KAHM Sells Out

[johndavis]

My Dad was a heavy listener to Beautiful Music. He's in his 80s. I made a CD of beautiful music for him. He listened and thanked me but added it just didn't do it for him. He prefers the adult contemporary side of Top 40 from the 1960s and 1970s as well as country although classic country might be a better match for him now. I know he really likes Trisha Yearwood, Bob Seger, Barry White and Sheryl Crow. He might not be usual but being a fan of Beautiful Music until sometime in the 1980s, he isn't today maybe because the format vanished from his radio dial years ago.

Sounds a lot like my dad, except he's now more into classic country or songs from the 50s than Percy Faith these days. That is, when he's not listening to classical or straight ahead jazz. No radio station is going to make money off of my dad, but he's got plenty of audio entertainment, either through Music Choice, his CD collection, or just asking Alexa to play whatever he wants via his Echo.

It's not an 'over the air' versus 'online' but in a radio station's case, the combination of over the air and online listening.

One of the stations I jock on cumes over a million people, but we maybe pull a .1 share from our stream. We're not going to turn the stream or app off, though. We don't care how you listen, we just care that you do.

But that's the whole point of broadcast radio: we are a mass medium. We cannot be all things to all people. We have to be something for most people if we're going to pay the light bill.

I have worked for niche format stations that lose money that are the personal jukebox for their owners. They're a lot of fun and you get to do something for the love of music. But every station that's a musical playground has a mass appeal station tied to it that pays the bills, and at some point the party ends and you have to get serious about entertaining the masses.

 

[Prescott Joe]

From the Prescott Courier, Sunday, October 1st.

https://www.dcourier.com/news/2017/oct/01/kyca-kahm-radio-stations-sold-no-change-listeners/

I couldn't help but laugh when I read the article. Sure, Someone spends 1.7 million and accepts
no change of format as a condition of the sale. One thought that also comes to mind is
that perhaps, just perhaps, the new owners operate 102.1 FM with HD. They could put on their
format and continue easy listening as well. That probably sounds overly optimistic but we can
only hope.......

 

[spiritof67]

Prescott Joe, there are options/workarounds to losing KAHM, and I'm sure you are aware of them.

One is Sirius/XM's "Escape." Subscriptions can be had for far less than the list price, and would likely meet your price point.

Another is "97-Five" out of Rochester, a station based on the old KNXR in Rochester, MN beautiful music format. That one is free.

I would also consider recording these streams hard, just in case they go away. Yes, it requires more work than turning on a radio, but if it matters to you it is more than worth the time doing.

 

[DavidEduardo]

But every station that's a musical playground has a mass appeal station tied to it that pays the bills, and at some point the party ends and you have to get serious about entertaining the masses.

That sounds sooooo familiar. When I had my group of stations in Quito, Ecuador, in the 60's one of my FMs was all classical. It may have broken even on occasional months, but was mostly there because I liked having a classical music station.

 

[Prescott Joe]

Prescott Joe, there are options/workarounds to losing KAHM, and I'm sure you are aware of them.

One is Sirius/XM's "Escape." Subscriptions can be had for far less than the list price, and would likely meet your price point.

Another is "97-Five" out of Rochester, a station based on the old KNXR in Rochester, MN beautiful music format. That one is free.

I would also consider recording these streams hard, just in case they go away. Yes, it requires more work than turning on a radio, but if it matters to you it is more than worth the time doing.

Thank You. I really appreciate constructive commentary. I have hundreds of LP's and CD's I've recorded over the years. I'm in the process of recording more on my CD recorder. They should tide me over quite well when KAHM bites the dust......

 

[K6JHU]

And don't forget creating your own station using Pandora or Spotify. BTW, My wife loves 'Escape' on Sirius/XM. Sirius/XM tried to take off 'Escape' and listener protests brought it back. I believe that 'Music Choice' also has an easy listening channel.

 

[DavidEduardo]

And don't forget creating your own station using Pandora or Spotify. BTW, My wife loves 'Escape' on Sirius/XM. Sirius/XM tried to take off 'Escape' and listener protests brought it back. I believe that 'Music Choice' also has an easy listening channel.

One of the "problems" with both created stations and curated streams in this format is the absence of the custom music the major Beautiful Music syndicators used in the format's "best" years.

When I was syndicating a version of the format, as much as a third of the content was music specifically recorded for the format and never released on records. This was what permitted stations to have more current tunes in instrumental versions, and was a large part of the listening experience.

The lack of that custom music was what made KAHM seem so "blahh" to me when I'd listen in Prescott.

