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Switching 1360 to Sports a good move... Switching them to XTRA, a BIG MISTAKE!

G

Garrett

I don't live in San Diego anymore, and I only occasionally listen to San Diego stations over the internet.
But I've worked a few jobs in radio and I've taken a course or two in Mass-Comm... Note to Clear-Channel: Switching to XTRA is the wrong move. Let me explaine....

If you agree that you want to use the most marketable name for an upstart station, that calling 1360 "XTRA" is not a smart move, and here's why. I believe that a Sports format on 1360 can get better ratings than what is there now, if the right talent is used. The problem is with the selection of the name. In a way, using XTRA's format makes sense, since the Adult Standards format on 1360 is what replaced sports (at least temporarily) on 690.

But therein also lies the problem. For San Diego purposes, everybody knows what Xtra is, but all those people are listening to XX. Likely, many people probably think that Xtra moved to 1090, and indeed, John Lynch was behind both stations, at least intially.

Look north to LA, and Xtra was on 1150, then 670, then 690, now 570. While Radio-Locator indicates that 1360 barely makes it to LA at night and not at all during the day, from a marketing standpoint, using XTRA again is sure to cause confusion. Nobody's going to look for 1360 that far out on the dial (too close to 1090 already), if they find it at all. San Diegans are listening to XX, and there is no LA audience anymore. Xtra Sports 690 thrived because of the signal powerhouse that it was. 1360 can not provide that, and the Xtra name has now been overused in the region. Putting them on 1360 will just create more confusion and will generate limited interest.

A better idea would be for Clear-Channel to use another famous name... 1360 "The Fan" modeled after WFAN in New York would be a much better name from a marketing perspective, and would give the station an identity that nobdy else in San Diego has or has had. So (in my opinion and only my opinion) Sports on 1360 is not a bad idea, but XTRA, not a good one.
 
Re: Switching 1360 to Sports a good move... Switching them to XTRA, a BIG MISTAK

Garrett: Clear Channel owns the "XTRA Sports" moniker at least for use in So Cal. I tend to agree with you, but for different reasons. XTRA Sports was a powerful San Diego brand name during the 90's and until CC
virtually moved the station to LA. However 1360 is a pea shooter in comparison to AM 690 which had a very strong San Diego signal but also had a presence in a number of surrounding counties such as Riverside, Orange, & Santa Barbara, the Western part of LA, and so so. It was a mega-signal. Why is this important in sports radio? We know most of the buys are predicated on the primary market, however XTRA-AM consistently had Orange County business, mostly high end BMW, Mercedes, & other import sports car dealers.
In addition sports radio listeners tend to be high-achievers, often they are in sales/marketing & do a good deal of traveling within a 90 mile range. 690 was perfect for this format. 1360 is barely a local signal throughout the metro today, much less a regional stick. The noise level & lack of power will be very apparent especially when matched up against XX AM & FM. Basically this was a sales move, XPRS has become one of the market's most successful stations in terms of revenue, CC wanted a piece of that.
Will it work? If they can get approval for the 50KW upgrade they at least have a chance, with 1360 now they have none.
 
Re: Switching 1360 to Sports a good move... Switching them to XTRA, a BIG MISTAK

doublecashkgb said:
Garrett: Clear Channel owns the "XTRA Sports" moniker at least for use in So Cal. I tend to agree with you, but for different reasons. XTRA Sports was a powerful San Diego brand name during the 90's and until CC
virtually moved the station to LA. However 1360 is a pea shooter in comparison to AM 690 which had a very strong San Diego signal but also had a presence in a number of surrounding counties such as Riverside, Orange, & Santa Barbara, the Western part of LA, and so so. It was a mega-signal. Why is this important in sports radio? We know most of the buys are predicated on the primary market, however XTRA-AM consistently had Orange County business, mostly high end BMW, Mercedes, & other import sports car dealers.
In addition sports radio listeners tend to be high-achievers, often they are in sales/marketing & do a good deal of traveling within a 90 mile range. 690 was perfect for this format. 1360 is barely a local signal throughout the metro today, much less a regional stick. The noise level & lack of power will be very apparent especially when matched up against XX AM & FM. Basically this was a sales move, XPRS has become one of the market's most successful stations in terms of revenue, CC wanted a piece of that.
Will it work? If they can get approval for the 50KW upgrade they at least have a chance, with 1360 now they have none.
Click to expand...

Actually, WE COMPLETELY agree on this!
 
