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Rich Lord let go from KILT
- Thread starter leoingle
- Start date
The Chronicle article that was linked includes the new lineup.
This is a salary dump by Entercom, which has been making cuts around the country. Somewhat surprised they waited to can Meltser and Lord a few weeks after letting Paul Gallant go, instead of at the same time.
I suspect 610 management wanted the new lineups in place before the start of Texans training camp (7/25) and the NFL season, which is the primary focus of the station.
I would be curious to see how 610, 790, and 97.5 rank in the target demos. Might be quite different than what is suggested in the publicly released numbers.
At some point 610 and/or 790 will need to get an FM signal, before AM falls into total irrelevance for younger demos. I'll beat the 92.1 drum again for this possibility.
Not completely. It would have been if they simply fired the local talent and replaced them with CBS Sports Radio 24/7.
But they did hire some new local folks. Maybe at a lower salary. Maybe not.
https://www.allaccess.com/net-news/...a-sportsradio-610-houston-host-rich-lord-exit
And yes I'm sure Entercom would love to put this format on a full signal FM. But they don't have one available right now.
Putting any network feed on 24/7 would be a revenue dump in addition to a salary dump. People here can only get just so interested in what the Yankees are doing.
More on the 610 changes, including Houston SportsTalk target demo ratings: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/sp...ping-610-changes-rare-in-Houston-14106662.php
Article also brings up the deficiencies of AM radio. Were I Alfred Liggins, I would get both Entercom and iHeart on a conference call and say "Start bidding on 92.1." I would also have EMF listening in.
Article also brings up the deficiencies of AM radio. Were I Alfred Liggins, I would get both Entercom and iHeart on a conference call and say "Start bidding on 92.1." I would also have EMF listening in.
Don't you think they'd want a better signal?
Houston already has a sports fm with a signal that misses the western and northern suburbs.
Where did the illusion that this was a salary cutting come from? It is 100% obvious that a new direction needed to be taken to get the ship back from the sinking position. I hope this serves as yet another notice that Entercom is NOT Cumulus or iHeart. They monitor their properties extremely close and put people in charge to not talk about it, but make it happen. The year is not over yet, but I think you will start to see many drastic changes in the radio landscape and we go into 2020.
Of course they would want a “better” FM signal. They’re not going to get one. 92.1 is pretty much the only option.
KFNC makes it into those areas, but, yes the signal is deficient. Does okay on a car radio. But the booster, when on, degrades the audio due to signal clash. Dumb idea.
I think it is a safe assumption that the new guys will be paid less than Lord and Meltser. And we should note the three main weekday shows on 610 used to have three hosts; those are all down to two hosts. Money is tight everywhere. I wonder how KFNC affords all their staff.
What makes you think am hasnt already fell into irrelevance with the younger demos? They cut off most every radio disney am station a while ago and most of younger generation listens to radio type talk show through podcasts or online youtube etc.
Then why would there be a bidding war over a deficient signal? Especially between a company that's now being run by creditors and another company that's looking to cut $100 million? Those are two almost mortally wounded competitors, don't you think? And for a signal that will get them a 2 share.
Radio Disney was targeted at older children and "tweens", not adults of any kind. And Disney bought, for the most part, miserable technical facilities that were not competitive in any format. Sports targets 25-54 men and there is still an audience for an AM for sports... unless a strong FM arrives in the market.
The 92.1 signal, while not a Missouri City blowtorch, is still capable of pulling in some numbers. It frequently got into the lower three's during the "Praise" days, and was also in the lower three's in the early months of the "Boom" throwback HipHop format.
Both formats were replaced (Praise because the demos were too old; Boom because the audience drifted away and there was a CHR opening when KKHH flipped) but the 92.1 signal IMHO is something 610 or 790 should be interested in.
None of the full signal stations is going to dump what they have for SportsTalk. Shutting off the stereo on 92.1 would help coverage; also the station doesn't suffer from the tropo interference issues that frequently plague KFNC (from KFTX and KWTX.) And the signal does, overall, give better coverage in relevant areas of the metro than 97.5.
Whichever of the AM SportsTalkers that misses out on FM is going to be at a huge disadvantage. 92.1, while far from perfect, would seem to be a logical choice. And I am sure EMF would snatch the station up in a heartbeat were they interested in adding another Houston signal, and UO was willing to sell (which I'm sure they are.)
One of the biggest issues for 610 and 790 is coverage in the northern part of the metro at night. 92.1 wouldn't do a lot to solve that problem. KROI gets hammered by the 92.3 translator near Spring and the signal isn't very good in Montgomery county.
Like others have said in the past, 92.1 would be better off being paired with a northern rimshot like 97.1 or 91.7.
https://radioinsight.com/headlines/...-while-mike-meltser-rich-lord-depart-station/
More changes at KILT Radio
More changes at KILT Radio
BamaTX is Right - 92.1 solves nothing for the woeful northern signals from 610 and 790 -- they're both directional signals toward GALVESTON. Both 610 and 790 have HD signals, but nobody cares. They both need "something" on FM for The Woodlands and Conroe markets, but radio expansion to boost under-served economically-viable areas seems to be Going-Going-Gone.
I live and work in Conroe and will work late and drive home after 11PM and I seem to pick Ferrell up pretty decently on my drive home. Some static, but its clear enough to be listenable. Plus I dont see an issue with stations being on AM or FM as long as they stream through an app. I stream to my truck radio all the time. I just wish KTWL would find a financially viable way to stream.
This post seemed to be overshadowed by the others in this thread, but I wholeheartedly agree. Haven't lived in Houston in almost 10 years but still listen to Charlie occasionally, and Rich Lord was one of the few I liked at 610.
I suppose the big question then becomes if either of them would want to be a team again.
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