 

[pattiwacki]

Eye Level by Harry Winkler-What I'd give to have that version of a great song and there were many like that, not the typical Mantovani and Roger Williams offerings but songs that were recorded just for the genre and played on "Beautiful Music" stations only. I was told once that many of the recordings came from Europe. KAHM had a few songs like that because they played some that were actually from the last decade and they would work in some Smooth Jazz too.

 

[EricStein]

From the Prescott Courier, Sunday, October 1st.

https://www.dcourier.com/news/2017/oct/01/kyca-kahm-radio-stations-sold-no-change-listeners/

I couldn't help but laugh when I read the article. Sure, Someone spends 1.7 million and accepts
no change of format as a condition of the sale. One thought that also comes to mind is
that perhaps, just perhaps, the new owners operate 102.1 FM with HD. They could put on their
format and continue easy listening as well. That probably sounds overly optimistic but we can
only hope.......

That could be a possibility that they'll use the 101.7 translator in Prescott to continue a beautiful music service. Theoretically, the 60 dBu signal of the Spring Valley CP covers Prescott, even though it's not true in practice (from the occasions I've tried tuning in to the Crown King stations in Prescott), so they could get away with running a HD2 that technically "feeds" 101.7. However, as I said before, I don't see CCF owning KYCA for long unless current KAHM management will run the station under a long-term LMA.

 

[DavidEduardo]

Eye Level by Harry Winkler-What I'd give to have that version of a great song and there were many like that, not the typical Mantovani and Roger Williams offerings but songs that were recorded just for the genre and played on "Beautiful Music" stations only. I was told once that many of the recordings came from Europe. KAHM had a few songs like that because they played some that were actually from the last decade and they would work in some Smooth Jazz too.

A number of syndicators such as Bonneville and Shulke (SRP) commissioned their own recording, mostly in England. They were generally more appropriate versions of CHR and AC hits in instrumental form.

A group of Independent Good Music stations (WDVR, EZ Communications, etc) and at least one syndicator (KalaMusic) also did custom productions.

I accessed the Independent Good Music group recordings for my own syndication as part of a deal with EZ Communications. I also did several hundred custom tracks in Spain of Spanish and Latin American CHR hit songs.

 

[DrAkbar]

A number of syndicators such as Bonneville and Shulke (SRP) commissioned their own recording, mostly in England. They were generally more appropriate versions of CHR and AC hits in instrumental form.

Lex deAzevado was commissioned by BBS to cover contemporary songs. His library is now featured on SiriusXM's Escape channel.

 

[Prescott Joe]

One of the "problems" with both created stations and curated streams in this format is the absence of the custom music the major Beautiful Music syndicators used in the format's "best" years.

When I was syndicating a version of the format, as much as a third of the content was music specifically recorded for the format and never released on records. This was what permitted stations to have more current tunes in instrumental versions, and was a large part of the listening experience.

The lack of that custom music was what made KAHM seem so "blahh" to me when I'd listen in Prescott.

You do not indicate when you listened to KAHM. The music they played from 1981 well into the 90's was filled with "custom music" not available elsewhere. I know, I called or came by the station, spoke with "Veronica Tyler" or Nancy Bennett many times. On one occasion, then engineer, Al Hartzell, recorded a selection for me that I was trying to find for years.
That song, De nina a mujer, originally done by Julio Englesias, and rerecorded in an
instrumental version, remains one of my favorite selections of all time...............
Since that time, many of the "custom music" selections have disappeared, presumably
because they are no longer available.

 

[Prescott Joe]

Lex deAzevado was commissioned by BBS to cover contemporary songs. His library is now featured on SiriusXM's Escape channel.

Many of Lex DeAzevedo's selections can also now be found on YouTube,
under THE SURREY HOUSE MUSIC label, The radio recordings collection.

 

[DavidEduardo]

You do not indicate when you listened to KAHM. The music they played from 1981 well into the 90's was filled with "custom music" not available elsewhere. I know, I called or came by the station, spoke with "Veronica Tyler" or Nancy Bennett many times. On one occasion, then engineer, Al Hartzell, recorded a selection for me that I was trying to find for years.
That song, De nina a mujer, originally done by Julio Englesias, and rerecorded in an
instrumental version, remains one of my favorite selections of all time...............
Since that time, many of the "custom music" selections have disappeared, presumably
because they are no longer available.

Probably back in the early 90's the station still was using the tapes of a syndicator that had access to some custom music. Probably the syndicator ceased providing the service, but KAHM kept the tapes and used them until they wore out.