Re: Switching 1360 to Sports a good move... Switching them to XTRA, a BIG MISTAK

G-dawg, it's gonna happen. I was in da house today at Granite Ridge and the change is comin'. Stacy to stay with CCU ... and don't know about the others.

Regardless, sports is an easier sale than alternative talk. that's too bad. Ed, Stacy, Jon and others have a great appeal. Some of the AAR programming is total crap, but the standouts do good. Ed is syndicated by another group; and he does good regardless.

Best.

C
 
Re: Switching 1360 to Sports a good move... Switching them to XTRA, a BIG MISTAK

It's Nov.1 already,and it's still Air(liberal)America.What happened?Anybody know?
I tuned in this morning expecting to hear the new format,and the liberal talk hosts
are still on the air-waves.Cancelled perhaps?
 
Re: Switching 1360 to Sports a good move... Switching them to XTRA, a BIG MISTAK

kayjo007 said:
Cancelled perhaps?
Click to expand...

As Randy D. wrote: Day 112 of the Death Watch of 'LSD. It's gonna happen, the format wheel sprung so tight that it has lost a lot of momentum.
 
I enjoy every day that KLSD survives. It isn't easy to find truth, reality, relevance in the media.

Maybe the big change is set to coincide with some triggering event, like the New War Against Iran starting, or oil hitting $100 a bbl, or the Dow plunging another 500 or so points. As any sheepman will tell you, there's no point panicking the flock on the way to get sheered. Or as any cattleman will tell you, the last thing you want is a bunch of panicked steers (!) heading off to the "processing plant". Don't clutter up the peoples sleepy little brains with facts. They might get the idea that there is something they could do to escape the fate ordained for them by wealthy Texans.

But why waste the money to produce a sports format? Bring back elevator music like XETRA used to play, the kind of stuff they play in doctors offices to keep people calm before getting the bad news. Its just as anesthetizing as sports and a lot cheaper to produce.
 
Re: Switching 1360 to Sports a good move... Switching them to XTRA, a BIG MISTAK

Truth, reality, etc. are relative depending on your politics.There's always NPR....One day libs
will find their Limbaugh who will be on 600 stations, many of them powerful. For now they can
be content knowing that Her Highness and a Dem majority will run the government soon and the majority
of media, except talk radio, will still lean left...
...and talk radio will provide an alternative for those on the center and the right, unless the (un)Fairness
Doctrine comes back. Hopefully Mike Pence's Broadcaster Freedom Act will pass and freedom of the
press/speech won't be usurped just because nobody wanted to listen to Al Franken's molasses-laden
voice...
 
Re: Switching 1360 to Sports a good move... Switching them to XTRA, a BIG MISTAK

Reality Check: Corporations own the media. Such as Rupert Murdoch, Time Warner, Clear Channel, Moon, CBS, Viacom, GE, etc. The Union Tribune is own by liberals? Whoever owns it, controls it.

Liberals own novaM and Air America. Yup, that's most of the media. NOT!

Stop playing games, corporations are out for PROFIT, they don't care who is on their station or in their newsrooms as long as they are making money and the stockholder is happy. Get a grip.
 
Re: Switching 1360 to Sports a good move... Switching them to XTRA, a BIG MISTAK

RBA said:
Reality Check: Corporations own the media. Such as Rupert Murdoch, Time Warner, Clear Channel, Moon, CBS, Viacom, GE, etc. The Union Tribune is own by liberals? Whoever owns it, controls it.

Liberals own novaM and Air America. Yup, that's most of the media. NOT!

Stop playing games, corporations are out for PROFIT, they don't care who is on their station or in their newsrooms as long as they are making money and the stockholder is happy. Get a grip.
Click to expand...

Can we please keep this aobut KLSD switching? My thread had NOTHING to do with politics.
 
Re: Switching 1360 to Sports a good move... Switching them to XTRA, a BIG MISTAK

Garrett said:
Can we please keep this aobut KLSD switching? My thread had NOTHING to do with politics.
Click to expand...

aobut=about

I think it does G-dawg. The station is very political.
 
Re: Switching 1360 to Sports a good move... Switching them to XTRA, a BIG MISTAK

Garrett said:
RBA said:
Reality Check: Corporations own the media. Such as Rupert Murdoch, Time Warner, Clear Channel, Moon, CBS, Viacom, GE, etc. The Union Tribune is own by liberals? Whoever owns it, controls it.

Liberals own novaM and Air America. Yup, that's most of the media. NOT!

