With Entercom blowing up most of the underperforming AMP brand stations, is KAMP in line for a flip?
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AMP???
- Thread starter leethalweapon
- Start date
Except that KAMP is not underperforming. It is 8th in 18-34 and 9th in 18-49, which is very much in the money in LA. They are only about 0.5 away from being #3 in 18-34, as LA is a very compressed market. . .
If Entercom were to flip KAMP, the best choice would be to flip to a simulcast of KNX, because I'm sure that Entercom would want to reach out to younger demographics in markets where they don't already have an FM simulcast of their all-news stations.
There is ZERO chance of Amp LA flipping. Unlike the other struggling Amp brands, this one performs very well. IIRC it bills around $30 million a year, so no way Entercom messes with that. IF (and a pretty unlikely if) they change any formats, it would be either KTWV or KRTH, as those two bill a bit less than their other three FMs.
The issue is that LA is not a good all news market and has not been for several decades.
While LA could support two newsers back in the 70's and 80's, changes in the market demographics plus the general rejection of AM by younger demos gave us two stations that by 2000 got less than three shares.
AM news stations that added FM have done it for reasons that don't exist in LA. KCBS added FM due to competition by KQED; LA has not hugely popular NPR station. WBBM added FM to protect against Merlin's all-news FM; LA has not competitor to KNX on any band.
Adding FM is not going to help in a market that is 42% Hispanic, 12% Asian, 8% Black and 10% composed of immigrants from Persia, Russia and other Middle Eastern or Eastern European nations.
Amp bills about as much as KNX. The news format is not a young format on any band. Adding FM will not increase ratings much. Total revenue will drop.
A KNX FM could be a great News & Sports station. Enough headline news to keep you informed and enough sports to attract younger, male listeners. The Rams would give the station a good head start, and as other teams' radio contracts come up, "KNX FM" would be a desirable platform. I can tell you, that while driving around listening to a World Series game this year, I couldn't believe how archaic the broadcast sounded. It is way past time for sports programming to migrate to FM. I can't imagine anyone in their twenties listening to an AM sports broadcast for more than 5 minutes.
Is there a news and sports station anywhere? A very low-sports-interest market like LA does not seem to be the place to try a concept.
Even though they will and should keep KAMP in the LA Market, I get the feeling they are not too keen on the "Amp Brand" itself, of course they don't have to worry about that with heritage brands like WPOW, WBBM, KLUC, but could "Amp" change to another branding in LA, Boston, and Detroit?
Just for fun, what do you think would be a good name with "Kiss", and "Power" taken, "WiLD" protected by IHM, and "Hot" most recently used by Rhythmic AC/Old School.
Here's some ideas:
"B"
"Q"
"Z" (Not a fan of any of the letter brands for LA)
"Now"
"Hits" (My favorite straight to the point ie: WFLC)
"Energy" (Similar purpose as Amp)
Feels like a fresh coat of paint and Morning show would help put this station closer to KIIS.
Just for fun, what do you think would be a good name with "Kiss", and "Power" taken, "WiLD" protected by IHM, and "Hot" most recently used by Rhythmic AC/Old School.
Here's some ideas:
"B"
"Q"
"Z" (Not a fan of any of the letter brands for LA)
"Now"
"Hits" (My favorite straight to the point ie: WFLC)
"Energy" (Similar purpose as Amp)
Feels like a fresh coat of paint and Morning show would help put this station closer to KIIS.
FRESH 97.1
LA needs some animals. In the Bay Area, we've had "Camel 106" (KMEL), The Bear, The Wolf, and K-Pig. And I know that in the past, there have also been Hawks, Eagles, and Froggies...so we have to be original. I'm thinking "97.1, The Skunk"
You make good points about KNX. However, my question is if Entercom plans to bring some of their other all news stations to the FM dial, whether they acquire an FM translator or flip one of their FM stations to simulcast the all news format.
The big issue in almost all of the markets where they own all-news is the lack of translator frequencies. So I don't think translators are an option. And the jury is out as far as if the all-news commitment from Entercom is as strong as it was at CBS. I'm not convinced that it is right now.
Although there is certainly plenty of news these days relevant to African-Americans, Hispanics (especially of Mexican origin), Russians and various Middle Easterners!
I can understand all-news underperforming with the immigrant demos not yet English-dominant, but it's sad if an English-language all-news station would realize no benefit from getting on FM among black listeners and those of foreign origin who are comfortable with English or even communicate in it exclusively.
Nobody has suggested that they want to put any of the news stations on FM.
For the Hispanic population in LA which is predominantly Mexican and Mexican American, there is another issue. About half are Spanish dominant. And the other half comes from a heritage that does not include news stations... the only all news station in Mexico City recently "merged" with a talk station because the format, even in a city of 23 million, was not sustainable.
Culturally, what drives most all news stations is not universally in tune with the differing interests of Hispanics, and, to a great extent, other ethnic and cultural groups. Add in the fact that both the Hispanic and African American communities in LA are much younger, you have groups that are not in the 45+ and 50+ demos that news appeals to, mostly, today. That's one of the reasons the format has not done well in Sunbelt markets...Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, etc.
I read on another thread that suggested Entercom would flip 96.5 in Philadelphia to a simulcast of KYW 1060.
Suggested or, better answer, speculated?
I guess we're all forgetting that KAMP was launched in the heat of the Great Recession and the PPM transition, with the intention of grabbing billing from KIIS, KPWR, KLVE and other stations its listeners share audience with. It would not make any sense for Entercom to fold the station, considering it has filled a role in the market and bills well.
The Entercom block is solid in Los Angeles and I don't see any changes being made soon.
The Entercom block is solid in Los Angeles and I don't see any changes being made soon.
I'm now thinking if Entercom will eventually flip the other AMP Radio stations in Detroit and Boston.
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