I listened occasionaly post-2000 until I sold my place in Prescott a couple of years ago. I just never thought the fromat was particularly well executed as to music selection and flow.

 

[pattiwacki]

Many of Lex DeAzevedo's selections can also now be found on YouTube,
under THE SURREY HOUSE MUSIC label, The radio recordings collection.

Youtube is down to one song on the Surrey House label but At the Surrey House Radio Recordings website they have what looks to be their entire collection available for download.

 

[MediaMan]

I have a feeling that most of the advertising revenue generated by KAHM came from the immediate Prescott area so maybe someone will put the easy listening format on the 101.7 translator owned by KAHM and keep the format alive. All they need is to lease a HD channel. I've not seen any recent Neilsen reports for Yavapai County, AZ, but I suspect KAHM got good numbers.

If no one offers an alternative, here is one..albeit it a more modern version: WHLC in Highlands, NC. They stream at www.whlc.com. Despite its big signal to the south, almost all of WHLC revenue is generated in the local market. $1.7 million for KAHM pales compared to what the Silverstein family could have gotten ten years ago. That would have probably just covered the escrow deposit.

 

[Prescott Joe]

Probably back in the early 90's the station still was using the tapes of a syndicator that had access to some custom music. Probably the syndicator ceased providing the service, but KAHM kept the tapes and used them until they wore out.

I listened occasionaly post-2000 until I sold my place in Prescott a couple of years ago. I just never thought the fromat was particularly well executed as to music selection and flow.

While I do not profess to being a radio expert, I do know what I like. Your radio knowledge and experience give you a totally different perspective on KAHM. I recall a few times listening to KBIG from L.A. The music was about the same as KAHM but it sounded to me like many other easy listening stations back in the day. KAHM was and continues to not only offer the good music I enjoy but also the local information and news craved by locals, like myself.

 

[DrAkbar]

I listened occasionaly post-2000 until I sold my place in Prescott a couple of years ago. I just never thought the fromat was particularly well executed as to music selection and flow.

When you're listening to radio Quaalude for hours upon end, does selection and flow matter? Rhetorical question, as it all pretty much sounds the same. One of the things that used to drive the Nurse and me crazy about KAHM, was the ambient noise picked up by the studio mic. A wall A/C unit must have been in close proximity to the console. But again, it really doesn't matter as the listeners are there for the muzak.

 

[DavidEduardo]

I have a feeling that most of the advertising revenue generated by KAHM came from the immediate Prescott area so maybe someone will put the easy listening format on the 101.7 translator owned by KAHM and keep the format alive. All they need is to lease a HD channel. I've not seen any recent Neilsen reports for Yavapai County, AZ, but I suspect KAHM got good numbers.

The Nielsen market was apparently dropped due to lack of subscribers following the Fall, 2016 report. KAHM got fairly good numbers, but the demographics were very, very old. Obviously, it's a mostly direct business market and not dependent on ratings to any extent... so as long as a client understands that the listeners are older seniors, then they can sell to them.

Prescott (meaning the Prescott Metro which is the whole county) has a higher than national average percentage of over-65 persons (something like 25% of the market), so there have to be some clients who want the senior crowd. The problem comes when the big box stores take over much of retail and don't buy local radio.

 

[DavidEduardo]

When you're listening to radio Quaalude for hours upon end, does selection and flow matter? Rhetorical question, as it all pretty much sounds the same. One of the things that used to drive the Nurse and me crazy about KAHM, was the ambient noise picked up by the studio mic. A wall A/C unit must have been in close proximity to the console. But again, it really doesn't matter as the listeners are there for the muzak.

In the big Beautiful Music battles, such as Cameo and KRFM, we had Shulke (and later Churchill) vs. Bonneville and the whole issue was about flow.

The expensive syndicators did "matched flow" programming, where quarter hour segments were programmed by hand and provided already assembled. They expense came from needing to retire segments after they played across the hours and dayparts, meaning lots more tape and a higher cost; the advantage was in very carefully assembled segments created by Marlin Taylor and Phil Stout.

In markets where stations could not afford this system, songs were blended from different reels to create random sets, often causing not-so-perfect segues. This is why many stations had about a half-second pause between songs to minimize clashes.

The idea was to create variety by not playing Caravelli next to Mauriat, but rather doing Mauriat into Chacksfield or even a custom cut. Same with keeping a precise mix of more "standard" songs (Theme from "The Apartment") and the instrumental versions of Lennon/McCartney or Brian Wilson songs.