asked his loyal listeners: Why do you listen to Nate Shelman's show? BY MCCLATCHY

Hear that static crackling?

That’s the sound of a winner, Boise.

An AM radio station was No. 1 among listeners 12 and older in the fall 2020 Nielsen Audio ratings, which were released last week. Talking Trumpism and right-wing politics, KBOI 670 AM was the market’s top-rated station. Nielsen measures listener share among radio stations every six months.

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If you’ve lived in Boise for more than a minute, you realize that KBOI’s win isn’t unusual. The station, which lures an older demographic, has won the 12-plus category as recently as spring 2019.

Not everyone in Boise spins the dial of a vintage transistor radio, though. With one exception, the rest of the Treasure Valley’s top-rated choices were FM stations.

Country powerhouse 101.9 FM The Bull, which easily topped the ratings in spring 2020, slipped to No. 2 in fall. Rounding out the top five were 107.9 Lite FM, 96.1 Bob FM and 91.5 FM Boise State Public Radio.

Nielsen Audio carves ratings into near-endless demographics. With its wide range of listeners, the 12-plus category essentially is the bragging-rights division.

Here’s the ratings breakdown. These are quarter-hour share ratings for Treasure Valley stations among listeners 12 and older between 6 a.m. and midnight.

▪ KBOI-AM 670 (news/talk): 7.8
▪ KQBL-FM 101.9 (The Bull, country): 6.9
▪ KXLT-FM 107.9 (Lite FM, adult contemporary): 4.9
▪ KSRV-FM 96.1 (Bob, variety hits): 4.7
▪ KBSX-FM 91.5 (news/talk): 4.6
▪ KIDO-AM 580 (news/talk): 4.6
▪ KKGL-FM 96.9 (The Eagle, classic rock): 4.0
▪ KSAS-FM 103.5 (Kiss FM, contemporary hits): 3.8
▪ KZMG-FM 102.7 (My 102.7, Hot AC): 3.6
▪ KCIX-FM 105.9 (Mix 106, Hot AC): 2.9
▪ KTSY-FM 89.5 (Christian contemporary): 2.9
▪ KQXR-FM 100.3 (The X, active rock): 2.7
▪ KIZN-FM 92.3 (Kissin’ 92.3, country): 2.6
▪ KTHI-FM 107.1 (K-Hits, classic): 2.6
▪ KAWO-FM 104.3 (Wow country): 2.4
▪ KWYD-FM 101.1 (Wild 101.1, rhythmic contemporary hits): 2.4
▪ KJOT-FM 105.1 (J-105, classic rock): 2.2
▪ KRVB-FM 94.9 (The River, adult album alternative): 2.2
▪ KBSU-FM 90.3 (Classical): 2.0
▪ KKOO-AM 1260 (Kool Oldies): 1.8
▪ KQBL-FM HD3 96.5 (alternative rock): 1.5
▪ KTIK-FM 93.1 (The Ticket, sports): 1.5
▪ KQFC-FM 97.9 (Magic 97.9, adult contemporary): 1.1
▪ KFXD-AM 630 (Power 105.5, urban contemporary): 0.7
▪ KQBL-FM HD2 99.1 (I-Rock): 0.7
▪ KOAY-FM 88.7 (rhythmic contemporary): 0.2

Explaining the numbers: “Share” is the percentage of listeners tuned in to a station at a given time. KBOI’s 7.8 means 7.8 percent of everyone 12 and older in the market listening to the radio at that time was tuned in to that station. These are quarter-hour share, or AQH, numbers — the average number of people listening to a particular station for at least 5 minutes during a 15-minute period. “Rating,” the percentage of potential listeners in the market actually tuning in, is a different thing.