Stop playing games, corporations are out for PROFIT, they don't care who is on their station or in their newsrooms as long as they are making money and the stockholder is happy. Get a grip.
Click to expand...

Can we please keep this aobut KLSD switching? My thread had NOTHING to do with politics.
Click to expand...

Like I'm the one that made it a political thread? Aren't you playing politics by selectively berating posters while giving passes to the ones you agree with? hmmmmmmmmmmmm
 
Re: Switching 1360 to Sports a good move... Switching them to XTRA, a BIG MISTAK

RBA said:
Like I'm the one that made it a political thread? Aren't you playing politics by selectively berating posters while giving passes to the ones you agree with? hmmmmmmmmmmmm
Click to expand...

G-Dawg needs to re-read the Dunder Mifflin Infinity handbook. Specifically, about posting and using spell check.
 
Re: Switching 1360 to Sports a good move... Switching them to XTRA, a BIG MISTAK

Art Bell is on KLSD right now. Not sure what's going on. It's not the usual programming for KLSD. Maybe it has to do with the time change? Or maybe it has to do with a format change? To sports?? Doesn't make sense.
 
Re: Switching 1360 to Sports a good move... Switching them to XTRA, a BIG MISTAK

Looks like the Aztecs game is on KOGO 600. So they interrupted KLSD normal programming for Coast to Coast. Sort of makes sense.
 
Let me know if there is a political page because I'd much rather post political things there than to upset people by posting it here. Anyway, in thinking about media coverage of the recent fires I can't help but think that legitimate emergency coverage was turned into a political grandstand, and mainly for the Republicans.

Was it not Schwarzenegger who only a few short months ago characterized firefighters as a bunch of greedy corrupt union members? Yes, it was. Now he basks in their glory and praises them. They deserve the praise. They never deserved to be portrayed as greedy corrupt unionists. Behold, it was often reported that our heroic firefighters showed up for work without tools. Why? Budget cuts. Folks, you gotta get real about economics, you gotta get real about taxes. Nobody likes paying em but letting things fall apart costs you a LOT more in the end! As Randi Rhodes (back to KLSD!!) said when the I-35 bridge in Minneapolis fell down, "Your tax cuts at work". The Republican Minnesota gov's office, when shown evidence of rust on the bridge, reacted by saying a little paint was all thats needed. You gotta go deeper than that, you gotta hit reality. Saving a few bucks on your taxes is sure nice, you can go out and have a few nice dinners on it, maybe even put in a spa. BUT look at what happens if your house burns down. Look at what happens to your insurance rates. THINK for Christ's sake! Firefighters are not our enemy, they are totally valuable, totally necessary members of our community.

Even Mr. Bush took his opportunity to take a cheap political shot at Louisiana Gov. Blanco during this catastrophe. Many of the politicians basking in glory were the ones at least partially responsible for it. Who allowed over development in wooded areas? Who even now refuses to appropriate sufficient funds for brush removal? Nobody likes paying taxes and thats why you need to make sure the money is spent wisely, for things we actually really truly reality-based have a need for.
 
Re: Switching 1360 to Sports a good move... Switching them to XTRA, a BIG MISTAK

No political commentary in the last thread; just pointing out the merely obvious.

Besides, the board monitors dictate the status quo of the threads, not in-duh-viduals.
 
Re: Switching 1360 to Sports a good move... Switching them to XTRA, a BIG MISTAK

Lopaka said:
As Randi Rhodes (back to KLSD!!) said when the I-35 bridge in Minneapolis fell down, "Your tax cuts at work".
Click to expand...

Please, tell me again how my taxes are too low when I'm giving 35%-plus of my paycheck to the State and Federal Government. Then remind me once more after we see bureaucrats steal tax monies from the Highway Fund to pay for budget shortfalls caused by spending millions to subsidize Ethanol production, hiring "psychics" for the CIA, and funding the National Endowment for the Arts. Why should I sign up to pay more? Make the jerks spend what we already give 'em on the stuff we authorized them to, and then we'll talk.

Now to the topic at hand: My opinion is that it doesn't matter what they put on 1360. It's a half-market stick and always has been. AM signals that don't fully cover the ADI are useless, and should either be turned off or donated to non-profits.

Let the flaming begin! ;)

- Doc
 
Re: Switching 1360 to Sports a good move... Switching them to XTRA, a BIG MISTAK

35 percent plus in taxes? Maybe you need an accountant? So you're making over $349,700 as a retired fertilizer salesman? Where do I sign up for a job like that?
 
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